Long-term leadership for Institutions Who Think in Decades
See the sunrise, not just the slide deck.
​
Ascension Associates is a boutique leadership and strategy consultancy where a lean team makes global impact, by partnering with institutions reimagine the way they learn, lead and make decisions over time. Hong Kong based, global reach.
We help institutions think in decades, not quarters—supporting boards, family enterprises and mission‑driven organisations with clearer conversations, better structures and braver leadership. Our see the whole picture philosophy help us have the real conversation, and move forward with more daylight and less drama. Our clients come from B2B regulated industries such as medical device and financial institutions.
​
Years in executive search with regulated industries trained us to notice patterns in people and systems, read what is unsaid, and ask the questions that surface real fit and real risk.
That same lens now sits underneath all our work at Ascension Associates — from strategy and governance, to team workshops, to executive coaching.
Our clients work with us when they need their leadership, culture and governance to match the scale of their ambitions. They know the importance of balance between quarterly earnings and leaving legacy that stays after 100 years. ​​​They are willing to trade a little comfort for a lot more clarity, and would rather have one straight‑talk partner than three glossy vendors​.
​​​​​​
We are deliberately staying lean, which means we can stay close to the work, move quickly when you need a sounding board (not a six‑week proposal), and say “no” to work that isn’t our strength so we can say a better “yes” to the right briefs.
​
When our clients brief us for long‑term change and real decisions, that's our jam.
What if we can approach hiring and talent management differently?
​
This question asked by our founder Larraine back in 2017, laid the foundation of what would become Ascension Associates today. The sunrise pictures you see were taken by her in a Gold Coast, Australia hot air balloon ride. Where do you focus? On the sun or the landscape?
​
From the ground, everything felt fragmented; once the balloon lifted, the whole landscape snapped into view—roads linking districts, houses sitting quietly under the same strip of sky.
That experience shaped our see the whole picture philosophy: lift just high enough to see how everything connects, notice what is really driving tension or confusion, then come back down to earth and decide what to do next.
No mysticism, just perspective. (We like to add a sense of humour too :)
Larraine founded Ascension Associates in 2018. She brings a headhunter’s eye from her years in executive search with regulated industries, helping senior leaders see patterns in people, decisions and culture that are hard to spot from the inside.
Today she splits her time between facilitating strategy and governance work, coaching senior leaders, and designing customized initiatives that make it easier to talk about what really matters.
​
Prior to founding Ascension Associates, Larraine was the Recruitment Director for the Insurance Desk at a Hong Kong recruitment start-up at the time of 2011, and Life Actuarial Consultant for one of the fastest growing financial services search firms Gravitas Recruitment Group Asia.
A globe trotter who has studied and worked in Hong Kong, Calgary, London and California, Larraine is an avid reader, enjoys jazz, Impressionism art and practices yoga. She graduated from the University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor’s degree in European Studies.
​
You can download official bio of Larraine here.
​
-1.png)