Lydia Lee
Managing director, Head of International Marketing
KKR
Singapore
"I want to grow up to be like her." What began as a light-hearted comment from a younger colleague has become a defining reflection of Lydia Lee's influence — not only for what she has achieved, but for how she inspires those around her.
With nearly three decades in financial services marketing, Lee has consistently elevated marketing from a support function to a strategic commercial growth engine. At Aberdeen, she helped reposition the firm into one of the top three asset managers in Southeast Asian markets and led ‘Project Bear’ during the GFC, a proactive investor education initiative that minimised fund outflows and reinforced distributor confidence.
At UBS Asset Management, she joined as the first dedicated marketing leader in Asia and built the regional marketing architecture from the ground up, scaling the function to 18 professionals. Her performance led to an expanded role as head of global wholesale marketing, overseeing more than 30 team members worldwide. She transformed Asset Management's presence at UBS's flagship China conference, growing participation from 30 attendees to standing-room-only main-stage sessions.
Now at KKR as managing director and head of international marketing, Lee continues to shape how alternative asset managers engage institutional and wealth audiences across Asia Pacific.
A lifelong athlete who competed in track and field, tennis, basketball, and netball, she cultivated resilience and competitive drive that define her leadership today. Her philosophy — “Start with the end in mind" and "Shoot for the moon" — challenges teams to think ambitiously while providing the structure to succeed.
To Quote: “Lydia understands the power of simple and clear marketing messaging…. She goes at length to articulate the client proposition in a manner that resonates with the different audiences effectively. She is a strong leader who dedicates time to groom and inspire the future younger leaders.” - Rene Buehlmann, Former APAC CEO, UBS Asset Management.
