Branded Residences Forum (BRF), a key event at Future Hospitality Summit (FHS), returns to FHS World this October with a new identity as FHS Living. On 1 October, FHS Living will expand the forum beyond branded residences to cover a broader range of living asset classes.
Branded Residences will remain at the core, but will now sit alongside Student Accommodation, Senior Living, Serviced Living, Co-living, Shared Ownership, Club Concepts and Mixed-use as part of one platform.
Ahead of the event, Jason Payne CEO & Founder of BRESI is putting questions to the sponsors, partners and leading personalities from across the branded residences sector, exploring the key factors driving market growth, emerging opportunities, the challenges facing the industry and what comes next.
Introducing: Chris Graham, Managing Director, Graham Associates
Chris discusses the growth of non-hospitality and premium brands, new opportunities for developers, the importance of maintaining quality and service over the long term, and how expectations between brands and developers are changing.
JP: What do you personally value most about the conversations and connections that happen at BRF (FHS Living)?
CG: Catching up with industry colleagues and learning about trends in the market. It’s all about the people in the room!
JP: Do you expect the branded residences sector to become more concentrated around established brands, or do you see greater opportunities for new brands and emerging concepts?
CG: The sector will continue to expand and diversify. Although hospitality brands dominate the sector by a ratio of 4:1, there is little doubt that non-hospitality brands entering the market will continue to grow, driven in part by standalone branded residential projects.
Let’s not forget this is a demand-led industry, so if affluent people didn’t want non-hospitality brands, then they wouldn’t buy them – but they do, and in large numbers. Hence exponential growth, and numerous new entrants coming into the sector.
This is clearly evidenced by my report “Branded Residences: A Compendium,” the world’s only listing of brands active in the BR sector. When I launched this report just under 2 years ago there were around 190, and the current edition (#7) lists over 250 – around 40% of which are non-hospitality/luxury brands.
Furthermore, in my reports over recent years I have been predicting the growth in the upscale / midscale segment, which we are now beginning to see pick up momentum. Whilst historically the branded residential sector has been dominated by luxury brands, previous editions of this report have predicted growth in the Premium (Upper and Midscale) segments.
And why not? Luxury is relative depending on the audience, and there are some very good brands in these categories.
Think of the branded residences sector as a triangle: to date we have been focused mostly on luxury at the very top, but if you move down a couple of notches the size of the market grows exponentially.
Additionally, premium brands are ideally suited to secondary locations where the land is cheaper (and often with fewer planning restrictions), and the development and fit out costs are not nearly as high. In short, they offer significant opportunities to developers.
I also write about other trends such as wellness and longevity, senior living, and all inclusive luxury, all of which create new and innovative opportunities.
JP: As the branded residences sector continues to mature, where do you think the industry still has room for improvement, and what do you see as the biggest challenge that needs to be addressed?
CG: Branded residences aren’t about selling an enjoyable two-week vacation; they are based on delivering an enduring lifestyle investment. A major challenge facing the industry will be how effectively quality standards and service delivery are sustained over the long-term, notably by non-hospitality brands.
JP: Do you see any opportunities for brands to develop new residential concepts rather than simply replicating the existing branded residence model?
CG: One notable aspect of this industry is how concepts have continued to evolve to meet buyers’ ever-changing requirements and prevailing trends. Technology, AI, wellness and longevity are in the spotlight now, but there is always something new and innovative around the corner.
JP: If you could give a property developer considering entering the branded residences sector just one piece of advice, what would it be?
CG: I have actually researched this very question for my reports! I interviewed senior Branded Residential Development VP’s representing over 55 major brands, and distilled their insights into the following Top 3 tips for developers:
- 1. Engage early with the selected brand(s).
- 2. Do your research and appoint industry experts to advise.
- 3. Work collaboratively.
JP: What do you think has changed most in the relationship between brands and residential developers?
CG: Developers now expect the brand to do more than provide marketing standards, review collateral, and ‘police’ the use of the brand; they want to know how it will proactively support their team, provide insights based upon experience and expertise, and ultimately assist the developer in selling the residences quickly and at the highest price.
In short, it boils down to greater collaboration; developers want to feel that their chosen brand partner is ‘in the trenches’ with them and is genuinely thinking about their project, versus providing standardised, generic input.
About Chris Graham
For over two decades, Chris has worked with numerous residential and mixed-use real estate developers around the world, building up an impressive client portfolio of landmark projects.
Founded in 2008, his London-based consultancy specialises in planning distinctive campaigns that deliver standout in a crowded market; services span marketing and brand strategy, product definition, designing impactful marketing materials, and lead generation – all with a focus on driving sales.
A frequent industry commentator and international speaker, he is the author of the #1 reports Branded Residences: An Overview and Branded Residences: A Compendium, a comprehensive listing featuring c.250 brands.
About FHS World & FHS Living
FHS World is happening at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai, 29 September to 1 October 2026, under the theme “Reinvest in our Future”. FHS Living (formerly the Branded Residences Forum) is held within the summit, on the afternoon of 1 October.
Event Overview
- Dates: September 29 – October 1, 2026
- Location: Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events Centre, Dubai, UAE
- Theme: Reinvest in Our Future
- Key Focus: Hospitality investment, branded residences, living sectors, sustainability, innovation, and experiential travel.
Register your interest and secure your pass for FHS World 2026 and FHS Living HERE
BRESI is the world’s first dedicated global gateway for the branded residences industry, connecting buyers, property developers and brands across every major market. The platform provides a developer-focused global marketplace, comprehensive news media and a strategic partner network of the leading advisory companies in the sector, creating a complete branded residences ecosystem.
