Finance & Supply Chains Theatre

Financing Biodiversity: The Next Frontier for Private Sector Leadership

Day 1 : 12:00 – 12:50

We are not only in a climate crisis, but also a biodiversity crisis. The benefits and opportunities of nature-based solutions to address global biodiversity challenges have never been more urgently needed and relevant. Investments in nature-based solutions will be key to accelerating the pace and scale required for nature preservation.

Learnings

  • According to the UN, investments in nature must triple by 2030 to help save ecosystems. However, the private sector currently provides only 14% of funding towards nature-based solutions. What are the barriers and knowledge gaps for unlocking private capital for nature-based solutions?
  • What are the opportunities and challenges of developing and scaling financially viable projects that bring positive nature and biodiversity impact? What opportunities exist for businesses to pursue new sources of revenue and reap the benefits of increased resilience and purpose?
  • Perspectives from risk mitigation, regulatory and policy alignment

Post-Event Actions

  • Rethink the role that your company and industry can play in accelerating the investment in initiatives that bring positive nature and biodiversity outcomes.

Speakers

Bien Wong

The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas)

Assistant General Manager – Group ESG cum Executive – Group Knowledge Management Office

Bien Wong is an experienced professional with experience in ESG strategy development, corporate communications, and investor relations. As the head of Group ESG, he oversees the integration of sustainability concepts into business strategies, ensuring compliance with stringent international sustainability standards. Concurrently, he also leads the Group Knowledge Management Office, focusing on capturing critical knowledge and embedding it within the company’s culture. Prior to joining Towngas, he worked consistently in the sustainability industry, which deepened his passion for driving positive, lasting impact for the community.

Beyond his professional responsibilities, Bien serves on various advisory committees of the HKSAR Government and on the Board of various non-profit organizations and professional associations. He is also an Adjunct Associate Professor at Hong Kong Baptist University and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Bien holds a Master’s degree from The University of Hong Kong and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of York, United Kingdom. He was among the first ESG professionals in the Asia-Pacific region to complete the EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA) programme and was subsequently invited by the European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies (EFFAS) to serve as an examiner for the qualification, contributing to the development of ESG professional standards in the region.

Stuart Beavis

Regional Lead for Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (Asia)

Stuart is the Asia-Pacific Regional Lead of the origination facility for the €160 million Dutch Fund for Climate and Development. He has directly worked on over 20 projects in the region, ensuring projects are structured to be business-ready and meet investment criteria. Prior to WWF, Stuart spent 25 years in the financial industry managing derivative sales and trading businesses at LSE, LIFFE, Salomon Brothers, HSBC, UBS, and Jefferies.

Jenny Fan

Executive Director, Sustainable Finance

Jenny Fan is the Executive Director of Sustainable Finance at ANZ in Hong Kong. She has over 15 years of experience at ANZ, previously serving as Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets for North Asia. Jenny works with major corporations and financial institutions, executing complex transactions across various banking functions. Her expertise lies in providing sustainable finance solutions to ANZ’s customers transitioning to a zero-carbon economy.

My Sustainability Goals for 2023:

To deepen my connection with nature and support sustainable practices that nurture the Earth and its inhabitants.

Lit Ping Low

DFI Retail Group

Group Sustainability Director

Lit Ping Low brings over 20 years of experience in driving sustainability and climate change priorities across a wide range of sectors including retail, food and beverage, hospitality and conglomerates.

As the Group Sustainability Director at DFI Retail Group, Lit Ping leads the development and implementation of DFI’s sustainability strategy, including the decarbonisation of operations and supply chain, climate and environmental sustainability risk management, and ensuring transparent sustainability disclosures. She leads and represents DFI in key partnerships and collaborations on sustainability to deliver our strategic ambition with our ecosystem partners.

Prior to DFI, she was PwC’s Asia Pacific Climate lead partner, supporting businesses and governments in developing net zero strategies, managing climate risks, and mobilising green finance. Her experience also includes extensive collaboration with international organisations such as the World Economic Forum, UNFCCC, UNEP Finance Initiative, and the Carbon Disclosure Project, contributing to global dialogues on climate transition pathways and sustainable finance frameworks.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

Lit Ping’s ongoing priorities is to lead DFI’s efforts to meet our short- and medium- term sustainability targets. In 2026, this includes looking at more breakthrough or innovative collaboration approaches that can help amplify our strategic ambition across all People, Products and Planet priorities.

Isaac Yeung

Head of Corporate ESG/ Head of Corporate Affairs

Having served at The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited (Towngas, HK.0003) for over 30 years, Isaac Yeung’s experience spans ESG, company secretarial services, human resources, project investment, corporate affairs and beyond. He sits on the board of directors for multiple major gas companies with businesses across the Chinese Mainland. He is also a member of the Steering Committee of the Climate Governance Initiative HK Chapter.

My Sustainability Goals for 2023:

To elevate biodiversity risk mitigation and integrate TNFD into the risk management modeling of corporations.

Supported by

With thanks to