Navigating Climate Finance and Geopolitics: Strategies for Transition

Secretary General

Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA)

Tsun has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining HKGFA, he worked for a number of corporate finance advisory firms and a specialist bank where he was responsible for cross-border mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings, debt and equity restructurings and direct investments.  Tsun is a qualified solicitor in England & Wales (non-practising), holds a BSc. in History and Philosophy of Science from University College London and is certified by the CFA in ESG Investing.

Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association

Dr. Ma has long been committed to the promotion of sustainable development and green finance, and has been widely influential both domestically and internationally. In China, Dr. Ma serves as the Chairman of Green Finance Committee of China Society for Finance and Banking, the President of Institute of Finance and Sustainability, a member of the National Expert Committee on Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China, Director of the China Environmental Protection Foundation, and Special Advisor to the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, and a member of the Advisory Committee of the Green Belt and Road Initiative Center(BRIGC).

In Hong Kong, Dr. Ma is the Chairman and President of Hong Kong Green Finance Association, Chairman of Sprinkles Charity Foundation, member of the Hong Kong Council for Carbon Neutrality and Sustainable Development, and a member of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit Expert Group. 

Internationally, Dr. Ma served as Co-Chair of the G20 Sustainable Finance Working Group(G20 SFWG), Co-Chair of the Steering Committee of Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road(GIP), and Co-Chair of the International Platform for Sustainable Finance (IPSF) Sustainable Finance Standards Working Group, and Chairman of Capacity-building Alliance of Sustainable Investment (CASI). 

Over the past three decades, Dr. Ma has served as a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC), Chief Economist of the Research Bureau of the PBoC, Managing Director and Chief Economist of the Greater China Region of Deutsche Bank (Hong Kong), as well as in professional positions at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), among others.

Financial Secretary

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government

Mr Chan is a Certified Public Accountant. He is a former President of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Before joining the Government, Mr Chan held a number of public service positions including member of the Legislative Council and Chairman of Legal Aid Services Council.

Mr Chan served as Secretary for Development from July 2012 to January 2017. He has been Financial Secretary since 2017.

Professor of Political Science; Founding director of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World

The University of Hong Kong

Li Cheng is professor of political science and founding director of the Centre on Contemporary China and the World at the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Li’s research areas include the transformation of political leaders, the Chinese middle class, technological development in China, Sino-U.S. relations, and global governance. Li is the author and editor of 19 books, including more recently China-U.S. Relations: Converging Visions in a Shifting Global Landscape (2024), Middle Class Shanghai: Reshaping U.S.-China Engagement (2021), The Power of Ideas: The Rising Influence of Thinkers and Think Tanks in China (2017), and Chinese Politics in the Xi Jinping Era (2016). 

Prior to joining the University of Hong Kong, Li served as director and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center. Dr. Li is also a director of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a Distinguished Fellow of the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at University of Toronto, a nonresident fellow at Yale University’s Paul Tsai China Center, and a scholar-in-residence in the Asia Society Hong Kong. Li received an M.A. in Asian Studies from the University of California at Berkeley and a Ph.D. in Political Science from Princeton University.

Deputy Director-General of the Research Bureau

The People’s Bank of China (PBC)

張蓓，中國人民銀行研究局副局長，經濟學博士。專注於綠色金融、國際金融等領域的研究工作，涉及綠色金融標準、可持續信息披露、激勵約束機制等。擔任中新綠色金融工作組標準研究小組聯席主席。擔任國家自然科學基金專項課題主持人，主持或參與人民銀行多項重點課題研究並獲獎。在加入研究局之前，任金融研究所副所長。之前曾長期在人民銀行貨幣政策司工作，主要研究領域為貨幣政策框架、通貨膨脹預期、宏觀審慎政策等。

Chief Economist

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)

Berglöf sets the vision and strategy for the Economics Department and leads the planning,  implementation and supervision of its work plan in support of the Bank’s mandate. He is the  Bank’s inaugural Chief Economist. Prior to joining AIIB in September 2020, he was Director of  the Institute of Global Affairs, London School of Economics, and Chief Economist of the  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development from 2006 to 2015, where he was part  of creating and co-led the Vienna Initiative, a European crisis response team credited with  mitigating the impact of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. He is an expert in transition  economics and institutional transformation through private sector development. He holds a  PhD in Financial Economics and an MA in Business and Economics, both from the Stockholm  School of Economics. Berglöf is a national of Sweden. 

