Shanghai Office Market Opportunities: Reducing OPEX and Increasing User Efficiencies

As head of Office Strategy & Solutions for Knight Frank, and with over 18 years ‘experience, Jonathan is one of Shanghai’s foremost expert in large office and business park transactions. Currently, he is tracking the trends in Shanghai’s downtown central business districts (CBD), decentralized office and business park areas, which gives him a unique expertise in the entire Shanghai office market.

He works daily helping MNC and Chinese companies with their large Shanghai real estate requirements, including headquarter (HQ) offices, consolidations, build-to-suit (BTS) campuses, R&D Center, and property disposals. Transaction models include a lease, strata title, land purchase, property disposal, design and build / BTS acquisitions

Jonathan also maintains a targeted consultancy business providing market reports and site selection or product positioning for life science occupiers and business park developers.

Tom is responsible for the leasing, management and sustainability of the Swire Properties office portfolio in the Chinese Mainland. 

Tom has over 20 years of experience in real estate, beginning his career in the UK. He joined Swire Properties in 2007 and has been responsible for pre-opening, leasing, and management of the office portfolios at both Taikoo Hui, Guangzhou and HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai. In 2021, he was promoted to Director – Office (Chinese Mainland) where he oversees Swire’s existing office portfolios in the Chinese Mainland as well as upcoming new developments such as INDIGO II in Beijing, and the New Bund Plot and Yangjing projects in Shanghai.

Jelen Hu is responsible for the digitalization work of the company and leading product development and building technology operations. Jelen is a long-time veteran in tech fields. In the last 15 years, his work experience has ranged from CAD software to building tech systems, as well as data management platforms. Before WeWork, he worked for multiple international tech companies like Autodesk, EMC, Blackboard, and served in both technical and managerial roles.

Stewart Wang is a partner of DLA Piper and leads Kaiman’s corporate team.  Stewart focuses on cross-border mergers & acquisitions, PE/VC, restructuring, foreign direct investments, joint ventures, debt financings, employment matters and dispute resolution.

Stewart represents multinational companies and China-based clients across a wide range of industries including TMT, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, medical device, aerospace, and real estate sectors. Stewart has mastered both local and international rules and practices, so as to add real value to his clients’ business operations around the globe while helping them better manage their legal costs.