When a dream project combining world-renowned international architect Kerry Hill’s design, with Anji’s cultural heritage, faced existential threats- zoning shifts, a pandemic, and the loss of its visionary architect, our fractional executives stepped in to redesign, adapt, and secure a win.

Context

A high-potential luxury villa and hotel project in Anji, China, faced delays due to
unforeseen disruptions.

The project proposed a 1,000 mu (667,000 sqm) mixed-use development, consisting of 77 bespoke luxury villas and a 100-room 5* Villa hotel, in historical Zhangwu Ancient Town, in northern Anji, Zhejiang.

The location is prime. Being 45 mins from Shanghai, once the high-speed rail opens, it is easily accessible by air and land, close to stations and airports.

It is nestled in the lush hills and bamboo forests of the province, across an idyllic stream from the ancient town, providing an easily accessible, secluded paradise.

Designed by the late Kerry Hill, the project seamlessly blends architectural brilliance with cultural heritage, targeting elite travellers and investors.

Our Role

We, along with our partners, provided strategic and onsite leadership to redesign, reposition, and secure a profitable exit.

The Challenge

Several obstacles needed to be overcome to bring this project to a successful close:

1. Design disruption
   When the architect Kerry Hill passed (2018), progress halted. This led to having to find a new architectural firm and onboarding them (line+), as well as ensuring the original vision and ethos of the project was continued.
2. Regulatory hurdles
   China’s villa ban forced a pivot to shared-wall townhomes, which were not part of the original vision and could potentially damage the luxury-appeal factor.
3. Pandemic constraints
   Construction froze during 2020–2022, causing delays, straining liquidity and affecting investor confidence.
4. Financial and administrative uncertainty
   Frequent changes in local government leadership introduced new layers of unpredictability, adding complexity to logistics and escalating financial strain. The mounting risks placed the ownership group in a highly challenging position with limited clear options.

Along with these challenges, the client had several pain points that needed to be kept in mind: loss of original design integrity, uncertainty around permits and ROI and the need for agile leadership without full-time hires.

What We Proposed

As part of our strategic intervention, we were able to achieve the following:

• Adaptive redesign, where we collaborated with line+ (the new architecture firm) to reimagine villas as shared-wall townhouses, while preserving the luxury appeal.
• Regulatory navigation is achieved by acquiring commercial pre-sale permits and adjusting plot ratios (e.g., hotel to 1.2).
• Investor pivot, by repackaging the project’s sellable assets (land + permits), and attempting to attract buyers amid market volatility.
• Cost control through carefully managed budgets despite delays (total land/design investment: 110M RMB).

Fractional expertise was provided through strategic advisors who supported the ownership group throughout the entire process. Acting on their behalf, we offered detailed financial and operational guidance to maintain alignment, prevent derailment, and keep the project on track amid shifting conditions.

Project Status

The result was a successful exit, with the property and design being sold to a new investor (January 2025), while managing to preserve the 110RMB initial investment. The buyer secured a turnkey opportunity with approved permits and excellent accessibility.

Our Takeaways

Elite Top Consulting delivers fractional executive support with deep expertise across critical functions. Our seasoned professionals bring financial acumen, government and partner negotiation skills, and hands-on oversight of budgeting and performance. We step in with targeted problem-solving and strategic insight—transforming complex challenges into opportunities for our shareholders.

Fractional experts provide crucial support in times of uncertainty, helping turn challenges into catalysts for growth. As this case study shows, with flexibility and adaptability, part-time executives can elevate your business to the next level.