Mr. Rob Henderson
Chief Economist, Markets, National Australia Bank
Australian Residential Property, The Budget and the Economic Outlook

• Australian house prices by city
• The demand for and supply of housing
• Outlook for prices. 
• Australia's Budget - what to look for in the Budget of 9th May, outlook for the economy, interest rates and the Aussie dollar.

Rob Henderson is Chief Economist, Markets, at National Australia Bank (NAB).

The key aspects of his role are analysing economic and financial developments to assess their impact on financial markets and client businesses.  Rob’s work is client focussed, but he also plays a key role advising NAB’s sales and trading teams.

Rob has a Masters Degree in Economics from the Australian National University and 30 years experience working in economic forecasting and policy analysis roles with the Australian Government and the private sector. 

Rob joined NAB in 2001 from Dresdner Bank in Sydney, where he was a Director and the Chief Economist. 

Mr. Steve Douglas
Co-Founder and Managing Director, Australiasian Taxation Services (Singapore)
Tax Implications of Australian Property
Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board

• What drives Australia's Foreign Investment Policy
• Who can legally purchase Australian Property
• Benefits of the Foreign Investment Policy for the Investor

Mr Steve Douglas is the co-founder and Managing Director of Australasian Taxation Services (ATS).
ATS was established in 1995 to provide specialist taxation services to property investors throughout South East Asia and today attends to the Australian taxation needs of over 1,500 property investors based all around the world.
His areas of specialisation include the Australian taxation aspects of property investment, expatriate and migration taxation planning.
Steve wrote the book “The Australian Expat – The Luckiest Person on Earth” which is the only concise reference for expatriate tax planning and financial management.

Steve has been featured in articles by the South China Morning Post, Singapore Business Times, Australian Entrepreneur Magazine, Benchmark, Western Australia Property & Investment and Property Link.
Steve began his career with Ernst & Young in 1984 and established a
private taxation practise in 1988 specialising in small business taxation and management. He is a Fellow of the Taxation Institute of Australia and a Registered Tax Agent.

Mrs. Jodene Edwards
Vice President Personal and Private Bank ANZ (Singapore)
Financing your Property Investment in Australia & New Zealand

Australian & New Zealand mortgages VS Singapore mortgages

• Dual currency residential mortgage terms
• Currency movements, risks and strategies to manage it

Jodene has been with ANZ for over 8 years in New Zealand and Singapore. During this time she has held management positions with Institutional & Investment Banking specialising in foreign exchange risk management, more recently Jodene has moved to ANZ Private Banking and specialises in dual currency mortgage products.

Mr. Michael Bentley
Founder, Citylife Property Group
Australian Property Prospects 2006 – 2008

• What are the prospects for the residential market in all of Australia’s major cities over the next 3 years?
• When is the right time to enter the market?

Michael Bentley is the Founder and  Managing Director of the Citylife Property Group. He is undoubtably the most experienced operator in off-shore marketing of Australian Property with over 25 years of continuous high-level involvement in the industry.

Raised and educated in Hong Kong, Mr Bentley has lived in Asia since the early 1980’s servicing Australian investors. His company operates in Brisbane, Perth, Sydney, Melbourne and Cairns.

• Overview of Australia Economy
• Migration Quota
• Migration Categories and  Procedures
  

Mr. Lawrence Bellefontaine
President, PT Bali, Affordable Lifestyles
Earning Handsome Profits in Bali While Enjoying a Home in Paradise

• How foreigners can legally purchase properties in the exciting Bali real estate market. 
• How to obtain a visa that will allow foreigners long-term stays in Bali.
• Which areas of Bali offer the best investment potential and what type of properties are the most successful.
• How to enjoy a second home in Bali an earn 15% to 30% per year.

Mr. Bellafontaine is the President of one of Bali’s largest realtors & developers. Editor of weekly “Real Estate” newspaper column. Clients include the head of General Electric & Ritz Carlton S/E Asia & business people from around the globe.

Ms. Esther Ong
Senior Partner, Messrs Esther Ong Tengku Saiful & Sree
Legal Issues for Investors Purchasing Property in Malaysia

Esther Ong Hui Chuen is the founder and Senior Partner of Esther Ong Tengku Saiful & Sree, a legal firm in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. 

