OCBC partners International Coaching Federation to certify senior leaders as coaches

The collaboration is part of a S$30 million push to build a skills-first workplace

OCBC has tied up with the International Coaching Federation’s (ICF) Singapore chapter, marking the first partnership between the coaching body and a financial institution in Singapore.

The collaboration aims to build a skills-first workplace and train 100 senior leaders in OCBC to attain the ICF Associate Certified Coach accreditation by end-2027.

The ICF Singapore chapter, which is part of a wider global ecosystem based in the US, will train senior leaders – those mainly in the role of managing director and above. It will include 60 hours of coaching education and 10 hours of mentor coaching, among others.

The signing of the partnership took place at the OCBC Campus in Tanjong Pagar on Friday (Aug 22) and was witnessed by Manpower Minister Tan See Leng and OCBC group chief executive Helen Wong.

This partnership addresses a growing demand for coaching skills in workforce development. A recent NTUC LearningHub survey highlighted that nearly nine in 10 business leaders and employees believe managers should possess such skills to boost productivity and engagement.

Lee Hwee Boon, OCBC’s head of group human resources, said: “As organisations continue to navigate transformation and disruption, coaching has emerged as a vital driver of growth.”

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Building on the bank’s previous investment of S$50 million, an additional S$30 million was committed towards employee development and mobility over the period of 2023 to 2025.

Other initiatives include an artificial intelligence-powered growth companion to identify their skills, indicate career interests, and receive personalised recommendations for learning, coaching and assignments.

Since September 2023, 52 senior leaders from OCBC have started their coaching training. They have also started to coach fellow employees as part of the curriculum, and close to 300 employees have already benefited from these internal sessions.

The next group of leaders will start their training in 2026, said the bank.

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