Isaac Lee
Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia
Summary
Commercial leader with ~ 18 years of experience in FMCG across Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, driving sustainable, profitable growth through strategic sales leadership, category growth and channel management, investment optimization, mix management and execution excellence.
Proven track record in accelerating growth, leading large-scale transformation and change management, navigating complex environments including COVID disruptions, market boycotts and significant pricing inflation.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Work history
Head of Modern Trade, Malaysia & Singapore
Mondelēz International
, Malaysia
2024.06 - 2026.04
- Led business recovery from market boycott, delivering strong double digit net revenue CAGR growth while effectively navigating significant cocoa pricing inflation through disciplined commercial and pricing strategies.
- As part of Malaysia & Singapore Leadership Team (until April 2026) in strengthening organization and accelerating business growth — driving strategic priorities, empowering teams and shaping a winning culture across both markets.
- Together with cross functional commercial team, Modern Trade team co-developed 6×3 Growth Execution Metrics (GEMs) — transformative model that has re-energized business, delivering strong double-digit growth and share gains across key categories.
- GEMs framework sharpens focus on shopper offtake and category growth, trade investment optimization, execution excellence and mix management, while strengthening position as both preferred business partner to retailers and great place to work in FMCG industry.
Head of Modern Trade
Reckitt
2023.07 - 2024.05
- Reignited MT business with quarter-to-quarter growth in H2 2023 with Q4 '23 as highest quarter in year driven by implementation of Winning Together Model: Operation excellence, category growth & revenue growth.
- Leading both MT key account management and field operations teams consist of 31 direct employees and 115 third party personnel servicing 20 accounts/almost 3,000 outlets across hypermarket, supermarket, mini market, convenient store and petrol mart.
Head of Trade Marketing
Reckitt
2021.04 - 2023.06
- Overseeing creation of category strategies which are in line with commercial strategy. Playing key role on Sales Leadership team, lead team in overseeing sales forecasts and sales strategy, proposing and directing execution of programs to maximize sales volume potential to achieve plans while collaborating closely with partners within sales channel and cross functionally. In addition, responsible for development of trade marketing team in building strong talent bench.
Head of Trade Marketing
Unilever
2020.01 - 2021.03
- Being part of the Category Country Business Team and delivering the business objective via strategy and development in both category and channel, net revenue management, innovation, integrated business planning and sales & operation planning.
- Work closely with cross functional stakeholders and sales community to ensure plans are operationalized and delivered to generate predictable, sustainable, profitable and responsible growth.
- 97% of categories are winning in market share ahead of competition.
Head of Sales Operation & Effectiveness
Unilever
2018.04 - 2019.12
- Drive operational effectiveness and efficiency of sales department. Ensure organization is pursuing right directions and efficient in areas of distributor development, execution fundamental, service level, capability building and asset management.
- Lead digital transformation in sales department. Future proofing route to market along process of demand capture, demand fulfillment, payment/ collection, in store transaction and influencing sellout. Also, build t organization's data and analytics competency for digital transformation success.
- Implement zero-based budgeting in every sales function by analyzing needs and costs especially for trade investment and indirect cost.
National Sales Manager
Unilever
2015.12 - 2018.03
- Introduce and implement sales-led growth model for ice cream business which had heavily relying on brand marketing (launch of new product) and capital expenditure (additional cabinet/ freezer placement). Model consists of more stores, better serve and better store which generates growth with higher number of billed outlets and incremental in both frequency and value of billing.
- Successfully reignite growth from 2 years declining trend to winning in marketplace – growing ahead of category and increasing share.
Trade Marketing Manager
Nestlé
2014.06 - 2015.11
- Co-develop Integrated Commercial Plan for Breakfast Cereal category by identifying key opportunities (incorporating understanding on shoppers, category, customer, competition, channel and external environment) to deliver category growth.
- Boost category development by implementing 6Ps strategy (product, pack, promotion, placement, price and proposition) and generate compelling shopper stories. Also, with revised promotional guidelines & activities and new mechanism of trade spend revision & evaluation, promo investment has been optimized beyond target set.
Regional Sales Manager
Unilever
Johor
2013.09 - 2014.05
- Responsible for sales delivery (both primary and secondary in local modern trade and distributive trade) of Southern and Eastern Lower region of Peninsular Malaysia (covers Melaka, Johor, Pahang and Southern Terengganu). Also, managing operation of 3 regional offices located in Melaka, Johor Bahru and Kuantan.
