EP 326 - Never Forget Who the Enemy Is - Gene Yu - Founder and CEO at Blackpanda

"Resistance training is, you know, they can take away everything in terms of like, your comfort, your warmth, your food, you know, etc, make you disoriented, but they can't take away your will to resist, right? And they can't take away your mind, right? That's the thing that you can always control in terms of resistance. And so I emphasized that to her what they taught us over and over, which was, never forget who the enemy is." - Gene Yu

In this episode of the Asia Tech Podcast, featuring Gene Yu, a Founder and CEO of Blackpanda, we explored innovative approaches to cybersecurity and the vital role of crisis response. Gene’s unique background as a West Point graduate and a former Green Beret significantly shaped BlackPanda's approach.

Some of the topics Gene covered in more detail included:

• By wrapping their cybersecurity emergency response services in an insurance-like product and a SaaS platform, BlackPanda has made high-quality cybersecurity accessible to a broader market at a significantly reduced cost.
• Given the sensitive nature of cybersecurity, the background of the founders and the reputation of the company play a crucial role in gaining clients' trust.
• One of the most profound insights Gene shared was about transferring skills and methodologies across different domains. He spoke about his transition from physical security and crisis response in the military to the digital realm of cybersecurity. This shift was facilitated by his ability to apply strategic and tactical principles from his military experience to cybersecurity challenges.
• BlackPanda’s focus on emergency response and crisis management in cybersecurity has allowed them to carve out a distinct identity in a new and growing market.
• Most importantly, Gene shared a gripping, true story about rescuing a family friend that had been kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf, an experience that profoundly impacted his life. This mission highlighted the importance of resilience, adaptability, and human connection in crisis situations. Amazon commissioned Gene to write a book about the incident that will be released on October 1, 2024 and you can find it here.