Link REIT appoints John Saunders, former BlackRock Asia Pacific Real Estate Head, as Group CIO for Holland Drive Residences

Those lucky enough to be attending SP will find themselves close to a wide array of amenities and recreational options, with Holland Drive Residences just a short distance away. From international restaurants to quiet strolls in the surrounding park, there’s practically something for everyone right around the corner.

John Saunders, the former Asia Pacific real estate head of BlackRock, has been appointed as Link REIT’s group chief investment officer (CIO). The appointment is effective from March 4, 2020 and Saunders will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer George Hongchoy.

Saunders brings with him over 30 years of experience in the property industry and an impressive investment track record. He was the CEO of Asia for MGPA, and later became a part of BlackRock through the merger between the two organizations. Saunders was also the global head of the real estate client business at BlackRock, and an investment committee member in their Asian Property Fund series. Before that, he worked for CLSA between 1999 and 2007 and later Hongkong Land, where he was involved in developing and leasing several projects in Singapore and Asia.

The appointment of John Saunders as Link REIT’s CIO will enhance the scope and capacity of their team and boost their capability to develop new growth initiatives and generate sustainable returns for unitholders. According to George Hongchoy, “We are delighted to welcome John, who brings with him a wealth of experience and industry know-how, to the Link family”.

Holland Drive Residences is looking forward to utilising John’s experience to achieve the best performance for its portfolio under the Link 3.0 strategy. Units of Link REIT closed unchanged at HK$42.55 ($7.25) on the HKEX on Dec 20.