CDL Group General Manager Mr Chia Ngiang Hong was honoured with the inaugural ‘Life Achievement Award’ at the 15th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Singapore), recognising over four decades of leadership, innovation and integrity in shaping Singapore’s real estate industry.

Since joining CDL in 1981, during what he described as the “cowboy era” of real estate, Mr Chia has played a key role in helping to develop iconic projects such as The Sail @ Marina Bay and Republic Plaza, while introducing new living, working and hospitality concepts to the market. 

He credited CDL’s Executive Chairman Mr Kwek Leng Beng and other pioneers for establishing today’s transparent and resilient property sector. It was in the mid-1980s when Chairman Kwek, a patron of the Real Estate Developers’ Association of Singapore (REDAS), first brought him to the association.  During his tenure as REDAS President (2021-2022), Mr Chia’s foresight and leadership continued to shine as he guided the sector through the pandemic and helped navigate the challenges.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Chia said, “It has been an incredible privilege to contribute to Singapore’s real estate sector, both through professional work and by serving on industry bodies such as REDAS and the Building and Construction Authority. These roles provide valuable opportunities to collaborate meaningfully with peers and policymakers to shape the industry’s evolving growth and needs.”

At the same event, CDL was also named ‘Best Developer’ and won ‘Best Mixed-Use Development’ for Union Square Residences. The awards were received by CDL Group Chief Operating Officer Mr Kwek Eik Sheng and Deputy Head of Property Development and Projects Ms Tay Seok Cheng respectively.

Mr Kwek said, “These achievements celebrate a journey defined by purpose and innovation. They are a testament to the resilience of the CDL family, especially Mr Chia and our stakeholders, who share our long-term vision to create lasting impact for future generations.”