Jean Sung

“It might sound like a broken record, but I very often say we need to institutionalise and build capacity in social sector,” says Jean Sung, whose remarkable career has been defined by her commitment to responding and advising on structured solutions around complicated challenges facing the world, and inspiring others to rally around those causes. “In anything we do, we need a partner. It’s like any business. You have to have the right partner so that you can deploy resources that can realise achievement and implement a programme.”

Sung managed corporate giving for JP Morgan Chase from 2006 to 2013 in 13 Asian countries and in this role, she developed and implemented programmes and services that are designed to improve livelihoods and skills at work, with a focus on economic and workforce development, financial empowerment, education, health and disaster relief.   
 
She was also responsible for setting up JP Morgan Private Bank’s Philanthropy Centre in Asia and she works with clients and their families to articulate their philanthropic vision, strategy and goals that can strengthen their giving with purpose and intent. In addition to assisting philanthropists across Asia to crystalize clear aims and objectives in their giving strategies; she also helps analyse giving models and structures that would be most effective and efficient. From her engagement early on with development work in Hong Kong, it has been her belief that donations should only be given when they address the root causes of social problems with clear measurement and impact returns.  

“Philanthropy is a multi-billion-dollar concern,” she says. “It changes lives and shapes destinies at an individual, regional, and global level. Given its scale and potential impact, families and corporations have also recognized the need for their philanthropic giving to be effectively managed; properly implemented and be fully evaluated and accounted for.”

Sung is a native of Hong Kong and serves as member of McCain Global Leaders Advisory Council, board governor and executive committee member of Bai Xian Asia Institute; executive member of sustainability committee, Linkreit; executive committee member of Outward Bound (Hong Kong and China) and executive committee member of Hong Kong Society for the Protection of Children.