SAI KUNG
Headline Theatre Sponsor
Supported by
Hong Kong’s transition towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient future will require the mobilization of large amounts of funding from public and private sectors.
Rethinking Finance will look into Hong Kong’s rapid expansion of sustainable finance deals, the growing practice of taking ESG into investment considerations, as well as how SMEs, asset owners and multinational corporations can access new breeds of green financing in the city’s efforts to capitalize on its strengths and accelerate its emergence as a green finance hub for the region.
Redefining Value
Redefining Value
From climate change, renewable energy, education, to health and wellness, impact investing is emerging as a source of healthy financial returns as well as a means of making positive, measurable contributions to environmental and societal well-being. What is the state of play for impact investors, and how do we overcome obstacles and risks specific to Hong Kong and Asia?
MODERATOR
Katy Yung
Managing Partner
Sustainable Finance Initiative
Katy Yung
Managing Partner
Sustainable Finance Initiative
Katy is Managing Partner at HK-based Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFi) platform, advising and supporting family offices and financial professionals on their sustainable and impact journeys. In 2022, SFI launched the education platform New Impact Society to address the knowledge and talent gaps in the sustainable finance sector.
Katy has served as Director of Investment at RS Group, a HK-based impact investor since 2010. She led the family office’s transition from a traditional investment portfolio to one that is 100% sustainably invested. In this role, she was actively involved in designing impact and climate change strategies and implementation across asset classes (utilizing both investment and philanthropic capital). Katy remains as consultant to RS Group.
Katy is formerly an investment banker at J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited and a member of the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum. She graduated from Duke University in North Carolina with a BA in Economics and a minor on Comparative Area Studies.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Websites:
Alex Bent
Managing Partner
Undivided Ventures
Alex Bent
Managing Partner
Undivided Ventures
Alex has been involved in the real estate industry for the last eighteen years, as a co- founder of a serviced apartment platform, a co-founder of an asset manager and investor and also as an angel investor into early stage companies. Alex has always had a mission to make the built environment a better place to live, work and enjoy and Undivided Ventures represents what he hopes is a part of the solution to one of real estate biggest challenges.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Adoption of technologies to support net zero adaptation of the built environment.
Guneet Banga
Executive Director
The Caravel Group Limited
Guneet Banga
Executive Director
The Caravel Group Limited
Guneet Banga is an Executive Director for The Caravel Group, where he heads up Caravel Sustainable Investments , a dedicated vehicle for the Company’s investment management activities focused on Impact, ESG, and Sustainability. He is also a GP at Aera VC, an early-stage VC firm focused on climate tech.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Reduction in use of single use items – bags, straws, coffee cups, shopping bags, etc. There is tremendous wastage still created by the volume of plastic bags, etc that we use. Simple to implement by mandating certain products can no longer be used at all (and fine those caught using), and the impact will be quite a meaningful amount.
Poman Lo
Vice Chairman and Managing Director
Regal Hotels Group
Poman Lo
Vice Chairman and Managing Director
Regal Hotels Group
Poman Lo is Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Regal Hotels Group. In 2015, she became the first female Asian recipient of the Oslo Business for Peace Award, which recognizes business leaders who strive to improve society by creating value for all stakeholders in an ethical and responsible way.
Redefining Value
Technology and sustainability are rapidly emerging as the driving forces reshaping our financial ecosystem. As green and sustainable finance gains increasing momentum, new technologies capable of analysing raw data to limit greenwashing and ensuring greater transparency and comparability of green credentials will be key to ensuring long-term and robust business transition.
Redefining Value
As around the globe, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong are looking to step up their contributions to the city’s green transition. However, a lack of financing has remained a key barrier for these players seeking to enhance their sustainability performance and capabilities. Adding to this are a lack of awareness and investor-readiness for green financial opportunities, information asymmetry between SMEs and financial institutions, as well as a limited range of sustainable financing products adapted to the needs of SMEs.
