Industry experts to address SA REIT Conference

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Headlining speakers include Guillaume Poitrinal, founder and chairman of ICAMAP, non-executive chairman of Woodeum, and ex-CEO of Unibail-Radamco; Andrew Parsons, MD of Resolution Capital (Australia); and Dr Reuel Khoza, president of the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa (IoDSA), chairman of Aka Capital, and former chairman of Nedbank Group Limited.

However, the appeal of its keynote speakers is easily matched by the calibre of its panellists - starting with the CEOs of the three largest South African primary listed REITs.

Parsons will mediate Norbert Sasse of Growthpoint Properties, Mark Stevens of Fortress Income Fund and Andrew Konig of Redefine Properties, who will explore SA listed property from a global perspective. They will be joined by Izak Petersen, who brings to the discussion his perspective as CEO of Dipula Income Fund, a growing REIT with exceptional BEE credentials.

Compelling theme

'South Africa: An emerging economy barely emerging' is the compelling theme of the panel to be mediated by Dr Khoza. Its participants will probe what the country needs to be doing better, and differently.

Panellists feature Cees Bruggemans, chairman of Bruggemans and Associates Consulting Economists and former chief economist of FNB; Laurence Rapp, CEO of Vukile Property Fund; Sara Gon, research fellow at the Institute of Race Relations; and Shawn Theunissen, head of corporate social responsibility and transformation at Growthpoint Properties.

The final panel will consider the challenges facing South Africa’s property sector, and is mediated by Brian Azizollahoff, partner and MD of Capstone Property Group. Panel contributors include corporate finance executive and founding director of Java Capital, Andrew Brooking; retail development doyen, co-founder and chairman of Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment, Patrick Flanagan; and consultant CEO of The Property Sector Charter Council, Portia Tau-Sekati.

In addition to the keynote features and panel discussions, Keith Engel, deputy CEO of the SA Institute of Tax Practitioners, will also host an update session on the status of SA REITs.