On September 3, the Faculty of Business and Faculty of Finance at City University of Macau hosted the Leadership in Finance Seminar “Green Finance Leadership Development: New Quality Growth” at the Ho Yin Convention Centre on Taipa Campus. The seminar featured Professor Zhongming Wang from Zhejiang University as guest speaker. The seminar was conducted in an enthusiastic atmosphere. Guests attending this seminar include Associate Dean José Paulo Afonso Esperança of the Faculty of Business, Associate Dean Eva Khong of the Faculty of Finance, and Tingyue Kuang, Assistant Professor of the Faculty of Business.
Prof. Zhongming Wang is Professor of Zhejiang University, Special Expert of Zhejiang Province, Professor and Doctoral Supervisor of the School of Management at Zhejiang University, Director of the Global Entrepreneurship Research Center Zhejiang University, Dean of the Miller Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (in cooperation with Stanford), Chairman of the Silk Road Entrepreneurship Education Network (Belt and Road), and Director of the Research and Development Center for Women's Entrepreneurship at Zhejiang University-Oxford University. President of the Zhejiang Behavioral Science Society, Director of the Expert Committee of the Zhejiang Professional Managers Association, Honorary Director of the Industrial Psychology Division of the Chinese Psychological Society. In 2007, he won the first prize in the "Fudan Outstanding Contribution Award for Management" (Business Administration). In 2020, he won the Meritorious Service Award from the School of Management at Zhejiang University. In 2023, he won the First Prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award. Model course textbooks: Wang Zhongming (2020) "Entrepreneurial Capacity Building Reader" Chinese Personnel Press; Wang Zhongming (2023) "Organizational Psychology (Essentials Edition)" East China Normal University Press.
In this seminar, Professor Wang delved into the core of “Green Finance Leadership,” aiming to encourage financial institutions, enterprises, and governments to take leadership roles in environmental and social responsibility. He explained that the green finance system involves a range of financial products and services, such as bank loans, private equity investments, bond and stock issuance, insurance, and carbon finance, designed to channel social funds into the development of green industries.
Professor Wang also highlighted new trends in green finance, including optimizing systems and policy arrangements to promote the sustainable development of green industries. He emphasized that green finance is a long-term investment and should be evaluated based on its long-term benefits rather than short-term returns. He further explored the characteristics of green finance leadership, including strategic planning, organizational structure, policy systems, management measures, and capacity building.
Professor Wang mentioned that traditional corporate thinking primarily serves individuals, while the new thinking emphasizes serving stakeholders, including society and the environment. He stressed that companies need to consider aspects beyond their interests and take on social responsibilities, collaborating with various parties to formulate plans together.
Finally, Professor Wang used the example of the Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) to explain new functions and capabilities. He pointed out that the establishment of the CSO position is a crucial measure for companies to address sustainable development challenges, highlighting the importance of multi-functional integration and comprehensive coordination roles.
This seminar provided valuable insights for students of the Faculty of Business and Faculty of Finance, helping them better understand the development trends and leadership characteristics of green finance, and offering strong guidance for the future development of green finance. Additionally, the seminar is also a strong contribution to the development of CityU curricula, inspiring a broader offer of sustainability content in different courses and programs.