2025 ULI Philippines Annual Conference

When

2025-03-26
2025-03-26T10:00:00 - 2025-03-26T16:00:00
Asia/Singapore

Choose Your Calendar

    Where

    Fairmont Makati 1 Raffles Drive, Makati Avenue Makati 1224 PHILIPPINES

    Agenda

    Times displayed in 

    2025-03-26T11:00:00
    Asia/Singapore
    Bridging Realities: The Digital-Physical Imperative
    2025-03-26T11:35:00
    Asia/Singapore
    Future-ready Resilience in Development Investment
    2025-03-26T13:25:00
    Asia/Singapore
    Future-Proofing Infrastructure: Innovation at the Core
    2025-03-26T14:00:00
    Asia/Singapore
    Rethinking Assets: Adapting to Changing Times
    2025-03-26T15:35:00
    Asia/Singapore
    Hospitality: Unlocked
    The ULI Philippines Conference is an annual gathering of real estate professionals that explores forward-facing themes relevant to the industry through a range of multi-format, multi-disciplinary discussions.

    With GDP growth for the year projected at 6.4% or higher, the Philippines continues to stand out as a unique phenomenon in the company of other fast-growing economies across ASEAN.

    This year, we throw the doors open for local and international investment to catapult the Philippine economy through impactful infrastructure and real estate.

    For more information, please visit the official website.


    Speakers

    Panelist

    Robert Yu

    Chief Financial Officer, Converge ICT Solutions

    An experienced corporate finance professional with over 15 years of practice in investments and valuation, Yu was a director of Malaysia-headquartered private equity firm Creador which handles $2.3 billion in funds across South and Southeast Asia before joining Converge. Yu also served as a consultant at Converge from 2018 - 2019, putting in place a strategic and efficient capital structure plan for the company based on its performance and projected growth. “We’re glad to welcome Robert back to Converge. We’re confident that his breadth of experience in corporate financial planning, investments, and strategy will keep Converge in a solid financial footing and will be a strong addition to the leadership team,” said Converge President and Co-Founder Grace Y. Uy. Previously, Robert was an Investment Principal at Sierra Madre Advisers Inc., which makes equity investments in ambitious companies in the Philippines spanning a diverse range of sectors. He was one of seven investment professionals in the company managing around $70 million of growth capital dedicated to lower middle market enterprises. Prior to that, he rose through the ranks at Morgan Stanley (Southeast Asia and Consumer Coverage), starting as an Associate in 2015, and becoming a Vice President in 2017. Robert started his career in New York, focused on mergers, acquisitions and capital raising for Citigroup's consumer-sector clients. Robert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy, Concentration in Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. In his spare time, he conducts career-related workshops such as resume writing for college students

    Panelist

    Nardo Manaloto

    Managing Partner, Qubits Ventures

    Nardo is a visionary tech leader shaping the future of computing. As Managing Partner at Qubits Ventures, he invests in quantum technology startups, turning groundbreaking ideas into world-changing solutions. With 25 years at the forefront of AI and emerging tech, he has a keen eye for game-changing innovations. Beyond technology, Nardo is driven by its potential to transform lives. Through Qubits Ventures Fund and a venture studio, he focuses on Next Generation Computing to revolutionize industries. A seasoned computer scientist and entrepreneur, he is on a mission to harness quantum for a better world—advancing not just technology, but humanity itself.

