Simon Lee AO, Non Executive Director (former Chair) of Emerald Resources

This episode of Finding the Front is simply quite special. It is like a feature length movie and will no doubt provide you another person’s perspective. The takeaways are something else.

Our guest is Malaysian born Mr Simon Lee AO, the recent former Chair and current Non-Exec. Dir. of ASX listed Emerald Resources. This is a story that covers humble beginnings, global business, leadership, immense WA gold mining success and extreme generosity.

After embracing a fortunate opportunity to study in Perth and a globally diversified business career that followed, then starts a strong and treasured relationship with WA, the WA Gold Mining Industry and the people involved. The story just gets better and better. It includes his formative insights into gold company success stories Samantha, Equigold and Emerald Resources, and the people who have been close to him and played an integral part along the way.

Simon’s largely unknown, enormously impactful philanthropic contributions have been wide ranging. Add to this his role in assisting politicians at both a federal and state level and establishing the WA Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the late 1980s you can understand why Simon was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to the development of Australian-Asia trade relations and to the Chinese community.

Journeys like this do not come along often.