From transforming workspaces and businesses to fostering cultures of growth and resilience, these individuals demonstrate that effective leadership is not just about decisions made at the top, but the meaningful connections and transformative impacts they inspire along the way.
As Country CEO of Maybank Singapore, Alvin Lee oversees the whole spectrum of the business, which includes consumer banking and corporate banking, as well as several entities under his charge – securities services, insurance, and asset management. In this role, he leads a team of 2,800 staff members who come from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Lee, who is married and is the father to two daughters currently in university, is an avid sportsman, having played football, tennis, and golf, and currently enjoys calisthenics and the occasional hike.
Share more about your leadership journey. What are the pivotal moments that shaped your approach to leadership?
I am happy to lead if I believe I am able to, but I am equally content to follow stronger leaders. General George C Patton once said, “Lead me. Follow me or get out of my way.”
I’ve had many opportunities to lead growing up. I was the Vice Head prefect in primary school, Head of Department of Raffles Institution Prefectorial Board, and Raffles Junior College Student Council, as well as the Team Captain of Nanyang Technological University’s Rugby team, for which I was vested Sportsman of the Year 1991/1992.
In my NS days, I was Lieutenant Colonel and served until the age of 49, with my last held appointment as the Brigade Chief of Staff. I was also the Captain of Singapore’s Rugby National U23 team in 1992.
Throughout the years, there were many collective experiences that shaped my leadership journey. For example, as an avid Rugby player, I was drawn to the ethos synonymous with the game. The sport taught me to always put my team ahead of individual glory and to leave the jersey in a better place.
In my army days, there was an incident which led to an epiphany about the importance of leadership. Whilst leading some 500 soldiers out on a march as an officer, it dawned on me that if this were an actual advance towards battle, my decisions could either result in victory or defeat, which would affect not 500 men, but their families as well.
How would you define effective leadership in today’s business environment? What do you think works and what doesn’t?
In today’s business environment, product and service life cycles are short, and competition is tight with more market participants in a global marketplace. As such, customer and employee loyalty is key.
Effective leadership must include the ability to be sensitive to fast-evolving needs and being able to adapt accordingly. Customers and employees today have a shorter attention span and demand hyper-personalisation and work flexibility. Effective leaders must also be very contemporary and stay connected. A great example is Satya Nadella of Microsoft. In less than a decade, he managed to massively accelerate growth in priority areas like cloud services, realise several billions of cost reduction, develop a new target culture with a growth mindset, and create the “next-gen” go-to market strategy. He could succeed because he had a great appreciation of trends and demands, and more importantly, was able to develop Microsoft into a highly functional team.
What does not work is leadership that is closed or oblivious to changes, and those who fail to hire smart and motivated people with complementing skill sets and empowering them.
(Related: Maybank World Mastercard opens up a world of gold and more)
"Leaders today, and certainly those of the future, must be adept at both harnessing technology and inspiring a workforce whose generational traits and aspirations are markedly different from those of previous generations."
What strategies or practices have you found most effective in nurturing leadership potential within your organisation?
Nurturing leadership potential begins with the critical step of identifying individuals who exhibit both the capacity and willingness to lead. Leadership is not just about title or position – it is about character, conviction, and the ability to inspire. While some individuals naturally gravitate toward leadership roles, there are also those I call reluctant leaders – those who may not actively seek out leadership but, when called upon, rise to the occasion. Recognising this is as important as spotting obvious leaders.
At the core, leadership is defined by key attributes: Charisma, strong communication skills, hard work, strategic thinking, and a well-rounded knowledge of the business and its environment. While the finer aspects of leading can be honed through reading about great leaders and learning from their experiences, I believe it is vital to encourage individuals to develop their own leadership brand – one that is authentic, aligned with their personal values, and reflective of their beliefs.
In my organisation, we are in the midst of a transformation to become an even more effective and agile team. I have found that nurturing leadership potential requires a deliberate and strategic approach. It begins with identifying a core group of individuals who share the conviction and commitment to drive transformation. From there, formulating a clear vision and over-communicating this vision has been critical.
