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Event Background
EVENT
Enhancing Knowledge for a Sustainable Future: An Environmental and Social Training for Contractors
Enhancing Knowledge for a Sustainable Future: An Environmental and Social Training for Contractors
28-30 May

2025

TIME: 28-30 May 2025, 8:30 – 17:30 (GMT+8)

LOCATION: Hybrid

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DESCRIPTION

Co-organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF), and China International Contractors Association (CHINCA), this three-day environmental and social training aims to strengthen the skills and operational efficiency of contractors engaged in ADB and AIIB-financed projects.

The training program will focus on procurement and contract management, and environmental and social risk and impact management. It is designed to equip participants with practical knowledge that supports environmental protection and promotes social well-being through sustainable development practices.

AUDIENCE

The training is intended for contractors implementing ADB and AIIB-funded projects across Asia and other regions who are:

(1) currently implementing or planning to implement ADB and AIIB-financed projects and seeking to enhance capacity on environmental and social risk and impact management
(2) looking to deepen understanding of how to respond to bids under ADB and AIIB-funded projects
(3) eager to learn from industry experts, connect with peers, and expand professional networks
(4) aiming to improve their competitiveness and ability to effectively implement ADB and AIIB-supported projects

FORMAT

The training will be delivered in a three-day hybrid format.

Speaker presentations, case studies, and discussions will be conducted in English with simultaneous translation in Chinese.

Video recordings of select workshop content will be uploaded on the MCDF website. Complete workshop video recordings and featured presentations will be made available on MCDF’s digital platform, JIGSAW.

Certificates of attendance will be awarded to participants who complete the full three-day training program.