- Succeed to improve sales target delivery by focusing on territory, distributor and outlet management: - Territory development (optimize territory coverage, improve vertical distribution – product range and explore new channel/ format). - Distributor's working capital turnovers (sales growth, payment/ debtors and inventory). - Perfect execution in outlets (effective coverage, compliance of permanent journey plan, bill productivity, line sold per productive call and perfect store).
Trade Marketing Manager
Unilever
2012.09 - 2013.08
- Manage category performance and profitability for foods and tea. Drive category performance by achieving incremental in number of users, frequency of purchase and uptrading/ premiumization. Improve category profitability by optimizing trade investment and product mix.
- Support internal cross functional integrated business plan, external customer joint business plan and new product launch through data analysis, opportunity identification and stakeholder engagement. Also, lead demand forecast by define volume implication of brand marketing activity, trade category plan and customer marketing plan.
- Achieved outstanding sales growth which is 3 times higher than target set through effective trade activity (with no drift in trade spend) and management of channel conflict.
Product Manager
Lam Soon (M) Berhad
2011.11 - 2012.08
- Develop business growth opportunities in term of sales and profitability for Southern Lion's portfolio (home care, personal care and oral care) with implementation of go-to-market plan. Strategy and action are built based on extensive analysis of consumer, shopper, category, channel and customer.
- Highest market share was recorded in volume share of total detergent as company isn't only continuing to lead in core segment – powder but achieve peak performance and manage to overtake competitor to be no. 2 in fastest growing segment – liquid.
- In addition, heavy involvement in stakeholder management (sales, brand marketing, 3rd party agency, finance, manufacturer and logistics) and inventory management. Also, to ensure this joint venture business between Lam Soon Malaysia and Lion Japan is conducted in line with Standard Operation Procedures and business practice.
Product Manager
DKSH Consumer Goods
2009.05 - 2011.10
- Responsible for improving product sales and achieving marketing objectives including but not limited to product life cycle, new product development, inventory management, distribution and advertising & promotional funds.
- Successfully to turnaround client's newly acquired brand from 3 consecutive years of sales decline with double digit growth by reshaping business mix in term of channel and product format.
Supply Chain Management Trainee
DKSH Consumer Goods
2008.05 - 2009.04
- Manage inventory in term of replenishment, trade return and aging. Also, responsible for logistics performance to meet service agreement in term of order fulfillment (count and value) and delivery performance.
- Successfully optimize inventory holding days which are 29% below target with improved forecast accuracy and reduction in both market hygiene & trade returns.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration (Honor) - Management with Multimedia
Multimedia University
2024.06 - 2028.05
Negotiation Strategies for Success -
National University of Singapore
Successful Ecommerce -
Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD)
Management Analytics -
MIT Sloan School of Management
Skills
- P&L Leadership
- Both key account and distributor operation management
- Investment optimization and mix management
- Digital and sales transformation
- Integrated business planning (including business liquidation and consolidation)
Certification
- Management Analytics: Decision-Making Lessons from the Sports Industry
- Successful Ecommerce
- Negotiation Strategies for Success
Languages
Chinese (Professional Working)
Malay (Professional Working)
English (Professional Working)
Current Remuneration
- Annual Base: MYR 553,819
- Bonus: 17%
- Monthly Transport: MYR 2,500
- Notice: 3 months
- Sign-on Bonus: MYR 77,400 (repayable if resign before June 2026)
- Special Bonus: MYR 51,600 (repayable if resign before September 2026)
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Bachelor of Business Administration (Honor) - Management with Multimedia
Multimedia University
2024.06 - 2028.05
Head of Modern Trade, Malaysia & Singapore
Mondelēz International
2024.06 - 2026.04
Head of Modern Trade
Reckitt
2023.07 - 2024.05
Head of Trade Marketing
Reckitt
2021.04 - 2023.06
Head of Trade Marketing
Unilever
2020.01 - 2021.03
Head of Sales Operation & Effectiveness
Unilever
2018.04 - 2019.12
National Sales Manager
Unilever
2015.12 - 2018.03
Trade Marketing Manager
Nestlé
2014.06 - 2015.11
Regional Sales Manager
Unilever
2013.09 - 2014.05
Trade Marketing Manager
Unilever
2012.09 - 2013.08
Product Manager
Lam Soon (M) Berhad
2011.11 - 2012.08
Product Manager
DKSH Consumer Goods
2009.05 - 2011.10
Supply Chain Management Trainee
DKSH Consumer Goods
2008.05 - 2009.04
Negotiation Strategies for Success -
National University of Singapore
Successful Ecommerce -
Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD)
Management Analytics -
MIT Sloan School of Management