Asia Property Awards 2017 programme revamped to include 14 markets

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 6 April 2017 -

• New markets joining the 2017 series include Mongolia, Laos, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives
• China, Hong Kong and Macau will be in incorporated into the two-night grand finale in Singapore
• Country winners will compete for regional accolades for the Best Developer, Best Mixed Use Development and Best Universal Design Development in Asia

Big changes are coming to the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, which is expanding in 2017 to include categories for exciting markets such as Mongolia, Laos, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives.

Winners and Highly Commended at PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards, the first event of the 2017 Asia Property Awards series

Country Winners move on to compete at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards grand final held every November in Singapore

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards gala dinner: an evening of celebration, dining and networking with up to 600 C-level industry executives

The prestigious annual ceremony in Singapore, which will now also feature China, Hong Kong and Macau categories, will be held over two nights at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands on 7-8 November 2017.

"It has been an exciting journey for the Asia Property Awards after joining PropertyGuru last year," said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Awards. "Our expanded awards scheme is a tribute to the strength of the Asian real estate industry. Fair judgement and transparency of process are at the heart of the Awards and we're delighted to introduce the awards system to Asia's rapidly growing property markets."

He added: "For more than a decade we've had incredible support from various developers, who have been instrumental in the growth of the property sector. As we explore new countries for the platform, we will ensure that the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards truly is the region's benchmark for the finest real estate developers, developments and design in the region."

The 12-year-old programme, which was first launched in 2005 by Ensign Media in Thailand, also holds annual black-tie gala dinner events in Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia, playing host to up to 600 C-level executives, senior industry figures and VIPs at each event.

Country winners from the aforementioned 14 markets advance to the seventh annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards grand final in Singapore on 7-8 November to compete for regional titles and be crowned the "best in Asia" in 2017.

Last year's grand final champion was Malaysia's Sime Darby Property, which collected the biggest award for Best Developer (South East Asia).

"The recognition of Sime Darby Property as the Best Developer in South East Asia by such esteemed industry experts is further testament of our commitment as a trusted developer. We were very honoured to receive the award and our heartfelt appreciation goes to the organiser," Dato' Ir Jauhari Hamidi, managing director at Sime Darby Property, said in a press statement last November.

The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards has an unparalleled reputation within the Asian real estate industry for being credible, fair and transparent, with an independent judging body, which comprises luminaries representing all real estate sectors, and a trusted awards supervisor in every market.

Following the format of the country awards, categories are divided into three sections: Developer, Development, and Design. All eligible nominations are rigorously and fairly judged by the panels of experts, based on the most detailed and fairest criteria:

• Developers -- reputation, image and corporate social responsibility initiatives; overall track record; displays of innovation; and achievement in the past 12 months.
• Development and Design -- location; value for money; unique selling points; state of completion; sales success; design concept, innovation and use of space; quality of amenities; and construction and materials used.

New regional categories to join the 2017 Awards include Best Mixed Use Development (Asia). While the award was presented in select country ceremonies last year (Singapore, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong/Macau), it will be the first time that a regional winner will be named.

Another new category is Best Universal Design Development (Asia), which is open to residential and commercial developments across the region that will be shortlisted in any category at the country awards. The project must be built environment that can be accessed, understood and used to the greatest extent possible by all people regardless of their age, size, ability or disability.

Overall, there will be seven Design, eight Development and two Developer categories at the grand finale ceremony.

Hari V. Krishnan, CEO of PropertyGuru Group, said: "Because of the Asia Property Awards, consumers are empowered to make confident property decisions, whether they're first-time buyers, expat renters or serial investors. Property knowledge is essential in our culture at PropertyGuru. We wish the country winners the best as they advance to compete at our grand final in Singapore."

The two gala events will each begin with a two-hour international networking cocktail reception, followed by the opening remarks and speeches, four-course dinner, and the awards ceremony proper. The first night on 7 November focuses on Singapore categories, and the second night on 8 November features the new markets and the regional competition. Alongside the gala dinner, PropertyGuru's C-suite conference -- the two-day Singapore Real Estate Summit 2017 -- will be held at the same venue in the daytime.

For more information about the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, email info@asiapropertyawards.com or visit the official website:AsiaPropertyAwards.com 

Note: Use of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards logo is limited to the publication of this article only.

About Asia Property Awards:

The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards are the largest real estate events in Asia, playing host to annual gala dinners for up to 600 C-level executives and leading industry figures from Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Myanmar, Indonesia and Cambodia. The Awards programme has an unparalleled reputation for being credible, fair and transparent, with an independent panel of judges and trusted awards supervisor. Originally launched by Ensign Media in Thailand in 2005 at the height of Asia's property boom, the Asia Property Awards in 2016 became part of PropertyGuru, Asia's leading online property group. In 2017, the awards scheme was expanded to include categories for Mongolia, Laos, Sri Lanka, India and the Maldives.

About PropertyGuru Group:

Founded in 2006, PropertyGuru Group is Asia's leading online property group used by more than 16 million property seekers, viewing over 130 million property pages and generating over 500,000 enquiries for real estate developer and agent advertisers every month across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. The 'hyper-growth' technology company has a full suite of integrated property media capability, from its original core business in online, mobile and events, to television broadcast (in Indonesia, via an investment and partnership with EMTEK), and a recent acquisition of print and events businesses, under the brand names of "Property Report" and "Asia Property Awards." Covering 14 markets and hosting eight gala events across the region, the Awards are held concurrently with the Asia Real Estate Summit, PropertyGuru's C-suite conference in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore.