Capital with Purpose Initiative — Scaling Innovation, Transforming Systems & Advancing Inclusive Growth

Dr. (Hon.) John Lee is Regional Network Head at the Global ESG Leadership Organization (ESGIN), where he builds cross-sector ecosystems that turn ESG commitments into action by connecting people, businesses, and society. He is also Founder of Culture4Good Consulting, coaching 60+ leaders across listed companies, family offices, SMEs, NGOs, and schools toward sustainable growth, and previously helped scale ESG advisory services across 200+ listed companies as Partner at THINK ESG. A Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors and Council Member of the Council for Inclusive Capitalism, John brings a rare blend of legal, governance, and ESG expertise to inclusive economic transformation.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

As Regional Network Head at ESGIN, John’s 2026 goal is to strengthen ESG-in-Action ecosystems that connect businesses, investors, and communities across the region, turning sustainability commitments into measurable, scalable impact. He aims to lower barriers for SMEs adopting ESG practices, expand cross-sector partnerships that bridge policy and practice, and champion inclusive capitalism through Culture4Good’s coaching work. John hopes to help translate high-level ESG frameworks into practical tools that strengthen workforce resilience and economic mobility, while growing ESGIN’s regional network as a trusted platform for collaboration between institutions, enterprises, and civil society.

Sam, currently Interim Director of Jockey Club Design Institute for Social Innovation at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, specialises in strategic systems design thinking and innovation, shared value creation, public-private partnerships, branding and business development for public and non-profit organisations. Her career spans media, public affairs, investment, marketing, Art Tech, cultural tourism planning, social innovation, and design. She previously served as Business Development and Project Director at Hong Kong Design Centre and as a news reporter at Asia Television.

As an advisor in design thinking for multiple government innovation projects, she is committed to advancing community well‑being, cultural conservation, public space, placemaking, and creative tourism. Her collaborations include Housing Bureau, Sustainable Lantau Office, Architectural Services Department, Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, Tourism Commission and more.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1. Data-Driven Governance — Embedding Community-Level Evidence into Urban Planning and Policy Decision-Making
2. Nature Base and Culture -Informed Urban-rural Integration — Integrating Cultural and Nature DNA and Community Ownership into the Northern Metropolis Development Framework
3. Regenerative Economy as a Sustainability Pillar

Mr. Rafi Cristobal is the Founder of Philanthropy for Sustainable Education Asia (PSEA), a philanthropic foundation to support Kindergarten to Grade 12 (K-12) schools to develop their capacity and capability on sustainable education and operation. He aims to explore and strengthen the partnership model with public and private sector for sustainability and climate funding for schools and children in both developed and developing countries in Asia by focusing on 4 areas:

1. Providing strategic advice to philanthropic foundations and corporations to channel fundings and support to K-12 school sector in this sustainability transformation, and cultivating an ecosystem of partners across all sectors
2. Designing, launching, and implementing philanthropic programs, grants and funds for schools in Hong Kong, The Philippines, Thailand and other Asian nations
3. Impact investing to companies and social enterprises which show track records and commitment in supporting K-12 schools in sustainable education/operation
4. Advocating for research and government policy to prioritise sustainable and climate education for schools and our next generation

Prior to Mr. Cristobal’s new venture, he has been an educator for children and youth for more than 20 years. Since 2021, he has connected with thousands of sustainability advocates and professionals, and contributed over 700 actionable initiatives to advocate for sustainable transformation in K-12 schools in Hong Kong after his appointment as the sustainability director at an international school.

In November 2024, Rafi was recognized as “Sustainability Leader of the Year” by the Hong Kong Management Association in the Hong Kong Sustainability Award 2024 for his contribution in sustainability education for children and youth.

Jack Huang is an international policy and sustainability professional with cross-sector experience spanning the United Nations system, impact investment, climate and energy transition, and youth capacity-building. He currently serves as a Project Advisor to the Social Impact Investment Foundation (SIIF), where he supports strategic partnerships, SDG-aligned programme development, and selected international initiatives related to ESG, climate finance, and impact-oriented collaboration. Jack has also worked with the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (UN OICT), the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and the UN Multi-Country Office in Micronesia, with a focus on digital transformation, sustainable development, and policy research. In addition to his advisory work, he is an adjunct lecturer, columnist, and frequent speaker at international forums on topics including SDGs, climate governance, youth leadership, and cross-sector innovation.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

In 2026, Jack Huang aims to advance practical sustainability partnerships that connect youth empowerment, impact investment, and cross-sector collaboration. His priority is to help develop more actionable SDG-related programmes, especially those that link international organizations, private-sector stakeholders, academia, and local communities. He is also committed to promoting stronger dialogue on climate finance, ESG implementation, and inclusive development, while supporting initiatives that can generate long-term social and environmental value across Asia and beyond.

