DTZ

Based in Hong Kong, David Schaefer is responsible for building DTZ’s fund management business for third-party, private equity real estate vehicles. In addition, as Global Head of Institutional Capital, he is responsible for broadening the DTZ Investment and Asset Management client base globally.

David brings over 30 years’ experience in real estate, having been involved in private equity real estate funds, listed REITs, hospitality operating companies, and real estate investment banking. David specialises in real estate investments across Asia Pacific, having been based in the region for the past 20 years. His experience includes activities in countries across the region, including China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Korea, Singapore, Japan, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, The Philippines, Australia and New Zealand. David has invested through multiple cycles in the Asia Pacific region, including: distressed hospitality in New Zealand after the recession and property crash of 1990; distressed assets in Korea after the Asian Financial Crisis in 1998; and retail assets in Hong Kong post-SARS in 2003.

In his previous positions, David established, built, and ran the expansion of fund management businesses in China, Japan and India, and was responsible for over $6 billion of real estate investments in the Asia Pacific region.

David received his MBA and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Program in Real Estate at Cornell University. He is a frequent lecturer on investing in emerging markets and Asia. He is also a member of the North Asia Executive Committee of the Urban Land Institute, a non-profit research, education, and multi-disciplinary real estate forum.