HONG KONG : Urban Land Institute (ULI) had appointed its new global chairman, Thomas W. Toomey whom will serve a two-year term that ends in June 30, 2019.

Toomey, a longtime ULI member, ULI Trustee and ULI Foundation Governor also holds the position as chief executive officer of UDR, Inc. which is a $16 billion multi-family real estate investment trust (REIT) based in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.

ULI is a global, multidisciplinary real estate organisation whose work is driven by more than 40,000 members, dedicated to responsible land use and building, thriving sustainable communities.

Toomey sees his global role as an opportunity to support and facilitate members’ efforts to advance ULI’s mission in America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Thomas W Toomey speaks at the ULI Europe Conference 2017

According to a statement, Toomey said “Real estate is an ever-evolving local puzzle. What ULI brings to real estate is a global knowledge network that consists of our members, and that is unique.”

“One of the most important things I can do as Global Chairman is help members take full advantage of ULI’s vast knowledge base to strengthen the impact they are making in cities worldwide,” he added.

Toomey plans to focus on several critical areas including opening ULI’s advisory services program to more members and more communities, advancing technology, making refinements to ULI’s content and to expand ULI’s membership to include more offerings for entire companies, rather than just individuals.

This includes the Institute’s District and National Councils, which serve members at the local level, and the Product Council program, which is a prestigious network of members organized by property sector categories.

“The only way to keep ULI’s momentum going is to offer members new opportunities for engagement, to share lessons learned, and exchange ideas about what works best,” Mr. Toomey said.