Charlie Tan

Charlie Tan is the Chief Executive Officer of the Global Impact Coalition (GIC), a CEO-led platform dedicated to driving systemic change towards a net-zero and circular future for the global chemical industry and its value chains. 

Under Charlie’s leadership, GIC unites the world’s leading chemical companies and industry stakeholders to co-create, scale and commercialise breakthrough technologies and business models that reduce emissions and promote circularity.

About the Global Impact Coalition

GIC was originally incubated by the World Economic Forum as the Low-Carbon Emitting Technologies (LCET) initiative and relaunched as an independent entity in November 2023. 

Headquartered in Geneva, GIC brings together founding members such as BASF, SABIC, Clariant, Covestro, LG Chem, LyondellBasell, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Moeve, SUEZ and Syensqo, alongside a growing roster of global partners. Collectively, its members represent more than US$350bn in annual revenue and include more than 150 senior executives, technical experts and sustainability leaders.

GIC’s mission is to accelerate the transition to net zero by 2050 by fostering pre-competitive collaboration across the value chain, developing and scaling innovative technologies, and establishing new business models that reduce emissions and enhance circularity. 

The coalition’s action-oriented approach focuses on de-risking investments, building value chain connections and scaling proven solutions from concept to commercial reality faster than any single organisation could achieve alone.

Charlie’s visionary leadership and career journey

Charlie brings a unique blend of commercial acumen, entrepreneurial drive and sustainability expertise to his role as CEO. 

A graduate of Imperial College London with a BSc in Business and a CFA Certificate in Investment Management, Charlie’s academic foundation in finance and strategy has underpinned a career at the intersection of commercial performance and climate impact.

Charlie’s professional journey spans more than a decade across the energy, chemicals and climate technology sectors. He began in commodities trading before founding and scaling several startups, including a global oil waste collection and recycling business operating in 35 ports across 22 countries. These formative experiences provided Charlie with hands-on insight into scaling sustainable businesses while maintaining operational and commercial excellence.

He later joined the World Economic Forum, where he led the development of multiple climate-focused platforms, including what is now GIC. Charlie has also advised senior leaders in government and business, such as the UK’s Ministry of International Climate Finance, on sustainability frameworks and policy implementation.

Catalysing industry transformation

As CEO, Charlie is at the forefront of one of the world’s most critical sustainability challenges: decarbonising an industry responsible for approximately 6% of global greenhouse gas emissions – more than double that of the aviation sector. 

He is recognised for his ability to align a diverse group of global industry leaders around bold, pre-competitive collaboration, driving the chemical sector’s transformation through trust, long-term vision and relentless execution.

Under Charlie’s stewardship, the GIC has launched pioneering projects such as the R&D Hub for Plastic Waste Processing and the Automotive Plastics Circularity Pilot.

The coalition’s unique framework fosters trust among competitors, enabling them to share investment risks, pool expertise and progress technologies and business models that deliver measurable impact.

A relentless focus on impact

Charlie’s leadership is defined by a commitment to “less talk, more results”. He envisions a future where the chemical industry not only meets its net-zero targets but also becomes a model for cross-sectoral collaboration and sustainable growth. 

“The sustainable transformation of the chemical industry requires collective action,” he says. “Individual efforts alone will not enable us to meet global net zero and circularity targets.”

By catalysing real-world projects and forging partnerships across the value chain, Charlie and GIC are shaping a more sustainable future for one of the world’s most essential – and challenging – industries.

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