    Panelist

    Isabelle Miaja

    Managing and Creative Director, Miaja Design Group

    Isabelle Miaja started as an Interior designer in the US – creating designs for Homes in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles and Park Avenue New York – Later extending her Savoir Faire to Hotels. Moving to Asia was a decisive move for her career. Beginning in Singapore was a learning experience –Starting again with Homes in the Lion City, she had to learn a new of life and new cultures – Integrating Fung Shui and applying her skills with a whole different approach –She had to reinvent herself, bringing Europe back into her designs to blend East and West Creativity with her unique personal signature. Art has always been part of her life as a child growing up – Her French grand-father being a Bronze Sculpteur , her Grand-uncle being the National Poet of Spain, paintings and Art Objects surrounded her since birth – Integrating her past into her Designs came naturally and gives her work that unique style. Today, Isabelle Miaja is the Creative Director of Miaja Design Group. Chosen as one of the World most influential Designer, her portfolio includes Award winning City Hotels and Resorts, some of which she designed the Architecture – blending Culture, Art and creating stories which take root in the fabric of the place the project is being built is expressed through her passion for everything beautiful and meaningful. Putting Art at the centre of her Designs and opening two Art galleries- Miaja Gallery and Miaja Art Collections - to support the known and upcoming artists she encounters as she travels the world – Isabelle Miaja is adding Publishing to her skills and started Last Year her first Art and Design magazine – Journal Artistique – It summarises what she believes in – Art & Design are the Pillars of every society – recognising and supporting Art is her Raison d’Etre – and she hopes to help talents be recognised by showcasing them through her work.

    Speaker

    Chantale Wong

    U.S. Ambassador (ret.), Former Executive Director Asian Development Bank (ADB),

    Ambassador Chantale Y.M. Wong is a distinguished economic development executive with a proven track record in budget and finance, risk management, environment and sustainability, information technology, and human rights. Recently, Ambassador Wong completed a highly impactful tenure as the U.S. Ambassador and Executive Director for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), where they advanced foreign policy, national security, human rights, and commercial priorities. During this time, Ambassador Wong led ADB to increase its lending capacity by an additional $100 billion over 10 years while retaining its AAA rating. Prior to this, Ambassador Wong served as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President for Administration at the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), managing a $1 billion budget and regulatory compliance in financial management and reporting. Chantale's leadership at MCC was recognized for transforming organizations and building alliances across diverse peoples and cultures. Ambassador Wong's extensive career also includes significant roles at Amida Technology Solutions, LLC, NASA, EPA, Interior, Office of Management and Budget and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. At Amida Technology Solutions, Chantale developed business strategies that catalyzed growth and broadened target markets. At NASA, Chantale transformed the $18 billion budget formulation and execution process during a critical mission redirection. At the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Chantale implemented the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to distribute $700 billion and launched a pioneering program for electronic budget formulation and reporting. Having spent the majority of her professional career in public service and in locations around the world representing the United States in key positions, she regrets at not having captured those moments of significance. When she retired the first time in 2014, she has begun a new journey as a photographer. Her work has included photography in several continents. Several of her photos were selected for the “UnPresidented: Inauguration of Donald J. Trump and the People’s Response” photobook that documented the 3 days surrounding the first Trump Inauguration in 2016, with one of her images landing the cover of the photo book. She has also produced many landscape images that captures the essence of time and place. Her portrait work captures the souls of the subjects – chronicling urban blight in East Baltimore or photographing crew teams on the Anacostia early in the morning and at Hanover Bridge in Baltimore. Her travels to Cuba, India and Nepal, Southeast Asia and the epic trip on the Trans Siberia Railway have produced stunning images of cultures remote and afar. She has also chronicled the annual Congressional Civil Rights pilgrimages to Selma, Montgomery and Birmingham with Civil Right icon, the late Cong. John Lewis – with one of her photos being exhibited at Smithsonian’s American History Museum. Her work in various communities are also exemplary. Chantale was the founding chair of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL), an organization dedicated to encouraging careers in public service with providing opportunities for young AAPIs. In its 35th year of operation, CAPAL has provided internships and scholarships to young AAPIs across the country in the public sector. Chantale is also a member of the Advisory Board of Veterans for Global Leadership, providing leadership opportunities for veterans going into careers of diplomacy, security and development. In addition, she was also the Treasurer of the Board and a founding member of Focus on the Story, a non profit organization whose mission is to support and encourage visual storytellers of diverse backgrounds in bringing attention to critical issues, bridging cultural gaps and sparking social change. Ambassador Wong holds a master in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, where she was a Littauer Fellow and a Women’s Leadership Fellow. She also earned as a masters in environmental engineering from the University of California, Berkeley with a focus on water and wastewater management. She earned her undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering from the University of Hawaii. She calls Washington DC her home for over 30 years.

