Sep 26, 2023

Quest Ventures appoints April Ong Vaño as Head of Environmental, Social & Governance Singapore-based venture capital firm Quest Ventures has appointed Philippine-based April Ong Vaño as its Head of Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG). Quest Ventures says in a statement on Sunday that in this capacity, Ong Vaño will play a pivotal role in advancing the company’s mission and advancing sustainability efforts in key markets. According to the statement, 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, Ong Vaño will leverage he 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 Ong Vaño. It is noted that 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 venture capital of the Year in 2022. The firm has a portfolio of 100+ venture-backed companies operate in more than 150 cities across Asia. “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 Quest Ventures Managing Partner James Tan. Tan is also Chairman at ACE.SG, the national voice of entrepreneurship in Singapore, a top ten global startup and innovation ecosystem.