Debra Tan

Member, Board of Governors

Debra Tan (China) is Director and Head of CWR, a nonprofit that aims to mainstream water and climate risks into financial decision-making and corporate strategies.

She joined the Board in July 2025.

Tan is a thought leader in the economic-water-energy-climate nexus, pushing for new ways to put water at the heart of corporate strategies and policymaking, through “waternomics” and “development unusual”. Tan’s research has been published by financial institutions and policy journals. Her work on water risk impacts and valuation methodologies has led to changes in financial frameworks and has been referenced in technical guides for global climate-related disclosure standards. She was a contributing author to the Water chapter in the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Before venturing into the water space, Tan spent over a decade in finance.