Francis Lee has not managed operations from a conference room.
He has managed them from the factory floor, the equipment bay, and the supplier's site — across three decades and fifteen countries.
Francis Lee entered the packaging industry in 1994 and spent the following three decades inside operations: managing production lines, specifying protective packaging materials for high-value and complex applications, leading large-scale automation projects, and working alongside customers across 15+ countries in Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. His work took him through APAC's industrial base as it modernised — through manufacturing, logistics, and the full range of operational challenges that come with that scale and geography.
At Sealed Air, he held APAC Director roles and built market presence in territories that required patience and persistence before they yielded results. He opened the Vietnam market from USD 0 to USD 1M in 9 months. He grew service revenue 50% in a period where the industry average was declining. He closed a USD 1M+ pharma packing automation project in Malaysia that began with a cold email and ended with a purchase order signed on Christmas Eve — through five rounds of budget revisions, a competitor brought in without his knowledge, and a 30% last-minute price cut in the final meeting.
His credentials — PMP (PMI, May 2026), Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, AI Agent Practitioner (SUTD & GSDC accredited), Certified Prompt Engineering (Agile Asia), MBA from the University of Southern Queensland, and a Mechanical Engineering degree from NUS — reflect a discipline applied in practice long before it was formalised in certificates. The ACLP (Advanced Certificate in Learning and Performance) is currently in progress.
Today, his practice covers three areas: protective packaging materials and solutions through SelectPack (full commercial rights, APAC and global), lubrication system components and custom stainless steel parts through SOATOER (global distribution partner), and AI workflow consultancy for operations teams navigating their first serious encounter with the technology. The common thread is that Francis has been there before — in some form, in some configuration — and he brings that experience to every engagement.
The clients I help most are the ones who have already tried something and are not sure why it didn't work. That is where 30 years of pattern recognition becomes useful.
Francis Lee · Managing Principal, Groundwork SolutionA career measured in outcomes, not job titles
USD 0 to USD 1M in 9 months. Built a new market presence from zero to one million US dollars in under a year. One of the shortest timelines for that scale of market development in the region at the time.
50% service revenue growth. Grew service revenue by 50% in a period when most competitors in the sector were flat or declining. Achieved through systematic account development and technical depth, not headcount.
USD 1M+ packing automation contract. Cold email to signed order on Christmas Eve. Five rounds of budget revisions, a competitor brought in without his knowledge, and a 30% last-minute price cut. Still closed. Full story: Success Stories →
15+ countries. Operations experience across Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Australia, and the Middle East. Understands the commercial, cultural, and logistical differences between markets — not as theory but as recurring field reality.
Full commercial rights — not a reseller relationship
Francis holds full commercial rights to distribute SelectPack across APAC and globally. This is not a broker arrangement or a sub-distribution agreement — he operates as the authorised distributor with pricing authority, technical support capability, and direct access to the full product range including the SELECTAuto bagging machine range and the protective materials portfolio. His 30 years of packaging operations background means he can specify the right material for each application from direct field knowledge, not from a product catalogue.
Global distribution partner for components supply
Francis is a global distribution partner for SOATOER lubrication system components — the full range from progressive dividers to electric and pneumatic pumps to handy pumps and accessories. The relationship covers global supply excluding China and Indonesia. For customers whose existing lubrication systems need replacement parts or SOATOER-compatible upgrades without full system replacement, Francis is the source. For non-standard applications, he can also specify and supply custom stainless steel lubrication components fabricated to precise specifications.
Francis Lee · Managing Principal, Groundwork Solution