Singapore: Mapletree Investments, a real estate development, investment and capital management company, has acquired international operator Oakwood Worldwide.
The acquisition covers all of Oakwood’s global operations. Mapletree has appointed Christopher Ahearn as Oakwood’s CEO with immediate effect.
Oakwood‘s founder and chairman Howard Ruby will assume the non-executive role of chairman emeritus at Oakwood, where he will serve in an advisory role to the corporate housing business.
Mapletree’s describes its acquisition of Oakwood is part of its long-term strategy to strengthen its corporate housing and serviced apartment business. Currently, all of Mapletree’s nine corporate housing and serviced apartment assets in the United States and Australia are managed under the Oakwood brand as part of a collaboration signed in 2014. The collaboration also saw Mapletree acquire a 49 per cent stake in Oakwood’s Asia Pacific operating arm, Oakwood Asia Pacific.
Hiew Yoon Khong, Mapletree’s group CEO, said: “This acquisition is strategic and commercially significant to Mapletree. Our full ownership of Oakwood will allow us to enhance efficiencies and the growth momentum of our corporate housing and serviced apartment business. In addition, Oakwood is a reputable global brand and we intend to continue strengthening its presence. Furthermore, Mapletree intends to step up the acquisition and development of corporate housing and serviced apartment assets that will add to our earnings streams and expand housing options available to Oakwood’s clients and guests. We will be looking at markets across the US, Europe and Asia Pacific, which are also regions where Oakwood is a well-regarded brand.”
Howard Ruby said: “It has been my very special privilege to lead this organisation for 57 years. It gives me great pleasure to know that the company, the associates and our clients will be in good hands with Mapletree and CEO Christopher Ahearn at the helm. We have learned through our collaboration that Mapletree shares our key vision of growing and expanding the Oakwood brand globally and maintaining the high customer service standards for which we are known. Both companies have worked well together since 2014, and I am confident that will continue. I am very excited about the future of Oakwood as we embark on this new journey with Mapletree as the company’s new owner.” </p
