On November 29, 2018, Eric Jing, Executive Chairman and CEO of Ant Financial, was appointed to the United Nations’ newly launched Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The global task force will recommend strategies for large-scale digital finance flows to SDGs.

The Task Force comprises a select group of leaders and top experts from around the world. Along with Mr. Jing, other members include government ministers, tech entrepreneurs, bank and investment CEOs, central bank governors, and civil society representatives. Together, they will work to explore deeply how digital financing can advance the SDGs of United Nations.

“I am honored to join the Task Force and contribute Alipay’s knowledge and technology in promoting inclusive financing,” said Mr. Jing. “Alipay, with support from the United Nations, has long advocated for the launch of an innovation task force for digital financing. In and beyond China, our cutting-edge digital technologies serve millions of small and micro businesses and improve the lives of hundreds of millions of ordinary people. We are committed to bringing equal opportunities to the world and I believe this resonates with the UN’s SDGs.”

António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, released his Strategy for Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2018. It highlights the need for deep changes across the business and financial sectors and in public policy to mobilize private finance at the required scale and speed. A core part of this strategy is to seize the potential for financial innovations, new technologies and digitalization to provide equitable access to finance. The Task Force was created specifically to help answer questions of how to unlock the potential of digitalization of finance and manage the risks. 

This month, Mr. Jing was also appointed to the External Advisory Group on Digital Technology of the International Monetary Fund.