Women to Watch 2025: Christin Lu, 1UP Digital

Christin Lu

CEO and co-founder
1 UP Digital
China

Christin Lu, founder and CEO of Shanghai-based 1UP Digital, has over 15 years of experience helping luxury and lifestyle brands successfully enter the Chinese market through culturally attuned digital strategies. 

This has led to significant growth for both the agency and her clients. Take Marimekko, whose online business soared sixfold in three years, maintaining an impressive 75% average year-on-year growth. Or Stella McCartney, where she reversed a decline and delivered a staggering 479% growth over the same period. Beyond these, 1UP Digital has rolled out AI-generated creative strategies for LVMH and crafted digital campaigns for the Richemont Group. 

Lu’s leadership is rooted in emotional intelligence and structured thinking and she is deeply passionate about creating a culture where her team feels seen, trusted, and inspired to do their best work. She also pioneered a dual-talent model combining data scientists and creative strategists to establish a ‘science-meets-art’ organisational structure. 

Lu’s entrepreneurial spirit stretches beyond her agency. She is the co-founder of New Life Group and founder of Lika, a pet lifestyle brand championing pet-friendly urban living. Plus, she regularly co-authors whitepapers on how luxury is redefining China, and advocates for female founders through her work with HER Fund.

In every role she plays, Lu brings clarity, creativity, and a fearless drive to innovate, further cementing her place as one of the most insightful voices in China’s digital evolution.