After finishing his studies, Lee returned to Hong Kong to join Prudential Enterprise, the real estate company founded by his father and uncle in 1958. Prudential Enterprises owns the Prudential Hotel in
Hong Kong and has significant holdings in Hong Kong, Japan, Switzerland and Singapore. In the UK, he purchased the 14 acre
Langham Estate in London's
Fitzrovia district in 1994. A real estate portfolio Lee indirectly established in Tokyo in 1999 was eventually sold in 2017 for approximately $1.2 billion. By 2019, Lee had become the largest shareholder in
Shaftesbury PLC, a large London real estate investment trust, with a 26.3% stake. There was persistent media speculation that Lee would eventually bid for control of Shaftesbury.
The Times also reported that Lee sued Shaftesbury for £10.4 million in alleged losses over a share placing. Lee has been noted for his vigorous defence of his estate's legal rights and business interests. ==Philanthropy==