Board

George Wang

Mr Wang is also the Chairman of MacarthurCook Limited and the founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the AIMS Group of Companies (“AIMS”). George came to Australia from China in 1988 and founded AIMS Financial Group 2 years later. In its over 20 year life, AIMS has evolved into a diversified financial services group, active in the areas of lending, securitisation, investment banking, real estate funds management and properties, resources, high-tech and infrastructure investment. In the course of developing AIMS Financial Group into a significant financial services group in Australia, George has developed a strong skill base in the areas of securitisation, real estate funds management, structured finance and innovative financial product development.

George has developed an extensive business network in both Australia and China.

George is active in the Chinese financial sector, he is an advisor for a number of Chinese Government bodies and Government agencies. George Wang is the President of the Australia-China Finance & Investment Council. As the President of Australia-China Finance & Investment Council, George has been laying the foundation for the financial bridge between Australia and China for many years.

Mr Wang was awarded a Bachelor of Environment Engineering degree from China Eastern University, Shanghai, China.

Simon Vinson

Mr Vinson is the Head of Asian Property and New Business Initiatives at AMP Capital Investors. He was appointed Head of New Business Initiatives in March 2009 and leads the team responsible for sourcing and developing new business and product opportunities for AMP Capital’s Property business. Appointed Head of Asian Property in 2006, Mr Vinson is responsible for establishing and growing our property investment capability in Asia and all aspects of property investment, research, acquisitions, disposals and portfolio management in the region. From 2006 to 2009, Mr Vinson also held the position of Managing Director, AMP Capital Singapore and spearheaded the establishment of AMP Capital’s Asian hub office in that city. Joining the AMP Group in 1982, Mr Vinson has worked in varied roles including a substantial period heading Property’s Business Development Team, during which time the business launched several key property funds, including an unlisted Shopping Centre Fund, the Core Property Fund for retail investors and Property’s first international product, the Global Direct Property Fund. Mr Vinson also has extensive experience in property development on both retail and commercial projects as well as experience in property acquisitions and disposals across all property sectors. Mr Vinson is a member of the Property Leadership Team.
 

Graham Sugden

Mr Sugden is the Head of Asian Funds Management at AMP Capital Investors.

Mr Sugden joined AMP Group in 2007. His responsibilities include the development and management of AMP Capital's Asian real estate funds management operations. Mr Sugden has over 30 years of experience, and prior to joining AMP Capital he worked with other major real estate investment groups in Australia, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, including several years with the Macquarie Bank Group. Mr Sugden has handled the creation and listing of REIT funds on the Australian, Korean and Singaporean stock exchanges and has considerable ongoing management experience in those markets. Mr Sugden's prior experience in Australia includes roles with Richard Ellis and Chestertons, where he ran the property management divisions of those companies in NSW, and with Legal & General Life of Australia, where he was a Director of the property investment management subsidiary. In this role he was responsible for all investment management functions.

Mr Sugden was a representative on the Founding Members Committee of the Asian Public Real Estate Association (APREA), and in March 2006, was appointed to the Board at the first Annual General Meeting. He has remained as a member of the Executive Committee continuously serving as Vice President since.

Giam Lay Hoon

Non-independent Non-executive Director

Ms Giam is an Executive Director at AIMS Financial Group (Singapore) Pte. Ltd., a subsidiary of AIMS Financial Group. She is a qualified lawyer by training and has over 25 years of experience in legal, corporate governance, compliance and regulatory matters. Before joining AIMS Financial Group, Ms Giam was the Group General Counsel at Oxley Corporate Limited from 2008 to 2009. Prior to that, she was a Senior Vice President (Legal & Corporate Secretariat) at Mapletree Investments Pte Ltd from 2003 to 2008. Ms Giam was the Company Secretary and in-house counsel (Vice President) at Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd from 2000 to 2003. Prior to joining Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd, she was a partner at leading Singapore law firms, specialising in the areas of real estate, corporate law and retail and institutional banking.

