About Juan
Are you on a continuous learning journey to grow personally and shape your life skillfully?
Then we have a lot in common.
As a seasoned businessperson, author, and scholar, I've dedicated my life to understanding the human condition and finding ways for personal development, my own as well as that of fellow human beings. From my business experience to writing books, teaching and tutoring, my work always revolves around empowering individuals to achieve lasting satisfaction and fulfillment.
I invite you to explore my site and discover more about me, my ventures, studies, and books.
I am a multifaceted individual with a passion for business, psychology, and continuous learning. My education spans some of the finest Anglo-Saxon universities, where I've earned master's degrees and a doctorate in disciplines such as Management, Finance, Risk Management, Applied Positive Psychology and Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy.
As a businessperson, I've launched successful ventures that reflect my strategic awareness. But my quest for knowledge has never stopped. I'm currently diving into the realms of computational neuroscience and applied data science, expanding my horizons and contributing to cutting-edge fields.
My literary contributions include two published books on the psychology of human development, focusing on how individuals can enhance their satisfaction and well-being. The books present a training methodology I developed that has produced a successful track record of over 15 years. The insights I share in my writings and teachings are based on solid, research-based science and my own real-life experience. They are a testament to my commitment to fostering personal growth and success.
choose one side
Professional
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Financial Specialist, Management Expert, Business Person
My career started as an accountant and auditor with an uncle, a natural beginning given that, at the time, my family were the founders and owners of Young & Young, the largest accounting and auditing firm in Panama at the time with an international clientele and was a member of Touche Ross & Co, now called Deloitte & Touche.
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OAS, Org. of American States Finance specialist for farmers
I gained experience as a financial manager at two large industrial companies (today nonexistent) in Panama and later as a financial specialist for the Organization of American States (OAS).
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KPMG, Senior Manager in Consulting IT and Strategy
Later, I was Senior Manager at KPMG, designing, implementing, and supervising information technology and strategy projects.
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Moevenpick, Director of Corporate Planning
My first job in Switzerland was as Director of Planning of Moevenpick at headquarters in Zurich. https://www.moevenpick-finefood.com/
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UBS, Vice President / Head of Department Asset Management and Debt Restructuring
Later, I started at UBS as a Financial Analyst and Portfolio Manager of the largest investment fund of Southern European shares and fixed-income financial instruments. Then, I was promoted to Vice President/Member of Senior Management and to Head of Asset Management and Debt Restructuring for Emerging Markets, becoming one of the most profitable units per person.
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R+B Engineering, Chairman and Majority shareholder
An opportunity to invest in RB Engineering, Inc., a medium-sized electro-engineering company located in German-speaking part of Switzerland, resulted in another phase of my career. I became its majority shareholder and chairman. In 2014, my board colleagues and I decided to sell the company to management members and employees.
https://www.rbeag.com -
Financial investments, Agribusiness projects, Minding personal growth professionally / Tutoring for organizations & individuals
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MBSAT Social Enterprises, Mind learning for optimizing generative human natural intelligence
Profession
Academic Activities
Profession: Grounded in Management, Finance and Enterprise
Whether you're a business seeking to refine your strategy or an individual yearning for personal growth, my expertise and activities span various domains to assist you:
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Financial Specialist, Management Expert, Business Person
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OAS, Org. of American States Finance specialist for farmers
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KPMG, Senior Manager in Consulting IT and Strategy
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Moevenpick, Director of Corporate Planning
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UBS, Vice President / Head of Department Asset Management and Debt Restructuring
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R+B Engineering, Chairman and Majority shareholder
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Financial investments, Agribusiness projects, Minding personal growth professionally / Tutoring for organizations & individuals
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MBSAT Social Enterprises, Mind learning for optimizing generative human natural intelligence
Academic Activities
Academic Activities Grounded in Applied Behavioral Sciences and Teaching
Licentiate
MPA
Master in Public Administration
MBA
Masters in Business Administration
MAPP
Master in Applied Positive Psychology
DM
Master
in Risk Management
Master
in Mindfulness-base Cognitive Therapy
Teaching
ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES: GROUNDED IN HUMAN AND ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teaching has always been a passion, simplifying complex subjects and disseminating knowledge. Before formal university teaching roles, I was a sought-after speaker at KPMG and the UBS training center in Wolfsberg, Switzerland. My teaching journey at the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland, saw the integration of Strategic Management, Finance, Mindfulness techniques, and Positive Psychology, especially during the tumultuous financial crisis of 2007-2008. This experiences spurred the design of a novel leadership curriculum, blending decision-making with Mindfulness and Positive Psychology. My commitment to education is further evidenced by an affiliation with Singapore Management University (SMU) since 2019 and the development of the Mindfulness-based Strategic Awareness Training (MBSAT) methodology.
Where I come from
I was born into a lively, comfortably living family in Panama, a small, friendly Central American country known for the Panama Canal. The waterway and the American influence related to it converted Panama into a modern hub for Latin America.
