Lee’s journey is one of resilience, adventure, and passion for making a difference. Learn how his unconventional path led him from running his own school and factory in China to shaping global HR strategies across the Globe.
Tell us about your career journey to date
After studying Maths and Computer Science at university, I went on a backpacking adventure through Southeast Asia. I got on a boat across the Baltic to Helsinki, hopped a train to Moscow and then took the Trans-Siberian Railway train to China. When I got to Northeast China, I was recruited to teach English for a year, and that experience inspired me to open my own school, which I ran for three years before selling it.
I then spent two months biking across the Gobi and Taklamakan desert with a couple of friends before moving to Chengdu, I joined forces with local Graffiti artists and started a clothing factory. However, when a major earthquake hit the area, in 2008, I lost everything, and the factory was forced to close. During this period, I shifted my focus to aid work, raising money and giving support to those affected by the disaster.
After some time, I moved to Beijing and joined a consultancy called “I Will Not Complain” (IWNC), where my HR journey began. I gained lots of experience there, working with multi nationals and large public enterprises, our focus was team and leadership development. I then transitioned to another company focused on organisational development and psychometrics. After a few years, I opened my own consultancy across China and Asia for 7 years, working with major companies like Alibaba and Didi. With Didi, the workforce grew by 2,000 people in 6 months and we successfully rolled out a performance management system for 7 of our 8 business units in a span of 5 months.
Toward the end of 2016, I returned to the UK, and I met my wife, and we had our first child in 2018. With a growing family and a desire to reduce my travel, I decided to close my consultancy in China and took on the role of Head of HR for a global company until the pandemic. During COVID, I followed another passion of mine and opened a pizza business and grew it for three years before selling it and joining Soben.
Which project stands out the most for you?
One that’s especially close to my heart is a project I worked on with Alibaba. At the time, they were growing at a phenomenal pace, having just completed a record-breaking IPO. I was brought in to support their international expansion, and one of the HRBPs from Tmall approached me with a concern: their expats were feeling disengaged and unsatisfied with their work. As I dug deeper, it became clear that this feeling was widespread among the expat community. It was a pivotal moment that led me to launch a DEI initiative, which involved everyone—from leadership, including one of the founders, to employees on the ground. We rolled out cross-cultural workshops, reworked procedures, and even translated the Alibaba culture book, ‘Aliway,’ to ensure alignment and understanding across the team. This project is so dear to me because I saw a real shift in team dynamics—more engagement, more collaboration, and a real sense of inclusion. Seeing that transformation was incredibly rewarding.
What has been a challenging project you’ve worked on, and why?
One of the most challenging projects I’ve faced was designing and implementing a performance management system for Didi Chuxing, a hyper-scaling unicorn. The sheer complexity of the business, combined with the different growth strategies across business units, made it tough to align everyone. We faced resistance at first, but through perseverance and teamwork, we were able to push through. It wasn’t easy—there were weeks where 110-hour work schedules were the norm—but in the end, the project succeeded, and seeing it come together was incredibly fulfilling.
What have been the defining moments of your career?
There are a few key moments that have defined my career. The first was back in 2008 when I joined IWN and transitioned into HR. That was the beginning of my journey, and I haven’t looked back since. The second was when I moved from strict consulting to an in-house role. It shifted my focus from simply advising and presenting strategies to actually being part of implementing those solutions. That hands-on experience has been a huge turning point for me, both professionally and personally.
Did you always want to work in HR? If you weren’t, what would you be doing?
Ha! I used to be a diving instructor, loved climbing and hiking, so if you’d asked me 20 years ago, I’d have said something outdoors. But since stepping into HR in 2008, it’s become something I really love, especially with the difference I can make.
What career advice would you give to your younger self?
It would be to slow down. When you’re too focused on your job, you can forget to live—so it’s important to stop, look around, and enjoy the moments.
To find out more about Soben’s consultancy services in EMEA you can contact Lee on the details below:
HR Manager
