Sustainability & Innovation Summit and Awards Ceremony 2026

Sohail joined the DBT China team as Sector Director and Minister Counsellor in September 2021 before moving into the role of Deputy HM Trade Commissioner for China in July 2023. Sector accountabilities in his role include Education, Creative Industries, the Sports economy, Consumer & Retail, Food & Drink, Agriculture and Agritech and Life Sciences & Healthcare.

Prior to joining DBT Sohail had a highly successful career in the Private Sector where he held Executive and Board roles in the Retail sector and specialised in the development and expansion of British Retail brands across a global footprint.

Sohail held the role of CEO of the Global Franchise Business for Hamleys of London, the world’s oldest and most famous Toy business, between 2019 and 2021.

Before Hamleys, Sohail worked for Mothercare PLC, a leading global Retailer of Mother to be and Baby products, in a variety of roles including as MD of their International Business and was a Board Member of their JV in China.

Sohail travelled extensively during his Private Sector career visiting over 50 countries on business trips including being a frequent visitor to China.

• Former Board Member of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• Deputy Director, Sustainability Committee of China Society of Management Science
• Distinguished Research Fellow of the Oliver Hart Research Center of Contracts and Governance (OHCG), East China University of Science and Technology
• Author of 《Sustainable Business Strategy and Practice》
• CEO Coach and Corporate Coach

Dr Lu is a pioneer of sustainable business strategy and a well-respected industry thought leader, with profound and systematic practical expertise and theoretical methodologies, he is the founder of the System of Sustainable Business Strategic Thinking and Methodologies.

Dr Lu has performed in senior executive roles for more than 20 years in a variety of industry sectors and multi-national companies, such as currently President General Affairs of Greater China of EssilorLuxottica, former China President of The Weir Group, Partner of Brunswick Group, Executive Vice President of Singapore RGE Group (China) and Chief Representative, Chairman of RGE subsidiary Asia Symbol Paper & Pulp Ltd, Vice President of RGE Subsidiary Sateri Group Ltd., Acting President China of BHP Billiton Group.

In his roles of leading China operations in the above companies, Dr Lu has integrated corporate social responsibility and sustainability into the companies’ strategies and day-to-day operations realising social impact and environmental benefit alongside financial value, helping the companies achieve business growth, operational excellence, talent development as well as social trust.

Dr. Lu is a Professor and Doctoral Advisor at the University of Management and Technology, USA, a Guest Professor of Hong Kong University, Zhejiang University, Eastern China University of Politics and Laws, and Shenzhen International Institute of Philanthropy Management. He is the author of and ; Chief of Shanghai ESG Standard Drafting Working Group.

Dr. Jinan Shao is an Associate Professor at Nottingham University Business School China. He graduated from Zhejiang University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research interests include sustainable operations and supply chain management, digital transformation, and supply chain finance. He has published papers in Journal of Business Ethics, International Journal of Operations and Production Management, and International Journal of Production Economics. He acts as the principal investigator or co-investigator for multiple National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) projects.

Feng Yunting is an Associate Professor at the Glorious Sun School of Business and Management, Donghua University, and holds a Ph.D. from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Her main research interests include green supply chain management and sustainable supply chain management. She has published more than 20 high-quality academic papers. She has also conducted visiting research at the University of Wuppertal in Germany and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

She currently serves as an Early Career Editorial Board Member of International Journal of Operations & Production Management, a leading journal in the field of operations management. She also serves as a reviewer for several international academic journals, including Journal of Operations Management, Journal of Supply Chain Management, International Journal of Production Economics, and Transportation Research Part E. She has participated in research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, including a Key Program project, as well as a National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) project. In addition, she has provided green supply chain management consulting services to several companies in the tire industry.

Amber Yang is a Principal Consultant at ERM, based in Shanghai, with over 15 years of experience in ESG, environmental and social advisory, and investment-related support.

She specialises in supporting Chinese companies in their overseas expansion, advising on ESG risk assessment, impact evaluation, due diligence, supply chain management, and alignment with international standards such as IFC Performance Standards and evolving regulatory requirements in Europe and other markets.

Her experience spans complex cross-border projects in sectors including EV supply chain, energy, chemicals and manufacturing sectors, where she supports clients in assessing environmental and social exposures, strengthening risk management approaches, and navigating increasingly stringent sustainability expectations.

