John Lim

About John Lim

John Lim cofounded real estate fund manager ARA Asset Management in 2002, at age 45, with the backing of Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-shing.

In 2016, Lim, along with U.S. private equity firm Warburg Pincus and China's AVIC Trust, took ARA private from the Singapore Stock Exchange in a $1.3 billion buyout.

In 2022, Hong Kong-based real asset manager ESR Group acquired ARA for $5.2 billion in stock and cash.

In July 2025, a consortium led by Starwood Capital Group and other investors took ESR private from the Hong Kong stock exchange in a deal that valued it at $7.1 billion.

Lim, who sold out his small stake in ESR Group and resigned from the board, now is the chairman of his JL Family Office.