Liang Yu: China Vanke General Manager & President

Liang Yu: China Vanke General Manager & President

Liang Yu earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Economic Studies from Peking University in 1988. Liang also earned a Master’s Degree from Peking University and in 1997 earned a Master’s Degree from the Economics Studies Department of Beijing University. 

Liang joined Vanke in 1990. Since 1993 he has been General Manager of Vanke Financial Consultancy Company Limited. Since 2001 Liang has been the General Manager of China Vanke Co. Ltd. and has serves as its President. 

China Vanke is the largest residential real estate developer in the People’s Republic of China. It does business in developing, managing, and selling properties throughout over 60 mainland Chinese cities in the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and Bohai-Rim Region, with provisions of investment, trading, consultancy services and e-business. Vanke expanded into Hong Kong, the United States and Singapore beginning 2012. 

The company is headquartered in Shenzhen, Guangdong province. In 1991 it was listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, the second company to be listed in the said stock exchange after Shenzhen Development Bank. 

Bruce Flatt: Brookfield Asset Management CEO

Bruce Flatt earned a business degree from the University of Manitoba in Canada. Bruce was trained as an accountant at Clarkson, Gordon and Company, which is now part of Ernst & Young. He joined Brookfield in 1990 and held various leadership roles as he climbed the corporate ladder. From 1995 to April 2000 he served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Brookfield Properties Corporation. Then from April 2000 to February 2002 he was the President and Chief Executive Officer at Brookfield Properties Corporation. 

Bruce finally got the top post on February 2002 when he became the Chief Executive Officer at Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. Since April 2001 he has been a Director of the company and its Senior Managing Partner since 2002. 

In relation to his position he has been the Chairman and Director of General Growth Properties Inc., since November 2010. Bruce also serves as the Chairman of Carma Corp. He served as the Chairman of Brookfield Residential Properties, Inc. from October 2002 to May 2007. Bruce served as Director of Brookfield Residential Properties Inc from October 2002 to August 11, 2010.

The company that Bruce leads is over a hundred years old. Brookfield Asset Management, Inc. is an asset management company based in Canada that manages a worldwide portfolio with total assets under management of over $200 billion. This is invested on behalf of clients and the firm concentrates its assets in property, renewable energy, infrastructure and private equity.

Interestingly enough the company which was founded in 1899 was actually not focused on Canada but was a builder and operator of electricity and transport infrastructure in Brazil. In fact the company’s former name “Brascan” reflected its history (“Brasil" + “Canada”).

As stated by Brookfield their business model is simple: utilize its global reach to identify and acquire high quality real assets at favorable valuations, finance them on  a long-term, low-risk basis, and enhance cashflows and values of these assets through its leading operating platforms to earn reliable, attractive long-term total returns for the benefit of its partners and Brookfield. 

Michel Savart: Fonciere Euris Big Boss

Schools can serve as good indicators if a person is on the way to the path of success. It’s no guarantee but it can’t be denied that some of the world’s top executives and entrepreneurs have come from the world’s top notch academic institutions.

Michel Savart carries on the reputation of top schools producing future top executives. He graduated from highly-regarded Ecole Polytechnique and Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris. Michel started his career in 1986 with Havas. The following year he worked with Banque Louis Dreyfus and then Banque Arjil in 1988. After having been with three different financial institutions in as many years he stayed a bit longer at Banque Arjil leading various projects and advised the bank’s management board as well.  Michel moved over to Dresdner Kleinwort Benson (DKB) in 1995 where he served as Managing Director of Mergers and Acquisitions. He stayed with DKB until 1999.

In October 1999 he joined Euris-Rallye group as Director and Advisor to the Chairman, responsible for private equity investment.  Less than ten years later on August 2009 Michel was appointed CEO of Fonciere Euris. The following year on May 2010 he also took on the role as Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Michel’s strong financial background helped him land this job. French firm Fonciere Euris has holdings in real estate and private equity investment. As CEO one of his priorities has been streamlining the business which has been partially achieved by selling assets.  Michel made the decision in October 2012 to sell Fonciere Euris’ stake in the Manufaktura mall in Poland along with Rallye which also sold its investment in the project. The sale was worth €310 million and the proceeds split three ways between Fonciere Euris, Rally and Apsys.

Michel’s stature and experience in the industry has proven invaluable so much so that when Jacques Ehrmann stepped down as Chairman and CEO of real estate firm Mercialys, Michel became the interim chairman of the board of directors in September 2012.

A graduate of well-known academic institutions in France, Michel is proof that these schools do produce outstanding executive who later lead multibillion dollar companies.