Asia Pacific Capital Markets: 2023 Insights and Priorities

Chris Pilgrim is the Managing Director of Colliers Asia Pacific Capital Markets business and holds a senior leadership position within the Global Capital Markets platform. Based in Singapore, he has responsibility for driving significant growth across Colliers Capital Markets platform in Asia Pacific, whilst he continues to specialise in the deployment of capital into real estate globally. In the last three years, our Capital Markets teams have been involved in over US$230 billion worth of transactions. In addition to being a qualified Chartered Surveyor, Chris sits on the Asia Pacific Executive Committee at Colliers.

Chris has deep experience advising, structuring and transacting across the risk return spectrum. In the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific, he has built a strong track record in the marketing of US$1b+ single asset trades and complex development projects, as well as structing and marketing corporate merger and acquisition activity. In his decade of specialising in international investment he has successfully navigated diverse business environments, managing varied cultures and business practices.

Chris is focused on connecting global capital with opportunities across regions and asset classes, working collaboratively with the Colliers teams across the world. He has a unique breadth of global experience and has advised on inter-regional real estate investment on both a direct and indirect basis between APAC, EMEA and the Americas regions. He is an expert in large scale investments with a history of major cross-border transactions totalling in excess of US$10 billion.

I have been with Colliers International for over 25 years and am the Managing Director of Capital Markets & Investment Services, Australia as well as the State Chief Executive of Victoria.  

I have established a strong reputation in the Capital Markets space and have formed close relationships with major investors and institutions on a global scale. In recent years, I have negotiated some of Australia’s largest real estate transactions and have been instrumental in successfully brokering many substantial transactions with overseas investors entering the Australian market. My extensive connectivity in the global real estate market can unite capital with local expertise, regardless of location.

Our national Investment Services business represents market specializations including Capital Markets and Investment Sales. The two clear divisions servicing the Australian commercial office market ensures complete market coverage, efficiency and premium experiences and successes for our clients. 

​As a long standing senior member within Colliers International, I have played an integral role in contributing to the business's success in Australia. I hold a number of senior positions with Colliers including a member of the National Executive Board. I am committed to the success of the business by providing our people with the tools they require to deliver incomparable service and results.

Jimmy assumes the major responsibility of screening different types of investment opportunities as well as illustrating value add potential to investors. Commerical, business park and land devement properties are Jimmy's area of concentration.

Piyush is responsible for developing Capital Markets Business in India.

Piyush is leading the Client acquisition, developing institutional relationships with Indian and Global Funds, Sovereign Funds, Banks, NBFCs, AIFs for Capital Markets Business   

With close to 19 years of experience, Piyush is an industry veteran with proven expertise in real estate investments, asset management and exit strategy, deployment and business development. With experience of investing of US$ 2 billion, Piyush is leading Colliers’ Capital Markets business in India and strengthen the market position of the organization with a clear focus on servicing our clients across the spectrum.

As a Deputy Managing Director, Hisakazu will oversee and drive the expansion of the Capital Markets & Investment Services business and accelerate Colliers’ growth in Japan.

Richard is responsible for the promotion of New Zealand property to international investors, leveraging of his relationships developed in executive positions during his near 8 years in Hong Kong, as well as assisting to grow the company’s nationwide Rural and Agribusiness agency capability.

Richard began his real estate career in 2004 with CBRE, in the five years he spent with them (before leaving to run Colliers Hong Kong business in 2008) he was involved in many notable transactions including the sale of the Lion Nathan site in Newmarket for $162m, the sale of the GE & BNZ Britomart properties on behalf of Manson’s to the German fund HIH and portfolio sales, including the successful auctioning of 16 National Bank Branches across New Zealand.

During his time as MD of Colliers Hong Kong he was involved in the sale of 50 Connaught Road on behalf Apollo Group (a New York based Hedge Fund) to the Agricultural Bank of China for $US632m.

Richard was the Managing Director of Colliers Hong Kong office for six years from 2009-2014. During this time he was an active participant in several high value transactions and developed broad relationships with both Asian investors and colleagues across the region.

In late 2014, Richard agreed to run CBRE’s Asia Pacific Capital Market business, including their Capital Advisory (Real Estate Investment Banking) business, this further added to his knowledge of real estate investors, particularly in greater Asia.

As a senior executive of Colliers for 6 years in Hong Kong, Richard has strong personal relationships with Colliers personnel across the globe.

WeiLeng is the Managing Director | Head of Capital Markets in Singapore and is responsible for the growth of Colliers' Capital Markets & Investment Services team. An exceptional leader of great entrepreneurial spirit, WeiLeng possesses strong capital markets expertise and proven track records. She is adept in advisory and brokerage, as well as principal real estate. With more than 25 years of experience in the real estate industry, she excels in building deep client relationships and extensive industry network. ​

WeiLeng has a strong collaborative culture and regional outlook, which enables her to fully connect Colliers Singapore to our other businesses within Asia Pacific and across the global platform. It creates added value for clients who now demand highly effective solutions spanning from country to country.

Capital Markets is her expertise. Her first foray into real estate began nearly three decades ago when she was headhunted by government service. She has since accumulated a wealth of experience in selling buildings, hotels and development land. She sold her first office building at 20 Malacca Street at Raffles Place – just barely one year into her new role. That same relentlessness saw her through many more deals, some bigger, others smaller. Over the years, she has developed an excellent network and invested in strong relationships.

She often gets the question, "What drives you?", which she usually answers, "the inexplicable joy I see on my clients' face when I close a deal!" By building trusted relationships, she has successfully entered into joint ventures with both CapitaLand and City Developments Limited (CDL), during her stint on the buy-side with Wells Fargo (then Wachovia Real Estate).

Having three daughters of her own that are coming of age, she understands her people's aspirations and recognises the acceleration of success of her people as one of her key focuses, where she mentors and nurtures them in becoming the next generation of leaders.

Colliers has given her tremendous space to accelerate her success, and she would like to accelerate yours too. Connect with her today!

Sungwook Cho is the Head of Capital Markets & Investment Services at Colliers International Korea. He is an industry veteran with 20+ years of commercial real estate experience, recording more than USD 15 billion in transaction volume with a proven track record that includes many landmark assets across the commercial, retail, and development sectors in Korea.

Over the many years of experience in commercial real estate, he has well-established a wide range of relationships with domestic institutional clients and asset management companies.

He is passionate to leverage his industry experience to further expand relationships with clients overseas and to collaborate with experts across the globe to secure international capital from Colliers’ global network of clients.