Portugal shines at inaugural global property expo in Singapore

Paulo Lopes

Lisbon: The prestigious Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore played host yesterday to the first-ever Global Property Expo, an ambitious and impeccably organized event by JLL that has already set a high bar for international real estate exhibitions.

A confluence of thought leaders, developers, tech innovators, and investors from across the globe came together to share insights, discuss trends, and shape the future of property investment. Portugal, too, made a strong and proud mark on the international stage.

I had the personal honor of moderating one of the most engaging panels of the day, “Social Impact Without Missing ROI for Developers and Investors.” The room was electric with discussion around aligning social values with profitability, an idea once thought contradictory, now embraced as forward-thinking investment strategy. The panel included Adam Challis (JLL), Ixora Ang (Tropicana), and Freya Watson (JLL Australia), each sharing compelling frameworks and real-world examples that proved social impact and financial return can, and must, go hand in hand.

The day opened with a powerful keynote by Adam Challis, JLL’s Global Director of Strategic Insights, who emphasized the critical role of private capital in responding to the urban housing demand, expected to rise exponentially as cities swell to host 70% of the global population by 2050.

Shortly after, Ahmed Al Ketbi of the UAE Embassy in Singapore brought a diplomatic perspective to the table, underlining the economic and bilateral opportunities tied to global real estate collaboration.

The “Market Demand and Trends” panel, led by top voices such as James Puddle, Adam Souissi, and Telmo Azevedo (representing Portugal with JLL), presented an up-to-the-minute overview of global buying patterns. Moderated by Chris Dietz of LeadingRE, the session dove into emerging markets, investor mindsets, and why places like Portugal remain ever relevant for international buyers.

I had a particularly heartfelt conversation with a renowned French interior designer, based in Southeast Asia for over three decades, who shared that this event wasn’t just informative, it was transformative. “This was more than a lesson, it was an inspiration,” she said. Her words echoed my own feelings: never have I witnessed such a sophisticated fusion of real estate, technology, and human-centered design under one roof.

Portugal was proudly represented by Casaiberia (myself and Fabio Lopes) and our colleagues at JLL Portugal, who reported strong interest from prospective investors eyeing Portugal’s stability, Golden Visa potential, and high quality of life. The leads and conversations we’ve started here will undoubtedly mature into meaningful investment relationships in the coming months.

Another major highlight was the back-to-back sessions on luxury real estate, led by Daniel Peros of Luxury Portfolio International, and joined by Jacob Miles, Ben Grint, and others. Their panel dissected how “luxury” has evolved beyond price tags to incorporate wellness, identity, and sustainability.

Legal and migration strategies were also in focus, with Jeffrey Lee breaking down property structuring for UK assets, and Rory McDaid of Henley & Partners guiding attendees through the strategic use of real estate for global citizenship. The subsequent panel, moderated by Abigail Olemos-da Silva, explored how real estate opens doors—literally—to new lives in Portugal, Greece, Malta, and beyond.

As the sun set, the conversation shifted toward technology’s disruption of traditional real estate. Satoshi Murakami of MetaProp provided a sweeping overview of emerging tools, from AI-powered valuation systems to blockchain registries. The final panel on PropTech featured visionaries like Abhii Dabas, Saran Rangarajan, and Moubin Faizullah-Khan, all of whom are building digital bridges between property and investor.

These closing sessions cemented the theme of the day: the future of real estate is integrated, digital, sustainable, and borderless.

As day one wrapped up, the energy in the room remained high. Conversations spilled out into hallways, coffee corners, and social media feeds. It’s clear that this inaugural Global Property Expo is more than just a gathering, it’s a catalyst.

With more panels and networking sessions on the agenda for the coming days, this event is quickly becoming the benchmark for global real estate summits. And for Portugal, it’s an affirmation: we may be small in size, but our value on the global investment map is indisputably growing.

It’s a privilege to share this experience with you, both here and across my platforms. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to represent Portugal with pride and purpose in Singapore.