Masterclass

Post-conference Masterclass

The global REIT team of Baker & McKenzie, pioneers and acclaimed experts in the Asia Pacific, European and US REIT markets will share with you their experience and in-sight on the international investment environment for real estate from the angle of cross-border investors. Issues covered will include exchange control, cash flow, tax and other structuring issues. We will also consider alternative exit vehicles to REIT listings. This highly interactive Masterclass will draw on a number of recent case examples that Baker & McKenzie has worked on worldwide.

Topics to be covered in the half-day

Masterclass include:

What next for the Australian LPT market?
– Investing in overseas real estate markets
– Geographical market analysis and intelligence

The Asian REIT debate
– To list in Hong Kong or Singapore?
– Demystifying the Chinese market and investment opportunities

Accessing the North American real estate markets
– The unique aspects of the market and investment opportunities
– Learn what the pioneers have achieved

The countdown to the new European REIT market
– Strategies for capitalising on the European REIT market

This Masterclass is designed to provide a theoretical and practical framework for investors, REIT and LPT managers and property groups to access the global REIT market.

About Baker & McKenzie

Baker & McKenzie provides sophisticated legal advice and services to the world’s most dynamic global enterprises and has done so for more than 50 years. Whether working as a local or cross border team, their dedicated Asia Pacific REITs team covers all aspects of REITs transactions from property due diligence, capital raising to tax and financing issues. They are creative problem solvers who can be relied upon to give accurate, dependable advice and reliable implementation that takes into account the implications of all aspects of a REIT transaction.
With an unmatched presence in all the major financial centers across the Asia Pacific and over 800 lawyers on the ground in the Region, they have been at the forefront of ground breaking REITs transactions in Asia. Baker & McKenzie are the only law firm who has to date acted on all the REITs listed on the stock exchanges in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In addition, they have also been involved in REITs that have been listed on the exchanges in Malaysia, Tokyo and Singapore.

Milton Cheng,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Hong Kong
Mr Cheng’s areas of expertise include real estate investment trusts (REITs), mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, financial services regulation and corporate finance. Mr Cheng is the co-head of Baker & McKenzie’s Asia Pacific REITs Group and has considerable experience in complex corporate and finance transactions and regularly advises financial institutions, Hong Kong-listed developers and other listed companies, and multinational corporations.

Bill Fuggle,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Australia
Mr Fuggle’s practice focuses on capital markets and financial products. He has acted on a range of equity capital markets and debt capital markets matters, ranging in size from $10 million to $1 billion in Australia, the UK, Switzerland and Singapore. Most recently he has acted on the establishment of a number of real property funds listed on the Australian and Singapore stock exchanges.

Angela Lee,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Hong Kong
Ms. Lee regularly advises real estate funds, financial institutions, property developers and multinational clients on property-related matters, including development, finance, sale and acquisition, landlord and tenant and litigation support. Since her first appointment as a China Appointed Attesting Officer in 1995, she has been heavily involved in the sales of development projects in Mainland China. Today, Ms Lee is the Global REIT liaison of the Global Transactional Practice Groups of Baker & McKenzie and is also the co-head of the Asia Pacific REITs Group of the Firm.

Olivier Mesmin,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, France
Mr Mesmin is the exclusive advisor of the Fédération des Sociétés Immobilières et Foncieres (FSIF), which is the French REIT federation. As such, Mr Mesmin has been heavily involved in the design, negotiation and implementation in 2003 of a new and specific tax regime for REITs in France (SIIC regime) which is similar to the US REIT plan. Mr Mesmin’s regularly advises clients in the property industry on the design and structuring of real estate funds and on unlocking real estate value operation and on the setting up of SIIC structures.

Michael Smith,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Chicago
Mr. Smith is the Head of Baker & McKenzie’s North America Real Estate practice. His practice focuses on advising clients on large-scale commercial and residential real estate development and finance, commercial lending, securitisation and structured finance projects. He also specialisies in alternative funding structures (REMIC, REITS, TICS and mortgaged backed securitisation), loan sales and participations, mortgage servicing, sale leaseback and synthetic leasing, including the interplay between the relevant accounting, tax and legal requirements.

Jason Ng,
Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Hong Kong
Mr. Ng’s practice focuses on investment funds, private equity and mergers and acquisitions. He has advised on the structuring and establishment of various unit trusts, mutual funds and private equity funds. He also regularly advises fund management clients on regulatory and licensing issues. Mr. Ng has also recently been involved in many of the Asia Pacific REITs which have listed on the Hong Kong and Singapore Stock Exchanges, including the Champion, Fortune, Prosperity and Link REITs.

Masterclass times and documentation
Registration for the Masterclass commences at 8:30am. The course will commence at 9:00am and conclude at 1:30pm. Refreshments will be provided. Participants will receive comprehensive course documentation, including all presentation material.

Click here to Register!