Business leaders from across Queensland and beyond met on Friday at Robina’s Bond University for the first 2015 installment of the Business Leaders Forum presented by the Bond University Faculty of Business.
Bond’s Business Leaders Forums are delivered throughout the year, seeking to engage business people and offer development and networking opportunities through a series of presentations from leaders in Australian and international business.
The guest speaker at the event was Stockland Managing Director and CEO, Mark Steinert, offering insights into ‘the forces shaping the future of property’.
With more than 25 years of experience in the financial services and property sector and two years at the helm of Australia’s largest property group, Mark delivered an insightful, relevant and optimistic presentation about the future of property in Australia.
Citing five key forces, Mark proposes that globalisation, technology revolution, community aspirations and wellbeing, population and demographics will be key to the future of the Australian property market.
When examining masterplanned communities, Mark discussed offering a ‘complete living solution’, delivered with informed foresight and accompanied by active connectivity to services such as health, transport, income and work opportunities, lifestyle and liveability.
By Mark’s definition, our very own successful and thriving masterplanned community Robina, ticks all of the boxes. Robina offers a uniquely connected and cohesive living and working experience, with an unrivalled walkability and some of the most picturesque and practical walking and riding paths in the region, an active transport hub, a range of health services, employment opportunities, Gold Coast City’s most popular shopping destination, Robina Town Centre and more.
According to Mark, people are inherently social creatures and fare poorly in isolation, which is driving the trend towards apartments with shared amenities, such as Robina Group’s latest apartment product, Bohème Apartments. Situated at the heart of Gold Coast City, with easy access to amenity-rich CBDRobina and framing a shared, central outdoor living space, The Common, Bohème Apartments are a striking example of Mark’s insight that Australians are looking for a carefree, easy lifestyle and a location close to amenities and CBD.
Examining population and demographics, Mark predicted a future for property characterised by supply and demand, with demand for housing increasing as the population grows and demand for aged care increasing as the population ages.
In a remarkable statistic, Mark revealed population growth in Australia represents approximately 37,000 per month which equates to a need for 14,000 new homes a month. According to Mark and indeed these statistics, development is essential to meet the demand for supply and real estate is the home of the economy.
Adaptability, liveability and creating a sense of place – these are the key messages for real estate and property in the future according to one of Australia’s most accomplished property and finance business leaders.
