Lai has over twenty years of professional experience in China mainland, Hong Kong, the U.S., and Wales. Lai joined in TE from APCO Worldwide, where he advised multinational companies on matters of public affairs, policy advocacy and market entries. Lai also served for the Welsh Assembly Government and ALSTOM in the earlier part of his career.  

Lai was a board director of the US Information Technology Organization. Lai also served as vice chair of American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai’s Suzhou Chapter and was the founding chair of the chamber’s Government Affairs Committee.  

Lai holds a bachelor’s degree in Thermodynamics from Tongji University in Shanghai and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Durham in England.