This closed door lunch event on 24 January 2014 at the Foreign Correspondents' Club attended by 15 young professionals members. At this lunch Mr. John So, Managing Director of Metropolitan Real Estate Asia Limited shared his perspectives on the multi-manager industry, market trends and career advices.

With more than 20 years of experience in real estate investing, John is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and analyzing underlying fund managers and investment opportunities.

Speaker                                                
                                                                  
John So
Managing Director
Metropolitan Real Estate Asia Limited

John So is a Managing Director of Metropolitan Real Estate Asia Limited, a Carlyle Solutions Group Company. With more than 20 years of experience in real estate investing, he is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and analyzing underlying fund managers and investment opportunities. He is also a voting member of the Investment Committee.

Prior to joining Metropolitan Real Estate, Mr. So was Director of Grosvenor Asia Pacific where he was employed since 2000 with responsibilities over the years as Managing Director of Investments, Head of Investments, Head of China, Head of Fund Management Asia (serving on the Global Fund Management Board), and CEO of the Grosvenor Land Property Fund (a joint venture with Hongkong Land). He has actively invested in Greater China, Japan, and Singapore, creating five funds and building an operating platform of more than 80 staff across those markets.

He was previously a Director of Jardine Fleming Securities, heading up the Regional Real Estate Research team. His responsibilities involved analyzing Asian property cycles, researching publicly-listed Asian property companies, and advising clients on such investments. From 1995-2000, he was consistently ranked by clients at or near the top of his sector in leading financial surveys done by Institutional Investor, Asiamoney, Euromoney, and Greenwich.

Mr.So received his Bachelors degree in Urban Studies from Brown University and his Masters in Urban Design (with Distinction) from the University of Hong Kong (where he occasionally serves as a guest lecturer). He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst, Founding Committee Member of the Asian Association for Investors in Non-Listed Real Estate Vehicles (ANREV), North Asia Committee Member of the Urban Land Institute, and Brown alumni (Hong Kong) Board Member.