Chuah Theong Yee, founder and group CEO of the Mitraland Group, has been voted as the Real Estate Personality of the Year for the South East Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2016 by the editors of Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design publication.
Known in the industry for his aggressive and visionary leadership, Chuah began his illustrious career in the construction sector in 1992 after graduating from the University of Malaya with a degree in civil engineering. He initially worked as a project engineer and subsequently ventured into property development.
It wasn’t long before Chuah was able to build his reputation as a formidable leader and by 1998, he established his own property development company, Mitraland Group.
His company’s direction was clear from the start; Mitraland stood out as a small yet enterprising developer with a consistent early delivery record whilst not compromising on quality.
A turning point came when Mitraland developed the acclaimed Kiara 1888, an exclusive high-rise condominium project located at elite Mont’ Kiara. Since then, Mitraland has grown from strength to strength earning international accolades along the way for projects like the Cascades and 16 Quartz.
Under Chuah’s direction, his company undertook calculated risks that catapulted Mitraland to where it is today, a respected lifestyle developer with a solid reputation amongst the Malaysian public.
On being named the Real Estate Personality of the Year, Chuah said: “This is an unexpected yet tremendous honour to be presented with this prestigious award. It is a wonderful feeling to know that the work you do is being appreciated and considered to be of great value amongst your peers. My team and I are proud of our achievements and will continue to strive to create more incredible moments for our purchasers, investors and business partners.
“I dedicate this recognition to my amazing team at Mitraland. My team members are a dedicated bunch who understands the need to constantly craft lifestyles and create value in all of our projects. They are the foundation of the company and without their support and commitment; Mitraland wouldn’t be what it is today. I would also like to thank my wife and children for being such a great support system and I owe my success to them as well.”
On Mitraland Group’s proudest achievements over the last 18 years: “I am proud to note that Mitraland has indeed achieved a number of milestones; some of the more notable ones were completing MYR1.4 billion (USD345.82 million) worth of completed projects in 2014 and also embarking on our maiden international development in Melbourne, Australia called Esque, South Yarra. In 2015, we moved into our corporate tower, Menara Mitraland at Cascades @ Kota Damansara, which is also one of our acclaimed projects.”
On his outlook of Malaysia’s real estate sector: “The Malaysian property market is experiencing a slowdown but I am still cautiously optimistic – this temporary situation will not deter real investors and homebuyers. In fact, this is the opportune moment to make an informed purchase as buyers are spoilt for choice. In the market, there are a number of wonderfully designed and affordably priced properties. With a little bit of research, a buyer will be able to own a home/property with great capital appreciation potential.”
On Mitraland’s projects in the pipeline: “We are currently focused on a freehold mixed-use development with a projected GDV of MYR1.3 billion (USD321.34 million) called GRAVIT8. This project is located at Klang South and will encapsulate a contemporary maritime design, as a nod of respect to Klang’s rich heritage of being one of the busiest transhipment and container ports in the world.”
Chuah will personally receive the prestigious award from Property Report editors at the exclusive, black-tie ceremony of the PropertyGuru Group’s third annual South East Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) 2016 on Thursday, 11 August at the InterContinental Kuala Lumpur.
This story was originally published on www.property-report.com on 8 August 2016. To book tickets, contact info@asiapropertyawards.com or visit the official website.