    Panelist

    Daryl Dunbar

    Partner, Digital Infrastructure, ICG - Internal Consulting Group

    Daryl Dunbar is an expert in all facets of the cloud and data centre market, having built and operated numerous properties across 4 continents over the last 25 years. Prior to becoming a consultant in the data center space, he was Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Digital Realty (DLR). In this role, he was responsible for a >$1B portfolio, building on the company’s success in the region, and developing strategies for new markets. Previously, he was an EVP at Colt Technologies, where he built and ran an €80m+ business, surpassing all targets. With over 35 years of experience in IT, Telecoms, and Technology Industries, he has broad international and multi-cultural experience in APAC, the US, Europe, and Latin America, having assisted with technology, finance, cybersecurity, infrastructure, leadership development, transformation, change, innovation, and strategic execution.

    Panelist

    Charlie Rufino

    Chairman, NEO

    Carlos "Charlie" S. Rufino is a renowned businessman and entrepreneur in the Philippines. He is currently the President of NEO and the Chairman of Threadborne Group. He also serves as the Director and JV Partner of Digital Edge Philippines, Inc. and is an Honorary Consul of the Republic of Ghana in the Philippines. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde and is the President of Fr. Al's Children Foundation, Inc./ Sisters of Mary School for Girlstown and Boystown, Silang, Cavite. Mr. Rufino has been recognized for his entrepreneurial leadership skills, and he was awarded the ASIA CEO Entrepreneurial Leadership Team of the Year in 2011. He has been involved in various real estate development projects such as the Bonifacio Global City Masterplan and BGC Infrastructure, Pacific Plaza Towers, and Corinthian Gardens, among others. Currently, he is working on the Narra1, the first Data Center in the Philippines located in Laguna Technopark.Aside from his professional accomplishments, Mr. Rufino is also actively involved in socio-civic organizations. He served as the Past President of Forbes Park Association, Manila Polo Club, and the Rotary Club of Makati, among others. He holds a degree in Liberal Arts and Commerce from De La Salle University, where he also completed his primary and secondary education.

    Speaker

    Alan Beebe

    CEO, ULI Asia Pacific

    Alan Beebe joined ULI as CEO Asia Pacific in 2023, bringing 30+ years of regional experience in management consulting, technology, cleantech, and business association industries. Prior to ULI where I am now based in Hong Kong, lived, led and operated full-time in the Mainland China trenches for 20 years. As ULI Asia Pacific CEO, responsible for profitably serving and growing 3,000+ member network spanning the entire real estate industry spectrum, including institutional investment, development, urban planning, architecture, engineering, construction, tenants, prop-tech start-ups, solution providers, services firms and others. Drive ULI's three global mission priorities of decarbonization, attainable housing and educating the next generation of leaders. Lead a high-performance team of 50+ professionals in Australia, China, HK SAR, India, Japan, Philippines, Singapore and S. Korea. Prior to ULI, led AmCham China in Beijing for six tumultuous years (2016-22) navigating the myriad challenges of US-China relations and COVID-19 on behalf of 900 US companies operating in China. Currently serve on the AmCham China Board of Governors. Unwavering belief that business - enabled by technology for good - is instrumental and responsible for improving society and the world. Warren Buffett and the late Charlie Munger are from my home town of Omaha, Nebraska and serve as life-long inspiration and mentors for me in business and life.

    Moderator

    Jean de Castro

    Chief Executive Officer, ESCA Inc.

