Bessie Lee

Bessie Lee is Founder and Chief Executive Officer of withinlink. Based in China, this investment management consultancy and incubator helps new media and technology start ups with their corporate strategy and operations to build out their business models. With more than 25 years of experience in the media communications industry in Greater China, exclusively across a number of WPP companies, Ms. Lee draws upon an extensive network of thought leaders including marketers, venture capitalists, technologists and communication specialists, as well as a team of senior in-house executives to help start ups to reach their full potential.

Prior to founding her own company, Ms. Lee served as the CEO of GroupM China. During her seven-year tenure, GroupM’s media billings in the country tripled, and GroupM was named the number one media holding group in China in terms of billings, for five consecutive years from 2007 to 2012, according to RECMA. As one of the most experienced and highly respected individuals in China’s media industry, Ms Lee’s professional success is reflected in the many hats she wears as a frequent commentator and blogger, a highly sought after public speaker, as well as CEO of WPP China, a role she assumed in 2013. She has received a number of awards for her contributions to the media industry, including China’s Business Mulan Award, from China Entrepreneur (2012); Media Person of the Year, from Communication University of China (2010); Media Person with Major Contribution to the Industry by China Advertising (2010); China's top 10 most creative media professionals by the China Economic Newspaper Association 2007); and China’s top business women leaders by the All-China Women’s Federation (2006). An avid tennis fan, Ms. Lee is also a member of the Women’s Tennis Association Global Advisory Council, where she advises the association on advertising, publicity and marketing in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in China.

Ms. Lee also was named a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Women's Empowerment 2010.

Ms. Lee holds a Master’s degree in communications at the Illinois State University, USA. Ms. Lee is based in Shanghai.