Upon graduating from National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2000, Mr David Lee committed his first year of work to serve full time in church . His career hence started as a Youth Pastor whose primary role was nurturing youth leaders. The one year turned out to be three and a half. When he completed the stint and prepared to transit to the corporate world, the global financial crisis struck. Despite the freezing of employment worldwide, he was invited to join the next two organisations consecutively where he headed regional businesses and led top management from a group of companies with businesses in Education, Travel, IT, F&B and M.I.C.E.. He was also in charge of setting up new businesses as well as hiring the MD and ED, and nurturing them towards growth. In addition, he led international conferences and exported local training overseas. He was the lead in the inaugural China-Singapore Maritime Officers Training Collaboration. He was also appointed as Director over a few companies.

Wanting to share these invaluable experiences he acquired, David Lee founded Luminaries Lab Pte Ltd in 2009.

Today David Lee is known to be one of the influential authorities in the training industry. He has trained, coached and spoken in physical venues to tens of thousands in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and China. His participants include professionals such as top management, doctors, lawyers and educators from MNC such as Singapore Exchange (SGX) & Sanofi Aventis to top institutions such as Singapore Polytechnic & National as well as Nanyang Junior College.

David Lee has also enjoyed the favour and affirmation of government agencies. In 2010, the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) launched the WTS Scheme and invited him to be the first Principal Trainer to equip the Cohort Mentors and Career Consultants with facilitation and coaching skills. From 2023 to 2025, he has been appointed by the agency, now known as SkillsFuture Singapore, as a Trainer for the SkillsFuture Advice Workshops. He is also the first appointed Trainer by Ministry of Education (MOE) to train key personnel staff from hundreds of schools from Primary, Secondary, JC/CI and Mixed-School levels for Education & Career Guidance (ECG). He has since also been invited to train hundreds of educators on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). To help staff manage change in a VUCA environment, the Monetary Authority of Singapore engaged him over a period of three years to training personnel across different departments. Since 2019, David has been repeatedly invited as the coach and mentor for the finalists in Liveability Challenge by Temasek Foundation with a prize of one million dollars. In 2021, David is engaged by CapitaLand to coach the finalists for the CSXC, an initiative that allows testbeds in 220 cities over 30 countries. He is a familiar figure in the Home Team Academy for training both newly appointed officers and team leaders.

David Lee is the elected President of the Association of Professional Trainers, Singapore (APTS). Under his leadership, the association developed the Professional Certificate in Training (PCT) Programme where the Advisory Panel include management from Marina Bay Sands (MBS), Shell, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and Shangri-La Hotel.

Under the SPRING ACE Grant, David Lee sat in the Business Advisory Council with Singapore Poly. He evaluated ACE business proposals on a regular basis and provided mentorship to the entrepreneurs.

David Lee is also a mentor for Youth Business Singapore, a programme under The Prince’s Youth Business International (YBI), a global network in 36 countries.

In addition to his Honours Degree in Engineering from NUS, David Lee is an accredited Human Behaviour Consultant with the Leadership Institute of America. He is also a Certified Professional Trainer with the International Professional Managers Association, UK. In 2015/6, he spent a year at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (HKS), Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), Harvard Divinity School (HDS) and FAS auditing lessons on Leadership and Psychology, learning from renowned professors such as Robert Kegan and Steven Pinker and Bob Behn – Prof Red Sox!

What makes David Lee a well-liked speaker and trainer? It is his dual ability to engage his learners and fulfil desired training objectives. He does not stop at educating minds but often moves on to touch hearts and engage commitments. At one to one level, his insights as a mentor and coach have guided numerous individuals from different industries and management levels to breakthroughs. His passion leads him in a continuous commitment in initiatives to raise a new generation of transformational trainers, entrepreneurs and leaders.