From Property Down Under to Asian General Advisory: A Story

DH Flinders Ltd ED Craig Dunstan discusses the following questions: 

- Reportedly, you and your partner Stephen Hawkins started out initially as real-estate investment professionals, though the firm very quickly morphed into a broad corporate advisory firm. Briefly tell us how DH Flinders is a unique firm in an increasingly crowded advisory market? 

- Why Asia, ANZ footprint 

- Number of people 

- USPs -- tons of boutiques 

- Done deals in Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, HK/China, even the US. Which region is currently the most active by dealflow? 

- And is it representative of the wider picture or a reflection of DH Flinders’ coverage?  

- Broad issues in Oz: two-track economy, expensive real estate, reliance on China engine -- how does this translate to transactions currently? 

- REITS seem quite commonplace now; is there a next level of real-estate structure? 

- We have been reading of the record-high property prices in HK, Singapore, Malaysia and even Vietnam. What do you make of this trend? 

- And does it pose a bit of a challenge from your perspective, given the need to find value? 

- Bursa IPOs -- themes 

- Stockbroking biz: themes: HDBS-OSK-KimEng - sunset - record highs - strike while iron hot? 

- BoJ - Yen - 100 then 115-USD -- Competitive devaluations - speculators - RISK? 

- QE - massive loans to middle-class -- implications for growth sectors / companies 

- Reining in debt markets: how treading?

- And in Malaysia: privatisations by major owners -- how interprete? 

- Vibrancy of capital markets, exit options currently- Where the best valuations are