CapitaLand Limited, Southeast Asia’s largest real estate company, has appointed Lim Ming Yan as its new Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Mr. Lim, who will continue his role as CEO of the Ascott Ltd, will lead several of CapitaLand’s key projects, including coordination across business units at a corporate level, as well as driving the company’s talent management programmes that will support growth strategies.

“Ming Yan’s appointment as COO is a timely one,” said Liew Mun Leong, President and CEO of CapitaLand Group. “It is part of an ongoing process to build our top leadership and management bench strength.”

Mr. Liew said that Mr. Lim has helped to build and expand CapitaLand’s real estate businesses, as well as established a strong reputation for CapitaLand as a leading foreign real estate developer in China.

“To sustain our growth objectives over the next decade, we need to strengthen collaborations and coordination between our strategic business units and drive the talent management programmes across the Group. With his vast international and operational experience, Ming Yan will play an active role in implementing these goals,” he said.

With his role as CEO of Ascott, Mr. Lim will focus on making Ascott a real estate company with a global footprint in the hospitality sector and help it realise its potential for portfolio gains. He has a proven track record of successfully operating and implementing projects in China, India, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

Mr. Lim graduated from the University of Birmingham in the UK with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and Economics. He was also conferred the prestigious Magnolia Award by the Shanghai Municipal Government in 2003 and 2005 for his significant contributions to Shanghai, as well as named Outstanding Chief Executive (Overseas) at the Singapore Business Awards in 2006.