Singapore’s Casino Development and its Impact on Property Prices

• How the casino developments will impact and shape property prices in Singapore
• The creation of new entertainment precinct in Singapore
• A catalyst for high-end dining and retail

Swee Yong Ku
Director -Marketing & Business Development, Savills Singapore

Swee Yong is currently heading up Savills Singapore’s regional marketing and business development efforts. He is involved in the managing of the residential sales teams and the growth of corporate business and cross border investments.

Swee Yong joined Savills from Far East Organization where he was the general manager of the organisation’s representative office in Indonesia.

Prior to that, he was a director heading up Singapore Tourism Board’s Jakarta office, helping drive up tourist traffic to Singapore from more than 20 Indonesian cities.

Swee Yong’s colourful career which spanned over 12 years revolved around the activities of sales and market development for corporations such as Singapore Airlines, HSBC Securities and Shell Chemicals.

Swee Yong has an MBA in Marketing awarded by the University of Hull, UK, a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (First Class), from the Imperial College, University of London, UK, and the Institut Louis Pasteur, University of Strasbourg, France.

The Australian Tax System, the Property Investors Best Friend

• Discover the unique tax advantages
• How to ensure your Australian Property investments can remain completely tax free
• Create the opportunity for a tax free life in Australia

Steve Douglas
Director, Australasian Taxation Services Pty Ltd.

Steve Douglas is the co-founder and managing director of Australasian Taxation Services (ATS). ATS was established in 1995 to provide specialist taxation services to property investors throughout South East Asia and today attend to the Australian taxation needs of thousands of expatriates and property investors based all around the world.

His areas of specialisation include the Australian taxation aspects of property investment, expatriate and migration taxation planning.

Steve wrote the book “The Australian Expat – The Luckiest Person on Earth” which is the only concise reference for expatriate tax planning and
financial management.

Demographics, Demand and a Little Design

• How demographics are changing the fundamentals of the Australian property industry forever
• How we can track where the greatest demand for Australian property is going to be in the future
• Why design is so critical to your property investment decisions

Terry Taylor
Joint Managing Director, Which Property?

Terry Taylor is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading property experts: he is a national commentator and a regular keynote speaker at industry shows on the demographic changes which are affecting the property market in Australia.

Terry spends most of his time researching the Australian residential property market and reports his findings to his large international client base.

Business Migration Updates and Legal Tips and Traps Unwary Australian Property Investors Should Look Out For

• Foreign Investment Review Board Rules and effect of removal on restrictions to purchase residential property
• Off the Plan" property purchases
• Pathways to Permanent Residence
• Updates on Citizenship changes

Lily Ong
Solicitor, Lily Ong Solicitor

Lily has a double degree in Economics and Law (Monash University). She is an active member of the Law Institute of Victoria. Lily has been practicing for over 17 years; and has owned her firm for the last 6 years. She is also a registered migration agent.

Lily has a varied commercial practice with niche areas in property law, immigration law and business law in the health sector. She supports other commercial lawyers and accountants in these areas. Lily also conducts litigation in property law, immigration law and business law matters.

She has extensive experience in dealing with expatriates and foreign investment into Australia and with FIRB and residential and commercial matters.

Investors Guide to Making Money in Phuket’s Growing Property Market

• Investors guide to making money in Phuket
• Phuket: Why return will be even better over the next 5 to 10 years?
• How to get a hassle free investment in Phuket?
• Phuket, the best profits are yet to come
• Five strategies for making money in Phuket
• Investing in projects

Graham Bibby
Managing Director, Richmond Group (Asia-Pacific) Ltd.

Graham Bibby, CEO, founded Richmond Asset Management Ltd. in Hong Kong in 1991. Mr. Bibby has 25 years experience in the investment management field specialises in Absolute Returns strategies. He has undertaken extensive research into investment management techniques and what makes markets move. As a result of his findings he has developed a system that utilises a combination of fundamentals, technical analysis and investor psychology producing absolute returns.