    She is the CEO of ESCA Inc., a Filipino-owned full service Engineering Firm championing the use of technology in engineering design, project construction management and Building Information Modelling (BIM) services to local and foreign clients for almost 40 years. She is also the CEO of ESCA International Inc. (EII), a pioneer in engineering outsourcing services to international architectural and engineering firms. Jean is currently the Chair of the Urban land Institute (ULI) Philippines and the first woman to lead the National Council in the Philippines. She is the only Filipino to have graduated from the Senior Executive Institute (SEI) Program of the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) in the United States. She is a CIAC Accredited Arbitrator and a FIDIC Certified Consulting Practitioner by FIDIC Credentialing Limited, the certification body for global consulting professionals. She is a certified BIM Manager by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) of Singapore and a certified Program Manager of the Philippines Constructors Association (PCA). She is an experienced litigator with extensive construction arbitration and commercial litigation experience from her years with Villaraza Cruz Marcelo and Angangco Law Offices and MOSVELDTT Law Offices. She is also a trained arbitrator of the Philippine Dispute and Resolution Center (PDRCI). She worked with Bloomberg TV Philippines as a business news anchor for “First Up”, which included segments focusing on the real estate industry. She was also a Consultant of the Privatization and Management Office of the Philippine Government where she advised on conflict of claims, privatization, joint venture agreements, negotiated procurement and public bidding of government assets. Jean was an Oblation Scholar at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, where she graduated magna cum laude from the Political Science Program. She received her law degree from the same university in 2006, finishing fifth in her class. After passing the Bar, she joined Villaraza Cruz Marcelo and Angangco as a litigation associate in 2007 where she was consistently awarded Best Associate and was promoted in 2010 to Senior Associate.

    Panelist

    Yvette Koh

    Studio Director, Senior Associate, Gensler

    Yvette Koh is a strategic leader with a proven track record of excellence in project leadership and account management. With deep expertise across various sectors, including commercial mixed-use developments, workplace design, residential projects, and educational facilities, she brings a holistic approach to every project she leads. Throughout her career, Yvette has been instrumental in delivering numerous award-winning projects, guiding them from concept to completion. Her strong problem-solving skills and keen eye for detail enable her to anticipate challenges and proactively develop solutions that balance design excellence, functionality, and sustainability. Her ability to navigate complex design challenges and align diverse stakeholders has established her as a trusted industry partner. As the Building Transformation & Adaptive Reuse Practice Area Leader for the Asia Pacific Middle East region, Yvette is at the forefront of redefining the built environment by revitalising existing spaces. She is dedicated to sustainable design strategies that enhance functionality, extend building lifespans and reduce environmental impact. Her leadership in this space ensures that adaptive reuse remains a key driver in the region’s evolving architectural landscape. Beyond project leadership, Yvette is committed to mentorship and professional development. She actively nurtures and empowers emerging talent, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning within her teams. Her passion for knowledge-sharing extends beyond her firm, as she regularly contributes to industry discussions, critique panels, and thought leadership initiatives focused on design excellence and the future of the built environment.

    Panelist

    Cyndy Jarabata

    CEO, TAJARA Leisure and Hospitality Group Inc.

    Cyndy Tan Jarabata has diverse experience extending over two decades in the hospitality, tourism, and real estate. Founder of TAJARA Hospitality, the company represents owners, developers and investment funds on various development capacity. Her experience and expertise has led TAJARA to numerous successful projects advising multiple corporations on growth strategy and rapid expansion, creating long term relationships with owners. TAJARA is a leading hospitality consulting and development company in the Philippines working with clients throughout Asia. Client portfolio includes hotel and residential projects, mixed-use, integrated resorts, island developments and rollout of business hotels in different parts of the country. Cyndy is the inaugural and current Chairperson of the Philippine Property Awards and in 2022, was among the recipients of the ARES Power Women honours at the Property Guru Asia Real Estate Summit for her influence and contributions as an industry leader. A member of ULI (Urban Land Institute) Hospitality Development Council in Asia Pacific and co-Chair of ULI Philippines’ Hospitality Committee. Cyndy also serves as board trustee of several non-profit organizations, dealing with sustainable tourism, family planning and poverty alleviation. Organizes ENVision or Environment Vision, an annual case competition for students on climate change adaptation in hospitality and tourism.

    Panelist

    Arrizky Magetsari

    Principal, Aedas

    Arrizky Magetsari is a Principal at Aedas with more than 18 years of design experience. He is a registered architect in Indonesia and ASEAN with a diverse portfolio of projects spreads across Asia and the Middle East, covering various sectors including mixed-use, commercial office, residential, hospitality, retail, master plan and new township projects. He believes in a collaborative design process, responding to the client’s needs and aspirations whilst achieving a transformative design that engages the complex challenges faced by our cities and communities today. Having delivered many successful projects in the region over the years, he has developed a deep understanding and unique insights into the South-East Asian cities planning and architecture market. His steadfastness in pursuing sustainable design earned him bona fide from LEED and Green Mark Accredited Professional. With each project, he seeks integration between the natural and built environment through a refined sustainable design approach with innovative design solutions.