Head of Global Corporates, Hong Kong, Corporate & Institutional Banking

HSBC

Since January 2024, Doris has taken on the role of Head of Global Corporates, Hong Kong for Corporate & Institutional Banking at HSBC, overseeing corporate banking activities for Hong Kong, offshore Mainland China, and multinational clients. Previously, she served as the Regional Head of Portfolio Management, responsible for the region’s capital allocation and balance sheet management for Corporate & Institutional Banking in Asia from 2019 to 2023. She led a team of portfolio managers to look after capital allocation, back book risk and liquidity management and distribution activities.

Doris has served as a senior coverage banker in Hong Kong with over 20 years of experience, managing key relationships with Hong Kong conglomerates. Her expertise spans real estate, energy, infrastructure, telecoms, and consumer brands. During this period, she has led several core financing transactions for the bank across industrials, and HK Blue Chip Corporates, including Capital Market transactions (bonds, equities, and equity linked), project financing, structured tax financing, and syndicated loans.

She is a graduate at the University of British Columbia, Canada with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Finance.

Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)

Standard Chartered Bank

Marisa Drew was appointed Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) for Standard Chartered Bank on 1 July 2022. During her 39 year career in financial services, Marisa has held numerous leadership roles. She worked at Merrill Lynch in Investment Banking from 1992 until she joined Credit Suisse in 2003 to lead Leveraged Finance Origination and ultimately ran EMEA Investment Banking and Capital Markets. In 2017, Marisa moved into the field of sustainability as CEO of the Impact Advisory and Finance Group for Credit Suisse and ultimately served as the bank’s inaugural CSO.  Marisa currently serves on several boards and advisory panels, including as a NED of NASDAQ listed Liberty Global and AIM listed Agronomics as well as the ReOcean Fund advisory council backed by HSH Prince Albert’s Monaco Foundation.  She further serves as an advisory board member of the City of London Corporation and on the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s Sustainable Finance Advisory Panel. Marisa’s external activities also include serving on High Level Climate and Oceans panels for the World Economic Forum and the UN and a charitable UK Advisory Board role for Room-to-Read.  Amongst other previous roles, Marisa has served on the advisory boards of the Aspen Institute UK, the Milken Institute Center for Strategic Philanthropy and the FCA Markets Practitioners Panel. In 2025, Marisa was recognized CNBC as one of 50 female Changemakers who materially influenced business globally in the prior year.  In 2024, she was recognised by Time Magazine as one of top Global Climate Leaders and by Futur i/o as one of the top European CSO’s.  In 2022, Marisa was recognized by Sustainability Magazine as one of the Top 10 CSOs of a Global Corporation. She has also been recognized by the BBC as one of the Most Powerful Women in Britain and by Fortune Magazine as one of the 50 Most Powerful Women in International Business.

Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Risk Officer

Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited

Mr XU is Deputy Chief Executive and Chief Risk Officer of Bank of China (Hong Kong) Limited (“BOCHK”), and also Non-Executive Director of BOC Life. He also serves as Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Green Finance Association. Mr XU was Chairman of Bank of China (Europe) S.A. and General Manager of BOC Luxembourg Branch. Mr XU joined BOC in 1993, then held management positions in various institutions including Head Office, Liaoning Branch, New York Branch as Deputy General Manager, Hungary Branch as General Manager, etc. Mr XU has a Bachelor’s Degree in International Finance from Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

As the lead executive for sustainability at BOCHK, Mr. Xu spearheads measurable progress across the Bank’s sustainability strategy and governance, product innovation, risk management and infrastructure development. He positions the Bank as strategic transition partner for clients, deploying financial expertise to accelerate clients’ low-carbon transition journeys. Under his leadership, BOCHK’s sustainability performance has gained international recognition, receiving consecutive ESG and climate awards from leading institutions including Financial Times and Euromoney.

Mr. Xu also serves as Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association, where he is instrumental in developing industry standards, driving market innovation and fostering regional collaboration to advance the green finance ecosystem in Hong Kong.