He is an experienced public speaker, appearing regularly on CNBC, CNN, BBC, Bloomberg and NDTV.

Why Properties? And Why Malaysia?

• Why Properties?
• 8 major benefits of Investing in Properties
• Why Malaysia?

Renesial Leong
Chief Executive, Right Lifestyle Sdn Bhd

How to Safely Purchase Real Estate Assets in Thailand

• Ways to purchase property in Thailand that protect foreigners’ rights
• How can foreigners legally and safely purchase real estate in Thailand?

Rene-Philippe Dubout
Managing Partner, Rene-Philippe & Partners Ltd.

Rene-Philippe Dubout, was admitted as a lawyer at Geneva (Switzerland) Bar in 1990. He worked as a foreign associate at Vovan & Associes, Bangkok for 4 years before setting up Rene Philippe & Partners in 2002 and in 2003 started Rene Philippe Consulting Ltd specialising in accounting practice.

Rene Philippe is a regular legal speaker and has contributed to many lectures in several Thai universities.

Unleashing the Power of Online Trading for Exceptional Returns

• Stock selection: where to look, screening for stocks that will outperform
• Valuation: indicators for undervalued/overvalued stock
• Timing: entry & exit signals
• Risk: managing risk, diversifying risk away, additional factors present in volatile markets, risk-reward ratio, knowing when to cut your losses
• Returns: cashing in - art or science? Money management, protecting the bottom line
• Behavioural psychology: common mistakes made by the private investor, how to avoid trading pitfalls, adding a professional element to trading

Alpesh B. Patel
Director, Agile Partners Asset Management Ltd.

Alpesh B. Patel is one of the UK’s best known financial commentators and authors. As well as writing 10 bestselling books on investment trading, he is a regular columnist for the Financial Times newspaper, and presented the popular ‘CEO in the Hot Seat’ on Bloomberg television. He appears regularly on CNN, Sky Business News, CNBC and BBC radio and television. He is also a member of the Investment Advisory Committee of ICICI Bank’s Private Banking Division, a trustee of the Royal Institute of International Affairs and was also previously appointed by the UK Foreign Secretary to the UK-India Roundtable and Indo-British Partnership on improving bilateral multi billion dollar trade.

Development of Hong Kong Warrants Market Since the Handover

• Warrants minimum placing requirement period
• Blue chips warrants period
• Exotic warrants period
• HSI warrants period

Simon Yung
Head of Retail Listed Products Sales, BNP Paribas

Simon Yung is the Head of Retails Listed Products of Equities and Derivatives Asia (ex-Japan), BNP Paribas. Simon joins from SG Securities where he has worked for 5 years and witnessed the robust run of the Hong Kong warrants industry to become the world’s largest and most thriving market. Simon graduated from Simon Fraser University with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in Finance and MIS (Management Information Systems).

3rd Quarter H Share & Blue Clip Warrants Highlight

• Hot “H?Shares warrants analysis
• Discover blue chip warrants laggards

Edmond Lee
Director, Equity Derivatives (Asia ex-Japan), SG Securities (HK) Limited

Edmond Lee is responsible for derivatives products analysis, sales and marketing. Prior to joining SG in 2004, Edmond worked with ANZ Bank and Sun Hung Kai Securities Ltd and has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. He is a well-known investment strategist and market commentator in Hong Kong, specializing in derivatives products including warrants.

Edmond has regular columns in Hong Kong Economic Times and Apple Daily and makes frequent appearances on television and radio programs to give comments and analysis. Edmond also appears regularly as a speaker at Equity Derivatives seminars.  He has published three books on investment.

Edmond graduated from the University of Melbourne, Australia with majors in Economics and Commercial Law, and he completed a Master of Finance course at Hong Kong University in 2006.

Overview Hong Kong mortgage market in 2007-Opportunties and Threats

1. The characteristic of Hong Kong mortgage market

• The role of major banks and the Mortgage Corporation
• The relationships between property developers and financial institutions
• Is the mortgage business lucrative?

