Sounding Out China: Advertising, Authenticity, and the Rise of Podcast Culture Featuring Bessie Lee, former CEO of WPP China and a leading figure in China’s media and podcasting scene.

Drawing from her distinguished career in advertising and her pioneering podcast Beiwanglu (⻉望录), Bessie will share unique insights into how China’s advertising culture, media industries, and podcast platforms shape communication, creativity, and community today.

The first half of the talk will explore her personal and professional journey, while the second half features a critical dialogue with HKU researchers on the emerging cultures of Chinese podcasting, community-building, and commercialization.

📅 Date: Friday, October 24, 2025

🕑 Time: 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

📍 Venue: TT404, 4/F, T.T. Tsui Building, Main Campus (capacity: 110)

🗣️ Language: Mandarin (with English facilitation)

🔗 Register here: https://hkuems1.hku.hk/hkuems/ec_hdetail.aspx?guest=Y&ueid=103332

Speaker Biography:

Bessie Lee is a seasoned leader in the media, marketing, and communications industries with over 30 years of experience. She has held prominent CEO roles at Mindshare, GroupM China, and WPP China, where she drove transformation, strategic growth, and innovation. Most recently, Bessie served as Chief Executive Officer for Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) Greater China, overseeing 12,000 employees and achieving GAAP revenue of USD 1.1 billion.

As the founder of Withinlink Limited, a marketing technology incubator, she has managed a portfolio valued at nearly USD 1 billion, successfully guiding multiple startups through IPOs and pre-IPO rounds. Bessie is also a Non-Executive Director for UK-listed RS Group Plc and previously for Nasdaq-listed Abcam, contributing her expertise in corporate governance and strategic oversight. Recently in April 2025 Bessie was appointed as Independent Governor by Univeristy of the Arts London (UAL).

In addition to her professional achievements, Bessie is the creator and host of the highly successful podcast Beiwanglu ⻉望录, which explores innovation and entrepreneurship and has garnered over 800,000 subscribers. She holds a Master of Science in Communication from Illinois State University and a certificate in the Business of Artificial Intelligence from London Business School and Generative AI: From Hype to Business Impact from University of Cambridge Judge Business School.

This event will be of particular interest to students and scholars of media, sociology, communication, and contemporary China.