ROSHENA CAMPBELL’S VISION ALIGNS WITH THE VALUE OF EXCELLENCE CELEBRATED BY PROPERTYGURU’S AWARDS SERIES

MELBOURNE, Apr 29, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - The 8th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) has officially launched, opening entries for 2025 across expanded categories that showcase the finest of Australia’s thriving real estate markets, from Melbourne and Sydney to Brisbane and beyond.

This year’s Awards will shine a spotlight on innovative developments in both established hubs and Australia’s fastest-growing "cities of tomorrow."

From Left to right: Karen Kong, Head of Property Lending, Bendigo Bank; Nathanael Kitingan, AMBC Victoria President & Managing Principal, Macpherson Kelley; Ivan Lam, Executive Director, International Business, Charter Keck Cramer; Kathy Johnson, Managing Director, Yarraport Group; Josh Chye, Partner & Head of Tax Consulting, HLB Mann Judd; Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell, City of Melbourne;  Jules Kay, General Manager, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards & Events; and Bill Papastergiadis OAM, Melbourne Managing Partner, Moray & Agnew

The official launch announcement of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) was held on 9 April at the Melbourne Marriott Hotel during the “Asia Connect: Melbourne” event, with the Deputy Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Roshena Campbell, representing the City of Melbourne. The event was jointly organised by PropertyGuru Group and the Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC) in Victoria, with support from HLB Mann Judd and the Malaysian Developers Council of Australia (MDCA).


Deputy Lord Mayor Roshena Campbell, City of Melbourne

The Deputy Lord Mayor’s attendance underscored the role of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards in driving innovation, urban revitalisation, and cross-border investment in Australia’s real estate sector.

During her special address at the Asia Connect: Melbourne event, Deputy Lord Mayor Campbell shared the vision for the city’s path forward and strategic focus on long-term development and opportunities for its multicultural communities. She also highlighted the city’s important trade relationship with Asia, as well as the impact of international events such as the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards that promote Melbourne as a great place to invest, study or live, calling it the “destination of choice.”

Exceptional liveability

Deputy Lord Mayor Campbell said: “Melbourne’s exceptional liveability is a drawcard for both domestic and international investors—with world-class sporting, cultural, and dining experiences, lush parks and gardens, and leading education opportunities, it’s no surprise we’re Australia’s fastest-growing city.”

She added: "The City of Melbourne is backing quality development like never before—and we welcome bold, visionary minds to help shape the future of our city. Melbourne is built on smart design that reflects our unique identity. But great design is more than good looks. Every building can lift our quality of life, attract investment, and deliver better housing. Our Design Excellence Program and Design Review Panel help make that happen."

The City of Melbourne proudly hosted the last two editions of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) ceremonies. In 2024, several leading real estate developers in the Australian market earned prestigious accolades, including OSK Property; BHC Property; FY Property, Kooringa Group, MA Financial, CPDM; Golden Sedayu; and Jean Yip Developments.

Asia Connect: Melbourne Panel Discussion

Asia Connect: Brisbane Panel Discussion

Other guests at Asia Connect: Melbourne included Bill Papastergiadis, OAM​, Melbourne managing partner,​ Moray & Agnew​; Karen Kong, head of property lending, Bendigo Bank; and Kathy Johnson, managing director, Yarraport Group.


From Left to right: Kiong Chan, CEO and Principal Trainer, Australian Leadership Skills Centre; Ivan Lam, Executive Director, International Business, Charter Keck Cramer; James Henderson, Managing Partner, Business Advisory, Tax Consulting, Brisbane, HLB Mann Judd; Shona Leppanen-Gibson, President, Australia Malaysia Business Council Qld; Josh Chye, Partner & Head of Tax Consulting , HLB Mann Judd; Jules Kay, General Manager, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards & Events; Peter Li, General Manager, Plus Agency; and Karl Fu, Partner - Asian Markets, Winning Commercial

Landmark expansion

In a landmark expansion, this year’s Awards programme was also launched at the Asia Connect: Brisbane event co-organised with HLB Mann Judd, the official supervisor. Held on 11 April at HLB’s headquarters in the Brisbane CBD, the presentation featured a panel discussion on the strengthening Brisbane property market. The speakers included Ivan Lam, chairperson of the judges, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia), and ​​​​executive director for international business, Charter Keck Cramer; Josh Chye, partner and head of tax at HLB Mann Judd; James Henderson, managing partner for business advisory and tax consulting in Brisbane at HLB Mann Judd; Kiong Chan, CEO and principal trainer, Australian Leadership Skills Centre; and Shona Leppanen-Gibson, president of Australia Malaysia Business Council – Queensland.

Asia Connect: Brisbane speakers highlighted the infrastructure improvements and development happening in Queensland’s capital city as it prepares to host the 2032 Olympic Games. Other notable guests at the event were Tina Field, honorary consul of the Royal Thai Consulate, and Sheryll Gabutero, honorary consul of the Philippines Consulate Brisbane.

