Ever wondered what it takes for a group of young women from flat, humid Singapore to climb Mount Everest?

When I sat down with Peh Gee Lee, Jane Lee, Li and Hui Lee, and I wasn’t just expecting stories of grit—I found lessons in building strong teams, facing doubt, and tuning up that inner light when no one else believes in your big, crazy dreams. From pulling off a historic first for Singaporean women to carrying those Everest lessons into their work and life, these women share what it really means to keep going when the mountain feels too high. It’s a conversation about climbing into history, leading while learning, and yes, having fun even when the stakes are life and death.

Join me for this one—it’s a masterclass in quiet courage and doing serious things with a smile.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) Think Everest is crazy? Try why they did it.
(01:25) 50 strangers, one wild plan—what could go wrong?
(04:20) The silent teammate lesson you didn’t know you needed.
(07:45) Coming down is the real climb—why?
(14:00) Doubt vs. dreams—who wins?
(19:00) What Everest taught them about work.
(25:30) The year everything almost fell apart.
(31:30) Big goals, lonely roads—sound familiar?
(37:25) When your values get tested for real.
(41:20) The rule they rewrote—and you might too.

Lee Peh Gee
Army Officer, Singapore Armed Forces

A believer in living a purposeful existence, Peh Gee is inspired to be of service to others through her life.

With the achievement and lessons she has gained from Everest, backed by decades of experience in training and development and deep understanding of how adults learn, Peh Gee is able to present clear and practical solutions to a presentation or event programme.

Jane Lee
Hello, I'm Jane. 26 days. That's the longest I have gone without a shower. It is still unclear if that was a contributing factor to being stalked by a polar bear. I was completing a ski-crossing of the Greenland icecap, becoming the first Southeast Asian female to do so.

I was born in Singapore, and lived in the United States, Switzerland, Japan, and New Zealand. I moved to Australia in 2020, and Byron Bay is home today.

I was also the first Southeast Asian female to complete the "Seven Summits", the tallest mountain on each of the continents, and the leader of the Singapore Women's Everest Team. It was arguably the most badass all-female climbing team of all time, if you take into account the fact that Singapore is a flat, tropical island nation. Talk about overcoming odds!

Lee Li Hui
Li Hui is a product innovation manager with Swiss Re's Solutions Group. She drives the execution of future health strategy across Asia and facilitates ideation and co- innovation of future ready solutions for today.

Li Hui is the first woman from the Singapore Women's Everest Team to summit Mt Everest (8,850m) on 20th May 2009. For these achievements, she was awarded the NUS Outstanding Young Alumni, Herworld Young Women Achiever Award and received a special commendation by the President of Singapore in 2009. In 2014, Li Hui was inducted into the Singapore Women Hall of Fame.

Meet the Host,

Ritu Gupta Mehrish:

Ritu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.

https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/

https://www.ritumehrish.com/

What makes a senior banking executive step up as a champion for women at work?

In this episode, I speak with Bruce Perry—MD Head of Operations for Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa at Barclays, and co-chair of the bank’s Women’s Network in the region. We dive into Bruce’s unexpected journey from elite university rowing to supporting gender equity in the boardroom. He shares how sport shaped his views, what he's learned from working closely with women leaders, and why male allies need to show up—authentically and intentionally.

A candid, thoughtful conversation with someone who's rewriting the rules from the inside out.

IN THIS EPISODE
(00:00) The tricky tightrope male leaders walk today
(02:06) How Bruce became the guy leading a women’s network
(03:44) What rowing taught Bruce about gender and real equity
(06:52) Job ads, confidence gaps—and what women still won’t apply for
(09:00) What space suits and air conditioning reveal about hidden bias
(10:21) Allyship or overstepping? Where men still get stuck
(13:00) The quiet reason women fear promotions
(17:10) The one thing women don’t do enough at work
(19:30) Asia vs. the West—who’s doing inclusion better?
(23:20) One personal rule Bruce completely rewrote

Bruce Perry
Bruce Perry is the MD and Head of Operations, APAC at Barclays. With global experience across Singapore, New York, Zurich and Paris, he’s known for leading large, cross-functional teams and delivering complex financial strategies. He has held senior COO roles and worked across investment banking, wealth, and corporate operations. A CIMA-qualified leader, Bruce also serves on boards of Cambridge University sports bodies, bringing business rigour to not-for-profit spaces.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bruce-perry-a0b7116/

Meet the Hosts,

Ritu Gupta Mehrish:

Ritu Gupta Mehrish is a speaker, executive coach and author, with 20 years of corporate experience working in companies such as P&G, GE Capital and GE spin-off Genpact. In her last role, Ritu ran a multimillion-dollar business vertical with 1000 people across eight countries and five continents. Throughout her extensive career, Ritu has had the opportunity to work, coach and converse with leaders across the globe from diverse industries. Her business and leadership experience has enabled her to bring in a pragmatic approach to leadership development. Her client list of Google, PayPal, Swiss Re, JP Morgan, Applied Materials, Intel, Knight Frank, Johnson & Johnson, AIA, Medtronic, Wharton Executive Education highlights the level of expertise she brings to the leadership topic.
https://www.letsrewritetherules.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritugmehrish/
https://www.ritumehrish.com/

Rajita Saxena
Rajita Saxena is a leader and people manager with over 20 years of business experience in sales, sales support, strategic operations, and learning & development. She builds strong, high-performing teams and believes in being a Level 5 leader to unleash the potential and performance of teams. She thrives in an environment that provides an opportunity to problem solve or create impact, whether it is a situation that is full of change and ambiguity or one that requires creating a strategy.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajita-saxena/

Kalyani Vaidya
I’m a fractional marketing manager with a diverse background and a passion for brand activations, podcasting, and business development. As both a sportsman and podcaster, I enjoy offering fresh perspectives and adding value to start-ups. I have a special interest in the domain of parenting, education, and wellness.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalyani-vaidya/