Lean is a Economic Development professional in the international trade, investment and industry development sector with post-graduate qualifications in International Business and Chartered Accountancy.

Over 8 years of experience has seen him work across a range of economic/industry, trade & investment development; strategy consulting; financial and project management roles.

Currently working with the Industry Development team within the NSW Department of Industry, Lean brings knowledge and experience in promoting industry collaboration; industry-relevant skills development; job creation; attracting productive foreign investment; and promoting NSW products, services and capabilities internationally, particularly in the Aerospace; Financial Services; Food and Beverage Manufacturing sectors.

With a passion for the bilateral economic, trade and investment relationship between Australia, Malaysia and the wider ASEAN region, he has been part of the AMBC since 2014, commencing as Treasurer then and Vice President from 2018.

Lean is confident about the future of Malaysia, and the potential it holds as a launching pad for Australian businesses seeking to enter and reap opportunities from an ASEAN-wide market of 650 million people which is increasingly integrated via a seamless flow of trade, investment, capital and skilled labour with implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and various multilateral,bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).

He urges Australian business to engage with the AMBC, Australian and Malaysian government agencies as well as industry associations to understand the magnitude and range of Government and industry level support available for all businesses – from start-ups and exporters, to large SMEs and corporates.

Born, raised in cosmopolitan Kuala Lumpur and currently based in picturesque Sydney, Lean has also lived in sunny Perth of Western Australia and remote Darwin in the Northern Territory bringing unique experience and insight of the conditions and economic drivers in regional, Northern Australia.