In this episode of Tank Talks Asia, Manisha Tank chats to Gene Yu, who’s the founder and CEO of cybersecurity and crisis response company, Blackpanda, and also a former US Army Special Forces officer.
Gene talks about growing up Asian-American, becoming a Green Beret, negotiating with terrorists, and ultimately finding purpose as the founder of Blackpanda.
Featured Voices
Host: Manisha Tank
Guest: Gene Yu, Founder & CEO, Blackpanda
Key takeaways
- Gene discusses how cultural expectations can drive ambition, but can also leave lasting emotional scars.
- He suggests elite performance can often conceal a deep internal struggle.
- Gene says failure can be a powerful force for redirection.
- He believes that how we respond in a crisis reveals who we really are and what we have the potential to become.
- Gene demonstrates that reinvention is possible at any stage of life.
Chapter heads
00:00
An Extraordinary Life
Manisha introduces Gene and talks about how his career has spanned elite military service to cybersecurity leadership.
02:25
Growing Up Asian in White America
Gene and Manisha talk about how cultural dislocation shaped Gene’s early identity and self-perception.
04:50
Love Through Performance
Gene says that achievement became an emotional crutch and explains the cost of that mindset.
05:56
Losing Himself
He believes military life stripped away his identity before rebuilding him from scratch.
07:10
Fighting for Respect
He tried to assert himself by using physical dominance and nearly paid the ultimate price.
09:05
Becoming a Green Beret
Gene talks about what post-9/11 service meant to him and how he rose through the ranks.
12:45
Leaving the Military and a Loss of Purpose
He speaks about the struggle of stepping away from a life defined by mission and meaning.
17:00
When Everything Changed
How one phone call and a high-stakes rescue reshaped Gene’s career, his life, and his view of the world.
21:00
From Crisis to Cybersecurity
Gene explains what was behind the creation of Asia’s first cyber crisis response company.
26:10
Why Singapore Stuck
He shares how career opportunities and stability in Singapore turned a temporary move into a permanent home.
Useful links
https://www.blackpanda.com/
https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/special-ops/special-forces
https://www.americanspecialops.com/special-forces/cif/
https://www.palantir.com/
https://www.jhu.edu/
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/1387187/abducted-taiwanese-woman-evelyn-chang-found-southern-philippines
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40129016
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Tank Talks Asia is an AsiaWorks production.