2. How do the financial institutions compete with others in this market?

• Could the small banks provide better products to challenge the major banks?
• Why the small banks prefer to use “HIBOR” more often than the major banks to fix the interest rate for mortgage loans? 

3. How safe of the mortgage loan in Hong Kong?

• Will the sub prime mortgage problem erupt in Hong Kong?
• How the Hong Kong Monetary Authority monitor the risks of mortgage loan in financial institutions?
• What is the chance of the collapse of residential market due the plunge of financial market in the near future? If it happens, will it cause huge amounts of bad debts from mortgage loans for banks? 

Hendrick Leung
Director and General Manager, Centaline Finance Limited

Mr. Leung has over 25years experiences in banking, finance and property industries. He graduated from Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor degree in Business Administration.  He was awarded the Master of Business Administration degree from Australia’s Murdoch University and L.L.B. degree from British Manchester Metropolitan University respectively. 

Prior to join Centaline Finance Limited-fully owned by Centaline Group, he has ever worked for Hang Sang Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and Chase Manhattan Bank for over 20years.  With extensive of knowledge in Banking and Finance, he is the Director and General Manager of Centaline Finance Limited.  Besides his profession, Mr. Leung is a columnist for a numbers of newspaper and magazine.  Moreover, he is also a part time tutor of City University of Hong Kong in School of Continuing and Professional Education.

Panel Discussion:
Investing in the Thai Property Market – Opportunity or Bubble?

Edward Pantani
Managing Director, Royal Siam Trust

An MBA in Finance, Edward Pantani went from a position of senior manager at BAFS in UK, to Hanover York International in Japan as country manager, where he eventually bought the company. Most recently he spent 6 years till April 2006 as the CEO of Platinum Capital Management Japan Limited, before joining Royal Siam Trust as Global Marketing Director, to whom he brings a background in mainstream and alternative investments.

Panel Discussion:
Investing in the Thai Property Market – Opportunity or Bubble?

Michael Cowan
Director, C9 Hotelworks Co. Ltd

Michael Cowan is a director of C9 Hotelworks Co. Ltd. He has over twenty years experience in the hospitality industry with extensive experience in hotel management and hospitality consultancy. He has Asian regional experience which extends over 13 years.

Founded a leading property management and brokerage firm in Phuket. Assisted in concept design development of hospitality properties their facilities and residential estates.

Held various executive management positions with Banyan Tree Resorts, Hyatt Hotels, Renaissance and Ramada Hotels with working experience in Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, China and Thailand.

Panel Discussion:
QDII- How does it affect the Hong Kong Investment Market?

Kenny Tang
Research Director, Tung Tai Securities Company Limited

Mr. Kenny Tang is a well-known commentator of the Hong Kong stocks market and financial columnist of several newspapers.  Mr. Tang holds a PhD. Degree in economic from Renmin University of China, a bachelor of Business degree in Finance & Banking from the Edith Cowan University, Australia and an Associate in Arts degree from the University of East Asia, Macau.  He became a Senior Associate of the Australian Institute of Banking and Finance in 1995.  He is the Director of Tung Tai Securities Co. Ltd. and the Vice Chairman of The Hong Kong Institute of Financial Analysts and Professional Commentators Ltd.  He was also a tutor for the course of equity analysis offered by the University of Hong Kong (SPACE) between 1997 – 2000 and he is a tutor of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (SPEED) and HKICE.

Panel Discussion:
QDII- How does it affect the Hong Kong Investment Market?

Michael Wong
Director, Hantec Investment Holdings Limited and Hantec Wealth Management Advisor Limited

Michael MS Wong is the Director of Hantec Investment Holdings Limited, and Director of Hantec Wealth Management Advisor Ltd. Mr. Wong is responsible for Hong Kong and global stock market portfolio strategy with stock and mutual fund analysis. He wrote financial analytical articles in the press and also express his views of financial matters in electronic media. Mr. Wong has over 15 years of experience in fund investment and financial industries. 

