Rundown & Register

Mr. Bernard Chan, a graduate of Pomona College in California.  He currently serves as the Chairman and President of Asia Financial Holdings Limited, a publicly-listed company, and is also the Chairman of Asia Insurance Company Limited.  He is also the Chairman of the Hong Kong-Thailand Business Council, an advisor to Bangkok Bank (China) Company Limited, and is a Director of Bumrungrad Hospital Public Company Limited in Thailand.  Additionally, he serves on the boards of several local and international companies in financial services.

Bernard has an extensive record of public service.  He is Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Council of Social Service.  A patron of the arts, he serves as Chairman of both M Plus Museum Limited and Tai Kwun Culture & Arts Co. Limited.  He is also the Chairman of Our Hong Kong Foundation and the Hong Kong Chronicles Institute.

Bernard served as a Hong Kong Deputy to the National People’s Congress of China from 2008 to 2023, and notably as the Convenor of the Non-Official Members of the Executive Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) from 2017 to 2022.  He was also a Non-Official Member of the Executive Council between 2004-2009 and 2012-2022, he also represented the insurance industry in the Legislative Council from 1998 to 2008.

His past leadership positions include Chairman of Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Council Chair of Lingnan University, Chairman of the Hong Kong Palace Museum Limited, and Chairman of the Council for Sustainable Development.  He also chaired the Antiquities Advisory Board, the Advisory Committee on the Revitalisation of Historic Buildings, and the Standing Committees on Disciplined Services and Judicial Salaries and Conditions of Service..

Bernard has received honorary degrees by Lingnan University, City University of Hong Kong, Open University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Baptist University and the Savannah College of Art and Design.  He is also a Trustee Emeritus of Pomona College.

In recognition of his contributions, Bernard was appointed Justice of the Peace in 2002. He was awarded the Commander (3rd Class) of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand in 2004, and received the Gold Bauhinia Star from the HKSAR Government in 2006.  In 2020, he was conferred with Hong Kong’s highest honor, the Grand Bauhinia Medal.

Mr. Karanraj Chaudri works with UNDP’s Bangkok Regional Hub as a Climate Finance and Private Sector Specialist, supporting private sector engagement mechanisms linked to the Climate Finance Network’s six workstreams and works closely with the broader SDG Finance team.

He is based out of India and also leads the broader Sustainable Finance portfolio for the UNDP India country office.  In India he has led the Secretariat for the Ministry of Finance’s Task Force on Sustainable Finance and serves on the Advisory Board of the Social Stock Exchange.  He was also the focal point at UNDP for India’s G20 Presidency.

Prior to joining UNDP he worked with the Acumen Fund, an impact oriented venture capital fund and PricewaterhouseCoopers, where he focused on Corporate Finance.  He holds degrees in management and business administration from King’s College London and Oxford University.

Mr. Edward Yau, GBS, JP, is currently serving as the Chair of Hong Chi Association, Hong Hong’s major NGO catering for the needs of people with intellectual disabilities.

Mr. Yau has a long and distinguished career in government.  He served as Hong Kong’s Secretary for Environment (2007-2012), Director of the Chief Executive’s Office (2012-2017), and Secretary of Commerce (2017-2022).  Preceding his political appointments, he served 26 years in various government positions including Director-General of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Washington DC, Director of Information Services, and Deputy Secretary for Education and Manpower.  As Hong Kong’s Commerce Secretary, Mr. Yau has successfully accomplished a record number of Free Trade and Investment Protection Agreements between Hong Kong and major partners including ASEAN, Australia, and Georgia.  He has also represented Hong Kong at various international forums including the UN Climate Conference, World Trade Organisation and APEC Ministerial Meetings.  During his tenure, Mr. Yau strove to uphold Hong Kong’s longstanding free trade reputation and promote barrier free trade through bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.  He led business delegations calling on major trading partners especially those along the ‘Belt and Road’ that connect with China through Hong Kong.  He frequently speaks with international media as well as at university forums on trade, global economy and international relations.

Ms. Natalie Chan is a mission-driven sustainability leader, with over 20 years of professional experience, spanning roles as an intrapreneur, establishing corporate sustainability divisions at multinational corporations in Asia, and an entrepreneur, founding PIE Strategy - a Certified B Corp recognised on the global Best For The World list for multiple years.

As Managing Director of PIE Strategy, Natalie advises Fortune Global 500 companies and leading organisations across Asia-Pacific on integrating sustainability into business strategies, embedding ESG into governance frameworks, and leading complex organisational transformations.  Prior to founding PIE Strategy, she established the corporate sustainability practices at Swire Pacific Group (2006–2011) and Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels Group (2011–2016), after early-career roles in public policy, media, and international trade at APEC Business Advisory Council, South China Morning Post, and Hong Kong Trade Development Council.

Recognised for her expertise in sustainable finance and impact measurement, Natalie serves on the United Nations Development Programme’s international expert network, supporting UNDP in advising Southeast Asian governments on mobilising private finance toward the Sustainable Development Goals.  She is an Accredited Trainer for the UNDP SDG Impact Standards and a Certified Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) professional.  Natalie holds an Executive MBA from INSEAD and Tsinghua University, a master's in Corporate Environmental Governance from University of Hong Kong, and the FT Non-Executive Director Diploma.  In addition, she is a Salzburg Global Fellow in Corporate Governance.

An advocate for purpose-driven business, Natalie is a Founding Director and Co-Chair of B Lab (Hong Kong & Macau) and serves on the boards of the Natixis Foundation of Natixis Corporate and Investment Banking and Social Value Hong Kong.  She also advises on sustainability and social impact through committees and think tanks, including the Energy Advisory Committee of the HKSAR Government, Strategy Committee of Hong Kong Council of Social Service, Our Hong Kong Foundation, and Civic Exchange.  Natalie is a frequent speaker and guest lecturer on sustainability and ESG.