Product Innovation & Solutions Working Group Co-chair, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA);

Senior Director, Asia Pacific, International Capital Market Association (ICMA)

Ricco Zhang is Senior Director, Asia Pacific of the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) based in Hong Kong. Mr. Zhang is responsible for ICMA’s development in Greater China and works very closely with regulators, financial institutions and other organizations who are active at the capital markets in the region to promote and maintain the best market practice. He has previously worked for international law firms, investment banks and other financial institutions engaged in capital market transactions and mergers & acquisitions in Asia and has extensive experience as a market practitioner. Mr. Zhang graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong.

Managing Director, Head of Climate Change Asia Pacific, Global Sustainability, HSBC

Justin Wu is the Head of Climate Change Asia Pacific at HSBC, where he oversees the development, evolution and implementation of the Group’s climate ambition across the region. He is the senior expert and ambassador for HSBC on climate change in the Asian context, leading on engagement with the bank’s clients, regulators and other stakeholders across the region. 

Previously, Justin was the Head of Asia-Pacific for BloombergNEF, a research group within Bloomberg LP covering climate change and the energy transition. He is a recognized thought leader on decarbonization and sustainability in Asia, and has worked with governments, finance, energy and technology companies on their business strategies in a net-zero world. He has over 20 years of professional experience building businesses and managing large and diverse teams across the region. Justin holds a MS in Politics from the University of London and a BS in International Politics and Economics from Georgetown University. 

Managing Director – Global Sustainable Finance

Moody’s Ratings

Rahul Ghosh is a Managing Director and Global Head of Sustainable Finance for Moody’s Ratings. In this role, Rahul is responsible for Moody’s Ratings’ strategy to systematically and transparently incorporate material environmental, social, and governance factors into credit ratings, analytics, research and outreach. He also leads analytical teams that produce assessments on the credentials of sustainable debt instruments and financing frameworks (second party opinions) and the strength of entities’ carbon transition plans (net zero assessments).

Rahul regularly takes part in high-profile industry working groups, market briefings, external conferences and media engagements. He represents Moody’s as a member of the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, a market-led initiative to develop a risk management and disclosure framework for nature-related risks. He also represents Moody’s on the Principles for Responsible Investment’s advisory committee on credit ratings and the International Capital Market Association’s Green and Social Bond Principles advisory council. He has presented on the impact of climate change on global credit markets at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, and on sustainable finance trends at the International Finance Corporation’s Global Debt Mobilization Conference.

Before his current position, Rahul held several roles driving thought leadership on sustainable finance across Moody’s. He also previously worked in Moody’s Credit Strategy & Research team where he was responsible for global emerging market thought leadership. Prior to joining Moody’s in 2013, Rahul was the Head of Asia at BMI Research (Fitch Solutions) in Singapore, leading a team of macroeconomists and industry specialists in analyzing sovereign risk, sector performance and capital markets.

Rahul is the executive sponsor of Moody’s UK Multicultural Business Resource Group. He holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Edinburgh and the Sustainable Investing Certificate from the CFA Society of the UK.

Head of Sustainable Finance, Asia Pacific

Société Générale

Tessa Dann is Head of Sustainable Finance for Asia Pacific at Société Générale. She leads origination and execution of sustainable banking activities in the region, supporting clients in their transition and endeavours to deliver positive impact. In early 2025, Tessa was awarded Best Sustainable Finance Banker for Australia and New Zealand by FinanceAsia.

Tessa has more than 10 years of deep cross-sector experience in sustainable finance as well as debt capital markets, investor relations and funding management. Prior to Société Générale, Tessa was a Director of Sustainable Finance at ANZ Institutional Bank and previously worked in Funding and Investor Relations at Queensland Treasury Corporation, including establishing their green bond program.

Tessa is also an active contributor to the region’s sustainable finance community, supporting the development and improvement of market standards by being part of several initiatives and industry groups. This currently includes forums such as the APLMA’s Green and Sustainable Loan Committee and ASIFMA sustainable finance working groups.

