What Leaders Carry: The ‘Invisible Load’ of Global Leadership

Friday, 14th August 2026

About The Event

Leadership asks a lot of people, often in ways that are difficult to see.

The pressure to make difficult decisions. To remain composed through uncertainty. To support others while managing your own challenges. And, for leaders working across cultures, markets and time zones, to constantly adapt to different expectations and ways of working.

A group of our 2026 SGLN Fellows presented ‘What Leaders Carry’, an event exploring mental wellbeing in a diverse and global workforce.

Rather than approaching wellbeing only as a topic to be discussed, the Fellows wanted participants to experience it from different perspectives. The evening began with wellness activities including chair yoga, music therapy and Healing Hands massages, creating space for Fellows to slow down, reset and reflect before moving into a deeper conversation about leadership.

The panel explored the pressures that often sit beneath the surface of leadership, bringing together three leaders with very different perspectives:

Pei Ling Tin drew on her experience across public leadership and the private sector, sharing perspectives on navigating responsibility, change and the different demands placed on leaders across contexts.
Tancy Tan, COO of HSBC Singapore, brought the perspective of leading within a large, complex global organisation, where leaders must balance performance, people and the realities of operating across markets and cultures.
Nicholas Lee, CEO of the Singapore Association for Mental Health, brought a mental wellbeing perspective, highlighting the importance of recognising the pressures leaders carry and creating environments where seeking support is part of sustainable leadership.

Together with moderators Khoo Yi Feng and Darryl Lee, they explored what it takes to sustain oneself as a leader, why resilience should not simply mean enduring more, and how leaders can care for their own wellbeing while continuing to support the people and organisations around them.

Our sincere thanks to our 2026 SGLN Fellows Jeremy Gan, Melissa Ng, Darryl Lee, Bryan Woon, Muhammad Mulyadi Abdul Rahim, Julie Chua and Corinne Choo for the thought and effort they put into bringing this event to life as part of their Action Learning Project (ALP).

Speaker

Tin Pei Ling

Member of Parliament,Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC and Co-President of MetaComp

Tin Pei Ling is an elected Member of Parliament in Singapore, currently serving her fourth term. She chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport and is also a member of the GPCs for Digital Development and Information, and Trade and Industry and Finance. Over the years, she has championed a range of issues including public healthcare, ageing, youth, women and the digital economy.

Beyond public service, Pei Ling served for four and a half years as CEO of Business China and currently sits on its Board. In this role, she has contributed to strengthening Singapore-China networks, developing bilingual and bicultural talent, and building greater connectivity between Singapore and the region.

Earlier in her career, she worked in corporate strategy and management consulting, with experience spanning fintech, smart technology, organisational transformation and business strategy.

Pei Ling holds an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Honours) from the National University of Singapore.
Tancy Tan

Chief Operating Officer, HSBC Singapore

Tancy Tan is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at HSBC Singapore. With over 20 years of experience running large-scale transformation programmes within Financial Services, she has successfully rolled out new products, developed strategies, expanded projects into new markets, led post-merger integrations, built client platforms, improved operational efficiencies, and spearheaded digitalisation initiatives.

Her diverse experience spans across roles including as a software developer, data architect, client relationship manager, operations manager and product platform lead, equipping her with a unique ability to drive complex transformations successfully and create lasting business impact.

A recent project sees Tancy managing the build-up of HSBC Quantum capabilities in Singapore. She also spearheads the Quantum Special Interest Group (SIG) at the Singapore Computer Society (SCS), the largest society for technology professionals in Singapore. Prior to joining HSBC, Tancy spent over 15 years at JP Morgan Chase, where she last held the role as the Global Head of the Centre of Excellence (COE) for Intelligent Automation for the Asset and Wealth Management business.

Beyond transformational initiatives, Tancy is a strong advocate for workplace diversity and mental wellness. She co-leads HSBC’s Nurture employee resource group, championing a supportive and inclusive environment that allows working parents and caregivers to thrive both personally and professionally. Her other appointments include being part of the Executive Council of the Singapore Computer Society (SCS), Co-Chair at Mindforward Alliance Singapore, and a Director at the Singapore Clearing House Association (SCHA) representing HSBC. She also actively participates in driving industry initiatives in multiple steering committees and workgroups with the Association of Banks Singapore (ABS).

Based in Singapore, Tancy has had multiple global and regional assignments throughout her career. She was recently recognised by New in Asia as one of the Top 10 COOs to follow on LinkedIn, highlighting leaders who are setting new standards in operational excellence. Outside of work, she actively mentors youth and supports start-ups, reflecting her deep commitment to building an inclusive and forward-looking tech ecosystem.
Nicholas Lee

Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH)

Nicholas Lee is the Chief Executive Officer of the Singapore Association for Mental Health (SAMH), bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across the social service, public and corporate sectors.

A strong advocate for community-based mental health and youth development, Nicholas has spent much of his career helping social service organisations strengthen their impact, resilience and long-term sustainability.

Prior to joining SAMH, he served as a Business Coach and Consultant, supporting organisations through operational and systems transformation. He also spent 16 years as Chief Executive of Trybe, where he led its growth from a niche youth-focused organisation into a multidisciplinary social service agency.

Nicholas later served as Executive Director of Resilience Collective, where he helped strengthen peer-led mental health support models and build the organisation’s long-term sustainability.

Earlier in his career, Nicholas held roles at the Singapore Exchange and the Housing & Development Board, giving him a broad perspective on how organisational discipline, community needs and social impact can come together.