Former UN Leader Ban Ki-moon As Keynote Speaker
Lombard Odier, a leading B-Corp certified global wealth and asset manager, is proud to partner with its network of six strategic alliances to lead the sustainability conversation at its keynote speaker event titled “The Race to Net Zero: A Sprint or a Marathon”. This virtual conference was held on 16 September 2021 and streamed live across eight APAC markets including Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.
Joined by esteemed former United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as keynote speaker, Ban’s keynote speech shed light on his journey with the UN and how he brought Sustainability to the forefront of the global agenda across governments and corporations. Some of his major priorities in UN include the Paris Climate Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which he continues to be a proponent of today.
Bloomberg’s Chief International Correspondent for South East Asia Haslinda Amin, led a fireside chat with Lombard Odier’s Senior Managing Partner Hubert Keller, who joined live from Geneva, to discuss the bank’s efforts in driving the net zero challenge towards a more sustainable future.
Hubert Keller, Senior Managing Partner, Lombard Odier Group, said: “As the climate transition unfolds, financial exposure to transitional challenges and physical and liability risks is escalating – we call this Climate Value Impact. As an asset manager, it is part of our fiduciary duty to help our clients navigate the transition to the net zero economy. Through forward-looking assessments, including an understanding of decarbonisation pathways and trajectories and their financial implications, we help investors re-align their portfolios. The discussion with Ban Ki-moon was insightful and highlights the need for clearer roadmaps and concerted action among all stakeholders in Asia, as elsewhere.”
Vincent Magnenat, Limited Partner and Chief Executive Officer for Asia, Lombard Odier, said: “We recognise the considerable challenges faced by many Asian countries transitioning towards a net zero economy and a model that is Circular, Lean, Inclusive and Clean (CLICTM) – a cornerstone of Lombard Odier’s mission and vision. As we embrace this Sustainability Revolution we believe that financial institutions and their clients have an important role to play as agents of change. At Lombard Odier, we believe the Sustainability Revolution represents the single largest opportunity of our lifetime – superior returns that we want to be able to offer our clientele. Together with our network of six regional strategic alliances, we are glad to engage in a regional dialogue led by Ban Ki-moon, to influence the implementation of sustainability-driven causes and investment opportunities as a force for the greater good.”
Ban Ki-Moon, 8th Secretary General of the United Nations, said: “The global economy is on a trajectory that would lead to a worsening global climate crisis, and the recent UN IPCC climate report painted a devastating picture that the crisis is inevitable, unprecedented and irreversible. With the Paris Agreement as our best hope against such serious climate threats, leading financial institutions such as Lombard Odier and its ecosystem of strategic alliances in the region have a crucial role to play as we step up on our efforts to implement the Paris Agreement.”
Arlene Agustin, Senior Vice President & Head of Private Banking, Union Bank of the Philippines said: “ESG, Sustainability and attaining Net Zero are ingrained in our advocacies. Through our Tech-UP Pilipinas advocacy, we aim to help create in positive change in society not only through industry-leading digital solutions aimed towards inclusive prosperity, but also through various sustainability initiatives that benefit the community and the environment. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas issued Circular 1085, which mandates Philippine banks to include environmental and social considerations in the Bank’s governance framework, risk management, strategies and operations. UnionBank established its own Sustainable Finance Framework in February 2021 which reinforces the Bank’s commitment to sustainable development, focusing on People, Planet and Purpose.
There is a need for stronger conversations on the importance of sustainability and there is an increasing demand for sustainable investing among Filipino investors, and UnionBank Private Banking is uniquely positioned to facilitate these effectively together with our strategic ally Lombard Odier.We firmly believe that sustainable investing will be among the greatest drivers of superior returns in the long run.”
The “Race to Net Zero” conference was hosted by Lombard Odier’s Limited Partner and Asia CEO, Vincent Magnenat, together with its six partners from its Strategic Alliance network – namely JBWere Australia, Kasikornbank Private Banking, Mandiri Private, Mizuho Securities (Singapore), Taipei Fubon Bank, and UnionBank Private Banking.
