Leaders

Women leaders across Oceania are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping business, sustainability, innovation, and public policy. Among them, Indian-origin women have emerged as a powerful force, bringing global perspectives, entrepreneurial vision, and cross-cultural leadership to the region. By combining technical expertise with purpose-driven decision-making, they are helping organisations embrace innovation while advancing more sustainable and inclusive models of growth.

Amirtha Iyer, Director, Design Directory, is one such leader whose professional journey reflects the growing impact of Indian women driving sustainability-led innovation across Oceania. With a foundation in architecture, she developed a systems-thinking approach that considers the relationship between materials, climate, people, and economics.

Seeking to deepen her expertise, Amirtha pursued a Master's degree in Sustainability, Building Performance and Urban Transformation at the National University of Singapore, strengthening her understanding of sustainability frameworks, environmental policy, climate, and building performance. Her research experience at the NUS Dean's Office further developed her appreciation of the intersection between design and environmental responsibility.

Hailing from a family of auditors and having foundation in CA brings strong understanding of financial principles, enabling her to connect environmental priorities with corporate financial considerations.

Recognising that sustainability extends well beyond architecture, Amirtha came to view it as a design challenge requiring practical solutions. This philosophy inspired the name Design Directory, reflecting her belief that every client challenge demands a tailored approach.

This insight led her to establish Design Directory, an integrated sustainability and ESG consultancy where design is one wing of a broader advisory practice. The firm provides corporate-level ESG reporting, climate-risk advisory, ESG audits, regulatory reporting across multiple jurisdictions, sustainability strategy, carbon-related advisory and high-level corporate finance advisory, particularly climate finance.

This combination of sustainability expertise and financial understanding enables Design Directory to bridge two disciplines typically addressed by larger consulting firms, including the Big Four and Big Three.

What have been the defining milestones in establishing your leadership in Singapore's sustainability ecosystem?

My academic journey provided the technical foundation that continues to shape my work. Pursuing sustainability studies and conducting research strengthened my understanding of environmental strategy and policy. Building Design Directory from the ground up with an agile and collaborative team has been another defining milestone.

Being invited to speak at a United Nations conference was especially meaningful because it connected our work with global sustainability discussions. Developing our capabilities in ESG reporting, climate risk, ESG audits, climate finance advisory and regulatory reporting across jurisdictions has also been significant.

Yet, what matters most is seeing ideas move beyond recommendations. Clients typically undertake implementation themselves, while we support them through regulatory updates, monitoring and progress tracking. Our follow-up services can extend to three years or more, helping clients stay on track. The trust we have earned remains one of our most meaningful outcomes.

What trends do you believe will define the future of sustainable design, and how are you helping clients stay ahead?

I believe sustainability is becoming increasingly integrated into business strategy rather than existing as isolated environmental initiatives. Organisations are addressing environmental, social and governance priorities together, with greater emphasis on climate risk, data-backed reporting, regulatory compliance and measurable outcomes. Climate finance is also becoming increasingly relevant as businesses seek to align sustainability investments with financial planning and long-term value creation.

Within sustainable design, the focus is shifting towards performance-based and evidence-led approaches. Organisations are looking beyond appearance to understand how efficiently buildings and systems perform, their impact on occupants and their relationship with the surrounding environment. Energy modelling, indoor environmental quality, biodiversity and climate-responsive design will therefore become increasingly relevant.

My focus is on helping clients navigate these changes without being overwhelmed by complexity. We develop practical roadmaps connecting sustainability goals with regulatory readiness, operational efficiency, financial considerations, risk management and long-term business value, leveraging technology and AI where relevant.

As an Indian woman leading a business in Singapore, how do you see the role of women in advancing ESG and sustainable leadership?

I believe women bring valuable strengths to sustainability leadership through systems thinking, collaboration, empathy and the ability to balance strategic priorities with human impact. These qualities are particularly important when addressing complex ESG challenges requiring analytical thinking and long-term vision.

Organisations must also create environments where women can thrive through flexible workplaces, mentorship opportunities and inclusive leadership cultures. When ESG encompasses environmental responsibility, social impact and governance, diverse perspectives become essential to balanced decision-making and lasting outcomes.

What is your long-term vision for Design Directory and the impact you hope to create?

My vision is to establish Design Directory as a leading sustainability consultancy across the Asia-Pacific region, recognised for holistic sustainability, bringing out systemic change, high-impact ESG reporting, climate-risk advisory, climate finance and sustainable design solutions. I plan to expand our capabilities, integrate AI, invest in our people and support businesses across more industries and markets.

As we grow, I want Design Directory to remain true to the idea behind its name: every challenge can be approached as a design problem requiring a tailored solution. Our commitment is to retain personalised service while delivering global expertise at regional pricing, making integrated sustainability and financial advisory accessible to a wider range of businesses.

Amirtha Iyer, Director, Design Directory

Amirtha Iyer is the Director of Design Directory, a Singapore-based sustainability and ESG consultancy. With experience working in India and abroad across consultancies and at KPMG (Ex-KPMG), she combines architectural expertise with a Master’s in Sustainability, Building Performance and Urban Transformation from the National University of Singapore, a foundation in Chartered Accountancy, and a family background in auditing to deliver integrated ESG, climate-risk, climate finance and sustainable design advisory.

Awards:

• Secured the IWBI (International WELL Building Institute) sustainability rating for the NUS campus project, making it the first educational institution project globally to achieve this recognition.
• Received the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) Award for innovation in sustainability.