In the area of conveyancing, Ms. Ong advises on the general drafting of agreements on sale and purchase, rental of real property and documents securing the financing thereof. She handles banking documentation including overdraft loan documents, corporate financing documents, general agreement concerning land and company and debt restructuring matters. Ms. Ong also has particular interest in providing legal advisory services for small and medium industries (SMIs) from their setting up to their crucial stage for growth and drafting of contracts on company and land matters. She has the experiences of handling several prestigious development projects including the Taman Industri Belmas Johan project and the Heritage House project, Felda scheme and many others

Mr. Leslie Chua
Associate Director - Head of Real Estate Intelligence Service & Market Research, Asia, Jones Lang LaSalle, Singapore
The Singapore Real Estate Investment Market

Leslie Chua joined the Singapore Jones Lang LaSalle Research team in February 2000. His responsibilities then included undertaking research consultancy and investment strategy studies for the firm’s leading clients in the region as well as maintaining the region’s extensive database.

Leslie is also charged with the management of the firm’s several research publications – including the firm’s leading Real Estate Intelligence Service - an extensive Pan-Asian research publication produced half yearly.

In 2003, Leslie was posted to Tokyo to help set up the North Asia Service for REIS and was subsequently Head of North Asia Research, working closely with the Jones Lang LaSalle research teams in Japan and South Korea.

Mr. Torphong Charungchareonvejj
Senior Vice President & General Manager, Bangkok Bank Public Co Ltd, Singapore
Financing Thai Property Investment

• How the Bangkok Bank, Singapore Branch,  can provide financing to foreigners who are interested to buy properties in  Thailand.
• Scheme of financing available to foreigners                   
• Relevant terms and conditions of  financing
• Issues  pertaining to foreign exchange control
  

Mr. Paul Ashburn
Senior Partner, BDO Richfield Advisory Ltd.
Tax Planning for Investors Purchasing Property in Thailand

• Tax considerations for offshore property investors
• Taxation of property investment under Thailand's tax treaties
• A review of real property gains tax in Thailand

Paul is a tax partner with BDO Richfield Advisory Limited, a firm specialising in providing tax and legal services to foreign investors in Thailand and the Asia Pacific region. The firm is a member of BDO International, a worldwide network of independent professional service firms serving global and national businesses.

Paul has over 18 years experience in tax consulting, including more than 7 years in Thailand. His expertise includes international tax planning for cross border transactions and the development of tax effective structures for property acquisitions and disposals in Thailand by both local and offshore investors. 

Mr. Clayton Wade
Managing Director, Premier Homes Real Estate Co., Ltd.
Pattaya Thailand: A Real Estate Boom Goes Ballistic!

• An Introduction to Pattaya and it’s real estate market
• A ten year overview of the Pattaya condo market
• A ten year overview of the Pattaya detached housing market
• The dynamics of the current Pattaya real estate boom
• Pattaya’s future developments and their investment potentials

Clayton Wade has been in the real estate business for over 20 years. Starting his career in the United States, he has practiced both real estate sales and property management in Seattle, where he was first licensed. Upon moving to Thailand, he was personally responsible for bringing in the first 53 General Motors executives for the start-up-phase of GM’s Thailand manufacturing facility, and most all of the executives for the BMW manufacturing facility, thus establishing himself as the areas top ‘Executive’ or ‘Luxury’ Property’ specialist.

Currently, Clayton Wade has been writing and speaking throughout the Asia-Pacific region for many of the top real estate publications, while he continues to successfully manage Pattaya’s Premier Homes Real Estate Company as the unchallenged leader in exclusive property sales and rentals throughout Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand.

Mr. John Birt
Managing Director, Samui Villas Homes (Thailand)
Koh Samui Property Market the Big Picture

• An introduction to Koh Samui and its property market
• Development history
• The situation today in Koh Samui

On graduation from The Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England John Birt was served with the Brigade of Gurkhas for some 12 years in Malaysia, Singapore, India, Nepal, Korea, Brunei and Hong Kong. On resigning his commission he returned to Hong Kong and in 1979 joined Richard Ellis, International Property Consultants. In 1988 he moved to Thailand where he established the Bangkok office of First Pacific Davies. In 1996 he commenced business on his own account as an independent property consultant in Thailand and was retained by several multi-nationals including Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels (Peninsula Group) and Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund.
He first invested in Koh Samui property in 1989 and over the years assisted a variety of friends in the acquisition of property on Samui. In 2001 he moved to the island on a full time basis to open Samui Villas & Homes (SVH). Initially set up to administer private villas belonging to the shareholders, SVH has grown into a full service property company with some 60 staff providing villa management and vacation rental services, estate agency, project and construction management and property consultancy.

Mr. Graham Bibby
Managing Director, Richmond Group (Asia-Pacific) Ltd.
Property Investments vs Other Forms of Investments

• The global backdrop to investing in property-equities-currencies-commodities on the rise.
• Phuket becomes really international
• A change in buyers from holiday home to retirement
• Murphy’s law of multiplication – the reason why the real boom is just about to start
• What will be the best investments
• How to get on the bandwagon now ready for retirement in 5-10 years
• The forecast for prices over the next 5 years
• A lifestyle investment – enjoy & prosper

Graham Bibby, CEO, founded Richmond Asset Management Ltd. in Hong Kong in 1991. Mr. Bibby has 25 years experience in the investment management field specializes in Absolute Returns strategies.  He has undertaken extensive research into investment management techniques and what makes markets move.  As a result of his findings he has developed a system that utilizes a combination of fundamentals, technical analysis and investor psychology producing absolute returns.

