Sustainable Debt Asia 2025

09:30

Conference registration opens

10:00

Welcome Remarks: Ahren Lester, Assistant Editor, Environmental Finance

10:10

Opening Address: Pol de Win, Senior Managing Director, Head of Global Sales and Origination, SGX Group

10:20

Panel discussion: Sustainable Debt in 2025 – The big themes and global policy developments that will shape the Asian market over the coming year

• Outlook for labelled issuance – where is the next wave of growth coming from? What are the key drivers and headwinds?
• How will this be impacted by the large volume of sustainable debt maturing over the next couple of years?
• What are the possible impacts for Asia of the change in US approach towards ESG and decarbonisation? How might changes in global policy affect the rate of transition in Asia and availability of sustainable debt?
• How are issuer and investor expectations changing?
• Expectations for COP 30 and any implications for sustainable debt

Moderator:
Stella Saris Chow, Head of Sustainable Finance, International, ANZ

Bertrand Jabouley, Head of Sustainable Finance, Asia-Pacific, S&P Global Ratings
Eric Nietsch, Sustainability Lead for APAC and Global Research & Innovation, Manulife Investment Management
Mike Tan, Group Treasurer, Frasers Property Limited
Valery Tubbax, Managing Director, Investments, Pentagreen Capital

11:35

Panel discussion: Scaling up transition finance – How can sustainable debt support and accelerate Asia’s decarbonisation journey?

• What country-specific approaches to transition are emerging across Asia – how can the context-specific nature of transition finance be handled in global fixed-income markets?
• How can existing labels be used to channel greater transition finance at an asset/project level?
• Do we need a dedicated transition label - what could and should a transition bond/loan look like?
• How are banks, SPOs and investors conducting entity level transition plan assessments?
• Are there specific challenges with emerging markets and SMEs - what are the baseline expectations for a credible transition plan?
• How are regional taxonomies with transition categories being used and how to increase their adoption? Are the criteria for transition activities adequate?
• Developing regional-specific benchmarks for transition in Asia
• Do we need to focus more on identifying transition opportunities rather than risk? What role can unlabelled debt play?

Moderator:
Kavitha Menon, Director, Singapore Sustainable Finance Association 

Jason Mortimer, Head of Sustainable Investment – Fixed Income, Nomura Asset Management
Olivier Ménard, Head of Green & Sustainable Finance, Asia Pacific, Natixis CIB
Priyanka Jain, Senior Manager, Treasury Loans, AirTrunk
Swami Venkataraman, Associate Managing Director - Sustainable Finance, Global Head of Assessments, Moody's Ratings

12:20

Panel discussion: Green, Social and Sustainability bonds – Opportunities and implications for regional issuers and investors

• What trends are we seeing in GSS issuance? Are issuers and investors re-evaluating the cost v benefits of GSS bonds?
• What conditions are needed to strengthen the market for local currency bonds in Asia?
• What trends and innovations are we seeing in social debt financing? Where can investors have the greatest impact?
• How are issuers and investors evaluating social co-benefits in green bonds?
• Are issuers becoming more comfortable including green enabling projects in their sustainable finance programmes and how do investors feel about this category?
• What are the opportunities and risks of including more operational expenditure in green bonds?
• Are we seeing any changes in sentiment towards financing of controversial sectors (defence, nuclear energy etc) from GSS issuers and investors? Should GSS bonds be used to finance the growth of AI and data centers - what criteria are investors considering when looking at these assets?

Moderator:
Ling Han, Director, Sustainable Banking Solutions Group, APAC, BofA Securities

Gabriel Wilson-Otto, Head of Sustainable Investing Strategy, Fidelity International
Ian Hay, Head of Institutional Risk, Credit Guarantee and Investment Facility (CGIF)
Rashmi John, Associate Director, Sustainable Fixed Income Research, Morningstar Sustainalytics

14:05

Panel discussion: Innovations in labelled debt – Nature, climate adaptation and other emerging trends to watch

• How can the sustainable debt market be used to channel more finance to nature and biodiversity? Where do nature-based solutions fit within sustainable debt?
• What types of instruments are best suited to drive finance to nature and what role can blended finance play?
• Where are the key areas that can deliver co-benefits across climate and nature?
• How can sustainable debt be used to support climate resilience and adaptation? What activities can be financed and what is limiting the inclusion of more climate adaptation assets in sustainable bonds?
• What are some of the alternative funding options for social activities that promote climate resilience?
• The future of blue finance – what is needed to scale up the market in Asia?

Moderator:
Ahren Lester, Assistant Editor, Envirnmental Finance

Ayako Kageyama, Head, Innovative Sustainable Finance, Responsible Investment, Nippon Life Insurance Company
Jarek Olszowka, Managing Director, Head of Sustainable Finance, Nomura International
Mervyn Tang, Head of Sustainability, APAC, Schroders
Mohsin Sharif, Senior ESG & Investor Relations Specialist, Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

14:50

Panel discussion: Outlook for Sustainability-linked instruments – Overcoming the headwinds facing the market

• Can the SLB market be revived? What changes are needed?
• How do SLBs fit into the overall financing of a company or sovereign transition plan? Are we missing their potential as an instrument to finance transition?
• Will we see more sovereigns issuing SLBs and what will drive this?
• What are the barriers to growth for the SLL market (and how do these differ from SLBs)?
• How are companies evaluating the benefits and costs of SLLs vs alternative funding options?
• How will the market for Sustainability-Linked Loan Bonds (SLLBs) develop in Asia and what impact will this have on SLL volumes and credibility?

Moderator:
Chee Wee Tan, Head of Sustainability, Tsao Pao Chee (TPC)

Keenan Cabrol, Head of DCM Solution & Advisory - Asia-Pacific, Société Générale CIB
Natasha Garcha, Senior Director, Innovative Finance and Gender-Lens Investing Specialist, Impact Investment Exchange (IIX)
Peng Er Foo, Vice President, Group Sustainability, CapitaLand Investment
Rose Choy, Research Director APAC, Anthropocene Fixed Income Institute

16:05

Panel discussion: ESG integration in fixed income – How are investors evolving their analysis of ESG and what can issuers learn from this?

• How are investors incorporating ESG into their investment decision making process?
• Approaches to fundamental ESG analysis in labelled and unlabelled debt
• How are investors conducting ESG analysis at the instrument and entity level? How does ESG analysis vary by sector and issuer type?
• How can technology including AI be best used to support ESG analysis?
• To what extent are investors looking at scenario modelling of investment portfolios based on possible changes in climate policy at a global, regional and country level?

Moderator: Claudia Gollmeier, Managing Director, Singapore & Head of Investment Management, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa, Colchester Global Investors

Ann-Marie Wun, Head of Sustainable & Impact Client Solutions (APAC), Goldman Sachs Asset & Wealth Management
Nicole Lim, ESG Investment Manager, Fixed Income, Aberdeen

16:50

Sovereign issuer fireside chat: Public Debt Management Office, Kingdom of Thailand

Moderator:
Ahren Lester, Assistant Editor, Environmental Finance

Karas Boonruang, Senior Expert on Bond Market Development, Public Debt Management Office, Kingdom of Thailand

17:10

Drinks reception