Ms Lee began her career in market research, working for an international advertising agency as research director. In 1972 she founded TransMarket Research Limited, in partnership with ASI of Los Angeles. TransMarket grew into one of South-East Asia's largest market research organisations. It conducted consumer and industrial research throughout the area for international corporations, including Philip Morris, General Motors, Toyota, and IBM. TransMarket was one of the first research companies to conduct market studies in China after the country began to normalise its relations with the outside world. As China continued to open its economy, Ms Lee recognised both the unlimited opportunities and the risks involved in exploiting those opportunities. In 1978 she decided to capitalise on her international experience and explore those business opportunities.
