August 7, 2025
Haymarket Chamber of Commerce cordially invites you to our winter Business Forum and Networking Evening on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, at the Sydney Central Hotel in Haymarket.
The business forum comprises of 3 sessions of 25 minutes each on the following topics:
1. First session – Productivity and outlook for the Australian economy.
The panellists for this session are CBA senior economist, Belinda Allen, and RSM economist, Devika Shivadekar. The moderator will be Haymarket Chamber of Commerce president, Vincent Lim.
The panel will discuss the outcomes of the Federal Government’s productivity summit (being held on 19-21 August), their views on how productivity in Australia could be lifted, the economic outlook for the next 12 months (including forecast economic growth, inflation, interest rates, rate of unemployment and any potential impact from global events), and the likely path that the RBA will take in relation to monetary policy.
2. Second session – NSW’s Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program and Low and Mid-Rise (LMR) Housing Policy.
Our speaker will be architect, Kaichi Leung of A+ Design Group. This session will look at the NSW government’s TOD program aimed at delivering additional housing around 39 transport hubs and its LMR housing policy. There will also be a discussion on the opportunities for property owners, investors and developers arising from these initiatives introduced by the NSW government to address the current housing crisis.
3. Third session-Growth of non-bank lending in Australia.
The panellists are Nick Raphaely of AltX and David Crotty of Wingate, and the moderator will be Vincent Lim.
The panel will discuss the reasons for the growth in non-bank lending in recent years, size of the non-bank lending market in Australia, who do non-bank lenders lend to and for what purposes, what are the lending criteria, and how non-bank lenders raise their capital.
Date
Wednesday, 27 August 2025, 6 pm – 8.45 pm.
Event Program
6 pm – Arrival of guests, registration, and networking over drinks.
6.30 pm – 7.45 pm – Business Forum and Q&A (see the 3 sessions above)
7.45 pm – 8.45 pm – Networking over drinks and canapes.
Venue
Sydney Central Hotel
169-179 Thomas Street
Haymarket, NSW 2000
Tickets
$20 for HCC members; $30 for non-members.
We are expecting up to 100 attendees at this event including property developers, investors, financiers, business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals. Please book early to avoid disappointment as places are limited.
About Our Presenters
Belinda Allen
Senior Economist
CBA
Belinda Allen is a Senior Economist at the Commonwealth Bank. She has extensive experience as a financial markets economist.
Belinda joined the Commonwealth Bank in 2017. Her work primarily involves developing and communicating views and forecasts on the Australian economy. Prior to joining the Bank, Belinda spent over 10 years at Colonial First State Global Asset Management (now First Sentier), the Bank’s former asset management arm, as a Senior Analyst in the Economic and Market Research team.
Belinda holds a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and has been awarded the CFA designation.
Devika Shivadekar
Economist
RSM
Devika Shivadekar is RSM’s leading voice in macroeconomic and financial research, drawing on extensive experience across public and private sectors.
With a sharp focus on the APAC region, she analyses economic fundamentals—including growth, inflation, labour markets, and central bank policies—to provide clear and actionable insights.
Stints prior to RSM include economist and research positions at Reserve Bank of India and a leading investment bank.
Kaichi Leung
Architect & Founding Director
A+ Design Group
Kaichi Leung is a renowned architect and strategic visionary with over 25 years of experience shaping Sydney’s skyline. He has led iconic projects such as The Landmark, the tallest tower in St Leonards, and major hotels including the Hilton in the CBD and the Sofitel in Darling Harbour. His expertise in Modular Integrated Construction (MIC) has enabled developers to reduce costs while maintaining exceptional quality.
At this forum, Kaichi will briefly discuss the recent significant planning reforms in New South Wales relating to affordable housing, the Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program, and the Low and Mid Rise (LMR) housing provisions under the State Environmental Planning Policy (Housing) 2021, and the setting up of the Housing Development Authority to lead a streamlined state significant development approval pathway for major residential development projects. The main focus, however, will be on the Low and Mid Rise (LMR) housing policy, highlighting how developers and landowners can capitalise on these changes to maximise their return on investment in the evolving planning landscape.
Nick Raphaely
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
AltX Financial Group
Nick Raphaely is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of the AltX Financial Group. With a background in first mortgage lending dating back to 2012, he has overseen the origination of over $4 billion in loans.
Prior to this, Nick worked in investment banking at Merrill Lynch International in both the UK and Australia and in funds management.
Nick has an MA (Law) from Cambridge University (UK) and a Bachelor of Business Science Degree (1st Class Honours with Distinction in Economics) from the University of Cape Town (South Africa).
David Crotty
Director
Property Originations Wingate
David Crotty has over a decade of experience in real estate finance.
At Wingate, David is a Director in the Property Origination team focussing on the origination, assessment, and ongoing management of real estate debt transactions across the capital stack. David previously held various roles across risk, analysis, and execution within Wingate.
David began his career at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, where he worked in the real estate finance team with a focus on construction and investment lending across all asset classes. He later joined PGIM Real Estate, serving as Vice President in debt origination and execution across high yield and core lending products.
David holds a Bachelor of Economics and finance from Curtin University in Western Australia.
Vincent Lim
HCC President & Moderator
Vincent Lim is president of the Haymarket Chamber of Commerce and a lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience.
He studied economics and law at the University of Sydney. He also holds a Master of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance and Investments.
Vincent has been a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia (FINSIA) since 2005. He had also led a team in the setting up and management of a significant investor visa (SIV) fund from 2013 – 2022.
