Sri Lanka all set to host first-ever Asia Property Awards in July

By Charumini de Silva

The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka), the premier industry awards ceremony, will be held for the first time in Colombo on 12 July to celebrate Sri Lanka’s real estate sector.

Following the unprecedented success and overwhelming positive reception from Sri Lankan developers that were recognised at the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final event in Singapore last November, the inaugural domestic gala dinner for their second annual competition is all set to take place on 12 July at the Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo, which will also see the finest real estate developers from the Maldives.

“Sri Lanka’s real estate sector is rapidly developing and this underlines JLL’s investment and commitment to the rapidly-growing real estate sector in one of South Asia’s most dynamic markets,” PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Founder and Managing Director Terry Blackburn said at a media briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Noting that last year there were nine Sri Lankan developers shortlisted, he said they hoped to have around 20 to 25 developers recognised this year. 

Gold Sponsor of the event JLL Sri Lanka Managing Director Steve Mayes stressed that this award scheme would showcase Sri Lanka’s brightest real estate talent and most outstanding property developments across all asset classes to a global audience, highlighting the tremendous growth prospects and potential that the sector offers.

From 13 competition categories in 2017, the new edition of the Awards will present more than 20 residential, commercial, design and developer awards, including outstanding development in Colombo, southern Sri Lanka (Galle, Matara, Hambantota), central Sri Lanka (Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Matale) and north east Sri Lanka (Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya). 

“We have expanded our reach this time. We are hopeful that we will have more entries and most of the developers that participated last year are willing to put in entries in terms of the suburban markets and the province. Our expectation is it to be truly Sri Lankan in nature cross geography wise,” Judging Panel Chairman and Paramount Realty Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Nirmala de Silva said.   

With a professionally-run awards system supervised by BDO, the world’s fifth largest auditing and accountancy firm, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Sri Lanka) is the most prestigious real estate event in the country with top and emerging names in property and related industries celebrating the best developers, projects and designs.

He said the entries would be screened by an independent panel of judges through a three-step rigorous procedure. The seven-member panel of judges is led by Paramount Realty Co-Founder and CEO Dr. Nirmala de Silva, and includes JLL Sri Lanka Managing Director Steve Mayes, Homes N Spaces and Lanka Properties Ltd. Director Stephanie Balendra, Qserve Ltd. Managing Director Prof. Chitra Wedikkara, RIU Real Estate Intelligence Unit Founding Director and CEO Roshan Madawala, Pendi Ltd. Founder and Director Natalie Pendigrast and Kahawita De Silva and Associates Ltd. Director Nilesh De Silva.

Official supervisor for the awards and Managing Partner of BDO Sri Lanka Sujeewa Rajapaksa said they were delighted to be part of the prestigious award scheme for the second consecutive year. 

He assured that BDO would support to ensure a fair and transparent judging process, which was paramount.

Nominations are now open for eligible entries and will be accepted until 11 May. Site inspections will be conducted from 22 May to 1 June, while the official shortlist is to be revealed on 6 June.