I didn’t realise how lucky I was until I stepped into the classroom at NUS Business School. On the first day, I was impressed by the student diversity of our MSc in Sustainable and Green Finance programme. My classmates come from various countries with vastly different backgrounds. You can meet people from every industry here in this classroom.
First, an introduction about myself. My name is Roy Zhang Ruoyu and I come from China. I am a Gen Z and developed a passion for sustainable investing during my undergraduate years studying economics and urban planning at New York University (NYU). I highly value the sustainable goals of companies whenever I look at business profiles, therefore, I was aggressive in lobbying NYU to divest from fossil fuels.
I am also a huge advocate for green buildings. When I was in the United States, I volunteered to prepare LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification reports for historic preservation projects. Having lived in four metropolitans across continents, I have gained the habit of analysing cities’ environmental policies wherever I go.
MSGF student Roy Zhang Ruoyu is interested in green buildings and sustainable investing.
Time flies since classes started in August 2022. I am appreciative of the friendly learning ambience during group presentations and am thankful for the helpful career advice given by BizCareers, the careers services office at NUS Business School. In class, we learn about ESG trends from our professors and gain exposure to local corporations through weekly industry talks.
Now, let’s hear from some of our cohort mates.
Priyanka Sancheti: Guiding business development towards sustainability
Priyanka Sancheti (left) comes from India and is a Singapore Permanent Resident. An entrepreneur, she hopes to use the knowledge gained from the MSGF programme to expand her companies’ sustainability portfolios and guide her clients towards greater sustainability.
I come with 12 years of professional experience in business advisory. I am a practising Company Secretary in Singapore and an associate of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators. Since 2017, I have run a Singapore-based company PRIAN Advisers, which specialises in providing business advice to start-ups.
With my ecologist husband, Dr Anuj Jain, I co-founded bioSEA, a Singapore-based ecological and biomimicry design company, in 2017. My role in bioSEA is to guide business development and assist in reporting nature-based solutions to a clientele of architects and developers.
Also, in 2018, we formed Biomimicry Singapore Network – the first biomimicry network in Southeast Asia. Having been involved in conventional business development for a number of years, I have personally seen a growing consciousness among my clients and stakeholders towards environmental sustainability.
During our programme, I hope to learn more deeply about sustainability in corporate governance, the economics of sustainability, green investment and carbon markets. This will help me expand our companies’ sustainability portfolios and, in turn, help drive sustainability efforts for the companies we do business with.
Singaporean Phang Kuang Wei comes from an engineering background and aspires to contribute to sustainable development.
I enjoy nature and am an advocate for sustainable corporate governance and business strategies for long-term value creation. I graduated with a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), a programme in partnership with the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT). My bachelor’s thesis is on “Sustainability Indices in Process Engineering”, and this inspires me to further my knowledge and skills in sustainability.
I contributed to the start-up of two biotechnology companies, building up their manufacturing facilities and capabilities while bringing forth an array of sustainability initiatives. I aspire to contribute to a career that taps on my passion for sustainable development and strategies while developing my leadership and technical skills with stakeholders.
Surya Tomar: Sustainability enthusiast who wants to make an impact
Surya Tomar is from India and he wants to make corporations more sustainable.
I am an enthusiast in the space of sustainability, looking forward to bridging the gap for corporations and helping them contribute towards a sustainable global economy.
I am a master’s graduate in finance, and my journey towards sustainability began when I started working in the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) as an ESG senior analyst after concluding my master’s degree. The interactions I had on sustainable finance with corporates in the real world fuelled a zeal in me to pursue this path.
At NUS, it’s just been a short time, but it has been quite enriching. The cohort diversity and the dynamic field of study make a perfect mix for broadening one’s horizon. I hope to create an impact in the organic and wide stream of sustainable finance once I step out.
Muayaed Qasim: Promoting a sustainable culture
Muayaed Qasim, who is from Saudi Arabia, wants to build a sustainable culture in organisations.
Singapore is accelerating the green transition and actively promoting a new wave of investments to achieve net zero emissions. Also, G20 countries, including Saudi Arabia, collaborated to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has challenged the global economy and public health. Therefore, green finance is necessary to build better systems and organisations that are proactive in addressing ESG risks. Human capital and transformation initiatives are top priorities.
As a result, I’d like to contribute to this transformation journey by drawing on my experience with one of the world’s largest energy companies and my Bachelor of Science Degree in Management Information Systems. As a civic-minded leader responsible for business performance, operational excellence, resource planning and control, I recognise the need to upskill myself further to support the new economic requirements and promote a sustainable culture for our generation.
I hope to persuade organisations and management to improve financial practices and decision-making systems with new models and frameworks that will result in better projects with a high return on investment. These include supporting risk management, resource utilisation and green initiatives, exhibiting a strong commitment to social well-being, and exemplifying financial management excellence while developing effective strategies.
MSGF Academic Director Assoc Prof Zhang Weina: Nurturing change-makers
Assoc Prof Zhang Weina hopes to nurture the next generation of change-makers.
We are very blessed to have the first cohort of top-quality MSGF students joining us in August to embark on their learning journey at NUS. We have prepared many cutting-edge seminars, workshops and industry exposure opportunities for our students. We look forward to their dynamic growth and maturing to become the next generation of change-makers in building a greener economy ahead.
Cheers to every innovative pioneer here as we embark on the green journey!
