GIC, formerly known as Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, is one of the largest state-funded global investors, holding US$100 billion of assets in more than 40 countries worldwide. According to Goh Kok Huat, chief operating officer and president of real estate at GIC Pte. Ltd, it has 150 employees in nine offices.
According to WJS, GIC invests in real estate only outside Singapore. Mr. Goh explained during the IPD/IPF Property Investment Conference that investing locally is a risk that can both be an edge and a disadvantage. 30 years ago, GIC is known to have invested heavily in the US before it moved to Europe then Asia where it has its 50% property holdings. Mr Goh, says that now the remaining 50% is reported to be equally shared by the Americas and Europe. He has also said that GIC is also looking into making investments in Africa but that will be in the long future.
According to the Wall Street Journal, he said in such conference, "We are not pulling back from the U.K. We are still open for business." Mr. Goh also announced to conference participants that even the talks that UK could be electing to depart from the European Union before the end of 2017 hasn't discouraged GIC from thinking about investing in the U.K.
According to FT, analysts are in fear that the U.K property market would crash and with the many foreign investors thought to be checking out of the London market, a "domino effect" of economic catastrophe might be triggered. But amidst these fears, in a recent property investment conference, Mr. Goh has announced that GIC is interested in making more investments in London.
The U.K. property market has been a target for foreign investors who want to see returns even with low interest rates with which the UK property market has thrived for a very long time. As FT puts it, "London has become a global playground for foreign investors, driving asset prices even higher and yields ever lower."
But while speaking about property prices and relatively low returns in bonds, Mr. Goh seemed unmoved by the uncertainty on how the property markets globally will be affected by the rising interest rates. He advises that that it is important that interest will rise inevitably
