Wilson Lee on revolutionising and reshaping the beauty industry

At just 28 years old, Wilson Lee already holds the enviable position as a chief executive officer (CEO) of a thriving beauty enterprise.

It wasn’t smooth sailing for Wilson from the get-go, but his determination pushed Emax Beauté International to what it is today. From having just one brand under its umbrella, the company now houses four distinctive brands: Beauté Library, Venusde, Curvena, and B+ Clinic. 

For our cover shoot with the young entrepreneur, we visit one of the brands’ Bukit Jalil branch. The moment we enter the futuristic-looking lobby of the B+ Clinic outlet, we feel transported to a spaceship.

The neutral tones of the grey and white surfaces are punctuated by bright neon lights; an edgy sculpture stands tall to one side, adding to the high-tech vibes. At the same time, the colour palette evokes a sense of tranquillity and sensibility, a reassurance to customers that they are in good hands at the clinic. 

THE START OF IT ALL 

Those who may not know Wilson’s background might be surprised to learn that prior to entering the beauty industry, he was involved in one that is quite a world apart. “I didn’t know which industry to go to at first,” he says of his previous job as a marketing executive at Pets World. “I only knew that I was passionate about doing events and gaining new experiences while pursuing my childhood dream to be an entrepreneur.” Different it may have been, Wilson is nonetheless thankful for the experience and knowledge he gained during his short year there.  

Seeking a bigger challenge, he certainly got what he wished for when he pivoted to the beauty industry around a decade ago. “When I first joined the business, it had a lot of room for improvement if we were going to survive the industry.” A look of mild amusement is etched on his face as he retells the start of his soon-to-be long and arduous journey. But being a man of perseverance and strong determination, he decided to seize this opportunity to take over and grow the business.  

Seeing that having customers didn’t necessarily translate into sales at the time, he looked for ways to rectify the issue. He also improved the staff standard and rebranded the company into the Emax Beauté International that everyone knows today. Having streamlined the business model, he then began expanding the business by adding three more brands to supplement the existing Beauté Library.  

While Beauté Library is focused on facial treatments, Venusde offers the same but with the addition of hair and scalp treatments. Curvena takes a different route, as the slimming and body wellness centre focuses on non-invasive body shaping treatments. A fairly recent addition is B+ Clinic. Inviting customers to “step into the future of aesthetics beyond facials”, hence the cutting-edge façade it presents, B+ Clinic ushers in a new era of beauty technology with its revolutionary anti-ageing treatments and aesthetic procedures. 

Never one to follow the crowd, and focused instead on leading the change, Wilson is always on the lookout for the latest innovations and technology, such as no-needle treatments, upgraded weight loss equipment, and high-tech hair care. He and his team keep themselves informed of new developments by attending beauty expos and visiting wellness and beauty centres in other countries.  

ACHIEVING GOALS AND HANDLING HURDLES 

Emax Beauté International currently has a total of 18 outlets spread across the Klang Valley. Wilson aims to expand nationwide, a dream he has been harbouring for years but has yet to achieve, largely due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the numerous lockdowns that it brought about.

Growing the company’s reach wasn’t the only thing halted, among the many items on the to-do list that had to be postponed was moving to a new office. Wilson is happy to report that he is finally able to cross this off the list this year. “I’m working on the new space now. As for the nationwide expansion, that will be my top priority for 2024. We are looking at expanding into the Johor and Penang markets first.” 

It wasn’t all bleak during the trying period however, as Wilson did manage to use the time to unlock a new achievement: learning finance. “For the first five years of my journey as an entrepreneur, I never had to bother with the financial side of things because I already had a very good department handling that.”

This all changed when he realised that to sustain the business during the pandemic, he would have to learn how to manage the finances. Despite the challenge of sustaining the cash flow at the time, he minimised the impact this would have on his staff by ensuring that they were still paid their full salaries.

PROFESSIONAL AT WORK 

On the set of the cover shoot, no matter the outfit or the pose, Wilson confidently pulls it off. Lying down on the floor or standing tall on the counter, he does them without hesitation. Light installations by the renowned KL-based light artist Jun Ong and a flower—or rather, tomato—installation (evoking a futuristic garden-in-a-spaceship feel) by floral designer Jayvan Woo accompany certain shots.  

Also included are the sculptures that dot the lobby. Conceptual artist Cardin Phua was commissioned to craft the sculptures—made of stainless steel, acrylic light tube and colour tinted acrylic—to create a unique and futuristic experience in the clinic. A reimagining of a futuristic bioweapon, the sculptures’ designs draw inspiration from a bacteriophage that works like a guided missile to kill bacteria.

Blade Runner and 2001: A Space Odyssey come to mind seeing Wilson’s look and the set-up for the day. Honestly, the latter does not stray far from the usual atmosphere the clinic exudes, befitting its owner’s forward-looking vision. 

Heeding his advice of balancing work and play, Wilson and his team take the opportunity during a short break to distribute glasses to everyone on set, laughing at the bemused looks they receive. A grinning Wilson reappears with a bottle of champagne—this has got to be the first on any of our shoots to date.

“I have champagne with me wherever I go.” Well, if anyone deserves a champagne or two at work, it’s Wilson Lee, the man who successfully rebranded a failing business and turned it into a multi-brand award-winning company within a decade. 

Photography MICKY WONG @ NEW STORYBOARDS PHOTOGRAPHY 
Stylist WEECHEE
Art Director TENG SIEW LEE
Hair Artist HAN
Make-up Artist DEIRDRE CHONG
Laser Installation JUN ONG POW IDEAS
Floral Installation JAYVAN WOO
Art Installation CARDIN PHUA
Photographer’s Assistant ZIV & AMRU
Stylist’s Assistant NATASHA TAN
Shot on Location at B+ CLINIC BUKIT JALIL

(Main image: Denim jacket and pants: Juun.J from Club 21 Pavilion KL; Bracelet (left) and rings: Vitaly; Bracelet (right): Heron Preston; Art installation: Cardin Phua)

(On the cover (image below): Knit top, shirt, and Bermuda: Valentino; Laser installation: Jun Ong Pow Ideas)

This cover story first appeared in Prestige Malaysia’s September 2023 issue. To read the full story, pick up a copy in store or subscribe on Magzter.

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.

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