AGENDA
Speakers
Ajay Bhushan Pandey
Ajay Bhushan Pandey
Vice President, Investment Solutions, AIIB
<p>Ajay Bhushan Pandey is Vice President, Investment Solutions. In this capacity, he provides leadership and oversees three key departments: the Sectors, Themes, and Finance Solutions Department (STF); the Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions Department (SFD); and the Portfolio Management Department (PMD). Prior to joining AIIB in April 2025, he served in prominent leadership roles within the Government of India for over three decades. He played a pivotal role in shaping India’s digital and financial infrastructure through transformative initiatives such as Aadhaar, the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), the Goods and Services Tax Network (GSTN), and the National Infrastructure Pipeline. His unique ability to integrate technology, policy, and infrastructure has enabled him to design and implement comprehensive strategies that combine innovative financial policies, legislative frameworks, and effective project management. As India’s Finance Secretary, he played a central role in shaping four national budgets and launching critical programs, including the National Monetisation Plan and the National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development. His policies encouraged foreign and private investments, including sovereign wealth funds and pension funds, into infrastructure, green energy, and electric mobility. As the CEO of Aadhaar, Pandey expanded the platform to cover 1.2 billion Indians, significantly boosting financial inclusion and reducing leakages in government welfare programs. He also successfully defended Aadhaar’s legal and privacy frameworks before the Supreme Court of India, ensuring its continued role as a cornerstone of India’s digital identity ecosystem. As Chairperson of India’s National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA), Pandey elevated auditing and accounting standards to global benchmarks, strengthening institutional trust and channeling sustainable investments into India’s economy. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, India. Pandey is from India.</p>
Nianshan Zhang
Nianshan Zhang
Head, Office of Safeguards, ADB
<p>As Head of Office of Safeguards (OSFG), he leads the ADB team for this joint capacity building program and brings onboard several years of MDB experience in different senior management positions. Nianshan led the formation of OSFG in ADB ensuring a sustainable organizational structure with adequate staffing and other resources which meets both the organization’s needs today and the future. Beginning his career as a transport specialist and having worked as deputy country director and regional Director in ADB for several years, he is very experienced on the practical challenges of implementing ADB safeguards requirements including in fragile and conflict affected states - FCAS. Mr. Nianshan successfully guided the modernization of ADB’s environmental and social framework (ESF) and secured its approval ready for implementation in 2026.</p>
Yanning Wang
Yanning Wang
Director General, Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions, AIIB
<p>Yanning Wang is Director General of the Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions Department (SFD) which supports all the operational safeguards and fiduciary needs for both sovereign and non-sovereign AIIB operations so that Bank-financed projects result in meaningful outcomes and impacts. He ensures that AIIB operations are properly resourced and staffed with qualified specialists to cover the environment, social, procurement and financial management aspects and that AIIB policies and standards for those areas are fully observed in all Bank’s operations.</p> <p>Before his appointment to the SFD, he was the Assistant Corporate Secretary of AIIB. Wang brings with him his rich experience in managing the environmental, social and other fiduciary risk and impact from his years as Director in the Government of China overseeing the large portfolio of multilateral development banks financing activities in China, as well as his work with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. He served as Operations Advisor for the East Asia and Pacific Region of the World Bank, leading quality assurance for operational deliveries and implementation support for the investment activities. He also served on the Board of Executive Directors of the Asian Development Bank. During his service for the Government of China, he led the development of a number of East Asia regional financial integration initiatives in response to the 1997 and 2008 financial crises.</p> <p>Wang holds a MA degree in economics from McGill University and a BA degree in English literature from Nanjing University. Wang is from the People’s Republic of China.</p>
Ayumi Konishi
Ayumi Konishi
Senior Advisor to the CEO, MCDF
<p>Resident in Beijing, Ayumi supports the CEO in providing strategic leadership to enable MCDF to deliver results aimed at achieving its vision and goals. This includes ensuring effective functioning of the Office of CEO, which is primarily responsible for strategic planning, partnership development and external communication, and coordinating the activities of the MCDF Secretariat’s teams and work units.</p> <p>Ayumi was one of the signatories of the 2019 Memorandum of Understanding establishing MCDF while representing the Asian Development Bank (ADB) - where he served for 32 years as an operations staff in education; sector director for governance, finance, and trade sectors in the Southeast Asia region; Country Director for Viet Nam; Deputy Director General for Pacific Department; Director General for East Asia Department; and Special Senior Advisor to the President. While at ADB, he was also involved in several “financial crisis”-response operations, introduced data governance to the entire ADB, and led the conceptual design of the next generation of IT systems for operations. Prior to ADB, he worked for the United Nations (Secretariat) for over 6 years in Baghdad, New York and Addis Ababa.</p> <p>Graduated from Waseda University (Japan) and Oregon State University (US), Ayumi has a Master’s Degree in Economics from New York University (US).</p>
Xiuming Xin
Xiuming Xin
Vice Chairman, China International Contractors Association