The annual black-tie gala dinner and presentation ceremony for the 2025 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) in September will take place in Sydney at the Shangri-La Sydney. Expecting participation from Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Perth, the Awards demonstrate a wider interest from developers across Australia’s key real estate markets.

Key dates for this year’s edition of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) are:

• 18 July 2025 – Entries Close
• 11-20 August 2025 – Site Inspections
• 22 August 2025 – Final Judging
• 19 September 2025 – Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony in Sydney, Australia
• 12 December 2025 – Regional Grand Final Gala Dinner and Awards Presentation in Bangkok, Thailand

According to Property Report by PropertyGuru, the official magazine of the Awards, the underlying demand for Australian residential real estate remains robust, despite supply constraints in new residential listings. With stabilising interest rates, improving supply chains, and increasing suburban demand, experts remain cautiously optimistic about the long-term prospects of the market.


Jules Kay, General Manager, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards & Events

Jules Kay, general manager of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards and Events, said: “With Australian real estate commanding global interest, we are thrilled to unveil our 2025 awards to showcase world-class projects to discerning property seekers throughout Asia Pacific. Alongside Melbourne and Sydney, Brisbane is a worthy addition to our event schedule this year, as Australia's property market continues to diversify with impressive growth beyond traditional urban hubs. We look forward to celebrating the ingenuity and innovation of developers from all key property destinations at our domestic and international galas later this year.”

International stage

The 8th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) are part of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, organised by PropertyGuru Group, Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company. First established in 2005 in Thailand, the series marks its 20th anniversary in 2025. Over the years, the Awards expanded to include Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, the Middle East, and Australia.

Winners of the Australia awards may qualify to compete at the 20th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in December 2025. At the Grand Final, the best of the best from more than a dozen dynamic property markets in the Asia-Pacific region will compete on the international stage.


Josh Chye, Partner & Head of Tax Consulting, HLB Mann Judd, and Official Supervisor of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia)

An esteemed panel of independent judges, comprising experts across various real estate sectors, will inspect and evaluate the entries. The judging process will be supervised by HLB International Real Estate Group, the "2024 Network of the Year," under Josh Chye of HLB Mann Judd.

Ivan Lam, Executive Director, International Business, Charter Keck Cramer, and Chairperson of PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) 

Ivan Lam, chairperson of the judges, PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia), said: “We proudly launch our awards’ eighth edition amid Australia’s suburban growth, driven by demand for residences beyond city centres—especially from buyers undeterred by market shifts. With new categories this year, we honour developers who have agilely adapted to market shifts, delivering designs and masterplans that meet the needs of diverse property seekers in Australia. With economic stability improving and pressures easing, we are optimistic about long-term investment in Australia’s property market. As more projects rise, we look forward to celebrating innovation and excellence that will define the future of Australian real estate, setting benchmarks for 2025 and beyond.”

The 8th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Australia) are supported by official portal partner PropertyGuru; official magazine Property Report by PropertyGuru; supporting associations Australia Malaysia Business Council (AMBC) and Malaysian Developers Council of Australia (MDCA); and official supervisor HLB.

For more information, email awards@propertyguru.com or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU ASIA PROPERTY AWARDS:

PropertyGuru’s Asia Property Awards, established in 2005, are the region’s most exclusive and prestigious real estate awards programme. The Asia Property Awards are recognised as the ultimate hallmark of excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted supervisors, the Awards have an unparalleled reputation for being credible, ethical, fair, and transparent. 

In 2025, the Awards series is open to key property markets around the region. The exciting gala events welcome senior industry leaders and top media, as well as reach property agents and consumers via live streaming. Recognising excellence within each Asian market with a variety of categories, including green and sustainable development, each local awards programme will culminate in the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, which takes place after the PropertyGuru Asia Real Estate Summit during PropertyGuru Week in December 2025. 

For more information, please visit AsiaPropertyAwards.com.

ABOUT PROPERTYGURU GROUP:

PropertyGuru is Southeast Asia’s leading1 PropTech company, and the preferred destination for over 31 million property seekers2 to connect with over 50,000 agents monthly3 to find their dream home. PropertyGuru empowers property seekers with more than 2.1 million real estate listings4, in-depth insights, and solutions that enable them to make confident property decisions across Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.

PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in Singapore in 2007 and since then, PropertyGuru Group has made the property journey a transparent one for property seekers in Southeast Asia. In the last 17 years, PropertyGuru has grown into a high-growth PropTech company with a robust portfolio including leading property marketplaces and award-winning mobile apps across its core markets.  

For more information, please visit: PropertyGuruGroup.com; PropertyGuru Group on LinkedIn.

(1) Based on SimilarWeb data between January 2024 and June 2024.
(2) Based on Google Analytics data between January 2024 and June 2024.
(3) Based on data between April 2024 and June 2024
(4) Based on data between January 2024 and June 2024.

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E: allan@propertyguru.com  

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