Exclusive interview with KSK Group chief executive officer Ms Joanne Kua

The KSK Group chief executive officer and executive director Joanne Kua was interviewed on her general views, as well as insights on 8 Conlay, the upcoming iconic development in Kuala Lumpur.

The YOO8 Serviced By Kempinski (Tower A) is set to be launched in November 2015, and the entire development is scheduled for completion by 2020. 8 Conlay has a gross development value (GDV) of RM4 billion.

1) Where did you start your career and how did you join KSK Group?

“Although I was born and bred in Malaysia, I started my career in the United Kingdom. Being a graduate of the University College of London and the London School of Economics, I joined Deutsche Bank, London as an Associate in 2007, covering Securitisation. Right after the golden time came the Lehman Brothers and the American International Group (AIG) crises, which marked my one year career in the industry. After living in London for over ten years and working at Deutsche Bank for several years, I finally decided to return to my homeland.

I joined Kurnia in 2010, where I played two roles. I was a group CEO for Kurnia Asia and a risk advisor for Kurnia Insurance. Moving on from there, we rebranded to KSK Group and privatised the firm, as well as commenced KSK Land Sdn Bhd. I took up the position of group CEO for KSK Group and managing director for KSK Land. Currently, KSK Land is two years old and is debuting its maiden project, 8 Conlay.”

2) Being the pioneer project of KSK Land, how will 8 Conlay stand out against an array of luxury developments located in the surroundings?

“The location of our project says it all. 8 Conlay is located in the Golden Triangle area, right in the city centre. It is the largest piece of land left available within the Golden Triangle, which is actually close to four acres.

It is less than a stone’s throw away from a myriad of amenities, besides being a two-minute walking distance away from Pavilion 2. It has easy links to KLCC, and the proposed Conlay MRT station will be within a short distance too.

If you look at this prime area, there are ample luxury developments available. So we asked ourselves, ‘how can we do this differently?’ Hence, instead of developing a typical residential development, we opt for a mixed-use development. Therefore, we offer a retail outlet, a five star luxury hotel and hotel residences, all within the same project.

Yes, you get lushness from these luxury projects, but what we put on the table is a branded development, coupled with hotel facilities and services.”

3) What differentiates a branded development from a luxury development, and what makes 8 Conlay a branded development itself?

“Yes, we call ourselves a branded development. It all started when we wanted to do something different and to add value to our project. That is when we came up with this idea.

And I have mentioned this many times before. Branded development is not something new in the KL area and it is at an infancy stage. However, it is already one level above from a luxury development.

We benchmark ourselves with other branded residences around the world and focus on three main components: excellent architecture, reliable services, and remarkable interior design.

The first impression matters the most and that is why giving out a good architecture is vital. Besides that, when you collaborate with a world-class hotel, imagine the level of services residents will be expecting. In terms of interior design, it is not only about what furniture you put in, but also about the space planning. Therefore, that is why we collaborated with many prominent brands around the world to make 8 Conlay a branded development.

Our branded residence, YOO8 Serviced By Kempinski, is scheduled for launch by the end of this year. And if you really look into the three components I have mentioned, for a sustainable and livable architecture, we have Hud Bakar – an award winning architect from RSP Architect; Kempinski for hotel cum services – Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group; and YOO for interior design – with leading creative designers in the world. In addition, we have also collaborated with the renowned Pok Kobkongsanti, TROP’s lead design director, to create a glorious landscape for our residents.

Blending all these brands together in a single project, how not to call ourselves a branded development? All I have mentioned so far is just for the residence alone, not including retail and other components.”

4) What was the inspiration of developing a branded residence in Malaysia?

“The inspiration for our development came from One Hyde Park, London, which is serviced by Mandarin Oriental and designed by Candy and Candy. It has the whole ingredient of a branded residence and defines what a branded development should be like. This is exactly what we want for 8 Conlay.

We want people to look at 8 Conlay as the icon of KL, which will put us in global map; we want residents to proudly say they are buying a gem in KL and it’s worth it!”

5) Who are the target buyers and will the downfall of the ringgit weaken the sales? What is your opinion on this?

“Since we are aiming for the global market, our targeted buyers are 50% locals and 50% foreigners. We are expecting to draw the attention of expats, young families, investors and working professionals.

Due to the weakening ringgit rate, the current property market is soft. We cannot deny that. But branded development is a very niche market and the buyers are the people of a certain level, who look at it as a long-term play. Our developments are not suitable for short-term swings. To be frank, it is not really affected.”

6) What is your advice for PropertyGuru readers on buying the right home? What should be considered?

“I was at the UK when the property market there tumbled and possibilities are there for it to happen in any part of the world. So it is important for us to secure our capital and a good location will help to do that.

When you have decided on your property, you should really see through if the development is of a good quality to you. Do not blindly purchase a house. Make sure the property has good maintenance as well, because if it is not well-maintained, the value always comes down. These are the important points to consider when buying a property.”

The YOO8 Serviced by Kempinski (Tower A) is currently open for registration. Buyers can choose from two exclusive concepts of water or wood and these fully furnished units vary from one bedroom to three bedrooms, with a built-up ranging between 700 sf to 1,308 sf. For more information, please visit http://www.8conlay.com/residences/about.

Mangalesri Chandrasekaran, Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact her about this or other stories email mangales@propertyguru.com.my