Suguna Natalie Madhavan
Transformative Mentor-Coach (Life & Leadership)
Entrepreneur
Innovation & Management Strategist
Brand Architect
Professional Experience
Founder/Director, Firesong Initiatives
Portfolio Mentor Golden Equator Group
Former founding management team member/CMO & Asia Pacific President, Steinway Lyngdorf A/S
Former global founding management team member & Asia Pacific VP, Vertu
Former Regional Director, Asia Pacific – Nokia Mobile Phones & Head of Regional Corporate Communications – Nokia Asia Pacific
Qualifications & Credentials
Certified Professional Coach & Energy Leadership Index-Master Practitioner (IPEC), 2017
Certified in Essentials of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy(CBT), and CBT for Anxiety (including Panic Disorder, OCD, GAD), BECK Institute, the renowned global institute for CBT, 2020; 2021
High Impact Leadership, The University of Cambridge, Centre for Innovation and Sustainability Leadership (CISL), 2019
Advanced Management Program, INSEAD Fontainebleau, 1999
Masters of Science, University of Strathclyde, UK, 1995
Diploma in Education (With Credit), 1988
Bachelor of Arts, National University of Singapore, 1987
Profile
From a myriad of experiences as innovator, venturous entrepreneur, corporate leader, business architect, and champion of good causes, those who know her well resounding agree on the essence of Suguna as one who thrives being a catalyst of change and transformation, and someone who is also fulfilled by being a part of the experiential journey of change itself alongside others.
Her professional and personal life reflect this, with nearly 3 decades of leading corporate experience and entrepreneurial expertise in building teams and charting new enterprises across international markets, from start-up to fully-fledged businesses.
Her leadership experience in innovative technology and premium-to-luxe sectors include being a global founding management team member of two highly innovative technology start-ups with breakthrough consumer concepts – Vertu, the world’s first luxury communications device, and Steinway Lyngdorf, the innovative manufacturer of the world’s first fully-digital hi-end sound systems.
In all that she does, she consciously seeks to fuse her core values and motivations with passion into the opportunities life presents her with. Today, she is a venturous entrepreneur, and a trusted advisor and mentor-coach to CEOs, senior leaders, and entrepreneurs globally.
As Founder of Firesong Initiatives Pte Ltd, a specialised business management and brand consultancy founded in 2005, she collaborates symbiotically with partners/companies to develop innovative concepts/products, create disruptive new markets, as well as enabling unique businesses upscale to achieve exponential growth.
Of Qualifications and Lifelong Learning
She has a Bachelor of Arts (National University of Singapore); a Post Graduate Diploma in Education; a Master of Science, International Marketing (University of Strathclyde, UK), and completed the Advanced Management Program (AMP) at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France in 1999.
While she has mentored and coached on different levels for over a decade, to gain advanced skills to better assist her mentees, she undertook a coaching course in 2016-2017 with Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching (IPEC) in London and is a Certified Professional Coach (CPC) and an Energy Leadership Master Practitioner (ELI-MP).
A reflection of her joy in lifelong learning, she completed the High Impact Leadership course at University of Cambridge, Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL), UK, in 2019, with a distinctive overall grade of 94%.
She also completed “The essentials of CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy)” and “CBT for Anxiety” courses with the world renowned BECK Institute. CBT being an acknowledged key methodology in treating health issues including Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Depression, OCD, Panic Disorder etc.