Real Estate Working Group Co-chair, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA);

Fellow and Director, Climate Change, Urban Sustainability and Smart City, East Asia, Arup

Dr. Bruce Chong is a Fellow and Director of Arup, leading the Climate, Urban Sustainability and Smart City services in this region. He has established a centre of excellence for climate modelling, making resilience quantifiable and actionable for organisations to plan for future climate resilience. Bruce has supported international organisations such as the World Bank, IFC, ADB, AIIB, APEC and EMF on climate adaptation, sustainable infrastructure and circular economy initiatives. Bruce is a Cambridge Overseas Scholar and Research Fellow at the Sydney University. He recently launched the Asia Corporate Coalition for Climate Resilience (A4CR), advising influential businesses in the region on strategies to address climate change impacts and future-proof assets and operations. Bruce is an overseas scholar at the University of Cambridge, Bruce is a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers(ICE), the Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET), the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), and the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE), as well as committee members of various organisations including co-chairperson of Real Estate Working Group in the HKGFA, Committee Member of ESG Group of the Financial Service Development Council (FSDC), Director of the Hong Kong Green Building Council (HKGBC), Working Group Member on Engineering & Climate Change of the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO), Council Member of Appointment Advisory Board of the HK International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC). His book Smart Green Resilient was published in 2016 by Hong Kong University Press, and his upcoming title, Tackling Climate Hazards in Coastal Urban Areas of Est and Southeast Asia: Connecting Climate Science, Engineering and Finance, will be released in late 2025.

Real Estate Working Group Co-chair, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA); 

Chairman and Executive Director, Allied Sustainability and Environmental Consultants Group Limited

Grace is the Chairman and Executive Director of Allied Sustainability and Environmental Consultants Group Limited as well as the Chief Sustainability Strategist of AEC Capital. She is currently the Chairman of the HKSAR Environmental Campaign Committee, member of the Advisory Council on the Environment and the Energy Advisory Committee, and serves on the board and/or committees of various public and professional bodies, including HKIQEP, HKGBC, GRESB, USGBC, IWBI and CRREM. She is a Board Director of the World Green Building Council and currently the Co-Chair of Real Estate Working Group of HKGFA. Grace also is the recipient of various local and international awards, including HKMA Sustainability Leader of the Year 2021, APEC Bio-Circular-Green Award 2023, WorldGBC Asia Pacific Leadership in Green Building Awards 2024 – Women in Green Building Leadership. 

Grace has been involved in many green building and sustainable design projects in Hong Kong, China and across Asia-Pacific, acquiring vast professional experiences and regional insights. With a background in environmental engineering, she is a keen advocate for regenerative sustainability. Driven by a vision to shape a sustainable future for all, Grace facilitates collaboration through her work with environmental, building and construction, and finance sectors to build climate resilience and accelerate net-zero transition. With AEC Group’s expanding operations in Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Dubai, Grace is utilizing her experiences in bridging finance and sustainability through her extensive network to create impact at scale and drive transformative change.

Business for Nature Specialist

ADM Capital Foundation

Audrey is Business for Nature Specialist at ADM Capital Foundation. Her work focuses on the intersection of nature and finance, specifically elevating nature considerations within the finance community and providing tools and resources to help the finance sector to integrate nature and biodiversity into their operations. She works closely with the sector to understand the current status and challenges of nature integration and implementing solutions such as the TNFD. Before joining ADMCF, Audrey led the impact assessment function at venture capital fund Loyal VC, which funds start-ups with positive environmental and social impacts. Audrey holds an MBA from INSEAD and dual BA degrees from American University and is a certified anti money laundering specialist (CAMS).

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)/ Biodiversity Workstream Co-chair, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA);

Head of Sustainable Development, Swire Properties Limited;

Member to the TNFD

Mr. Patrick Ho is an experienced professional who has dedicated over 20 years of his career to the field of corporate sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), and environmental management. Throughout his career, he has held various roles in corporate settings, consultancies, and environmental organizations. 

At Swire Properties, Patrick is responsible for formulating and executing a corporate sustainability strategy for Swire Properties’ global operations across Hong Kong, Chinese Mainland and U.S.A. portfolios. Through engaging stakeholders, setting targets and developing action plans, he leads a team to manage the full spectrum of the Company’s environmental, social and economic impact and to integrate ESG considerations into every facet of Swire Properties’ business.  

In his role, Patrick works with senior leaders to establish the 1.5°C Science-Based Targets (SBT) for the Company to align with the pathway of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, and to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. He also worked on developing the Green Finance Framework for Swire Properties’ first US$500 million green bond and HK$500 million sustainability-linked loan, responding to emerging areas of sustainability such as Climate & Nature-related Financial Disclosures aligned with IFRS S2 & TNFD, embodied carbon emissions analysis for new development projects, and a strategic assessment of the climate-related physical and transition risks and opportunities under various future climate scenarios. In addition, he leads the team for the curation and execution of bespoke sustainability-focused tenant engagement programmes, such as the Green Performance Pledge, Green Kitchen Initiative & Green Retail Partnership, as well as supply chain ESG assessment & engagement programmes.

