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Kelyn Koh · · 3 min read

Why top CEOs are looking to global champions for their 2026 strategy

In the volatile economic landscape of 2026, the margin for error in business has never been thinner. For C-suite executives, the challenge is about sustaining growth when the heat is on.

How do you maintain elite performance when the pressure is at its peak? How do you replace fleeting motivation with ironclad discipline?

These are questions athletes usually ask in locker rooms, but they are becoming increasingly critical in the boardroom.

To answer them, Tech in Asia, in partnership with HSBC and global sports and media company IMG, is hosting the HSBC Women’s World Championship (HWWC) Business Forum 2026.

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Taking place on Friday, February 27, alongside the HSBC Women’s World Championship – one of the most prestigious golfing events in the region – the forum will gather over 600 business leaders to explore the theme Peak State: The mindset of the world’s top performers.

A hall of famer lineup

We are honored to confirm that Inbee Park, former world no. 1, Olympic gold medalist, and LPGA hall of famer, will be speaking at the forum.

In a fireside chat titled “Confidence Is Built, Not Felt,” Park will unpack the mental architecture behind her legendary calm under pressure—revealing how systems, repetition, and decision clarity create the conditions for winning on the world stage.

Designing excellence

The HWWC Business Forum moves beyond standard corporate platitudes to explore the rigorous discipline required to stay at the top. The agenda is designed to deconstruct the “invisible grind” of high performance and reframes success as a system of habits and decisions instead of a mere moment of brilliance.

To bring this concept to life, the forum features a lineup of speakers who have mastered the art of the peak state in vastly different arenas.

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Janice Wong, the visionary chef behind 2am Dessert Bar and the mind behind her eponymous confectionary brand, will lead the conversation on how elite performers design systems that enable excellence.

The mental gym

However, structure alone is not enough. The mind must be conditioned to handle the weight of expectation.

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, the forum’s “Drills” phase will take attendees behind the scenes to showcase how peak performance is trained and sustained.

Grace Park and Cole Sirucek, the founding couple behind healthtech leader DocDoc, will join the event for a candid session on building enduring systems for leadership that survive conflict and high-stakes environments.

In an interactive workshop hosted by scaling expert Rob Bier titled “Visualizing your own Peak State,” participants will move beyond passive listening to active application and learn exactly how top performers train their mindset to perform under pressure. Attendees will also pick up practical frameworks for visualizing success, managing stress, and sustaining focus over the long term. 

Discipline over motivation

As the forum moves into the “Peak State” track, the focus shifts to execution under pressure.

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Adam Kelly, president at IMG, will unpack the intersection of the attention and experience economies, sharing how global brands build relevance and scale impact.

Yip Pin Xiu – Singapore’s most decorated paralympian, seven-time gold medalist, and a world champion – will headline the session titled “Building champions under fire.”

Gavin Lee, head coach of the Singapore men’s national football team, will join the session, which will unpack how elite athletes prepare before the pressure hits. Together, they will explore why discipline – and not motivation – is the true foundation of sustained high performance in high-stakes environments.

Whether you are leading a national football team, competing for a world record, or navigating a corporate merger, the psychological principles remain the same: Preparation is the only way to relieve pressure.

For business leaders looking to sharpen their edge for the year ahead, this is the premier gathering of Q1.

Exclusive bonus

All forum attendees will receive complimentary weekend passes to the HSBC Women’s World Championship tournament. Come for the business insights on Friday and stay to witness the world’s best golfers in action on the weekend.

Date: Friday, February 27, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM
Venue: Jasmine Ballroom, Sands Expo & Convention Centre

REGISTER TODAY

 

 

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Editing by Jaclyn Tiu

(And yes, we’re serious about ethics and transparency. More information here.)

TIA Writer

Kelyn Koh