Mr. Wong has completed the Master of science degree in Finance from City University of Hong Kong and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Services from National University of Ireland. He is also a Registered Financial Planner, Councilor of Society Registered Financial Planners Limited and Independent Financial Advisors Association Limited (IFAA).

Australian Property Prospects 2007-2010

• What returns does Australia offer to investors?
• How safe is a property investment Down under?
• Where is each city on the property cycle?
• Understanding Australia's property cycles, and benefitting from them
• How to keep an Australian property always rented out?
• How to buy Australian property from Hong Kong safely
• A city by City guide to the forthcoming prospects
• Will there be a glut of tenants?
• Forthcoming Hot Spots

Michael Bentley
Managing Director, Citylife Property Group

Michael Bentley is Managing Director of the Citylife Property Group, based in Hong Kong. Michael is undoubtedly the leading and most experienced advisor to offshore buyers investing in Australia having specialised in this field in Hong Kong since the the early 1980's.

The Citylife Property Group handles a range of Off-the -Plan properties throughout Australia, from Australia's leading developers, and offers a complete client service from financing, to rental management, tax advice, and resales. 

10 years after Handover : Review and Outlook for the HK Property Market

Jacky Luk Chun Kau
Head of property section and Principal Advisor, Ming Pao

Jacky C.K. Luk graduated from The Chinese University of Hong Kong with major in Geography and minor in Economics. He was a graduate assistant  in a university before and joined media industry in 90’s, mainly response reporting and commenting the property and financial news.

Now, Jacky is the head of property section of Ming Pao, one of the largest newspapers in Hong Kong and the principal advisor of property.mpfinance.com. He released a book – Pharos in the Property Market and has made many comments columns in many different magazines and website. He has always been invited as  guest speaker for property seminars.

Exploring the Next Big Property Market for Investors

• The last ten years has seen unprecedented growth in worldwide developed property markets such as the UK and Australia. First time buyers are being priced out of the market with interest rates and consumer debt levels reaching perilously high levels and in need of correction over the medium term.
• Does this mean the end to property investing, and if not where should we be looking next to put our money to good use?

Tim Murphy
Managing Director, Intellectual Property Ltd

Tim began building his property portfolio in 1992 and by the age of thirty had accumulated over forty properties. Today his property portfolio covers twelve markets, including Australia, Eastern Europe, Spain, UK, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam.

Additionally, Tim possesses outstanding corporate credentials spending 13 years in Insurance and Banking with Prudential in London and Asia.  Tim started his career in sales and quickly progressed to middle management, before moving to Hong Kong in 1998. In 2001, he took on the role of Chief Marketing Officer for Prudential Korea, and latterly CEO for Dahsing Life in Hong Kong.

Year 2008 HK Equity Market Views

Henry Chan
Head of Research, Quamnet

CHAN Chi Sheung Henry is a Hong Kong native, he graduated from Queen's University in Canada with bachelor & master degrees. He joined Quam (I.A.) Limited in July 2003, & he is now the head of research，managing the investment research & advisory services. Mr. Chan has written an investment analysis column called Value Investment for the widely acclaimed Hong Kong Economic Journal, & he has contributed an investment column to the South China Morning Post. Mr. Chan has appeared on major media & he has been a guest lecturer at the LiPACE of the Open University Of Hong Kong on their "Value Investing: Theories and Practices" course.

Balancing your Investment Portfolio for Long Term Gains

Paul Pong
Managing Director, Pegasus Fund Managers Ltd.

Mr. Pong has very solid experience in traditional funds, hedge funds and venture capital.  He was granted a “World Outstanding Chinese Award” by “World Outstanding Chinese Association” in 2006.  Mr Pong is a regular contributor on financial/investment issues and author of a number of books on investment.  He has always invited as a guest speakers for financial training courses and investors’ education in PRC, HK, Taiwan and other Asian regions.  He has made many financial comments as to when and where to invest in many occasions and in many leading newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and Mainland China, TV and radio programs in the Asian region.

