Fern is a seasoned leader and changemaker with solid experience in both the non-profit and private sectors in Asia. Over her career, Fern has successfully led major change initiatives, and is sought after for her expertise in responsible and strategic leadership, diversity and inclusion, talent development and cultural change.
Fern currently dedicates her time to volunteering as chair of the board of KELY Support Group, a Hong Kong charity focused on supporting young people, and serves as a board director of charities AIDS Concern, Beyond Vision International and SENsational Foundation. She also advises organisations working on causes related to inequality and DEI, and mentors a number of talented young leaders. To keep connected with the business community, she chairs a chapter of the Executives Global Network (EGN).
From 2012-2020, Fern was the CEO of Community Business (CB), a Hong Kong based not-for-profit committed to advancing responsible and inclusive business practices in Asia. Through its pioneering research, networks, campaigns and events, CB works to inspire leaders at all levels, increasing their understanding of key issues and motivating them to take action while providing them with practical tools/skillsets to make positive change. Fern oversaw the expansion of CB’s products and services, established an Indian subsidiary and led the development of the ground-breaking LGBT+ Inclusion Index and Awards. CB’s work in LGBT+ inclusion has helped raise awareness of the importance of equality, acceptance, and allyship for the LGBT+ community, enabling companies to create more safe and inclusive workplaces. Fern was an author and contributor to CB’s research and opinion pieces, and is an authoritative voice on diverse topics such as gender, disability, employee wellbeing, mental health, racism, ageing, and work/life balance. Fern served on the Steering Committee of the 30% Club Hong Kong which believes in collaborative, concerted business-led efforts to help accelerate progress towards gender parity on corporate boards.
Originally from Canada, Fern has over 40 years of broad experience in financial services, technology, change management, and workplace diversity and community programmes. She held executive roles in the HR, technology and operations, governance, strategy, and corporate affairs functions at Standard Chartered Bank and was the bank’s first D&I champion for Hong Kong.
Twitter: @fernngai
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/fern-ngai-a392914