Club Lunch: From Banker to Buddhist Nun – A Life Transformed

Before becoming a Buddhist Nun, Emma Slade had the education and career path of a high-flying executive: Cambridge Graduate, international banker – based in New York, London and Hong Kong – and then it all changed. The catalyst for this change was Ms. Slade’s experience in 1997 at the height of the Asian debt crises, when she was taken hostage while on a banking business in Jakarta.

Ms. Slade’s new path eventually led her to Bhutan where she was granted permission to study to become a Buddhist Nun. She is ever hopeful that mental wellbeing is increasingly taking centre stage as an inspiring and important subject and believes the tools – or Buddhist principals – of mindfulness, compassion and renunciation can play an important role in mental wellbeing and freedom, and she shared her insights in her talk.

In 2015, Ms. Slade founded the UK charity, Opening Your Heart to Bhutan, to help children in the country. Royalties from her book, Set Free, will benefit this charity. In 2017 United Kingdom recognised Ms. Slade’s work in Bhutan with the award of the Point of Hope Award – presented to her by Prime Minister Theresa May.