In this episode of Scouting for Growth, Sabine VdL interviews Gwen Yu, an expert in sustainable finance with a background in transfer pricing, who helps international ventures understand the best way to expand internationally. Sabine talks to Gwen about how she made her way into sustainable finance, and how her past business and personal experiences have shaped her decision to support a better future and a better planet. During the course of the discussion, Gwen shares her vision, mission, and goals with regard to shaping a more sustainable future.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- There is so much variety in everything that I’ve done in my career. It’s only looking back now that I see how all the different pieces fit together. If you take sustainability in a broader sense, you’re looking at ESG in general, and transfer pricing is relevant for understanding governance and how everything fits holistically within the puzzle. Everything from understanding your supply chain to figuring out where demand goes.
- Early in my career a manager came to me and said: “The younger you, is most of the options you will have and it’s going to be really hard to make a decision to shut certain doors offered to you. But you shouldn’t look at it that way; you should look at it as that’s the path you’re going to go down eventually. And maybe you’ll circle back around. But early on, you must define what’s important to you as a person. It doesn’t matter what that is, but you need to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and recognize the person you are.” That has fuelled my path. I want to have a positive impact in whatever I’m doing, and I want to leave wherever I’ve touched enhanced and better than before.
- To get a loan from a bank, you would go through a credit committee, which traditionally would check if the person is risky, has defaulted before, where they are positioned, and if they have a sound business plan. To incorporate sustainability into what financial institutions are doing now, they’re looking at the sustainability rankings in terms of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) of whoever it is they’re providing a loan to. Typically, it’s mostly for big corporations because that’s where the data is available. Do they have proper supply chain governance? Are they doing something harmful or positive for biodiversity? How are they funding new projects? These are now becoming standard practices and will be rolled out so that, when you go to the credit committee to get a loan, how sustainable you are will play a role in the interest rate you get. If you’re not sustainable, you are likely to become a riskier client.
- Technology will be a critical part of driving change in sustainable finance. From the decision-making process, the required data analysis inputs will need to be pushed out, and quality controls will need to be put in place to ensure it’s actually sustainable. I don’t think the big guys are going to be able to do it alone. The innovation will start with small pockets and groups with great ideas. This will be pushed through to ensure that tech is doing well and serving a diversified community rather than a one-dimensional one.
BEST MOMENTS
‘I think transfer pricing gets a bad rap because one of the most important parts is trying to figure out the actual market price you should be paying for services as opposed to the negative connotation where you’re doing tax evasion.’
‘I believe the universe comes full circle somehow, and I’m not at the end of my circle, but I can see where all these interconnections happen.’
‘Purpose and impact have become much more important, much more than just what people want to say in their marketing brochures, but actually drilling down to see how what you’re telling is true? Are you doing what you are saying you’re going to do? Am I investing in companies that I feel are in line with my values?’
‘Sustainable finance is just adding another lens to ensure that your money is invested in what’s necessary or good. Is your investment making a negative or positive impact? Is it going to serve an underserved community or causes that you want to see addressed?’
ABOUT THE GUEST
Gwen Yu is an expert in sustainable finance, with experience in transfer pricing, and has worked with renowned companies, including Sherpa and BNP Paribas. She also worked with the European Commission as a member of the data and usability subgroup.
ABOUT THE HOST
Sabine VanderLinden is a corporate strategist turned entrepreneur and the CEO of Alchemy Crew Ventures. She leads venture-client labs that help Fortune 500 companies adopt and scale cutting-edge technologies from global tech ventures. A builder of accelerators, investor, and co-editor of the bestseller The INSURTECH Book, Sabine is known for asking the uncomfortable questions—about AI governance, risk, and trust. On Scouting for Growth, she decodes how real growth happens—where capital, collaboration, and courage meet.
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