Rey (Lei) Bao

Shanghai, China
PhD (Doctor of Engineering), Transportation Planning & Management, Tongji University

Rey Bao’s journey blends two worlds: transportation planning research and commercial real estate management. He earned his doctorate in Transportation Planning and Management from Tongji University in 2018. During his doctoral studies, he spent 2016 at LBNL (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) as a Sustainable Research Fellow, working on projects to reduce carbon emissions from urban transportation. Years of research during this period culminated in his 2022 book, Paths of Transition to Low-Carbon Urban Transport, which combines solid data with practical strategies for cities seeking to lower their carbon footprint.

On the real estate side, Rey has taken a hands-on role in two of China’s largest commercial property companies. He has worked closely with a Vice President as Executive Assistant and led operations at the corporate level. Later, he became Deputy General Manager of a large shopping mall in Shanghai, overseeing leasing, marketing, and the smooth running of daily operations. To build a stronger link between his sustainability background and real estate investment, Rey dove into new skills.

In recent years, he’s earned the CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing, passed the CFA Level II exam, and completed an MIT-certified Applied Data Science Program, adding financial modeling and data analytics to his toolkit. In the future, Rey aims to work in real estate asset management, bringing together long-term portfolio value and genuine environmental and social impact. Outside of work, Rey is a proud dad who loves hiking, cycling, and playing sports with his daughter. He’s also a big sports fan and enjoys catching basketball and soccer games whenever he can.