With the SAPOA conference taking place from 3 to 5 June in Durban, the focus will be on issues related to property opportunities one of which including Africa.  Wayne Wright, the Business Development Director for JHI discusses this issue:

“JHI enjoys a presence in seven African countries; Mozambique, Zambia, Ghana and Nigeria – JHI is represented through joint ventures with local partners, whilst operations in Namibia and Lesotho are wholly owned by JHI South Africa.  Our focus in these areas is on the management of property, project, facilities and development for the retail, commercial and mixed use sectors.  Our services are provided on a project by project basis”
“Further opportunities to develop a similar model in the DRC, Malawi, Tanzania and Sudan are being looked at currently.”

“The greatest potential lies with the African demand for retailers and service providers like mobile phones – which then require office space.  Meanwhile certain hotel chains, like Southern Sun, are expanding into the region, and we’re seeing interest from fast food outlets, too.”

“Another area where JHI is active, and seeking to grow, is property asset consulting. Here, the company offers brokerage services through its Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town agents; experts who have developed key knowledge not only in their areas, but also in their industry sector. The team’s strength lies not only in their long standing in the industry, but in the fact that they are backed by a full range of services offered by JHI, from valuations to property management.”
 
“JHI’s portfolio under management currently stands at R31 billion; one of the largest portfolios under independent management in sub-Saharan Africa. Wright says that in spite of the global recession, the team has concluded deals to the tune of R80 million during the year’s first quarter; many of which originate with international corporations seeking to establish a presence in the South African market, as a gateway to the emerging African economy.”

“Valuations – from the residential to industrial, commercial and retail sectors – are an additional service offered by JHI. The team is active countrywide, and has even conducted valuations across borders.  There’s a high demand for this service at present because companies are eager to establish the value of their assets in the current market. JHI takes pride in the fact that two members of the valuations team are members of the Institute of Quantity Surveyors, while all are members of the Institute of Valuors of South Africa.”

“The final leg of JHI’s property asset consultation is research, which may be either country or product specific. We assess macro and micro economic conditions, LSMs, logistics and other factors to help developers answer questions regarding the viability of their projects. The research may also reveal industry trends, such as vacancies or rental increases.”

Wright concludes, “JHI is keeping an eye on international developments, as part of its ongoing goal of expanding its international footprint and service offerings. We’re particularly interested in exploring opportunities in countries where long-term developments require the skills and expertise of property specialists. We believe that we could play a key role in skills transfer in these markets through the formation of joint ventures. Key markets here include emerging economies like India and China.”