    Panelist

    Teri Tsang

    Director, Hong Kong Studio Lead, Benoy

    With over 20 years’ professional experience in the West and APAC, Teri’s extensive and diverse portfolio includes award-winning retail, commercial, residential, mixed-use, masterplanning and transport-oriented developments. In addition to her role as Director, she is also the Hong Kong Studio Lead, responsible for overseeing and managing day-to-day studio and project operations, and leading and mentoring the various teams in the Hong Kong Studio. As a designer, Teri has an in-depth understanding of the entire project cycle from initial design to construction completion. With her international experience and understanding of local nuances, she spearheads ‘glocal’ design thinking at Benoy, adapting international design to local regulations, processes and norms. She has native fluency in English, Cantonese and Mandarin, which allows her to service a broad range of international clients around the region. Teri grounds her designs in a keen awareness of clients’ commercial and strategic needs, resulting in world-class projects which deliver social, environmental and economic benefits to some of the region’s biggest developers such as Hongkong Land, Alibaba Group, SM Group, Ayala Corporation, and China Resources Land. Following the various stages from concept through to completion, Teri’s work includes Ningbo New World Plaza, the masterplanning of a 107,000m² mixed-use development, consisting of a K11 Mall, a 250m iconic tower with Grade-A office and the six-star Rosewood Hotel, in one of China’s oldest cities; GMC Tower in Guangzhou, a new landmark for tech enterprises and an iconic headquarters; Hongkong Land's The Ring, a prime commercial complex in Chengdu; and a large-scale retail and mixed-use development in Shanghai’s prestigious West Bund Xuhui District.

    Panelist

    Pepe Monroy

    Principal Consultant, Sustainable Urban Development, Triple Line

    Pepe is an urban planner with over a decade of experience working across the consulting industry, government agencies (Transport for London) and international organizations (C40, United Nations). Pepe's expertise involves working in complex multidisciplinary urban development projects incorporating research, technical assistance, knowledge management, animating city networks, stakeholder engagement and institutional strengthening. Pepe’s thematic areas of experience include spatial and urban socio-economic analysis, earthquake resilience and reconstruction planning, urban climate adaptation, as well as active travel, place-making and sustainable transport. Pepe’s key achievements include animating a worldwide network of 25+ cities working to step-up action in active travel, which supported Bogotá in developing its first ever walking strategy and assisting Lima in advancing efforts to pedestrianize its historic city centre. He has also led on the update of the London Cycling Action Plan, setting a vision for cycling and active travel priority actions in post-pandemic London. Over 2024, Pepe worked with Clean Air Fund and C40 to structure a global air quality program, emphasizing action in Mexico City, Bogotá, Nairobi, Rio and Bangkok. In Manila, he is currently working in developing a masterplan following transit-oriented development principles in Taguig City. In the urban resilience space, Pepe supported UK Government in conducting a strategic review of its programming approach to the Caribbean. As part of this effort, he developed a framework to assess resilience-building in Small Island Development States (SIDS) as well as a theory of change of what it means to be a resilient Caribbean state. Elsewhere in the world, he assisted Nepal in establishing a reconstruction and infrastructure investment framework following the 2015 earthquake. He also worked with rapidly growing small and middle-sized cities in Latin America so they better adapt to climate change, and acted as Project Manager for the World Bank Building Urban Resilience to Disasters in the Kyrgyz Republic (2015-2016) proposing recommendations to improve the country's disaster risk management framework, as well as suggestions for reform of the Kyrgyz spatial planning system, which were taken on by the country's Green Growth Strategy. Additionally, Pepe was Project Manager for the FCDO Scoping Study for a Global Future Cities Programme (2016-2017), which produced evidence used to structure a global £80 million urban development program funded by the UK government. Originally from Mexico City, Pepe is fluent in English, Spanish and French. He is currently based in Manila.

    Panelist

    Richard Sprosen

    Market Manager, Ramboll Singapore Pte. Ltd.

