Our Journey

The Uncommon Leadership Academy Journey

It all began with Ruchira’s award-winning book, Coaching – the Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership. What started as a powerful playbook to developing tomorrow’s leaders, became a game-changer, transforming perspectives and inspiring leaders to dive deeper into their own growth journeys and empowering the leaders of tomorrow.

Leaders found the insights transformative and wanted to go deeper. As the book’s insights resonated far and wide, Ruchira found herself leading impactful leadership workshops, helping individuals and organizations embrace meaningful change. The results spoke for themselves – more empowered leaders, stronger teams, and organization wide transformation for the better.

But the story didn’t end there. Ruchira envisioned an even bigger opportunity—to make leadership transformation accessible to more people, in ways that are personal, practical, and scalable. By uniting her influential content with the transformative potential of AI, the vision for the Uncommon Leadership Academy was born.

This vision took shape when she partnered with Alvin Hew, a trusted former colleague and B-school senior who shared her passion for reshaping the future of leadership.

At its heart, the vision of Uncommon Leadership Academy is simple yet ambitious: to make leadership coaching accessible to everyone, empowering individuals to become leader-coaches, no matter their title or team.

Enabling Leaders.

Elevating Organizations.

Empowering with AI Insights.

Meet Ruchira

Ruchira Chaudhary is an award-winning leadership coach, author, and academic with expertise in leadership, coaching, and organizational transformation. With over two decades of leadership experience in emerging markets across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa, she brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to her work. Her book, Coaching: The Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership, has been widely recognized as a must-read for leaders aiming to build high-performing teams through coaching. She co-founded the Uncommon Leadership Academy to make leadership coaching more accessible, enabling leaders to become effective coaches who elevate others and drive meaningful business impact.

Meet Alvin

Alvin Hew is a seasoned executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in MNCs and familiarity with business expansion, commercialization and go-to-market strategies. With his passion for developing leaders in organizations, he partnered with Ruchira to operationalize the vision of the Uncommon Leadership Academy.

Mission

Enabling leaders of today to build leaders of tomorrow and amplify business impact through AI-powered insights, award-winning content, and adaptive leadership strategies.

Mission

Enabling leaders of today to build leaders of tomorrow and amplify business impact through AI-powered insights, award-winning content, and adaptive leadership strategies.

Vision

Transforming Leadership at Every Level: Empowering Leaders, Scaling Coaching, and Driving Impact with AI.

Award-Winning Book – Coaching: The Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership

Ruchira Chaudhary's acclaimed book, Coaching: The Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership, has garnered praise from prominent figures such as Sheryl Sandberg, who describes it as "a clear and crisp guide to a core element of strong leadership: helping others up their game."

Lectures and Workshops – Trusted by Academia and Corporate Leaders

Building upon the book's success, Ruchira has developed lectures and workshops that have received outstanding feedback from both academic institutions and corporate clients. These programs delve into the principles outlined in her book, offering practical insights and strategies for effective leadership.

AI-Powered Expansion – Uncommon Leadership Reaches a Wider Audience

Embracing AI, the Uncommon Leadership Academy is launched to leverage AI to disseminate the book’s frameworks and insights more broadly. This digital approach ensures that transformative leadership knowledge is accessible to a global audience.

An Uncommon Approach

What we offer to leaders looking for more

Leadership Matters:

It is the key to organizational success

Driving Organizational Success

Strong leadership fosters a clear vision, strategic direction, and a culture of accountability, driving overall organizational growth.

Empowering Teams and Enhancing Performance

Effective leaders inspire, motivate, and develop their teams, leading to higher engagement, productivity, and innovation across the organization.

Navigating Change and Building Resilience

Good leadership is essential for adapting to challenges, making informed decisions, and ensuring long-term stability in an ever-evolving business landscape.

Our Team

Ruchira Chaudhary

Ruchira is a globally recognized leadership coach, author, and educator, specializing in integrating coaching with leadership development to drive business transformation and impact. As a senior leader at Uncommon Leadership Academy (ULA), she shapes the future of AI-assisted coaching and leadership transformation at scale, helping leaders unlock their potential using science-backed frameworks and immersive learning experiences.

