IWD special: LKF Group sales and marketing director Sylvia Lee

This year's International Women's Day theme is "#BreakTheBias" in an attempt to break deliberate or unconscious bias that makes it difficult for women to move ahead. The campaign which urges for a level the playing field comes as representation of women in leadership still isn't where it needs to be.

According to data from McKinsey, while representation of women has increased across the pipeline since 2016, women of colour still remain significantly underrepresented in leadership. For example, about 25% of C-suite positions were occupied by women as of 2021; about 28% and 30% of senior vice presidents and presidents were women respectively.  

In light of International Women's Day, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to prominent female leaders in our industry, inviting them to talk about a number of topics, including their career, challenges in their respective industries, and their ideas about women in a leadership position. In this article, we feature Sylvia Lee, director of sales and marketing at LKF Group, who talks about her views on these issues. Lan Kwai Fong Group is a household name in Hong Kong, consisting of extensive brands, properties and investments. It is also regarded as a renowned entertainment, hospitality and lifestyle brand in the region.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I wear a few hats at LKF Group. I am head of sales and marketing, overseeing our hotel business unit Andara Resort & Hotel Management with projects in Southeast Asia. In Hong Kong, I oversee marketing for the group, working alongside the team consisting of creative, digital and event marketers.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: How did you get into the industry?

This was a natural progression after studying international business in the US, where I’m originally from. I did a lot of networking in the early staqe of my career to learn more about career paths, and I really grew into the digital space during the exciting Silicon Valley digital booms. In 2011, I was approached by a San Francisco contact who had moved to Las Vegas about a digital marketing position in Macau. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding positions and pushed me to move into non-gaming areas of hospitality based in Hong Kong.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What are some of the barriers you think women in the industry facing?

Women in marketing have come a long way, and luckily, I have met impactful women who led by example to learn from. To me, there are two main barriers: mentoring talent and allies for women in the workplace. Mentoring can be an informal programme. For example it can help women navigate their careers. I see men typically do this when having drinks or doing sports after work, whereas women have other obligations and are not able to do the same. Allies for women mean that men need to consciously make efforts to support women in career development. We need to break any of the "bro culture" that still prevails in a lot of circles around the globe.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: Have you faced any personal prejudice or misconception in the industry?

Definitely. But I don’t have enough space here to review all of them! I think everyone experiences a bit of misconception related to their background, ethnicity, gender and age. For me, I have been able to overcome hurdles with "small wins", which means that I keep my head up without doubting myself. I also realise that talking about these issues in the workplace helps dramatically with preventing them from happening to someone else.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What is one area that you are looking to tackle as a woman in a leadership position?

They need to get involved. I am working for two executive committees and the first one is IAB Hong Kong. I volunteer for this association as it develops standards and best practices in digital marketing. I also work for Thrive Women in Travel, a US-based not-for-profit organisation with an APAC chapter to help women get closer to equality in the travel industry. Both organisations focus on developing talent, and it’s the least thing I can do to play it forward as I have had positive influences in my career before.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE: What are your hopes for the marketing community in general in 2022?

At LKF Group, we strive to be inclusive and diverse, which ultimately reflects on our community and creative output. The start of 2022 is a very different landscape than we in Hong Kong hoped for, and I am grateful for the LKF Group’s leadership as it helps us stay positive and see the silver linings a little bit more every day. I also wish this for the greater marketing community. Stay strong and we will get through this!

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