[Leaders of Korea Conference]
eXp World Holdings, renowned for its innovative approach in introducing virtual reality offices, is set to foster innovation in Korea as well.
James Huang, the president of eXp’s commercial division and a key figure in the new generation technology division of the cloud-based real estate brokerage services company, expressed his confidence that Korean unicorn companies participating in the Korea Conference will evolve into global brands through fruitful collaborations with quality advisors and investors.
With over 20 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, Huang is an expert and professional executive in the field. He spent several years at Marcus & Millichap, a prominent commercial real estate investment firm, and successfully led BRC Advisors, a company he founded in 2003, up to the present day. In 2019, he also served as the president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA).
Leading eXp Commercial, Huang spearheads a new-generation multidisciplinary business portal that connects more than 2,000 agents in 24 countries across various fields, including legal, accounting, real estate, corporate services, through an online network of virtual offices.
By combining real estate with artificial intelligence (AI), eXp Commercial not only collects real estate information but also analyzes various data such as financing, traffic surveys, and operational costs required for businesses. The company provides an information technology (IT) network that builds an efficient business infrastructure for its global clients.
While Huang maintains a cautious stance toward the current real estate market, he remains forward-looking when it comes to his business strategy.
“Office buildings have seen a spike in vacancy rates as capital has become harder to secure in the market, and retail has been shaken up as a result. Add to the fact that interest rates are projected to rise, the market could take a turn for the worst. With the industry in flux, eXp bet on an online commercial real estate network that combined real estate and tech. Our goal is to quickly gain influence in this new market.”
When discussing the real estate markets in California and Koreatown, he remarked, “California has an advantage over other markets due to the continuous influx of Asian migrants. It is impressive that Koreatown has recently been transformed with a number of high-end buildings. It’s also expanding by combining the culture of the community. I think it will become a mainstream consumer market.”
As an advisor at the launch of the Korea Conference, which took place on March 24 last year at Marina del Rey’s Maritime Fanta Sea One, he was particularly impressed with Korean EV charging total solution provider Daeyoung Chaevi.
“I found Chaevi to be similar to eXp Commercial in that they were not only providing EV charging networks but also property management, such as multi-cultural services. Since the last conference, both eXp Commercial and Chaevi have experienced rapid growth in about a year and a half. We are eagerly looking forward to discussing business with and assisting companies like Chaevi at this year’s Korea Conference, especially since we’ve recently learned that Chaevi has been expanding its presence in the San Francisco Bay Area. I hope to see more potential companies like Chaevi participate this year.”
Regarding his role at the Korea Conference, Huang emphasized, “The Korea Conference serves as an incubator for new ideas from promising Korean companies to grow into iconic brands. Even the most promising startups face difficulties when making important decisions. It’s up to us seniors to guide them in the right direction.”
BY HOONSIK WOO [woo.hoonsik@koreadaily.com]
