Discovering Purpose and Significance in Leadership

As leaders, we dedicate decades to building our careers, achieving professional milestones, and making a difference in our industries. Yet, there comes a moment when we find ourselves at a crossroads – our ‘Third Transition’ – and ask ourselves: “What’s next? How can we channel our expertise and networks toward creating meaningful societal impact?”

My Third Transition Journey

For me, this reflection was deeply personal. My career in technology and innovation, while rewarding, left me yearning for ‘missed knowledge’ in the humanities subjects I had set aside long ago – such as anthropology, religion and philosophy, which had captured my imagination in high school. As I transitioned into this next phase of life, I was drawn to rediscovering these new-old interests and combining them with my vast resource and professional network from a lifetime in the technology ecosystem, to build a new purposeful post-retirement life.

With this as my guiding post, I set out to design the DSFP at the National University of Singapore (NUS). This initiative provides a structured, supportive environment for leaders to redefine their identities and legacies as they move into their Third Transition.

Harvard’s Advanced Leadership Initiative – Fostering a Community of Changemakers

My recent visit to Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) offered profound insights into how leaders can embark on this transformative journey.

Now in its 16th year, the ALI is specifically designed for accomplished professionals entering what the programme calls the “third chapter” of their lives, and provides an immersive academic environment where participants come together to tackle pressing societal challenges. The programme’s fellows come from a variety of fields – finance, public health, technology, and beyond – bringing with them a wealth of experience and a desire to create social impact. Every ALI fellow is encouraged to arrive with a project in mind – an initiative that leverages their professional expertise to create social change.

Among the fellows I met was Xavier Rolet, the former CEO of the London Stock Exchange. Rolet's story was both inspiring and thought-provoking. After a stellar corporate career, he turned his focus to regenerative agriculture, addressing critical issues like food quality degradation and rural impoverishment.

Xavier shared his vision of creating a sustainable meat supply chain where livestock is raised humanely and fed organic diets. He even purchased a very large parcel of land in Montana to test out his idea and his new mission. I was deeply impressed and moved by his vision, commitment and clarity of purpose, which embodied the tremendous transformative potential of leaders in this life stage waiting to be tapped. It was a powerful reminder that leadership does not end with retirement – it evolves into significance.

Connecting A Global Movement of Purpose-Driven Leadership

The insights I gained at Harvard resonate deeply with the vision behind NUS’s DSFP. Like ALI, the DSFP is tailored for leaders seeking not only to learn but to grow as changemakers as they redefine their roles in society post-retirement.

Both the ALI and DSFP emphasise the importance of community. At Harvard, I saw how fellows inspired and supported one another, drawing on their diverse expertise to address complex challenges. They collaborated on projects addressing issues such as public health, environmental sustainability, and social justice, drawing on the university’s extensive resources and networks. Similarly, the DSFP aims to cultivate a network of purpose-driven leaders, fostering collaboration across industries and generations as they explore their next steps.

From Success to Significance

During my time at Harvard, Shelly London, an ALI participant, shared a sentiment that resonated deeply: “We’ve all been successful; now we want to be significant.”

As I prepare to welcome the inaugural DSFP cohort at NUS in August 2025, I am filled with excitement and optimism. Programmes like the ALI and DSFP offer not just tools for personal growth, but pathways for creating legacies of purpose-driven leadership. Together, we can inspire a global movement that redefines lifelong learning and leadership, transcending borders and disciplines. We can empower individuals to transition from success to significance, shaping a future where experience and purpose converge for societal good.