As a veteran practitioner in the finance industry for 20 years, I cut through the noise so you don’t have to. Last week, I sat down with Josh Liaw CEO and Pearl Lam from Elite UK REIT and uncovered game-changing moves every savvy investor should know. Thank you for hosting me at Reverie.
🔑 Strategic Takeaways from our conversation
1️⃣ Peel Park, Blackpool: The AI Goldmine
-40-acre site positioned for hyperscale data center conversion (planning submitted).
-£32.8M valuation excludes its 120 MVA power supply – a hidden value catalyst.
-Subsea cables to Dublin/Europe/US = global AI infrastructure play.
2️⃣ Student Housing Revolution
-Lindsay House (Dundee) transforming into 168-bed PBSA (£20M GDV).
-Pipeline: Newport Road, Cardiff next.
3️⃣ Tax & Cash Flow Wins
-15% UK REIT tax rate (vs. 25% corporate tax).
-Prepaid rents deployed to slash debt costs.
4️⃣ Lease Expiry Overhaul
-Actively diversifying 2028 "tower of maturity" risk via early negotiations.
⚠️ 3 Risks to Monitor
1.FX Exposure: GBP-denominated (but distributions can be taken in SGD).
2.Single-Tenant Concentration: Government-backed (AA-rated) but limits flexibility.
3.Execution Risk: Data center/student conversions require flawless delivery.
🧠 Leadership Lessons from Josh
"Clear communication isn’t about memos – it’s about making people feel the why."
-Leads with empathy and self-care (fitness/nutrition advocate for teams). Often times, people are so passionate that they forget about themselves. (PS: Kindly consider delegate to others who have the skills and experience to manage your wealth.)
-Balances conviction with agility: "Plan like a general, pivot like a scout."
-Teams thrive when they feel heard and respected, and when they’re allowed to be themselves (within reason and not disrespecting others).
🤝 Why This Matters for YOU
In a world drowning in data, I bring you value – not noise. At Eric Wealth Advisory:
✅ We decode complex strategies into actionable insights.
✅ We bridge the gap between investors and management.
✅ We turn exclusive access into your competitive edge.
👉 Let’s Connect!
1️⃣ Follow me for REIT or SGX deep dives (next: data centre REITs disruption, industrial, top leadership and management moves, etc).
2️⃣ DM me to discuss how UK commercial real estate can diversify your income portfolio.
👉Connect at ohlh@phillip.com.sg
Note this is not financial advice or recommendation but for general sharing.
👍 Sreits shared previously: 😇