Her expertise spans CEO succession, M&A integration, culture transformation, and leadership acceleration, enabling organizations to build high-performing teams, navigate complexity, and future-proof their leadership pipelines. A trusted C-suite and boardroom advisor, she is known for guiding leadership transitions, executive acceleration, and cultivating coaching cultures that drive enterprise growth.

An alumna of the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Ruchira has held senior leadership roles across Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. She serves as affiliate faculty at Chicago Booth, SMU, and NUS, and is also the founder of TrueNorth Consulting, focused on organizational strategy and leadership innovation.

Celebrated for her thought leadership in coaching, she was recognized as one of the “21 Women Leaders in 2021” and received the Woman of Excellence Award (2022). Ruchira also serves on the Advisory Board at Chicago Global and is the acclaimed author of Coaching: The Secret Code to Uncommon Leadership (Penguin, 2021), a foundational text for executive coaching and a cornerstone of ULA’s learning philosophy.

Alvin Hew

Alvin is a seasoned global business leader with nearly three decades of experience in the Asia Pacific medical device industry, specializing in sales, regional marketing, and general management. As COO of Uncommon Leadership Academy (ULA), Alvin brings his expertise in scaling high-impact leadership solutions and driving operational excellence to the organization.

Throughout his career, Alvin has held key sales, marketing, and leadership roles at Johnson & Johnson, Covidien (Medtronic), Smith & Nephew, and IDEXX Laboratories, gaining extensive field experience across APAC. His ability to navigate diverse markets and complex leadership challenges makes him a critical force in shaping ULA’s growth and impact.

Originally from Toronto, Canada, Alvin holds a Bachelor of Science from Queen’s University, Canada, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business (AXP7). His leadership at ULA is instrumental in driving AI-powered, coaching-first leadership development for executives worldwide.

Manasi Bharati

Manasi is an accomplished Organizational Psychology Consultant, bringing over a decade of expertise in designing and delivering leadership and inclusivity training across industries, roles, and geographies. At Uncommon Leadership Academy (ULA), she plays a pivotal role in shaping evidence-based leadership development programs, integrating behavioral science with real-world business impact.

Manasi has led training and research initiatives for global organizations such as the NHS, Philip Morris International, and Bata, as well as research projects for Ashoka University, Randstad India, and NASSCOM. Her expertise lies in applying psychological and organizational principles to leadership development, executive coaching, and behavioral training.

A former Chief Minister’s Fellow with Maharashtra Police, British Council Women in STEM Scholar, J.N. Tata Scholar, and President of India Gold Medalist, Manasi holds two Bachelor’s degrees (Psychology and Spanish) and two Master’s degrees (Public Administration and Work and Organizational Psychology).

Her deep commitment to learning, inclusivity, and leadership transformation ensures ULA’s programs remain cutting-edge, impactful, and aligned with the needs of modern leaders.

Areas of Expertise: Leadership development, executive coaching, content design, behavioral science, ED&I (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion), multilingual facilitation, and organizational consulting.

Ryan McClure

Ryan is a technology strategist, entrepreneur, and AI innovator with over two decades of experience driving digital transformation across Asia. As Managing Director of TWOMC Digital, he has led AI, VR, and digital twin integrations, helping global brands and C-suite leaders leverage emerging technology for real-world impact.

A published author and speaker, Ryan presents at global forums for companies like NVIDIA, demystifying advanced digital trends. He has built mission-critical software for military applications in the Philippines and Indonesia and holds an AI patent.

Ryan has worked with Telkom and Telstra, scaled digital infrastructures, and founded three companies across Hong Kong, Singapore, Canada, and Indonesia. At ULA, he leads AI-driven leadership transformation, ensuring future leaders harness technology for innovation and ethical impact.

Sameer Gardner

Sameer is a content strategist and storytelling specialist with over a decade of experience across AI, edtech, healthcare, and media. At Gate AI, he led content and brand for an innovative AI-powered tax platform, making complex systems simple and user-centric.