MODERATOR
Serena Mak, CESGA CPA(Aust) FRM
Board Governor and Honorary Secretary
Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong)
Serena Mak, CESGA CPA(Aust) FRM
Board Governor and Honorary Secretary
Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong)
Serena is the Board Governor and Honorary Secretary at Friends of the Earth (Hong Kong). She advocates decarbonization, sustainable finance and ESG talent incubation in Hong Kong. Serena is also Head of ESG Funding Asia for Home Credit and oversees debt financing across Asia Pacific including ESG-linked and sustainability loans.
Dennis Wu
Vice-Chairman & Executive Director
Allied Sustainability and Environmental Consultants Group Limited
Dennis Wu
Vice-Chairman & Executive Director
Allied Sustainability and Environmental Consultants Group Limited
Mr Dennis Wu is the Vice Chairman and Executive Director of AEC Group (Stock Code: 8320.HK) mainly focusing on Green and Healthy Buildings, Environmental Consultancy and Sustainability Advisory. He is also the Founder and CEO of AEC Capital Group focusing on sustainable finance, real estate and investment management.
Mr Wu has over 20 years of experience in finance industry. He worked in the Assurance and Business Advisory Services Department – Financial Institution Group of Arthur Andersen and PricewaterhouseCoopers in early 2000. Then, he worked for CITIC Capital for 17 years since 2003. During his career in CITIC Capital, Mr Wu was appointed as Executive Director for Finance Department, Principle Investment Department, and Culture and Tourism Department respectively.
Currently, Mr Wu is the Founding President of Greater Bay Area Carbon Neutrality Association. He is also a Co-Chair of Green and Sustainable Private Equity Working Group under Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA), and a Co-Chairman of Hong Kong Private Equity Finance Association (HKPEFA).
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
With the passion for embracing Hong Kong’s sustainability, I always have the hope to witness Hong Kong stepping to the net-zero carbon generation with green-tech, climate-tech and carbon-tech supports.
Thomas Elliott
Managing Director, Head of Client Coverage, Commercial Banking
HSBC
Thomas Elliott
Managing Director, Head of Client Coverage, Commercial Banking
HSBC
Tom leads the Client Coverage team for Hong Kong Commercial Banking, responsible for senior corporate client coverage, structured lending and event financing transactions, sustainable finance, and lending and portfolio management. Having joined HSBC in 2007, Tom has worked across Asia-Pacific, Europe and the Americas, with past roles spanning leveraged finance, large corporate coverage of the infrastructure sector, and leading structured lending credit approvals for HSBC’s Global Banking and Commercial Banking clients across Asia region.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
As momentum continues to reach new levels, I hope to see even more Hong Kong companies articulating Sustainability plans and objectives, as we all collectively strive towards net-zero.
In Partnership with
Businesses are stepping up to scrutinize suppliers’ sustainability responsibilities, alongside the development of technology for more credible and timely data collection. It has become imperative for companies to respond to changing stakeholder demands, and innovate to address systemic risks, reduce waste, enhance transparency and improve resilience across entire value chains.
Rethinking Supply Chains will share leading practices in the integration of sustainability into supply chains and procurement processes, expectations for enhanced traceability and control, supplier financing, and tools and quality data for setting and achieving science-based targets.
Genevieve Hilton
Co-Chair, AmCham E-ESG Committee
American Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong)
Genevieve Hilton
Co-Chair, AmCham E-ESG Committee
American Chamber of Commerce (Hong Kong)
Geneviève Hilton is co-chair of the Energy & ESG committee of AmCham Hong Kong. Currently at Lenovo, and previously at BASF, she has led the communications and corporate citizenship functions for Asia Pacific. Starting from 1994, she held a variety of agency roles in Hong Kong and Vietnam.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
I want to see Hong Kong embrace its obvious role as a business sustainability leader in Asia Pacific by fully incorporating sustainability into companies’ strategic operations.
Redefining Value
Traceability and transparency provide opportunities for companies to assess and mitigate risks, find supply chain efficiencies, meet regulatory requirements, and verify and make social and environmental claims. Alongside the development of more advanced technologies, companies are now stepping up efforts to more closely scrutinise supply chains to deliver more credible, real-time tracking, data collection and sharing – from the very start of the supply chain through to end-use.
