The SA REIT Conference is again proving to be the gathering place for the sharpest minds in property, finance and investment, and an exciting platform for debate and interaction.

The trailblazing one-day executive conference is focused on South Africa’s listed property sector with a highlight-packed programme and an exciting speaker roster of pioneers and thought-leaders.

The SA REIT Conference 2016 takes place on Thursday, 17 March at The Maslow in Sandton Central. It is hosted by the SA REIT (real estate investment trust) Association and sponsored by Property Finance at Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (NCIB).

Headlining speakers include Guillaume Poitrinal, Founder and Chairman of ICAMAP, non-executive Chairman of Woodeum, and ex-CEO of Unibail-Radamco; Andrew Parsons, MD of Resolution Capital (Australia); and Dr Reuel Khoza, President of the Institute of Directors of Southern Africa (IoDSA), Chairman of Aka Capital, and former Chairman of Nedbank Group Limited.

However, the appeal of its keynote speakers is easily matched by the calibre of its panellists – starting with the CEOs of the three largest South African primary listed REITs.

Parsons will mediate Norbert Sasse of Growthpoint Properties, Mark Stevens of Fortress Income Fund and Andrew Konig of Redefine Properties, who will explore SA listed property from a global perspective. They will be joined by Izak Petersen, who brings to the discussion his perspective as CEO of Dipula Income Fund, a growing REIT with exceptional BEE credentials.

“South Africa: An emerging economy barely emerging” is the compelling theme of the panel to be mediated by Dr Khoza. Its participants will probe what the country needs to be doing better, and differently.

Panellists feature Cees Bruggemans, Chairman of Bruggemans and Associates Consulting Economists and former Chief Economist of First National Bank (FNB); Laurence Rapp, CEO of leading retail REIT Vukile Property Fund; Sara Gon, Research Fellow at the Institute of Race Relations; and Shawn Theunissen, head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Transformation at Growthpoint Properties and founder of Property Point, Growthpoint’s enterprise and supplier development programme.

The final panel will consider the challenges facing South Africa’s property sector, and is mediated by Brian Azizollahoff, partner and MD of Capstone Property Group. Panel contributors include corporate finance executive and founding director of Java Capital, Andrew Brooking; retail development doyen, co-founder and Chairman of Flanagan & Gerard Property Development & Investment, Patrick Flanagan; and Consultant CEO of The Property Sector Charter Council, Portia Tau-Sekati.

In addition to the keynote features and panel discussions, Keith Engel, deputy CEO of the SA Institute of Tax Practitioners, will also host an update session on the status of SA REITs.

As an open platform for information and communication, the conference provides direct access to this compelling list of leading lights.

The SA REIT Conference is hosted by the SA REIT Association and takes place on Thursday, 17 March 2016 at The Maslow in Sandton Central.