(in order of speakers' appearance)

Prof. Christine Loh
Prof. Christine Loh is the Chief Development Strategist at the Institute for the Environment, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). Previously, she held the positions of Special Consultant to the Office of the Chief Executive of the HKSAR Government on the ecological civilization aspects of the Greater Bay Area Outline Development Plan (2019-2020); and Under Secretary for the Environment in the HKSAR Government (2012-2017). She was the CEO of Civic Exchange, an independent non-profit public policy think tank (2000-2012). Before that, Prof. Loh served as a member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council, first appointed in 1992 and later elected in 1995 and 1998. Earlier, she spent 14 years in the private commercial sector in commodities trading. Currently, she is a Director of New Forests Pty Limited, Towngas Smart Energy Company Limited, CDP Worldwide, and Global Maritime Forum. She is also a founding Advisor to Hong Kong Green Finance Association.

Mr. Qiang Shi
Mr. Shi currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong Marine Department, where he leads the Local Vessels and Examination Division, Multi-lateral Policy Division, Port Control Division, and Shipping Division. Mr. Shi began his career onboard container ships as a deck officer. After obtaining his Master Mariner qualification, he transitioned ashore and held managerial positions with major shipping companies, focusing on crew manning and marine operations. In 2007, Mr. Shi joined the Marine Department as a government surveyor. Throughout his tenure, he has handled a diverse range of responsibilities, including port state control, flag state administration, marine legislation, seafarers training and certification, and local vessel safety, among others.

 
Mr. Martin Cresswell
Martin is a Marine Engineer who has over 40 years’ experience, operating, managing and building merchant ships. He was a Board Member of the China Navigation Company, a British Shipowner, part of the Swire Group, for 15yrs before retiring in November 2016. Martin is currently the Technical Director of the Hong Kong Shipowners Association and continues to work in shipping in various technical roles.

Ms. Pernille Dahlgaard 
Pernille Dahlgaard is an international business executive with over 25 years of leadership experience, currently serving as Chief Officer of Government, Business & Analytics at the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. Here, she leads efforts to drive sustainable shipping through strategic planning, data analysis, and regulatory work. Having lived in six countries, she has extensive international experience in maritime industry transformation and innovation. She serves on multiple boards for established companies, startups, and social corporations, while also mentoring INSEAD students and alumni as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence. In her current role, she focuses on bridging government and private sector collaboration to advance sustainable shipping solutions.

 
Mr. Jiajing Chen
CHEN Jiajing is a PhD student in the Division of Environment and Sustainability (ENVR) at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He holds a master's degree in international shipping management, also obtained in Hong Kong, and has gained substantial experience in the shipping industry across both Mainland China and Hong Kong. His research and professional interests are centered on green and sustainable shipping practices, with a particular focus on the application of big data in the shipping industry.

Mr. Billy Cheung
Billy Cheung serves as Director of Environmental & Energy Consulting and currently consults for HKUST's Shipping Decarbonization Project. With over 40 years of experience, he began his career at the Electrical & Mechanical Services Department before spending 10 years at Shell HK Co. Ltd., where he managed Oil Terminal and LPG Engineering operations. From 1997, he served in the Environmental Protection Department, focusing on various environmental initiatives including ozone protection, GHG emission control, electric vehicle promotion, and marine emissions policy. His notable work includes overseeing HKUST's Marine Vessels Emission Inventory study, supporting the Fair Winds Charter, and implementing the Marine Light Diesel Regulation.

 
Dr. Sanjay C Kuttan
Dr. Sanjay C Kuttan serves as Chief Strategy Officer at the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD). Working alongside the CEO and Chief Projects Officer, he shapes the centre's strategic vision, analyzes market trends, and develops projects addressing maritime decarbonisation challenges. Previously GCMD's Chief Technology Officer until April 2024, Dr. Kuttan had also served as Executive Director of the Singapore Maritime Institute. He holds key positions on various boards including the Chemical Standards Committee Singapore Standards Council, Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore, and MTI's Pro-Enterprise Panel. Dr. Kuttan earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the National University of Singapore.

 
Mr. Ian MacMillan
Ian MacMillan is an executive at the South Coast Air Quality Management District, overseeing air quality improvement in the greater Los Angeles region, which encompasses 162 cities and 17 million residents. The area, featuring the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, 1.5 billion square feet of warehousing, and extensive rail and highway networks, serves as America's primary Pacific trade gateway. During his 15-year tenure, MacMillan has focused on reducing air pollution from goods movement and industrial sources, which account for half of the region's smog-forming emissions. He leads initiatives to meet federal air quality standards and develops regulatory actions for warehouses, ports, airports, and rail yards.

