August Leadership Expands in Singapore
October 31, 2025 – August Leadership has expanded with the addition of Melvin Lee as a partner in Singapore. Mr. Lee is a seasoned leadership advisor with more than 20 years of experience across Asia Pacific and North America. He specializes in senior executive and board appointments in the industrial, semiconductor, and technology sectors, bringing deep expertise in manufacturing, supply chain, procurement, and engineering leadership.
Mr. Lee draws on a career that spans global consulting firms, Fortune 50 corporate leadership roles, and entrepreneurial ventures, giving him a balanced perspective on the leadership and organizational challenges faced by multinational corporations, high-growth enterprises, and family-owned businesses alike. Prior to August Leadership, he served as senior client partner at Korn Ferry, and previously, at Heidrick & Struggles, where he was part of the firms’ global industrial, semiconductor & systems, and supply chain & operations practices advising clients across Asia Pacific on senior leadership appointments and organizational transformation.
Earlier, Mr. Lee spent 12 years with Johnson Controls, where he worked in both North America and Asia Pacific, progressing through roles in engineering, program management, corporate strategy, and M&A. As Asia lead for strategy and M&A, he was instrumental in developing and executing growth strategies that contributed to the company’s multi-billion-dollar expansion in the region. Mr. Lee is fluent in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese and is also certified in executive leadership coaching.
Founded in 2020, New York City-based August Leadership’s clients range from global multinationals to mid-size fast-growth organizations to pioneering start-ups. Its team includes those who have been in search for their entire careers. Others joined after holding leading roles in start-ups or large corporations. A number are considered among the more influential search executives in the world.
Related: August Leadership Expands Search Team
Asad Haider is founder and CEO of August Leadership. He is a trusted advisor with deep global experience and knowledge of emerging markets, high growth companies, and high-potential diversity candidates. Mr. Haider has worked across the globe and within a wide range of industries. His career highlights include his various turnaround projects with Procter & Gamble as well as helping PepsiCo achieve record market share in international markets. His search career began as an entrepreneur, building one of Asia’s largest region-wide search boutiques.
Recent Addition
August Leadership also recently added D. Lee Holliday as partner, based in Florida. Mr. Holliday is a seasoned executive search leader with nearly two decades of experience advising Fortune 500 companies and high-growth organizations on building world-class strategic leadership teams. He specializes in placing high-impact talent— namely current and former top-tier strategy consultants and investment bankers— into transformative roles across corporate strategy, operational strategy, growth & M&A, transformation, and corporate development.
Powering Growth Through Precision Dealmaking
In an era defined by rapid consolidation and strategic reinvention, precision dealmaking has emerged as the driving force behind growth in the executive search industry. As firms navigate shifting market dynamics, many are turning to mergers, acquisitions, and private equity partnerships to expand capabilities, unlock liquidity, and gain competitive advantage. The most forward-thinking leaders are recognizing that sustainable success depends not only on securing capital but on forging relationships that align vision with value creation — partnerships that balance strategic intent with disciplined execution to accelerate growth and build lasting enterprise value.
On November 13, 2025, Hunt Scanlon Ventures is convening top executive search firm leaders, private equity investors, and M&A advisors at The Harvard Club of New York to explore the latest trends shaping dealmaking in the industry. As M&A activity continues to evolve, executive search firms are leveraging acquisitions, capital raises, and private equity partnerships to drive growth and stay competitive in a rapidly shifting market.
To register for Hunt Scanlon Media’s upcoming conference please click here!
While his search work spans the technology, CPG/retail, life sciences and financial services sectors, the leaders he represents are distinguished by their industry-agnostic versatility and their ability to drive strategic change in complex, rapidly evolving environments, according to August Leadership.
Prior to joining August Leadership, Mr. Holliday was the founder and managing partner of Holliday Partners, a boutique executive search firm specializing in diversity recruitment. Under his leadership, the firm earned a reputation as the go-to partner for identifying and placing high-impact, underrepresented talent into critical roles at many of the world’s most respected organizations.
Related: August Leadership Adds Diversity Search and Leadership Consulting Practice
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
