Women who lead: Tim Ho Wan's Lisa Leung on leading with authenticity

This month, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE brings its Women Who Lead podcast series to Hong Kong in celebration of International Women’s Day, spotlighting female leaders across the region’s marketing landscape. The series unpacks leadership journeys, hard-earned lessons, and what meaningful progress truly looks like across marketing, advertising, and communications.

The first episode features Lisa Leung (pictured), vice president of global product and marketing at Hong Kong-based dim sum brand Tim Ho Wan, which pledges to deliver authentic, Michelin-recognised dim sum that represents Hong Kong’s flavours consistently across all markets. Before joining Tim Ho Wan, she had been with Starbucks for four years where she led multiple new innovations for Starbucks APAC markets. 

For Leung, leading in a male-dominated industry is no easy task. Across her career—from Starbucks to Tim Ho Wan—she adapts her approach based on the age group and context of her audience. 

She said: "For example, leading in a digital environment is actually very different to leading the marketing team or leading in a product team versus leading the chefs, where I have to work with them very closely, a completely different environment, a completely different setup. So I think it really depends on which kind of audience and the setting and objectives for me at that particular time I lead quite differently."

Listen to the full conversation here on YouTube:

Despite the varying contexts, Leung believes in leading with authenticity. “This is what makes people click. This is what makes people want to work with you. It really is about collaboration—not so much about commanding and controlling, but truly respecting them as individuals. That remains true across everything.”

Leading a global team at a renowned dim sum brand, Leung said her role is a very good case study for female leaders within a male dominated industry. She said:

So don't look at yourself as sort of a weaker gender. Anything is possible. I think it's a lot about the soft skills and how you understand about the world that will make you shine. 

Echoing IWD's 'Give to gain' theme

This year's International Women's Day centres on the theme "Give to gain". For Leung, true partnership is about mutual exchange, particularly when it comes to supporting younger women.

“I've worked with a lot of women in the past, whether as peers or individuals younger than me. I’m also a mentor to students who haven’t yet graduated. It always inspires me to talk to women from different age groups and different fields,” she shared.

"I think what has remained true all these years is I like to give back a lot in terms of various ways [...] So especially for women younger than me, I like to share a lot of views about how I lead, or how I work, or how what I see would be the key principles of success," she added.

Her advice to aspiring female marketers is be vulnerable and authentic. "I think it's really being human that would bond individuals together and as a leader, it is very important to build that trust, because when the individuals know you as a person, it's way easier for you to bond."

Beyond authenticity, Leung said giving credit is also important when it comes to women empowerment. "I believe individuals going to work nowadays, it's not just about getting paid, it's not just about the package, not just about something to write on their CV, but actually, individuals do a lot better when they take ownership and when they see the projects as their own. So I think it's important to really recognise those moments that they have contributed a lot."

Encouragement is another lesson she carries from her career. "I think especially when, when, when you try to bring somebody up into wider aspects of job scopes, or wider aspects of projects, Task Force, it may be a bit scary for them at the very beginning, because they're so new to that area, so new to their aspect. So encouragement is very important to ensure that they keep going in a direction that would lead them to success, and always be mindful of their personality."

Looking ahead, Leung urges women to brace themselves for failure. “Those who succeed aren’t necessarily more intelligent or talented—they’re simply not afraid to fail. Make mistakes, learn fast, and you’ll succeed fast. Also, have the confidence to speak up. You’re not weaker than men. Whatever they can do, you probably can too.”

Mark your calendars for 24 June! #Content360 Hong Kong returns with a dynamic, one-day event dedicated to pivotal trends—from the silver economies to breakthrough IP collaborations, sports, and beyond. Let's dive into the art of curating content with creativity, critical thinking and confidence!

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