BIR World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Shanghai (26-29 May 2013)

Keynote Session, Tuesday, 28 May at 11.30: Chandran Nair, a controversial visionary and a ‘must’ for companies doing business with Asia

Can Asia be a sustainability leader? How is Asia reshaping capitalism and saving the planet? BIR will be answering these and many other questions during the Keynote Session that will be held on 28 May at 11.30 in the framework of the 2013 World Recycling Convention & Exhibition in Shanghai, with a highly inspirational presentation given by a leading expert on Asia’s role in globalisation:

Chandran Nair is the founder of the Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT), an independent social venture think tank based in Asia and dedicated to advancing an understanding of the impacts of globalisation through thought leadership and positive action to effect change. Chandran was also chairman of Environmental Resources Management (ERM) in the Asia Pacific until March 2004. He established the company as Asia's leader in environmental consulting.

For more than a decade, Mr. Nair has strongly advocated a more sustainable approach to development in Asia, and has helped the governments of Taiwan and Hong Kong instil these principles into their key decision-making processes. He continues to advise the Hong Kong government, devising a new approach that gives the public a bigger role in key policymaking decisions.

He has worked and travelled extensively. Corporations seek his advice on how to meet the challenges of doing business in Asia and of globalization, on investment geopolitics, leadership development, ethics, sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

He has addressed many of these issues at forums around the world, notably at speaking engagements in London, New York, Washington, Sydney and all of the major Asian capitals. He writes frequently and his articles have appeared in international publications including the Financial Times.

His first book is entitled, “Consumptionomics: Asia’s Role in Reshaping Capitalism and Saving the Planet” which was published in December 2010.

GIFT’s Global Young Leaders Programme has gained international recognition as an innovation in leadership learning with its emphasis on “learning through the eyes of others”. It provides young executives with the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to navigate an increasingly complex world, beyond those taught in classrooms.

Mr Nair is also the Chairman of Avantage Ventures, an Asian based boutique investment advisory company in the field of high impact social investing. The Company was established in 2010.

In addition to his work with GIFT, Chandran has maintained his interest in business, continuing to provide strategic management advice and coaching to business leaders with a focus on achieving growth targets and bringing about organizational change.

Mr Nair is a visiting scholar at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s School of Business, running a course, “Leading in Asia for the Future”, as part of the HKUST MBA programme.

He has been an advisor to the Prince of Wales International Business Leaders Forum, the World Wildlife Fund in Asia, and to the Jane Goodall Institute. He is a fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Directors. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

A keen sportsman, Mr Nair managed the Hong Kong hockey team for seven years, taking it to the 2002 Asian Games in South Korea. He plays the saxophone and used to head a band in Africa where he worked as a volunteer for three years building rural water supply and sanitation schemes. He has lived and worked in Asia, Europe and Africa.