Our Team

Andrew Richards is the Executive Director of Transition Asia, bringing extensive experience in sustainable business development, industrial B2B marketing, and innovation across heavy industries. With a strong commitment to making business part of the climate change solution, he has worked globally, including a decade in China, leading business growth. Before joining Transition Asia, Andrew was Director of Climate and Energy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Previous roles include Director of Heavy Industry at the World Economic Forum and senior leadership roles at LafargeHolcim and Dow Chemical.

Mr. Calvin Quek is the Engagement Director at Transition Asia. Prior to this, he was Senior Environmental Specialist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), where he implemented AIIB's environmental and social policies in financial intermediaries and capital market projects. Prior to AIIB, Calvin was head of Sustainable Finance at Greenpeace East Asia. Calvin has an MBA from Peking University and an M.Sc. in Wealth Management from Singapore Management University.

Lauren has spent over 10 years bridging gaps in finance, policy, and climate progress in East Asia and North America. Most recently, she worked on sustainable finance issues in East Asia covering ESG, green finance policy in the public and private sectors, overseas energy investment, and investor engagement. Prior to this, she held roles at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, the American Chamber of Commerce in China, and the Brookings Institution’s Brookings-Tsinghua Center. She has an MPA from Tsinghua University and a BS from the International Business and Chinese Enterprise (IBCE) program at the University of South Carolina and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Alastair is a seasoned sustainability expert with experience in both corporate and civil society organisations spanning Europe and Asia. He has hands-on involvement in executing utility-scale corporate power purchase agreements and off-grid renewable energy solutions, as well broad experience within economic, energy and industrial policy. Alastair's most recent role has seen him as a Climate and Environment Director within an integrated telecoms company. He has an MSc in Sustainability and Business from the University of Leeds and a BA in Geography from the University of Liverpool.

Bonnie has over eight years of experience in sustainability and climate change mitigation, with extensive research expertise in the East Asia region. She joined Transition Asia as Research Lead in 2022, having co-authored and contributed to various analysis, including Green Steel Economics. Before joining Transition Asia, Bonnie worked at CDP and Miotech, promoting Chinese corporations' ESG disclosure and connecting investors and companies in the sustainability value chain. Bonnie also has long-term cooperation with one of the world’s leading ESG index providers, where she conducted ESG and green revenue analysis with a focus on Chinese and Japanese listed companies. Bonnie holds a Master of Science in International Development: Environment, Climate Change, and Development from the University of Manchester.

Kenta has over 10 years of experience as a journalist and a research analyst. Prior to Transition Asia, he led multiple projects at a London-based news agency, the Japanese embassy, the American embassy, and London Stock Exchange group. With a primary focus on sustainable investment, corporate ESG assessment, and consulting services for Japanese players, his responsibilities extended from primary research to engagement with a variety of stakeholders including private corporations and governments.

Vittoria Chen joined Transition Asia in 2024 as a Research Analyst. Before this, she was a Policy Analyst at the International Energy Agency (IEA) in Paris, specialising in research and analysis of the electricity and heat sectors. Her work at the IEA contributed to key reports, policy analysis, and data collection efforts, particularly focused on China’s energy sector. Prior to her role at the IEA, Vittoria held positions across various sectors, including public policy, science and technology, and tax advisory. These experiences have enabled her to develop a deep understanding of sustainable finance, international cooperation, and policy development.

Akira joined Transition Asia in 2024 as an ESG Junior Research Fellow (Japan). He holds a master's degree in engineering from the Tokyo Institute of Technology, where he majored in urban and built environmental studies. Prior to joining Transition Asia, he gained approximately one year of internship experience at private-sector think tanks and consulting firms, conducting research on the sustainability and climate change policies of Japanese government agencies and corporations.

Pansy is currently pursuing a PhD and works as a part-time ESG Researcher at Transition Asia. She graduated with a Master of Science in Environmental Science and Management from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Before joining Transition Asia, Pansy interned with Carbon Growth Partners, focusing on due diligence for a mangrove deforestation and afforestation project in West Bengal, India.

Monica is an experienced corporate communications professional with over 13 years of expertise in Singapore and Hong Kong. She has successfully developed and executed strategic communication and reputation management strategies for companies across various sectors. Before joining Transition Asia, Monica served as the Managing Director of FGS Global, where she led their Singapore operations for four years, advising and implementing corporate communications strategies for asset managers, private equities, banks, and Hong Kong listed companies.

Emily has nearly 20 years of experience of project, financial and human resource planning in nonprofits settings. For over 10 years, she was also executive committee member and office-holder of two major labour organisations in Hong Kong. As such, she is well versed in governance principles. Her role in Transition Asia involves financial and human resource planning and management, development of operations workflow, and donors reporting.

Sammy has almost 20 years accounting experience across a range of global and local businesses and organizations in HK, including a senior accountant role in a global NGO based in Hong Kong.. She is well versed in ensuring integrity and accuracy in financial management. Highly experienced in interacting with external auditors, bank executives, tax advisors and officials from relevant governmental bodies, Sammy not only ensures our month to month financial accuracy, but also plays a key role in ensuring we’re fully compliant with external requirements.