BritCham Singapore

In this special episode of our podcast celebrating International Women’s Month, Charlotte Wilkinson of the British Chamber of Commerce Diversity and Inclusion Committee speaks with Pushkaraj Gumaste, Head Of Corporate Banking For Asia Pacific & Middle East, and Executive Sponsor For Barclays APAC Gender Agenda; and Aditi Nair, Managing Director Head Of HR, Asia Pacific, and Global HR Business Partner, Sustainable Finance, both from Barclays Bank Plc. The discussion explores how diversity, equity and inclusion can be built in organisations and how it can become a competitive advantage.

Pushkaraj and Aditi share how Barclays’ commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and gender representation has grown over the years. Barclays has been increasing their female representation in leadership roles and providing avenues for women to have successful careers after returning from breaks. One example is through Launchpad - a platform that women across the organisation can access to plan and enable their careers in a structured manner.

The conversation covers the challenges around gender equality and equity programmes in businesses, and the importance of having people take personal accountability for driving inclusion and diversity. The duo also touched on the importance of staying the course in DEI initiatives, not expecting immediate results and the power of employee resource groups in building equality and equity.

These networks build community, solidarity and momentum in bringing about sustainable change within organisations.

The episode culminates with practical wisdom and steps that organisations of all sizes can apply to begin addressing DEI and gender equity.

In this episode of our Podcast, Kate Wheble of the British Chamber of Commerce’s Sustainability Committee, speaks with Yuki Yasui, Managing Director of GFANZ Asia Pacific Network. The discussion presents a thought-provoking exploration of how sustainable finance can be a powerful force for positive change in addressing pressing environmental and social challenges on a global scale.

Yuki shares her personal journey into sustainable finance, tracing back to her early involvement with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) and highlights pivotal moments such as the launch of the Equator Principles and the Principles for Responsible Investment.

The dialogue extends to recent global developments, with a particular focus on the outcomes of COP26 and COP28. Yuki underscores the critical importance of sustainable finance in driving forward the global climate agenda, emphasising the need for concerted efforts from governments, multinationals, and financial institutions alike.

Furthermore, Yuki articulates the imperative for clear definitions and robust transition planning in sustainable finance. She advocates for common understanding and alignment on financing strategies, particularly in the transition from "brown" to "green" economies, to mitigate risks such as greenwashing and ensure genuine impact.

Throughout the conversation, Yuki's insights underscore the pivotal role of finance in catalysing sustainability efforts, shaping policies, and fostering collaboration across sectors.

In this episode of our podcast, Mike Rourke, Head of Product at GSG, speaks with Nawaz Imam, Group Head of Corporate Development at MoneyHero Group, discussing the growth of FinTech in Asia.
Sharing insights into Money Hero Group’s journey to make personal finance decisions rewarding and timesaving for the five markets they operate in across greater Southeast Asia – Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the conversation explores the strategic planning behind Money Hero’s growth – highlighting some of the key challenges of adapting to varying levels of financial literacy within the markets they operate in, achieving standardisation across these diverse markets and the importance of operational efficiency.
The conversation also spotlights his personal journey from the institutional finance world to becoming a FinTech entrepreneur – delving into the challenges and successes faced in building a FinTech startup in Asia. Emphasising the understanding market dynamics and having a clear commercial strategy, he shares key lessons from his experiences and touches on resilience in entrepreneurship – encouraging individuals to embrace the learnings that come with the journey.

In this insightful podcast, Nick Magnus, Head of Dulwich College (Singapore), speaks with Sophie Hughes, Head of Business Development at Lightfoot Travel, as she provides valuable insights into the post-pandemic travel landscape in Singapore. The discussion covers evolving travel trends, emphasising the shift towards personalised itineraries and immersive experiences while underscoring the advantages of using tour operators for stress-free planning.

Through the conversation, they delve into changing dynamics in family holidays, highlighting the demand for active and educational experiences, especially for children - bringing to light the increasing popularity of the digital detox holiday. Looking ahead, she anticipates a growing trend of exploring less-visited destinations.

In this episode of our podcast series, Bridging the Sustainability Gap, Brendan May, Chairman and Founder of Robertsbridge, speaks with Lorena Paglia, Data and AI Global Business Programs and Operations Lead and Sustainability Ambassador at Microsoft and Member of the Board at the British Chamber of Commerce - exploring the challenges and nuance of sustainability development, how the industry has transformed over the years and the opportunities we have before us.

A pioneer in strategic sustainability, Brendan founded his own sustainability consultancy Robertsbridge in 2010, employing some of the most prominent environmental thinkers of our time. As a team, they drive real transformative change in sustainable development with their customers, often not shying away from challenging and complex multi-stakeholder work.

Our podcast series, Bridging the Sustainability Gap, is focused on businesses and individuals who are making a difference in driving impact across sustainability development and industry transition.

The intent of this series is to celebrate work that is in progress, be open about the challenges that exist and take our listeners on a learning journey on what more can be done to Bridge the Sustainability Gap.