Why top CEOs are looking to global champions for their 2026 strategy

IN THE volatile economic landscape of 2026, the margin for error in business has never been thinner. For C-suite executives, the challenge is about sustaining growth when the heat is on.

How do you maintain elite performance when the pressure is at its peak? How do you replace fleeting motivation with ironclad discipline?

These are questions athletes usually ask in locker rooms, but they are becoming increasingly critical in the boardroom.

To answer them, Tech in Asia, in partnership with HSBC and global sports and media company IMG, is hosting the HSBC Women’s World Championship (HWWC) Business Forum 2026.

Taking place on Feb 27, alongside the HSBC Women’s World Championship – one of the most prestigious golfing events in the region – the forum will gather more than 600 business leaders to explore the theme “Peak State: The mindset of the world’s top performers”.

Designing excellence

The HWWC Business Forum moves beyond standard corporate platitudes to explore the rigorous discipline required to stay at the top. The agenda is designed to deconstruct the “invisible grind” of high performance and reframes success as a system of habits and decisions instead of a mere moment of brilliance.

To bring this concept to life, the forum features a lineup of speakers who have mastered the art of the “Peak State” in vastly different arenas.

Janice Wong, the visionary chef behind 2am Dessert Bar and the mind behind her eponymous confectionary brand, will lead the conversation on how elite performers design systems that enable excellence.

The mental gym

However, structure alone is not enough. The mind must be conditioned to handle the weight of expectation.

SEE ALSO

What’s keeping CEOs up at night? WEF poll points to insider threats, payment fraud, other cybersecurity issues

To bridge the gap between theory and practice, the forum’s “Drills” phase will take attendees behind the scenes to showcase how peak performance is trained and sustained.

In an interactive workshop titled “Visualizing your own Peak State,” participants will move beyond passive listening to active application and learn exactly how top performers train their mindset to perform under pressure. Attendees will also pick up practical frameworks for visualising success, managing stress and sustaining focus over the long term.

Discipline over motivation

As the forum moves into the “Peak State” track, the focus shifts to execution under pressure.

Yip Pin Xiu – Singapore’s most decorated paralympian, seven-time gold medallist, and a world champion – will headline the session titled “Building champions under fire”.

Gavin Lee, head coach of the Singapore men’s national football team, will join the session, which will unpack how elite athletes prepare before the pressure hits.

Together, they will explore why discipline – and not motivation – is the true foundation of sustained high performance in high-stakes environments.

Whether you are leading a national football team, competing for a world record or navigating a corporate merger, the psychological principles remain the same: Preparation is the only way to relieve pressure.

For business leaders looking to sharpen their edge for the year ahead, this is the premier gathering of Q1. TECH IN ASIA

Date: Friday, Feb 27, 2026 Time: 9 am - 2.30 pm Venue: Jasmine Ballroom, Sands Expo & Convention Centre