Vienna Live Report: Chang Lily, the first Chinese female president of FIABCI, takes over the real estate division of the United Nations; Lu Shiow-Yen personally travels to Austria to witness the event

▲At the inauguration ceremony in Vienna, Chang Lily (second from right) officially became the first Chinese female world president in the history of FIABCI. (Photo courtesy of the World Federation of Real Estate Associations, same below)

On the evening of June 12th, the Sofiensäle in Vienna was brightly lit. In the presence of Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, and nearly a thousand real estate elites from over eighty member countries worldwide, Chang Lily, President of treasure Dragon Construction, received the badge from Narek Arakelyan, Secretary General of FIABCI, officially assuming the position of the 76th World President of the Federation of Real Estate Associations of the World (FIABCI), becoming the first Chinese female president in the organization's 75-year history.

This is also a historic milestone for Taiwan's construction industry. The last Taiwanese to hold this position was Yin Chih-Hao, founder of Continental Engineering Corporation. Interestingly, Yin Chih-hao also stepped down in Vienna in 1989. After 37 years, Taiwanese women have regained their voice in the international real estate industry in the same city.

▲Nearly 200 representatives from Taiwanese industries traveled to Vienna to offer their support, demonstrating the powerful energy of Taiwanese construction industry in uniting and connecting with the international community.

A support group of 200 people showed their support, demonstrating the real estate industry's unity in "protecting Taiwan"

This handover ceremony showcased unprecedented unity within Taiwan's real estate industry. Over 200 Taiwanese industry leaders, government officials, and scholars traveled 9,000 kilometers to attend and show their support. Among them were industry leaders such as Lin Ting-Fang, Chairman of the Chin-Mei Group; Lien Chih-Min, Chairman of Hua Yu-Ning Construction; Tang Kuo-Wei, third-generation heir of Chung-Yu Elevator; Ke Chi-Yu, second-generation heir of Shun Tien Construction; Lin Lung-Shen, Chairman of Ta-Yi Construction; Chang Chun-Hao, Chairman of Chin-Chia Construction; Li Chin-Chih, Chairman of Tai-Yu Construction; Hsieh Lin-Er, Chairman of the Taichung City Real Estate Development Association; and Huang Peng-Chiang, CEO of ERA Real Estate Taiwan.

The most attention-grabbing moment was undoubtedly the presence of a delegation led by Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen. Lu emotionally stated that Chang Lily, from Taichung, made history by becoming the first Taiwanese woman to serve as the world's leading trade association president, a source of pride for all Taichung citizens. The Taichung City Government will fully support the international trade exchange conference to be held in Taichung this September.

Chang Lily is known in the construction industry as a "workaholic" and a "queen of luxury homes," but her starting point was extremely ordinary. After graduating from Ming Chuan University of Commerce, her first job was as a switchboard operator for a foreign company. "I'm very considerate and meticulous in my work. Many people said they wished they could pack me in a suitcase and take me with them," Chang Lily recalled with a smile in an interview. This meticulousness and sense of responsibility later translated into her insistence on construction quality. When she founded Longbao Construction in 1989, she was not formally trained in architecture, but in order to inspect the construction, she personally climbed onto scaffolding to inspect the tiles and demanded that the contractors remove and redo them, becoming famous for her "nitpicking."

From switchboard operator to world president: A workaholic's 13-year strategic plan

To enhance Taiwan's international standing, Chang Lily has devoted herself wholeheartedly to FIABCI affairs. In 2013, she personally paid a deposit of over ten million NT dollars to successfully secure the annual meeting to be held in Taichung; in 2017, she further argued on behalf of the board of directors and successfully changed the name of the Taiwan branch from "Chinese Taiwan" to "Taiwan".

At her inauguration ceremony, Chang Lily presented her core philosophy: "Love & Sharing." Addressing the current global housing challenges, she specifically mentioned "Affordable Housing," a focus of the United Nations and FIABCI, emphasizing that "Affordable housing is not merely about building shelters; it's about comprehensively considering residents' dignity, community inclusion, and environmental sustainability." She believes that governments cannot solve all problems solely through social housing; instead, they should guide and encourage private developers to participate through policy to provide more comprehensive housing solutions.

Tseng Kuo-Chun, director of the Taichung City Government Land Administration Bureau, who accompanied her, described Chang Lily as a "heroine of architecture." Tseng observed that Chang Lily is a "Taipei native who settled down and grew up in Taichung," and has played a leading role in Taichung's architectural community. She not only pays attention to the flow and practicality of the buildings she constructs, but also has long been committed to public welfare and the protection of cultural heritage.

From Construction Sites to the World: The Taiwan Model Exported to Europe

Chang Lily's appointment symbolizes Taiwan's real estate industry's formal entry into the core of international decision-making, transforming it from a participant to a co-creator of trends. In an era where the world focuses on ESG and net-zero carbon emissions, Taiwan, with its leading ICT technology and green building capabilities, has the ability to engage in in-depth international dialogue. This female president, who rose from a construction site in Taichung to the Vienna stage, is using her "warmth" and "professionalism" to lead Taiwan's construction industry to continue shining on the world stage.

▲Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-Yen personally attended the FIABCI World President handover ceremony and offered congratulations to the newly elected World President, Chang Lily, President of Treasure Dragon Construction.