Noel Lee Sun Yen, CISA, CCSA

Principal Technology Auditor

Dedomenatech@gmail.com

Noel Lee is a strategic risk management practitioner specializing in financial reporting analysis and information systems. He was admitted to membership of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants through the Experienced Professional Pathway, designed for seasoned leaders in the accounting and finance field.

Noel has 30 years of diverse experience spanning banking T&O Finance, corporate reporting, finance business partnering, board-level internal audit leadership, risk management, information technology, cybersecurity and data privacy assurance.

He has built his career across the banking, oil and gas, maritime, property development and investments, and other commercial sectors, as well as through his own risk consulting practice, advising global multinational corporations, SGX-listed companies, private education institutes, and government-related organizations.

Noel was a former Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, a cornerstone of his professional identity as a qualified accountant of Australia that underpinned his 20-year career in the banking and global corporate environment. While he transitioned from the IPA membership in 2021 as his focus shifted away from general accounting towards specialized system auditing and risk consulting field, the principles of financial integrity and ethics instilled during the early years remain central to his approach in risk management.

Noel is a Certified Information Systems Auditor, a Professional Member of the Singapore Computer Society and a certified member of the Institute of Internal Auditors Singapore (IIA), holding the Certification in Control Self-Assessment of the IIA. He earned his Bachelor of Business degree in Banking from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 1996, followed by a Diploma in Computer Studies from Informatics in 1999. In 2020, he was awarded the Practitioner Certificate in Personal Data Protection (Singapore) by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC).

Noel’s powerful track record of strategic financial analysis and banking technology risk management expertise makes him invaluable in the modern digital business environment.

Noel’s professional journey spans 30 years and is anchored in three strategic pillars:

Corporate Banking and T&O Finance with Financial Institutions (1996–2007)

Noel began his career as Bank Officer at Tat Lee Bank and HSBC’s asset finance subsidiary in Singapore. In 2000, he joined the Group Technology & Operations of DBS Bank, where he drove financial efficiency and operational excellence through the strategic management of IT and Corporate Real Estate (CRE) Finance, implementing cost-recharge methodologies that ensured accountability and financial transparency at the business-unit level, and aligning technology investments with business goals to protect the bank's assets and profitability.

In his subsequent role as IT Financial Analyst at Citigroup Technology Infrastructure Asia Pacific, Noel acted as key partner for technology leaders by managing financial planning and analysis (FP&A) for regional IT projects such as the KoRam Bank and Citi’s IT integration, and the Global Data Center Strategy (GDCS) program, optimizing projects spending through rigorous budgeting and forecasting, driving cost saving, providing financial transparency for technology costs, ensuring projects aligned with business strategies for profitable growth in Asia Pacific.

Finance and Accounting Head with Global Corporations (2007–2015)

In his transition to high-stakes financial resilience and corporate reporting roles, Noel served in pivotal positions at global energy and maritime industry leaders, including ExxonMobil Singapore, Shell Singapore, and the Singapore shipping subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation (Diamond Star Shipping Pte Ltd), and Swire (The China Navigation Company Pte. Ltd.), where he demonstrated excellence in connecting complex technical operations with executive financial strategy. His key responsibilities and focuses included:

Managed FP&A and provided insights on business performance metrics through the Balance Scorecard framework, identifying, and analyzing areas that presented potential for strategies development and long-term financial growth in a dynamic global oil and gas exploration, intermediates chemical and maritime environment.
Spearheaded the SAP Business Warehouse’s analytics function in providing the Asia Pacific sales team with real-time sales intelligence and data insights in a volatile market, driving the strategic pricing and growth initiative of the Intermediates segment of ExxonMobil Chemical.
Managed accounting and shipping ERP systems (SAP / Veson IMOS) integration projects, harmonizing accounting and strategic business processes, and ensuring integrity of corporate reporting supporting both high-level board’s decision making and regulatory compliance.
Championed and led Control Self-Assessment (CSA) program to facilitate Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and J-SOX controls implementation, testing and documentation in ensuring reliable financial disclosures and achieving audit readiness.
Managed teams of accountants and financial analysts for the financial close process across the Singapore and Japan jurisdictions, navigating differences in accounting standards and implementing best practices for cross-border collaboration facilitating the conversion process from SFRS to US GAAP for head office consolidation, conducting gap analyses to ensure consistency across the different standards.
Demonstrated strong financial leadership that steered the accounting team toward Mitsubishi Corporation’s foundational Three Corporate Principles, that underpins the group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) philosophy and sustainability approach, through commitment to achieving transparent financial reporting and ethical governance as the bedrock of social trust.
Managed the assessment, documentation and implementation of hedge accounting to mitigate earning volatility arising from Freight Forward Agreement (FFA) for chartering operations.
Managed and streamlined the SFRS 36 impairment assessment and documentary process for the global vessel fleet, integrating cross-functional operational data to deliver more precise and proactive financial reporting.
Managed tax function supported by Big 4 tax advisors and drove the successful integration of external expertise into internal strategic planning sessions, delivering tax guidance to executive management, and facilitating decision-making based on international shipping tax structures, ensuring compliance and optimizing fiscal outcomes.

Private Practice in Risk Consulting (2016–Present)

In 2017, Noel co-founded McKell Risk Management Pte Ltd, a professional firm that provided risk consulting services through its specialised divisions: McKell Risk Assurance (est. 2016) and Dedomena Technologies (est. 2021). Through these firms, he delivers risk management, control self-assessment, internal audit, IT audit, and data protection services to a broad spectrum of clients, ranging from SGX Mainboard and Catalist companies to registered fund management companies. His risk consulting practice focuses on integrating governance, strategies, technology, and sustainability to drive resilient and ethical business outcomes.