Mr. Frank Yu
Frank Yu is Global Vice President of Envision Energy and leads Envision Hydrogen as head of Power to X business. In this role, he oversees zero carbon gas and hydrogen energy operations, working across divisions including Envision Energy, AESC, and Envision Digital to deliver solutions to customers, industry parks, and governments. Previously, Yu served as vice president of China at Air Products, where he was General Manager of Central and Eastern China and Hydrogen Energy Business. He began his career as a machinery and mechanical design engineer at a state-owned company. Yu holds a bachelor's degree in Chemical Equipment and Machinery from Nanjing Chemical University and an MBA from Maastricht School of Management through Nanjing University's International Business School. 

Mr. Prakash Chandra
Prakash Chandra is a seasoned expert in the marine industry with 34 years of experience. Currently the Director Technical at Fleet Management Limited in Hong Kong, he holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Marine Engineering from DMET India, a Diploma in LNG Shipping from the University of Portsmouth, and has completed Executive Education in Business Management at NUS Business School, Singapore. Chandra's career includes 12 years at sea, 2 years as a Marine Surveyor with ABS, and 20 years as a Vessel Manager. He specializes in the technical management of specialized fleets such as LNG, LPG, and various tankers, as well as new building supervision. Notably, he led projects on methanol-fueled vessel operations and ammonia as fuel. Actively engaged in zero-carbon shipping initiatives, Chandra collaborates with international consortiums like SABRE, RADIUS, and WAVE, and serves on the Gas Committee at Intertanko, promoting sustainability in the industry. 

Mr. Roberto Giannetta
Chairman at Hong Kong Liner Shipping Association. Industry veteran with 30 years experience advising and representing container liner interests on operational, safety, environmental, trade, and regulatory matters. Roberto is a consummate team-player with strong articulate and persuasive communication skills, broad international and multicultural experience in Asia, Europe, North and South America, multi-lingual (English, Italian, Portuguese, and conversant in Chinese and Spanish), strong leadership skills, and passionate about service relationship building. Originally from Brazil of Italian parents, educated in Europe and US, and building a career in Asia since 1986, Roberto understands the dynamics of cross-cultural business relationships, how to communicate and lead in diverse settings, and ultimately, how to "get the job done".

Ms. Alishba Zaman
Zaman is the Project Coordinator of the Maritime Just Transition Task Force representing the UN Global Compact. I studied Politics and International Relations in London graduating with First Class Honors in 2022. The focus of my dissertation for my undergraduate degree was seafarer captivity and abandonment. I completed an internship with the Sustainable Transport Team at the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) prior to joining the UNGC Ocean Stewardship Coalition.

Mr. Aalok Sharma
Aalok Sharma serves as Group Head of Training at Anglo-Eastern Ship Management, which manages over 700 vessels and employs 37,000 seafarers globally. With 15 years of sailing experience, he achieved his command in 2008 before transitioning to shore-side management in 2011. He has held several key positions within Anglo-Eastern, including Quality Assurance manager for the dry fleet, Senior QA and Training manager for the offshore fleet, and Group Director Quality Assurance. Actively involved in industry organizations, Sharma chairs the Nautical Institute Hong Kong Branch and serves on HKSOA's Marine Personnel, Education and Training sub-committee. He is also a GlobaMET member with particular interest in human potential development.

 
Prof. Alexis Lau
Prof. Alexis Lau, JP, is Head and Chair Professor of Division of Environment and Sustainability, Chair Professor of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Director of the Institute for the Environment at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. 

Prof. Lau specializes in air quality and health exposure, weather and climate, and environmental policies, with recent focuses on climate adaptation and resilience, as well as shaping the transition to green finance based on climate science. His professional techniques include the analysis of large-scale geophysical datasets, numerical models, and in-situ and satellite remote sensing.

Prof. Lau is a fellow of the Hong Kong Meteorological Society, a founding member of the Hong Kong Climate Change Forum, a scientific advisor to the Hong Kong Observatory, as well as a founding board member and chair of the Qualification Panel of the Hong Kong Institute of Qualified Environmental Professionals. Currently, Prof. Lau is leading the first pan-Pearl River Delta Air Quality study managed jointly by the regional governments under the “Cooperation Agreement on Regional Air Pollution Control and Prevention among Hong Kong, Guangdong, and Macao”. Additionally, he is a member of the Scientific Advisory Group of the World Health Organization Panel on the development of a Global Platform on Air Quality and Health.

Join us in shaping the future of sustainable maritime operations in Hong Kong!