Leon serves as Spire Group’s Chairman. 

He possesses 30 years of experience in delivering research and consulting across Asian and global emerging markets to leading Multi-national Companies and public sector organizations. He also has extensive experience in economic and macro-environmental analysis for business planning.

Leon is a frequent speaker and media commentator on market growth issues. He has addressed events organized by the US Conference Board, Acc10 Barcelona, the Singapore Management University, the Silver Industry Conference and Exhibition (SCICEX) and the Institute of Policy Studies. He also frequently shares his opinion on global issues, ranging across business world, political, social, environment and more. 

He is regularly interviewed on television media outlets such as Channel NewsAsia, BBC World and Bernama TV. Leon’s comments are also featured in publications ranging from USA Today, China Daily, International Trade Mark Review, the Hong Kong Economic Times, Jiayouzhan (China), ZDNet Asia and Asia Inc magazine to TODAY, The Straits Times and The Business Times newspapers.

Leon has also served as Non-Constituency Member of Parliament from September 2015 to June 2020. Currently, he is a Member of Parliament of the Republic of Singapore, Aljunied GRC, since July 2020.

Leon began his career as a Senior Officer with the Singapore Economic Development Board’s International Business Development Division, serving first in the policy planning function supporting Singapore’s regional investments. He later served as Assistant Head in the EDB’s Enterprise Development Division, assisting in the growth of large Singaporean companies in the service sector spanning logistics, education and health care, to information technology (IT) services, engineering and retail.

Leon subsequently joined Asia Market Intelligence Business Consulting, establishing their Singapore office. He organized and led business development and client liaison, while overseeing all consulting processes and outputs in the Southeast Asia region.

Leon co-founded the Spire Group with Koh Ee Mei in the year 2000. As the Chief Executive Officer, he has overseen the acquisition of over 50 Global Fortune 500 clients in the Asia Pacific region, the majority of which have awarded multiple projects to Spire. He has overseen the delivery of over 2,000 highly customized research and consulting projects.

Under Leon’s leadership, Spire’s footprint has extended to over 100 cities in 35 emerging market countries spanning the regions of Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Russia/CIS and Africa.

Leon graduated from Oxford University with a Double First Class Honor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics. He was awarded Oxford’s Gibbs Prize in Politics in his graduating year.

Leon is currently a member of the Economic Society of Singapore, the Singapore Institute of Directors and the EDB Society.