Hong Kong Ballet Appoints New Executive Director
[Hong Kong—21 February 2020] Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) today announces the appointment of Heidi Lee as its new Executive Director. The appointment was made after an extensive 3-month search. She will join Artistic Director Septime Webre at the helm of Hong Kong’s flagship dance company on 26 February 2020, succeeding Paul Tam. As Executive Director, she will lead the Company’s corporate strategy, promotion, fundraising and operations.
“On behalf of all of us at Hong Kong Ballet I extend my warmest welcome to Heidi,” says outgoing HKB Chairman Mira Yeh whose term will end on 31 March 2020. “Hong Kong Ballet, under a top-notched artistic and administrative leadership, has been enjoying an unprecedented artistic and corporate trajectory over the last three years. Much lauded and loved, our stage repertoire and community outreach initiatives have spurred truly impressive revenue and participation growths. Together with Septime, I am certain Heidi will build an even stronger infrastructure based on the Company’s many achievements and help steer its vision into the future.”
“It was evident during the search process that Heidi, with her proven track record in arts management, deep passion for the arts, entrepreneurship and financial savviness, was the right fit for the artistic and executive partnership as well as the Company as a whole, “says Co-Chair of Search Committee and incoming Chairman Daisy Ho whose term commences on 1 April. “There are going to be uncertain times ahead of us due to the recent viral outbreak. But with the solid foundation we have built and strong collective leadership by the Board of Governors, Septime and Heidi, I know without a doubt that Hong Kong Ballet will remain on course in its quest of artistic excellence, international acclaim and innovation in pushing the art of classical ballet forward.”
“While I am sad to see Paul leave Hong Kong Ballet, I look forward to working with him as a close colleague and friend at West Kowloon Cultural District,” says Artistic Director Septime Webre. “I am thrilled to welcome Heidi Lee aboard and look forward to partnering with her closely alongside our Board, artists and staff to deepen the quality and impact of Hong Kong Ballet, both locally and globally. Heidi brings both smarts and heart to her work and I know we will have a terrific adventure together.”
A highly experienced and respected arts executive, Heidi Lee brings to Hong Kong Ballet over 20 years of programming, fundraising, promotion, touring and financial management experience across the performing arts spectrum, both in Hong Kong and the Mainland. From Company & Program Manager at Hong Kong Dance Company, General Manager of PIP Cultural Industries Ltd., Associate Dean of Cheung Kong School of Art & Design, Director of Arts and Cultural Development of Shantou University Sports Park, to the successful curation of the sold-out production of Matteo Ricci Musical, Lee has earned a reputation of resourcefulness, professionalism and creative leadership.
“It is an honour and also a career aspiration of mine to be appointed Executive Director of Hong Kong Ballet,” says Heidi Lee. “I look forward to working with the Artistic Director, Board, our company of talented dancers and dedicated staff to scale new heights for this home-grown cultural treasure.”
Hong Kong Ballet is currently celebrating its 40th anniversary season and in preparations for its USA tours of ALICE (in wonderland) in April and June, and the brand new Romeo+Juliet in June as its season finale.
About Heidi Lee
Heidi Lee has served as a professional arts administrator for more than 20 years, working for various Hong Kong arts organisations on their management, planning, programming, marketing and branding, including PIP Cultural Industries Ltd., Hong Kong Dance Company, Hong Kong Repertory Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre and Hong Kong Fringe Club, among others.
In 2010, Lee was appointed Executive Director of Cheung Kong School of Art and Design at Shantou University. She became the Associate Dean in 2014 and Director of Arts & Cultural Development of STU Arena in 2018. During her eight years at Shantou University with the support of the Li Ka Shing Foundation, Lee founded the STU Art Season, which she later transformed to the New Wave Arts Festival in 2018. She became Chief Executive of Intercultural Dialogue, the organiser of Matteo Ricci, when she returned to Hong Kong in 2019.
Lee is an Assessor for the Hong Kong Arts Development Council on Arts Administration, Dance, Arts Education, and also a Fixed Assessor for the Council on the Hong Kong Dance Alliance (2017-2019). Additionally, she was a core member of the Producers’ Network Meeting & Forum of West Kowloon Cultural District of Hong Kong (2015-2018), Management Consultant of the Hong Kong Arts Administrators Association (July-December 2019), and has been a member of the Advisory Board of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Dance School since 2019.
In 2014, Asian Cultural Council awarded Lee a scholarship to visit the United States, where she interviewed more than twenty arts leaders about their management and operation models. Organisations included Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Public Theater, B.A.M and Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. She also researched the content and direction of cultural management programmes at Columbia University, New York University and Yale University.
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Heidi Lee, new Executive Director of Hong Kong Ballet | Photographer: Conrad Dy-Liacco
About Hong Kong Ballet
One of Asia’s premier ballet companies, Hong Kong Ballet (HKB) is internationally recognised as a vibrant arts institution that represents Hong Kong’s unique character. Established in 1979 and led by Artistic Director Septime Webre, HKB has a dynamic repertoire performed by nearly 50 dancers from all over the globe and award-winning education and community programmes.
With almost 50 international tours, the Company has won recognition from critics and fans both at home and abroad. Its diverse repertoire includes classic and modern masterpieces, original full-length ballets created for the Company, an interactive ballet series for younger fans and groundbreaking dance by today’s most sought-after choreographers, including Alexei Ratmansky, Christopher Wheeldon, Jiří Kylian, Nacho Duato and Trey McIntyre, among others.
HKB maintains an active schedule of community initiatives throughout Hong Kong to ensure that ballet is accessible to people from all walks of life. The Company celebrates its 40th Anniversary Season in 2019/20.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Chan
Director of Marketing
T: (852) 2105 9716
[email protected]
Eunice Ho
Assistant Marketing Manager
T: (852) 2105 9757
[email protected]
