DWS, Invesco, Gaw to Discuss Living Sector at Mingtiandi Australia Forum
Executives from DWS, Invesco Real Estate and Gaw Capital Partners will join the Mingtiandi Australia Forum on 15 September to discuss rental apartments, student housing and senior living. The event comes as Australia's build-to-rent sector posts an 8.7 per cent total return in the year to June.
Executives from DWS, Invesco Real Estate and Gaw Capital Partners will join the Mingtiandi Australia Forum on Tuesday 15 September to discuss opportunities in rental apartments, student accommodation and senior housing as investors seek returns from the country's undersupplied living sector.
The discussions come as Australia's build-to-rent market gains a clearer investment benchmark, with the Property Council of Australia/MSCI index of stabilised BTR properties recording an 8.7 per cent total return in the year to June. The index covers 44 assets with a combined capital value of A$10 billion (US$7.2 billion).
Across two panels, speakers will examine how construction costs are shaping development decisions, where building conversions can unlock opportunities, and whether buying established accommodation businesses offers a faster route to scale. More than 200 industry leaders are expected at the full-day event at the Four Seasons Hotel Sydney, with sessions also streamed live on Mingtiandi's MTD TV platform.
The Australian BTR Investment panel at 12.15pm will explore how investors are achieving returns across the evolving sector, including location choices, project sizes and amenities, and the economics of developing new properties versus repurposing existing buildings. Moderating will be Paul Adamiak, executive vice president for business development at Citco, while Matthias Naumann, head of real estate for Asia Pacific at DWS, represents a manager with A$22 billion in living sector assets globally at the end of March.
Sabine Schaffer, co-founder and managing partner of Pro-invest Group, will discuss applying hospitality operating experience to co-living and flexible accommodation. Sascha Harms, head of Australia at Arch Capital, will bring a perspective focused on co-living and opportunities to renovate and repurpose properties, while Jessie Zhuang, vice president at Kio Investment Management, completes the panel.
At 2.45pm, Benjamin Martin-Henry, head of private assets research for the Pacific at MSCI, will moderate the PBSA and Senior Living Strategies panel. Anthony Bolger, head of planning and development at Centurion Corporation, will discuss the group's Epiisod student housing brand, while Lee Tredwell, senior director and head of Australia at Invesco Real Estate, will examine acquisitions as an alternative to development risk.
Joseph Lam, senior director for investments at Gaw Capital, brings experience across senior living, student accommodation and hospitality, and Daniel Mrsnik, senior investment analyst for property at Aware Super, will discuss the benefits of owning operating platforms. The forum also features group discussions of hospitality, industrial and commercial investment, plus a panel on Asian capital flows into Australia.
