Ronna Chao

A sustainable fashion pioneer in Hong Kong, Ronna Chao wears many hats. As CEO of Novel Investment Partners and the non-profit Bai Xian Asia Institute, the chairperson of Novetex Textiles and founder of The Billie Upcycling, she’s vocal about the environmental catastrophe caused by senseless overconsumption and overproduction in the industry. Chao’s career began in New York, where she held tenures at both Goldman Sachs and Tommy Hilfiger – and when in 2010 it was time to come home to Hong Kong, the family business received an invaluable ally. Through her passion and sagacity, she’s been instrumental in leading the textile industry towards a more sustainable future, through initiatives such as The Billie, a waterless upcycling system operating with technology developed by Novetex Textiles, and whose robustness has been recognised at the International Exhibition of Inventions in Geneva and the Hong Kong Green Innovations Awards. Also approaching is the 10th anniversary of the Bai Xian Asia Institute, which provides students from Asia with scholarships and opportunities to study away from their home countries. After decades of breaking boundaries and leading change, Chao’s motto is simple, “Don’t overthink or over worry over anything.”