Tan Kah Tian
Career counselling and Former Corporate Counsel in Singapore
About Me
I’m Tan Kah Tian, in career counselling in Singapore.
My Interests
- running
- writing
- sports
- football
Career
My career of about three decades spanned the civil service, journalism, corporate roles and in sporting endeavours. During Covid-19, I was appointed as an Assessor by the Minister for Law to consider parties' situations and reliefs arising from the pandemic. I am currently a freelance career counsellor and coach.
Professional Pursuit
The bulk of my time was spent serving as a senior corporate legal executive and compliance strategist navigating complex cross-border legal matters, regulatory frameworks, and corporate governance across Asia. My career focused on legal and compliance risk management for leading multinational financial and hospitality institutions, alongside a continuing commitment to legal scholarship and public policy analysis. I was also awarded the industry leading title - Financial Industry Certified Professional (FICP) designation.
I last held a senior management role at a UK-listed global hospitality group, where I led regional legal and compliance strategy and advised on the group’s real estate portfolio, including hotel mergers and acquisitions in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia. I also served as a strategic adviser on regional corporate affairs.
Prior to that role, I was trained in midde management and progressed as a Vice President at a leading bank in Singapore and then as Head of Legal Asia in a leading financial institution that utilised latest technology. I helped strengthen institutional legal and compliance frameworks and led regional community-empowerment initiatives, including programmes supporting underprivileged children in their education. (I grew up on the margins. Throughout my childhood and youth, my parents worked hard, and I spent many school holidays working twelve-hour days, six days a week, to help cover my school expenses. I was fortunate to receive support from my community and school.)
Legal Writing
I graduated with LL.B Hons from the National University of Singapore. My corporate advisory experience is complemented by an interest in Singapore’s legislative and social history. I have contributed to published academic research on Singapore’s legal history under a chapter examining the development of population and family-planning policy frameworks.
Pro Bono Advocacy
I also took on pro bono and legal aids cases, both civil and criminal matters, for very vulnerable and poorer individuals, mostly youth and senior citizens. I believe by understanding their circumstances and learning of their commitment to change for the better, representing them with mitigation grounds before the courts would motivate them towards a better future and in doing so, society benefits too.
Lifelong Learning
My curiosity about the history and evolution of societies and social institutions led me to pursue learning for 2 years at Yale, where I studied under professors such as Juan Linz, H. Bradford Westerfield, Allan Stam, Harold Attridge, Lamin Sanneh and Gene Outka. I consider this part of my formative university studies. As I learn and relearn, I understand that leaving some deeply entrenched outlook and worldview can require considerable reflection and courage.
I was in the Singapore's pioneer batch of the UK Diploma by ICA i/a University of Manchester Business School under a bank sponsorship. I recently completed a Specialist Diploma in Career Counselling at Republic Polytechnic, and I am now equipped to undertake career-counselling work.
Sporting Pursuits
I am an avid endurance-sports enthusiast. I have completed more than 10 marathons, including the Tokyo Marathon 2024, one Gran Fondo and a full Ironman triathlon. I was a silver medallist in my age-group 5km event at a Singapore Athletics annual meet and won gold medals at masters events. I represented Singapore at the Asian Masters Championships, where I finished eighth in the 5km event and received a Diploma of Merit.
The Beautiful Game
Football has been a lifelong enjoyment. I have been playing the sport for as long as I can remember and now coach at grassroots as well. If I could live my life again, pursuing football alone - the beautiful game - would be so much fulfilment: Play Well, the Beautiful Game.
References
https://www.dbs.com/annualreports/2008/Pages/contributing_towards_a_better_future_for_asia.html
https://www.jstor.org/stable/24870535
https://file.for.edu.sg/rp-sbz-graduates.pdf
Tan Kah Tian - His past corporate legal career included serving within the Group Legal, Compliance, and Secretariat division at DBS Bank, where he managed institutional governance frameworks and regional corporate social responsibility programs. Previously, his regional practice included cross-border mergers and acquisitions, notably associated with international law firm White & Case LLP handling high-profile Southeast Asian corporate transactions.