Opening Keynotes

H.S.H. Prince Maximilian von und zu Liechtenstein, Member of the House of Liechtenstein; Mr Jim Coulter, Founding Partner and Executive Chairman of TPG; and Dr Robin Zeng, Founder, Chairman and General Manager of Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL); delivered their opening keynotes and touched on incorporating different aspects of sustainability into everyday business practices. They acknowledged that while there has been a definitive shift towards prioritising sustainability among both private and public sectors, there is still room to grow to ensure that actionable and effective solutions are being realised.

Planetary Boundaries, Climate Research, Policy and Standard Settings

In the “Planetary Boundaries, Climate Research, Policy and Standard Settings” session, Prof Johan Rockström, Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, delivered a presentation, followed by a panel discussion between Mr Hiro Mizuno, Founder and CEO of Good Steward Partners, LLC; Mr Jingdong Hua, Vice-Chair of the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB); Mr Scott Vaughan, International Chief Advisor at the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED); H.E. Mr Vuk Jeremić, Former President of the United Nations General Assembly; moderated by Prof Christine Loh, Chief Development Strategist at the Institute for the Environment of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Speakers covered the urgent need to transition from CO2-centric models to a more holistic approach that encompasses all nine critical planetary boundaries and went into detail about the need for leaders in Asia to take bold steps and contribute effectively to global efforts in stabilising planetary boundaries. They covered the current landscape of climate and nature solutions, providing a deep dive into what is necessary to ensure resilience, equity, and prosperity for humanity, and the evolving landscape of climate action criteria and benchmarks, exploring the vital nexus between verification standards, policy framework and regulatory environment.

Future of Sustainable Finance

In the “Future of Sustainable Finance” session, Ms Christine Kung, Senior Director, Head of International Affairs and Sustainable Finance, Securities and Futures Commission; Ms Daphne Wat, Deputy Chief Executive of China Construction Bank (Asia) Corporation Limited; Mr John Lee, Vice Chairman and Co-Head of Asia Country Coverage Global Banking at UBS Investment Bank; Dr Mark Konyn, Group Chief Investment Officer of AIA; and Ms Tomomi Shimada, Lead Sustainable Investing Strategist for Asia Pacific and Executive Director at J. P. Morgan Asset Management; engaged in a panel discussion, moderated by Mr Arthur Yuen, Deputy Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

Speakers covered how the landscape of financial services is now experiencing a dynamic evolution, converging sustainability and ground-breaking technologies of AI, blockchain, IoT, and sensor technologies which can considerably scale up sustainable finance, alongside enhancing accessibility, impact, and reach. By empowering and showcasing innovators’ skills, talent, and capability in addressing global climate and nature challenges, the speakers delved into the intersections of technology and sustainable finance and the investments needed to support the next generation of climate and nature unicorns, focusing particularly on impact multiplier solutions.

Future of Sustainable Technology

In the “Future of Sustainable Technology” session, Mr Paul Loo, Chief Operating Officer of Lalamove, moderated a panel discussion between Prof Arunava Majumdar, Dean of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability; Dr Brian Gu, Vice Chairman and President of XPENG; Mr Jingwen Tao, Board Member and Chairman of the Corporate Sustainable Development Committee of Huawei; and Prof Nancy Y. Ip, President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Speakers covered how businesses can navigate the intersection of technology and sustainability to address pressing global challenges. They covered how Hong Kong, as a global financial and technological hub, can work to address climate and nature crises through impact investing and how industries can proactively foster a more equitable, sustainable future.

Insights on Transformative Leadership

Mr Chavalit Frederick Tsao, Chairman of the IMC Pan Asia Alliance Group and Founder of OCTAVE Institute, joined Prof Poman Lo, Founder of the Institute of Sustainability and Technology, to share their insights on how family offices and C-suite executives should take the lead role in driving sustainable development while rethinking legacy planning.

