Making the best use of technology and size

MANY forgetful drivers may well have wished for a GPS device when trawling Suntec City's massive carpark for their vehicles.

But Chan Kong Leong, the chief executive of ARA Trust Management (Suntec), believes Suntec's size is also its biggest asset.

The sprawling complex - comprising one of Singapore's largest shopping malls, a convention centre and five office tower blocks - has the potential to become a community hub, akin to a massive coworking space with amenities for thousands of people to work and play, Mr Chan says.

To achieve this aim, he is making a big push into technology to improve the Suntec experience for shoppers, tenants and visitors.

Mr Chan, whose firm manages Suntec Real Estate Investment Trust (Reit), has had a "busy and gratifying" year since taking on his role last January. He was appointed chief executive after holding the role of chief operating officer from June to December 2016. Before joining the Reit, Mr Chan held senior management positions in CapitaLand. "We have been running at breakneck speed over the past year, to adapt and transform to meet the expectations of consumers toda…