Helena Chen: A Life Of Priceless Connections

As women continue to take on influential leadership roles across industries, Helena Chen, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Hong Kong & Macau at Mastercard, stands out as a shining example.

With over 25 years in the financial services industry, she has built a distinguished career grounded in one core principle: leading with sincerity and cultivating enduring trust. Guided by this belief, she has led her team through countless challenges, cultivating "priceless" connections with brands and SMEs alike that form the foundation of her success today.

A People-First Journey

Helena's career in financial services began with an internship program at a bank after graduating from university. She held positions at American Express, Standard Chartered, and Visa before joining Mastercard in 2014. "This is a people-oriented industry," she says. "It allows me to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, to communicate, and to collaborate. That's one of the primary reasons I chose this field."

Navigating the Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 brought one of the greatest tests in Helena's career. In June 2021, Mastercard expanded its "Priceless Hong Kong" initiative, partnering with over 30 local brands and SMEs to launch promotions to encourage spending and support local businesses. "At the time, the government had just launched the consumption voucher scheme," Helena says. "Working alongside HKT Payment Limited, the team facilitated the use of consumption vouchers through the Tap & Go mobile payment service, which can be used across the Mastercard network at a wide range of merchants." Despite social distancing restrictions, Mastercard successfully hosted a press conference at Emperor Cinemas, where prominent community leaders, including Dr. Allan Zeman, Mr. Alex Yeung, Dr. Joseph Kwan, Ms. Narcisa Pheres, and fashion designer Vivienne Tam, offered their enthusiastic support. "To see them support the initiative without a moment's hesitation was truly moving," Helena recalls.

Launching LUMA

Following the pandemic, Helena led another ground-breaking project: the creation of LUMA, Asia Pacific's first Mastercard concept restaurant, in collaboration with local F&B group LUBUDS. "Mastercard already had branded restaurants in Italy, Mexico, and Brazil," Helena explains. "When the opportunity arose to establish the first concept restaurant in Asia Pacific, we wanted it to be in Hong Kong, a globally recognized culinary capital." The team quickly found synergy with LUBUDS founder and CEO Mr. Louie Chung. In June 2023, LUMA officially opened at 1881 Heritage in Tsim Sha Tsui, blending a rich cultural atmosphere with locally sourced ingredients to support Hong Kong agriculture. The name "LUMA" carries layered meaning: combining "LU" from LUBUDS and "MA" from Mastercard's stock ticker, while evoking "luminous" to symbolize enduring brilliance. Helena and her team also continue collaborating with dining and retail partners to launch creative promotional campaigns, such as this year's "Surprise Rewards" and last year's "Golden Rewards" lucky draws, designed to stimulate local consumption and support merchants.

Approach to Leadership

Helena believes effective leadership is rooted in understanding, trust, and open communication: "I first establish clear goals with the team. Once everyone understands the direction, I delegate appropriately and give my colleagues the space they need to perform." She believes that trust breeds confidence, driving greater ownership and accountability among her staff. "When people feel trusted, they become deeply invested in their work," she says. "Maintaining clear and open communication throughout that process is equally essential." In today's fast-changing environment, Helena stresses the importance of adaptability, learning from setbacks, and constantly evolving. "Life will not always go smoothly," she notes. "When we fail to achieve our goals, the key is to learn from the experience and help the team improve. Even in times of success, we should constantly be thinking about how to evolve further." Helena's father profoundly shaped her approach to leadership. A traditional yet steadfast man, he once led a shipping company through a severe financial crisis. Despite intense pressure and family opposition, including from Helena herself, he chose to use family assets to protect the business and its employees. "As the leader, my father wasn't just thinking about the company's survival. He understood that every employee had a family depending on them." Years later, Helena now fully appreciates his persistence. "My father taught me that leadership is not about power; it's about responsibility. Whenever I face difficult decisions, I strive to protect my team, just as he did."

Taking the First Step

Helena has faced moments of self-doubt. When she was first recommended to lead the Hong Kong and Macau operations, she felt honored yet uncertain. After careful consideration, she embraced the challenge head-on. "At different stages of life, we are all given new roles. The most important thing is to take that first step bravely. Only by trying will we discover how far we can truly go." She has since learned that true strength lies in teamwork, especially evident as she and her team supported one another through the pandemic. Helena attributes her success to a steadfast philosophy: approaching colleagues, partners, and clients with absolute sincerity. This has enabled Mastercard to cultivate deep, long-term relationships across dining, entertainment, and cultural sectors over the years. "For me, everything begins with trust, and trust is earned through genuine collaboration and sincere effort."

Empowering Others

Beyond her professional achievements, Helena is deeply committed to giving back to the financial services industry. As a member of the Women Chief Executive Network, she actively champions the advancement of women in leadership. The network brings together female CEOs from across the banking, insurance, and payments sectors to mentor and inspire the next generation. What began with just over ten members has grown to over sixty today, a testament to the increasing number of women assuming top executive roles in Hong Kong: "It's truly a reflection of empowered women empowering others."

"At different stages of life, we are all given new roles. The most important thing is to take that first step bravely. Only by trying will we discover how far we can go."

About Helena Chen

A graduate of King's College London, Helena Chen has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Before joining Mastercard in 2014, she held positions at American Express, Standard Chartered, and Visa. Between April 2016 and August 2017, Helena served as Division Head, Market Development, Hong Kong, Macau & Taiwan, overseeing commercial payment solutions, partnerships, and digital innovation initiatives. In September 2017, she was appointed Managing Director, Hong Kong & Macau, leading broader business operations, driving strategic investments, and steering the company through market challenges while delivering significant business growth. In March 2025, she was further promoted and currently serves as Senior Vice President, General Manager, Hong Kong & Macau at Mastercard.