With the government’s bid for expanding economic development outside of Metro Manila, property developers and contractors are in a strategic position to leverage on opportunities laid out by the BUILD, BUILD, BUILD program.

James Hardie Philippines, the leading global fiber cement company, held its annual Leaders Summit to recognize outstanding dealers and help business owners and partners address the current challenges and opportunities in the real estate industry.  Renowned consultants and experts David Leechiu and Francis Kong also shared best business practices on leadership, and industry insightson which areas of real estate development are forecasted to be the most lucrative.

"The Leaders Summit is an avenue to recognize our top outperformers in the company, and for peers and mentors to exchange ideas and impart industry knowledge," said Liza Alde, James Hardie Philippines' Marketing Manager. "We understand that as an industry leader, James Hardie Philippines plays a key role in equipping market players with the right tools to address the changing needs of the industry, which we aim to achieve through this forum."

2018 Leaders Summit held at Pangalusian, El Nido

Analyzing market opportunities and embracing leadership

Speaker and CEO of Leechiu Property Consultants David Leechiu underlined that contractors and developers must be able to build their business by focusing on the real estate market's current standing.

With the government's push to encourage foreign businesses to invest their companies outside of the National Capital Region, and the need for more developed real estate for airlines to meet tourism needs, Leechiu said businesses must utilize this information to map new opportunities worth investing in.

Citing data from the Information Technology-Business Process Outsourcing Association of the Philippines' (IT-BPAP), Leechiu said the saturation of Business Process Outsourcing companies in Metro Manila will lead foreign investors to continue looking for new, untapped labor markets in the provinces.

"As of Fiscal Year 2017, Metro Manila office take-up reached an all-time high of 774, 957 sqm, outperforming 2016's 630, 000 by 23%. Rent also remains at an all-time high across all districts," according to Leechiu. "The government's all-inclusive plan encourages businesses to invest in properties outside of the National Capital Region and grow cities like how Pampanga, Cavite, and Batangas are like now."

He also took into account the country's travel and tourism competitiveness, and how this necessitates the Philippines to develop more runways and airports to meet the demand in different destinations in the country.

"The Philippines was able to sustain a total of 5.9 million tourist arrivals, or a 10% increase in tourist arrivals despite a 4% decline in Asia Pacific tourist travels."

David Lee Chiu discussing key trends in realty at Leaders Summit 2018

Meanwhile, inspirational speaker Francis Kong highlighted how influential and inspirational leadership can be developed in the workplace. He noted making the business a more professional environment, adapting and integrating technology in business processes, and preparing a succession plan were all integral in growing and shaping a business and its leaders.

He enumerated eight assets leaders must have and utilize within the business, "Aside from critical thinking, creative processing, and problem solving, leaders must also possess values and ethics, tapping their emotional intelligence in making decisions as well. They must be resourceful and resilient, manage ambiguity all the while looking through the business with a leaders' perspective."

Apart from these individual skills, Kong also recommended that business leaders embrace technological advancements. To him, driving a company forward through innovation is just as important as honing individuals to take up leadership positions within the organization.

"Growth and innovation are two business strategies you cannot live without," he stressed.

Francis Kong during the Welcome Night

With the wealth of knowledge exchanged in this year's forum, James Hardie Philippines looks forward to open future Leaders Summits to industry partners helping them accelerate their businesses, inspire industry excellence, and hone influential market leaders.

James Hardie Philippines Inc. is the company behind HardieFlex® , durable fiber cement boards manufactured in the Philippines for 20 years. These fiber cement boards are produced with technical precision and passing the international quality standard ISO 9001:2015. 

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