London-based investment firm Aprirose has opened an AsiaPac desk as it looks to capture a share of the capital flowing into the UK real estate market from China.
The department will be headed up by Shijun Liu, the former finance director at Chinese developer Wanda One. Liu spent 13 years as a senior M&A manager and finance director at Dalian Wanda Group, which has been under pressure from the Chinese government to dispose of major assets in the UK to reduce its debt burden.
Aprirose said the move would enable it to keep its clients in Asia up to date with the latest developments and opportunities in the UK market.
Greater China was the largest source of inward investment in the Central London office market in 2018, ploughing in £3.48 bn (€4.03 bn) or 21% of the total. The influx of Chinese capital helped Central London maintain its position as the world's leading destination for office investors, ahead of Manhattan and Paris, according to Knight Frank.
Liu will be based in London and China with responsibility for identifying potential investors, assisting with existing investments and supporting international business requirements in the UK.
He said: 'The AsiaPac desk will allow us to streamline the cross-border process for our clients by acting as a local single point of contact for their needs.
'This will allow us to assist our clients to move between continents in a way that is both efficient and convenient as well as to help those who have already invested into the UK with managing their investments.'
Manish Gudka, CEO of Aprirose, said: 'The appointment of Shijun is an exciting progression to the work we are already undertaking with our clients in mainland China and Hong Kong. He has a wealth of existing contacts as well as a detailed knowledge of the real estate market and will be a fantastic asset to both the Aprirose team and our clients.'
