Insights into the Property & Construction sector with Carol Law, Fidelity International

Aurex Group has launched its ‘Ask Me Anything’ series- an exclusive sit-down between Aurex Group and leading professionals to gain experienced insight into the Property & Construction sector.

The inaugural session was hosted in Hong Kong where the team welcomed Carol Law, Real Estate Director at Fidelity International for an intimate discussion into the world of Corporate Real Estate.

Corporate Real Estate with Carol Law:

Carol has spent the last fifteen years working in Real Estate in Asia. After starting her career at CBRE and partnering with firms such as Macquarie, Standard Chartered Bank, and Bank of America Merill Lynch, Carol now oversees all corporate real estate for Fidelity International across Asia Pacific.

“Each of the property segments in which we specialise are multi-faceted and unique unto themselves. To be able to drill down into the detail of these careers with leaders in their field is invaluable to our team,” said Ben Watt, Director – Real Estate Asia at Aurex Group.

During the session, Carol and the Aurex Group team delved into her experience discussing the major differences between various occupier real estate strategies, her advice for professionals working both client side and provider side, what she wished she knew at the start of her career and what will have the greatest influence on the industry in the next five years.

Top Three Takeaways:

Space optimisation and utilisation are the major trends driving real estate occupiers. Clients want to find the highest return on investment for their physical environments and acknowledge the increasing flexibility of the work force.
Technology is rapidly changing the way we analyse work space performance, from desk sensors to app-based services for employees. It’s one of the top requests from clients but its true value is still being understood.
Markets which are capturing the most attention at the moment are China for its ongoing potential for foreign companies and Australia for leading the way in workplace design and strategy.

The Final Word:

Carol’s advice for candidates considering a career in real estate management: “When my team and I did the DiSC personality test, we all scored highly in ‘Conscientiousness’ I think that says something about our line of work. What I’ve learnt throughout my career is that those who have a passion for the work they do rise to the top. And those who are not afraid of disruptors always find an opportunity when the market changes.”