Emerging markets top venture capital firm Quest Ventures announced today that it has appointed Ms. April Ong Vaño as its Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). In this capacity, Ms. Ong Vaño will play a pivotal role in advancing the company's mission and advancing sustainability efforts in key markets.
Ms Ong Vaño brings a wealth of experience to this role, having served ten years in social innovation and sustainable development across government, non-profit, and private sector projects. As Head of ESG at Quest Ventures, Ms Ong Vaño will leverage her knowledge of venture financing and local markets to spearhead strategic initiatives with meaningful outcomes. She will be covering this role while based in Cebu, The Philippines.
"I intend to drive practical outcomes in local communities. These include microfinance for agriculture and accessible solutions for clean water and energy, all of which are important for a decarbonised planet. I firmly believe that venture capital plays a pivotal role in sustainable innovations and technology. I look forward to supporting transformative startups to scale their impact,” said Ms Ong Vaño.
Quest Ventures is one of the first venture capital firm signatories in Asia to the Principles of Responsible Investment, an investor initiative in partnership with UNEP Finance Initiative and UN Global Compact. Its blend of capital and technology work in uplifting communities in emerging economies in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, and has garnered it accolades such as VC of the Year in 2022.
"We are delighted to have April lead our ESG efforts. She brings with her a wealth of experience rooted in her years of working on real-life issues affecting the lives of social impact entrepreneurs and people at the base of the pyramid,” said Mr James Tan, Managing Partner at Quest Ventures. Mr Tan is also Chairman at ACE.SG, the national voice of entrepreneurship in Singapore, a top ten global startup and innovation ecosystem.