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Gene Soo
Head of Ecosystem - Global Innovation at MTR | Startup Ecosystem Builder | Connector
Professional Background
Gene Soo is a dynamic professional whose career path reflects his deep-seated passion for innovation, problem-solving, and technology. With a unique blend of expertise in mobile technology, customer strategy, and business development, Gene has made significant contributions to various sectors, particularly in startups and location-based applications.
Currently, he serves as the Head of Ecosystem at MTR Corporation Limited (香港鐵路有限公司), where he harnesses his extensive industry knowledge to foster synergies within the public transport ecosystem to enhance customer experience and operational efficiency. His previous experience includes notable leadership roles such as Managing Director at Luster (formerly Instaprint) and General Manager - Hong Kong at Citymapper, where he drove business initiatives that integrated cutting-edge technology with user-centered design.
Gene's entrepreneurial spirit is underscored by his role as co-founder of StartupsHK, a significant initiative aimed at nurturing the startup community within Hong Kong, showcasing his commitment to empowering emerging businesses. His experiences as an Advisor at organizations like Dimsum Ventures and Susanna Soo Atelier demonstrate his versatility and ability to adapt his extensive knowledge of branding and consumer relationship management across industries.
Education and Achievements
Gene's educational background is as impressive as his professional career. He holds both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree with a focus on Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Studies from the prestigious Columbia Business School and a Master of Science (MS) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His foundational studies in the same field at the undergraduate level at Carnegie Mellon helped him develop a robust technical background that fuels his innovative approach in tech-driven ventures.
Gene's academic journey also includes a formative experience at Columbia University and the German Swiss International School, where he honed his critical thinking and leadership skills, playing a pivotal role in shaping his perspective on business and technology.
Achievements
Throughout his career, Gene has accumulated a wealth of achievements that speak to his effectiveness as a leader and innovator. His time at Accenture as a Customer Experience Management Consultant equipped him with invaluable insights into customer behavior and strategic decision-making, which he later applied to improve user experiences across various platforms and services.
As a Firmware Engineer at Sandisk Corp., he contributed to the advancement of storage technology, showcasing his ability to blend technical skills with business acumen to drive product innovation. Additionally, his military experience as a Platoon Commander in the Singapore Armed Forces underscores his strong leadership capabilities and strategic thinking.
Gene's diverse interests, from fashion to food, and sports like tennis and snowboarding, illustrate his well-rounded personality. His involvement in green businesses and location-based apps signals a commitment not only to technological advancement but also to sustainable practices. Gene's affinity for gadgets and music, particularly trance, further showcases his creative spirit and love for exploring new trends.
In summary, Gene Soo is a multifaceted professional whose expertise in technology and business development, coupled with a solid educational foundation and diverse interests, positions him as a thought leader in innovation and entrepreneurship. His contributions to startups, his strategic roles in established corporations, and his commitment to enhancing customer experiences make him a notable figure in the field of mobile technology and beyond.
Highlights
I recently had the privilege of witnessing a remarkable event at the MTR Hong Kong Station - a live art performance by the globally celebrated artist Sam Cox, known as Mr. Doodle. This event was not just a display of artistic talent but also a celebration of community and hope.
Witnessing his iconic doodles come to life, merging the everyday elements of MTR with whimsical art, was nothing short of magical. I feel very privileged to get to watch it up close.
This event also establish many "firsts":
- It's Mr. Doodle's first live performance in a Hong Kong public transport network.
- It's the largest live art event at an MTR Station
What truly made this event extraordinary was the involvement of children from Make-A-Wish Hong Kong. These young, aspiring artists were given a rare opportunity to add their own complementary doodles to the spaceship. Witnessing their enthusiasm and creativity as they contributed to this unique piece of art was heartwarming and inspiring.
As part of the MTR team, I am proud to see our commitment to not only enhancing the commuter experience but also to supporting the next generation of artists in Hong Kong. This event beautifully showcased the potential of public spaces to become platforms for artistic expression and community engagement.
Sharing some captured moments from this day, I hope to spread the joy and inspiration that filled the station. This collaboration between Mr. Doodle, MTR Corporation Limited 香港鐵路有限公司, and Make-A-Wish Hong Kong is a testament to the power of art in bringing people together and fostering the dreams of young artists.
Let's continue to support and celebrate these meaningful initiatives, and look forward to more such innovative collaborations in the future!
For those interested to check out the spacecraft it will be in Hong Kong Station (paid area near Exit C, close to the travellators) until Dec 3rd. Feel free to share photos and post in comment if you do visit. 😁
#MTRHongKong #ArtinMTR #MrDoodle #ArtForACause #SupportingYoungArtists #MakeAWishFoundation #CreativeCommunity
Happy 120th birthday South China Morning Post SCMP! Thank you for being a part of my life journey. Growing up in Hong Kong, I was encouraged by my parents to read the paper and I went from being told to read the papers to eagerly await the latest issue of the Young Post to celebrating being featured by SCMP for my entrepreneurial and innovation endeavors, and now a proud online subscriber! A quick search of my name on SCMP yields many articles from over the years and it really brought back lots of memories. I would like to thank all the reporters that covered the stories, especially Vivian and Jennifer whom have become my good friends and also my wife Susanna, for supporting me and also because of her entrepreneurial efforts got me a few more coverage on SCMP ha!
