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Our guest is Nana Li, a stewardship expert who's just written a handbook on navigating sustainability across Asia Pacific. She walks us through why the money decisions happening in Asia actually shape global sustainability, not the other way around.

We explore how China's state-led approach and Japan's demographic crisis are forcing real innovation in automation and energy transition. You'll get insights into why "guanxi" and energy security matter more than most Western playbooks suggest.

If you're working, or are interested, in Asia's climate finance space, there's genuine value here. We clear up the confusion between ESG risk management and impact investing, and why that distinction actually matters when economic growth is the priority. It's a practical and grounded conversation.

REF: Navigating Sustainability in Asia: A Practical Guide for Leaders and Investors

ABOUT NANA: Nana Li, CFA, is a sustainability and stewardship specialist focused on Asia-Pacific. She advises investors, companies and policymakers on governance, climate and transition strategies, and is an active contributor to global policy and standard-setting initiatives. Nana is a frequent speaker at international conferences and industry forums organised by financial institutions, multilateral organisations and market bodies, and she is regularly invited to contribute to discussions on corporate governance, stewardship and sustainability. In 2024, Nana co-authored Unlocking Corporate Success by the Power of Diversity, the first book to examine gender diversity in Japan from an investor perspective. She is also the author of Navigating Sustainability in Asia: A Practical Guide for Corporate Leaders and Investors, which provides an applied and region-specific perspective on sustainability, governance and stewardship across Asia-Pacific. In 2025, Nana was awarded the International Corporate Governance Network (ICGN) Excellence in Stewardship Award (the first Asian recipient), recognising her leadership and contributions to stewardship and policy advocacy in Asia.

HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi’s La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.