Yee May Leong: Leading Equinix with a Future First Agenda
Yee May Leong is a technology veteran that is only continuing to power the digital transformation world.
With her proven track record in managing global teams, her work in prominent leadership positions has led her to delivering startup operations in Asia-Pacific (APAC) from the ground-up, in addition to building a global name for herself within the data centre industry.
Since first joining Equinix in 2019, Yee May leads her team in Singapore to expand the company’s footprint across APAC and drive its sustainability strategy forward. She leads the company’s business strategy in both Singapore and Indonesia and reports directly to President of Equinix Asia-Pacific, Samuel Lee.
Now boasting more than 35 years of experience across APAC at world-leading businesses, Yee May is a true industry veteran committed to the needs of the customers she serves. Her primary concern is to help digital leaders harness Equinix platforms to interconnect the foundational infrastructure that powers their success.
Powering the digital world
Based in Singapore, Yee May is committed to driving global business growth. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Waterloo in Canada, in addition to completing the advanced management programme at the Harvard Business School.
Following her studies, she began her career working as a Systems Analyst for Singapore Computer Systems in 1985, before progressing to working at a string of world-leading technology organisations, including IBM, Lotus, F5 Networks and Orange Business Services.
Some of her most significant achievements include leading the APAC team at Orange to develop private clouds, managed services and a range of convergence offerings. Additionally, she helped introduce a new go-to-market strategy at both IBM and Lotus and built pipelines of Fortune 500 clients, as well as opening the People’s Republic of China as a growth market at F5 Networks.
Having built up this plethora of digital knowledge, Yee May is well-positioned to help Equinix customers accelerate their data centre opportunities. She has the foresight and understanding that the technological world has changed dramatically and will only continue to evolve in the near future.
“It is not so much about what has changed but more about the speed of change and the pervasiveness of technology,” she highlights in an interview with Equinix in 2020. “It is crucial to understand the different components of technology that come into play to support [Equinix] customers and how they can come together to provide seamless, integrated experiences.”
Building data centre progress with a ‘Future First’ mindset
Yee May has been instrumental in managing and advancing Equinix’s data centre portfolio in Singapore. The company has now become part of the Singaporean government’s Green Data Center Roadmap, a comprehensive national strategy designed to ensure that data centres in Singapore continue along a sustainable pathway with direct input from the industry itself.
Yee May has been pivotal in these discussions to accelerate the energy efficiency of data centre hardware and software, as companies like Equinix seek to better promote industry use of green energy.
As Singapore continues to advance its vision of becoming a leading digital economy, Yee May is eager to show that Equinix will provide the support required for businesses to continue embracing digital transformation and remain globally competitive.
“We also adopt a Future First sustainability strategy that rallies our people and partners to dream of a better future and do what it takes to make it happen,” Yee May highlighted in an interview. “Equinix is committed to leading the way and maximising the benefits of technology for all people while minimising its impact on the planet. We are committed to become climate-neutral by 2030 and have released our science-based target (SBT) in 2021 to reduce emissions across our global operations and supply chain.”
Yee May is also an active advocate for diversity and inclusion. She currently operates as a global executive sponsor of WeAreEquinix, a company-wide initiative designed to support equality and underrepresented groups within Equinix itself, in addition to local communities.
With women making up just 10% of the overall data centre workforce, Yee May is one such individual advocating for change.
“Closing the gender gap for women is essential because technology is not just about selling a solution – it’s about connecting to enterprises and end users,” she highlights. “Having a diverse team enables you to better understand a range of perspectives and better reach customers.”
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