"But like everything in investments (and) in business, you have a whole range of factors. You will never have everything going 100 percent," Chew told CNBC`s "Managing Asia."
Straits Trading began as a tin smelting business, but it has shifted to become an investment company with a focus on real estate and hospitality. The company has stakes in Straits Real Estate, Far East Hospitality Holdings, ARA Asset Management and Malaysia Smelting Corporation.
Chew, a former lawyer, is also the granddaughter of the late Tan Chin Tuan, the prominent former chairman of the Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation (OCBC). Tan`s investment group acquired Straits Trading in 2008.
As for investing amidst political uncertainty stemming from Brexit and policy risks potentially arising from the new administration in the U.S., Chew`s approach involves preparing for the worst and moving ahead when things go wrong — a strategy she adopted when making decisions during the global financial crisis.
"It`s difficult. I mean, put simply, everyone has the same issues … But like everything in life, it`s risk and return. So you try and calibrate your risk and you need to make a judgement call," Chew said.
For now, Chew is bullish on the evolution of the property market in Asia, adding that Straits Trading can become a major player in the securitization of real estate.
Real estate investments are a substantial proportion of the company`s earnings, contributing $52.7 million of the $67.3 million in profits made last year.
"What I`d like to do is to ride the wave of — or rather, potential wave, (as) not everyone may agree with me — of securitization of real estate in Asia," she said, highlighting real estate investment trusts (REITs), property funds and real estate-backed financial instruments as examples.
Going forward, the real estate market in Asia has more room to run, Chew said. "It`s not just in terms of prices, but more in relation to how it evolves. Because as it evolves, you will need different instruments," she added.
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