Helen Ji

About Helen Ji

My work sits at the intersection of energy, geopolitics, infrastructure, and capital markets.I see the global energy transition as driven by three fundamental pillars — policy, technology, and finance. Understanding how these forces interact to shape the pace, geography, and investability of the transition is central to my work.Originally trained in English and International Relations, I deliberately moved into climate finance, economics, and infrastructure to understand not only the ambition behind energy transition strategies, but also the structural frictions that shape their implementation. Across countries and regions, climate goals advance at very different speeds, constrained by political economy realities, regulatory misalignment, capital access, and industrial competitiveness. Much of my work centers on navigating — and reconciling — these gaps.Since 2022, I have focused on the global energy system across both fossil fuels and renewables, examining how policy design, market incentives, financial structuring, and geopolitical dynamics interact in practice. I am particularly interested in how regulatory signals translate into investable projects, and how risk allocation determines whether transition strategies move from paper to execution.What distinguishes my perspective is a cross-disciplinary lens. I connect national transition strategies with balance sheets, geopolitical risk with supply chain decisions, and decarbonization commitments with bankability. My regional focus spans the U.S, China, and ASEAN — markets where energy security, industrial policy, and climate ambition are constantly being renegotiated.Beyond analysis, I build. I have led international teams, convened senior stakeholders, and driven initiatives that turn complex ideas into coordinated action.My ambition is to help create durable channels of capital across countries and regions — directing investment to the sectors and geographies where it is most needed, and enabling financial markets to accelerate a cleaner, more sustainable, and strategically resilient global energy system.

Experience

1. Transition Finance Intern

   Climate Bonds Initiative

   Jun 2025 — Present

   Conducted research for China’s Green Finance Committee (GFC) report on transition planning implementation, analyzing guidance and frameworks across international organizations and jurisdictions.• Assessed transition finance strategies for China’s hard-to-abate sectors—particularly coal and steel—to support policy development and investment alignment.• Reviewed and translated key CBI reports, including Incentive Mechanisms for Enhancing Transition Finance in the Steel Sector and Shaping the Future of Sovereign Transition Finance, for publication on the official website.

Education

• King's College London

  International Summer Session Program with Beijing Foreign Studies University

• Harvard University

  Master's degree, Public Policy

• Harvard Kennedy School

  Master's degree, Public Policy - Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods (STEM)

• Harvard Business School

  Cross-Registration

• Beijing Foreign Studies University

  Bachelor of Arts - BA, English & International Relations