Sean Chiao is Group Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors, Surbana Jurong (SJ Group).

Sean works with a global talent force of 16,000 across 120 offices in over 40 countries around the world, operating under the group’s ten specialist brands comprising design, engineering, facilities, and asset management professionals. Leveraging over 35 years’ experience in built environment consulting and global business leadership, Sean is driving SJ Group’s transformation and charter to accelerate the transition to a regenerative future, enabled by sustainability thinking and the adoption of digital technology and smart solutions. An advocate for developing future generations of talent, Sean has instituted Councils of Excellence to drive innovation and excellence in every field, and increased programmes for early professionals, promoting career mobility and enhancing skills development.

Prior to this, Sean held senior leadership positions at AECOM, one of the world’s largest infrastructure, design, and engineering companies. He was Chief Executive, Buildings and Places, a global business line, and in that capacity, led a team of over 10,000 covering a wide range of market sectors. Before that, Sean served as AECOM’s President, Asia Pacific, where he oversaw its business operations in Greater China, Southeast Asia, India, Australia, and New Zealand. A passionate urbanist and advocate for collaboration to create holistic solutions, Sean has spearheaded iconic projects including masterplanning for River of Life in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Bonifacio Global City in Metro Manila, Philippines; and Jinji Lake, Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou, China.

Sean is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects; a member of the Dean’s Council, Harvard University Graduate School of Design; a member of Harvard University’s Master in Design Engineering (MDE) External Advisory Board; and a member of Singapore University of Technology and Design’s C-Suites-in-Residence.

Sean holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from the Graduate School of Design of Harvard University, and a degree in architecture and a Master of Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.

Location: Hong Kong