Tim Payne

A strategic advisor with over 30 years of experience, focusing on issues of critical reputation, risk, geopolitical complexity, M&A, crisis, and governance.

Tim had a background in politics and a career spanning the UK and US. He then founded and built, over 20 years, a market leading consulting practice in Asia. He is now Principal at Kellaways, his own management consulting firm focused on areas of reputation and trust.

He is also the Asia Chair, and Senior Advisor to CMi, world’s leading mentoring partner for Chairs, CEOs, CEO succession candidates, CFOs and Senior Executives, accelerating their performance and impact.

Tim was formerly Head of Asia and part of the global leadership team at Brunswick Group, the leading critical issues advisory firm.

Tim has worked on transactions and crises for many of Asia’s most significant companies, and on their highest profile issues around the world, as well as supporting leading global MNCs as they engage Asian markets. His appreciation for geopolitical, corporate, cultural, and personal complexities enables him to formulate strategies framed by context. His roots as a political campaigner, and his deep understanding of the micro and macro challenges facing the business world of Asia, strengthen his role as a transformative advisor.

As a director of The Women’s Foundation in Hong Kong and as Vice Chair and former Chair of the 30% Club, Tim is a committed advocate for inclusion, diversity, and gender parity. He is a founding director of XBMA, the International Institute for the Study of Cross-Border Investment and M&A. He previously sat on the International Advisory Board of the Renmin University of China, School of Business in Beijing.