Asia-Pacific Power List 2025: Loretta Lee, Asahi

Loretta Lee

Marketing director Asia and Europe
Asahi Europe and International
Hong Kong
Member since 2024  

In an increasingly saturated beverage market, Loretta Lee has revived Asahi’s presence in Asia Pacific—turning it from a heritage name into a culturally resonant, forward-looking brand. Over the past two years, Lee has led a global refresh that successfully repositioned Asahi through integrated storytelling, localised strategy, and bold innovation.

A prime example is the launch of Super Dry ‘Dry Crystal’ in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The product—a low-ABV, low-calorie, low-carb beer—was designed to serve a new demographic of younger, lifestyle-driven consumers. To drive engagement, Lee and her team leveraged the popularity of Japanese actress Kanna Hashimoto to maximise creative media engagement. As a result, Dry Crystal overtook long-established brands in Hong Kong, climbing to second place in the light beer category within just four months of its launch. In Taiwan, it generated a 400% increase in clicks on e-retailer platforms, reaching 75 million consumers, and an accumulated 505 million impressions, ultimately securing second place in the functional beer category. 

While expanding into new markets has been pivotal, Lee has also mastered the balance between maintaining global consistency and hyper-local targeting through strategic partnerships. For example, for Chinese New Year 2024, the brand collaborated with rising Japanese artist Hermippe to introduce a limited-edition Pixel Art packaging. The exclusive beer cans were launched across Asia including in Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan and Singapore. The campaign achieved great success, especially during a highly competitive season, securing off-shelf space, a higher ROS and enhanced brand visibility and social saliency. 

Lee also spearheaded a partnership with Manchester City Football Club’s through a digital activation on Douyin. This enabled the brand to not only reach football fans, but also connect with a wider pool of local audiences. The brand also utilised OOH advertising near key retail outlets, all which led to over 200 attendees at viewing parties, more than 11,000 social media engagements and a 6% increase in brand-promoted awareness from the previous quarter.

Beyond innovative branding, partnerships and activations, Lee champions a deeper purpose within the team. She has played a key role in shaping the 2024-2025 Asia DE&I Committee, ensuring marketing influence extends into cultural transformation efforts. Her leadership has contributed to significant improvements in this category, surpassing industry benchmarks in the company’s 2024 Global Engagement Survey.