Speech | Welcome Address by REDAS President at REDAS Spring Festival Lunch 2026 | 27 Feb 2026
REDAS SPRING FESTIVAL LUNCH 2026
27 FEBRUARY 2026, FRIDAY, 12.30PM
GRAND COPTHORNE WATERFRONT HOTEL, GRAND BALLROOM
WELCOME ADDRESS BY
MR TAN SWEE YIOW, PRESIDENT OF REDAS
Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs,
Patron Mr Philip Ng,
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
A very good afternoon and a warm welcome to the REDAS Spring Festival Lunch.
Before we start, I would like to 祝大家马年快乐，身体健康，万事如意！
It is an honour to welcome all of you here today, especially our Guest of Honour, Minister Edwin Tong.
It is always a pleasure to see so many friends, partners and colleagues gathered together to usher in the new year.
The Spring Festival is about renewal and optimism and this year feels especially fitting as we start the year with strong momentum across our industry.
Today, I would like to share how our industry is coming together to build talent and strengthen collaboration.
Building the Talent Pipeline
The long-term health of our industry depends on our ability to attract and develop future leaders.
This is not something any one organisation can do alone.
It requires the whole industry to come together.
That is why this is something many of us across the industry and government have been discussing over the past year.
We share a common concern that the young talent may not yet fully see the breadth of opportunities our industry offers.
Those of us in this room know how diverse and rewarding these career pathways can be.
Our industry spans banking and finance, investment, asset and fund management, PropTech and sustainability, and even shapes how our cities are planned and managed.
Together, these roles come together to shape the places where people live, work and connect.
Yet this may not be as visible to young talent. Fewer are choosing Real Estate today.
If this trend continues, we risk a smaller pool of trained professionals in the years ahead.
The Department Consultative Committee comprising partners from government and industry, including CBRE, City Developments Limited, the Housing Development Board, JL Family Office, REDAS, Oxford Properties, the Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers and the Urban Redevelopment Authority, has been exploring how we can respond collectively.
REDAS is honoured to be part of this effort.
As a first step, REDAS is spearheading the Real Estate Talent Programme with the National University of Singapore, together with other industry partners.
We also welcome other institutes of higher learning to roll out similar programmes.
In just two weeks, around 40 organisations across the ecosystem, including public agencies, developers, financial institutions, trade associations and consultants, have expressed interest to participate.
To date, over 50 internship opportunities across a wide spectrum of functions have been committed. These include asset management, capital markets, commercial leasing, compliance, placemaking, FinTech, marketing, project development, PropTech, research and valuation.
Importantly, these opportunities will also extend to Year 1 and 2 students, allowing for earlier exposure to the breadth and depth of careers within the real estate ecosystem.
Beyond internships, we have also received encouraging interest from industry partners to offer management traineeships and to come on board as mentors, strengthening the support structure around this programme and giving students clearer pathways into the profession.
This sends a strong signal that the industry is united and committed about investing in future talent.
This is only the beginning, and we hope more organisations can join us in the months ahead.
Collaborative Government Engagements
Beyond talent, we are also encouraged by the growing spirit of collaboration across the built environment ecosystem.
Over the past year, we have seen deeper and more regular engagement with our government partners, and we are grateful for the open dialogue and willingness to work together.
There has been progress in areas such as improvements to TOL process for show-flat sites, enhancements to A&A and fire safety processes, and continued efforts to streamline project completion timelines.
REDAS will also contribute to the recently formed Action Team, led by Minister Chee Hong Tat, which brings together the public and private sectors to look into improving Built Environment Productivity.
These may sound like small steps, but they make a real difference on the ground.
They show what can be achieved when industry and government work closely together.
In the year ahead, REDAS will continue to support talent development, strengthen partnerships and champion the needs of the industry.
We encourage more members to join us in these efforts.
Before I end, I would like to thank Minister Tong for joining us today, and our Social Committee, chaired by Joseph Lim, for putting together this wonderful event.
The Year of the Horse is a fitting symbol for the year ahead, symbolising energy, progress and forward momentum.
Once again, I wish everyone good health, success and great fortune in the year ahead.
祝大家龙马精神，马到成功，马年行大运！
Thank you.
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