Reflections on China, ASEAN and Middle East

In the “Reflections on China, ASEAN and Middle East” session in the afternoon, Mr Siddharth Chatterjee, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China, delivered a keynote address, followed by a panel discussion between Mr Eric Lim, Managing Director and the Chief Sustainability Officer of United Overseas Bank Limited; Prof Freddy Boey, President of the City University of Hong Kong; Mr Gregor Paterson-Jones, Former CIO of the National Infrastructure Fund; Prof Justin Yifu Lin, Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics of Peking University; and Prof Tony Chan, President of the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST); moderated by Mr Joe Ngai, Chairman of McKinsey & Company in Greater China.

The speakers covered recent developments in renewable energy in Asia and the Middle East and how countries in these regions are poised to contribute to sustainable climate solutions, whilst addressing rapid industrialisation and urbanisation that have placed immense pressure on its natural resources and ecosystems. Collaboration in various sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure development, and technology innovation can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes including the socio-economic impacts that can contribute to the broader goals of sustainable development and common prosperity and help address burning questions about sustainable transformation.

Urban Development & Infrastructure

Ms Christina Gaw, Managing Principal, Global Head of Capital Markets and Co-Chair of Alternative Investments at Gaw Capital Partners, delivered her keynote speech during the “Urban Development and Infrastructure” session, before a panel discussion between Ms Deepali Khanna, Vice President – Asia at The Rockefeller Foundation; Ms Gill Meller, Legal and Governance Director of the MTR Corporation Limited; Mr Khan Yow, Managing Director of Seraya Partners; Mr Rahul Chaudhary, Executive Director of the Chaudhary Group; and Ms Vanessa Cheung, Group Managing Director of Nan Fung Development Limited; moderated by Ir Andrew Young, Associate Director (Innovation) at Sino Group.

The speakers highlighted how cities in Asia can and do play a crucial role in the net-zero transition by shaping energy infrastructure and adopting alternative fuels. Cities can forge pathways to mitigate climate threats to their infrastructure provided they are supported by local regulations, planning for energy resilience and sustainability, investment in research and development, and philanthropic-public-private partnerships in the region. We must look to increasing funding for adaptation, mitigation, and development in emerging markets and developing economies without exacerbating their debt burden.

Water, Food and Agriculture for a Sustainable Future

In the “Water, Food and Agriculture for a Sustainable Future” session, Prof Yi Cui, Director of Sustainability Accelerator of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, delivered a keynote speech, followed by a panel discussion between Mr Dominic O’Neill, Executive Director of the UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF); Mr Kristian Teleki, Chief Executive Officer of Flora & Fauna; Ms Lesly Goh, Bellagio Resident at the Rockefeller Foundation; and Mr Marco Lambertini, Former International General Director and Special Envoy at WWF International;, moderated by Prof Benjamin Cashore, Li Ka Shing Professor in Public Management and Director of the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) of the National University of Singapore.

Speakers in this session covered the critical role of water, food, and the agriculture sector in achieving global sustainability. As water and sanitation, food insecurity, and biodiversity loss remain pressing issues worldwide, this session tackled innovative and sustainable practices in water management, agriculture, and food production to aid in sustainable farming and reducing environment impact while ensuring food security.

Presentation on Dynamic Balance

Ms. Chen Man, Chinese Photographer, Visual Artist, Painter and Filmmaker, delivered a presentation on dynamic balance.

Powering Green Transition

In the “Powering Green Transition” session, the audience heard insights from Dr Manar Al Moneef, Chief Investment Officer of NEOM, and Ms Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director ofat the World Economic Forum, during their fireside chat. This was followed by a panel discussion between Ms Angel Chia, Executive Director for the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy; Mr Justin Wu, Co-Head of Climate Change Asia Pacific of at HSBC; Mr Lio Chen, Vice President, Operations, at Regal Hotels International; Ms Nan Li Collins, Former Director of Sustainable Investments and Innovation of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS); and Prof Yi Cui, Director of Sustainability Accelerator at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability, moderated by Mr Luis Alvarado, the Head of Giving to Amplify Earth Action (GAEA) of the World Economic Forum.

