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ULI Asia Pacific Summit ULI Asia Pacific Summit
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Regent Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R. 26-29 May 2025
Roundtable Leader

Ms. Gie Garcia

Co-Managing Director & Chief Sustainability Officer NEO

Ms. Gie Garcia is a leader in green building practices and sustainability. As Co-Managing Director and Chief Sustainability Officer at NEO, she brings her expertise in value engineering, due diligence, and regulatory compliance to spearhead innovative projects that drive environmental stewardship. Under her leadership, NEO has achieved significant recognition, including 5-star BERDE certifications across its entire portfolio from the Philippine Green Building Council (PHILGBC). The company made history as the first globally to receive the Portfolio IFC EDGE Zero Carbon certification, demonstrating its commitment to reducing carbon emissions. In 2023, NEO became the first publicly verified portfolio under the International Finance Corporation’s Building Resilience Index, earning an A+ resilience rating and three stars from GRESB for excellence in ESG reporting. Additionally, NEO secured the WELL Health-Safety and WELL Equity Ratings, becoming the first office portfolio in Southeast Asia to achieve these standards. These achievements underscore Ms. Garcia’s focus on creating sustainable, healthy, and adaptable environments. Ms. Garcia’s leadership and impact have earned her numerous awards, including recognition as one of Tatler Philippines' 18 Front and Female honorees and the Women in Green Building Award for advancing sustainable practices. Beyond her work at NEO, she actively contributes to the community as a member of the Board of Directors of the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines and as Chairperson of its Infrastructure Committee. She is also Co-Chair for Sustainable Development at the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, advocating for sustainable policies across sectors. Through her visionary leadership, Ms. Garcia is helping shape the future of sustainable development and paving the way for transformative change in the industry.

Speaking at

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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”

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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: Henry Woon – Director, Singapore, Atelier Ten

Panellist(s):

  • Jocelyn Zhu, Director, Sustainable Finance, OCBC
  • Michael Long, Director & Head of Sustainability, Hong Kong Land 

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 - Lizette McNeill, Managing Partner, IXO
  4. Collaborative Asset Management Strategies for Scalable, Sustainable Retrofits - Tisha Law, Head of Asia Pacific Asset Management and ESG, Schroders Capital

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: Ada Choi, Head of research, Asia Pacific, CBRE

Panellist(s):

  • Patrick Ho - Head of Sustainable Development, Swire Properties

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

This session is brought to you by:

12:25 – 12:30 Wrap up

Four days of inspiration, thought leadership, and connections

Regent Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong S.A.R.

26-29 May 2025

Register for the Summit

Shape the future of the built environment at ULI Asia Pacific Summit, 26-29 May 2025, in Hong Kong.