James C Foo Leong is not just a Chartered Accountant or Adjunct Associate Professor—he is the creator of Financial Storytelling, a uniquely Singaporean methodology that makes financial knowledge accessible to the world.
With decades of experience and having trained tens of thousands of professionals across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and virtually to international audiences, James has positioned Singapore’s intellectual property on the global stage through practical innovation, visual learning, and the power of narrative.
In this SG60 Showcase feature, James shares how his tools, frameworks, and soon-to-be-launched book are empowering professionals across industries to make sharper financial decisions. Through a journey that mirrors Singapore’s spirit of resilience and clarity, his story reveals how one voice can transform the way the world understands finance.
Highlights
Bringing Financial Education to Life Through Innovation
Q: You’ve pioneered a distinct approach to finance education. What initiative best reflects your contribution to Singapore’s development?
A: I created and refined the Financial Storytelling methodology—an approach that turns finance from a technical barrier into a bridge for leadership, clarity, and alignment. It blends visual learning, narrative technique, and experiential design to make finance accessible and engaging.
One of our signature tools, Accounting in a Box®, is the only visual learning resource of its kind globally, and it was fully conceptualized and created in Singapore.
As part of SG60, I’m launching my book Once Upon a Balance Sheet to honour Singapore’s contribution to global financial education. When my publisher went bankrupt midway through, I took on every role—editor, producer, strategist.
That journey reflects the same resilience and self-determination that define Singapore. This book delivers clear thinking, structured insight, and practical wisdom in an approachable form—qualities that continue to shape Singapore’s success story.
Empowering Singapore’s Growth with Financial Clarity and Global Reach
Q: What unique expertise do you bring to support Singapore’s next chapter of growth?
A: I see finance as a common language for all professionals. My goal is to help non-finance people grasp financial clarity so they can lead with confidence and make smarter decisions. Just like Singapore, my approach is small in footprint but big in global relevance.
I’ve built Financial Storytelling as a framework that reflects our national strengths—structured thinking, innovative delivery, and practical impact. It’s a Singapore-made idea proving its value in boardrooms, classrooms, and teams across the world.
At its core, it’s about turning abstract data into insight and empowering people to act with clarity and purpose.
Q: How many people in Singapore have benefited from your work?
A: Over the years, I’ve trained and influenced tens of thousands of professionals globally, with a significant number based in Singapore. My work here has spanned public agencies, listed companies, universities, and multinational organizations.
I’ve led corporate workshops, university programs, and keynote talks for groups such as DBS, OCBC, UOB, Bank of Singapore, CapitaLand, NUS, NUH, Ministry of Defence, the Singapore Tourism Board, Becton Dickinson, Mitsubishi Electric, LVMH Group, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Australia and Singapore).
Whether in the commercial or non-profit sector, the goal has always been the same: to help people connect numbers to impact. When leaders and teams understand finance humanely, they unlock clarity, confidence, and potential.
Making Finance Human and Accessible
Q: What makes your approach different from other finance educators?
A: I don’t just lecture—I design learning journeys. My sessions are immersive, visual, and rooted in real-world application. For example, my proprietary tools like Accounting in a Box®, the STEPH Model®, and the Financial Storytelling framework are purpose-built to simplify complexity and drive insight.
Unlike traditional finance training that often feels abstract or intimidating, I use stories and visuals to bring numbers to life. Importantly, everything I teach has been field-tested in classrooms and boardrooms — from first-time learners to senior leaders. This is how we shift mindsets and build lasting financial confidence at every level.
Q: How do you stay current and continuously improve?
A: I transitioned into full-time education and training after holding leadership roles in the finance function, including serving as a regional finance head at a Fortune 500 company.
As a result, leading finance teams gave me firsthand insight into how numbers shape decisions, align departments, and influence business outcomes — a perspective that now anchors every learning experience I design.
I’ve been evolving the Financial Storytelling methodology ever since — through university teaching, corporate workshops, and leadership programs delivered to participants from over 30 countries.
To stay relevant, I continuously update content, develop new tools, and stay closely attuned to how today’s learners engage. In doing so, this ensures that the frameworks we built in Singapore continue to resonate globally, driving clarity, confidence, and impact wherever they’re applied.
Final Thoughts: Why James C Foo Leong is a National Voice in Global Financial Education
James’s work stands at the intersection of intellect, innovation, and impact. By transforming finance into a language of clarity and empowerment, he has not only reshaped how professionals make decisions, but he has also demonstrated how Singaporean thought leadership can resonate on a global scale.
Looking ahead, as Singapore steps into its next 60 years, James’s work offers a powerful blueprint for how structured thinking and practical wisdom can drive national progress and global relevance.
Highlights
This article is part of the SG60 Showcase series — spotlighting leaders, thinkers, and builders shaping Singapore’s next 60 years. Stay tuned for more.
Read the Chinese article here, or listen to the podcast here.
