Dr. Tat Lam is currently the CEO of Shanzhai City, a social enterprise to research development finance, poverty alleviation strategies, and technological solutions for the bottom billion market. Dr. Lam brings to his practice his expertise in urbanism, social anthropology, impact finance, and digital transformation for development practices. He has launched numerous mission-driven ventures that utilize participatory development strategies in under-developed regions. Shanzhai City has been serving key international social capitals, foundations, and governments in China, Singapore, Myanmar, and Brazil. Recently, Dr. Lam and his team launched a new social venture in Hong Kong, Impact Data Consortium Chain Limited, funded by Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fund of HKSAR Government to build decentralized data technology platforms for hundreds of social service agencies in Hong Kong. Currently, Dr. Lam has been developing a new digital platform of crowd-economy to enable grassroots communities to participate in and share financial benefits of local development projects.
Before founding SZC Holdings, Dr. Lam was involved in the design and planning of large-scale urban and rural development projects in China and was the director of Urbanus Research Bureau. He also served as director of Columbia University GSAPP’s Studio-X Beijing. He earned his Master of Architecture from Columbia University in New York City and his PhD from University College London. He currently teaches urban development, innovation, and entrepreneurship programs at the School of Architecture at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.