ULI and FGRT join hands to discuss the future of retail real estate

PETALING JAYA (Aug 28): The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Asia Pacific is collaborating with global think thank Fung Global Retail & Technology (FGRT) for the upcoming ULI Asia Pacific Summit in June 2018 to highlight the effect and integration of technological innovation into shopping centres and retailers.

According to ULI Asia Pacific, the partnership is a part of a wide-ranging initiative to showcase the future of retail real estate, encourage greater integration of technology in shopping centres and provide a platform for industry professionals to learn and share about retail and tech.

“Everyone in retail real estate is dealing with the disruptions posed by technology. FGRT is at the forefront of thought leadership on the integration of retail, technology and fashion worldwide.

“We believe that this collaboration will be a case where 1 plus 1 equals 3, with our members and all of the industry to benefit,” said ULI Asia Pacific CEO John Fitzgerald in a statement.

The initiative will arrange open forums in Hong Kong, and with the same topics repeated with different panellists in other cities in the region between August 2017 and June 2018, focusing on the theme “Retail Innovation and Its Applications to Real Estate.”

The aim is for industry leaders to exchange ideas and best practices in shaping the future of retail.

“Retail and the mall are very much alive, and developers in the Asia Pacific region in particular have been on the cutting edge of integrating the latest technology into their properties.

“With these events, we will showcase the best practices achieved thus far so that other companies, in Asia Pacific and across the world, can learn and discover what might work from them,” said FGRT managing director Deborah Weinswig.

After each event, a summary of top takeaways will be published on both institute’s platforms, said ULI Asia Pacific.