Decarbonisation
Most companies’ climate impact lies in their supply chains. Measuring and managing supply chain emissions therefore plays an integral role in realising our net-zero ambitions. While companies are in a unique position to influence supplier behaviours, operations and investments, competing priorities and supply chain complexity have led to delayed action in this space.
Cities & Mobility
Sustainable supply chain finance is fast developing as an opportunity for incentivising and funding sustainable behaviour in supply chains. How can we leverage our city’s unique strengths and involve all players in the process, with the aim of improving security of supply such as in times of crisis, and reinforcing businesses and suppliers’ longer-term commitment to sustainability?
MODERATOR
Veronique J. A. Lafon-Vinais
Associate Professor of Business Education
HKUST
Veronique J. A. Lafon-Vinais
Associate Professor of Business Education
HKUST
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.
Billy Lai
Deputy Director, Knowledge Solutions
SGS Hong Kong Limited
Billy Lai
Deputy Director, Knowledge Solutions
SGS Hong Kong Limited
Billy Lai is currently a Deputy Director at SGS Hong Kong Limited. In this role, he oversees the implementation of sustainable business solutions that help organisations address climate risks and stakeholder concerns. He works with multinational corporations to cascade good practices to lower-tier suppliers and define the roadmap to building sustainable supply chains.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Support Hong Kong to become the region’s sustainability knowledge and sustainable finance hub, develop young sustainability talents, and drive innovation.
Ricky Ng
Head of Wholesale Banking
UOB Hong Kong
Ricky Ng
Head of Wholesale Banking
UOB Hong Kong
Mr Ricky Ng is Head of Wholesale Banking at UOB Hong Kong. He oversees development and management of wholesale banking businesses in Hong Kong and is responsible for commercial banking business in Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area. Mr Ng holds a master’s degree in corporate finance from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration in finance from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
With a proven record of structuring innovative green loans, I will continue to develop and customise financing solutions that help businesses grow responsibly. On a personal level, I strive for net zero and a sustainable living. I am also keen to combat hunger and promote diversity, equity and inclusion in the community.
People & Purpose
Companies are under increasing pressure to address the “S” of ESG in their supply chains, and to protect the rights, safety and wellbeing of individuals along all phases of operations. Hear from leaders in this space on how companies can implement socially responsible supply chain practices driven by value-led decision making, secure a social license to operate, and protect the long-term viability of their businesses.
Headline Theatre Sponsor
In Partnership with
In Hong Kong, buildings and related activities account for about 90% of our electricity usage and 60% of our carbon emissions. In view of the city’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, as set out by the Government in its Climate Action Plan 2050, the industry is now gearing up its decarbonisation capabilities in the whole building life cycle – from design, construction, operation to retrofitting.
Rethinking Built Spaces is designed to highlight the vision and experiences behind exemplar cases and award-winning projects in three building categories: Commercial, Neighbourhood & Residential, and Institutional. It will focus on the management of our carbon footprint – embodied, construction, and operational – covering design visions (passive/active), construction technologies, building materials, energy efficiency, renewable energy, operation and facilities management, and end-user engagement. Panel sessions will challenge the latest practices and provoke discussions on visionary input, with a view to further expediting the net-zero transition and a climate-resilient future for Hong Kong.
Decarbonisation
Decarbonisation
This session will examine how commercial built spaces contribute to achieving carbon neutrality in Hong Kong by 2050. Covering the entire building life cycle – from award-winning sustainable designs, latest developments in green construction materials, to the transformation, retrofitting and operation of existing building portfolios – exemplar cases will showcase holistic tactics for building towards net zero.
Decarbonisation
Green Buildings is a major decarbonisation strategy of Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050. This session will feature success cases to demonstrate how master planning, smart designs and MiC (Modular Integrated Construction) of neighbourhoods and residential spaces help escalate Hong Kong’s sustainability to the next level.
Decarbonisation
As educational and public buildings in Hong Kong begin to leverage resources to do their part in addressing climate change, the importance of low-carbon and sustainable campuses and governmental facilities for the health and development of their communities has never been more prominent.