He is an experienced public speaker, appearing regularly on CNBC, CNN, BBC, Bloomberg and NDTV.

RICHMOND GROUP (ASIA PACIFIC) Ltd. is a niche property developer focused on creating quality developments catering to high-end markets and the international investor community. Besides The Residence and The Park, Richmond Group have 3 other projects in the pipeline in Bang Tao, Chalong Bay and Loch Palm.

RICHMOND GROUP (ASIA PACIFIC) is the name given to Mr. Graham Bibby’s private property development interests in Phuket, Thailand.

Mr. Barry Lea
Deputy Regional Chief Executive, Offshore Banking Asia Lloyds TSB (Singapore)
Negotiating the UK Mortgage Maze

•  Choosing the right UK mortgage for you
• What you should be aware of when financing a UK property
• Avoid the pitfalls of choosing a property loan or mortgage

Barry Lea joined Lloyds TSB Group in 1987 and has been an expatriate in Asia for almost 24 years of which 18 years have been spent in the banking industry.  As a result, he has extensive experience in the areas of personal investment management, offshore banking and financial services, encompassing client bases in Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and beyond.

With Lloyds TSB Group in Asia, he has been closely involved in the development and promotion of the bank’s Overseas Property Finance Services (OPFS) in recent years.  This is Lloyds TSB’s lead offering in Asia and celebrates its 20th anniversary next year.  It constitutes a unique, multi-currency, multi-jurisdictional offer and provides residential property finance/refinance for clients buying/refinancing properties in Australia, NZ, Great Britain and certain locations within selected states and provinces in US & Canada.  Dubai, France, Spain and Portugal are slated for inclusion later this year.

Whilst their work has previously been largely confined to lending to residents of Asia, they have, recently extended the service such that they now process loans in Asia for clients who are resident outside the region (subject, to regulatory/compliance considerations).

Barry’s staff have handled over 50,000 mortgage enquiries and Lloyds TSB is currently Asia’s market leader in this field. He has also compiled and edited two books on English and Australian property purchase and is a regular speaker on related topics.

Abdulla M. Bin Lahej
Director, Construction, Emaar Properties PJSC
Investment Opportunities in MENA and Asia Region

As Director of Construction at Emaar Properties PJSC, Abdulla M. Bin Lahej oversees the high raise building component of Emaar’s developments with primary focus on Emaar’s most ambitious project to date – the 500-acre Burj Dubai Downtown development that will feature the world’s tallest tower at its centre.

Prior to joining Emaar in November 2000, Abdulla worked with Dubai Municipality as a Construction Manager between 1997 and 1999. He managed a number of building contracts across Dubai and quickly developed key relationships within the construction and real estate development industry as well as a sound knowledge of market practices, prices and players.

Born and brought up in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Abdulla studied in the US and graduated from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in 1996.

Mr. Mohammed AI Suwaidi
Managing Partner, AI Suwaidi & Company
The new Property Law and its implication for foreign investors buying property in Dubai for personal and investment purposes

• Since the new Property Law has just been passed, buying property in Dubai has reached a new height. Not only does this new development show that Dubai can deliver but the law now clarifies that expatriates and foreigners can own property in Dubai outright. The focus will not only be as to what the law says but is also looking at the frequently encountered pitfalls.

Since July 2003, Todd in his capacity as VP of Compliance is responsible for ensuring compliance with all State and Federal statutory requirements associated with the  sale of properties by the two companies.

Prior to his association with the company, Todd served in several distinguished capacities, including:  United States Department of State, and Department of Justice,  Todd has also proudly served in the Army Reserves for over seven years and is currently serving as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve . Todd is a member of the Florida and Wisconsin Bar, and the U.S. District/Southern District of Florida Bar Association

Mr. Harlow G. Russell
Manager, Land Banking, Walton International Group(S) Pte Ltd
Land Banking: Guidelines for Investment

• What is Land Banking?
• What makes it work?
• What are some considerations?
• Some case Studies of Land Banking investments

Harlow is a Manager for Walton International Group Singapore.
Prior to joining Walton, Harlow worked for several organizations including IBM, HP, the US Government, and Dimerco Express.

Harlow was graduated from Cornell University, Ithaca, New York with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. He has been in the sales and marketing field for 20 years both in the US and in Asia.