For more information, contact: Trisha Riggs 202/624-7086; e-mail [email protected]

HONG KONG (6 February 2012) – As part of its increased outreach in the Asia Pacific region, the Urban Land Institute (ULI) has expanded its staff to include a managing director of Asia Pacific initiatives. Brandon Sedloff, an active volunteer member of ULI and a former vice president at the Gerson Lehrman Group in Hong Kong, has been selected for the position, joining the ULI Asia Pacific staff today.

ULI is a global education and research institute with nearly 30,000 members worldwide dedicated to responsible land use and building vibrant communities. According to ULI Chief Executive Officer Patrick L. Phillips, the addition of Sedloff reinforces the institute’s commitment to advancing innovative, sustainable building practices throughout Asia Pacific. “We look forward to increasing our presence in the Asia Pacific region and contributing to the thought leadership that will shape the growth patterns of its cities,” Phillips said. “Brandon’s knowledge of both Asia and ULI will help greatly in this effort.”

Sedloff, 30, has served as a volunteer member of ULI since 2004. He founded the ULI Young Leaders Group in Asia and has been a member of the ULI North Asia Executive Committee since 2007. As managing director of Asia initiatives, Sedloff will be assisting ULI Asia Pacific Executive Director John Fitzgerald, overseeing the region’s content development, corporate membership and sponsorship initiatives. “Membership growth, including corporate membership, is integral to our ability to raise ULI’s visibility in Asia Pacific. To raise membership and strengthen ULI’s influence in Asia, we must provide programs, services and activities that are rich in content, timely and relevant,” Fitzgerald said. “I am confident in Brandon’s ability to help us achieve these objectives, and I’m very pleased that he has joined the ULI Asia Pacific team.”

Sedloff will be working with Fitzgerald and other ULI staff to organize the institute’s first major real estate conference in Asia, the ULI China Real Estate Summit, set for 16-18 May 2012 in Beijing. The conference will feature land use leaders from around the world discussing a variety of topics affecting the built environment, ranging from the global economic outlook to cutting-edge developments in Asia Pacific’s rapidly growing markets. “We are looking forward to the great potential of this event to deepen ULI’s knowledge base and reinforce its role in connecting the global real estate community,” Fitzgerald said.

“My goal is to build on our strong foundation in Asia Pacific and leverage our extensive base of knowledge to bridge the flow of information, best practices and collaboration between Asia Pacific and the rest of the world,” Sedloff said. “As the only global and multi-disciplinary real estate organization in Asia Pacific, ULI plays a pivotal role in the ongoing evolution of the region’s property markets. I plan to raise ULI’s profile in Asia Pacific by expanding our membership base, and by forging lasting relationships with industry influencers through the development of local and regional research, content, programming and educational offerings with a global reach.”

At the Gerson Lehrman Group, Sedloff was responsible for assisting hedge funds, investment banks, private equity firms, professional services firms and corporations conduct due diligence on Asian property markets and direct and indirect investment opportunities throughout the region. Prior to joining that company, he was director of acquisitions at American National Investments, a boutique real estate investment and development company based in San Diego, California.

About the Urban Land Institute
The Urban Land Institute (uli.org) is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the Institute has nearly 30,000 members representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.