The Growth Conversation: UOB’s Marietta Li

If Marietta Li were to write a marketer’s playbook, she would most likely title it: Lessons in Creativity, Adaptability and Strategic Thinking. As companies grapple with evolving consumer behaviour and disruptive technologies, Li believes that marketers play a key role in helping to steer any company’s course.  

Li carries a dual role as executive director, head of strategic communications, brand and customer insights, Hong Kong and Taiwan, as well as head of network partnerships and strategic marketing, foreign direct investment advisory, Hong Kong, United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB). With over a decade of experience at the Singaporean banking giant, she has navigated a remarkable career trajectory, transitioning from marketing roles in card businesses to overseeing entire business units in the financial industry. 

Winning with Purpose 
Based on her experience, she believes that a winning formula for success lies in being purpose-driven, delivering activities led by a broader objective than just selling a product or achieving a short-term profit.

“We’re telling stories and creating experiences that resonate with people on a deeper level,” she says. 

Pointing to the acclaimed UOB Art Academy as an example. Li has spearheaded since its inception in 2015, and the bank uses it as a platform for community engagement, employee participation, and client relationship-building. From hosting exhibitions and sponsoring art fairs to collaborating with Chinese opera productions, UOB Art Academy has evolved beyond its initial scope, earning industry-wide recognition and cementing UOB’s reputation as a purpose-driven institution. This distinction helps the bank differentiate itself in a crowded banking landscape. 

Shaping business