Large moss-filled structures resembling the Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay flanked the walls of the Royal Greenhouse Garden of Orchidville. These vertical gardens were softly illuminated by LED lights, lending the space a dreamlike and intimate atmosphere that elicited gasps from guests as they streamed in. The trees towered over a grass-carpeted space, where the tables were decorated with large, tropical centerpieces artfully arranged with foliage, flowers, as well as fruits and vegetables. The message was clear: The future is green, and HSBC Jade is a key bank that’s heralding the movement.
Called ‘Future Green’, the exclusive event served as a way to honour the bank’s recent win — World’s Best Bank for Sustainable Finance — at the Euromoney Awards. HSBC has been at the forefront of sustainable banking since its inception in 1865, with a thorough commitment to a low-carbon economy, community investments, and environmentally-conscious operations.
The night’s venue partner Orchidville was thus a fitting setting. Nestled in the lush greenery of Sungei Tengah, the farm was one of Singapore’s pioneers for the farm-to-table movement, with locally sustainable farming methods and organic produce that takes centerstage at its in-house restaurant.
At the cocktail reception, guests were free to mingle and wander the grounds while enjoying the canapes and cocktails that were prepared and put together by Mandarin Oriental. A highlight of the drinks menu was the Jade Ambarella Cocktail, which featured the Ambarella, more commonly known as Buah Long Long fruit, that is grown on the farm.
Complementing this were canapes like the wildly popular, plant-based impossible burger sliders, and the ‘Egg on Nest’, which were quail eggs on crunchy kataifi pastry wound into coils. Delighting guests were the ‘Harvesting’ canapes, which invited them to pick out pickled root vegetables from a bed of dehydrated mushroom and olive crumble that resembled soil.
Entertaining diners were several interactive stations set up by HSBC’s partners that embodied the night’s theme. Guests were able to try their hand at churning their own almond butter, courtesy of Unpackt, Singapore’s first zero-waste bulk food shop, as well as create their own medleys of muesli. Continuing the green narrative, guests were able to create and take home their own terrariums, as well as sample the farm’s freshly picked produce, courtesy of Orchidville’s founder Joseph Phua.
Dinner was an elegant affair, with a menu also curated and prepared by Mandarin Oriental, from the produce at the farm, as well as sustainable fisheries and farmers. The white and red wines were produced in the Bordeaux region and are Demeter (Biodynamic) certified.
The night kicked off with a rousing welcome address by Mr Anurag Mathur, Head of Retail Banking & Wealth Management followed by an insightful presentation on Market Outlook by Mr Vis Nayar, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, Equities, and Ms Sandra Carlisle, Head of Responsible Investment.
The event continued with a detailed panel discussion. Mr Vis Nayar and Ms Sandra Carlisle were joined by Ms Joey Chew, Senior Asia FX Strategist, for an engaging Q&A session.
‘Future Green’ ended on an awe-inspiring note with a sand art show, accompanied by a violin performance. As a thoughtful memoir of the soiree, guests left with a set of stainless steel straws, as a testament of HSBC Jade’s commitment to a greener future.
Find out more about HSBC Jade’s benefits here.
All photos from HSBC Jade. This exclusive event was organised by Pernickety Events.
