Asia-Pacific Power List 2024: Loretta Lee, Asahi

Loretta Lee 

Marketing director Asia and Europe
Asahi Europe and International
Hong Kong
New member 

Loretta Lee views herself as a forward-thinking marketer who recognises the necessity of ongoing innovation to maintain relevance in the industry. Consequently, 2023 was a pivotal year for Lee, as Asahi launched a global brand refresh campaign for its flagship product, Asahi Super Dry. To distinguish the brand in a saturated market, Lee led the introduction of a 'Modern Japan' theme in her key markets, moving consumers from merely tasting to experiencing the brand. Under her direction, her team orchestrated various experiential events at unexpected venues across Asia, attracting 190,000 participants.

For example, in Singapore, a pop-up event titled “The Art of Taste” showcased the brand through a brewery installation and a tasting masterclass. In Taiwan, a store-within-a-store event created a modern Japanese ambiance in a popular bookstore. For the Lunar New Year 2024, Asahi Super Dry introduced innovative, limited edition pixel art packaging, revitalising a traditionally predictable festival motif.

In a carefully curated familiarisation trip, Lee brought media and trade guests from across APAC to Tokyo to give them a first-hand experience of the new flavour and brand positioning with a Manchester City match thrown in. The junket reached over 17 million people through social media and achieved 3.4 million engagements.

An advocate for gender parity, Lee is committed to achieving a 50:50 gender balance in Asahi Asia by 2023 through the "Women in Beer" program—partnering with a specialist gender diversity firm to foster female talent using psychology-led philosophy and evidence-based methodologies. Lee also heads the "Shine as You Can" initiative, promoting a diverse and inclusive culture within the company.

With all production sites in Japan already recycling 100% of by-products and waste, and using renewable energy for all purchased electricity, Lee is also a champion of the company’s sustainability goals—dedicated to achieving zero waste at Asahi's breweries.