ULI Asia Pacific Expands Footprint To Vietnam, Names Vo Sy Nhan As Chair 

Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific, a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and education organization, has officially expanded to Vietnam and named its inaugural chair on April 21 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vo Sy Nhan, the co-founder of Gaw NP Capital and CEO of Empire City, has been appointed to lead the delivery of ULI Vietnam's strategic plan, which targets the growth in the development of a significant presence in the country. He will serve on a voluntary basis for a two-year term.

Prior to entering the private sector, Nhan started as a public servant and worked for the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City. He is also an active member of YPO (Young President Organization) and a Harvard Business School alumni.

David Faulkner, president of ULI Asia Pacific, and Adam R. Fowler, vice-chair of ULI Vietnam, were also in attendance as they introduced ULI and shared their direction in Vietnam under Nhan’s leadership.

Founded in 1936 with over 45,000 members worldwide, ULI’s presence in Vietnam is all about delivering programs that positively impact the country’s future by providing leadership, education, and a platform that will facilitate sharing and awareness of global best practices in land development. With his extensive experience in both private and public sectors as well as in real estate development and investment, Nhan’s role is to ensure ULI Vietnam provides exactly what it promises.

At the same gathering, ULI Vietnam hosted its first event Emerging Trends in Real Estate® (ETRE) program, with Edward Clayton, partner at PwC Malaysia and Vietnam, as the keynote speaker. Edward talked about the major national and Asia Pacific trends in real estate, including distressed assets, green and ESG initiatives, and the decentralization of residential and commercial. The talk was followed by a panel discussion led by ULI’s Vietnam Chair, enCity’s co-founder and CEO Dzung Do Nguyen, Hongkong Land Vietnam’s general manager Caleb Lau, and CBRE Cambodia’s chairman Marc Townsend.

ULI brings together industry leaders with a shared commitment to improving professional standards, seeking the best use of land, and following excellent practices. ULI can address Vietnam’s current and future challenges by building and sustaining a diverse network of local experts in the region.

Across the Asia Pacific, the Institute has more than 2,500 members, with a particularly strong presence in Australia, China Mainland, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea. To learn more or to become a member, visit ULI’s website.