Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Liew remains focused on Battersea project

By Sharen Kaur

KUALA LUMPUR: Tan Sri Liew Kee Sin will remain focused on the Battersea Power station redevelopment in the United Kingdom, despite starting three new projects in London via his private vehicle.
 
  Liew said his love for the STG10 billion (RM54.8 billion) Battersea redevelopment is just as strong as his admiration for Eco World Ballymore Holding Co Ltd (Eco World-Ballymore), the company which owns the three London projects with a gross development value of STG2.3 billion.
 
  EcoWorld-Ballymore plans to launch up to STG1.2 billion London properties between May and December this year, and the rest, from next year.
 
  The company is 75 per cent-controlled by Eco World Investment Co Ltd (EWI), a private vehicle owned by Liew and his right-hand man Datuk Voon Tin Yow, and 25 per cent by UK-based Ballymore Group.
 
  "Battersea and the EcoWorld-Ballymore projects are good developments. I love Battersea ... it is my life. I, myself, have invested in several units there and will do my best for the Battersea project," he said.
 
  Liew is the chairman of the board for Battersea Project Holding Co Ltd (BPHCL), the firm which is undertaking the Battersea redevelopment.
 
  He will be stepping down this September to focus on his private ventures and also Eco World Development Group Bhd, where he was recently appointed chairman.
 
  On whether EcoWorld-Ballymore or the listed Eco World may replicate the Battersea project, Liew said a development of such scale and type would not be easy while it also depends on the company's balance sheet.
 
  "We are not SP Setia, Sime Darby or EPF that are financial power houses. Our focus is on affordable quick turnaround projects," he said, at the launch of EcoWorld International Centre, here, yesterday.
 
  The one-stop centre, located at The Gardens North Tower in Mid Valley City, is set up to facilitate Eco World's international launches with focus on the three London projects, namely London City Island, Wardian @ Canary Wharf and Embassy Gardens, as well as a A$300 million (RM861 million) residential project in Sydney, Australia.
 
  Meanwhile, Liew hopes to list Eco World International (EWI) Bhd on Bursa Malaysia in the third quarter of this year.
 
  EWI will be the first property-focused special purpose acquisition company to be listed on the local bourse. It will have assets in hand worth RM13.3 billion - the London projects and development in Sydney.
 
  "This is not a blank cheque initial public offering (IPO). It will be listed with property assets. We are awaiting the outcome of the IPO application to the Securities Commission.
 
  We will add more international projects to EWI, as we move forward and the focus will still be in London and Australia," he said.

No comments:

Post a Comment