In Partnership with
Rethinking Waste aims to highlight the plethora of proven and developing innovations to reduce, redesign, recover and recycle, as well as why and how new investments and the circularity mindset are crucial to the scale-up of solutions, business acumen, and talent acquisition and retention.
How should public-private partnerships be capitalized to help solve Hong Kong’s escalating waste crisis and significant impacts on our land resources as well as the environment? What organisational and infrastructural challenges remain, and how should businesses engage suppliers and customers on their waste-reduction journey?
Ir Norman Cheng
Chairman
Hong Kong Waste Management Association
Ir Norman Cheng
Chairman
Hong Kong Waste Management Association
Mr. CHENG is currently the Business Development and Performance Director of Veolia Hong Kong, responsible for the strategic development of water, solid waste, and energy management activities in the region.
Mr. CHENG is committed to serving the society, and is an active member in many professional institutions. He is currently serving as the Chairman of Hong Kong Waste Management Association (HKWMA).
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Turning waste into resources, and reduce the impact of waste on carbon emission
Circular Economy
Rethinking waste in the context of resource use and management incentivises all stakeholders to engage with the subject with greater positivity and creativity well before resources are used; thereby facilitating our transition to a circular economy. Within a circular economy framework, products and materials that might have held no value using a linear framework are reintroduced back into a productive value chain, for the betterment of the environment, economy and community health.
Circular Economy
With the government’s goal of “Zero Landfill” by 2035, it is critical to support the recycling industry. We need to empower operators to maximise the collection and processing of recyclable materials. What role do small and large material recovery facilities play in maximising recycling rates? How can we better recognise the role of informal collection and sorting of recyclables in Hong Kong? How can stakeholders collaborate to improve the quality of recyclable materials recovered from the market?
MODERATOR
Paul Zimmerman
Chair
Drink Without Waste
Paul Zimmerman
Chair
Drink Without Waste
Paul Zimmerman is a Hong Kong environmentalist, politician and businessman. He is chairing the Single-Use Beverage Packaging Working Group, an alliance of some 50 stakeholders – from manufacturers to green groups – formed to reduce waste from beverage consumption. Its “Drink Without Waste” initiative seeks to recover 70%-90% of PET and liquid carton containers by 2025.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Helga Vanthournout
Director
Wealth of Flows Consulting / ADM Capital Foundation
Helga Vanthournout
Director
Wealth of Flows Consulting / ADM Capital Foundation
Helga helps organisations around the globe set powerful sustainability agendas and find the straightest path towards circular models. Through Wealth of Flows Consulting and ADM Capital Foundation, she brings over 20 years of professional experience, accumulated at McKinsey & Company, the European Chemicals Bureau, and others. Helga authored many critically acclaimed reports on the Circular Economy, including with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
Get the new HKSAR government set its sights on a more comprehensive, powerful waste management strategy for Hong Kong. Continue to initiate, and make circular economy models more accessible for HK companies.
Nigel Mattravers
Head of Communications
New Life Plastics
Nigel Mattravers
Head of Communications
New Life Plastics
Nigel is Head of Communications for New Life Plastics, a chartered civil engineer and waste manager with more than 40 years’ international experience. In Hong Kong, he has been responsible for leading many of the major resource management schemes completed to date and is a proponent of the circular economy.
Circular Economy
As part of Hong Kong’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality before 2050, the government has set targets to develop adequate waste-to-energy facilities, move away from reliance on landfills for municipal waste disposal, promote waste reduction and recycling, implement waste charging and regulate disposable plastic tableware in phases, amongst other policies.
Prof. Dan Tsang
Professor, Director, MSc Programme Leader
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Prof. Dan Tsang
Professor, Director, MSc Programme Leader
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Professor Dan Tsang has 20+ years of research experience, published more than 500 papers in Top 10% journals, and received more than 32000 citations with h-index of 95. Dan was selected as Highly Cited Researchers 2021 (Top 0.1% scientist) in two academic fields: (i) Engineering; (ii) Environment & Ecology.
My Sustainability Goals for 2022:
We aspire to develop low-carbon technologies for fostering sustainable resource circulation and long-term decarbonization.
Headline Theatre Sponsor
All sessions are subject to change.