Sustainable finance is the need of the hour, and ensuring sustainable finance is the key parameter to success in the finance sector. With that being said, being organized and having strategic planning and thought process is key to ensuring sustainable finance and stability. “The future of finance will be shaped around sustainable development,” expresses Helene Li, the General Manager at FinTech Association of Hong Kong (FTAHK) and Co-Founder of GoImpact.
Helene Li is a management consultant turned banker, turned impact entrepreneur. She has held various leadership roles at global financial institutions such as J.P. Morgan, Lombard Odier, BNP Paribas, and consulting giants like Boston Consulting Group and Willis Towers Watson.
Throughout this exciting journey, she witnessed the highs and lows of the global financial crisis and the significant systematic gaps that they need to bridge – sustainable developments, ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance). Currently, Helene is at the intersection where capital and technology can be harnessed to deliver this important agenda.
Pushing for Sustainable Finance and Connecting the Dots
Helene is a firm believer in applying market-based solutions to fast-track social and environmental impact and a passionate advocate for Sustainable Finance and Impact Investment. She is a leading voice on Sustainable Finance, DigitalTransformation and FinTech, a TEDx Speaker, and a sought-after speaker and moderator at conferences and industry summits.
Having worked in the ultra-high-net-worth space for most of her career, Helene is committed to leveraging the financial power and heart of the 1% to accelerate the impact in helping the 99%. It is in this spirit that she co-founded GoImpact as an action-driven ecosystem to connect stakeholders in accelerating the Impact momentum. She has been spearheading and curating industry-recognized and highly rated Next Generation Family Business programs, and a regular contributor to Impact and Entrepreneurship research throughout her banking and consulting career.
Motivating Team to a Common Agenda of Sustainability
Helene believes a leader should lead and motivate the team to a common agenda of sustainability. The style that best suits her leadership is interactive while focusing on individual needs and the deliverables as a team.
The FinTech Association’s Three Pillars
The FinTech Association of Hong Kong is led by a volunteer group of board members and committee co-chairs who care about the future of FinTech. It is set up on three pillars:
Advocate – Creating the unified voice for the Hong Kong FinTech ecosystem
Collaborate – Bringing together the diverse parts of the community
Educate – Learning from existing leaders and nurture the next generation of talent
Today, The FinTech Association of Hong Kong is at the forefront of advancing capital and technology in driving the sustainability agenda, contributing to the collective efforts needed to write the next chapter of finance and sustainability.
Elevating Hong Kong’s Status as a FinTech Hub
The FTAHK is very much a community-building, ecosystem-focused organization. It is the super-connector for the finance as well as the technology sector. It aims to unite the Hong Kong FinTech industry and ecosystem in order to elevate Hong Kong’s status as a FinTech hub. It works on creating awareness, employment, education, promotion, and advocacy around FinTech. Members range from start-ups to the world’s leading global corporations come together through 14 committees on various verticals of FinTech including Blockchain, AI, WealthTech, Payments, Digital Banking and Financial Inclusion.
Being Super Connector for Finance and Technology Sector
The finance sector is keen to respond to the needs of capital owners. This is something that GoImpact as a platform is working to educate, advocate, and accelerate by connecting the dots that drive next step actions. GoImpact addresses the crucial pain points in adopting sustainable finance. The two key aspects of its offering are: executive and investor education around ESG and Sustainable Finance, as well as a holistic approach to ESG portfolio management. Its community-driven initiatives give it a unique position to speak on behalf of the FinTech community.
Being Influenced by Innovative Leaders
Helene is influenced by the innovation of Steve Jobs, the vision and leadership of Lee Kuan Yew and the commitment and drive of Helen Clark. The book “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” is thought-provoking for her.
Being Flexible and Adaptable in Times of Crisis
Talking about the impact of the pandemic on businesses and individuals, Helene mentions that the pandemic has reshaped the workplace completely, including the operation process and leadership mindset, which has really been challenged upside down. She believes that flexibility and the adaptability to learn are keys to the future of work.
Recognizing Importance of Grit, Resilience, and Adaptability
According to Helene, entrepreneurs should have the qualities of grit, resilience, and adaptability to thrive in the present-day cutthroat business ecosystem. She advises aspiring entrepreneurs in the financial industry to work hard, but she also suggests they work smart and stay focused.
Helene Li, General Manager at FTAHK, Co-Founder of GoImpact, FTAHK and GoImpact