<p>Mr. XIN graduated from the Ocean University of China with a Bachelor Degree of Science and the China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) with a Master Degree of Laws. Mr. XIN is now holding the Senior Engineer Certificate. He's been devoting mainly in science research and laws. Mr. XIN joined CHINCA in 2001 and has successively served as the Director of Secretary and Research Department, Director of Engineering Department and Assistant Chairman. He's mainly taking charge of the research of China's international project contracting industry development and the international engineering market, the self-discipline of China's international project contracting industry, protection of the market operation order, and the promotion of international cooperation, which endowed him with deep and rich research and practice experiences.</p>
Samon Sun
Samon Sun
Senior Associate, Pinsent Masons
<p>Samon&nbsp;Sun is a senior associate at Pinsent Masons. He is an expert in corporate compliance, specializing in areas such as anti-corruption, multilateral development bank sanctions, and ESG. With extensive experience working at prominent international and Chinese law firms, he has gained valuable practical knowledge in assisting companies with identifying compliance risks, conducting internal investigations, establishing and enhancing compliance systems, and navigating enforcement actions by external regulators. As a key member of his team, he has actively participated in numerous high-profile cases both domestically and internationally. Notably, one of these cases was chosen by the Supreme People's Court to promote the rule of law in China.</p>
Beatrice Yulo Gomez
Beatrice Yulo Gomez
Principal Safeguards Specialist (Environment), OSFG, ADB
<p>Beatrice Yulo Gomez leads the team of environmental experts that support ADB’s private sector operations, ensuring that projects comply with the Bank’s safeguard policies and environmental requirements. She works closely with project teams, borrowers, and clients to integrate sustainability and risk management into project design and implementation. Her role spans assessment and oversight of projects in the energy, transport, water, agriculture, urban development, and finance sectors across Asia and the Pacific.</p> <p>Before joining ADB, Beatrice worked as an environmental scientist, specializing in contaminated site assessment and remediation. She holds a master’s degree in Sustainability from the University of Sydney.</p>
Jay Roop
Jay Roop
Principal Safeguards Specialist, (Environment), OFSG, ADB
<p>Jay Roop has over 25 years’ experience as an international development specialist in over 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.&nbsp; He began his international career in Hanoi, Vietnam, where he prepared environmental assessments and supervised construction environmental management plans for large-scale civil works projects. He joined ADB as an environment specialist in 2006 where he led environmental assessment of infrastructure projects across Asia. He also co-authored ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) and led the preparation of ADB’s Good Practice Sourcebook (2012) for environmental safeguards.&nbsp; In 2012 he was seconded to the Australian government where he led the preparation of the Australian aid program’s first environment safeguards policy.&nbsp; He is currently based in Suva, Fiji, where he supports the preparation and implementation of ADB’s Safeguard Policy Statement (2009) requirements in ADB’s 14 Pacific countries as ADB’s Environment Team Leader.</p> <p>Mr. Roop holds a master's degree (Distinction) in Environmental Management in Developing Countries from Australian National University and a BSc (Honours) in Wildlife Biology from the University of Guelph, Canada.&nbsp;</p>
Felix Nii Tettey Oku (MCIWEM, C.WEM, C.EnvSci, MIOSH)
Felix Nii Tettey Oku (MCIWEM, C.WEM, C.EnvSci, MIOSH)
Principal Safeguard Specialist, Office of Safeguards, ADB
<p>Felix is a safeguard specialist with our 20 years MDB experience. Prior to joining ADB, he worked with the World Bank and African Development Bank in similar positions. Administratively, Felix heads the front office of the Head of Safeguards OSFG in ADB providing coordination function on key technical and specialist initiatives. He has extensive operations and policy compliance oversight functionalities and currently serves as the focal person for Health and Safety including SEAH in ADB. Felix has led several training and capacity building programs for staff as well as borrowers and clients of MDBs including ADB covering different sectors and Regions.</p>
Paola Castillo
Paola Castillo
Senior Social Development Specialist, AIIB
<p>Paola Castillo is a Senior Specialist in AIIB’s E&amp;S Team. She is academically trained in both the environmental and social disciplines and has 28 years of experience working on environmental and social risk management of large infrastructure projects against good international industry practices and standards in emerging and developing economies across the Latin America and Caribbean, Eastern Europe, Central, South, and East Asian regions. Prior to joining AIIB, Paola worked 10 years at the IFC, 3 years with the ADB and before that as an E&amp;S consultant with several international engineering firms based out of London, UK, among others. Paola has worked and lived across many countries and greatly enjoys living new experiences and meeting new people.</p>
Maya Gabriela Villaluz
Maya Gabriela Villaluz
Senior Environment Specialist, AIIB
<p>Maya is a Professional Civil Engineer, 2 master’s degrees in environmental engineering, science and Technology and a PhD in Environmental Science. She has decades of experience wearing different hats, working with multilateral development banks, financial intermediaries, private sector, national and local governments. Her expertise covers the various fields of sustainability (environmental management, biodiversity, ecosystem services, green infrastructures, governance, etc. Her role includes the review, monitoring and quality assurance of environment and social safeguards’ instruments for risk management and impact assessment during the preparation, design and implementation of development plans, projects and programs.</p>
Carsten Huttche (MSc/ Dipl. Biol.)
Carsten Huttche (MSc/ Dipl. Biol.)
Senior Environmental Specialist, AIIB
