At 29 years old, Alfee Lee made a pivotal decision in his professional life. It was a big risk and a leap of faith to leave his military officer role to explore desktop engineering. Without an IT experience, he admitted it was not easy.
“During that time, I had to navigate a lot of self-doubt, constantly questioning my decision. I tried to set a realistic goal and break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. This helped me navigate through uncertainties and strengthened my mental resilience, making me stronger than ever,” he said.
Holding on to his belief that no challenge is ever too great, he says one can overcome them by breaking it down into specific, achievable steps, adding, “Don’t forget to acknowledge and celebrate your progress along the way. This will boost your confidence and help you stay on track.”
Stay on track, he did. Lee navigated the technology world and landed roles at Fujitsu, a global technology and business solutions company. He was recently appointed Fujitsu’s new group managing director of Growth Industries at APAC.
Fueled by passion
Lee finds his work enriching as they help companies across the globe navigate complex challenges.
“Our two big focuses are on helping companies with digital experience and sustainability transformation. Being part of our customers’ transformation journeys gets me going. It is exciting to help businesses across the Asia Pacific to embrace changes and harness the power of technology for positive impact. Guiding them through this ever-changing business landscape is challenging. But it is rewarding to support them every step of the way. And the best part? I learn just as much from them, so it is a win-win partnership,” he said.
As a leader, watching his team members grow and thrive has fueled him to keep going.
“Whether they are still at Fujitsu or have branched out, seeing them achieve their ambitions and reach their goals is a real joy. I always stay connected with my team members even after they move on. Maintaining these connections allows us to continue supporting each other’s professional journeys and foster a sense of camaraderie that extends beyond the workplace,” he said.
Maintaining these connections allows us to continue supporting each other’s professional journeys and foster a sense of camaraderie that extends beyond the workplace,
Alfee Lee
A day in the life
Lee’s typical day starts with having breakfast with his family before heading to work. His workday is usually packed with customer meetings, which he says he enjoys “to understand what keeps them awake at night and to work together on solutions.”
“I also dedicate a lot of my time to reviewing business operations and keeping up-to-date with the broader business and technology trends. This ensures our strategy remains relevant and stays at the forefront of innovation. Team collaboration is key. I prioritise coaching my team members to provide them with guidance and support they need to help them excel in their roles and drive innovation forward,” he said.
He walks home a few times a week to keep himself active and to give him quiet time to reflect on his day. His evenings are for family dinners, sharing stories. Lee’s weekends are for simple pleasures of life, such as seeing a movie, going for walks, and having meaningful conversations with family and friends.
The power of silence
Despite his busy schedule, attending silent retreats has become an essential part of his life, which he attends for about 7 to 10 days twice a year.
“These retreats allow me to completely disconnect from the outside world and dive deep into meditation. One of the most valuable aspects of silent retreats is the opportunity to reset my mind, so I can let go of past worries or future anxieties, grounding myself in the present moment,” he said.
Lee said before attending silent retreats, he often felt overwhelmed by his career-driven nature.
“These retreats help me strike a balance between my personal and professional life so I can come back to work feeling more recharged and more ready for the next challenge,” he added.
Advice for leaders
He leaves three pieces of advice for success: collaboration, solution-orientedness, and customer-centrism.
“Collaboration is the key to success,” Lee said. He believes in knowing customers and collaborating with leaders to understand their pain points, a common practice at Fujitsu.
“Those valuable insights enable us to deliver innovative and tailored tech solutions that help solve their business challenges and achieve their goals,” added the Fujitsu executive.
Lee also advises leaders to shift their mindset from obsessively focusing on tasks to becoming solution-oriented. He opined it is vital to constantly think of ways to better serve the evolving needs of their customers.
Lastly, Lee reminded leaders to focus on what matters most to their customers, not pushing the latest technology hastily but actively listening to their needs to understand their goals and challenges.
“Having deep conversations with customers is the cornerstone of building successful partnerships and delivering value for them. Always take a collaborative approach to design solutions that truly meet their needs,” Lee said.
Risk to reward
Lee would not have experienced great reward in the tech field if not for his 29-year-old self, taking the risk. Despite climbing the ladder of success, one can find him still going back to the same hawker near his office to enjoy his plate of bee hoon mee, and enjoying the simple pleasures of life.
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” –Muhammad Ali.
