Jo Hayes

Jo Hayes is Chief Executive Officer of Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong, part of the global housing organisation working to ensure everyone has a safe, decent, and affordable place to live. She leads the organisation’s strategy, partnerships, and impact in Hong Kong, advancing housing solutions that improve living conditions and strengthen communities.

With nearly 30 years of international experience across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, including roles with the British Council, BBC Worldwide, and The Women’s Foundation, Jo brings extensive expertise in strategy, governance, organisational leadership, and stakeholder engagement.

As CEO of Habitat for Humanity Hong Kong, Jo is a strong advocate for the role of housing as a foundation for health, economic opportunity, and social mobility. She works with community organisations, corporate partners, and policy makers to address housing vulnerability and promote housing as a critical component of sustainable and inclusive urban development.

A Hong Kong Jockey Club Chicago Booth Executive MBA Scholar, Jo brings analytical rigour, financial discipline, and systems thinking to complex social and organisational challenges. She is known for applying evidence-based decision-making to strategy, governance, and organisational growth. Originally from the UK, she has lived and worked across Asia and Europe and has been based in Hong Kong since 2013.

My Sustainability Goals for 2026:
1. Improve housing quality and living conditions for vulnerable households
Housing should be recognised as a sustainability issue, not just a social issue. I would like to see tangible progress in reducing the number of Hong Kong residents living in inadequate housing conditions and greater investment in healthy, safe, and climate resilient homes.

2. Accelerate low-carbon housing development and retrofitting
Hong Kong needs to increase the speed and scale of low-carbon construction and building upgrades. This includes reducing embodied carbon in new developments and improving the energy efficiency of existing housing stock.

3. Strengthen cross-sector collaboration to address housing attainability
No single sector can solve Hong Kong’s housing challenges alone. I would like to see stronger partnerships between government, developers, financiers, construction firms, and nonprofits to deliver affordable and sustainable housing solutions at scale.