<p>Carsten has worked on environmental and sustainability topics throughout the Asia-Pacific Region (APAC) for 30 years.</p> <p>He holds a Master of Science in Biology (Tropical Ecology) from the Freie Universität of Berlin (FU Berlin) in Germany. He has worked with numerous safeguards systems, providing environmental safeguards and climate change adaptation consultancy inputs in the Asia-Pacific Region.</p> <p>Carsten held the position as Senior Adjunct Lecturer at Singapore National University (NUS) from 2008-2012. He conducted numerous teaching and speaking assignments and has authored several publications on regional environmental issues. Carsten has taught Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions at the Institution of Engineers, Singapore, (IES) until 2024. For his lectures, he has focused on the construction of sustainable drainage systems, which his company designed and built in Singapore and Malaysia.</p> <p>Most recently, Carsten has been working on Biodiversity Accounting Metrics using new models to predict biodiversity impacts and mitigation targets such as Zero Biodiversity Net Loss and/or Biodiversity Net Gains in post-development scenarios.</p>
Krisnan Isomartana
Krisnan Isomartana
Senior Environment Specialist, AIIB
<p>Krisnan was the Senior Environmental Safeguards specialist at the World Bank Jakarta office coordinating around 60 projects in Indonesia and Timor Leste, worth around USD 10-12 billion in the portfolio and around USD 2.5 billion annually in project pipeline.</p> <p>Krisnan started his career in Papua where he was the environmental engineer of one of the largest copper and gold mines in the world.</p> <p>Krisnan completed his bachelor’s degree in Bandung Institute of Technology in Environmental Engineering, master’s degree in environmental economics from UNSW Sydney in Australia and got an MBA in Finance from Prasetiya Mulya Business School Jakarta.</p>
Kisa Mfalila
Kisa Mfalila
Senior Advisor to the CEO, Environmental, Social, and Governance, MCDF
<p>Kisa Mfalila joined the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF) Secretariat in February 2025 as Senior Advisor to the CEO, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).</p> <p>Kisa leads MCDF’s engagement with International Financial Institutions and other partners to advance environmental and social standards (ESS) and strengthen MCDF’s position in the ESS community.</p> <p>Kisa joined MCDF from AIIB, where she worked as an adviser on enhancing the quality of investments for both sovereign and non-sovereign-backed financing. Before joining AIIB, Kisa served as the Lead Environment and Climate Specialist for Asia and the Pacific at the International Fund for Agricultural Development, based in New Delhi, India.</p> <p>She also held senior environmental specialist roles at the World Bank and African Development Bank. With extensive experience in designing and implementing investment operations—including large and complex infrastructure projects—she has played a key role in managing environment and climate risks in infrastructure investments across Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.</p> <p>Kisa holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. A Tanzanian national, Kisa has also lived in South Africa, Tunisia, and the United States. In her free time, she enjoys creative arts.</p>
Kassiyet Tulegenova
Kassiyet Tulegenova
Safeguards Specialist (Labor), Policy and Technical Services Office of Safeguards, ADB
<p>With over 12 years of experience at the International Labor Organization (ILO), Kassiyet plays a pivotal role in supporting policy development and implementation of Environmental and Social Standard 2: Labor and Working Conditions. Her expertise spans project management, technical assistance, capacity building, resource mobilization, and partnership development. Kassiyet has actively contributed to the creation of tools, guidance, and capacity-building initiatives for ILO constituents and stakeholders. Her research background includes leading the development of reports and publications on various decent work topics. Before joining ILO, Kassiyet worked at the Delegation of the European Union to Kazakhstan, the European Commission, and the United Nations Development Program.</p>
Mark Barnard
Mark Barnard
Senior Environment Specialist, AIIB
<p>Mark is a Chartered Environmentalist and certified lead environmental auditor with over seventeen years’ experience. His experience has included hydropower, on and offshore wind, solar, road, rail and associated bridge projects in countries including the UK, EU, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Tanzania amongst others, with roles in environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), pre-feasibility optioneering, environmental and social due diligence (ESDD), Lenders Technical Advisory (LTA) for concession tendering and project finance, and Lenders / Independent Environmental and Social Consultant (LESC / IESC) project implementation monitoring. &nbsp;He joined the AIIB in early 2024 following more than 15 years in environmental and social consultancy and is presently a senior member of the AIIBs Environmental and Social Team.</p>
Rupal Kulkarni
Rupal Kulkarni
Social Development Specialist, AIIB
<p>Rupal Kulkarni is a social development and finance professional with over 15 years of grassroots and MDB experience in labor migration, financial inclusion and indigenous communities. At AIIB, she works on managing social risks and impacts of infrastructure projects. Prior to joining AIIB, she ran a pioneering financial services company (Shram Sarathi) and was a founding member of a non-profit knowledge and research institute (Work Fair and Free) for labor migrants in India. She has lived and worked among indigenous communities in India and Ghana and her areas of expertise include social impact assessments, building social protection and financial service models for labor migrants, social safeguards in informal labor markets and occupational safety.</p>
Muzaffar Ahmad
Muzaffar Ahmad
Senior Environment Specialist, AIIB
