To explore how the living sector is evolving across different markets, we spoke to Sonal Palkar, Senior Recruitment Manager, India; Nouf Alotaibi, Recruitment Consultant, Saudi Arabia; Ben Anderson, Business Director, Malaysia and Christopher Mackenzie, Business Sector Director, UK, who share their perspectives on the markets in which they work.
The living sector is evolving across markets, but one shift is becoming increasingly clear: living assets are no longer simply about the buildings themselves. As the sector matures, greater emphasis is being placed on how assets are operated, the experience they provide and the people needed to deliver them.
We asked colleagues across the UK, India, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia to share their perspectives on how their markets are developing, what is driving demand and how the talent landscape is changing. While each market is at a different stage, some clear themes emerge.
Different markets, different growth stories
The living sector looks very different from one market to another.
In the UK, it is already one of the most active institutional markets. PBSA remains the strongest asset class, while single-family housing and later living continue to grow. Christopher Mackenzie sees later living as having the greatest long-term growth potential, given the ageing population.
India is experiencing a broader transformation. Build-to-rent, co-living, student housing and senior living are all developing, with co-living and managed rental currently the most active segment. The market is moving from informal room rentals towards more professionalised, hospitality-driven operating models. Student housing is also rapidly institutionalising, while senior living has significant potential given the gap between demand and organised supply.
Saudi Arabia presents a different picture. Activity remains strongest in for-sale residential, particularly within master-planned developments that combine residential with retail, hospitality and leisure. Branded and serviced residences are also growing, while build-to-rent and co-living are less established.
Malaysia has historically been a build-and-sell market, but interest in professionally managed living is now growing. Student housing is an area to watch, particularly around Kuala Lumpur universities, while co-living and senior living are also beginning to develop. This creates an opportunity for models that place greater emphasis on rental income and professional management.
There is no single living-sector model. Market maturity and local conditions are shaping how each market develops.
From buildings to communities and experiences
One of the strongest themes across the markets is the growing importance of the experience beyond the physical asset.
In the UK, customers increasingly expect a higher-quality service experience. In India, this shift is particularly visible in co-living and senior living, where resident experience is becoming central to the product.
The same trend is emerging in Saudi Arabia. Customers are considering the wider community, its amenities and how it will be managed after handover. As Nouf Alotaibi notes, customers are also buying confidence in the developer. Track record, delivery and community management can influence demand alongside the property itself.
This broader definition of the product is changing the role of developers and operators. The quality of the experience increasingly matters as much as the physical asset.
The talent pool is changing
As living becomes more operational and customer-focused, the talent profile it requires is changing too.
In the UK, some of the strongest talent entering the sector comes from hospitality, hotels and other customer-facing businesses. India is seeing a similar movement, with people from hospitality, facilities management and healthcare moving into living platforms. New roles are emerging around community management and resident experience.
Saudi Arabia is also seeing hospitality and customer experience professionals move into community operations. In Malaysia, the immediate need is more focused on project delivery, but demand is expected to grow for people who can manage and operate living assets once they are built.
This points to a wider shift: living-sector talent does not necessarily come from the living sector. Experience from adjacent sectors can be highly relevant, particularly in customer experience and operational expertise.
Local expertise matters
The contributions also highlight the importance of understanding local markets rather than simply importing a model that has worked elsewhere.
In India, international operators are cautioned against copying global playbooks without adapting them to local price sensitivity and cultural expectations. Building local leadership and establishing credibility are identified as priorities during the first 12–24 months.
Saudi Arabia presents a similar lesson. Nouf highlights the risks of importing structures from other markets without adapting them, while stressing the importance of building local leadership early.
Malaysia offers another perspective. Ben Anderson stresses the importance of adapting the approach to the local market rather than treating Malaysia like Singapore, while also highlighting the value of looking beyond direct living-sector experience when recruiting.
The common thread is simple: international experience can be valuable, but it must be paired with genuine local understanding.
The living leader of the future
As these markets develop, leadership requirements are likely to broaden.
In the UK, successful platforms will need traditional real estate expertise alongside data, technology, customer experience and revenue optimisation. India points towards a similar combination of technical asset management and consumer-focused service.
Saudi Arabia is likely to see development and operations work more closely together, with leaders increasingly expected to understand resident experience and the long-term performance of an asset. Malaysia’s emerging market highlights the importance of understanding both development and how to operate an asset once it is built.
The future living leader will therefore need to work across disciplines, combining an understanding of the asset with a clear focus on the customer and the operational model.
The contributions also challenge the idea that experience can be measured simply by title or project name. In Saudi Arabia, the more useful question is what an individual has personally decided, delivered and been accountable for. In India, the challenge is not necessarily a lack of operating talent, but platform credibility and career runway.
Beyond the building
The living sector is taking different forms across the UK, India, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Yet the markets share striking similarities in how they’re evolving.
Living is becoming more than a property proposition. Customer expectations and operational capability are becoming increasingly important, while the talent needed to deliver successful platforms is coming from a wider range of backgrounds.
For investors, developers and operators, understanding the local context will be just as important as understanding the asset itself.
The next generation of living platforms will need people who can bring real estate and operations together, while keeping the experience of the person living there firmly in view.
MRG Global Connect: Living Assets is the first in a series bringing together perspectives from across our global real estate network. In the articles that follow, we’ll explore different sectors, markets and the trends shaping the future of real estate.
To learn more about global real estate at MRG, contact Managing Director – International, Matthew Evans