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Roundtable Leader

Ms. Esther An

Chief Sustainability Officer City Developments Limited

A pioneering green building and sustainability advocate for over two decades, Esther has been instrumental in establishing CDL’s leadership in sustainability. It is ranked top real estate company on the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World since 2020. It became the first real estate conglomerate in Southeast Asia to sign the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings in February 2021. Named by Reuters as one of 25 trailblazing women leaders in climate 2023, Esther’s pioneering ESG initiatives include publishing the first sustainability report in Singapore in 2008 and issuing the first green bond by a Singaporean company in 2017. The chairperson of the Sustainability Report Advisory Committee in Singapore, she also sits on board the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Supervisory Board, GRESB Foundation Board, and UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee. She chairs the World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board; the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association’s ESG Committee; and co-chairs the Urban Land Institute Singapore’s Sustainability Product Council. A forerunner in embracing the UN SDGs, Esther was conferred 2018 SDG Pioneer for Green Infrastructure and A Low Carbon Economy by the UN Global Compact. A G20 Empower Advocate in 2022, Esther recognises that youth engagement and female empowerment is crucial for sustainable development. She founded the Women4Green network in 2017 and the Youth4Climate initiative in 2018.

Speaking at

Sold Out
Tue 27 May 9:00 AM — 12:30 PM (GMT+08:00) Beijing, Chongqing, Hong Kong, Urumqi Regent Hong Kong, Maple+Cypress+Pine, lobby lvl

Sustainability Forum – “We Are Stronger Together” – SOLD OUT

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Climate challenges are reshaping real estate fundamentals across Asia Pacific from asset operations to investment risk management. While individual organizations are making progress, true resilience requires unprecedented collaboration across the industry ecosystem. This highly interactive forum brings together diverse stakeholders - from developers and investors to suppliers, utilities, and occupiers - to forge the partnerships needed for systemic transformation. Through expert insights and facilitated discussions, discover how cross-sector collaboration can create new opportunities for value creation.

Join industry leaders to:

  • Explore successful partnership models driving sustainability transition
  • Connect with potential collaborators across the value chain
  • Shape practical solutions to shared challenges

Emcee: Melody Song, Senior Development & Operations Manager, SK DnD

9:00 – 9:10 Welcome

9:10 – 9:30 Opening Keynote

A veteran global real estate investor turned energy innovator, challenges our industry's traditional approach to sustainability. Moving beyond conventional supplier-customer dynamics, discover how deeper collaboration between real estate and energy sectors can unlock breakthrough solutions for decarbonization. Learn why Asia Pacific's rapid urbanization creates a unique opportunity to pioneer new partnership models that could transform how we develop, operate, and value sustainable real estate.

Moderator: Lisette van Doorn, Chief Executive Officer, ULI Europe

Keynote Speaker: Simon Treacy, Executive Chairman, Polar Blue

9:30 – 10:10 Panel: Breaking Silos Through Value Chain Collaboration

The real estate industry's decarbonization journey requires unprecedented collaboration across sectors. This session showcases how partnerships between real estate, materials suppliers, utilities, and financing are creating systemic change. Industry pioneers share how they've aligned diverse stakeholders to accelerate decarbonization progress.

Moderator: Paul Bennett, Founder, Experium

Panellist(s):

  • Jocelyn Zhu, Director, Sustainable Finance, OCBC
  • Michael Long, Director & Head of Sustainability, Hong Kong Land
  • Henry Woon, Director - Environmental, Buildings + Cities, SJ Group

10:10 – 10:50 Roundtables #1 – Value Chain Collaboration Opportunities

Connect in small groups to focus on a specific area of collaboration opportunity. Identify common barriers and explore how different stakeholders can tweak their process to accelerate change. Table hosts will provide a discussion framework to help the table navigate through the complex reality and uncover opportunities for breakthrough.

  1. Scaling Decarbonization Through Cross-Sector Innovation Platforms - Giovanni Cossu, Head of Sustainability, Capitaland Development
  2. Building Collaborative Ecosystems for Integrated Urban and Transport Infrastructure Decarbonization - Silvija Smits, Director Design & Planning, Transport for NSW
  3. Managing Decarbonization Risks Across the Construction Value Chain: Collaborative Strategies for Scalable Impact - Vimal Karpe, Managing Partner, Structures, IXO
  4. Collaborative Asset Management Strategies for Scalable, Sustainable Retrofits - Tisha Law, Head of Asia Pacific Asset Management and ESG, Schroders Capital
  5. Value Chain Collaboration for Embodied Carbon Management - Ping Sze Ko, Building Division Environmental Lead, Gammon Construction
  6. Early Integration: Aligning Sustainability Goals in the Design Process - Henry Woon, Director - Environmental, Buildings + Cities, SJ Group
  7. Innovative Financial Products: Creating Incentives for Sustainability - Jocelyn Zhu, Director, Sustainable Finance, OCBC

10:50 – 11:05 Coffee Break

11:05 – 11:45 Panel: Joining Forces Through Tenant-Landlord Partnerships

This session explores how innovative partnership models are helping both parties achieve their sustainability goals while creating mutual value. From green leases and data sharing to joint commitments in upgrading assets and processes, discover how leading organizations are transforming traditional landlord-tenant relationships into dynamic sustainability partnerships. Learn how this evolution aligns with the growing demand for adaptable and healthy workspaces that support both environmental and human wellbeing objectives.

Moderator: Jenny Zhang, Director of Sustainability, ULI Asia Pacific

Panellist(s):

  • Patrick Ho - Head of Sustainable Development, Swire Properties
  • Ada Choi, Head of Research, Asia Pacific, CBRE
  • Gie Garcia, Co-Managing Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, NEO

11:45 – 12:25 Roundtables #2 – Tenant collaboration opportunities

Leverage the collective expertise in the room through focused peer discussions on asset-specific partnership strategies — from traditional commercial and living sectors to new economy assets and urban regeneration projects. Table hosts will facilitate a discussion of high-impact interventions, creating a practical roadmap for sustainable transformation.

  1. Nature Sets the Pace for the Global Race to Zero - Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Ltd
  2. Gamifying Energy and Carbon Data Through Benchmarking - John Haffner, Deputy Director - Sustainability, Hang Lung Properties
  3. Integrating Health, Safety, and Resilience into Tenant-Centric Sustainability Strategies - Gie Garcia, Co-Managing Director and Chief Sustainability Officer, NEO
  4. Aligning Tenant Incentives with Landlord Sustainability Goals: Unlocking Value Through Collaborative Investments - Woody Chan, Senior Manager - Sustainability, Link Asset Management Limited
  5. Revitalization and Regenerative Solutions for Sustainable CBDs in Tropical Climates - Stefano Tronci, Associate Principal / Asia Pacific Sustainability Lead, SOM
  6. Overcoming Barriers to Sustainable Retrofitting in Commercial Real Estate - Andrew MacPherson, Executive Director, Head of Asset Development, Asia Pacific, JLL
  7. Strategic Focus: Identifying and Executing High-Impact Initiatives - Michael Long, Director & Head of Sustainability, Hong Kong Land

This session is brought to you by:

12:25 – 12:30 Wrap up