Chester is a senior corporate banker with over 20 years of experience in Mainland China and International Markets. He is currently heading the Sustainable Finance and Transition business in Corporate and Institutional Banking at HSBC China, supporting the international banking needs of transition ecosystems and the transition journey for HSBC clients. He has a strong track record in supporting Chinese clients with project finance in the US, UK, EU, ASEAN and Mainland China, coordinating IPO, corporate bond, and syndicated loan transactions in Hong Kong, as well as delivering bilateral loan and trade finance solutions in Mainland China.

Prior to his current position, Chester held various roles within the HSBC Group, the most recent of which included Head of Corporate in Jiangsu and Anhui Provinces, Head of Corporate and Branch Manager in Shenzhen, and Head of China Desk at HSBC USA.

Fiona Devine is Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Professor of Sociology at The University of Manchester. She was previously Head of Sociology (2004-7), Head of the School of Social Sciences (2009-13) and Head of Alliance Manchester Business School (2013-23) at the University which she first joined in 1994. Prior to Manchester she worked at the University of Liverpool, the Policy Studies Institute, and the former Department of Employment in London. She studied Sociology and Government as an undergraduate at the University of Essex where she also completed an MA and PhD.

Fiona’s research interests are in the related fields of social stratification and mobility (with a comparative focus including the US), work and employment, and politics and participation. Much of her research has been funded by grants from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Leverhulme Trust. With a team of colleagues, she was involved in the BBC’s Great British Class Survey, an online survey completed by over 300,000 thousand people, and a class calculator completed by 9 million people. The results appeared in the book, Social Class in the 21st Century, published by Penguin in 2015.

Fiona was a member of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and Chair of its International Advisory Committee (2003-7), a member of the Governing Council of the European Science Foundation (ESF) and the UK representative on the New Opportunities for Research Funding Co-operation Agency in Europe (NORFACE) Network Board. She has held visiting positions at the Department of Sociology, University at Chicago, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and the Institute for Social Science Research, University of Queensland, and was a member of the Research Evaluation Committee for Education and Human Society for Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA).

Fiona was a member of the Assembly of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (2015-2023). She was a Chair of the North West Citizen’s Panels for the Bank of England (2018-2023). She was awarded an OBE in 2010 and a CBE in 2019 for services to social sciences, elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences (FAcSS) in 2011 and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce (FRSA) in 2014. Fiona is a companion of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Arthur Burnand is the Chief Operating Officer of Swire Properties in the Chinese Mainland. Arthur is responsible for delivering new projects under the HK$100 billion investment plan, driving integration across all business units, and executing the corporate strategy in the Chinese Mainland. Arthur will be taking on a new role as General Manager, HKRI Taikoo Hui overseeing the development and related placemaking strategies as the company continues its endeavor to develop the Nanjing West Road area into a global retail hub.

With a distinguished career spanning over 30 years, Mr. Yang has established himself as a highly accomplished professional in the global 500 companies and industry-leading organizations in China. He possesses extensive expertise in Commercial Applications and M&A transactions within the Environmental Technology, Energy Conservation, and Water Recycling Technology sectors.

During his tenure as a delegation member at THYSSEKRUPP Germany, Mr. Yang played a vital role in numerous business negotiations for market entry in China. As the Managing Director of CWG AG China, he successfully introduced German advanced environmental technology to the Chinese market through strategic partnerships with renowned multinational groups such as Volkswagen, MercedesBenz, General Motors, Fiat, and Clariant Chemicals. His impressive client portfolio encompasses diverse industries including hospitality, food processing, medicine, and machinery manufacturing.

Mr. Yang is a passionate advocate for green initiatives and sustainability. He actively engages in activities related to climate change, low-carbon development, CCS&CCUS technology, legislation influence, risk assessment, and best practice implementation through his active participation with TEEC. In recognition of his expertise, he was invited to deliver a keynote speech on low-carbon development at the esteemed Shanghai Pujiang Forum in 2022.

