Sun Group and Marriott International have signed a strategic partnership agreement in New York to expand Vietnam’s luxury hospitality and MICE tourism sectors ahead of APEC 2027. The agreement includes a major multi-brand hotel complex at the Ruby Beach Mixed-Use Urban Area in Phu Quoc, which will initially introduce over 7,000 rooms. The development is supported by regional infrastructure upgrades, including airport expansions and transit projects.
Asia-Pacific real asset manager ESR has signed an agreement to acquire full ownership of Aquila Clean Energy APAC from Hamburg-based Aquila Group. The deal adds a 1.6 GW clean energy portfolio across key markets including Australia, Japan and South Korea. By integrating solar, wind and battery assets with its logistics and data centre operations, ESR aims to meet surging power demand across the region.
JLL has announced a major leadership succession plan for its Irish operations. Deirdre Costello will assume the role of CEO Ireland in January 2027, succeeding John Moran, who moves into the reintroduced Chairman role. Dan O’Connor takes over as Head of Capital Markets and Hotels with immediate effect. The moves draw on over 90 years of combined firm experience to drive future growth across the country.
Principal Asset Management and Longevity Partners have launched REsponsible Asset Solutions, a platform aimed at decarbonising institutional real estate. The joint venture combines $108 billion asset manager Principal’s investment experience with Longevity Partners’ engineering and implementation capabilities. Tested across 14 pilot properties, the model targets an overall 37 per cent drop in energy use while creating over $10 million in additional value at asset exit.
Design and consulting firm WSB has acquired Poly, Inc., an established architecture and engineering outfit headquartered in Dothan, Alabama. The deal expands WSB’s presence in the Southeast and along the Gulf Coast while enhancing its municipal, environmental and federal design capabilities. Poly brings extensive technical expertise, including a background of designing more than 130 military training ranges across the US and overseas.
Swiss company Aphy AG has unveiled an agentic artificial intelligence platform designed to automate time-consuming back-office tasks for independent hoteliers. Running around the clock, the system connects directly to property management systems, channel managers and shared inboxes to handle cross-checking, payment verification, OTA commission reconciliation and guest email inquiries.
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