I grew up with my three siblings and many uncles and aunts. My family members were known for being professionals of integrity. Typically, they were Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), physicians, dentists, engineers, and businesspersons. Many were high achievers and set standards in their respective areas of work.
My young years were happy and gregarious. I grew up surrounded by friends, many of whom I am still in contact with.
To this very day, I feel connected to my country of origin. However, I have lived in Switzerland for 40 years, became a Swiss citizen, and completed all my education at Anglo-Saxon universities. I built a house in Panama a few years ago and started a small, non-commercial coffee production on the property.
As to my spiritual upbringing, I grew up in a Catholic tradition. Though I no longer practice, the universal principles and values I was raised with are part of me. In particular, I am fond of the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi and strive to live according to his prayer in the context of our time: “Lord, where there is hatred and war, let me bring peace….”
Origin
My Journey
Where I come from
I was born into a lively, comfortably living family in Panama, a small, friendly Central American country known for the Panama Canal. The waterway and the American influence related to it converted Panama into a modern hub for Latin America.
I grew up with my three siblings and many uncles and aunts. My family members were known for being professionals of integrity. Typically, they were Certified Public Accountants (CPAs), physicians, dentists, engineers, and businesspersons. Many were high achievers and set standards in their respective areas of work.
My young years were happy and gregarious. I grew up surrounded by friends, many of whom I am still in contact with.
To this very day, I feel connected to my country of origin. However, I have lived in Switzerland for 40 years, became a Swiss citizen, and completed all my education at Anglo-Saxon universities. I built a house in Panama a few years ago and started a small, non-commercial coffee production on the property.
As to my spiritual upbringing, I grew up in a Catholic tradition. Though I no longer practice, the universal principles and values I was raised with are part of me. In particular, I am fond of the teachings of Saint Francis of Assisi and strive to live according to his prayer in the context of our time: “Lord, where there is hatred and war, let me bring peace….”
My Journey: Motivations, Decisions, Plans
A strong driver in my life has been the need to be free. This motivation has pushed me to strive for financial independence and I had the good fortune to achieve this goal relatively early in life. It also had a profound influence on my decision making. It led me to the decision to give up a promising career at UBS and to found my own company despite uncertain prospects.
Another core motivation has taken shape based on my experience as a young man going to my dad’s office and encountering one of his clients coming down the stairs with tears in his eyes. When I asked him what happened, he said his tears were joyful. He said the friendly and inspiring conversations with my father over the past months had helped him overcome a psychological blockade and allowed him and his wife to conceive a child after many years of hoping in vain. Right then and there, I decided to do the same as my dad: helping people.
With this goal in mind, I sought to develop myself continuously and kept working toward becoming a better person as the foundation for assisting others. It also motivated me to explore areas far from my main profession of finance, business, and management, and I studied Applied Positive Psychology, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Computational Neuroscience, Applied Data Science with essential Python coding, and I practiced Mindfulness and continue to do so. Moreover, it has instigated my life-long interest in philosophy, history, sociology, and many other disciplines.
Besides intellectual interests I always enjoyed physical exercise and sports. I have been practicing for many years kickboxing and the tough fitness training that goes with it. I also acquired a black belt (first Dan) in Aikido, the Japanese self-defense martial art.
Intellectual influences on My Journey
| Contemplative Science | E. Easwaran, Syagi U.B Khin, J. Peacock |
| Positive Psychology | M. Seligman, Ch. Peterson, A. M. Isen |
| Behavioral Finance, Behavioral Economics, Strategy | J.C Tirole, R. Reich, P. Wack |
| System Dynamics, Information Technology | C.W. Churchman, J.M. Mclness, J. Forester |
| Computational Neuroscience | K. Friston, A. Clark, T. Metzinger, F. Varela, H. Maturana, L. Feldman Barrett |
| Risk Management | I. Walter |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | A. Beck, J. Salzberg, J. Teasdale |
| Martial Arts and Aikido Principles | Sensei Ursula Reimer, Sensei M. Ueshiba, T. Yamamoto, Bruce Lee, G. Leonard, R. Strozzi-Heckler |
| Decision- making | H. Raiffa |
| Design- Thinking | R. Boland |
| Narrative Psychology and Appreciative Modes of Inquiry | S. Srivastva, Sir G. Vickers, K Gergen |
| Management, Philosophy and Society | J. Aram, M.P. Follet, Xenophon, Marcus Aurelius, J. Krishnamurti, P. Hadot, B. Latour |
Legends
- Professor
- Professor and Tutor
- Doctoral Advisor
- Deep Reading
My Journey: Motivations, Decisions, Plans
A strong driver in my life has been the need to be free. This motivation has pushed me to strive for financial independence and I had the good fortune to achieve this goal relatively early in life. It also had a profound influence on my decision making. It led me to the decision to give up a promising career at UBS and to found my own company despite uncertain prospects.