• 2007 Invested in and founded Unisoure, marking his entry into the environmental protection industry; the company was
successfully listed on NASDAQ six years later.
• 2009 Pioneered the world’s first FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification program dedicated to bamboo forests in
China.
• 2012 Recognized as China Business Innovation Top 50 – Business Model Innovator.
• 2016 Honored as Asian Entrepreneur of the Year.
• 2017 Founded G-COVE Group, focusing on sustainable materials and green intelligent manufacturing.
• 2018–2023 The company was consecutively recognized as a Unicorn Enterprise, High-Tech Enterprise, and Key Enterprise of
Changning District, Shanghai, among other major industry distinctions.
• 2024-2025 Awarded by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia as“ Pioneer in Environmental Entrepreneurship ”and recipient of
multiple major honors including the Malaysia Sustainable Development and ESG Contribution Award, recognition as a key
entrepreneur contributing to Malaysia-China Cooperation in the Belt and Road Initiative, appointment as Investment
Ambassador of Chengdu, Sichuan Province, titles of Green World Ambassador, China ESG Pioneer, the 2025 Dual-Carbon Pioneer
Figure, and the 2025 BrandLaureate Global Best Brand Award.

GHG Report Auditor | Sustainable Supply Chain Specialist (ISCEA) | Circular Economy Expert With 1B+ RMB managed, he decodes decarbonization into operational strategies. Lecturer at EU universities, blending theory with billion-scale impact.

Walter has over 20 years of experience in supply chain management and international trade in international and local companies/institutions. He is currently responsible for the strategic development and overall operations of Sedex in Asia, working with multi-stakeholders from upstream and downstream companies in the supply chain, industry associations, governments and UN agencies to raise awareness, capacity and performance of companies in the supply chain dimension. He also serves as a guest lecturer on supply chain sustainability and ESG in relevant universities and academic institutions to promote education and dissemination of responsible business.

Libin Song is a Senior Market Advisor at Enterprise Ireland, the Irish government organisation responsible for supporting the development and global growth of Irish enterprises. Based in our Shanghai office, she works with Irish companies to start, grow, innovate, and succeed in the Chinese market. In her role, Libin advises Irish startups and multinational corporations across a range of sectors, specifically green-tech sector, including leading Irish companies in solar technologies and offshore wind.

Prior to joining Enterprise Ireland, Libin built a strong background in venture capital. She served as Investment Director at Tai Partners, where she focused on deep-tech investments. She was also Head of China and Investment Associate at PureTerra Ventures, a venture capital firm dedicated to investing in disruptive water technologies with positive social and environmental impact.
Libin holds a Master’s degree in Economics from Fudan University and is an alumna of the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS).

Ms. Heidi Berg is leading the work at the Danish Confederation of Industries China office related to ESG and sustainability services for Danish member companies and local partners. She has worked with projects related to sustainability and ESG over the last fifteen years, both in Europe, Africa, South Asia, and China. Her experience includes investment projects in renewable energy and sustainable agriculture, financial inclusion, textile industry and low emission real estate.

Ms. Ni Huan is currently the Founding Director of Shanghai Green Light-Year Environmental Service Center, the Chinese expert member of IUCN CEC, and the Director of the ESG Development Promotion Center of Shanghai Pudong New Energy Association. In the past 20 years, she has been working with DFID-aid project, UNDP China, the World Bank Group IFC China Energy Efficiency Financing project and the FCO “Global Prosperity Fund” project (two Sino British green financial policy research projects), UNEP FI and WWF Lake Tai Green Finance project.

Since 2014, as the first civil user of CIGS thin film solar plant in Chinese Mainland, she has actively promoted community and household composting, Waste sorting and the use of new energy in families in the community, so as to drive community residents and school students to practice a green and low-carbon lifestyle.

Marcia Chen graduated from Imperial College London with a Master’s degree in Strategic Marketing. She has worked at DiDi Chuxing and Google China, serving as a senior marketing consultant and overseas marketing account manager.

In 2020, Marcia Chen co-founded China’s first cross-enterprise women’s development and DEI platform—Women Alliance Group (WAG). The platform has gathered notable global companies like Google, McKinsey, Intel, GE, DiDi, Tencent, Amazon Web Services, Tiffany, Nike, Eaton, Sanofi, Kering Group, and Carrier, covering over 250,000 employees, making it China’s largest cross-enterprise platform for women’s development and DEI. The platform aims to promote the development of DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in China.

Previously, with the mission to support more lives to flourish, she introduced Google’s global DEI project #IamRemarkable to China, building it from the ground up. In three years, the workshops have reached over 5,000 participants from more than 50 companies, training over 100 local instructors. During the promotion of #IamRemarkable, she was inspired to establish the Women’s Alliance to gather more strength to support the growth of professional women in China, officially co-founding WAG in 2020.

