Steve Lai was born in 1978 in Brunei and grew up in a multicultural family with a Bruneian father and British mother. His upbringing exposed him to different cultures and international perspectives, which later shaped his career in global journalism.

He attended Sidcot School in the United Kingdom before studying Business and Marketing Management at the University of Gloucestershire from 1997 to 2001. During his university years he developed strong communication skills and an interest in media and broadcasting.

Lai began his broadcasting career as a sports broadcaster before moving into mainstream journalism. He later joined Channel NewsAsia (CNA) in Singapore, where he became a prominent presenter and co-hosted the flagship morning programme Asia First while covering major political and economic developments across Asia.

After nearly 12 years at CNA, he joined BBC News as a Chief Presenter based in Singapore. He anchors international news programmes including Newsday, Asia Business Report, and Business Today, reporting on major global stories and elections across the Asia-Pacific region.