Patrick also led Swire Properties maintains its top listings on several global and regional sustainability indices and ratings, including the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (ranked 1st globally in 2024), Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB, Global Sector Leader in Mixed Use Developments for 8th consecutive year), and Hang Seng Corporate Sustainability Index (No. 1 in Hong Kong for 7th consecutive year).  

Patrick is a Chartered Environmentalist, a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) and a Certified Carbon Auditor Professional. He sits on the Board of Business Environment Council, Corporate Advisory Board of World Green Building Council, and the Built Environment Pathway Board of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). He is also a Member to the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Expert Advisory Group for Building Sector, and a Steering Committee Member of Climate Change Business Forum of the Business Environment Council.

Deputy Secretary General

Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA)

Jenny serves as the Deputy Secretary General of Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA), where she leads strategic multi-stakeholder engagement across its diverse membership of over 160 institutional firms, encompassing the private and public sectors, regulators and government entities. 

Her efforts are focused on advancing Hong Kong’s position as a leading sustainable financial and green tech center. Jenny contributes to the capacity building, data analytics and transition planning workstreams of the Centre for Green and Sustainable Finance under Hong Kong’s Cross Agency Steering Group (CASG), as well as initiatives with the UN-led Financial Centres for Sustainability (FC4S), and as co-convenor for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Additionally, she serves on the advisory panel for Hong Kong’s Green and Sustainable Fintech Proof-of-Concept Funding Support Scheme, and the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Industry panel for Hong Kong Green Fintech Map.

Following a two-decade career in investment banking, Jenny transitioned her expertise into sustainability, driven by a desire to create positive impact. She co-founded Development Finance Asia, a platform which provides innovative financial solutions to the Global South, and worked as a consultant, responsible for managing Mercer’s Fortune 500 Multinational clients based in Hong Kong, prior to joining HKGFA. Jenny is a life-long learner, dedicated to fostering a sustainable ecosystem, that integrates finance, technology, nature and biodiversity. She holds certifications from the CFA Institute in Climate Risk, Valuation and Investing, CFA Sustainability Investing, and MIT Sloan Management in Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy.

Jenny’s professional background includes regional roles at Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and JPMorgan, where she specialized in equity derivatives and prime brokerage, assisting alternative asset managers in scaling their business, raising capital and accessing financing. She has lived in London, New York, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)

Mr Hui has been Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury since 2020. He serves on the boards of Mass Transit Railway Corporation Limited, Hong Kong Airport Authority and also as the Chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation.

He was an Administrative Officer in the Government from 1999 to 2003 and served in the Economic Development Branch, the Office of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in Beijing and the Home Affairs Department. After leaving the Government, Mr Hui spent 13 years at the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, having been the Managing Director for Market Development and Head of Project Management and also in various senior roles in Listing and Market Development. He worked for a number of multi-national companies in the private sector as well. He was appointed the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council from 2019 to 2020.

Mr Hui previously held a number of public roles including Councillor of the City University of Hong Kong, Member of the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority Process Review Panel, Hong Kong Stock Exchange Listing Review Committee and also Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants Disciplinary Panel.

Mr Hui holds Bachelor and Master (Hon) Degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, and Master of Business Administration Degree from INSEAD. He also attended the Stanford Executive Programme (SEP).

Executive Vice President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA);

Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Capital Markets APAC, BNP Paribas

As Head of Sustainable Capital Markets Asia Pacific, Chaoni leads BNP Paribas’ sustainable finance solutions across asset classes for corporates, financial institutions and investors. Leading a growing Sustainable Capital Markets team and working with Global Markets, Capital Markets Group and coverage teams in Asia Pacific and the Bank’s global sustainable finance community, Chaoni drives BNP Paribas’ continued expansion and leadership in Asian sustainable capital markets.

