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The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) competition, which is being held for the very first time in Colombo on 12 July 2018, has chosen its first-ever Sri Lanka Real Estate Personality of the Year.<\/p>\n
Pradeep Moraes, director at Indocean Developers \u2013 the company behind the twin tower Altair,\u00a0designed by celebrated architect Moshe Safdie\u00a0\u2013 has been selected to receive the prestigious honour by the editors of PropertyGuru Property Report magazine. It is the only award not selected by the independent judging panel.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are recognising\u00a0Pradeep Moraes\u2019s contributions to raise standards in the local real estate sector as well as his work as chairman of the Condominium Developers Association of Sri Lanka,\u201d the magazine said.<\/p>\n
The career of Moraes spans more than four decades and covers a wide range of industries, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), aviation, advertising, automobiles, industrial marketing, communications and broadcasting, security, and property development.<\/p>\n
After 10 years heading the sales and marketing division of John Keells Development, Moraes joined Indocean Developers (Pvt) Ltd as president of sales and marketing in 2013, and was appointed to the board as its sole Sri Lankan director two years later.<\/p>\n
One of the biggest and most ambitious projects of his career is Altair, which has been conceptualised to be one of the tallest residential towers in Sri Lanka. The project is up for Best Luxury Condo Development (Colombo) and Best Luxury Condo Architectural Design at the 2018 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) competition.<\/p>\n
\u201cEuphoric is the best description of how I\u00a0feel at being chosen as the first Sri Lankan to be bestowed with this award, more so in light of the exalted company of previous winners from the region,\u201d Moraes said of his selection.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would like to dedicate this award to the promoters of Altair for giving me the opportunity and the exposure, and for bringing Colombo to the forefront of global architectural excellence with the iconic edifice that is Altair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moraes believes that Sri Lankan real estate has witnessed \u201cvibrant and sustainable growth,\u201d propelled by consistent capital appreciation and rental yields, changing lifestyles of consumers, and confidence shown by foreign investors.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would go a step further and also dedicate my award to all the foreign developers, who, with their investments, declared and demonstrated their faith in Sri Lanka\u2019s real estate industry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In addition to Moraes\u2019s work at Altair, he has also pushed to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the country.<\/p>\n
Among Altair’s\u00a0ongoing CSR projects include supporting Gangarama Temple initiatives\u00a0and providing daily meals for the last four years now to 150 religious, inmates and staff of the Little Sisters of the Poor (a home for the aged run by Catholic nuns catering to inmates of any religion). Altair\u00a0also spearheaded the erection of a Hindu shrine in the heart of Colombo, on land belonging to a Buddhist temple, for interracial and inter-religious amity.<\/p>\n
The Sri Lanka Real Estate Personality of the Year award will be presented by PropertyGuru\u2019s chief operating officer Jeremy Williams during an exclusive, black-tie gala dinner on 12 July 2018 at the Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo ballroom. Sri Lanka\u2019s Megapolis and Western Development Minister Champika Ranawaka has been confirmed to deliver the keynote address.<\/p>\n
More than a dozen companies have been shortlisted for the industry\u2019s highest honours to celebrate excellence in the vibrant Sri Lankan real estate sector. Around 300 guests and select members of the press are attending the historic ceremony.<\/p>\n
The 2018 PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) is supported by co-sponsors JLL and OTIS Aitken Spence Elevators; official broadcaster ART Television; official newspaper Daily FT; official portal partner LankaPropertyWeb.com; official hotel Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo; media partners The Big Issue and PropertyGuru Property Report; supporting association Ceylon Institute of Builders; and official supervisor BDO Sri Lanka, part of the world\u2019s fifth largest accounting and auditing firm.<\/p>\n