Nurturing Our Green and Sustainable Financial Talents of the Future

Prof. Virginia Harper Ho is a Professor of Law at City University of Hong Kong and a former international M&A lawyer. Her research focuses on corporate and securities law aspects of sustainable finance. She has experience integrating sustainability concepts into the business law curriculum, including interdisciplinary sustainability courses at City University.

My Sustainability Goals for 2022:

Help all professionals understand how their clients’ work and their own expertise can create positive change for society and for the planet.

Bon Cheung is a Research Assistant at Civic Exchange, focusing on transition finance development in the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Concurrently, Bon is researching GBA’s sustainable finance development with academia in the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).

Though he is just a final year student in HKUST, he has developed profound experience on ESG investing, reporting and researching by working in an ESG consulting firm, investment bank, research institute etc.. He was the first batch of candidates who obtained the designation of Green and Sustainable Finance Professional ™ from the Chartered Banker Institute. Since then, Bon has been publishing sustainable finance blogs on LinkedIn and major newspapers in Hong Kong.

My Sustainability Goals for 2022:

Collective action is essential to drive impactful changes. I have always had the vision that Hong Kong should utilize its role as the center of sustainable finance to accelerate the decarbonizing work in the GBA and Greater China. This year, I will jointly publish a couple of papers with professionals in different domains to facilitate the collaboration between Hong Kong and other GBA cities, in terms of sustainable policy developments and taxonomy building.

Yasmine has more than 17 years of international banking experience in structured finance and advisory. Her team focuses on origination and structuring of sustainable financing solutions, as well as on supporting its clients to accelerate the development of innovative solutions and new business models that deliver positive impact.

Yasmine actively participates in a number of regional sustainability initiatives and working groups. She is Co-Chair of the Sustainable Finance Working Group of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong as well as Co-Chair of the Green & Sustainable Loan Committee of Asia Pacific Loan Market Association (APLMA).

Yasmine holds a Masters Degree in Management from the Institut des Mines – Telecom Business School, Paris. She is certified by the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) with the CESGA certification (Certified Environmental Social Governance Analyst).

Ms. Veronique Lafon-Vinais is a seasoned financial market professional with over 20 years of banking and capital markets experience. She has worked in all the major financial markets and has extensive experience in all the major debt markets. She is now dedicating herself full time to education and teaching as Associate Professor of Business Education, Department of Finance, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), where she teaches in the MBA/MSc programs as well as in the Undergraduate Programs, and professional training and consulting for the finance industry. She is the Executive Director, Career Development & Corporate Outreach for the School of Business and Management at HKUST, Associate Director for the UG programs, Co-Director of the BSc in Sustainable and Green Finance, Associate Director of the tri-degree World Bachelor in Business Program, and Project Director for the HKUST-NYU Stern MSc in Global Finance.

My Sustainability Goals for 2022:

There are numerous issues that need urgent attention, such as the enormous waste management problem and urgent housing problem, that will necessitate strategic intervention by the government. Younger generations are rightfully worried and anxious about the increasing negative impacts of pollution and climate change, in addition to the rising costs of goods and services. With collaborative efforts and leadership from government, industry, education and the community, these problems can be effectively addressed.