Women in power take centre stage at PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit VIP Cocktail Party

• PropertyGuru takes a stand in support of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in this newly launched annual celebration of gender quality
• The exclusive gathering aims to highlight the valuable contribution of female leaders in real estate and tech
• Four outstanding women leaders from around the region were honoured at the event

Bangkok, Thailand – PropertyGuru Group (NYSE: PGRU), (“PropertyGuru” or the “Company”), Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company, launched its annual celebration of outstanding female leaders in the region at the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit (ARES) VIP Cocktail Party on 8 December 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Themed ‘Celebrating Power Women in Real Estate’, this exclusive gathering sponsored by PropertyGuru For Business stresses the importance of equality in real estate and tech, which was among the crucial themes discussed at ARES, at its thought leadership platform.

While more diverse representation in real estate has improved, the lack of women in senior leadership roles is still apparent. A study conducted by Urban Land Institute’s Women’s Leadership Initiative in major Asia Pacific countries revealed that merely 37 percent of women are in top positions, while 50 percent identified how company policies, including maternity/familial leaves and flexible work hours, are critical to their success and advancement.

PropertyGuru Group is committed to driving diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and alongside their partners, “We are building for the future – a future that is more equitable, a future where more of us can have a fair shot at equal opportunities in life. Be it housing, job opportunities, community contribution, and more” said Ho Shyn Yee, Managing Director of Data and Software Solutions and executive sponsor of Women in Leadership at PropertyGuru Group.

This year, ARES’ focus on DEI is greater than ever, granting the stage to over 50 percent of women and members of the LGBTQ+ community. To showcase their valuable contributions to the industry, the ARES VIP Cocktail Party honoured four outstanding women leaders from across the region.

The awardees were led by Cyndy Tan Jarabata, the President of TAJARA Leisure & Hospitality Group, Inc. and the first female chairperson of the PropertyGuru Philippines Property Awards. Upon receiving the honour, she said: “There are still so much opportunity in the Philippine property sector and no limit to what we can achieve.  We need to be consistent in creating value for our community and differentiate offerings in order to build better in today’s built environment.”

Loemongga Haoemasan, the President Director at Asiana Group (Indonesia) and an esteemed speaker at this year’s ARES, was also one of the honourees of the evening. With this recognition, she hopes that, “PropertyGuru’s continued support to equality will open many doors and opportunities for other women in the industry and we can inspire others.”

Sarena Cheah, Managing Director of the property division at Sunway Berhad, who was also the Real Estate Personality of the Year recipient at the PropertyGuru Asia Awards Malaysia in 2020, echoes her sentiment, saying,“I hope that each of us continue to celebrate the Power in Women for many years to come as we pursue in creating positive influences to our homes, society, and nation, together.”

Suphin Mechuchep, Chairperson of JLL Thailand and the PropertyGuru Thailand Property Awards programme, expresses her gratitude for the honour, “When I chose to start my work life in real estate 30 years ago, I knew that I would have a great opportunity to develop my career path in this major sector that touches everyone’s life. But I didn’t expect to come this far. I feel very delighted and honoured to be named as one of the ARES Power Women.”

As a token, these inspiring women were given equally inspiring necklaces from Fugeelah. Established by Deborah Henry in 2017 with support from UNHCR & Rotary Malaysia, this women-led conscious jewellery brand has been at the forefront of educating, employing, and empowering refugee children and youth. The brand’s main objective is to contribute to sustainably managing Fugee School, a non-profit organisation, so it can continue to offer free education and support for all refugees.

Magali Du Parc Crosta, co-founder and senior strategic advisor at Baan Dek Foundation, as well as founder of Thai social enterprise Dao Ethical Gifts, was among the notable women present at the celebration. As an enterprise that empowers women in marginalised communities, through the establishment of Dao, Magali “envisions a world where vulnerable women are able to realise their childhood dreams, gain a newfound sense of ambition, and thrive in safer communities.”

PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit (ARES 2022) is supported by official MICE partner Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB); official partner PropertyGuru for Business; official channel partners History and Lifetime; official magazine and podcast Property Report by PropertyGuru; official PR partner Artemis Associates; media partners d+a Magazine, Esquire PH, Hot Magazine, People Asia, REm Thailand, Southeast Asia Globe, The Grid, and Think of Living; official ESG partner Baan Dek Foundation; official charity partner Liter of Light; and supporting associations Green Building Consulting & Engineering, IFC – Building Resilience Index, IFC – Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies, and REHDA Institute.

For more information, visit AsiaRealEstateSummit.com or email [email protected].