Most people know Dato’ Francis Lee as the man who helped build Berjaya Food into a massive retail behemoth, steering iconic brands like Starbucks and Kenny Rogers Roasters across Malaysia. But his journey didn’t start in the boardroom of a food empire—it started with writing audit reports. Plucked from his role as an internal auditor during the 1997 Asian financial crisis, Dato’ Francis learned the gritty realities of retail survival the hard way.
From choosing a literal hole-in-the-ground at Mid Valley over a premium spot at KLCC to save on rent, to revolutionizing Kenny Rogers’ service model from a cold-food queue to hot table service, his practical, common-sense approach turned struggling operations into a publicly listed powerhouse. Under his watch, Starbucks Malaysia grew from a single store at KL Plaza to 250 locations by the time he stepped down as CEO in 2017.
In this episode, Dato’ Francis unpacks the demanding realities of building food and beverage empires. He breaks down exactly why running a restaurant is vastly more complex than scaling a coffee chain, how he navigated intense social and political brand backlash, and shares a surprising perspective on today’s economy: why he wouldn’t start a business today and actually prefers the path of an employee.
TL/DW of the episode:
→ From internal auditor to CEO: How the 1997 financial crisis sparked an unexpected career pivot
→ The Mid Valley vs. KLCC dilemma: The strategic real estate decision that saved Kenny Rogers Roasters’ capital
→ Coffee vs. Food: The real economics, high margins, and operational nightmares of both industries
→ Navigating social media crises and political backlash in a highly sensitive B2C market
→ Why Dato’ Francis advises aspiring entrepreneurs to strongly consider the stability of being an employee first
→ The truth about listing a company: Why you shouldn’t go public unless you’re making at least RM10-15 million
→ Behind the scenes of balancing a high-powered career with family sacrifices
CHAPTERS
00:00:00 – Introduction to Dato’ Francis Lee and his roots in accounting
00:04:45 – The crossroad at 31: Moving back to Malaysia and joining Berjaya Group
00:10:00 – The 1997 financial crisis and transitioning from auditor to business leader
00:14:38 – Bringing Starbucks to Malaysia and opening Store #1 at KL Plaza
00:19:59 – Taking over Kenny Rogers Roasters and the pivot to table service
00:22:00 – Choosing Mid Valley over KLCC: A masterclass in commercial real estate strategy
00:27:00 – Fostering staff loyalty with stock options and the road to listing Berjaya Food
00:31:55 – Coffee vs. Food: Which business is actually harder to run?
00:36:30 – Why Dato’ Francis wouldn’t start a food business today
00:38:00 – Handling Starbucks brand backlash and consumer boycotts
00:40:40 – Why he would choose to be an employee over an entrepreneur in today’s economy
00:44:00 – Career advice, family sacrifices, and passing wisdom to the next generation
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Dato’ Francis Lee, Former CEO of Berjaya Food Berhad & CEO of Bermaz Auto Group
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