The Link Tenant Academy partnered with Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) this year to organise a unique Visual Merchandising Case Competition and actively engage the creative talent of HKDI students to support selected Link mall tenants in a fresh and dynamic initiative.

This was the first time Link’s Tenant Academy and HKDI have collaborated, inviting 41 Year One students from HKDI’s “Design for Event, Exhibition and Performance Programme” to compete. The two-month programme gave participants a unique opportunity to apply their skills in real-life business scenarios provided by two Link tenants In & Out and Lester Young.

“We’re very grateful for the opportunities offered by Link and tenants and for their trust,” said Leo Chan, Senior Lecturer at HKDI. “The project allowed our students to practice and apply in real life business situations what they have learned in the classroom.”

Participating students formed eight groups in total to join the competition, showcasing their ideas in front of a judging panel and retail tenants at HKDI on 8 April 2024. Students then had an opportunity to join a visual merchandising seminar to gain valuable insights from two local creative design experts.

“Through the project, I was able to understand the practical requirements of the tenants so that I know how to apply the design concepts I have learned,” said Chan Chi-yung, one of the participating HKDI students. “This is a valuable and useful experience, especially for when I pursue a career in the visual merchandising industry in the future.”

In & Out and Lester Young, two Link tenants in the fashion retail industry, were selected to participate as the live project cases. The winning proposals may be implemented by both tenants.

“Thank you Link for inviting Lester Young to participate in this project,” said Mimie Wong from Lester Young. “The site visit was arranged which facilitated the interactions and inspiring discussion between HKDI students and us. We’re very happy to see the students’ work today and play a part in the creative process.”

“I have learned a lot through this programme and will apply the knowledge at our outlets,” added Cillene Law from In & Out.

The Link Tenant Academy has been providing value added services for tenants through hosting regular talks on a variety of relevant topics. This year was the first time the Academy transformed the format from hosting talks to a more interactive workshop with real-life deliverables.

High resolution photos can be downloaded here.

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About Link

Link Real Estate Investment Trust (Hong Kong stock code: 823) is the largest REIT in Asia by market capitalisation. It is managed by Link Asset Management Limited, a leading real estate investor and asset manager in the world. Since its listing in 2005 as the first REIT in Hong Kong, Link REIT has been 100% held by public and institutional investors. It is a constituent of the Hong Kong securities market benchmark Hang Seng Index, as well as a component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Asia Pacific Index, the FTSE4Good Index Series and the Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index. From its home in Hong Kong, Link Asset Management Limited owns and manages a diversified portfolio including retail facilities, car parks, offices and logistics assets spanning from China’s Beijing, Greater Bay Area (Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Shenzhen), and Yangtze River Delta centred around Shanghai, to Singapore, Australia’s Sydney and Melbourne and the UK’s London. Link Asset Management Limited seeks to extend its portfolio growth trajectory and grasp expansion opportunities in different markets in pursuit of sustainable growth.

For details, please visit https://www.linkreit.com.