Programmes

On 22 May 2026, WorkWell Leaders held its 13th WWL Dialogue centred around the theme, “The Regulated Leader: The Hidden Lever of Organisational Performance”. Hosted by Aberdeen Investments, the session brought together 20 CEOs and their Plus Ones for a morning of candid conversations, shared reflections, and practical insights on leadership wellbeing. The dialogue was hosted by Ian Macdonald, CEO of Aberdeen Investments, whose openness and reflections set the tone for the day.

The session began with a guided breathing exercise led by WorkWell Leaders Founder and Chairperson, Anthea Ong. Designed to help leaders relax and reset, the exercise created space for intentional reflection before the discussions began.

At the heart of the discussion was a shared understanding of leadership wellbeing, defined as “a leader’s psychological and emotional health, characterised by a sense of purpose, strong social connections, active engagement, personal competence, and optimism about the future”. This framing shaped the conversations that followed, encouraging leaders to reflect on how their own wellbeing influences the teams and organisations they lead.

The dialogue continued with a panel discussion facilitated by Anthea, featuring Charlie Wilson, Partner, Singapore and Head of M&A and Private Equity at Sidley Austin, and Kim Suyeon, Country President of AstraZeneca Singapore. Drawing from their respective leadership journeys, the panellists shared perspectives on navigating demanding roles while remaining grounded, intentional, and present.

This was followed by small group discussions and insight sharing among participants, where several key themes emerged:

1. Leadership wellbeing begins with self-regulation
   Participants reflected on the importance of leaders protecting personal time to recharge, whether through exercise, hobbies, or rest. Leaders recognised that supporting others effectively becomes difficult when operating from a place of exhaustion. Sustainable leadership requires intentional recovery, self-awareness, and the ability to show up fully for teams.
2. Creating space enables stronger leadership and trust
   Leaders discussed how appearing constantly “time-poor” may unintentionally create barriers within organisations. Overly packed schedules and back-to-back meetings can discourage employees from reaching out openly. Delegating responsibilities, empowering teams, and creating room in schedules were seen as important ways to build accessibility, trust, and organisational resilience.
3. Human-centred leadership strengthens organisational culture
   Participants highlighted the importance of showing up as a whole person in leadership. While meetings may naturally focus on outcomes and execution, one-to-one conversations create opportunities for alignment on values, philosophy, and psychological safety. Mentorship and guidance also play an important role in helping employees build healthier habits around wellbeing and self-management.

Many thanks again to Ian Macdonald and Aberdeen Investments for hosting this meaningful dialogue.