Me. Myself. And I. And Then Some.
My name is Maxime Mouton. I spend most of my time shaping minds — sometimes others’, often my own.
For over 20 years, I have worked across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, helping companies transform how they think, work, and grow. Along the way, I have:
negotiated (and won!) complex technology deals in 15 countries,
built advisory teams across 5 countries,
managed a $50M P&L,
turned around the APAC team of a consulting firm,
advised telcos, founders, and boards on how to make big, complicated bets (and survive them).
Titles and acronyms only tell part of the story. To me, they are even meaningless.
What keeps me going is the thrill of figuring things out — stepping into complexity, asking better questions, and connecting unlikely dots.
I have helped build strategies for fibre networks, launched GTM plays for cloud and AI services, and even founded a little education technology venture along the way. It’s called Playbook, and it helps young professionals in Southeast Asia develop the skills that higher eduction rarely teaches but life always demands.
In short: I like building things — teams, businesses, systems, narratives.
I like watching people grow.
I like shaping minds, including my own, especially when I think I have already made it up.
For me, it’s about creating forward loops — habits, reflections, and decisions that build momentum over time. (Forward Loop was actually the other name I considered for this Substack!)
I have been living in Singapore for many years now, and I mentor students through Junior Achievement and Advisory Singapore. I still review MBA applications for INSEAD, where I once sat on the other side of the table.
Shapingminds.co is where I share things I have learnt — about leadership, technology, communication, creativity, and work that actually matters. I do not pretend to have the answers. But I have been around long enough to know that the questions are worth sitting with.
Thanks for reading — and for being part of this journey.