7th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) goes virtual, enraptures 15,000 viewers from Asia Pacific and beyond

Real estate leaders illuminate the currently dim sector as we shine a light on their achievements throughout the recent years 

As the pandemic continues to distress consumer sentiment and real estate activity, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) returned on its 7th year with a whole new virtual format. 

On September 15, the distinguished nominees, press, VIPs, as well as a whole slew of audience, ranging from overseas developers, real estate agents, industry stakeholders and even property seekers all gathered in front of their screens to witness the premiere names of the industry receive prestigious accolades. 

For the first time in our awards show history, our virtual gala event has amassed a global viewership of about 15,764 as of 23rd September when normally, the exclusive physical gala would have around 400 guests. Throughout the livestream, the nominees and audience were all invited to utilise the live chat feature on the website and to share their congratulatory messages and thoughts throughout all our social media platforms. 

Roughly 35 categories were presented to the superior developers, developments and designs throughout Malaysia, with Tropicana Corporation Berhad taking home the Best Developer trophy — the most illustrious title of the night — along with nine wins in other categories and four Highly Commended distinctions. 

Among the highlights of the night was the presentation for Malaysia Real Estate Personality of the Year as Sarena Cheah, the managing director of property division at Sunway Berhad, reaches a milestone not only as the recipient for the special award, but also as the first-ever female to hold the title throughout our awards programme. This is the only accolade not chosen by the judges but by the editors of PropertyGuru Property Report. 

“We wanted to pay tribute to Cheah’s awe-inspiring vision and competence in leading one of Malaysia’s most eminent master community developers,” said the editors. 

The masters of ceremonies, Kelly Jones and Owen O’Brien, who are renowned for their engaging personalities and expertise in the craft, captivated the global audience throughout the 90-minute long virtual event. 

Apart from the awards presentations, platinum sponsor Kohler, official portal partner PropertyGuru FastKey and official charity partner Right To Play shared video presentations that helped keep the viewers inspired and informed. 

Under normal circumstances, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards physical gala caps off the night with the on-stage group photo, topped off with a flurry of confetti. For the virtual format, we have the 2020 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Malaysia) Hall of Fame, featuring the leaders that will help reshape the future of Malaysian real estate. 

See the complete list of winners here. Re-watch the virtual gala here.