Women to Watch 2025: Catarina Lio, MGM

Catarina Lio

Senior vice president of brand marketing
MGM China
Macau

In 2017, Catarina Lio joined MGM China with a mission to transform the hospitality brand into a cultural force. She developed a brand framework with the aim of recognising Macau’s rich cultural heritage as an untapped brand capital. She also launched the ‘Lion IP’ strategy—reimagining the Lingnan Lion Dance, which mirrors MGM’s emblem, into a multi-faceted brand engagement platform spanning sport, art, culture, technology, and entertainment. The initiative won two PATA Gold Awards in 2023.

Beyond strategy, Lio has infused the MGM brand with dynamic, experiential elements. From transforming the rooftop into a festival-style venue for the Chef Nic Gastronomusic Fest to merging tradition and technology in the Buddha Passion symphony, she blends culture, commerce, and creativity to tell a bold new story for MGM. This resulted in MGM’s soaring by triple digits in early 2025, soaring above pre-Covid levels. 

Lio leads a team of more than 300 across brand marketing and Macau 2049 with a leadership style rooted in trust, autonomy, and inclusivity. She hires for mindset, dismantles silos, and brings diverse voices into the creative process. Within the Macau 2049 team, she broke down silos and replaced them with effective communication schemes to ensure clarity and alignment. 

Outside of MGM, Lio led the revitalisation of Macau’s Barra District by building a co-created ecosystem that empowers local SMEs. Her approach blends cultural, lifestyle, and commercial elements—pet-friendly zones, night markets, and inclusive spaces—to honour the area’s East-meets-West heritage. Overall, Lio is focused on broadening Macau’s appeal beyond gaming by integrating culture, sports, and technology into a forward-looking development vision.