    Based out of Singapore, Richard leads a mobility master-planning team working on major developments throughout Singapore, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. With around 20 years experience advising on projects across more than 15 countries, Richard brings a range of insights into mobility planning, design and operation. He is experienced in the mobility planning of TOD’s, airports, ports, public transport systems, highways and major developments. He has experience working in the Philippines on masterplans, airports and other major developments in recent years. Richard has been at the forefront of planning the future of mobility across both developed and emerging economies and is a trusted advisor to both governmental and private sector clients. His experience in the continuum from master-planning to operations gives a unique and holistic insight in transportation consultancy. Richard’s research experience has ranged from the development of national guidelines on multi-modal network operations planning to international guidance on cross-border infrastructure.

    Panelist

    Angeline Tham

    CEO, DBDOYC, Inc. (Angkas)

    Angeline Tham is a trailblazing entrepreneur from Singapore and the founder of Angkas, the leading motorcycle taxi company in the Philippines. Her mission goes beyond solving trac congestion—she is a passionate advocate for motorcycle safety and the professionalization of the industry, driving economic growth and resilience. Under her leadership, Angkas has built a network of over 50,000 biker-partners, achieved 8 million app downloads, and boasts an impressive 99.997% safety record. Her appointment as a United Nations eTrade for Women Advocate for South-East Asia has given her a platform to champion women’s success in the digital economy and inspire others to make a meaningful impact.

    Panelist

    Nina Yang

    Group Chief Development Officer, CPG Corporation Pte Ltd

    Nina is currently the Group Chief Development Officer of CPG Corporation. She is a seasoned real estate professional with a unique track record spanning investment, development, planning and design services. She has vast experience with large-scale mixed-use real estate projects and over 30 years of extensive management leadership in Singapore, Middle East, China and other Asia regions. Her experience in the last ten years has specifically been in large scale urbanisation projects in China, Vietnam, India and Central Asia. Nina started as an architect in the Public Works Department of Singapore and has a notable career covering public and private sectors, including being the CEO of Sustainable Development of Ascendas-Singbridge, now part of CapitaLand and the CEO of CityGlobal, Surbana-Jurong. She is also a Board Member of the Redevelopment Authority of Singapore and Science Centre Singapore as well as the Vice President of the Singapore Institute of Planners.

    Speaker

    Amie Shuttleworth

    Principal, Head of Sustainable Investing, Undivided Ventures

    Amie has worked in sustainability in the built environment for the last 18 years, including on construction sites, in the boardroom as a Global Director of Sustainability for both construction and engineering firms as well as running her own consultancy. She also has a strong academic track record, publishing papers to enhance knowledge share. She is keen to ensure action is implemented rapidly, at Undivided Ventures her role as Head of Sustainable Investment allows her to bring her skills and knowledge of construction and development to ensure the investments made can be scaled into industry successfully.

    Panelist

    Yee Tak Lau

    Director, KPF

    With over 20 years of professional experience, Yee Tak Lau specializes in designing impactful urban projects that integrate historical and cultural contexts. Her expertise spans large-scale mixed-use developments, transit- oriented districts, and wellness-focused residential architecture. Since joining KPF in 2006, Yee Tak has played a pivotal role in delivering transformative projects worldwide, including supertall towers, integrated commercial developments, and bespoke residences. Her collaborative approach and commitment to design excellence have earned her a reputation for creating innovative, context-sensitive solutions. Yee Tak’s transit-oriented development (TOD) expertise is exemplified by her leadership on One Bangkok, a fully integrated district combining office, retail, hospitality, and residential components in the heart of the city. She also led the design of the UOB Headquarters in Bangkok, a commercial tower emphasizing workplace wellness and connectivity. In London, she contributed to the Victoria Transport Interchange, a mixed- use TOD project integrating office, retail, and public spaces into a major urban hub. In China, her notable projects include WF Central in Beijing’s Forbidden City, a luxury mixed-use development celebrated for its sensitivity to its historic context. She has also contributed to several key projects for Hang Lung Properties, including Plaza 66 in Shanghai, Forum 66 in Shenyang, Spring City 66 in Kunming, and Westlake 66 in Hangzhou. In Hong Kong, Yee Tak worked on the Hong Kong Landmark, an iconic mixed-use development integrating luxury retail, hospitality, and office spaces. Her bespoke residential projects, such as Blue Pool Road and Clear Water Bay, set benchmarks for sustainable and wellness- focused urban living. An active member of the architectural community, Yee Tak has served on the AIA Board of Directors, is a guest critic at the University of Hong Kong’s School of Architecture, and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity.

