About Philip Te
Immigrant. Leader. Author. Pioneer.
At 32, I moved my family to a new country with a suitcase and a decision.
At 40, I chose to become its citizen — and asked myself a harder question: What am I going to build here?
This is the answer.
The Journey: From Immigrant to Citizen to Pioneer
I arrived in Singapore at 32 — not running from something, but running toward it. I saw a nation that rewarded builders, protected families, and demanded excellence. I wanted to be part of that.
For eight years I built quietly. I rose through the ranks of a global financial institution to lead APAC Client Solutions. I navigated crises, built teams, and earned the trust of clients and colleagues across the region. I raised two children in one of the world's most demanding education systems — and watched them thrive.
But the achievement I am most proud of has no title and no metric.
At 40, I became a Singapore citizen. Not because it was required. Because it was earned — and because I was ready to commit fully to building something here that would outlast me.
That same year, I made another decision. I stopped waiting for perfect conditions and started building strength precisely where life applied pressure.
Since then:
I lost 30 kilograms and dropped my metabolic age from 50 to 32. I found a faith that changed how I lead, how I parent, and how I think. I was published by Oxford University Press — two volumes on Bank Risk Management that are now used in institutions globally. My children followed me into a disciplined, healthy life. My marriage grew stronger.
I am more complete at 40 than I was at 30.
None of this required perfect conditions. It required a decision.
Why the Second Foundation
Why I Write Publicly
Singapore is 60 years old. By the patterns of history, that places us in the Age of Affluence — the moment when great civilizations stop building and start protecting.
I refuse that trajectory.
The Singapore that welcomed me was built by pioneers who had nothing except clarity of purpose and the will to act. The Singapore my children will inherit will be built by people willing to ask harder questions:
How do we build antifragile families in the age of AI?
How do we lead institutions that grow stronger under pressure?
How do we maintain social cohesion when the world is fracturing?
I don't have all the answers. But I am committed to asking the questions and exploring answers in public — and building the answers alongside others who believe the best work is still ahead.
The Second Foundation is my commitment to that project. It is where I think out loud across seven domains: Faith, Family, Leadership, Finance, Fitness, Learning, and Nation. Weekly essays. Daily notes. A body of work built one thought at a time.
Not theory. Not motivation. Field notes from a 40-year-old immigrant who chose to build — and is documenting what that actually looks like.
Who This Is For
This site is written for the senior leader who has achieved much but senses there is a larger game to play.
For the young man still searching for his direction.
For the parent who wants to leave their children more than money.
For the pioneer who refuses to believe their best work is behind them.
And one day — for my son and my daughter, when they ask: How did we get here?
If any of that resonates, you're in the right place.
Let’s Stay in Touch
For speaking engagements, partnerships, or board inquiries: linkedin.com/in/johnphilipte