Members of the enlarged Global REIT Alliance in Stockholm, Sweden, in September 2025.
The SA REIT Association is represented by CEO Joanne Solomon (first row, sixth from left) and Chairperson Estienne de Klerk, Growthpoint Properties SA Chief Executive Officer, to her right in the picture.
Peter Verwer appears third from the left in the first row.
The SA REIT Association has confirmed that Peter Verwer, Executive Chairman of Futurefy and long-time global REIT ambassador, will deliver the keynote address at the SA REIT Conference 2026 on 12 February at The Houghton Hotel, Johannesburg.
The biennial conference, proudly sponsored by Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking’s Property Finance division, is South Africa’s most influential gathering of listed property leaders, investors, policymakers and market experts. Against a backdrop of shifting global and local real estate dynamics, Verwer’s address will set the tone for a forward-looking exploration of how the REIT model is evolving worldwide.
Global REIT dynamics
Verwer’s keynote presentation, titled “Global REIT Dynamics: Innovation, Influence and Opportunity”, will examine how REITs across continents are adapting to investor demands, digital transformation, sustainability imperatives and their growing role in infrastructure and nation building. His insights will provide a rare global perspective for South African delegates, connecting local challenges to broader trends in capital flows, governance and long-term investment.
Crucially, his speech follows the relaunch of the Global REIT Alliance at the EPRA Conference in Stockholm in September 2025. Originally established in 2006 as the Real Estate Equity Securitization Alliance (REESA), the Alliance has been revitalised under its new identity to strengthen international collaboration, knowledge-sharing and industry advocacy. Today, it represents 24 countries and regions across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Africa, with the SA REIT Association included as South Africa’s voice in this global coalition.
Verwer underscores the significance of this expansion: “The Global REIT Alliance brings together 24 countries and regions, creating a unified voice for REIT advocacy and a platform for knowledge-sharing and standard-setting. Our shared vision is to broaden investor participation, improve transparency and strengthen trust in REITs as a credible global asset class.”
For South Africa, Alliance membership provides a direct line to international peers and policymakers. It allows local REITs and property leaders to learn from global best practices and, at the same time, contribute perspectives from an emerging market grappling with unique economic and regulatory challenges. As Verwer notes: “Together, we aim to strengthen the global REIT ecosystem and promote REITs as a trusted and transparent asset class worldwide.”
Setting the agenda for South Africa
The 2026 SA REIT Conference will tackle urgent themes shaping the sector, including global market volatility, access to capital, technological innovation, sustainability, local government risks and the shifting policy environment. With credibility and long-term investor relevance at the centre of discussions, the agenda is designed to provide strategic insight and practical direction for REIT executives and investors.
Verwer’s keynote will frame these issues within an international context, exploring how markets from the United States and Europe to Asia and Africa are positioning themselves for resilience. For South African REITs, which collectively represent a significant portion of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and hold assets across retail, office, industrial and residential segments, his outlook will offer both inspiration and direction at a crucial juncture.
Local positives
After a period of economic pressure and subdued investor sentiment, renewed positivity is emerging in South Africa’s listed property sector. Signs of stabilisation in valuations, improving operational performance by leading REITs and a sharper focus on governance and transparency are helping to rebuild confidence. At the same time, international investors are showing cautious yet growing interest in South African assets, particularly as the local market aligns more closely with global REIT trends.
The SA REIT Conference 2026 will capture this mood of guarded optimism, convening executives, asset managers and policymakers to debate how the sector can consolidate its recovery and unlock future growth. By combining a global perspective, underscored by Peter Verwer’s keynote, with a local focus on practical strategies, the event will highlight how South Africa’s REITs are adapting to change and reasserting their relevance as a trusted investment class.
A landmark event
The SA REIT Conference has established itself as the premier platform for debate and networking in the property investment industry. With the inclusion of the SA REIT Association in the Global REIT Alliance, the 2026 edition is set to connect local strategies with global momentum more closely than ever before.
Register here.