Chaoni is an industry veteran with over 15 years of experience in sustainable finance having held various ESG- related roles at Natixis, S&P Trucost, MSCI and the United Nations. In addition to her role at BNP Paribas, Chaoni is also highly involved in the forwarding Asia’s ESG agenda through driving the development of sustainable finance ecosystems, education and advocacy in the region. She is Executive Vice President of the Hong Kong Green Finance Association and was a guest researcher at both the Green Finance Center at Tsinghua University and the China Economy and Sustainable Development Centre at the Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business. Chaoni was awarded the ‘Best Sustainable Finance Banker in HKSAR’ by FinanceAsia in 2023 and ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ in the 2024 Women in Finance Asia Awards.

Chaoni received her Bachelor of Economics from the University of Warwick.

APAC Head of Sustainable and Transition Solutions

BlackRock

Emily Woodland is BlackRock’s APAC Head of Sustainable and Transition Solutions (“STS”).

STS is BlackRock’s central sustainability function that leads our firmwide sustainability and transition strategy, drives cross-functional change, supports client engagements, improves product ideation, and embeds sustainability expertise across the firm.

Emily previously served as the Head of Sustainable Investment for Global Public Markets at AMP Capital, and prior to that as Investment Advisor for Asia Debt Management’s private credit
sustainable investment programs in South East Asia.

Her subject matter expertise in sustainability is grounded in over 16 years of APAC investment management experience with UBS, across asset classes and investment styles. She began her career in equity and convertible bond trading for UBS Investment Bank, then served as a portfolio manager with the firm’s Fundamental Investment Group, and later as a portfolio manager in the long/short multi-strategy hedge fund team within UBS Asset Management.

Emily holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Financial & Business Economics from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, a Masters Degree in Corporate Environmental Governance from the University of Hong Kong, and is a CFA Charter holder.

Executive Managing Director, Head of Global Markets

China CITIC Bank International

Mr. Li Chao currently serves as Executive Managing Director, Head of Global Markets at China CITIC Bank International, responsible for macro trading including FX, interest rate, options; corporate/financial institution/retail client sales; credit sales and trading; debt capital markets (DCM); and securities services including custody and bond trustee services.

Mr. Li brings nearly 20 years of investment banking experience, including over a decade in management positions, and extensive international expertise spanning across Hong Kong, Singapore, the United States, etc. Prior to joining China CITIC Bank International, Mr. Li served as Managing Director at Standard Chartered Bank (Hong Kong) Limited overseeing bond syndicate operations across the Asia-Pacific region. Earlier in his career, he worked in the Global Markets Department of The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) in Singapore. Mr. Li has studied in Electrical Engineering Department of National University of Singapore as well as Management Science and Engineering Department of Stanford University in the United State.

Senior Advisor and Head of Asia Pacific

Ritesh Thakkar has 20 years of experience in financial services, development finance, management consulting and advancing public-private partnerships in the Asia and Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) region. In his role at Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI), he worked extensively with governments, central banks, private sector and multi-lateral development banks towards advancing SDGs and Green finance policy development to foster enabling ecosystems towards a net-zero transition. Ritesh was part of the core team for the Asia Asset Management practice at McKinsey & Co. He has served clients across a variety of key topics including Market entry, Growth strategy, Digital and Distribution strategy. He has also worked with ING Investment Management and ICICI Prudential Asset Management building Institutional Partnerships with Central Banks, Pension Funds, SWFs, Life Insurance Companies and Banks in the Asia region to deliver tailored ESG integrated Investment management solutions and was a founder of an NGO in India which provided a platform to the youth to serve the under privileged section of the society. Ritesh holds a Masters of Business Administration from Asian Institute of Management and completed a Sustainable Finance course from University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Chief Executive Officer, Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFi) 

Katy Yung is the Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Finance Initiative (SFi), a global platform created by and for Asia Pacific-focused private investors and changemakers, who believe in mobilising private capital for positive impact. SFi advises, guides and collaborates with impact driven family offices, asset owners, private investors, and financial services professionals to best position their capital for profit and purpose. 

Prior to founding SFi, Katy was Director of Investment at HK-based family office RS Group, where she led their transition from a traditional investment portfolio to one that was 100% sustainably invested. In this role, she was actively involved in designing and implementing impact and climate change strategies across asset classes.

She started her career in investment banking at J.P. Morgan Securities (Asia Pacific) Limited, where she focused on capital raising and M&A transactions across a diverse range of sectors.

Katy graduated from Duke University, NC with a Bachelor degree in Economics, Comparative Area Studies. 

