Building sector triumphs at the annual PropertyGuru Myanmar Property Awards 2018

The festive PropertyGuru Myanmar Property Awards 2018 gala dinner has unveiled this year’s crop of Winners and Highly Commended companies in an exclusive ceremony held on Friday evening (10 August) at the Sedona Hotel Yangon to honour the country’s building sector.

Bagging the top award for Best Developer is Mottama Development Group Co., Ltd., which was also honoured with the new Special Recognition in Design & Construction.

“With more than a dozen accolades earned this year for current projects ranging from office to retail, condominium, mixed-use, and educational facilities, Mottama Development Group is a promise of a new era for the local real estate sector,” the independent panel of judges said.

“The company’s superior attention to detail in design and construction is worthy of emulation by other builders in the country, as well as praise from consumers.”

Its chairman, U Yang Ho, a widely respected construction magnate, was also honoured by the editors of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine as the 2018 Myanmar Real Estate Personality of the Year – the sole recognition not chosen by the judges.

Multi-award winners

Mottama shares its Design & Construction gong with double winner IGE Co., Ltd., which also collected a golden trophy for the Special Recognition in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – this time shared with four-time victor Golden Land Real Estate Development Co., Ltd.

SCW Development Group Ltd took home a pair of Design nods for Skysuites Luxury Condominium, whilst Mother Construction & Greenhub (a subsidiary of LHN Limited) bagged the gongs for Best Serviced Apartment and Best Hotel Interior Design for the same project.

Expanded scope of recognition

The panel of judges introduced this year the Special Recognition in Customer Care award, presented to the tandem of City Properties Co., Ltd and Universal City Company Limited. The duo also received two Retail honours for their City Mall St. John project.

Best Renovated Property – previously dubbed a special award – is now a main category won by The Pegu Club, which was gloriously transformed by KT Club Development Project Co., Ltd.

The inaugural Best Developer winner from 2015, Yoma Strategic Holdings won the new Best Educational Development award for Dulwich College Yangon – Star City Campus.

Highest levels of standards

Hari V. Krishnan, CEO of PropertyGuru Group, said: “We are proud to recognise all the winning and highly commended companies in Myanmar. The fact that the local real estate market has slowed down in activity in the past couple of years did not hinder these worthy developers from producing projects to the highest level of standards, whether they are new residential or commercial buildings, mixed-use, renovated property, and educational facilities. We celebrate their hard work and dedication to all types of consumers in the country.”

Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, said: “The purpose of the Awards is to set a benchmark for recognising quality real estate in Asia. Healthy competition helps improve standards especially in a developing market like Myanmar. Whilst the local property market has undoubtedly had a challenging 24 months, we are pleased that we are once again able to come together to celebrate the best of Myanmar’s real estate.”

Top winners in Myanmar now qualify to compete at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final to be held this November in Bangkok for a chance to be crowned the ‘Best in Asia.’

Tremendous support from the industry

The 2018 PropertyGuru Myanmar Property Awards gala dinner was the programme’s biggest yet, attended by around 370 guests and members of the media.

The event was supported by co-sponsors Beko, Nippon Paint, Porcelanosa, Pro1Global Home Centre, and Sonder Living; official hotel Sedona Yangon; media partners Myanmar Insider, ShweProperty.com, iMyanmarHouse.com, and PropertyGuru Property Report; supporting associations European Chamber of Commerce Myanmar and British Chamber of Commerce Myanmar; official supplier LSM by LightSource; and official supervisor BDO Myanmar, part of the world’s fifth largest accounting and auditing firm.

Richard Emerson (Managing Director, Emerson Real Estate) led the judging panel joined by: Andrew Moraes (Country Manager, Beca); Ben Hickson (Senior Associate, Stephenson Harwood LLP); Charm May Thu (Managing Director, Your Property Finder Company Ltd); Lee Leong Seng (General Manager/Managing Director, Surbana International Consultant (Myanmar) Co Ltd); Mark Horton (Designer, Doh Eain); Mya Myitzu (Creative Director, M.Interiors (M.ID) Design and Design Management); and Stephen Zawmoe Shwe (Principal Architect, SPINE Architects). The BDO supervising team consists of Joe Yew Chi Jee (Director, Advisory), with Hong Shi Ying (Senior Manager) and Nang Hnin Thet Htwe (Executive).