She has traveled to over 50 countries, and has a deep interest in and practices traditional culture, aesthetics, and mindfulness. In the future, she hopes to integrate Eastern and Western philosophies to find a way to empower personal growth and a diverse and inclusive culture in China, leading businesses towards goodness and achieving sustainable human development.

Jason Dong, currently the head of sustainability businesses at Rockwell Automation China, has 20 years of experience as a solution leader in the field of green and sustainability, and has participated in the formulation and review of many landmark team goals. Focus on safety, energy efficiency and carbon reduction, and intelligent transformation from processes to equipment systems; have led the onsite surveys of more than 100 industrial customers across the country. Through overall optimization consulting services and end-to-end digital solutions, it aims to help customers avoid risks, continue to achieve quality improvement, efficiency improvement, energy conservation and cost reduction, and achieve green sustainable development goals and high-quality development by opening up sources and reducing expenditures.

Helen Fu is a distinguished authority in ESG and sustainable development, with a career defined by over two decades of regional sustainability leadership within Fortune 500 MNCs. As a pioneering force in China’s green transition, she possesses an unparalleled depth of expertise in integrating high-level ESG frameworks with complex industrial operations across the value chain. Her track record includes spearheading transformative, cross-border initiatives that bridge corporate business with environmental and social stewardship, covering critical domains from Climate Strategy and Circular Economy to Sustainable Supply Chain Resilience.

In 2021, Helen founded the Yangtze Institute of Green Finance. Under her visionary leadership, the institute has become a pivotal hub for ESG innovation, providing mission-critical consulting and research services. By fostering a collaborative ecosystem, she empowers enterprises to transcend traditional business models and embrace sustainable value creation.

A prolific author and architect of ESG knowledge frameworks, Helen has been instrumental in shaping professional discourse. She served as the Editor-in-Chief and Co-author of two seminal works: “ESG Theory and Practice ”and “ ESG One Hour for Managing Corporate Sustainability Challenges”. Both publications have received numerous professional accolades and have been curated by the libraries of top-tier universities, serving as essential academic and practical benchmarks in the field.

Beyond her executive roles, Helen is a highly sought-after voice in the regional sustainability discourse. As the Co-Curator of Greenext Expo and a recurring keynote speaker at premier industry forums, she actively shapes the narrative of China’s ESG evolution. Her influence extends to the regulatory and systemic level, where she serves as an expert judge and lead contributor to ESG standards development, distilling her vast experience into benchmarks for the next generation of business leaders. Helen also play the role of editor and co-author role for the

Her exceptional contributions have earned her the industry’s highest accolades, notably the “2025 ESG Outstanding Individual Award” by Global Electronics Association/ IPC China and the “China Business Innovation Leader – Sustainability Thought Leader” by Vogue Business.

A multidisciplinary thought leader, Helen also reaches a wider audience through her “Evo-Green” podcast and her dedicated column, Helen Insights, where she continues to share her view of sustainable business innovation.

Mr. Zhang serves as the General Manager of the Strategy Center at Ganfeng Lithium Group, where he is responsible for the Group’s mid- to long-term strategic planning, major domestic and cross-border investment and financing projects, global business expansion, and ESG management.

He possesses extensive expertise across a full spectrum of capital market instruments, including equity investments, domestic and international M&A, convertible bonds, structured financing, and financial asset management. His project experience spans the entire lithium battery value chain, covering upstream mining, battery materials, battery manufacturing, energy storage systems, and a wide range of downstream application scenarios. His investment footprint is global, including China, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Africa, and Southeast Asia, with cumulative investment and financing exceeding USD 2 billion.

In addition to his investment expertise, Mr. Zhang has substantial experience in corporate strategy and management. He leads the development and implementation of group-level strategies, industry policy and competitive landscape analysis, portfolio management, market entry strategies, and the establishment of global strategic partnerships.
Mr. Zhang is a member of the Investment Committee of Ganfeng Lithium Group and serves as an investment committee member or board director in several funds and companies.
He also brings strong experience in strategic business development and partnership building, having driven collaboration with global clients, suppliers, and stakeholders. He maintains long-term engagement with domestic and international government authorities, with in-depth understanding of policy analysis, risk assessment, regulatory compliance, and government relations.

In the area of ESG, Mr. Zhang is primarily responsible for integrating ESG considerations into corporate strategy. He leads the development of the Group’s ESG strategy, the establishment of ESG target systems, and the design of performance evaluation frameworks.

