e27 has been nurturing a supportive ecosystem for entrepreneurs since its inception. Our Contributor Programme offers a platform for sharing unique insights. As part of our ‘Contributor Spotlight’ series, we shine a spotlight on an outstanding contributor and dive into the vastness of their knowledge and expertise.

This episode features Zijian Khor, Senior Assistant Director at the National Environment Agency (NEA), Singapore, where he currently drives innovation and improvements in the Operations Transformation Division. With over a decade of experience in the environment and sustainability space, Khor has led initiatives spanning corporate strategy, policy, and operations at both the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and NEA.

At MSE, he worked on climate science and adaptation, contributing to Singapore’s engagements with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), as well as national research efforts in coastal protection and heat resilience. At NEA, he managed the carbon budget for the Waste Sector and long-term planning for key infrastructure, including Semakau Landfill. He also spearheaded the rollout of Pneumatic Waste Systems, business intelligence functions, and major process reviews.

Outside of work, he keeps one eye on the world stage. He runs Geopolitical Action 4 Leaders, a newsletter, and hosts GeoPol in a Pod, a podcast, where he unpacks the hidden signals shaping global policy, finance, and the economy for supply chain leaders and investors. He is also an active contributor of our community, where he writes a bi-weekly column on climate policies and sustainability, examining their impact on Southeast Asia’s startup and investment landscape.

In the sections below, he reflects on his journey, the lessons he’s learned, and what keeps him going.

How I got here

Working at the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment allowed me to broaden my horizons to real-world issues that all aspects of society face: climate change, food and water security, even frontier topics like heat resilience. I also came to realise how geopolitical relations quietly impact our day-to-day lives behind the scenes.

This piqued my interest in geopolitics and started me on a journey to constantly think about how these forces shape our society. Now, I produce a newsletter and podcast to raise awareness, as I believe we need more analysts thinking along these lines — especially in the corporate space.

Also Read: Rails of fortune: How China’s US$124B BRI boom is creating new startup arteries in SEA

If I had to explain my work to a kid

I help my teammates work better together and get ready for the things we’ll need to do in the future.

Lessons learned along the way

One thing I’ve learned is that government tends to be slow in adopting new technology. But locally, we’ve started to see AI and large language models (LLMs) being more closely incorporated into government work. They’ve been a great support in sharpening our thinking, improving how we communicate, and boosting the effectiveness of the services we deliver.

What more people should notice

Startups and investors should place more emphasis on geopolitical and climate risks as emerging dimensions. Signals around resilience, compute, and energy sovereignty are already shaping supply chains and affecting the value chains that startups rely on.

Why I write

My advice for aspiring thought leaders

I was once told to “keep it simple,” and that’s the mantra I follow when I write. Oh, and AI does a pretty good job of making things easier to read too!

Also Read: Why perfect carbon audits could cripple climate finance — and what to fix instead

What drives my curiosity

Aside from topics like climate change and carbon credits, geopolitics and AI are always top of mind. The world is moving too fast and often in unpredictable ways, through my newsletter and podcast, I try to offer some semblance of clarity amidst the noise.

Influences that shaped me

Take a look at Khor’s articles here for more insights and perspectives on his expertise.

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