Another core motivation has taken shape based on my experience as a young man going to my dad’s office and encountering one of his clients coming down the stairs with tears in his eyes. When I asked him what happened, he said his tears were joyful. He said the friendly and inspiring conversations with my father over the past months had helped him overcome a psychological blockade and allowed him and his wife to conceive a child after many years of hoping in vain. Right then and there, I decided to do the same as my dad: helping people.
With this goal in mind, I sought to develop myself continuously and kept working toward becoming a better person as the foundation for assisting others. It also motivated me to explore areas far from my main profession of finance, business, and management, and I studied Applied Positive Psychology, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Computational Neuroscience, Applied Data Science with essential Python coding, and I practiced Mindfulness and continue to do so. Moreover, it has instigated my life-long interest in philosophy, history, sociology, and many other disciplines.
Besides intellectual interests I always enjoyed physical exercise and sports. I have been practicing for many years kickboxing and the tough fitness training that goes with it. I also acquired a black belt (first Dan) in Aikido, the Japanese self-defense martial art.
Intellectual influences on My Journey
| Contemplative Science | E. Easwaran, Syagi U.B Khin, J. Peacock |
| Positive Psychology | M. Seligman, Ch. Peterson, A. M. Isen |
| Behavioral Finance, Behavioral Economics, Strategy | J.C Tirole, R. Reich, P. Wack |
| System Dynamics, Information Technology | C.W. Churchman, J.M. Mclness, J. Forester |
| Computational Neuroscience | K. Friston, A. Clark, T. Metzinger, F. Varela, H. Maturana, L. Feldman Barrett |
| Risk Management | I. Walter |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy | A. Beck, J. Salzberg, J. Teasdale |
| Martial Arts and Aikido Principles | Sensei Ursula Reimer, Sensei M. Ueshiba, T. Yamamoto, Bruce Lee, G. Leonard, R. Strozzi-Heckler |
| Decision- making | H. Raiffa |
| Design- Thinking | R. Boland |
| Narrative Psychology and Appreciative Modes of Inquiry | S. Srivastva, Sir G. Vickers, K Gergen |
| Management, Philosophy and Society | J. Aram, M.P. Follet, Xenophon, Marcus Aurelius, J. Krishnamurti, P. Hadot, B. Latour |
Legends
- Professor
- Professor and Tutor
- Doctoral Advisor
- Deep Reading
My Books
Author(s): Juan Humberto Young
First published: 5 May 2023
Print ISBN: 9781119766971
Online ISBN: 9781119767398
DOI: 10.1002/9781119767398
Copyright © 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. All rights reserved.
The MBSAT Workbook (Wiley 2023)
The workbook satisfies a need that many MBSAT teachers and course participants voiced persistently: It offers the eight-session MBSAT program in a format that facilitates step-by-step practicing and learning.
This comprehensive book has a thorough background of the protocol’s underlying science and aligns the training program with the latest neuroscience findings. The scientific foundations form Part I of the workbook. Part II of the workbook contains the actual training in eight sessions.
The book integrates several disciplines: Neuroscience, Applied Positive Psychology, Behavioral Finance, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and System Dynamics as well as other valuable topics. The same fields build the foundation of the MBSAT Manual (Wiley 2017). The two books complement each other but can be used individually.
Because of its coherent neuroscientific orientation, the workbook relies on shorter practices than the Manual that includes longer sitting meditations. The workbook also places special weight on practicing in daily life and shaping our lives based on the neuroscientific view of the human brain as a predictive organ
These subtle differences reflect the author's learning journey in the six years between the two publications, from the Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy training at Oxford University to new studies in brain function.
Author(s):Juan Humberto Young
First published:30 September 2016
Print ISBN: 9781118937976
Online ISBN: 9781118938003
DOI: 10.1002/9781118938003
© 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
THE MBSAT MANUAL (WILEY 2017)
The impulse to write the first MBSAT book stemmed from my teaching activities, particularly my work as Academic Director of the Executive Master Program called Positive Leadership and Strategy, a program I designed and led for nine years at a reputable European University. The interaction with the students and my professional experience led me to conclude that thriving in today’s environment requires mind training and character-building more than ever.
This is the case for all active individuals, whether they have leadership responsibilities or pursue personal development. It is also true for successful, non-clinical people seeking to improve their lives but not needing therapy. Therefore, the book is addressed to a non-clinical audience motivated to grow personally.
In writing the book, I drew from the multiple disciplines I had studied, which have proven valuable in my life. Thus, the book integrates classical Mindfulness, Positive Psychology, System Dynamics, Behavioral Economics, Management, and elements from other areas.
Even though the manual is of great help to all MBSAT course participants, it is mainly geared toward instructors because it offers a lot of teaching material, such as an entire section of teaching notes and handouts, detailed time plans for organizing sessions, and pre-course and feedback forms. This is why this book is referred to as a manual.