Representative Experience in Private Practice

Board-Level Internal Audit Leadership (2016–2022)

Reporting to the Board Audit Committee, Noel served as the Group Internal Auditor (2016 to 2022) for two SGX Mainboard companies in the property development, investments, hotels and hospitality, and construction engineering sectors. For these companies, he played a pioneering role in providing advice, facilitation and training, framework guidance and recommendation of proactive solutions for the first-time implementation of their Control Self-Assessment (CSA) program, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and sustainability reporting roadmap. His work ensured that these organizations adhered to robust corporate governance practices, aligned their strategies and operations with sustainability standards, and fostered a culture of transparency and accountability.

Strategic Business Review (SBR)

Conducted a FP&A-driven strategic business assessments of two Private Education Institutions (PEIs), successfully resulting in both securing the credit ratings necessary for registration renewal under the Enhanced Registration Framework (ERF). Key FP&A review methodology included data collection and analysis, performance measurement and variance analysis, forecasting, risk assessment and opportunity identification centered on the PEI's five-year financial sustainability plan and corporate governance structures, translating complex financial insights into clear and concise narrative, providing recommendations that guided strategic decision-making.

Special Audits

Performed a special internal audit that examined governance frameworks and internal control systems within an Indonesia-based medical organization. The audit yielded a detailed roadmap for the board and management, comprising actionable insights and recommendations prioritized to strengthen organizational oversight, enhance accountability, improve operational resilience, and optimize resource allocation for critical areas.

Provided investigative support to a South Korean multinational corporation in conducting a high-stakes confidential audit for two public infrastructure projects in Singapore. Facilitated collaboration between the Korean investigative leads and local project management teams, bridging cultural and regulatory gaps to ensure a thorough and transparent audit process in a complex construction engineering environment.

IT Audit

Performed a three-year (2020–2022) IT audit program for an SGX Mainboard company, using the IT Audit Framework (ITAF) issued by ISACA. Assessed the company’s IT infrastructure, SysAdmin, information security controls, including secure configuration, firewalls, patch management practices and IT governance alignment, providing sustainable solutions to enhance technology capabilities and operational resilience, allowing the Board to exercise informed, strategic oversight of technology risks and controls.

Sustainability Reporting Review

Partnered with PKF Singapore to conduct an internal review of a SGX Catalist water treatment firm’s sustainability report (FY2022) in accordance with the IIAS’s Guide to Internal Review of Sustainability Report and other regulatory and international framework, including the SGX Sustainability Reporting Guide, GRI, TCFD, and SASB in ensuring the board can confidently sign off on the Board Statement.

Strategic Data Protection Officer

Noel has served as Data Protection Officer (DPO) for 15 diverse organizations since 2020. His clientele encompasses payment service providers, e-commerce startups, cryptocurrency and NFT project companies, Private Education Institutions (PEIs), country clubs, and biofuels enterprises. As DPO, he has empowered these organizations to integrate data protection and robust cybersecurity practices into their core business strategies to build customer trust and drive innovation.

PDPA Audit

Conducted Data Protection (PDPA) Compliance Audits for a Registered Fund Management Company and a MINDEF-Related Organization (MRO). The audits encompassed comprehensive evaluations and improvements of the organizations' data protection policies and controls, specifically addressing data governance structures, technological infrastructure and operational procedures, and cross-border data transfer to overseas data intermediary.

Areas of Expertise

Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A), Strategic Finance and Cost Management

Drive high-level strategy and support board-level decisions through the Balance Scorecard framework

Corporate Real Estate Finance and CRE Chargeback Model

IT Finance and IT Chargeback Models

Sustainability Governance and ESG Reporting Frameworks (GRI, SASB, TCFD)

IT Audit and Consulting (ITGCs, ITACs, Cybersecurity, IT Governance, TRM)

Internal Audit, Control Self-Assessment and Enterprise Risk Management

Internal Control over Financial Reporting and SOX Advisory

Data Privacy Advisory and PDPA Compliance Audit

Industry Expertise

Financial Institutions (Corporate Banking, Banking Group Technology & Operations, Fund Management Company, Investment Banking) and Global Payment Technology Company

Global MNCs (Oil & Gas Exploration, Chemical Intermediates Operations, Ship Owning, Time and Voyage Chartering, South Korean Engineering and Construction Group)

SGX Mainboard and Catalist-listed Companies (Property Development and Investments, Real Estate, Hotels and Hospitality, Service Residences, Construction Engineering and Logistics, Mining Services, Heavy Equipment and Logistics Provider, Civil Infrastructure, and Water Treatment)

Food and Beverage Subsidiary of an SGX-listed Conglomerate

Medical Group and Leading Private Healthcare Provider in Indonesia

MINDEF-Related Organizations (MROs)

SMEs and Startups (Private Education Institutions, Cryptocurrency, NFT, Payment Service Provider, Software Development Developer, E-Commerce)

Professional Volunteering (2010)

AICPA Member Volunteering Programme

Admitted to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (2008 to 2021) as an AICPA International Associate by virtue of his former Fellow (FIPA) standing with the Institute of Public Accountants Australia (2000 to 2021), Noel was connected to US-centric expert guidance and the global community, supporting his corporate work in accounting compliance with U.S GAAP and SOX at several multinational companies.

In the spirit of professional knowledge sharing, Noel leveraged his expertise in IFRS to assist the AICPA’s initiative in developing examination questions on International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for the Uniform CPA Examination.

Personal Life

A Roman Catholic and Cantonese-Hakka, Noel is married and has a son who is commencing his Bachelor of Accountancy studies at Singapore Management University in 2026.

As an avid fan of K-Movies, Noel achieved a distinction in the tests for Korean Basic Levels 1 and 2 after studying the language at Daehan Education Centre from 2012 to 2013.