Theme: How can we reconcile Progress and Sustainability?

TEDx events are independently organised talks and conferences that aim to share and debate the latest research and ideas. The 2021 instalment of the TEDx ESSECAsiaPacific partnership is fully planned and coordinated by ESSEC students.

Sustainability has been delved into countless times in the past few years. This conference intends to discuss the practicalities of sustainable thinking and how to durably implement it. By considering sustainability as a means rather than an end, this year’s TEDx ESSECAsiaPacific event will feature prominent professionals debating around sustainability in their line of work.

With developments in urban planning, medical breakthroughs as well as better, smarter and faster communications the talks will centre around the following questions: how can we reconcile progress and sustainability?

How can we systemically introduce sustainable thinking at all levels of governance without shackling growth?

National Gallery Singapore
1 St Andrew's Rd
Singapore, Central Singapore, 178957
Singapore

Assaad Razouk

Group CEO at Sindicatum Renewable Energy

Assaad W. Razzouk is a Lebanese-British clean energy entrepreneur, podcaster and commentator based in Singapore. He is Chairman and CEO of Sindicatum Renewable Energy; a Board member of ClientEarth, the environmental charity using the power of the law to protect people and planet; a Board member of EB Impact, the Singaporean non-profit organisation focused on delivering training and programmes to Asia Pacific’s underserved communities to generate positive sustainable development; a member of the International Council of the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine; and host of The Angry Clean Energy Guy podcast.

Desmond M. Koh

Compassion Capital Catalyst | Innovation & Sustainability Enthusiast | Banker Advisor | Board Member | 3x Olympian | Rhodes Scholar

Desmond's world view is crafted by 17 years of dedication to balancing high perfomance sport and education, followed by 20+ years filled with scattered showers of successes but mostly clouded with heavy storms of challenges and mistakes, and he constantly deals with the struggles brought about by his imperfect human nature. He has come to realise that all living beings are interconnected and believes that we humans are the worst enemies to our own Humanity and Planet. Desmond is a finance professional with a fundamental commitment to catalysing what he terms as "Compassion Capital." He also acts as advisor and board member in organizations, impact programs and start-ups in the areas of Sustainability, Food, Innovation, Education and Mental Well Being.

Dr. Amy Khor

Senior Minister of State, Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment

Amy Khor Lean Suan is a Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), She was appointed as the Senior Minister of State in the Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry for Transport by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. She has been in the Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources from 1 October 2015 to 26 July 2020. She is also appointed as the Minister for Culture, Community and Youth from 1 October 2015 to 26 July 2020. She has served as Leader of the House from 1 October 2015 to 23 August 2020.

Esther An

Chief Sustainability Officer (CDL) UNGC SDG Pioneer 2018 WorldGBC CAB GRI Board

Esther An spearheaded multiple initiatives to help foster responsible business and partnerships last year. Her efforts secured her a place in Eco-Business A-List of the region’s most influential sustainability executives. In this interview, she reflects on her career and the challenges she faced in 2019.

Eu-Lin Fang

Partner at PwC | Assurance | Sustainability and Climate Change Leader

Eu Lin Fang help organisations improve their financial reporting, governance, risk and controls through financial audits, assurance engagements, reviews and advisory services. Over her career, she have been more focused on the Financial Services and government-related sectors. Eu Lin Fang also lead the Sustainability and Climate Change Practice in Singapore where she help organisations improve their sustainability practices in the areas of reporting, assurance, climate change risk, ESG due diligence, impact assessments, SDG prioritisation and alignment, and policy development.

Jacqui Hocking

Systems Entrepreneur | CEO & Storyteller | Forbes 30 under 30

Jacqui is the founding partner of VSS: Vision Strategy Storytelling, a media company which helps brands get more visibility through innovative video, VR, photography and social media campaigns. The German national is also a documentary filmmaker and social entrepreneur, who has campaigned for numerous issues including carbon offset projects in the Amazon rainforest and founded the Singapore Eco Film Festival, which focuses solely on environment-related issues. Jacqui was selected as one of the United Nations' "50 Amazing Women of Singapore," and has raised $6 million for a documentary on floating hospitals in Papua New Guinea.

Michael Pomerleau

Partner & Co-founder Rainmaking Transport | Co-Founder & Investor Motion Ventures

Michael has spent 20 years investing billions into critical transport infrastructure and technologies required to make the global supply chain and underlying infrastructure a vehicle to fight climate change, pandemics and poverty. His mission is to make a difference for the hundreds of millions out there impacted by lack of access to basic necessities. Michael is a co-founder and investor in multiple tech co’s including Rainmaking Transport, the Motion Ventures Fund and others

Yan Liu

System Design | Social System Innovation | Learning Faciliator

Project Lead NUS Enterprise-BOP Hub Joint Initiative on Social System Innovation & Program Director Base of Pyramid HuB Topic on System Design and why it is important to understand the system before creating any solution for social or sustainability problems.