The conference taking place 13 November will kick off with a keynote session on the global development of property derivatives, and include sessions on understanding property derivative tools, property derivative pricing, and the uses of property derivatives for institutional investors.

The keynote session will feature Iain Reid, CEO of UK fund managers, Protego, who will talk about his vision of a global marketplace which will enable all types of investors with an interest in real estate, to have a liquid medium in which they can achieve their objectives. He will address what property derivatives can do – and not do - to help investors in such uncertain times.

Also speaking is Jani Venter, Director of CBRE Investors in New York. Ms. Venter will discuss the development and future potential of the US commercial real estate derivatives market. She explains that her presentation “will focus on why the US real estate derivatives market has been slower to develop than the UK market; and how recent economic changes created a growing interest in the use of real estate derivatives in portfolio management. Derivatives create opportunities for more efficient asset allocation,sector rebalancing, international diversification and, for the first time, allow real estate investors to hedge market risk and harvest manager out-performance.”

She goes on to comment that the time is now ripe for property derivatives in South Africa: “South Africa produced the highest global commercial real estate returns in 2007[1] and the supply constrained commercial real estate sector, high quality index and sophisticated financial sector creates significant opportunities for the successful use of real estate derivatives by local and international investors and speculators.”

Stan Garrun of IPD South Africa says: “The time could indeed be approaching for a swaps market to emerge in South Africa; property stock is limited, there are constraints to development and physical property yields are moving upwards. This is a unique opportunity to hear what world experts are saying on this subject.”

Other speakers include Phil Ljubic of Royal Bank of Scotland, Rodrigo Ostik of Barclays Capital London and Tamuka Kaseke, derivatives consultant to Old Mutual Investment Group who will give his views on how a South African market will develop, and why investors should look towards property derivatives.