Paul is the founder of Foria (HK) Ltd., a strategic corporate advisory firm specializing in Sustainability & ESG, Compliance, Corporate Governance, Risk Assessment, and Supply Chain Solutions, with representation in Hong Kong and Shanghai. He is also the Co-Founder of Eqologic Ltd., an advisory company that employs a hybrid approach, leveraging systemic, operational, and regulatory consulting to restore the environmental system to stability and sustainability. The company has offices and representations in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia.

Previously, he held the position of General Manager China / Global ESG & Traceability Director for Clean Energy Associates / Intertek, where he was instrumental in building a service portfolio that navigated the complex and geopolitically sensitive supply chains for renewables (photovoltaic / battery storage) with the origination of rare earth materials / polysilicon from areas of concern. Paul further acted as adviser to multilateral and bilateral banks on their funds deployed for infrastructure projects.

Since 1998, Paul has travelled to Asia to support subsidiaries in tapping into sustainability services related to consumer products, forestry, and carbon emissions reduction services during his tenure at SGS. He then relocated to Hong Kong and Shanghai in 2005.

Paul has been instrumental in developing and rolling out global sustainability solutions as a service. GlobalGap, MSC, FSC, ASC, Floricultural Environment Project (MPS), GMP⁺, to name a few. While managing a global competence center during the 2000s, he was at the forefront of what we now encompass with the “E” of ESG, including Carbon Offset Verification (COV), the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Joint Implementation (JI), and the UK Emission Trading Scheme (ETS).

Paul currently pursues a Doctorate in Business Administration related to corporate governance (“Corporate Governance of a Firm’s Human & Structured Capital: Influencing a Firm’s Innovation Strategy.”). Paul has obtained his Master in Business Research (MABR). He further holds a degree in Agricultural Science (BASc), Agronomy (MSc), a postgraduate master PgDIP and DipCD for corporate governance. Obtained the ISB®, GCB.D, CESGA® and QRD® designations and is a Certified Board Chair™.

Experience:

• Director & Founder, Foria (HK) Ltd., Hong Kong / Shanghai – present
• Director & Co-Founder, Eqologic Ltd., Hong Kong / Shanghai / Singapore / Ho Chi Minh – present
• Associate Partner, First Capital Advisers, Hong Kong – present
• General Manager China / Global ESG Director, Clean Energy Associates, Shanghai, 2021 – 2024
• Advisory Board Member, International Association for Sustainable Economics (IASE), 2022 – present
• Regional Holding CEO & Regional Manager Far East, TUV Asia Pacific Ltd., Hong Kong, 2010 – 2014
• Various senior regional & global management roles, Bureau Veritas CPS HK Ltd, Hong Kong, 2005-2009
• Various director and global roles, SGS Netherlands, Benelux, HQ, NL/BE/CH, 1994 – 2005

Educational background:

• Master’s degree (MABR), Business Research, 2021
• Master’s degree (MSc), Agronomy, 1992
• Bachelor’s degree (BASc), Agricultural Science, 1990
• Postgraduate Diploma (PgDip), Corporate Governance, 2021

Professional qualifications:

• Certified Chair™ Executive Program, Advisory Board Centre
• Qualified Risk Director Diploma & Designation (QRD®), DCROI
• Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA^®), The EU Federation of Financial Analysts Societies
• ESG Designation Program (GCB.D), The Competent Boards
• ISB^® L1 Advisor/L2 Specialist (ISB^®) – International Association for Sustainable Economy
• Diploma in Company Direction (DipCD), Hong Kong Institute of Directors
• Certificate in Sustainability Leadership, Hong Kong Institute of Directors
• Certified NLP Practitioner, The NLP Connection
• Role of an Independent Non-Executive Director, Hong Kong Institute of Directors
• Role of a Listed Company Director, Hong Kong Institute of Directors
• Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, Hong Kong Productivity Council

Designations:

• Advisory Board Member, International Association for Sustainable Economics, Hong Kong
• ESG Industry Practice Group member, Benelux Chamber of Commerce, Shanghai
• ESG curriculum contributor, expert and lecturer, Institute for China Studies, Shanghai
• Ambassador for DCROI, Asean, Indian subcontinent, APAC & GCC for QRD® Diploma
• Board member, Past President and Foundation Chair, Rotary Club of Hong Kong South

Awards:

• Awarded Incubator Status after rigorous vetting and interviews by an academic panel, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, 2015
• Awarded prime demo status at HKSTP hall of fame (50 out of 2500 applicants), Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, 2016
• Awarded Accelerator Status at the HKSTP-HACTL accelerator Academy, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park and Hong Kong Airport and Cargo Terminal, 2016

Academic publications:

• Master degree thesis. Bufferzones at the Zijpe Municipality (NL): a Matter of give and take. Wageningen University and Research. 
• MABR research proposal for DBA thesis. Corporate Governance in Hong Kong and the Netherlands of a firm’s Human and Structured Capital: Influencing a Firm’s Innovation Strategy.

Professional  publications:

• Study on the current situation and possibilities for chain-of-custody/traceability in the global photovoltaic supply chain. An internal white paper (183 p.) for a global multilateral institute financing utility-scale infrastructure projects globally, 2021.

Presentations, speaker invites, guest lectures:

• Sustainability and Environmental Sound Production Schemes in the Agricultural Industry Guest Lectures at various Applied Agricultural Universities and Colleges, Netherlands, 1994 – 2005
• Sustainability and Environmental Sound Production Schemes in the Agricultural Industry
  Guest Lecturer at Wageningen University and Research, Wageningen, Province Gelderland,   Netherlands, 1994 – 2005
• Introducing Social Themes into the auditing of Agricultural Schemes
  Keynote speech, Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy, 1998
• Sustainability, ESG, Supply Chain, Agriculture, Benchmarking, Continuous Improvement at seminars, summits, workshops, lectures, training, webinars, Keynote speeches
  NL/CH/BE/IT/ES/RSA/UK/DE/FR/KR/JP/IN, 2005 – 2025
• Chain-of-Custody, Traceability, ESG in the photo voltaic and battery storage industry
  Various keynote speeches on summits, seminars, webinars, training, lectures and coaching sessions, HKG/CN/EU/US, 2021 – 2024
• “ESG in the Footwear industry. Changing the paradigm through stakeholders, risk management and brand protection,” 12^th Global Footwear Sustainability Summit, Dongguan, 2024
• ESG in Renewable Supply Chains in China.
  HKUST MBA Guest Lecture, Guest lecture on the impact of geopolitical tensions on supply chains for PV, BESS, WECS and H₂, Hong Kong, 2024
• The ISB/ISF training of IASE as the ESG module for HKU’s Sustainability MSc program.
  HKU/IASE joint introduction session and educational lecture on how IASE’s ISB/ISF training contributes to the practitioner and investor-related ESG roles of students joining the program. Hong Kong, 2024
• Greening Human Capital: Preparing Asia’s Labor Markets for the Green Economy Transition – Policies, Skills Development, and Ensuring a Fair Transition. Panelist at the Asia ESG Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2025.
• Aligning Ambition with Accountability: How Corporate ESG Integration and Climate Risk Assessment Drive Responsible Investment and Circular Outcomes. Breakout session keynote speech for the Responsible Investment & Circular Economy stream during the Asia ESG Summit 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2025.