RVRC hosted the second Rector’s Dialogue for the Academic Year 2025/26, entitled "Practicing Leadership for a Sustainable World: The Banyan Way", on 11 February 2026. Convened by RVRC Rector Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, this series was established to foster meaningful engagement between students and eminent national and international thought leaders on the critical role of leadership in advancing global sustainability.
The session featured distinguished guest Ms. Claire Chiang, Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Banyan Group, who shared insights on sustainable development, community uplift, and human capital development as values that sit at the heart of Banyan Tree’s ethos.
Moderated by An, a Year 4 Life Science student and Resident Assistant at RVRC, the dialogue was anchored in purposeful leadership. On why she chose to host the session, An shared: “I have the honour of hosting two exceptional women who, in my eyes, truly embody what it means to ‘have it all’, not in a superficial hustling sense, but in a deeply purposeful one.”
Ms. Chiang opened by recalling her mother’s formative words: “No one owes you a living.” She reflected on how this shaped her resolve to chart her own path, despite the challenges she faced. Displaying a key hallmark of her purposeful leadership style, she shared how she initiated sustainability reporting within Banyan Group nineteen years ago, well before frameworks and formal metrics were commonplace. She also spoke about advocating for a pragmatic approach to environmental stewardship that includes not only biodiversity, but also the human, cultural, and community dimensions of sustainability across the Banyan Group.
She encouraged attendees to stay led by curiosity by engaging fully and deeply with what intrigues them and to let that curiosity fuel their working lives. She also emphasised perseverance and the importance of staying committed to one’s values even when it is difficult.
A highlight of the session was an interactive reflection segment towards the end of the dialogue that invited honest sharing from everyone in the room, and deepened the conversation beyond the dialogue topic itself.
About the RVRC Rector’s Series Dialogues
The RVRC Rector’s Dialogue Series delves into the multifaceted challenges confronting societies in the pursuit of sustainable development, and highlights the transformative potential of principled, adaptive leadership across diverse contexts. The series aims to inspire emerging leaders to integrate sustainability values into their personal and professional spheres, while encouraging collaborative problem-solving and community engagement.
