Iwan Sunito named property person of 2015 by Urban Taskforce

Iwan Sunito named property person of 2015 by Urban Taskforce
Jonathan ChancellorDecember 7, 2020

Crown Group CEO Iwan Sunito has been named Urban Taskforce Australia’s 2015 Property Person of the Year, making him the youngest recipient of the accolade.

"Honored and Amazing Grace is the thought that came to my mind when I reflected on my life's journey from the remote place of Pangkalan Bun Kalimantan to the honor of receiving and be the youngest recipient," said Iwan.

Born in Indonesia in 1966, Iwan spent his childhood in Central Kalimantan on the island of Borneo before migrating to Australia to study architecture at UNSW, where he won the UNSW Eric Daniels Prize for Residential Design in 1992. 

Early in his career, Iwan gained experience with Cox Richardson Architects.

He co-founded the Crown Group with business partner Paul Sathio in 1996.

“Iwan has grown the Crown Group in less than 20 years into one of Sydney’s major developers of upper end apartments with a portfolio worth more than $4.5 billion,” said Urban Taskforce CEO Chris Johnson.

Iwan said the award was a celebration of Crown Group’s journey; from its first development in Bondi to an internationally-recognised global brand.

“It is an acknowledgement of many years of commitment to innovative design and quality in everything we do. Our philosophy is not ‘bigger first then better’ but rather ‘better first and bigger will follow," he said.

Crown Group broke company sales records when it sold more than $380 million worth of apartments in one day at the launch of its latest development in Green Square Infinity on August 29.

Its major projects which are underway include a 29-storey V in Parramatta, a 20-storey Skye in North Sydney, an inner-west project Oasis and a 25-storey residential tower at Clarence Street in the heart of Sydney’s CBD.

Iwan has received several awards and significant coverage in the print media and on television in Australia. He has also appeared on Bloomberg Television in Indonesia, on Channel News Asia and numerous media outlets across Asia.

Among his accolades, include the 2013 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Eastern Region Industry Category Award, Indonesia’s Property & Bank Magazine Golden Leadership Award 2013 and the 2013 Congress of Indonesian Diaspora Entrepreneur award. Iwan was also appointed to the Global Indonesian Diaspora Board in 2013.

He has authored a book, From Borneo to Bloomberg. A Comeback Story and 13 Principles for Success.

Urban Taskforce Chair Peter Daly said: “Iwan Sunito represents a new wave of entrepreneurial developers who are creating apartment buildings that convey the excitement of urban living."

Past winners include Tony Perich, MD of Perich Group of Companies (2014); Steve McCann, group CEO and managing director, Lend Lease; Ross McDiven, chairman, Brookfield Multiplex; Garry Rothwell , founder and principal, Winten Property; Bob Rose, CEO of Rose Property Group; Harry Triguboff, chairman and MD of Meriton Apartments; Wal King, CEO, Leighton Holdings; Greg Goodman, group CEO of Goodman; Bill Moss, group head and CEO of the Banking and Property Group, Macquarie Bank; Liam Forde, CEO of Baulderstone Hornibrook and Lang Walker, chairman of Walker Corporation.

Jonathan Chancellor

Jonathan Chancellor is one of Australia's most respected property journalists, having been at the top of the game since the early 1980s. Jonathan co-founded the property industry website Property Observer and has written for national and international publications.

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