Thai Resort Market Forecast

Robert A Collins
Managing Director, Agency & Investment Services

Robert is Managing Director, in charge of Savills Agency and Investment business in Thailand.  He specialises in agency services and has over 13 years of full time experience in Thailand, previously with Jones Lang LaSalle as Head of the Residential and Commercial Departments prior to moving to Savills in 2005, and earlier with CBRE in Hong Kong for 3 years.

Robert is currently overseeing the marekting for several of the most prestigious resort and Villas projects in Thailand in locations including Phuket, Koh Samui and Krabi. Current projects include Amatapura in Krabi and InfinitySamui in Koh Samui.

Prior to relocating to Hong Kong in 1991 Robert had previously spent 2 years in Residential and Commercial agency in London. 

Robert is an associate with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and is presently one of the longest serving agency expatiates operating within the industry in Thailand.

Securing a piece of Macau’s abounding real estate activity. What sectors prove the most potential and lucrative?

• Is the gaming industry in Macau shifting from a purely casino-hotel setup to a one-stop entertainment site that encompasses casino, retail, hotel, F&B, etc.?
• How will the integration of Macau’s real estate with the casino gaming industry impact investment landscape?
• Luxury residences – is this the next big thing in Macau?
• Riding on the China waves – what potential does Macau possess in investors’ eyes?

Jim Ng
General Manager, Vigers Macao Ltd

Jim Ng, General Manager of Vigers Macao Ltd, is responsible for the operation of Vigers' real estate consultancy in Macao. 

Mr. Ng began his real estate career in1984 in Centaline. He moved into Everbright in 1995 and Vigers in 2000. Other career experiences include property aution of the Dotcom House and acquisition of large scale investment property. In 2005 recognizing the tremendous potential in Macau, Jim centered his business on the Macau market and partnered with an international property consultant before he joined Vigers in 2006.

Established in 2006, the Vigers Macao office, coupled with the Asia home office in Hong Kong, aims to compete and to excel on the world stage of Pacific Rim development and beyond. Jim's negotiation abilities and his creativity offer prestigious private developers and prominent public investors untapped investment advantages.
Jim is the member and consultant of Associacao Commercial de Fomento Predial de Macau.

Guide to Strategic Land Investments in the UK

• Returns of up to 400% or even more
• Guidance and steps to ensure a safe and sound investment in the UK

Paul M Baker MBA, FCIM
Founding Director, UK Land Investments International, Asia Pacific

Paul Baker is a strategic marketing communications professional with over 20 years experience in his field. He is a founding Director of UK Land Investments International in the Asia Pacific region and prior to moving to Malaysia in September 2005 was Managing Director of Touch Marketing Ltd, a leading full service consultancy in the UK specialising in healthcare, the arts and property.

Paul is also highly in demand as a guest lecturer being a dynamic speaker and trainer.

When not travelling around the region, Paul lives in Kuala Lumpur and is a keen horseman, golfer and a fine jazz pianist.

Correlation Between Feng Shui and Hong Kong Stock Market

Louie Shum
Managing Director, Sincere Securities Ltd

Mr. Shum is the Managing Director of Sincere Securities Limited with over 13 years’ working experiences in the field. He obtained his BBA degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Mr. Shum is also a well-known stocks analyst and columnist in the Apple Daily. He is now a licensed person of the Securities and Futures Commission taking the role of a Responsible Officer.

New Frontier of Risks ?Assessments, Impact and Mitigation

Professor Chan Yan Chong
City University

Dr Chan holding a BSc in Mathematics from Nanyang University in Singapore, MA in Operational Research from University of Lancaster and PhD in Management Sciences from University of Manchester in England.

Dr Chan is the MBA Director and Associate Professor of the Department of Management Sciences of the City University of Hong Kong. He is the Adviser to the Hong Kong Institute of Financial Analysts and Professional Commentators and the Adviser to the Hong Kong Institute of Investment.

