Secular demand drivers will help Asian real estate rebound amid coronavirus pandemic

While the COVID-19 pandemic has put pressure on the various property classes in Asia during the past several months, investment professionals remain confident that certain demand drivers will help activity in the region rebound.

In a June video interview with IREI, Brian Chinappi, partner and head of real estate, Asia, at Actis, discussed some of the trends driving Asian real estate and how the firm is coping with the changing market.

“When you think about the asset classes that are most impacted, it’s hotels, it’s retail — assets that really count on almost daily leasing, daily revenue flow, daily foot traffic,” says Chinappi. “And then the least impacted … is data centers, as well as ecommerce-focused logistics, where we’re seeing the biggest kind of continuation in our investment programs as well as current leasing activity.”

Chinappi added that while secular demand drivers have slowed, particularly in the area he calls “growth Asia,” th