CEO

Climate Bonds Initiative

Sean Kidney is CEO of the Climate Bonds Initiative, an international NGO working to mobilize global capital for climate action.  He oversees green bond development programs on six continents; green taxonomy development by governments ranging from the European Commission to Thailand & Colombia; and policy development for capital mobilization. Sean is also a Professor in Practice at SOAS University of London and an expert advisor to governments around the world. In 2024 Sean joined the GF60 International Expert Advisory Group for Shanghai Green Finance Hub Policy Research.

Deputy Director – Sustainability, Hang Lung Properties

John Haffner is Deputy Director – Sustainability, Hang Lung Properties, where he is responsible for formulating the Group-wide sustainability strategy and driving its execution. John is also Co-Chair of the ULI Asia-Pacific Net Zero Council. He has more than two decades of experience in cleantech, infrastructure and sustainability in Asia and North America, and is proficient in Mandarin. John was a World Fellow at Yale University, and has more than 20 publications on various topics including the environment, energy and international affairs.

Head of Sustainability

Jardine Matheson

Nadira is responsible for sustainability at Jardine Matheson, a diversified Asia-focused investment group. She has extensive experience as a researcher, consultant and a sustainability lead working across a wide variety of industries to drive systemic change for a more sustainable future. Nadira holds a doctoral degree in Asian and International Studies and a Master of Social Science in Development Studies during which her research focused on the role of the business sector in building international sustainability norms, institutions and global governance.

Director, Green & Sustainable Hub – Asia Pacific

Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking

Xing has significant experience as a sustainability practitioner, having focused on sustainable finance advisory, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) reporting, carbon management, climate and corporate sustainability strategies in her previous roles. Prior to joining Natixis, she had been providing sustainable consultancy services to clients in Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China since 2013. She started her career as a researcher in Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with a focus on the life cycle assessment approach and product-level carbon accounting. Xing has a Master of Science in Environmental Measurement and Assessment from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden.

Senior Director,

Head of APAC Research, Ratings and Opinions

Sustainable Fitch

Nneka Chike-Obi is Senior Director, Head of APAC Research, Ratings and Opinions at Sustainable Fitch, overseeing bond, framework and entity-level evaluations (Ratings) and cross-sector thematic analysis (Research) for the region.

Before joining Fitch in 2020, Nneka worked in emerging markets’ impact investing and private equity at Acorus Capital in Hong Kong and AgDevCo in London, focusing on the natural resources and industrial sectors in sub-Saharan Africa. She previously worked as a commodities analyst at ICAP and Barclays Capital.

Nneka has an M.Sc. from The London School of Economics and a B.A. from Stanford University.

In February 2024, Nneka was appointed member of the International Capital Market Association’s (ICMA’s) 2023-2024 Advisory Council of the Principles Executive Committee.

Vice President, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (HKGFA);

Founder, Ben McQuhae & Co

CURRENT PROFESSIONAL STATUS

• Founder, Ben McQuhae & Co (www.bmcquhae.com), a Hong Kong-based corporate and commercial law firm for sustainability and innovation that has been described as the only true ESG law firm on the planet and Winner of the INSEAD Business as a Force for Good Award 2021. Ben is an industry leading corporate and commercial lawyer, a recognized leader in sustainable finance and green fintech, and a pioneer in carbon markets and decarbonization 
• Qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales (1999) and Hong Kong (2003)

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

• Co-Founder, Executive Committee Member and Special Advisor to the Chairman, Hong Kong Green Finance Association (www.hkgreenfinance.org)
• Hong Kong representative, United Nations network of international Financial Centres for Sustainability (www.fc4s.org)
• Lead, APFF/SFDN Carbon Markets Workstream to develop policy recommendations for APEC finance ministers
• Member, Hong Kong Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) Working Group on Carbon Market Opportunities
• Advisory Panel Member and contributor, BIS Innovation Hub & Hong Kong Monetary Authority “Project Genesis”, A vision for technology-driven green finance
• Advisory Panel Member, BIS Innovation Hub & Hong Kong Monetary Authority “Project Genesis 2”, mitigation outcome securities
• Project Coordinator, The Greater Bay Area Green Finance Alliance
• Founder, Angel Attorneys
• Board member, The Alliance for Sustainable Schools
• Founder and Co-chair, Hong Kong Green Finance Task Force (2017-2018)

PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS

• 2018 – 2021: Founding Partner, GPS McQuhae LLP, Hong Kong 
• 2010 – 2018: Partner, Jones Day, Hong Kong
• 2004 – 2010: Partner, Fulbright & Jaworski LLP, Hong Kong (now part of Norton Rose Fulbright)
• 2000 – 2004: Denton Wilde Sapte, London and from 2001 Hong Kong (now Dentons)

PROFESSIONAL HONOURS & DISTINCTIONS

• Winner of the INSEAD Business as a Force for Good Award 2021
• Chambers Asia — ranked Band 1 (2012-2018)
• Legal 500 – leading individual (2009-2018)
• Who’s Who Legal: Expert (2012-2018)
• IFLR1000 — leading lawyer 
• Expert Guides — The World’s Leading Lawyers — leading practitioner (2011-2018)

EDUCATION

• Postgraduate Diploma in Legal Practice – The College of Law, England
• LLB Hons – Exeter University, England

ESG Director, Alibaba Group

Ms. Cerin Yip is currently the ESG Director of Alibaba Group. She previously served as the senior
legal counsel. Before joining Alibaba, she worked at international law firms, specializing in corporate
finance transactions, investments, listing compliance and general corporate matters.
Ms. Yip is a qualified solicitor in Hong Kong and was admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales.
She is The European Federation of Financial Analysts Societies Certified ESG Analyst.

Head of ADB Ventures

Asian Development Bank (ADB)

Jussi Ahonen is Principal Investment Specialist at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and leads ADB Ventures. With over 15 years of experience in private equity and growth investing, he specializes in emerging markets across Africa and Asia. Before joining ADB, Jussi founded and led the digital sector investment team at Finnfund, a development financier focused on sustainable investments. Earlier in his career, he advised on corporate finance at EY and held key roles in investment banking, with a focus on emerging markets. He holds a Master’s in Finance from Durham University and a Bachelor’s in International Business.

Managing Director, Sustainability Strategy

Bank of China (Hong Kong)

Dr. Kang Qu is Managing Director of Sustainability Strategy Bank of China (Hong Kong). He also holds the role of Deputy General Manager in Economics & Strategic Planning Department of the bank and Hong Kong Financial Research Institute of Bank of China since 2022.

Dr. Qu joined Bank of China in London in 2006 to head the research and strategic planning team, overseeing macro-economic research of the EMEA region and leading strategy planning and implementation for Bank of China’s business in the UK.

Dr Qu also represents the bank in different international sustainability organizations.  Dr. Qu is vice president of Hong Kong Green Finance Association and a Member of Directors of the China International Finance Society and a member of the Data Working Group led by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority.

He participated in Shanghai’s “14th Five-Year Plan” International Financial Center Development Research Project, actively promoting synergy between Shanghai and Hong Kong in financial center development.

He has published over 50 papers in international journals, focusing on global banking, economic finance, and the positioning and functional expansion of Hong Kong as an international green finance center.

Dr. Qu earned his PhD in Finance from University of Durham in the UK. He also received a MSc degree from London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), and a BSc degree in Computer Science and Technology from University of Science and Technology of China (USTC).

Group CEO

BlueOnion

Elsa, founder and CEO of BlueOnion, leads an award-winning sustainability analytics platform dedicated to uncovering greenwashing practices while fostering responsible capitalism and investing across the global financial ecosystem.

Elsa is a seasoned finance industry veteran specializing in sustainable, responsible, and impact investing. She is a passionate advocate for investor protection and is committed to driving transformative change within the finance community. As the Group CEO and founder of BlueOnion, Elsa shines a spotlight on the stewardship practices of asset managers, insurers, pension providers, and public companies, advancing transparency and accountability.

Through BlueOnion, Elsa’s mission is to motivate financial service providers to embrace ethical practices that tackle critical global challenges, including climate change and social injustice. Her vision empowers investors to achieve optimal returns while upholding the highest standards of integrity and responsibility.

Before founding BlueOnion, Elsa owned and operated Benchmark, a renowned publication with a 25-year legacy. Under the Benchmark brand, she led Wealth and Asset Management Awards Programs, industry forums, and quality studies—initiatives that have become pivotal in advancing best practices for the financial sector’s buy and sell sides.

Elsa earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Florida International University and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Florida.