Madge is a seasoned HR leader with global reach and local depth, active in transforming business through people. Over 20+ years of HR experience in renowned FMCG, dairy and large-scale retail industries in China. Madge received her B.A. degree at Central China Normal University, and then post graduate diploma in Organization and Human Resources Management at the University of Hong Kong. She obtained Coaching Certificate from Results Coaching System in 2010. She is a deep believer of the potential of people pursuing to help others grow and thrive in and outside of her work. She volunteers herself as a trainer in a non-profit organization Career Intelligence (Live to Give) for 15+ years and has provided her service to 6500+ college students.

Juliette Chen is the Director of Corporate Responsibility at IHG Hotels & Resorts Greater China, where she leads the planning and execution of environmental and community strategies across the region.

In the environmental space, she oversees decarbonisation initiatives as well as water and waste reduction programmes. On the community side, she manages key NGO partnerships and drives hotel engagement to amplify community impact through initiatives that support local communities, including volunteering, skills training, and disaster response.

Prior to joining IHG, Juliette worked as an ESG Project Manager at Accenture and PwC Consulting, where she led sustainability projects across a range of industries.

She holds a Master’s degree in Finance from Brandeis University.

Ms. Danying Chen currently serves as the ESG Director at Envision Energy, where she is responsible for the Group’s ESG strategy and management system development. She has led the establishment of the company’s ESG governance framework and spearheaded the advancement of key material topics, including climate change, labor and human rights, and the circular economy. Under her leadership, the company has achieved significant milestones, including EcoVadis Gold rating and CDP A rating, as well as its operational carbon neutrality and RE100 commitments.

Prior to joining Envision Energy, Ms. Chen worked in the field of corporate sustainability consulting, focusing on areas such as zero waste to landfill, sustainable water management, and green chemicals. Earlier in her career, she served as the Asia-Pacific Head of Environment and Sustainability at a Fortune 500 multinational corporation.

Mr. Lipeng Liu is Co-Founder of Grin, a premium natural oral care brand from New Zealand dedicated to children’s oral health under the philosophy of “prevention over treatment.” As the driving force behind the brand in Greater China, he leads Grin’s brand development, product innovation, public-welfare programs, and government & enterprise partnerships, embedding “business as a force for good” and sustainability throughout the company’s operations.

Under his leadership, Grin has earned the Red Dot Design Award, B Corp certification, and the Auckland Business Excellence Award, among other honors at home and abroad, appearing at the China International Import Expo for several consecutive years and featured by authoritative media including People’s Daily and Xinhua News Agency. He has long championed Grin’s “Share a Grin” children’s oral-care initiative, partnering with the Zhejiang Smile Tomorrow Charity Foundation, New Zealand’s diplomatic institutions in China, and medical and community partners to bring oral-health education and sustainability to more Chinese families and children—continuing to create social value through design and public good.

Carol Zhang is the Head of China Domestic Supply Chain at Edrington, a leading premium spirits company. With over 13 years of experience in the whisky industry, she has played a key role in building a supply chain that upholds the craftsmanship, quality, and prestige associated with Edrington’s renowned portfolio.

In addition to her core role, Carol serves as the APAC Sustainability Lead, embedding carbon reduction and circular economy principles into the regional supply chain strategy. Her work ensures that Edrington’s prestige positioning is supported not only by operational excellence but also by long-term environmental responsibility.

Koko Tang is the Founder of Colorful Earth. She serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and leads Global Impact Measurement at the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA). Her work focuses on developing sustainability standards, impact measurement methodologies, data governance, and assurance frameworks for the hospitality and tourism sectors.

Ms. Tong’an Wang holds a degree from Imperial College London and currently serves as a ESG Manager at Shenzhen Senior Technology Material Co., Ltd., holding the CFA ESG certificate. She oversees the group’s ESG strategy and execution, leads external ESG rating enhancements and green financing projects, and has established a comprehensive internal ESG management framework.
In response to the EU Battery Regulation, she guides teams in engaging value chain partners and strengthening supply chain sustainability and global compliance. She advances the company’s ESG development across key areas including disclosure, risk management, carbon target setting and internal governance, and energy management. Through these efforts, the company’s mainstream ESG ratings have recorded consistent and steady gains, reinforcing its green transition and brand value creation across the global new energy supply chain.