Wai Poc, M.B.A., P.C.C.

PDF

Experience / Approach

Wai Poc, M.B.A., is the Principal of UnleashedLeaders and a Strategic Partner at Mariposa Leadership, Inc. Wai’s last in-house role was at Genentech for +10 years, including with Engineering, Research, Sales and Marketing, G&A, Product and BD. As a trusted advisor, Wai consulted before, during, and after reorgs. Wai has partnered with VPs and their senior staff to assess, select, and develop leaders, including by facilitating succession planning. For the last ~10 years as an Executive Coach, Wai partners with his clients who want to get big things done. He loves his job, including supporting and challenging his clients to grow fast, be more strategic, and add value.

Born in Shanghai and raised in Miami, Wai celebrates his Chino Latino heritage. Diversity – in how people think, feel, and act – have long captivated his curiosity, resulting in a major in cultural anthropology at Stanford and travels to +60 countries. Differences – in what people do, prioritize, and focus – either get in the way of collaborative work or can be the source of innovation, smart strategy, and agile execution.

Wai’s clients are being challenged to risk smartly and grow fast, seeking his support on:

  • Strategic influence: building alliances to get big things done
  • Power and politics: not to be swept by undercurrents, instead rising above the fray
  • Executive presence: accessing confidence when the stakes are ever higher
  • Career transitions: taking a step back, viewing a bigger picture, and readying for what’s next
  • Building resilience: changing habits at work and home to achieve a sustainable well-bein

Recent Clients

His most recent clients include MBAs, Directors, and VPs at organizations such as:

  • BioMarin
  • Facebook
  • Federal Reserve Bank
  • Google
  • Genentech
  • Jumio
  • LinkedIn
  • Mozilla
  • Oliver Wyman
  • SutroVax
  • Stanford’s Executive Education
  • Theravance Biopharma

Education

Wai has an excellent grounding in both business and coaching:

  • M.B.A., Golden Gate University
  • B.A., Stanford University
  • Certified Integral Coach, New Ventures West
  • Professional Certified Coach (PCC), International Coaching Federation
  • Organizational Development, Columbia University

More

People describe Wai as compassionate, incisive, and real. He cares for his family including a dog name Teddy Roosevelt and a cat name Geo.  His love of animals and nature has led him to collaborate with MacArthur Fellow and primate researcher Patricia C. Wright on a book-in-progress Unleashed:  A Field Guide to Power and Politics at Work.

Wai resides in San Francisco, coaching in person in the Bay Area and virtually globally.