DEALING WITH DISCOMFORT

Lyn Lee is the first Asian female to serve as global chief of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Shell PLC, a role that manages the intersection of corporate responsibility and cultural sensitivity. We speak to her about her commitment to drive genuine change and create a more inclusive workplace.

- Karishma Tulsidas

As the global chief DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) officer at Shell PLC, Lyn Lee has had her fair share of foot-in-mouth moments. She was in London to speak at the 2021 Business Disability Forum Smart Awards, where Shell was a finalist. During the coffee break, another conference attendee asked her where the milk was. Without thinking twice, she pointed it out.

“The waiter serving the beverage looked at me, and told me that the person who asked me was visually impaired,” she says with a sheepish smile. “For a split second, I felt embarrassed, like I was an imposter. I was attending a conference on disability inclusion, [with] the research that my organisation had sponsored. How could I have missed the nuance of a person who needed my help at the coffee line?”

This anecdote perhaps best encapsulates what Lyn does as DEI officer at Shell, and also highlights the complexities of the role.

She had been at Shell for 15 years, undertaking various HR and operations roles, before being asked to take on this role five years ago. The DEI role had seen a revolving door of candidates, and Lyn was not sure about what she could do differently, and whether she would have any impact. After being asked for the third time, Lyn decided to introspect: “I started thinking, maybe there was a reason I had been asked. I was told that I have the right insights and background to do this job well.”

She says: “I started to consider how I could use the privilege of being appointed as chief DEI officer to make a difference and create a positive impact on others. It made me think about my purpose in life, and the legacy that I wish to leave behind. As a mother, I also wanted to be a role model for my [two] daughters.”