Mentoring the Next Generation of ESG Talent in Hong Kong

As part of the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong’s program to nurture sustainable finance talent in Hong Kong, Olivier Menard, Head of the Green & Sustainable Hub in Asia Pacific, Xing Lan, Vice President, Green & Sustainable Hub, Asia Pacific, took on the role of mentors for “Hong Kong’s got ESG Talent”.

The program allowed for an exchange of ideas with their mentees - Marc Palet, Edward Urip and Daria Milovidova – over the course of a few months, before meeting at Natixis CIB’s Hong Kong office in November, for a half-day, intensive and engaging knowledge exchange session.

On November 9th, the mentees met with Olivier (virtually from Singapore), Xing, Maeva Huguet and YuanYuan Gong from Natixis CIB. During the session, the mentees got to grips with all aspects of the sustainable finance market: from looking at how to build a robust sustainable finance strategy to the sustainable finance solutions available in today’s markets, how to build robust sustainable finance frameworks and a deep dive into the Green Weighting Factor, Natixis CIB’s proprietary internal mechanism that incentivizes the origination of environmental-friendly financing.

Commenting, Olivier Menard said, “As a leading global player in green & sustainable financing, and with strong commitments to the energy transition both at a Natixis CIB and Groupe BPCE level, we feel very strongly that it is important to support and provide guidance to the next generation of talents in their sustainable finance endeavors. We are delighted to be part of a dedicated program arranged by the European Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and we look forward to further such opportunities.”

Xing Lan added, “The mentorship program is very much a two-way dialogue. It not only benefits young professionals looking to develop their careers, but it is also an opportunity for us to exchange perspectives with a new generation of talent. It also allows us to share the important opportunities that lie ahead for a fulfilling career in ESG finance.”