Tan Kai Seng

BA (Accountancy), CPA (Singapore), FCCA (UK)
Independent Non-executive Director of the Board and member of the Audit Committee

Mr Tan is also an Independent Non-executive Director and Audit Committee member of IGB Corporation Berhad, a significant property investment and development company listed on Bursa Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mr Tan was Finance Director of Parkway Holdings Limited from 1988 to 2005 and was its Group Financial Controller from 1980 to 1988. Parkway Holdings Limited is a leading fully integrated healthcare organisation in Asia, with one of the largest network of hospitals and healthcare services in the region. Prior to joining Parkway Holdings in 1980, Mr Tan worked in the audit team with Price Waterhouse, Singapore for approximately five years and a further two years on an International Exchange Programme with Price Waterhouse, San Francisco.

Mr Tan holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from the University of Singapore. In addition, Mr Tan is a Singapore Certified Public Accountant. He is also a Fellow Member of the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants, United Kingdom.
 

Eugene Lai

Independent, Non-Executive Director

Mr Eugene Paul Lai Chin Look is an Independent, Non-Executive Director of the Manager.  Mr Lai is a Partner at Southern Capital Group and brings with him a wealth of experience in law, investment banking, real estate and private equity. Mr Lai was previously the Managing Director and Senior Country Officer of Investment Banking at JP Morgan in Malaysia and Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Ascott Group Limited. He has also held the position of Partner at the Carlyle Group and Managing Director at Citigroup Singapore. Mr Lai began his career as an attorney in New York and in Singapore. He was awarded an LL.M from Harvard University and an LL.B from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Norman Ip Ka Cheung

Independent, Non-Executive Director

Mr Norman Ip Ka Cheung graduated with a B Sc (Econs) from the London School of Economics and Political Science. He is a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Singapore. Mr Ip has over 30 years of experience in auditing, accounting, treasury, investments and taxation. Currently, Mr Ip is an Advisor to the Straits Trading Company Limited, where he had served for 26 years prior to his retirement in 2009. At Straits Trading Company Limited, Mr Ip held the position of Executive Director, President and Group Chief Executive Officer from 2000 to 2009. The Straits Trading Company Limited Group is a listed company with diversified businesses in property, hospitality and metal and mineral resources.

Mr Ip is the Chairman of the board of Malaysia Smelting Corporation Berhad (listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad) and also serves on the board of Australia Oriental Minerals NL (a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange). He is also a director of WBL Corporation Limited, United Engineers Limited and Great Eastern Holdings Limited. He is also a Member of the Board of the Building and Construction Authority in Singapore.

Nicholas McGrath

Mr. McGrath joined the Manager on in January 2009 as Chief Executive Officer of the Manager. He works with the Board to determine the overall business and investment strategy of AIMSAMPIREIT and is responsible for the day-to-day management of AIMSAMPIREIT. Mr McGrath also works closely with the management team to ensure that the Trust’s finance, investment and asset management strategies are executed integrally and successfully.

In 2005 Mr. McGrath established Allco Finance Group’s (Allco’s) real estate funds management business (Allco Singapore Limited) in Asia. He led the IPO and was the Fund Manager of Allco Commercial REIT during 2005 / 2006 and was subsequently appointed Chief Executive Officer of the REIT and Managing Director of Allco (Singapore) Limited in 2007. Mr McGrath subsequently led the sale of the Allco REIT business to Frasers Centrepoint Limited in August 2008. During this time, Mr McGrath spearheaded the growth of the REIT in Singapore, Japan and Australia and was responsible for growing assets under management in excess of S$2 billion. Mr. McGrath joined Allco in 2000 and was a director in the Property Funds Management division of Allco in Sydney until his move to Singapore in 2005.

He has a Bachelors Business/LLB (Hons) from the University of Technology in Sydney, a Practical Legal Certificate from the College of Law in 1996, and a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance & Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia.