Impact Capital for Planetary Resilience: Heat, Water, and What’s Next

Ryan holds several leadership responsibilities at Temasek Trust focused on climate and sustainability. He is the founding Head of Catalytic Capital for Climate & Health (C3H), where he manages capital deployment into early-stage companies addressing planetary and human health. He also serves as the Head of the Planet Collaborative, an initiative designed to align climate efforts across the Temasek Trust ecosystem, and oversees the organization’s Corporate Sustainability function.

His professional background integrates corporate strategy with operational execution. Ryan’s earlier career included roles in strategy consulting at Bain & Company and leading Mergers & Acquisitions at StarHub. He later transitioned into operations, serving as Chief Operating Officer for several technology startups, including the cryptographic firm D’Crypt. This combination of strategic planning and hands-on management informs his current work in scaling impact-driven initiatives.

Ryan’s leadership experience began in the military, which included a deployment to Afghanistan with the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). He remains active in the Singapore Armed Forces (Reserves) as a Senior Lieutenant-Colonel and 2nd-in-Command of an Armoured Brigade. For his service, he was awarded a NATO medal and Singapore’s National Day Commendation Medal (Military).

His academic credentials include an Executive MBA from UCLA Anderson and the National University of Singapore, where he was Valedictorian and a John Wooden Global Leadership Fellow. He also holds a B.A. from Dartmouth College (summa cum laude with High Honours) and an M.A. from Columbia University.

Ryan is a board member of Equatic, a US-based carbon removal technology company.

In his personal time, he is an avid endurance athlete, having completed several IRONMAN 70.3 races and 2024 IRONMAN Cairns. He is now pursuing a personal best at the marathon distance.

Nimesh leads Imagine H2O Asia and the Water Innovation Pilot Fund. Since 2015, he has mentored portfolio companies, launched Imagine H2O’s Asia-Pacific hub, and built the organization’s catalytic capital facility supported by philanthropic and public sector partners. Before Imagine H2O, he advised governments on economic integration at Nathan Associates and held strategy and operational roles with Danone’s sustainability team and WaterHealth Ghana. He also serves on the advisory board of Burnt Island Ventures and consults for the Asian Development Bank on water technology adoption. Nimesh holds an MBA from Wharton, an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA from Johns Hopkins University.