Previously, he was Executive Editor at Ashoka University’s DBSE initiative, shaping textbooks for Delhi’s public school system, and led healthcare communications and UX writing at Loop Health for over 100,000 users. As a founding team member at Fairside Stories, he built narrative frameworks for SEL games for children.

With roots in grassroots media and a background in film, curriculum design, and digital literacy, Sameer brings a uniquely interdisciplinary lens to content. He holds an M.A in Media and Cultural Studies from Tata Institute of Social Sciences and a B.A in English Literature from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University while his work blends strategy, impact, and storytelling at scale.

Advisory Board

Professor Mike Gibbs

Professor. Michael Gibbs is a leading expert in the economics of human resources and organizational design, serving as a Clinical Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A widely published scholar, his research appears in top academic journals, and he co-authored the foundational textbook Personnel Economics in Practice, translated into multiple languages.

Dr. Gibbs specializes in organizational design and leadership development, teaching Executive MBA students and shaping the next generation of business leaders. He has received four teaching awards and a research award from the American Accounting Association.

From 2012 to 2015, he was Faculty Director of Booth’s Executive MBA program, overseeing campuses in Chicago, Hong Kong, and London. He is also Chair of the Board at Chicago Global, a Singapore-based investment management firm. His work bridges academic research with practical business impact, influencing leadership and corporate strategy worldwide.

Dr James Andrade

Dr. James Andrade is a global leader in innovation, leadership development, and R&D, with over 30 years of experience across multiple industries and international markets. As Senior Vice President and Head of Learning and Innovation at CapitaLand, the world’s 9th largest real estate development company, he led the creation of CATAPULT, a premier executive learning center shaping the next generation of leaders in Singapore and beyond.

Previously, Dr. Andrade was VP of Research and Development at Mondelēz International Asia Pacific, overseeing operations in Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. His expertise spans R&D, marketing, consumer insights, and business strategy, driving breakthrough innovations in snacking, beverages, and healthy nutrition.

An advocate for executive education, he has lectured at Singapore Management University, Nanyang Technological University, and Griffith University (Australia). He serves as a board trustee at Roger Williams University (USA) and has held leadership roles with Ajinomoto-General Foods (Japan), Dong Suh Foods (Korea), the American Chamber of Commerce (Singapore), and the Singapore Business Federation.

Dr. Andrade holds a B.A. from Roger Williams University, an M.S. in Psychopharmacology, and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Howard University. A former Team USA athlete, he placed in three events at the 2001 Wushu/Tai Chi competition in Sanya, Hainan.

Alvin Michael Hew

Alvin is Chairman of The Learning Lab (Singapore) and Senior Independent Director at Petronas Dagangan Berhad (Malaysia), where he chairs the Board Sustainability and Risk Committee and serves on the Nomination and Remuneration Committee.

With 30+ years of corporate experience, Alvin has held leadership roles in private equity (The Abraaj Group), financial advisory (H2O Capital), commercial banking (TD Bank), and investment banking (Lancaster Financial Inc.). He also led business growth at P&G (Switzerland, Vietnam, SEA, Australia) and was President of L’Oréal in Malaysia and Taiwan.

A strategic leader, Alvin specializes in market expansion, revenue acceleration, and financial optimization, driving double-digit growth in portfolio companies. He has served on boards including Taipei American School and European Chamber of Commerce (Taipei).

Alvin holds degrees from Queen’s University (Canada), an MBA from INSEAD (France), and executive certifications from IMD, Stanford, USC, and UCSF.

Shailesh Paul

Shailesh Paul is a global business executive with over 20 years of leadership experience in payments, financial services, and fintech across Asia Pacific, South Asia, and the Middle East. He has led multi-billion-dollar strategic transformations and is a recognized payments expert with deep experience in banking, merchant partnerships, and SME financial solutions.