Transformation cannot just be an abstract idea – it must be made tangible. For example, I initiated several physical transformations to the office space, including the introduction of a bank lifestyle experience by having a cafe in our Maybank Tower Branch called MSpace@Maybank Tower, and creating recreational and well-being spaces/facilities like a gymnasium and karaoke room. These visible and tangible improvements serve as proof of our commitment to change, signalling to the team that we are serious about creating an even more work friendly, contemporary dynamic environment.
Can you give us an example of a leadership challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?
One of the most difficult challenges I face as a leader is making decisions that will impact employees’ financial well-being. It is always my intention to provide opportunities and support to help people succeed, but when individuals exhibit undesirable work ethics or values, I believe it is critical to address the issue promptly. Allowing such behaviour to persist not only affects productivity but also holds back the rest of the team – those who are genuinely motivated and dedicated to delivering results. Leadership, therefore, requires both empathy and decisiveness to balance fairness with the needs of the organisation.
Another key leadership challenge is steering my organisation through its transformational journey. In the financial services industry, the pace of change is unrelenting. To remain relevant, banks must be agile, innovative, and forward-looking in anticipating trends and addressing customer needs. Transforming processes and physical workspaces is relatively straightforward, but shifting the culture and mindset of an organisation – that is where the real challenge lies.
Over the past year, I have led this transformation by taking a deliberate and structured approach. The first step was to create a compelling vision that the team could believe in and commit to. I then identified a core team of individuals who not only understood the need for transformation but also had the conviction to see it through. They became champions of change, helping to spread the message and encourage buy-in across the organisation. Communication has been another cornerstone of this effort. I have made it a priority to communicate openly and consistently – articulating our goals, sharing progress, and addressing challenges along the way. Engagement is equally important, as it provides opportunities to listen, gather feedback, and ensure alignment at every level. Finally, I believe in celebrating success, no matter how small. Recognising milestones along the way keeps morale high, builds momentum, and reinforces the belief that progress is being made.
What are the new rules you’ve added to your leadership playbook, in response to the changes in how people do business?
The evolving business landscape has fundamentally changed the way we do our business. We are required to adapt quickly, rethink strategies, and embrace new ways of working. In response to these changes, my leadership playbook follows key principles to ensure that we remain competitive, agile, and relevant in today’s environment.
The first rule is understanding and leveraging new technologies. Technologies like generative AI, cloud computing, and even emerging quantum computing are no longer just opportunities; they are imperatives. I believe it is critical not only to understand these technologies, but also to harness them to drive efficiency, improve our services, and strengthen our competitive edge.
The second rule is staying attuned to the changing norms and preferences of our customers. Consumer expectations are evolving more rapidly than ever, shaped by new lifestyles, emerging trends, advancing technologies, and shifting economic realities. To stay relevant, we must continually refine our products and services while proactively anticipating these changes.
The third rule is understanding the changing dynamics of the workplace and the expectations of our employees. Today’s workforce values flexibility, meaningful engagement, and a strong sense of purpose. This is especially true in a post-pandemic world, where flexible working hours and hybrid work arrangements are no longer viewed as perks but as standard expectations. As a leader, I recognise the importance of creating a work environment that motivates and empowers our employees.
How do you see leadership roles evolving in the next few years? What traits or skills will be most important?
We are in the midst of an unprecedented technological revolution – where technology is increasingly shaping every facet of our lives and transforming the way businesses operate. As a result, the expectations and behaviours of the workforce are evolving as well. Leaders today, and certainly those of the future, must be adept at both harnessing technology and inspiring a workforce whose generational traits and aspirations are markedly different from those of previous generations.
In this rapidly shifting environment, the most critical leadership trait is agility. The leaders of tomorrow must be quick to recognise new trends, respond to emerging demands, and develop innovative solutions at speed. Agility also extends to execution; being able to implement these solutions effectively and efficiently.
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