India Can Emerge World’s Leader in Real-estate Investment: Money Conclave

KOCHI:
Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) are the safest way to hold stake in landed property amid the country’s encouraging growth rate that can make India the world’s largest investment region in the sector in two decades, experts said at an international conference that concluded today.

Speakers at Money Conclave 2024 in the city, while noting that investments in real estate required a visionary approach to excel, highlighted the reliability of REITs as companies that own and even operate income-generating real estate.

A panel discussion on ‘Real Estate as an Asset Class’ said investing in REITs was easier than in the real-estate construction sector. “Even small investors with Rs 10,000 in hand can use it as a long-term income stream,” pointed out CBRE Advisory Head Romil Dubey, giving insights into the current challenges and emerging avenues in the sector.

Google India Head (Real Estate) Ganesh Parameswaran pointed out that all the new taxation and regulations introduced in relation to land laws in the country show a strong economic base for the future. “In another 20 years, India will become the most demanding real estate sector in the world,” he added.

Tata Realty CEO Sanjay Dutt termed Kochi as one of the most promising cities in the country’s real estate sector. “Investing in satellite cities will lead to huge profits,” he noted, citing the suburbs Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Lucknow and Jaipur as examples. The hour-long discussion was moderated by Greenikk former CEO Fariq Naushad.

Another session on ‘Global Investment: Building Wealth Across Sectors & Borders’ was led by The B School International Dean Faisal P Seyd and Ashique & Associates founder MD C.S. Ashique, with Money Conclave co-founder Nezrin Midhlaj as the anchor.

‘Wealth Creation in the Age of Startups 2.0: Meeting Investor Expectations & Reality’ was another topic, addressed by private capital strategist Samir Sathe, Haeal founder Rahul Mamman and Omnivore Ventures partner Subhadeep Sanyal. DLabs at the Indian School of Business senior programme manager Nagaraj Bolakkatti was the anchor.

Another session, on ‘Building a Resilient Portfolio: Maximising Returns through Strategic Diversification’, was led by Hedge Equities founder CMD Alex K Babu, with Deepak Varghese of 360 ONE Wealth, Sharewealth Securities founder Ramakrishnan T.B. and senior entrepreneur Shihab Mecheri as the other speakers.

‘Crypto Currency & Blockchain: The Future of Decentralized Finance’ was also discussed at length by a panel comprising Vieroots Founder Sajeev Nair, India & Global Partnerships Country Head Manhar Garegrat and BitSave founder-CEO Zakhil Suresh. Moderator was New Earth Labs CEO Bushair A.P.

A fireside chat day on ‘Building a Global Brand from Kerala’ was led by IIC Lakshya Managing Director Orwell Lionel, Open Financial Technologies Co-founder & CEO Anish Achuthan, Hurun India Founder & Chief Researcher Anas Rahman Junaid and Xpresso Global Founder & CEO Afthab Shoukath P.V. Startup Consultant & Chartered Accountant Abhijith Preman moderated.

The concluding session was on ‘Empowering Oneself to Build a Self Driven Brand’, with Edapt CEO Umer Abdussalam, The B School International Co-founder Jabir Manningal and entrepreneurial mentor Jishad Bucker pitching in their views.

Several entrepreneurs, owners of start-ups, B-school students were also part of the Money conclave 2024. The summit, with about 10,000 delegates, features discussions on various topics including personal finance, sustainable investments, real estate, startups, fintech, and brand building. The participants include 40-plus speakers, more than 100 investors, venture capitalists, startups and stock traders.