KELVIN Lim doesn’t just lease space – he also unlocks its hidden potential.
Under his leadership, the traditional family business he started with in 1997 has been radically reimagined from its industrial leasing roots. Today, LHN is a diversified regional innovator, turning underutilised properties into growth engines.
“My vision has always been to uphold high standards while diversifying our offerings to create value for our tenants,” says Lim, who is the group’s executive chairman, executive director and group managing director.
“Beyond leasing empty units, we develop affordable and flexible space concepts with value-added services to support working, storing and living needs.”
He has evolved LHN into a multidisciplinary enterprise spanning co-living, logistics, facilities management and renewable energy, with a presence in Hong Kong, Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia and Singapore.
The group’s serviced-space brands include GreenHub Suited Offices, Coliwoo co-living, and Work+Store storage solutions.
A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU
Property Insights
Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond.
Unlocking hidden value
A defining moment came in 2019 when Lim introduced co-living to LHN through Coliwoo. At the time, the concept was still novel in Singapore, and few were convinced of its potential.
Lim recalls identifying deeper urban trends – greater mobility, shorter housing tenures and rising living costs – that were reshaping lifestyles and housing choices.
“Rather than wait for the market to evolve, we pivoted… securing underutilised properties, changing their usages and transforming them into affordable, flexible living spaces.”
The gamble paid off. Coliwoo grew rapidly, validating demand for co-living and cementing LHN’s reputation as a pioneer in unlocking value from underutilised assets.
The group’s diversification is part of a deliberate move towards what Lim describes as a “real-estate-as-a-service” model.
“By offering an integrated suite that spans facilities management, car park management and renewable energy, alongside usage-focused services such as hospitality, climate-controlled storage and suited offices, we differentiate ourselves from conventional real estate players,” he says.
The synergies across these business lines not only enhance the tenant experience, but also create resilience and long-term value for the group.
Lim’s bold ideas and disciplined execution earned him the 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the real estate category.
Sustainability has been at the core of his efforts to secure long-term business viability. “We focus on adaptive reuse of existing properties rather than demolition and rebuilding,” he says.
“This extends the lifespan of buildings by another 10 years or more, retains embodied carbon and significantly reduces emissions.”
This philosophy underpins LHN’s broader environmental, social and governance framework, which includes integrating renewable energy solutions, using sustainable materials, and opening community spaces for social impact programmes.
Resilient leadership and innovation
The ability to anticipate market shifts has helped LHN weather turbulent times. During the Covid-19 pandemic, while many companies carried out retrenchments, Lim doubled down on co-living and storage solutions to meet new lifestyle needs.
The result? A surge in profitability and stronger positioning for the future.
He remains focused on the long game. “We are not pursuing short-term wins,” he stresses, adding that LHN is forward-looking and continually “adapts, maximises underutilised resources, and delivers solutions aligned with the evolving needs of tenants and communities”.
Looking back, he says his entrepreneurial journey has been guided by two principles: thinking outside the box and consistently moving up the value chain.
“Innovation is not always about creating entirely new products; it often begins with reimagining how existing spaces and resources can better serve evolving tenant needs,” he says.
“By shifting perspectives and keeping an open mind, we have been able to convert underutilised properties into possibilities such as co-living spaces, climate-controlled storage, and other usage-focused solutions that go beyond traditional leasing.”
Equally critical has been his focus on building complementary capabilities in facilities management, energy and property development, creating synergies that set LHN apart from traditional landlords.
From a modest family-run business to a regional real estate innovator, the transformation of LHN reflects Lim’s entrepreneurial instinct and disciplined execution – a combination that has redefined what it means to build spaces for modern living.
Keyword added to your list