Karin Wellbrock

Karin Wellbrock is an internationally recognized leadership coach and organizational consultant, bringing decades of experience in executive coaching, team development, and culture transformation across Europe, North America, and Asia. As co-founder of Kay Group K.K. in Tokyo, she partners with leaders in multinational corporations, fast-growing startups, and purpose-driven NGOs to help them unlock their full leadership potential and drive meaningful organizational change.

In her role at Kay Group, Karin specializes in developing leaders, strengthening teams, and shaping organizational cultures to navigate today’s fast-evolving business environment. She works closely with global corporations, with a particular depth of expertise in the Life Sciences sector, designing and facilitating leadership programs, team offsites, and culture transformation initiatives that enhance collaboration, innovation, and long-term success.

With a strong advisory background, Karin combines strategic insight with deep coaching expertise. She is an ICF PCC and EMCC Senior Practitioner-accredited coach who integrates research-driven methodologies, including neuroscience-informed coaching, strengths-based leadership, and cognitive-behavioral approaches. She helps leaders navigate complexity, refine their leadership presence, and lead with authenticity and confidence.

Karin’s client portfolio includes executives and leadership teams at global corporations, startup founders in accelerator programs such as Founder Institute, Techstars Tokyo, and GermanX, and NGO leaders driving social change. She also collaborates with Coaching.com to accelerate the leadership development of female leaders and changemakers in NGOs worldwide.

Beyond coaching, Karin is a Senior Fellow with The Conference Board, where she researches leadership and organizational dynamics. She is also a Senior Executive Contributor at Brainz Magazine and regularly publishes insights through her LinkedIn newsletter. Her thought leadership on leadership transitions, inclusive leadership, and women’s advancement in Japan has influenced both corporate and policy discussions.

Prior to founding Kay Group, Karin spent nearly two decades with Deloitte Consulting, leading international leadership and organizational development projects. Her academic credentials include degrees from the University of Tübingen, the University of Southern California, and further executive education at Harvard and Stanford. Fluent in English and German, Karin is based in Tokyo and works globally.