CapitaLand Investment’s Group CEO Lee Chee Koon honoured as ‘Industry Figure of the Year - Asia Pacific’ at PERE Global Awards 2024

Recognised for steering CLI’s transformational growth of its asset-light fund management business. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) March 05, 2025 - CapitaLand Investment Limited (CLI), a leading global real asset manager, is pleased to announce that its Group CEO, Mr Lee Chee Koon, has been named ‘Industry Figure of the Year - Asia Pacific’ at the prestigious PERE Global Awards 2024. PERE also named CLI as runner up for ‘Firm of the Year – Asia Pacific’.

The ‘Industry Figure of the Year - Asia Pacific’ award recognises Mr Lee’s exceptional leadership, his role in driving CLI’s transformational growth, and his significant impact on the private real estate industry in the Asia Pacific region. Under his stewardship, CLI has successfully scaled its fund management business through strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and its compelling megatrend-themed investment strategies, while effectively navigating macroeconomic and geopolitical complexities. The PERE Global Awards recognise the most influential leaders and firms in private real estate, celebrating those who have made significant contributions to the industry.

Mr Lee Chee Koon, Group CEO of CLI, said: “I am deeply honoured to receive this award on behalf of the CLI team. I would like to extend my gratitude to our Board of Directors for their unwavering guidance and support. Together, we have driven CLI’s evolution by embracing transformation and continuously striving for excellence. With the restructuring of CapitaLand Group and the listing of CLI in 2021, we have evolved from an Asian developer into a global real asset manager, supported by exceptional teams in key markets, competitive operating platforms, and trusted partnerships.”

“We are still in the midst of building CLI, and these recognitions attest to our vision and commitment to grow CLI as a globally competitive investment management platform. With a clear focus on asset-light growth and delivering sustainable returns to our investors, CLI will continue expanding into new markets and sectors while enhancing capital efficiency. We thank our investors, customers, and business partners for their trust and look forward to deepening these partnerships,” added Mr Lee.

Accelerating growth with bold strategies
Since becoming the Group CEO of CapitaLand in September 2018, Mr Lee worked with his leadership team to reposition the Group. CapitaLand acquired Ascendas-Singbridge in 2019, bolstering its position in the business park, industrial and logistics sectors and expanding its fund management and lodging management platforms. The merger also made CapitaLand Group one of the largest diversified real estate companies in Asia. CapitaLand Group was restructured in 2021 with the listing of its real asset management business, CLI and privatisation of its real estate development arm, CapitaLand Development. Since the listing of CLI in 2021, its funds under management (FUM) have increased 30% from S$86 billion to S$117 billion as at end 2024 and the company is on track to achieve its FUM target of S$200 billion by 2028.

In 2024, CLI made a strategic investment in SC Capital Partners Group (SCCP) and acquired Wingate Group Holdings’ (Wingate) property and corporate credit investment management business. SCCP is a leading Asia Pacific real estate investment manager headquartered in Singapore with presence across eight locations in the region while Wingate is one of the largest private credit investment managers in Australia.

Demonstrating its strong network and reputation in Asia, CLI has connected its capital partners with investment opportunities across geographies and asset classes. CLI’s fund and asset management expertise, coupled with strong on-the-ground execution capabilities, enables it to source for off-market deals and drive quality returns for its capital partners.

Strong industry recognition at PERE Asia Summit 2025
The PERE award is a significant industry recognition that CLI has made major strides forward as a leading real asset manager that is shaping the future. Mr Lee was the keynote speaker to share his insights at the PERE Asia Summit 2025 in Singapore on 25 February 2024. The following are highlights of his keynote remarks:

Finding value in dislocation
• With bid-ask spreads widening, transaction volumes remain low—but financing pressures could make 2025-2026 a prime vintage for patient capital.

Geopolitical shifts and investment stalemate
• Policy and economic shifts are reshaping capital flows, delaying large-scale projects, and forcing a reassessment of market exposure.

Winning in the next era of real estate
• Alpha generation is key—driving efficiency, targeting mispriced assets and capitalising on demographic trends, digital infrastructure, and market disruption opportunities such as private credit.

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