Tell me how your career started?
I have a story that’s very similar to a lot of Cal Poly Pomona students — I found Cal Poly Pomona later in life.
At 18, I moved out of my parents’ house but didn’t feel like I was ready for college. So, I went out and started a business that failed spectacularly, then did some work for Gateway computers. My job didn’t feel secure with waves of layoffs hitting the company, so I decided it was a good time to go back to school.
I decided that Cal Poly Pomona would be my best option as it was near my parents’ house. It was here at CPP that I landed my first career job through the Career Center. I would attend a lot of events that firms hosted on campus called “Meet the Firms.” I got my start at KPMG in Los Angeles after graduation.
I was there for a couple of years and during that time, I knew that I wanted to move back to Asia. So, while I was early in my career at KPMG, I would take every opportunity to work on projects in China, Japan, Hong Kong, Korea. After a couple of years at KPMG, I moved to New York with a boutique consultancy, Alix Partners. They gave me an option to run Asia, and I ended up moving to Asia. I’ve been here since.

What technological advancements are you excited for?
Like everyone else, I’m excited for AI. However, as a CTO at Hilgers Graben, an American law firm, I look at AI from an ethical standpoint and a legal perspective. Moreso, how can we keep AI defensible or credible in court?

What roadblocks have been in the way of keeping AI defensible?
With AI becoming popular — over the next few years we are going to see a lot of new case law being built around AI. Unlike in straight tech companies, as a legal company, we must be a lot more conscious and responsible about how we use AI.

What is the biggest misconception about the industry right now?
Every company is built on three pillars: people, processes, and technology. As we know, technology permeates all industries; however, I think people wrongly assume how much AI will take over. I think there are opportunities for every company to undergo digital transformations, but I don’t think it will take over industries like people fear. Technology and processes are always changing, but people don’t.

What was the most interesting class you took at CPP?
Surprisingly, the classes that really stuck with me were the resume writing and the networking classes, where I got to work on invaluable soft skills. With technology always advancing, those fundamental people skills are the skills that I continue to use to this day.

Every company is built on people, processes and technology. Again, technology and processes are always changing, but people don’t.

What is your favorite computer shortcut?
Control + Z. Undo. You can only undo what you haven’t sent out. So, make sure you get it right!