The speakers spoke at length about how Asia’s Emerging Markets and Developing Economies can play a pivotal role on global climate and nature action by leveraging green infrastructure to drive urban transformation and economic prosperity. However, multilateral development bank project financing, and development finance are insufficient to drive this at scale. With an estimated USD 3-5 trillion required annually to drive the net-zero, nature positive transition, it is critical to mobilise and drive meaningful collaboration and targeted investment across the entire finance ecosystem including governments, corporates, philanthropies, family offices and impact investors to design safe, affordable and resilient cities.

Energy Transition and New Materials

In the “Energy Transition and New Materials” session, Dr Michaela Kendall, Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Adelan; Mr Musaab Al-Mulla Vice President, Energy and Economic Insights, Saudi Aramco; Mr Peter Wong, Managing Director of The Hong Kong and China Gas Company Limited; Mr Rob Genieser, Managing Partner of ETF Partner; and Mr TK Chiang, Chief Executive Officer of CLP Holdings Limited; spoke in a panel discussion, moderated by Mr Leo Horn-Phathanothai, Founder of the Asia Just Transition Missions Hub.

They explored feasible ways to leverage aggregated philanthropic capital to send a joint signal for market transformation in the energy sector, removing market obstacles and mobilising commitment from first-mover companies to shift their business practices more rapidly. Speakers highlighted in detail the urgent need to accelerate the transition to an energy system that is secure, sustainable, and equitable, ultimately enabling positive economic and social development.

Circular Economy, Materials, and Industrial Decarbonisation

Mr Kian Wee Seah, Chief Executive Officer of UOB Venture Management Pte Limited, delivered the keynote speech in the “Circular Economy, Materials, and Industrial Decarbonisation” session, followed by a panel discussion between Ms Alice Ho, Chief Youth Officer, Global Alliance of Universities on Climate; Mr Chandran Nair, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT); Prof Charles Ng, Vice-President of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Guangzhou; Ar Clarence Leung, Chairperson-to-be of the CIC Committee on Environment and General Manager (Project Management) of Wheelock Properties (Hong Kong) Limited; and Mr Mark Cheng, Founder and Managing Partner of the Social Innovation Circle; moderated by Dr Dimitrios Tsivrikos, Associate Professor at University College London.

Speakers analysed whether a standardised approach could help industrial clusters reach their full economic, employment, and environmental potential. How can we work to establish a global green network of industry clusters that includes emerging markets and philanthropists would also support broader efforts on just transition and material efficiency? There is indeed high potential to accelerate the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate industrial sectors through regional cooperation, while maximising job creation and economic competitiveness through Industrial Clusters which speakers explored in detail.

Leadership, Strategy, and Action towards Net Zero

The “Leadership, Strategy, and Action towards Net Zero” session kicked off with a keynote speech delivered by Ms Alpha Lau, Director-General of Investment Promotion at InvestHK, followed by a panel discussion between Ms Amy Fong, ESG Committee Head at FountainVest; Ms Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer at City Development; Mr John Haffner, Deputy Director of Sustainability for Hang Lung Properties Limited; and Mr Mark Harper, Group Head of Sustainability of Swire Group; moderated by Ms Catherine Zhu, Global Head of Sustainability Practice at Egon Zehnder.

Speakers took a deep dive into sustainable strategies and the evolving role of leadership in sustainability. They delved into how roles, like that of a business’s Chief Sustainability Officer, are pivot in shaping corporate strategies, driving change, and embedding sustainability into the core of business operations and how they are working to tackle the challenges faced when aligning sustainability with business goals. The role of impact investing in driving sustainable initiatives, strategies for achieving climate solutions and a pathway to net zero, and the interplay between agriculture, food sustainability, and environmental impact were also highlighted.

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