SESSION 1 SPEAKERS

Mr. Simon Ng is Director – Policy & Research of Business Environment Council (“BEC”). He is responsible for BEC’s policy advocacy, thought leadership development, and collaborative research on environmental issues such as climate change and decarbonisation, circular economy, clean energy, sustainable mobility, air pollution and sustainable living environment. Trained as a geographer, Mr Ng is known for his ground-breaking work on ship emissions inventory and control in Hong Kong and the Pearl River Delta, and his instrumental role in the Fair Winds Charter – a joint-initiative with the shipping industry to switch to low sulphur fuel. One of Mr Ng’s most recent works is the BEC Low Carbon Charter, which mobilises businesses in Hong Kong to set and achieve carbon reduction targets aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. 

Mr. Ken O’Flaherty was appointed the UK government’s COP26 Regional Ambassador to Asia-Pacific and South Asia in March 2020. Previously Ken was the Deputy Head of Mission in Rome from August 2015 until October 2019. A career diplomat, he has experience in a number of Foreign Office departments, as well as overseas roles in Paris, Tokyo and the UK Representation to the European Union. Ken has worked on a wide range of issues including climate change and energy, EU cooperation, security, counter-terrorism and migration issues. Ken studied Italian and French at Cardiff University, and was an ERASMUS student at Parma University.

Mr. Richard Lancaster is Chief Executive Officer of CLP Holdings, the parent company of the CLP Group which is one of the largest investor operators in the electricity industry throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to assuming his current role in September 2013, he was Managing Director of CLP’s operations in Hong Kong, responsible for its electricity generation, transmission and distribution business serving 2.5 million customers in Hong Kong. Besides serving in various subsidiary companies of the CLP Group as Director, Mr. Lancaster is the Chairman of Business Environment Council and a founding member of the Advisory Council of The Australian Chamber of Commerce Hong Kong & Macau. He is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Management Association and a council member of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and a member of its Climate and Energy Cluster Board. He is also chairman of the Hong Kong Membership Committee of the UN-accredited World Energy Council.

Prof. Qi Ye is Professor of Public Policy and Director of Institute of Public Policy at Hong Kong University Science and Technology. Prior to joining HKUST in January 2019, he was the Cheung Kong Professor of Environmental Policy and Management at Tsinghua University’s School of Public Policy and Management, and the Volkswagen Professor of Sustainability at Schwarzman College. From April 2014 to January 2019, he was Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and the Director of Brookings-Tsinghua Center for Public Policy. He was appointed as Cheung Kong Professor of Environmental Science at Beijing Normal University from 2002-2005. Before returning to China in 2003, he taught ecosystem management and climate change science at the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management at University of California, Berkeley from 1996 through 2003. Ye Qi received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science in 1994 jointly awarded by the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Syracuse University.

Mrs. Tamsin Heath has been Deputy Consul General since August 2019. She moved from The Hague where she was Senior Strategy Advisor and Head of Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement at the Dutch Development Bank, FMO. Tamsin joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 2005. She has previously served as Private Secretary to Permanent Under Secretary, Head of Yemen Team (including Charge d’Affaires Sana’a Jan 2012) and First Secretary Economic/Energy, British Embassy Riyadh. Outside the FCO, Tamsin has worked for RBS Group Economics and HM Treasury.

SESSION 2 SPEAKERS

Prof. Christine Loh, SBS, JP, OBE, Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, is Chief Development Strategist at Institute for the Environment, HKUST. She was Under Secretary for the Environment in the HKSAR Government (2012-17) and a Member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council (1992-97 and 1998-2000). She has been active in public policy and politics since the 1980s. She founded and was the CEO of the non-profit think tank, Civic Exchange (2000-12), and helped to establish several non-profit organizations in Hong Kong related to the environment, equal opportunity, arts and culture, as well as human rights. Professor Loh is currently a board member of the Robert HN Ho Family Foundation, board member of CDP Worldwide, board member of the Global Maritime Forum, board member of New Forests Pty Ltd, member of the BASF Stakeholder Advisory Council, and an Advisor to HSBC’s Climate Advisory Panel. She also teaches a course on non-market risks at Anderson School of Management, UCLA. She is a published author of many academic and popular works. Her expertise in environmental policy is well-known, including advised the World Health Organization and International Energy Agency on issues relating to air pollution and public health. She is a lawyer by training, and a commodities trader by profession. She received her legal training in England and Hong Kong, and received honorary degrees of Doctor of Law from the University of Hull and Doctor of Science from the University of Exeter.

Ms. Ronnie Tung joined HKRITA in 2019 focusing on research project design and launching partnerships with the commercial and academic sectors. Prior to this role, Ronnie was a design and creative professional who worked in multiple functions across the fashion value chain – design, manufacturing, retail and marketing, where she gained first-hand insights into the industry landscape. Ronnie also serves as an advisor to new businesses in fashion and has co-edited fashion publications with Fashionary. 

Ir Thomas Ho, JP is Chief Executive of Gammon Construction Limited possesses over 40 years of experience in construction industry. He has been dedicated to spearheading project management and general management, safety initiatives, sustainable development and innovation excellence in the construction industry. He is very active in community services and professional associations’ activities and is recognised by the industry as the figurehead in promoting excellence in construction management, as well as sustainable and quality construction. In recognition of his advanced mindset in advocating innovative and green construction initiatives, Thomas received the Outstanding Achievement Award from Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers in 2018. Thomas was the Inaugural Chairman of CITAC (Construction Innovation & Technology Application Centre) which served to develop the Centre to be the knowledge hub and to demonstrate local application.  He is currently a Town Planning Board Member & CIC Council Member.

Ir Andrew Young has over 38 years of executive experience, including Chief Commercial Officer of Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks Corporation and Director of Partnership Development for The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). He is now an Associate Director (Innovation) for Sino Group with responsibility to explore and identify innovations and technologies for application in the group and explore investment opportunities in technology ventures. He has developed professional working relationships with leading and renowned institutions and innovation nodes around the World. He is a Fellow of Hong Kong Institution of Engineers and a Chartered Professional Engineer and member of the Institutions of Engineers Australia. He is an Adjunct Professor with The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology and The University of Hong Kong, a member of Global Exposure Working Group of International Advisory Council in China of Singapore Management University, a member of Knowledge Transfer Committee, Electronics Engineering Departmental Advisory Committee and School of Energy and Environment Advisory Committee of City University of Hong Kong, a member of Advisory Committee of School of Optometry of PolyU, and serves on the Engineering Discipline Advisory Board and the Manufacturing Technology Training Board of Vocational Training Council. He also sits on various committee in leading commerce and industry associations, serving as Chairman of Hong Kong Automation Technology Council, Chairman of AI & Robotics Alliance of Hong Kong, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Startup Council, Vice Chairman of Hong Kong Medical and Healthcare Device Industries Association, etc. He is an active member within the start-up and VC community and a member of the Cyberport Investors Network.