Most recently, Shailesh served as Global Head of SME Acceptance at Visa, where he drove global expansion strategies and digital transformation initiatives. Previously, he held senior roles in Standard Chartered Bank and led advocacy efforts with governments, regulators, and industry bodies.

Beyond corporate leadership, Shailesh is a mentor to women in technology, an advisor to startups, and an angel investor. A thought leader and experienced spokesperson, he regularly speaks on industry trends in global forums. He is an alumnus of the Wharton Business School and resides in Singapore.

Seema Chowdhry

Seema Chowdhry is a seasoned leader in learning design, faculty development, and executive education, with deep expertise in curriculum innovation, pedagogical strategy, and digital learning transformation across India and the Asia-Pacific region.

Currently, Seema serves as the Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence at the Indian School of Business (ISB), spearheading faculty development and the integration of emerging technologies such as AI, AR, and VR in education. Previously, as Chief Learning Officer at Harappa School of Leadership, she led content and business development strategies, scaling executive education offerings.

With leadership roles at Emeritus, Harappa Education, and HT Media’s Mint, Seema has played a pivotal role in shaping learning experiences across academia, corporate leadership, and media. As Regional Director for Design Innovation and Academic Delivery at Emeritus, she led instructional design and content development across Singapore and the Philippines, collaborating with top academics and industry leaders to create high-impact learning programs.

Seema was a scholarship student at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, holding a Master in Public Administration degree. She has studied communications at the prestigious Sophia College, Mumbai and English Literature at Lady Shri Ram College, University of Delhi.

Past Clients

DB Schenker APAC Workshop: Uncommon Leadership in Turbulent Times

Senior leaders at The American Club Singapore joined a transformative workshop

Women in Leadership Session at The University of Chicago India Center

What Our Clients Say

In a world that places increasing demands on global organizations and their leaders, Ruchira is a huge asset in creating cohesive, impact-oriented cultures. She has a unique blend of empathy and theoretical depth that allows her to get to the heart of complex issues within a team of strong-minded individuals and create space for honest reflection and solutioning that helps us get to the next level within the Gates Foundation’s India leadership team.

Hari Menon

Country Director, India and Lead - Policy and Government Relations, South and South-East Asia | Gates Foundation

Ruchira’s wisdom and insights on Coaching in a Crisis and in a Hybrid World are phenomenal. I have devoured her book, which I believe is the best leadership book available. I have also participated in her signature workshop, "Leaders as Coaches," based on insights from her extraordinary book. I highly recommend it to anyone who wishes to be a better leader and coach.

Prof. Michael Gibbs

Clinical Professor of Economics I Booth School of Business, University of Chicago

Ruchira’s coaching and facilitation expertise is transformational. Her unique ability to combine deep insights with practical strategies profoundly impacted my leadership team at Penguin. Her session on leaders as coaches was extraordinary. As an accomplished author and thought leader, she inspires clarity, confidence, and growth in every session. A true game-changer in leadership development. We can’t wait to publish her next best seller.

Gaurav Shrinagesh

CEO | Penguin Random House, India, SEA and MENA

At our recently concluded Asia Leadership Meeting, Ruchira facilitated a bespoke, engaging and transformative workshop translated from her award-winning book - guiding us to reflect, reframe, and refresh our thinking, especially in the face of challenging transitions. She has been closely involved with our leadership team in Schenker India for a few years and we were delighted to bring that experience to APAC.

Vishal Sharma

CEO | Asia Pacific at DB Schenker

Coaching and leadership are critical for the development of Allied Health Professionals in Singapore. The excellent Uncommon Leadership Workshop for members of the Singapore Society of Radiographers and its content were valued and well-received by our membership. We look forward to working with Ruchira again to encourage coaching, continue education and develop the right skills in our DRRT community.

Denice Choong

President | Society of Singapore Radiographers

What makes Ruchira stand out is her unique blend of experience across diverse industries and the empathy she has for both leaders and those who are led. We worked with her for a leadership development session, and we are simply grateful for her time with us. She is quick-thinking, savvy and supportive, showing us how to get to the heart of any workplace challenge. We were impressed! Any leader or organization seeking to optimize their human capital potential would be empowered by Ruchira's clarity and wisdom.

