Sarwat Jahan

Sarwat Jahan, a Bangladeshi national, joined the IMF in 2009 in the Strategy, Policy, and Review Department before moving to the Asia and Pacific Department in 2016. Since joining the IMF, she has worked in a range of countries including China, the Dominican Republic, Myanmar, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and St. Kitts & Nevis. She was also the mission chief for Kiribati. Her extensive analytical work includes writing policy papers and guidance notes, as well as developing toolkits.

Ming Tan

Dr Ming Tan is the founding Executive Director of the Tech for Good Institute. She is concurrently a Senior Fellow at the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore. Her research interests lie at the intersection of technology, business, and society, including sustainability and innovation.

Ming was previously Managing Director of IPOS International, part of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, which supports Singapore’s future growth as a global innovation hub for intellectual property creation, commercialization, and management.

Keynote

From becoming the first major company to become carbon neutral to having the cleanest cloud in the industry, Google has always worked hard to take action against climate change, said Google Chief Sustainability Officer Kate Brandt at the third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS) held 16–17 March.

In her keynote address, she also announced the launch of a $6-million sustainability seed fund in the Asia Pacific to support nonprofits in addressing some of the most pressing sustainability challenges in the region.

Building a More Sustainable and Resilient World with Innovation

Technology is key to accelerating Asia’s progress toward a greener and more resilient future, said experts at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium held on 16–17 March. In the session, "Building a More Sustainable and Resilient World with Innovation," experts examined how to wield technology to address environmental problems and to bolster communities’ resilience.

The session was organized by Google.

Moderator: Akito Tanaka, Senior Staff Writer and Chief Business News Correspondent, Nikkei Asia

Opening Keynote

Southeast Asia needs to ensure its recovery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic will be both inclusive and sustainable, said Asian Development Bank President Masatsugu Asakawa during the third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). In his opening keynote, he stressed the need for a recovery that empowers women and ensures that economies work for everyone as well as the importance of intensifying focus on climate change.

SEADS 2022, "Sustainable Solutions for Southeast Asia's Recovery," was held on 16–17 March.