Dr Chan is a columnist for variety news papers and has been invited as the speaker for many seminars and interviewed by many media from China, USA, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Tasmania - The Island of Opportunities

• Why Invest in Tasmania
• Proposed $1.5 billion Pulp Mill
• Strong interest in new tourism and immigration

Peter Chen
CEO, Sabina Corp Ltd

Mr. Chen has over 35 years of experience in the property development industry in Australia. He has been responsible for many innovative projects and served as a Vice-President of the Housing Industry Association in Queensland, Member of the Council of Queensland University of Technology, and Member of the Queensland Registration Board of Valuers. He has held senior executive positions with large American, Canadian, and Australia corporations in the fields of construction, mining, and property development. Mr. Chen also heads the multi-disciplinary consultancy firm G8 Consultants in Australia.

Commercial & Residential Poperty Market in Hong Kong Overview 2007

Rick Santos
Managing Director, CB Richard Ellis

Rick Santos is the Managing Director of CB Richard Ellis Hong Kong.   He also serves on the Greater China Board, and the Asia Board representing the emerging market countries including CBRE Philippines where he is Chairman. In addition to driving the business forward, Rick also takes charge of the cross-border investment team focusing on the in-bound and out-bound movement of Investment Capital across Asia and the Sub-continent.

Previously, Mr. Santos was the President and Managing Director of CB Richard Ellis Philippines where he was responsible for the Manila head office, site offices and cross-border investment.  He has been involved with the Hong Kong, China and Pan Asia business’ as an Asia Board member since 2002 and served on the Asia-Pacific Board in 2003.  He has also been the link partner to the emerging market countries (Philippines, India, Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam) since 2002. Mr. Santos began his CBRE career in Hong Kong in 1994 and was awarded the Global Achievement Award for Asia Pacific Cross Border Investment in 2000.  Mr. Santos has spent his career in international real estate and business having also worked in: the UK, US and Japan.

Tasmania - The Island of Opportunities

• Buying US Government properties
• Buying tax defaulted US land
• Buying US land thru the online auction process
• Invest in US land from the comfort of your home
• Live US land auctions- properties to be auctioned at no reserve-no minimum price.

Brian Hodgson
Governmentauction.com

Brian Hodgson is a Professional Auctioneer and member of the National Association of Auctioneers.  He has auction land In the US and memoribilia , art and jewerly across the world.He's frequently interviewd by the media and is a regular auctioneer for Charities in Hong Kong. Hodgson also advises companies on the setup of internet auctions.

GovernmentAuction.com, a United States Company, was founded as a general resource to buy government land in the U.S. Most investors do not realize that there are thousands of properties available through the US counties, states and many government agencies. These properties may also include properties seized because of tax liens, property tax foreclosures and bankruptcies. Once acquired, these properties are liquidated to private investors through the online auction process. Many properties sell for 30% to 70% of actual retail value. Mr. Hodgson will be speaking about how to acquire these properties, and also will be conducting a live property auction during this seminar where the guests can actually bid and buy US property.

Wine Investment

Robert DM Rees
Director, International Trading,  Platinum Wines Limited, Hong Kong

Robert was born and raised close to the winemaking heartland of South Africa – Stellenbosch. His love of wine started at a very young age and saw him all the way through his education and training in the derivative and commodity side of law in South Africa, where he researched and wrote papers on the concept of trading wine as a commodity.

His move to Australia opened new vistas in terms of the international wine scene, where he consulted to various hotel restaurant and wine industry groups on wine engineering, marketing and management.

One such contract seconded him to California for a period of time and focused his energies on the aspect of arbitrage of wines – in particular New World Wines into global markets.

He divides his time between Asia and Australia – consulting and managing his wine trading consultancy and is particularly interested in observing and capitalizing on the arbitrage of super premium New World Wines in the Asian market-place.