- PropertyGuru champions gender equality and inclusive leadership in real estate at annual gathering
- In a show of unity, top female executives ditch their high heels, elevating the conversation on leadership and empowerment
- Honouring six influential women, the event emphasises diversity and empowerment in the industry, celebrating a new era of inclusive leadership
On 7 December 2023, PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), successfully hosted its annual PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit (ARES) followed by the ARES VIP Cocktail Party in Bangkok, Thailand, presenting the ARES Power Women for a second year.
The invitation-only party, which was sponsored by PropertyGuru For Business, was a highlight of the PropertyGuru Week and celebrated the outstanding achievements of six exceptional women leaders in the real estate sector, acknowledging their significant contributions and influence as leaders in the industry.
Hari V. Krishnan, CEO and Managing Director of PropertyGuru Group, opened the evening with a special message reflecting on the journey of PropertyGuru since its inception in 2007, emphasising the company’s commitment to gender diversity and equality.
This commitment was further highlighted in the establishment of the ARES Power Women initiative in 2022, designed to spotlight the vital contributions of women in the Asian real estate landscape.
A symbolic gesture of solidarity and support
After Hari’s message, the evening’s highlight occurred during an unscripted yet powerful moment when ARES presenter, Tina Ryan, embraced comfort over convention by removing her high heels on stage. The next speaker, Shyn Yee Ho, Managing Director for Data and Software Solutions at PropertyGuru Group, also joined in on the fun by taking off her heels as she delivered her message to recognise the women who raise the roof.
Shyn continued Hari’s message, further elaborating on the motivations behind establishing the ARES Power Women honours, sharing her personal experiences in male-dominated industries and highlighted the need for more diverse representation and inclusive decision-making in real estate. The goal of the ARES Power Women list is not just to recognise the achievements of women leaders, but also to inspire future generations and promote a fairer and more equitable future.
In a remarkable display of solidarity, all the women on stage removed their heels as each honouree was announced one by one, ascending the stage barefoot to accept the honour. This impromptu gesture became a strong declaration of mutual support among these influential women, resonating deeply with the audience.
The ARES Power Women 2023
This year’s honourees, hailing from Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, were announced by Shyn together with Disha Goenka, PropertyGuru’s Chief Marketing Officer, with each woman receiving a token from PropertyGuru For Business.
“Live”
Andrea Savage, Celebrity interior designer, HGTV / Co-CEO and Creative Director, A Life By Design Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited / Chair, Corporate Advisory Board, World Green Building Council
“Work”
Chelsea Perino, Global Director, The Executive Centre, Future of Work Joanne Kua, Group CEO, KSK Group
“Thrive”
Coco Ke Liu, Chief Regional Officer, HLB International Hang Dang, Managing Director, CBRE Vietnam
These influential women on the list embody PropertyGuru’s vision to power communities to live, work and thrive in tomorrow’s cities. Throughout their careers, the ARES Power Women have lived by the above themes, with Andrea leading and living a life by design; Esther pushing forth a more sustainable and greener future; Chelsea pioneering the future of work; Joanne paving the way for women-led businesses; Coco supporting emerging markets to thrive; and Hang setting a standard for female leaders in real estate.
Towards a fairer future
The exclusive event concluded with a strong message of responsibility towards building a fairer and more inclusive future. The commitment of PropertyGuru Group and its community in tackling the challenges of gender equality and diversity in the real estate industry marked a significant step towards change.
The second annual ARES Power Women not only celebrated achievements, but also sparked a conversation about the critical role of women in shaping the future of real estate.
Organised by PropertyGuru Group, the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit 2023 is supported by official portal partner PropertyGuru; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; official publicity partner Artemis Associates; media partners Bridges, d+a Magazine, Hot Magazine, Manila Bulletin, Powderlife, REm, and Techsauce; and supporting association IFC – Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies.
ARES VIP Cocktail Party was supported by Dao Ethical Gifts (Women Empowerment Project) and Fah Mai Holdings.
For more information, email ares@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: AsiaRealEstateSummit.com/.
NOTE: Use of the PropertyGuru logo is limited to the publication of this article only.
PROPERTYGURU CONTACTS:
General Enquiries:
Richard Allan Aquino, Head of Brand & Marketing Services
M: +66 92 954 4154
E: allan@propertyguru.com
Media & Partnerships:
Nate Dacua, Media Relations & Marketing Services Manager
M: +66 92 701 2510
E: nate@propertyguru.com
Sponsorships:
Kanittha Srithongsuk, Regional Manager, Awards Sponsorship
M: +66 93 293 9794
E: kanittha@propertyguru.com
Marketing & Booths:
Marco Bagna-Dulyachinda, Product Lifecycle Marketing Manager
M: +66 94 954 4154
E: marco@propertyguru.com
ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA REAL ESTATE SUMMIT:
PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit (ARES) is the premier gathering of the industry’s finest minds, top-level business leaders and decision-makers. Designed to ‘educate, innovate and inspire,’ ARES focuses on advancements in property technology, green building, sustainability, diversity, inclusivity, and innovation. More than 500 registered in-person and virtual delegates, comprising real estate and proptech experts, climate heroes, sustainability champions, trendsetters, and tech startup executives from around the region and beyond participate to refresh thinking, exchange ideas and connect with peers at ARES, which features global keynotes, case studies, panel discussions, partner booths and networking lunch.
ARES is part of the exciting ‘PropertyGuru Week’ in December 2023, coinciding with the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final gala and presentation ceremony, which is joined by the region’s finest real estate developers and leaders, and watched by investors, agents, and consumers via livestream.
For more information, please visit: AsiaRealEstateSummit.com.
ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP:
PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia’s leading(1) PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 37 million property seekers(2) to connect with almost 59,000 agents monthly(3) to find their dream home. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 2.9 million real estate listings(4), in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then, PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 15 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio including leading property marketplaces and award-winning mobile apps across its core markets; mortgage marketplace, PropertyGuru Finance; home services platform, Sendhelper; a host of proprietary enterprise solutions under PropertyGuru For Business including DataSense, ValueNet, Awards, events and publications across Asia.
For more information, please visit: PropertyGuruGroup.com;PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn.
Footnotes & Citation:
(1) Based on SimilarWeb data between April 2023 and September 2023.
(2) Based on Google Analytics data between April 2023 and September 2023.
(3) Based on data between July 2023 and September 2023.
(4) Based on data between April 2023 and September 2023.
Group: Key Statistics as of November 2023
* Property seekers: 37 million
* No. of agents: 59,000
* Real estate listings: 2.9 million
Strong Category Leadership Drives Long-Term Growth Opportunities
As of September 30, 2023, PropertyGuru continued its Engagement Market Share*
* Singapore: 83% – 6.2x the closest peer
* Malaysia: 92% – 12.8x the closest peer
* Vietnam: 80% – 4.0x the closest peer
* Thailand: 51% – 1.7x the closest peer
*Based on SimilarWeb data between April 2023 and September 2023.