About us
About us
SMG is Australia’s premier leadership development advisor. Since 1998, we’ve partnered with exceptional talent to elevate leadership skills and unlock organisational potential.
With 15 years in financial services, Serene has led global teams through change, built a core project team in Asia, and managed stakeholders for multinational firms like Barclays, Deutsche Bank, and PwC.
Connect
Expertise
15+ years experience
Professional Certified Coach
Assessment-Accredited Coach
Member of Financial Women's Association
Experience and background
Serene has 15 years of experience in the financial services industry, working in London and Singapore for multinational organisations like Barclays Investment Bank, Deutsche Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Her role as Market Risk Projects Asia Head saw her relocate from European headquarters to successfully set up and build a core project team in Asia. Her corporate strengths lie in managing senior stakeholders’ expectations and leading global teams through change in the VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous) environment to deliver strategic business initiatives and regulatory projects on time. She has managed, trained and mentored diverse teams from across the globe, namely London, New York, Singapore and India, in her corporate roles.
Serene's approach
Serene has coached professionals and entrepreneurs of diverse nationalities and cultures across various industries, including financial services, professional services, technology, media, and real estate. She is equally experienced working with senior leaders and high-potential leaders-to-be of large multinationals, regional organisations and startups. She partners her clients to successfully navigate the complexities in the business environment and attain desired outcomes that balance what they want to achieve and what their organisation needs from them.
Serene applies a thought-provoking and empowering approach in guiding clients through a process of self-discovery to uncover new insights and approaches. Leveraging off her vast corporate and management experience, she challenges her clients to explore new ways of seeing difficult situations. She specialises in supporting clients to negotiate organisational changes and workplace challenges, and build resourcefulness, agility, and resilience. Clients value her ability to listen without judgment and are comfortable to share openly in the trusting and respectful environment she creates.
Qualifications and memberships
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC), ICF, 2024
- Hogan Assessment Certification (HPI, HDS, MVPI), Optimal Consulting, 2021
- Hogan 360 Qualification, Peter Berry Consultancy, 2020
- Certified DiSC Trainer – Strengthscape, 2019
- Associate Certified Coach (ACC), ICF, 2017
- Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA), ICAEW, 2015
- Financial Risk Manager (FRM), GARP, 2010
- Chartered Accountant (ACA), ICAEW, 2004
- Bachelor of Accountancy (Hons), Nanyang Technological University, 2001
- Financial Women’s Association of Singapore (FWA), Member
Personal insights
Married to an Irishman and having settled back into the melting pot of Singapore from London, Serene and her husband are raising their two young boys to have an appreciation of cultures, travel, ski and golf.
Guided by her desire to support her son in his learning and development, Serene trained with the DAS (Dyslexia Association of Singapore) Academy and holds a Specialist Diploma in Learning Support for Specific Learning Differences.
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