Peter Lee leads social impact at Kerry Holdings Limited, where he formulates grantmaking strategy and co‑develops initiatives with nonprofit partners in poverty alleviation, health, and community care in Hong Kong. He also established the Kerry Engagement platform, strengthening cross‑company connections across Kerry Properties, Shangri‑La Group, and KLN Logistics Group through volunteering, sports, and initiatives supporting employees’ children and ageing parents.
Prior to joining the Kerry Group, Peter worked in HSBC Corporate Sustainability Asia‑Pacific, managing education and community programs. He previously served as a family social worker in the Hong Kong Government.
Peter discusses why he enrolled in the executive program – I enrolled in this Executive Program because I want to strengthen the strategic foundations of my social impact work. I’m eager to deepen my use of theoretical frameworks so I can design philanthropic strategies, community projects and volunteering programs with greater rigor and clarity. The 8-month structure is long enough to truly immerse in different dimensions of social impact strategy and apply them meaningfully to my work. I also hope to enhance the monitoring, evaluation, and learning processes that guide my daily decisions. Equally important, I’m drawn to the peer learning — connecting with social impact leaders across sectors and countries, gaining fresh perspectives, and expanding my global network. The in person convening workshop at Penn offers a rare chance to be challenged and inspired. At this stage of my career, I’m ready to stretch my thinking and explore new possibilities for creating lasting impact.
Peter’s Social Impact Area- My social impact work spans community investment in Hong Kong and employee engagement across our Group. In my philanthropy role, I work closely with nonprofits to co-create programs that address Hong Kong’s widening income disparity and rapidly ageing population. This includes initiatives in livelihood improvement, upskilling, healthcare, and community caregiving. We serve families in subdivided units, homeless individuals needing retraining, students with special needs, ethnic minorities facing inequity, senior cleaning workers with health challenges, and isolated elderly lacking support. I believe deeply in co-creation and cross-sector collaboration to tackle these complex issues. Within our companies, I help lead an employee engagement platform offering volunteering, well-being, sports, and family-focused programs. Our initiatives support colleagues’ children, ageing parents, and working caregivers. My vision is to build a caring, supportive workplace community while advancing equitable impact across Hong Kong
Advice for future applicants– Come with a challenge you really care about, and be ready to explore it from new angles. Lean into your cohort and peers — the weekly conversations are where the magic happens. I learned just as much from their diverse work and capstone projects as from the curriculum itself. Their lived experiences and fresh perspectives will stretch your thinking in ways you don’t expect. Bring your own story too; it genuinely enriches the learning. If you want a curious, energizing community, go apply and join this vibrant Penn CSIS network!
His intentions after the program– I see this program elevating my career by strengthening the strategic foundations of my social impact work. The theoretical frameworks in nonprofit management will help me better support NGOs as a funder, equipping me to understand their organizational needs and growth pathways. Learning to think from a nonprofit leader’s perspective also gives me fresh insight into the realities frontline organizations face, enriching how I design funding strategies and partnerships. The program has deepened my knowledge of social entrepreneurship and business planning, which is increasingly important as I work with social enterprises seeking sustainable impact. Most importantly, it expands my imagination for what’s possible in Hong Kong’s social sector — encouraging me to think more boldly, collaborate more intentionally, and bring global best practices into my daily work. I believe this experience will help me grow into a more empathetic and strategic social impact leader.
Thank you Peter! If you are interested in learning more about CSIS Executive Program check out our website and sign up for our 2027 info sessions! Also, SIS graduates are eligible to apply to the Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership (NPL) in an accelerated, on-campus, or online format. The NPL program is a ten-credit master’s program; SIS Alumni must complete six credits to graduate.