PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards crowns first female Cambodia Real Estate Personality of the Year

Goldfame Group’s Catherine Chan continues to shatter gender norms in her pursuit to showcase Khmer real estate to the international market

In the 6th year of the PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards, we are honoured to present the Cambodia Real Estate Personality of the Year accolade to our first female recipient, the director of Goldfame Group and the founder and executive director of Urban Village & Factory Phnom Penh, Catherine Chan. 

Since graduating from the London School of Economics and becoming a certified public accountant in the United Kingdom, Catherine has since then demonstrated her knowledge and skills in an array of different fields, which is why she currently holds high positions in several other firms, such as Global Agricultural Development Limited, CLC Microfinance CLC, and Silver Apex Company Limited in Spain. 

In 2007, she relocated to Cambodia to learn the family business. Eventually, she became the biggest advocate of this developing country. 

When asked why she chose to invest in Khmer real estate, she said: “Cambodia is actually a country with a very favourable and attractive investment environment. We came to Cambodia over 25 years ago. The reason is that Cambodia is the only country in Southeast Asia that allows USD as the functional currency. 

Cambodia has also signed a lot of foreign trade agreements with many countries, including The European Union so whenever you export to the European Union, America, Australia, Japan, and China, you have the free duty. Because of this favourable investment environment, a lot of foreign direct investments has come into Cambodia, bringing in a lot of expatriates. 

Like Goldfame Group, we have 30,000 employees in Cambodia, including over 100 expatriates. Therefore, the demands of the property have been growing and growing, especially in this recent year as well. We see that there is a huge demand in the city and that is why we started to invest in Khmer real estate.” 

True to their word, the Group has built world-class projects in the country, including the biggest creative hub in Southeast Asia, as well as the biggest art gallery, trampoline park, co-working space, and skateboarding park in the country. Urban Village and Factory Phnom Penh is a multi-award winning development, having received several recognitions at the 5th PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards and at the 15th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final. 

During the onslaught of the pandemic, her company remained steadfast in their mission to raise the standards of living in the country. This determination has made Urban Village Phase 1, the only project to be completed during this unprecedented time. 

They are now developing Urban Village Phase 2 and have enlisted the assistance of elite construction, engineering consulting, and structure consulting firms. Throughout this course of time, they also built the first pet park at Hun Sen Boulevard and a retail street within the community. 

“Urban Village is a unique project in the city, and I think no one has ever done a project that can allow the owners to live, work, and play within the community of around 760,000 square metres within the city,” boasts Catherine. 

More: Watch: First virtual edition of the 6th PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards

Apart from helping improve the infrastructure of the country through their first-rate developments, Catherine has been active in philanthropy. As the Vice President of the First Gold Charity Fund, she has been instrumental in the various initiatives organised, from opening up orphan restaurants, building schools for kids and teens in the slum area, and sponsoring orphans and children across Cambodia to being the benefactor for university students’ international travels and helping impoverished youth and children in Hong Kong. 

Catherine believes in investing in the young since they are the hope for the future development of the country. Thus, she leaves them with this inspiring message: “There is no shortcut to success. Don’t become your path to success because others question you.” 

The PropertyGuru Property Report Editors will honour Catherine Chan as the 2021 Cambodia Real Estate Personality of the Year at the first virtual edition of the 6th annual PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards on 12 November 2021, from 17:30 to 19:00 (GMT +7). 

The PropertyGuru Cambodia Property Awards 2021 is supported by silver sponsor Jotun, official cable TV partner The History Channel, official magazine PropertyGuru Property Report, official PR partner Two Way Public Relations, supporting association Asia MarTech Society, official charity partner Right To Play International, official ESG partner Baan Dek Foundation, and official supervisor HLB. 

For more information, email [email protected] or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com.