Thomas Chen

With more than a decade of experience coaching C-suite executives, Thomas is known for helping leaders become more authentic and effective. In doing so, he supports them to inspire high performance across their organisations, both internally and externally. His unique strength lies in quickly identifying the underlying drivers of behaviour. In addition, he integrates Western management practices with a deep understanding of Asian business cultures.

Over his 25-year corporate career, Thomas has held senior executive roles across global financial institutions. These include CEO of Gulf Bank in Kuwait, COO of RHB Bank in Malaysia, and Regional Head of Asia for National Australia Bank. He has also held senior leadership roles at AIG and Citibank in the United States and Saudi Arabia. As a result, he brings deep leadership insight shaped by experience across the U.S., Middle East and Asia. This background enables him to coach executives through leadership challenges, career transitions and the development of high-performing teams.

In his coaching work, Thomas supports senior leaders from multinational organisations including ExxonMobil, Bayer, Pfizer, Bosch and McDonald’s. He also designs and delivers leadership development and team coaching programs across Asia. Beyond corporate clients, Thomas mentors aspiring and experienced coaches, supporting them to achieve ICF credentials at ACC, PCC and MCC levels.

Thomas’ ontological coaching philosophy centres around enhancing self-awareness and guiding leaders to evolve their leadership style through compassion, mindfulness, and integrity. His approach emphasises being fully present, encouraging thoughtful and purpose-driven decisions. This leads not only to personal growth but also to lasting success for both leaders and their organisations. By focusing on heart-centered leadership, Thomas helps individuals achieve deeper alignment with their values and create meaningful, long-term impact in their professional and personal lives.

• Graduate Diploma – Graduate School of Bank Management, University of Virginia US – 1990
• Carnegie-Mellon, US – MBA 1979
• BS Mathematics – Columbia University & University of San Franciso – 1974
• MCC (Master Certified Coach) 2022 & Member of Global Internal Review Board (Ethics and Compliance) 2016 – ICF
• Accredited CSA Supervisor, CSA UK/US – 2017
• Certified Dare to Lead Facilitator  (US) – 2016
• Certified Trainer of NLP, UK, John Grinder, co-founder – 2010
• Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, Dr. Madan Kataria MD, India – 2014
• 4th Degree Black Belt, Taekwondo, World Taekwondo Association – 1996
• Various global assessment tools including Harrison; MRG LEA 360; WorkPlace Big 5; HOGAN, MBTI Trainer; Firo-B; Benchmark 360, ASSESS; ACCESS E-learning solutions.

Thomas is passionate about martial arts, having practiced Judo, Chinese Kung Fu, and Japanese Karate, and earned his 4th Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. To stay active, Thomas practices Tai Chi and Body Combat daily. One of his most memorable adventures was hiking to Everest Base Camp—a truly unforgettable experience!

Thomas and his wife enjoy travelling and spending time with their two sons and grandchildren in the US.