Inès Gafsi is Chair and CEO of Inspiring Girls Hong Kong, a nonprofit connecting underserved girls aged 14–16 with diverse female role models to build career aspiration and confidence. Originally from France and based in Asia for over 15 years, she previously co-founded Female Entrepreneurs Worldwide, Asia’s first platform for women entrepreneurs. At Inspiring Girls Hong Kong she has raised over HKD 1.5 million annually and built over 30 corporate partnerships to impact over 6,000 girls, and now leads a new girl-led digital venture-builder initiative that channels corporate impact capital into pre-pipeline intervention for underserved girls. She speaks internationally on gender-lens impact investing, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1. Close the pre-pipeline gap, not just the pipeline. I want to see more of Hong Kong’s diversity investment move upstream to girls aged 14–16, before they’ve already narrowed what they believe is possible for themselves. The data shows the ecosystem works once it’s built deliberately (45% of senior financial services leaders in Hong Kong are now women, up 11 points since 2018) — the goal for 2026 is making sure girls from underserved and ethnic minority backgrounds are actually inside that pipeline, not just adjacent to it.

2. Corporate capital deployed as impact capital, not CSR. I hope to see more Hong Kong corporates fund girl-led innovation directly by co-designing real challenges, contributing micro-grants, and putting employees in as mentors rather than defaulting to one-off donations. A handful of partners doing this in 2026 would prove the model can scale citywide.

3. Expand reach beyond our current 25 partner schools. Inspiring Girls Hong Kong currently serves 25 underprivileged schools and over 2,500 role-model volunteers. My personal goal for 2026 is to extend that reach so that no underserved secondary school in Hong Kong is without access to a female role model network.

Meeta is currently the Chief Sustainability Officer at Helicap, a leading private credit investment firm headquartered in Singapore. With nearly 20 years of experience in asset management and private markets, Meeta has worked across both developed and emerging markets and is recognised as a thought leader in sustainable finance.

A seasoned expert in ESG and impact investments, she has a proven track record in developing and executing successful sustainable finance strategies through product innovation and strategic implementation, including impact funds and social bonds that drive capital towards creating positive measurable impact.

Her experience spans across financial institutions, development finance organisations and fintech, where she has been instrumental in developing proprietary ESG and impact frameworks that enhance transparency and accountability, bringing credibility to the deployment of impact finance.

Meeta holds a degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and is a CFA Charterholder.

Sharon Feng is the Chair of the APAC Financial Professionals Empowerment Center and co-creator of FinSmart for All, a systematic financial literacy and empowerment initiative. With over 18 years of experience in the financial sector, she specializes in wealth management, cross-border asset allocation, and sustainable finance. She has guided more than 100 families through identity planning, asset structuring, and life transitions.

Sharon is a key promoter of the United Nations Doha Solutions Platform-recognized initiative “Youth and Women Financial Literacy and Economic Empowerment Initiative”. This global program equips youth, women, and middle-aged individuals with essential financial knowledge and micro-entrepreneurship skills through an AI-driven digital platform, mentorship, simulation programs, and Community Financial Hubs.
She was also a speaker at the 2026 UN-SDGs Impact Developers Conference held at the United Nations Conference Center in Bangkok, where she presented FinSmart — highlighting how financial literacy and practical behavior-based learning can rebuild a critical missing layer of social infrastructure for teenagers, women, and those in career transition.

Sharon is a frequent speaker at international forums, including the upcoming World Futures Intelligence Forum 2026 at UNESCAP, addressing topics on women’s and youth financial literacy, ESG sustainable finance, ethical leadership, and cross-border wealth planning.

Her mission is to empower individuals with practical financial knowledge, risk awareness, and action capabilities through systematic education and professional guidance, enabling them to achieve financial independence and sustainable development.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:

1. Financial literacy for youth, women, and mid-career professionals becomes essential social infrastructure in Hong Kong.
I hope to see systematic financial education programs widely implemented, helping young people, women, and those in transition build strong money mindsets, reduce risks, and break intergenerational poverty cycles.
2. Hong Kong establishes itself as a leading Asia-Pacific hub for youth and women’s sustainable finance and talent empowerment.
I hope Hong Kong will leverage its financial strengths and Greater Bay Area resources to create cross-border platforms that empower youth and women in ESG, inclusive economy, and sustainable career development.