Bridge Cultures,
Boost Market Growth

Empower your audience to engage and mobilize every colleague and client with Joy Chen
  • CEO, Multicultural Leadership Institute
  • Former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles
  • Former Fortune 500 CEO and Board Executive Recruiter
Joy Chen delivering a leadership keynote speech
Lead Across Cultures

As AI transforms every industry, meaningful human interaction grows ever more essential, as the key to unifying teams, sparking innovation, and securing a lasting market advantage. The ability to authentically and effectively connect across cultures becomes a crucial strategic asset that sets apart the most effective leaders.

Joy Chen is your guide in this journey. She empowers your audience with the agility to transcend boundaries, a nuanced understanding of diverse cultures, and the capacity to build trust with colleagues and clients from all walks of life.
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Meet your speaker

JOY CHEN

A trailblazer in global leadership and cross-cultural market engagement
  • CEO, Multicultural Leadership Institute
  • Former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles
  • Former Fortune 500 CEO and Board Executive Recruiter

Joy Chen is CEO of the Multicultural Leadership Institute, and a former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and Fortune 500 CEO and Board recruiter. Her training has empowered leaders across Asia and the Americas, and been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, CNN and Vogue China.

As Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles, Joy led economic and workforce development for a culturally diverse city whose workforce speaks 90+ languages. Her initiatives, aimed at equipping Angelenos with the necessary skills for global economic success, endure as policy benchmarks. Transitioning to the corporate sphere, Joy joined Heidrick & Struggles and over seven years recruited global leaders across North America, Europe, and Asia.

The pivot to leadership development was serendipitously sparked by the success of Joy's leadership blog in China, launching her there as a keynote speaker, author, and training organization founder serving millions in Asia and the Americas.

At the Multicultural Leadership Institute, Joy and her team deliver training that integrates global leadership expertise with insights from across the social sciences, enabling audiences to connect across cultures to enhance collaboration and achieve ambitious growth targets.

Trusted by:
Genentech logoPIMCO logoLinkedIn logoVanguard logoShell logoMedtronic logoP&G logoSHRM logoGeneral Motors logoNASA logoAlixPartners logoAmerican Family Insurance logoCummins logo

Experience how Joy Chen inspires and empowers every audience

Watch now.

Joy Chen’s Keynote Topics

Joy delivers each topic through a dynamic keynote, an engaging half-day workshop, or a comprehensive training program backed by her skilled team at the Multicultural Leadership Institute. Available both in-person and online, these programs equip leaders and teams with the cultural insights they need to more deeply engage, motivate and mobilize team members and clients from all backgrounds.
Joy Chen keynote speaker Multicultural Leadership Institute speaking at Citi
FOR LEADERS and members of global TEAMS
Winning Globally: Navigate Cultural Differences with Confidence
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FOR ALL LEADERS and ALLIES
Inclusive Excellence: Harness Cultural Differences to Drive Peak Performance
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FOR DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL SALES TEAMS
Accelerate Cross-Cultural Sales
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Joy Chen delivering a virtual keynote speech
For Leaders and teams Expanding into Asia
Asia Markets Mastery: Cultural Insights for Market Success
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For ERGs and All Rising Leaders
Mastering the Unwritten Rules of Leadership Success
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Enhance Your Leadership Journey
Let's connect >

Book Joy Chen

Embark on a journey of greater leadership mastery with Joy Chen. Her programs, available in person or virtually, equip your team to achieve more in a global and culturally diverse landscape. To get started, connect with Joy here.

Voices of Success

"Joy is captivating! She brings a unique blend of cutting-edge research, real-life stories and practical insights. I’d recommend her as a leadership speaker for any convention."
—Ngan Nguyen
Senior Vice President,
Citi
"This course made a huge difference in how I approach work. I’ve been sharing the techniques and lessons with coworkers who would find them useful."
—Hedi Cho
Supervisor,
Dominion Energy
"The program contains practical advice and tools we can use to succeed in corporate America. All are specific to the AAPI community and backed by research and data. It is really great!"
—Helen Ahn
Associate Director,
Merck
"The program provided me knowledge of roadblocks that I didn’t know existed, and that I can now overcome by being purposeful with my actions."
—Heather Hansen
Global Consultant,
Allstate
"Joy's program helps us to unlock the competencies we need to advance our careers, and to connect with other rising Asian leaders, so that we can uplift one another and others alongside us."
—Brian Pang
Development Director,
Electronic Arts
"I’ve done a ton of leadership training, seen many courses that rehash the same ideas, or are less actionable, or really long. Joy’s lessons are novel, and they cut to the chase, giving us only what we need to know. I’m super grateful for that."
—Lian Huang
Senior Counsel,
Genentech
"Before this course, I never really knew where to start unraveling my own invisible barriers to advancement. Through this course, I’ve found my roadmap. Now, I can confidently take back control and drive my career."
—Peter Yo
Vice President,
Robert Half
"Joy connects deeply with the hearts and minds of every audience member, inspiring and equipping us all to stronger leadership."
—Mia Newell
Director,
Pfizer
"Joy Chen is a strong and clear voice onstage. Her thought leadership is grounded in research and lived experience that makes for a compelling (and often, humorous!) listen. Her tailored content has propelled thousands of learners. The Multicultural Institute is a must-have resource for those committed to the development of leaders."
—Angela Cheng-Cimini
Chief Human Resources Officer,
Harvard Business Publishing
Multicultural Leadership Institute CEO and former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles Joy Chen raises a coffee cup

Mastering the Unwritten Rules

Newsletter by Joy Chen

Unlock the insider strategies your parents never knew and school never taught you. Joy Chen—former Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles and Fortune 500 CEO headhunter—shares how to win in today’s corporate world.

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