Real Estate Investing and Risk at Cityscape Global

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(DUBAI, UAE) -- Global opportunities, investment security, and regional growth provide the themes for this year's Cityscape Global Real Estate Investment Conference at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre from October 4-6.

Thomas J Barrack Jr, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Colony Capital, a private equity real estate company in Los Angeles, will make the keynote address, Driving International Investment in Challenging Times. As chairman, Barrack has invested approximately $45 billion.

"Capitalism is soaring in Asia, the Middle East and Africa and populism is deteriorating the competitive advantage of the developed world. The financial world is in frenzy for yield as a result of zero per cent interest rates and a total abandonment of risk premiums," said Barrack.

Sam Chandan, Global Chief Economist, Real Capital Analytics, and Adjunct Professor of Real Estate at the Wharton School, will assess the prospects for sustainable global economic recovery and forecast economic trends for 2011 and beyond.

"In real estate markets, in particular, constraints on the availability of credit, certain government policies, and finite opportunities for liquid investors to acquire high quality, performing assets have delayed the process of price discovery that is a necessary condition for the global real estate market's return to its full measure of health," he said.

The second day focus is on the Middle East and North Africa and specifically the regional economic powerhouses, Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Egypt. It will also look at investment potential and returns from hospitality, infrastructure, and residential property, as well as examining Islamic financing options.

Chris Speller, Cityscape Group Director, recognizes the problems with overseas investment. However, "this conference will guide delegates through the bureaucratic maze and offer practical updated and relevant information to institutional and private investment firms as well as high net-worth individuals," explained Speller.

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