Berlinda Gooi

Hinrich Foundation, Singapore

Ruchira’s insightful leadership coaching session left a lasting impact on our leadership team. She emphasized the importance of building a coaching culture in organizations which resonated deeply with our mission at Dasra. She challenged us to think differently about leadership to foster an environment that nurtures talent, cultivates potential, and amplifies the impact we can have on the communities we serve. Thank you, Ruchira, for your valuable insights, and your outstanding book!

Neera Nundy

Co-founder and Partner | Dasra

A true triple threat: Executive, Academic, Author. Ruchi has been a friend and leader in the field of coaching. As part of her book release tour, I had the pleasure of moderating a conversation on “leaders as coaches” based on her award-winning book for the American Chambers of Commerce (AmCham) Singapore. Ruchira brought clarity, purpose and explained why every leader should be a coach who elevates and empowers others. Lessons for all managers who aspire to be impactful leaders.

Dr. James Andrade

Head | Catapult Executive Leadership and Innovation Institute, Singapore

Ruchira’s book has become an essential part of every leader's toolkit at Schenker India, and there is great anticipation for her next one. Her Uncommon Leadership session provided an opportunity to reflect on individual journeys, revisit moments of both peaks and plateaus, and strategically navigate challenges for continued growth. Thank you, Ruchira Chaudhary, for your powerful and compelling session. It was truly thrilling to reflect on our individual journeys and continue our growth stories.

Kinjal Pande

CEO | Schenker India

Ruchira’s seminal contribution lies in demystifying coaching—stripping it of exclusivity—and making it an accessible, everyday practice for business leaders. Her book, now a staple on bestseller lists for four years, has rightfully become essential reading for leaders. As we continue to navigate the evolving landscape of leadership, we eagerly await more of Ruchira’s insightful contributions and original ideas, confident that she will inspire and empower many more uncommon leaders in the years to come.

Ashutosh Pandey

Chief Business Officer I Mahindra Holidays and Resorts

Ruchira's book and her message on leaders as coaches deeply resonated with me. Her strategies for empowering teams and elevating leadership are invaluable. Ruchira's signature workshop on "Unlocking Uncommon Leadership" was groundbreaking for us due to her profound understanding of exceptional leadership, shared through an insightful, interactive session, well-researched views, and timeless advice.

Bhavesh Jain

Managing Director and CEO | TransUnion CIBIL Limited

The leadership session conducted by Ruchira for Greaves Cotton’s executive team was truly transformative. The workshop left a lasting impact, inspiring us to think differently and lead more effectively. It was a unique experience that I highly recommend for any organization aiming to nurture leadership capabilities.

Nagesh Basavanhalli

Vice Chairman of the Board, Greaves Cotton

We had the distinct pleasure and privilege of inviting Ruchira to facilitate an exclusive session for women leaders at the University of Chicago Center, Delhi. Drawing from her award-winning book, she provided rich insights, actionable strategies, and practical tips that inspired profound reflection and significantly reframed our mindset. Her guidance motivated us to aspire higher and equipped us with the tools to lead and coach others with confidence and clarity.

Leni Chaudhary

Head, The University of Chicago Center, India

The 'leader as coach' workshop led by Ruchira was an incredibly enriching experience for the BMGF India leadership team. Her adept facilitation and deep understanding of coaching principles created an engaging learning experience for our leaders and equipped us with valuable skills to cultivate a coaching mindset. I highly recommend this workshop to any organization seeking to develop strong, empathetic leaders.

Swati Gupta

Country Lead Human Resources India Country Office I Gates Foundation

Ruchira has an impressive ability to bring coaching concepts to life in actionable and tangible ways. Our Management Team's time spent with Ruchira at the Trout Point Lodge gave everyone a renewed sense of confidence to lead, nurture and empower our people - a better investment would be difficult to imagine.

Patrick Wallace, Owner and MD

Trout Point Lodge, Nova Scotia Canada

Uncommon Leadership