Fangda Gu

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Bachelor of Commerce with High Distinction • University of Toronto

Bio

Fangda graduated from the University of Toronto in 2024 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Commerce, specializing in Finance and Economics. During her studies, particularly in the course on Environmental Economics and Policies, she completed a research project exploring different landfill tax structures (single-, dual-, and multi-rate) and their effectiveness across various jurisdictions, deepening her understanding of waste management. With her background in finance and a keen interest in sustainability, Fangda acquired a certificate in ESG Investing from the CFA Institute, gaining a comprehensive grasp of ESG rating mechanisms, sustainable investing metrics and challenges. 

In the summer of 2022, Fangda worked as a marketing intern at the largest luxury goods conglomerate, where she conducted extensive research on the retail and marketing channels of two mega-brands in mainland China and identified potential opportunities for market expansion. Subsequently, she became a strategy consulting intern at Boston Consulting Group, where she performed rigorous analyses on the Chinese automotive industry and e-commerce landscape, forecasting demand and supply trends to pinpoint growth opportunities. Additionally, she contributed to the Rotman Commerce Fashion Group as a marketing committee member, collaborating with various teams to curate social media content for over 1,000 followers.

Combining her multifaceted experiences in fashion, strategy consulting, and passion for environmental impacts, Fangda founded ReTex Collect in March 2024 to provide pick-up services for individuals seeking to responsibly dispose of unwanted clothing, successfully diverting 200 kg of textile waste from landfills. She also established connections and collaborations with sustainable fashion practitioners, jointly working towards textile waste reduction and contributing to sustainable fashion.

Fangda enjoys spending her spare time cooking and trying different cuisines with family and friends, as well as playing tennis and badminton.