PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER
Each year, I’m privileged to share my expertise at between 30 to 50 conferences and corporate events around the world. I deliver engaging keynote addresses, facilitate masterclasses, and share insights on panels. I've been invited to speak to and moderate discussions amongst ministers and government officials, boards of directors, CEOs and senior business leaders, entrepreneurs, unionists, educators, engineers, lawyers, and more.
My sessions are often described as inspirational, insightful, and actionable. The messages I share, whether on the future of work, organisation transformation, corporate governance, leadership, or personal reinvention, are based on firsthand experience as a board director and CEO, my very own metamorphosis, plus hundreds of hours of research.
Equally comfortable in intimate settings and large-scale events, I tailor my approach for each specific audience in order to achieve your desired outcomes. Feel free to check out books, articles, and videos that provide a sampling of insights and thought leadership I've shared on a variety of topics.
Looking for an engaging speaker who understands your audience and business?
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STAGE SPEECH
VIRTUAL SPEECH
VIRTUAL SPEAKER
Pre-Covid, my speaking engagements often involved getting on a plane to address audiences from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore; to France, Qatar, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United States. With travel now curtailed, many organisations are seeking speakers that can engage their audiences virtually.
I've had the pleasure of speaking virtually for Amgen, BioMerieux, INSEAD, Kearney, Robert Walters, Rockwell, SingTel, the Vietnam Institute of Directors, and World50, among others. I love incorporating activities that involve the audience, as you can see at one of my recent virtual engagements here.
My team and I also launched a virtual conference - The Reinventor's Roadmap Summit - which attracted ~1,500 registrants from nearly 60 countries. So I truly understand what it takes, both on the front end and the back end, to create an impactful virtual experience.
Would you like a speaker who can challenge your audience to think differently, and inspire them to achieve greater heights?
UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR
I have been a guest lecturer and visiting expert at programs and seminars conducted by universities in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America, including Yale, INSEAD, and Waseda University. I am also an adjunct professor of global leadership for the CEMS Master's in International Management at the National University of Singapore.
Executive Education participants often describe my sessions as "stimulating", "engaging" and "thought-provoking", while my Masters students say their experience is "mind-blowing" and "life-changing". I focus on creating learning experiences that are based on an understanding of adult learning and which result in acquisition as well as application of knowledge and skills.
UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENTS
Lim Tze Jiat, Co-Chair, Singapore Conference on the Future of Work
Your skillful facilitation resulted in a dynamic
discussion... as one of the Ministers put it,
there was "good energy" amongst the participants.
Emily Zhang, Communications
Manager, bioMérieuxCommunications
Su-Yen's presentation was really inspiring and engaging! We organized a virtual meeting inviting 1000+ employees across the Asia Pacific region... her presentation was one of the favorite sessions!
Catherine McKenzie, Managing Director, Just Add Water, Asia
Su-Yen’s passion, knowledge and experience make her an extremely engaging speaker with the ability to articulate complex ideas making them relevant and relatable for her audience.
Peter Andrew, Senior Director Workplace Strategies at CBRE, Asia
Su-Yen presented a compelling session about the future of work in the digital age and her session was considered by most attendees as the highlight of the whole event.
TESTIMONIALS
MOST POPULAR TOPICS
My keynotes seamlessly blend research, case studies, humour, and personal storytelling. Whether live or virtual, I engage audience members, challenge them to think differently, and inspire action. Each keynote is tailored to meet your specific objectives, align with your event theme, and resonate with the target audience.
For reference, listed below are popular topics along with a handy table at the end that maps each topic to common event formats and audience profiles.
Flourish in the Future of Work
With the onset of the 4th industrial revolution, new business models and jobs are being created, and destroyed, at a dizzying pace. Meanwhile, the Covid-19 pandemic has accelerated the pace of change globally and regionally. In this thought-provoking keynote appropriate for all audiences, you will:
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Discover key trends shaping the future of work at the intersection of technology and people
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Reflect on the implications - and possibilities - for individuals, organisations, and society
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Challenge your thinking around what it takes to flourish in the future of work
Kickstart Your Reinvention Journey!
Reinvention is never easy. At an organisational level, resistance to change manifests itself in systems, processes, culture, and incentives. At a personal level, it is hard to walk away from a path that is familiar, be it in terms of knowledge and experience, recognition and status, or financial rewards. In this inspirational keynote, you will:
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Gain insights on how reinvention actually happens
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Learn from the real-life experiences of successful reinventors
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Discover actionable tips that you can apply to your own reinvention journey
Transformational Leadership in an Age of Disruption
Given the rapid and significant shifts in geopolitics, business models, societal expectations, and workforce dynamics, transformational leaders need to be able to link the external dynamics with what it means for the organisation and for individuals. In this leadership-focused keynote, you will:
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Explore the organisation culture and leadership imperatives for new times
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Learn what it takes to achieve behaviour change by winning hearts and minds
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Reflect on the personal transformation required to lead change
Diversity Beyond the Hashtags
There are compelling reasons to improve diversity, especially at senior levels of an organisation. While much progress has been made, unconscious biases remain, alongside structural barriers and ingrained social constructs. In this keynote appropriate for all audiences, you will:
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Discover bottlenecks and derailers from a societal, organisational, and personal perspective
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Explore the path to diversity in the Board Room and C-Suite
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Identify critical path actions that you can take to make a difference
Leadership in an Asian Century
By 2030, Asia is expected to contribute roughly 60% of global growth. Consequently, most major decisions that current and future leaders are likely to face will have global ramifications, whether the focus is on growth strategies, marketing, innovation, or talent management. In this leadership-focused keynote, you will:
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Discover what it takes for Asian leaders to step onto the regional and global stage, and for non-Asian leaders to lead effectively in the region
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Explore how organisations can prepare their leaders to take on new global challenges
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Define the shifts in perspective around what it means to be an effective leader
People-Powered Performance in Turbulent Times
The role of human capital as a source of competitive advantage is more important than ever before. The pandemic has permanently altered the talent landscape, resulting in an urgent need for business and HR leaders to navigate the “Future of Work” today. In this people-centric keynote, you will:
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Identify the shifts in leadership, culture, structure, performance, and people management that are required for future success
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Discover leading-edge approaches to attract, develop, and retain talent in the new world of work
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Explore what it takes for the HR function to reinvent itself to remain relevant
Corporate Governance for a New Era
Paradigms in governance are shifting from conformance to performance. The pandemic has concurrently forced boards to challenge long-held assumptions, with an increasing focus on agility and sustainability. In this keynote targeted at directors and C-Suite leaders, you will:
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Explore emerging issues Directors at the helm of organisations need to address in order to ensure long-term value creation
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Identify the strategic and organisational implications
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Reflect on the personal shifts required to drive transformation