<p>Muzaffar Ahmad is a Senior Environment Specialist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). In his role, Muzaffar focuses on integrating environmental and safety aspects into AIIB operations. He also serves as the focal point for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) considerations in project design, construction and operation to lead AIIB’s efforts in enhancing OHS performance across the Bank’s operations.</p> <p>Before joining AIIB, Muzaffar worked with the World Bank in Sydney, Australia, applying ESF requirements to projects across the Pacific Island Countries. Muzaffar holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Pakistan and a master’s degree in environmental engineering from University of Melbourne, Australia. He is also a certified expert in Climate Change &amp; Renewable Energy Finance. His work ensures that AIIB projects are not only environmentally sound but also meet the highest standards of health and safety, contributing to the Bank’s sustainable development goals.</p>
Shagun Mehrotra
Shagun Mehrotra
Senior Social Development Specialist, AIIB
<p>Shagun is a Senior Social Development Specialist at AIIB, where she integrates social dimensions into operations. Her work involves managing environmental and social risks in sovereign-backed and non-sovereign-backed financing projects.</p> <p>Shagun has contributed to developing the Approach Note on Mainstreaming Gender in AIIB Operations and the Corporate Gender Action Plan. In her current capacity as the SFD gender team coordinator, she supports operationalization of AIIBs Gender Action Plan by providing technical guidance and support to ES specialists and clients to effectively integrate gender and GBV considerations in operations.</p> <p>Previously, she worked with the World Bank in India as a social safeguards and gender specialist, supporting social risk management and gender-based violence (GBV) prevention across various sectors. She also contributed to the South Asia Gender Platform’s review of gender and GBV considerations.</p> <p>Shagun holds master’s degrees in governance and development from the Institute of Development Studies, UK, and in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India.</p>
Jenny Yan Yee Chu
Jenny Yan Yee Chu
Procurement Specialist, ADB
<p>She is the sustainable procurement knowledge focal in ADB Procurement Portfolio and Financial Management Department.</p> <p>Jenny led the work on the incorporation of environmental health and safety provisions in the standard bidding documents for works, development of ADB Sustainable Procurement Guidance Note, and related country diagnostic program for ADB DMC as well as the work with wider ADB team and external stakeholders on related capacity building program, market readiness assessment and shaping initiatives.</p> <p>Jenny is a chartered professional engineer and an admitted barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand.</p>
Minhong Fan
Minhong Fan
Senior Procurement Specialist, PPFD, ADB
<p>Minhong has over 30 years of experience in Public Procurement.&nbsp; She joined ADB in 2011, initially working at the&nbsp;People’s Republic of China Resident Mission (PRCM) until early 2015. From 2015 to 2022, she moved to work in ADB HQ, serving as the procurement focal point for ADB’s&nbsp;Central and West Asia Department&nbsp;and as Regional Head of Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department (PPFD) for the Southeast Asia Department.&nbsp; In 2023, she was appointed the&nbsp;PPFD Regional Head for the East Asia Department&nbsp;and outposted to PRCM.&nbsp; She is currently the procurement country focal for the PRC and Mongolia.</p> <p>Minhong has extensive knowledge in supervising public procurement in various sectors and regions across multiple countries.&nbsp;&nbsp; Before joining ADB, she worked in public procurement in the PRC for over 20 years.</p> <p>Minhong Fan holds a master’s degree in economics from the&nbsp;Central University of Finance and Economics, PRC.</p>
Jingrong He
Jingrong He
Senior Procurement Specialist, AIIB
<p>Jingrong is a Senior Procurement Specialist of the Sustainability and Fiduciary Solutions Department of AIIB. She is a seasoned procurement professional with over 20 years of MDB procurement experience. She holds a LLM specializing in Public Procurement Law and Policy from the University of Nottingham and a Mater of Engineering of International Engineering Project Management from Tsinghua University. Before joining AIIB, Jingrong was a Senior Procurement Specialist of the World Bank.</p>
Drona Ghimire
Drona Ghimire
Senior Environment Specialist, AIIB
<p>Drona R Ghimire is currently a Senior Environmental Specialist at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). He brings over two decades of hands-on experience in environmental and social management in infrastructure projects. Before joining AIIB, he spent more than 15 years at the World Bank. Over the course of his career, he has supported a wide range of infrastructure projects across multiple countries and sectors.</p> <p>Drona has worked closely with governments, communities, development partners, and implementing stakeholders to integrate environmental and social considerations into the heart of project planning and implementation. He emphasizes early and continuous integration of these aspects into infrastructure design and delivery. He is committed to building local capacity and promoting infrastructure development that goes hand-in-hand with environmental stewardship and social inclusion.</p> <p>He has collaborated with organizations such as ADB, IUCN, and ILO, and has contributed to projects funded by multilateral development banks. Drona holds a master’s degree in environmental engineering from the University of Liverpool, UK, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from IIT Roorkee, India. Originally from Nepal, he is fluent in Nepali, English, and Hindi, and conversational in Urdu. He enjoys learning from the diversity of cultures and landscapes he encounters through his work.</p>
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ORGANIZING PARTNERS
  • Asian Development Bank
  • Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
  • Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance
  • China International Contractors Association
CONTACT

If you would like to learn more about this training, please contact CHINCA’s Lyu Wenchao 吕文超(lyuwch@chinca.org), AIIB’s Jiaxuan Shi (jiaxuan.shi@aiib.org), ADB’s Editha Aguilar (eaguilar@adb.org), and MCDF’s Jenny Lou Fernandez (jenny.fernandez@themcdf.org).

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