Noel Lee Sun Yen
Principal Risk Consultant
Noel Lee is a dual-discipline professional holding the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certification and the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) membership, with a proven track record in financial oversight and IT risk management. He has 30 years of diverse experience spanning banking Technology & Operations (T&O) Finance, business strategy, board-level internal audit and risk management leadership, information systems and data privacy assurance. Noel is also an Ordinary Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Singapore and holds the IIA's Certification in Control Self-Assessment (CCSA).
Noel has built his career across the banking, petrochemical, oil and gas exploration, 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.
He earned his Bachelor of Business degree in Banking from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, in 1996.
Noel’s professional journey spans 30 years and is anchored in three strategic pillars:
Banking Technology & Operations Finance (1996–2007)
Noel began his career as Bank Officer at Tat Lee Bank and HSBC Capital Asia Pte Ltd before pivoting to DBS’s Group Technology & Operations (T&O) Finance from 2000 to 2004. During this tenure, he was instrumental in driving financial efficiency gains by integrating back-office process transformations with robust financial controls. He provided rigorous oversight of pass-through building costs from JLL-DBS Workplace Solutions and implemented a transparent chargeback system for Corporate Real Estate (CRE) services, successfully institutionalizing cost accountability across the bank's business units.
In his subsequent role as IT Financial Analyst at Citigroup Technology Infrastructure Asia Pacific, Noel was a strategic finance partner to regional technology leaders. Backed by the Protiviti New York team, he managed FP&A for high-impact initiatives, including the KoRam Bank/Citi integration and the Global Data Center Strategy. By implementing rigorous budgeting and forecasting, he optimized project spending, drove cost savings, and ensured technology investments were transparent and aligned with APAC business growth strategies.
Head of Finance and Accounting 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 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.
As an FP&A Analyst supporting the incentive department of a global payments leader, ensuring the precise recording of complex incentive contracts in strict alignment with accounting policy, guiding the accounting treatment for intricate incentive structures, strengthening accounting internal controls, streamlining the accrual process, and providing finance leadership with high-fidelity financial disclosures.
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 advisor 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)
After two decades in the corporate sector, Noel Lee established McKell Risk Assurance in 2016, later growing the brand through McKell Risk Management Pte Ltd, which he co-founded with the business advisory arm of a Public Accounting Corporation in 2017. His risk consulting practice focuses on integrating governance, strategies, technology, and sustainability to drive resilient and ethical business outcomes (Refer to the 'Representative Experience in Private Practice' section below for details).
Representative Experience in Private Practice
Board-Level Internal Audit Leadership
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.
Business Strategy
Conducted a FP&A-driven strategic business assessments of two Private Education Institutions (PEIs), successfully resulting in both securing the credit ratings (in 2018 and 2022) 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 the home-country internal audit team of a South Korean multinational chaebol 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 previously served as Data Protection Officer (DPO) for 15 diverse organizations from 2020 to 2026. 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. Noel earned his Practitioner Certificate in Personal Data Protection (Singapore) co-issued by the Personal Data Protection Commission (PDPC) and the International Association for Privacy Professionals (IAPP) in 2020.
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) including budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, performance reporting and financial strategy alignment
Drive high-level strategy and support board-level decisions through the Balance Scorecard framework
Banking Corporate Real Estate Finance and CRE Chargeback Model
Banking 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), IT Control over Financial Reporting, SOX Compliance
Internal Audit, Control Self-Assessment and Enterprise Risk Management
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, 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.
