ANALYSTS are watching World International Holdings to see if its new executive director John Hung can turn the property developer into a major force in the international trading community.
Mr Hung, an executive of World International subsidiary Wharf Holdings, was recently transferred to the company in what has been dubbed an image building exercise.
Mr Hung gained prominence during his time at Wharf for his role in the restoration of the company through a greater base of international institutional clients.
To add value to World's stock, Mr Hung is expected to try to tempt investors with the lure of potential earnings in the next five to 10 years from mainland and local property developments.
The World group, which was a dominant player in government land auctions last year, spending $4.65 billion, has a 10 per cent balance sheet exposure to the China property market.
This may be slightly less than estimates that World was committed to spend $100 million in China although the group would stretch exposure to 20 per cent if market conditions improved.
Despite this, World is a long way behind leaders in the construction industry, such as New World, Sun Hung Kai and Cheung Kong.