    Panelist

    Frocks Roque

    First Vice President & Head of Investments, Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates

    Francis David “Frocks” M. Roque is the Head of Investments of Aboitiz InfraCapital, the infrastructure arm of the Aboitiz Group, where he oversees the origination, development, and execution of various infrastructure investment opportunities. He led the team towards the award of the Laguindingan International Airport and Panglao International Airport PPPs, the acquisition of a stake in the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the formation of a joint venture with EdgeConnex to build hyperscale data centers around the Philippines, the formation of a tower company joint venture with Partners Group, the acquisition of two telecom tower portfolios via sale and leaseback, and the development of various real estate-related developments. Frocks sits in the Aboitiz InfraCapital Management Committee, the Unity Digital Infrastructure Executive Committee, and the Boards of Mactan Cebu International Airport and its retail subsidiary, Globemerchants Inc. Frocks previously worked in London as a Senior Analyst with DWPF (now called Evolution Infrastructure), a boutique infrastructure investment advisory firm. Prior to his work in the United Kingdom, he worked with the Public-Private Partnership Center of the Philippines, where he co-led various transport infrastructure projects. Frocks received his Master of Science in Infrastructure Investment & Finance from University College London as a Chevening Scholar of the British government's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and his double Bachelor of Science degrees in Applied Economics and Finance from De La Salle University Manila.

    Moderator

    Eric Manuel

    Director, ARCH Capital Management Co Ltd

    With over 15 years of experience in real estate advisory, development, investment, and asset management, spanning both commercial and residential sectors, Eric Manuel joined ARCH Capital in 2018. He leads investment and asset management activities in the Philippines. Previously, Eric was Vice President and Head of Real Estate for Primeiro Partners, an investment bank providing strategic and capital advisory services to several real estate developers and financial institutions. He was also Vice President for Daiichi Properties, an award-winning developer in the Philippines. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Binghamton University and a Master’s Degree from the London School of Economics.

    Panelist

    Samantha Manigsaca

    Assitant Vice President for Hospitality, AppleOne Group

    As Director of AppleOne Group and Asset Manager of the Hotel Business, Samantha Manigsaca shares her wealth of knowledge and experience in hospitality with the company’s diverse range of hotels and resorts. She continues to be motivated by global trends and best practices, with the goal of applying these in order to elevate the local service industry. She had previously worked with several international hotel brands across the region, namely Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort, The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, JW Marriott Hong Kong, Marriott Hotel Manila and The Westin Manila. While having graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in International Hospitality Management with a Specialization in Hotel Administration at Endurun Colleges in Manila and an MBA with distinction in Global Hospitality Management at Les Roches Crans Montana in Switzerland, Samantha continues this same passion for inspiring brands and making an impact in the industry with her role in the AppleOne Group.

    Moderator

    Sylvester Wong

    Vice President, Asia, ESG Services, AECOM

    Prior to taking on his role as ULI Philippines Chair, for nearly 30 years, Sylvester Wong has been a cities whisperer. He designs cities: delivering physical, digital, and financial infrastructure to empower families across Asia. He has masterplanned over a billion square meters of land in the Philippines alone. Besides turning esoteric ESG Ambition into tangible Action as part of AECOM Asia senior leadership, Sylvester is active in startups and venture ecosystems to scale community- catalytic technology, especially in demographically explosive markets like the Philippines. A key part of local icons like New Clark City, the new Philippines Senate, and the Metro Manila Subway, Sylvester champions creative investment participation of public and private sectors, toward measurable social outcomes. With Philippines as home for the past 7 years, he is a native of Berkeley CA USA, and holds a BA in Architecture and a Master of City Planning from UC Berkeley.

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