Good evening, everyone.

It’s my first time on this stage — but not my first at the Philanthropy Asia Summit (PAS).

I’ve had the privilege of attending this Summit in the past — as a guest from Temasek.

And I remember being struck — not just by the scale and ambition — but by the sense of collective purpose in the room.

Today, I feel that same energy, and more.

I am deeply honoured to be addressing you today as the new CEO of the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), and even more honoured to be part of a community that’s serious about driving deep, lasting impact for People and Planet.

This afternoon, we’ve heard an incredible range of views from thought leaders, policy makers, and changemakers on the ground. To all our speakers and guests, thank you for your insights, your generosity in sharing.

This is just the beginning of our journey together. Over the next few months, the PAA team will be working closely with our members, and partners, to chart the next phase of PAA’s growth. I would love to hear your views.

What’s clear to me is that our alliance must focus efforts towards delivering impact at scale.

This means supporting catalytic projects that check one or more of these boxes:

First, multiple funders, which shows interest, relevance,

Second, strong public-private-philanthropic partnerships,

Third, scalability across geographies, across continents,

and Fourth, truly impactful, “lighthouse” projects that look around corners, backed by research and the patience to get it right.

I can’t over-emphasise patience.

We must have the appetite to think of philanthropic capital as risk capital.

If we don’t support the pilot, or research or offtake demand, the bigger pools of capital, public and private, won’t come in to scale.

And we need them. There’s just not enough philanthropic capital to do what we want to do.

In taking on risks, philanthropy may not always get it right. But through failures, we will learn. And get better.  

To ensure that we can course correct when needed, we must therefore be equipped with dashboards.

I’m pleased to share that we’ve recently released PAA’s inaugural Impact Report.

It is an important first step in taking stock.

Our metrics will get better. They will sharpen and evolve over time. The report will hold a mirror to ourselves — so we can be honest about where we’ve gone right, and where we haven’t.

Some projects, I’m happy to report, have gained traction.

Two of our catalytic projects were recognised by the World Economic Forum in Davos.

We’ve seen encouraging momentum in our catalytic project portfolio. So watch this space.

Another project with traction: Amplifier, which accelerates the growth of impact-focused businesses with concessional capital / mentorship / and pathways to commercial capital.

Our first cohort of mentees from around the world is with us at PAS. Make sure to swing by the Amplifier exhibition booth outside to see their good work.

This past year, PAA has worked with our members to build new models of collaboration.

These Communities bring together like-minded members and partners for more focused discussion — turning shared vision into outcomes.  

In 2024, we launched three Communities.

This year, we are adding two more: Health for Human Potential and Just Energy Transition. Both very relevant, urgent challenges to be addressed in Asia.

The last development I want to highlight is our collaboration with other regional platforms. There are so many challenges that philanthropy can tackle. And many players have stepped forward in Asia.

Sometimes they duplicate efforts.

So, for a start, we’ve partnered with Asia Philanthropy Circle (APC) and AVPN to synergise our efforts. Cut out some of the duplication.

We will also amplify each other’s efforts through convenings and sharings. We want to optimise our resources — so that we can maximise our impact.

And that brings me to my final point.

The challenges we’ve discussed today — whether in climate, health, or inclusive education — are too huge and complex for any one actor to solve.

Progress will take all of us working together — across boundaries, sectors, and disciplines — with humility, courage, and a clear sense of purpose.

So I invite all of you — our PAA members, partners, and fellow changemakers — to continue this journey with us to prime Asia for good.

Thank you.