George Lee is a pioneer of and has specialized in U.S. and Asia cross-border public and private sector commercial relationships for over 40 years utilizing his vast business networks.
George and his partner, John Paul Dejoria, Co- Founder/Chairman of John Paul Mitchell System and Patron Tequila, were the first American businessmen to visit Pyong Yang, Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK), where they spent time as State guests of Kim Jong-Il. These subsequent meetings proved to be an effective bridge between DPRK and the West, and were instrumental in starting the Six-Way talks. Mr. Lee and his partners also managed a major humanitarian aid effort to the people of DPRK. He founded JPG, which was the first US company granted an exclusive license from the U.S. Treasury Department to import Magnesite from the DPRK.
Early in his career, Mr. Lee was a defense contractor in South Korea and was one of the largest Korean electronic goods traders. Well versed in development projects, Mr. Lee has advised Asian countries on infrastructure projects and other parts of world.
Mr. Lee serves as: the current CEO of GW Professional , a consumer products company based in Suwon, Korea; a board member (former) for the Pacific Council on International Policy (PCIP); and Senior Advisor – Asia, for Cappello Group, Inc.
Mr. Lee is a graduate of the Marshall School of Business at University Southern California with a major in marketing and management.