In September, Yardi reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to Australia’s property industry by supporting—for the tenth year—the highly successful Property Congress in Darwin, Australia. As Principal Sponsor, Yardi was proud to join the Property Council of Australia in hosting nearly 800 delegates from across the property industry. The attendees discussed the latest challenges, trends and opportunities facing the industry—and the future for Australia that the delegates are helping to build. The event began with celebrations. On the conference’s eve, Yardi hosted a party at Darwin’s bustling Mindil Market that featured a spectacular sunset, sumptuous food, a fire dancer, a didgeridoo player (for those who might not know, that’s a wind instrument developed by indigenous Australians) and lots of good fellowship. With the party successfully wrapped up and new connections established, it was time for the main event. This year, The Property Congress was focused on major issues driving property development and investment in Australia and globally. With established and emerging leaders in the commercial, residential, retail, industrial, development, retirement living and investment sectors in attendance, it was a unique chance to hear from a wealth of thought leaders about the fundamental issues affecting our industry now and in the future. While all guest speakers from the two-day lineup were remarkable in their own right, highlights included: Headline keynote speaker Sir John Key, a former New Zealand prime minister, who touched on a range of current topics including leadership qualities, American tax and trade policy and housing issues. Noting the high growth rate of Australian urban developments, he urged a thoughtful planning process that integrates communities and connects them with transport. He also didn’t miss the opportunity to discuss the constantly-changing Australian political landscape, commenting that by the end of his political tenure he would ask...

Yardi celebrated the 40th anniversary of Property Council of Australia’s “Property Congress,” a premier event for the Australian real estate industry. Yardi held its accustomed place as Principal Sponsor of the event, which took place in Cairns, Queensland. Several senior members of the Yardi Australia team attended, including Mark Heaney (project manager), Kelvin Manual (regional manager), Nina Feldman (marketing manager), and Terry Gowan (regional director for Australia and New Zealand). Kicking off the event with some fun, Yardi hosted the nautically themed “Welcome Aboard” party on the conference’s first night, welcoming more than 700 industry thought leaders, trendsetters and other experts from all property sectors. Yardi also sponsored a coffee station at the event, keeping delegates and speakers energised. With thought leaders from a broad cross section of the industry presenting, sessions at The Property Congress included: A “View from the Top,” a panel of real estate leaders David Harrison of Charter Hall, Louise Mason of AMP Capital, Steve Leigh of QIC Global Real Estate, Greg Paramor of Folekstone and Caroly Viney of Vicinity Centres. They reported a positive outlook for the retail, commercial and residential sectors, which show strong growth trends despite fears of competition from online retailers. Their message was one of confidence for the year ahead and the real estate landscape in Australia. “Cities for Everyone,” which examined how data from social media, online retail apps and other sources can be used to shape the activities, and therefore the character, of a city. Describing how important live, ongoing information is to creating “Cities for Everyone” for those who work and live in cities, the session provided a fascinating insight into how data can directly shape cities and lives. A presentation by Peta Credlin, Sky News host and News Corp national columnist,...

Last month, more than 700 real estate professionals converged on Hamilton Island, Queensland, Australia for a week of learning from industry leaders and experts innovating the property sector. Hosted by Property Council of Australia, The Property Congress has become a highly anticipated annual event and the largest property conference in the region, boasting delegates from all corners of the industry – from lawyers and CEOs to architects and technology providers. For 39 years, Congress has kept the pulse of the industry and explored trends and topics impacting property and real estate. Members of our Yardi office in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia attended the three-day conference, including Ado van Rensburg and Kelvin Manual, regional solutions managers; Nina Kaszina, marketing manager; and Terry Gowan, regional director for Australia and New Zealand. On October 20, the event kicked off with a Welcome Beach Party hosted by Yardi. Delegates enjoyed beachside fire pits, live music, appetizers and beverages while networking on the picturesque Catseye Beach. Keynote addresses from Jacklyn Trad, Deputy Premier of Queensland and Mark Steinert, Managing Director and CEO of Stockland and National President of Property Council of Australia, welcomed delegates and focused on furthering innovation and development within Australia’s property sector. The first day of programming at Congress explored the transformative power that buildings have on communities and the property industry’s responsibility to address challenges through long range planning. Educational sessions and panels showcased industry hot topics and trends from some of the world’s most experienced business leaders. Morning sessions, including “New World Cities” and “Future Cities,” stressed the importance of thinking 10-15 years out ahead in the property sector. During the “New World Cities” keynote, Professor Greg Clark, Global Advisor and Chairman of The Business Cities Limited, discussed competition between the world’s existing and...