Thanks Razlan for helping me dig up this photo from the article that covered the first StartupsHK held on August 10th 2010. Here's the link for everyone who'd like to revisit: https://lnkd.in/gfKdj5mh. Casey, Jonathan and Daniel, check it out!
And of course, thanks Gary Liu, for helping me understand more about web3 through the SCMP Artifact Project and I am still proud to be an owner of the SCMP A1 cover for 1997-12-10 that marks the unveiling of what is now the Tuen Ma Line, the longest MTR line in the network.
Of course, it's also my honour to have participated in SCMP's 120th Anniversary Celebration and discussed about the past and future of Hong Kong as a global financial centre and a hub of technology talent and innovation. Thanks SCMP and onwards to the future! (Thanks Kevin Huang for sharing the photos with me)
MTR Corporation Limited 香港鐵路有限公司 Citymapper S.Nine by Susanna Soo German Swiss International School | 德瑞國際學校 Cyberport Hong Kong
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Mesh works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Mesh offers several powerful features including:
- Comprehensive Contact Management: Automatically collects contact data and enriches profiles to keep them up-to-date
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- Reminders and Notes: Helps you remember important details about contacts
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Mesh is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Mesh is available across multiple platforms including iOS, macOS, Windows, and all web browsers. Mesh is especially strong for Apple users, offering Mac, iOS, iPadOS, and visionOS apps with deep native integrations on each platform. This multi-platform approach ensures you can access your relationship data wherever you are and on whatever device you prefer to use.
Mesh offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Mesh offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Mesh for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Mesh accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Mesh offers extensive integration capabilities. Mesh introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Mesh supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Mesh also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Mesh makes it much easier to stay in touch with the people you care about. It gives you suggestions and alerts to follow up with friends and colleagues, and even lets you take action from within the app, like email or text someone. Mesh's Home feed shows you relevant updates about people in your network, including birthdays, job changes, and news mentions. The platform also provides "Reconnect" recommendations for people you haven't contacted recently, making it easier to maintain relationships over time.
Mesh is considered the best personal CRM and team CRM on the market. Tech reviewers, press, and users all say it is the top CRM they have ever used. Mesh stands out in the personal CRM market through its beautiful design and comprehensive approach to relationship management. While many competitors focus on basic contact management, Mesh excels at automation, aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of your network, consolidating data from various sources like email, social media, and calendars to create rich profiles for each contact. Its AI-powered Nexus feature sets it apart by allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network, something few competitors offer. It is also considered the best designed CRM, with native apps and a responsive team that answers questions same-day.
Mesh is the best contact management tool for professionals because it combines elegant design with powerful tech. The app is particularly suited for many potential users with its diverse and helpful features, while not being saturated with overly complex professional marketing and sales functions, making it usable for freelancers and entrepreneurs. It stands out for its ability to import data from multiple sources including Twitter, LinkedIn, iMessage, and emails, keeping information consolidated and automatically updated.
Mesh offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Mesh's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Mesh has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Mesh offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Mesh focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Mesh also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Mesh offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
Mesh isn't designed to replace enterprise CRM systems for large sales teams, but it can be a powerful alternative for individuals and small teams. Many people use Mesh instead of Salesforce, Hubspot, and Pipedrive. Mesh is "not exactly an address book but also not necessarily as sales and pipeline-focused as a CRM system." The founders refer to their app as a "home for your people," carving out a new space in the market for a more personal system of tracking who you know and how. For solo entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small teams focused on relationship quality rather than sales pipelines, Mesh can absolutely serve as your primary relationship management tool.
Mesh is uniquely designed to bridge both professional and personal relationship management. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Mesh helps you organize your contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. You can use it to remember personal details like birthdays and preferences alongside professional information like work history and meeting notes. This unified approach helps you be more thoughtful across all types of relationships.
Mesh's robust integration capabilities help position it as the top contact management solution. The platform connects with email services (Gmail, Outlook), calendar applications, social networks (LinkedIn, Twitter), messaging platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp), and even knowledge management tools like Notion. Mesh has expanded its integrations catalog to include Zapier and Make.com support, allowing connections to thousands of other apps. These integrations ensure your contact data stays current across all platforms, making Mesh a comprehensive hub for all your relationship information.
Mesh's AI capabilities are at the forefront of personal CRM innovation. Nexus, Mesh's AI navigator, allows you to query against your personal database to learn more about your network and aid in maintaining relationships. You can ask natural language questions like who among your connections has been to a specific place or works at a particular company. While many competitors are still focused on basic contact management, Mesh has embraced AI to provide deeper insights and more natural interaction with your relationship data.
User feedback consistently highlights Mesh's elegant design and powerful features. Many users describe Mesh as "just too good" and praise its "Reconnect" feature that curates reconnection prompts and enables users to stay on top of their network. Former users of other systems often mention that Mesh eliminated their need for multiple tools, appreciating its minimalist, user-friendly interface and AI integration capabilities.