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Lee Seng Tee

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In this Chinese name, the family name is Lee.

Lee Seng Tee
FBA
Born(1923-04-16)16 April 1923
Singapore, Straits Settlements
Died29 July 2022(2022-07-29) (aged 99)
Singapore
Alma materUniversity of Pennsylvania (BEc)
OccupationBusinessman
SpouseBetty Wu
Children3
Parent(s)Lee Kong Chian (father)
Tan Ai Leh (mother)
RelativesTan Kah Kee (maternal grandfather)
Lee Seng Gee (brother)
Lee Seng Wee (brother)

Lee Seng Tee FBA (Chinese: 李成智; pinyin: Lǐ Chéngzhì; 16 April 1923 – 29 July 2022) was a Singaporean businessman and philanthropist.

Early life and education

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Born in Singapore in 1923, Lee was the second son[1] of Lee Kong Chian and a maternal grandson of Tan Kah Kee. Lee graduated from The Wharton School with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1950.[2]

Philanthropy

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Lee was a director of the family's Lee Group of Companies, a Singapore-based conglomerate of firms in industries that include pineapple and investments; Lee was among the 40 richest people in Singapore[3] primarily due to his stake in family businesses.

As a director of the Lee Foundation, Lee supported education, particularly higher education, around the world through personal donations towards building libraries and reading rooms, as well as supporting the acquisition of published resources for some of the most famous libraries in the world, which include the Needham Research Institute at the University of Cambridge and the Bodleian Library[4] at the University of Oxford.

Lee was named an honorary fellow of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals for his philanthropic support of libraries worldwide.[5]

In China, Lee's support for the Chinese Chess Association included the Lee Seng Tee Library[6] at the Chess Academy in Beijing, the ST Lee Beijing International Open, and the Lee Seng Tee Cup (李成智杯).[7] Other projects include the Lee Seng Tee Public Library (李成智公众图书馆)[8] in Nan'an City, Fujian, where his father was born.

Lee Seng Tee Library, at Wolfson College, Cambridge

Lee also funded projects and lecture series at universities, including Cambridge[9] and Oxford[10] in the United Kingdom, Columbia University, Harvard University, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Stanford University[11] and the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, in the United States, the University of Sydney[12] in Australia, the Victoria University of Wellington[13][14][15] in New Zealand, the University of the Witwatersrand[16] in South Africa, and the National University of Singapore (NUS).[17][18] The S.T. Lee Lectures provide a platform for scholars and policy-makers to address critical international issues.

Death

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Lee died on 29 July 2022, at the age of 99.[19]

Honours

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Lee was an Honorary Fellow of the British Academy in 1998[20] and Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2001,[21] as well as an Honorary Fellow of Wolfson College, Cambridge,[22] and Oriel College, Oxford.[23] Lee was also a Member of the Guild of Cambridge Benefactors.[24][25]

Lee has also received honorary degrees from the Asian Institute of Technology in 1998[26] in Thailand, Victoria University in 2006[27] and Washington University in St. Louis in 2008.[28]

In October 2009, he was conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Letters by Chancellor of the National University of Singapore S. R. Nathan.[29]

Lee had a variety of bamboo, the Drepanostachyum falcatum var. sengteeanum, named after him.[30]

References

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  1. ^ Lee Su Shyan "Two old S'pore families compete for Straits Trading" Archived 5 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine, The Straits Times, Singapore, 11 February 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  2. ^ "Seng Tee Lee, W'50" Archived 6 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine University of Pennsylvania. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  3. ^ "Singapore's 40 Richest: #32 Lee Seng Tee" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, Forbes.com, 20 19 April 2010.
  4. ^ "Radcliffe Camera" Bodleian Library, Oxford, 13 March 1999. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Honorary Fellowship to Dr Lee Seng Tee for his philanthropic support of libraries in the UK and worldwide. Archived 16 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine News from CILIP, 23 October 2003. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  6. ^ "The Chinese Chess Association– Chess in China" Archived 30 March 2010 at the Wayback Machine Delivering Online Chess to the World 2007. Retrieved on 20 April 2010.
  7. ^ "资料：李成智杯全国少年儿童国际象棋冠军赛" Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Yahoo Sports: Lee Seng Tee Cup, 14 February 2007. Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
  8. ^ "福建省李成智公众图书馆" Archived 8 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine 中国图书馆网, 29 November 2005. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  9. ^ "The Lee Seng Tee Distinguished Lecture Series" Archived 13 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine Wolfson College, Cambridge. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  10. ^ "The Lee Lecture in Political Science and Government" Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine All Souls College, Oxford, 28 January 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2010
  11. ^ "S.T. Lee Lectureship – FSI Stanford" Archived 18 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  12. ^ "The S.T. Lee Lecture" Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Sydney Law School, The University of Sydney, 16 July 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  13. ^ "The S.T. Lee Lecture in Antarctic Studies" Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  14. ^ "Official Opening of the S.T. Lee Library – 16 June 2005" Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  15. ^ "S.T. Lee Young Researcher Travel Award" Archived 14 October 2008 at the Wayback Machine Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  16. ^ "Foundation Annual Report 2007" Archived 11 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  17. ^ "S.T. Lee Distinguished Annual Lecture: Universities for a Global Society" Archived 22 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore, 27 October 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  18. ^ "S T Lee Project on Global Governance at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy" Archived 27 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine National University of Singapore, Academic Year 2007–2008. Retrieved on 20 April 2010.
  19. ^ "Dr Lee Seng Tee". Obits SG. Archived from the original on 7 October 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  20. ^ "[British Academy] Review, July–December 1999". The British Academy. Archived from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  21. ^ "List of Active Members by Classes" Archived 6 May 2005 at the Wayback Machine American Academy, 16 October 2006. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  22. ^ "Wolfson College, Cambridge: Honorary Fellows" Archived 13 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine Wolfson College, Cambridge. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  23. ^ "Oriel College, Oxford: Honorary Fellows" Oriel College, Oxford. Retrieved April 19, 2010. Archived 26 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  24. ^ "Professor Sir Alec Broers hosted a reception at the Old Schools for Dr and Mrs Seng Tee Lee following Dr Lee's admission as a Companion of the Guild of Cambridge Benefactors." Archived 6 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  25. ^ "Cambridge University Alumni Office: Donor Recognition" Archived 30 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  26. ^ "AIT Honorary Degree To Be Conferred On Lee Seng Tee" Archived 13 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine Asian Institute of Technology. Retrieved on 19 April 2010.
  27. ^ "Philanthropist Lee Seng Tee received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree" Archived 4 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Vice-Chancellor's Report, Victoria University. Last Updated: 11 May 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  28. ^ "Washington University to award six honorary degrees at 147th Commencement" Archived 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Washington University in St. Louis, 1 May 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  29. ^ "Dr Lee Seng Tee receives NUS Honorary Degree of Doctor of Letters" Archived 14 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine National University of Singapore, 2 October 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
  30. ^ Stapleton, C.M.A. (2006) "Drepanostachyum falcatum var. sengteeanum: Identity and origins (Poaceae: Bambusoideae). Sida 22 (2): 1081–1086." Archived 26 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 19 April 2010.
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