Chris Aylward – Property Cycles, Leverage, and Skyscrapers to Funds

In this episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark sits down with Chris Aylward, a veteran of Australian property markets whose career spans more than five decades. From leasing office towers in Melbourne in the 1970s to founding APN Property Group and navigating multiple financial crises, Chris has seen every phase of the real estate cycle.

For investors trying to make sense of today’s market – rising rates, expensive assets, private credit growth and uncertainty around office property, Chris offers a rare long-term perspective.

This conversation explores what today’s market gets right, what it gets dangerously wrong, and why experienced investors are becoming more cautious even while liquidity floods into property and private debt.

Chris also reflects candidly on the biggest mistake of his career – a European property fund that went badly wrong, and the lessons it taught him about partnerships, leverage and risk management.

For listeners managing wealth, allocating capital, or investing in real assets, this episode is a great learning episode in cycle awareness and disciplined investing.