EMBA student partners with UNSIF to establish the New Social Impact Fund

The United Nations Social Impact Fund (UNSIF) Green Economy Fund Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signing Ceremony and CEO Forum were held on 18th January at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event was  successful to have keen participation from over 100 political and business leaders; as well as advocates of green economy. The Honourable John Tsang GBM, JP, Financial Secretary also visited the MOU Signing Ceremony and the CEO Forum.

The MOU was signed at the ceremony to form partnerships among United Nations Social Impact fund (UNSIF), Green Capital Group Limited (GCG) and RED Group, to establish the UNSIF‐Green Economy Fund and to promote social impact investing in the Asia Pacific region, including Hong Kong, with focus in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. The UNSIF‐Green Economy Fund is the first Social Impact Fund formed in Hong Kong under UNSIF.

Dr John Leung, Director of the EMBA Programme, gave a welcome speech in the event and facilitated in the CEO forum.

In the CEO forum, Mr David Galipeau, Global Chief of UNSIF, introduced UNSIF as an innovative mechanism that the UN agencies can partner with the investors and corporations, “I am very glad with the formation of the UNSIF Green Economy Fund in Hong Kong to facilitate social and economic development in the Asia Pacific Region. The ultimate objective of UNSIF is to scale social impact by funding the expansion of successful and sustainable social business models. We have high expectation on this social impact fund to be the pilot case in the region,” Mr Galipeau said that the fund will have an initial capitalisation of US$ 200 million with a 5-year investment period.

Mr Albert Oung, Managing Partner of the Green Capital Group Ltd, President of the World Green Organisation, and a current student of the College’s EMBA Programme, shared with the audience the opportunities of green economy in the Asia Pacific region through UNSIF Green Economy Fund, “We are going to work with our partners to invest in areas like sustainable infrastructure, medical services and housing, clean energy,  water, innovation and technology, etc. Our fund will pay special interests to under-developed countries like the Republic Union of Myanmar as well as the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS),” Mr Oung emphasised that Hong Kong plays a paramount role in many regional initiatives such as “One Belt One Road”.

Mr Michael Ngai, Chairman of RED Group, said they are committed to seeking capital appreciation of the UNSIF Green Economy Fund through sustainable social impact investment.  “We identify and invest in the unserved groups and areas, focusing on technology transfer, job creation, talent development, tax contribution to the local government, realising social and economic benefits. We strongly believe self‐sustainability and economies of scale can be achieved by adopting international market practice and corporate social responsibility.”

Dr William Yu, CEO of World Green Organisation (WGO), welcomed the formation of the UNSIF Green Economy Fund and  hoped that more business corporations can join hands together to bring social benefit to the community through different investment projects and initiatives.

For more event details, please visit the World Green Organisation’s website.

To learn more about the EMBA programme, please click here’s .