With over a decade of innovation in global sustainability under his belt, it’s no surprise that HY William Chan has been appointed curator of the Global Shapers community.

According to Chan, “It’s critical to bring a social entrepreneurial mindset in designing solutions for people and planet with the future in mind”.

This mindset is at the heart of the 10th anniversary of Global Shapers this year, a collaborative network of young people that aims to drive “dialogue, action and change” around the creation of future sustainable cities. Design collaboration through this community “will enable us towards sustainable development in each of our cities,” says Chan.

Global Shapers is well-known for its annual Davos meeting of business and industry leaders and drives next-generation solution building and city making as part of the Davos Lab. This year, the climate crisis and the particularly devastating effects of the global pandemic will inevitably take centre stage.

From early in his career, Chan forged a name for himself as a disruptor with a knack for design thinking and city making strategy. In 2019, Chan earned a place on the 2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list as the only architect in the Industry, Manufacturing and Energy category.

Named a “visionary entrepreneur” by Forbes, his reputation was cemented through innovations addressing homelessness in Sydney with co-living housing and using smart infrastructure to address food security in Milan. As an expert panel member to the City of Sydney’s citizen-led vision for 2050, Chan has also already been privy to co-designing with the community.

Chan previously worked at leading design firms Hassel and Arup Foresight + Innovation. In his most recent role as an urban designer at Cox Architecture, Chan facilitated the development of the firm’s future-focused global sustainability agenda, alongside holding roles at the AGM and on the board of management design and marketing committee. During this role, he was also praised for his circular economy project,  upcycling plastic waste from refugee camps into 3D printed architectural items in Athens.

The Global Shapers community uses grassroots knowledge with a global perspective to address current pressing issues. Currently, discussions on the COVID-19 response, shaping cities that are made for everyone, and challenging the status quo on gender inequality are just some of the community’s talking points.

With Chan’s commitment to people-focused urban design innovations that benefit the community in both Sydney and on a global scale, there’s no doubt he’s been well placed.