The world of work is changing faster than many organisations can keep up with — and for Eddie Lee, this wasn’t a future problem. It was already happening. That’s what sparked the beginning of the Future of Talent Economy (FOTE) Network. He tells me, “The idea for Future of Talent Economy (FOTE) Network emerged from observing how the world of work is shifting — faster than many organisations or even HR functions are evolving.”
He noticed something crucial. Across Asia, there was no shortage of innovation or people willing to learn. But the problem wasn’t motivation — it was fragmentation. As he puts it plainly, “People were talking about digitalisation, about employee experience, about leadership — but not always connecting those dots.”
Connecting the Dots in the Talent Economy
That’s where FOTE comes in — a network designed not just to talk about HR, but to unify the conversation. “Future of Talent Economy (FOTE) Network was born out of the need to integrate those conversations,” he says. Its purpose? “To create a platform where practitioners, academics, and business leaders can come together to explore one core question: How do we create value through people?”
To Eddie, this marks a radical shift — one he defines as the “talent economy.” In his words, “The ‘talent economy’ is an era where human capability becomes the primary source of value creation.” He breaks it down into four key traits: “First, personalisation — individuals own their learning and career journeys. Second, partnership — organisations move from hierarchies to ecosystems of collaboration. Third, purpose — value is measured not just by profit, but by impact on customers, communities, and employees. And finally, pace — learning faster than the rate of change becomes the ultimate competitive advantage.”
This belief underpins everything he’s building — a future where HR isn’t just administrative, but, as he says, “a strategic capability builder that drives business success and societal impact.”
Learning, Leading, and Letting People Grow
If there’s one theme that threads through his work, it’s learning. But not the kind you get from one-off workshops or corporate training days. “Continuous learning doesn’t happen by sending people to courses; it happens when learning is built into the fabric of work,” he explains.
He believes organisations need psychological safety, learning loops, and leaders who actually model curiosity. “When leaders are learners — when they ask questions, seek feedback, and show curiosity — that behaviour cascades through the organisation.” And organisations should go beyond performance metrics. “Measure and reward learning agility just as seriously as they measure performance,” he says. “A true learning organisation is one that learns faster than its competitors.”
This ethos extends to careers too. As a Master Career Coach, he’s clear that coaching is no longer about climbing a linear ladder. “Career coaching is shifting from career direction to career empowerment,” he says. “Today, careers are non-linear… It’s about ‘Who am I becoming through my work?’”
And while tools like MBTI or Harrison assessments help, he warns against oversimplifying people. “Assessments are incredibly useful — but only if we remember that they are tools, not truths. They offer insights, not identities.”
Judging with Purpose at the HR Stars Awards 2025
Now, as one of the judges for the 2025 HR Stars Awards Singapore, Eddie brings this same philosophy to the table — impact over noise, meaning over metrics. “Metrics matter, but meaning matters more,” he says.
So, what catches his attention in an award entry? He doesn’t hesitate: “Clear line of sight from HR initiatives to business and stakeholder outcomes. Innovation with integrity — creative approaches grounded in purpose. Scalability and sustainability — ideas that endure beyond one success story.”
Above all, he’s searching for something deeper. “I look for HR leaders who are not just doing HR well — but using HR to make the business, and society, better.”
