14. From Coder to CEO: AI Startups, Cross-Generational Leadership, and Building in Asia with Sega Cheng | Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Description

"I just want to build a company like Google. That was very naive. But that was my passion."

Google engineer turned founder Sega Cheng on what happens when you leave the Valley to build an AI startup in Asia — and why the hardest part of the journey was not learning new skills but unlearning the DNA of deterministic code to lead with probabilistic uncertainty.

Based in Taiwan, Sega spent six years at Google (Mountain View and Taiwan) working on Android before co-founding iKala in 2012. Fourteen years later, iKala serves over 1,000 enterprises across Asia-Pacific with AI adoption platforms and operates Kolr, the world's largest influencer marketing platform with data on 300 million creators. From cloud infrastructure to AI-powered marketing, Sega has navigated multiple pivots, five funding rounds, and the reality that building a team in Asia with Silicon Valley speed requires finding traits most education systems do not cultivate: adaptability, bottom-up initiative, and tolerance for shipping imperfect products.

In this episode:

Why the Valley-Asia gap is not about technology, but about digital transformation readiness — and how that gap created iKala's first business model
The hidden cost of technical founder → CEO transition: from writing code to allocating resources, from deterministic logic to probabilistic leadership
How to hire for adaptability in top-down cultures: why CVs are now useless, what open questions reveal, and why Sega listens more than he talks in interviews

If you are a technical founder navigating the shift to CEO, building teams across Asia-Pacific markets, or trying to balance Silicon Valley speed with local talent realities, this conversation will reshape how you think about leadership, hiring, and what it takes to scale a startup when systems break at borders.

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🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

If the topics discussed resonate with your own leadership challenges or the conversations happening in your organization - assessing international leaders, aligning global and local teams, building capabilities across regions. You can reach us at LYC Partners to set up a consultation.

Produced by Bonjour Podcast (Melanie Hong), Leaders in Motion blends storytelling, strategy, and data-driven insight, giving today’s leaders a roadmap to anticipate tomorrow’s challenges and lead with intention.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Leaders in Motion is a strategic podcast for global executives, C-suite leaders, and transformation experts navigating career reinvention, AI disruption, and cross-border leadership in a rapidly changing world.

Hosted by Kevin Hong, Partner of LYC Partners - a leading executive search and leadership advisory firm - and The Council, an exclusive peer network for senior leaders, the show brings real-world insights from those shaping the future of work.

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

If the topics we discussed today resonate with your own leadership challenges or the conversations happening in your organization - assessing international leaders, aligning global and local teams, building capabilities across regions. You can reach us at LYC Partners to set up a consultation.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

"I just want to build a company like Google. That was very naive. But that was my passion."

In this episode:

Why the Valley-Asia gap is not about technology, but about digital transformation readiness — and how that gap created iKala's first business model
The hidden cost of technical founder → CEO transition: from writing code to allocating resources, from deterministic logic to probabilistic leadership
How to hire for adaptability in top-down cultures: why CVs are now useless, what open questions reveal, and why Sega listens more than he talks in interviews

---

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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Description

"I just want to build a company like Google. That was very naive. But that was my passion."

In this episode:

Why the Valley-Asia gap is not about technology, but about digital transformation readiness — and how that gap created iKala's first business model
The hidden cost of technical founder → CEO transition: from writing code to allocating resources, from deterministic logic to probabilistic leadership
How to hire for adaptability in top-down cultures: why CVs are now useless, what open questions reveal, and why Sega listens more than he talks in interviews

---

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Description

"I just want to build a company like Google. That was very naive. But that was my passion."

In this episode:

Why the Valley-Asia gap is not about technology, but about digital transformation readiness — and how that gap created iKala's first business model
The hidden cost of technical founder → CEO transition: from writing code to allocating resources, from deterministic logic to probabilistic leadership
How to hire for adaptability in top-down cultures: why CVs are now useless, what open questions reveal, and why Sega listens more than he talks in interviews

---

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

About Leaders in Motion - How Global Executives Reinvent Leadership in the Age of AI and Market Disruption

Each episode dives into the intersection of leadership, technology, and human adaptability, offering actionable strategies for leaders who want to stay relevant, resilient, and future-ready.

What you’ll hear on Leaders in Motion :

In-depth interviews with global CEOs, CHROs, board members, and transformation leaders who share their defining career moves, leadership philosophies, and lessons from uncertainty.
Solo episodes where Kevin shares frameworks, market intelligence, and proven tools to help executives stress-test their careers, strengthen their visibility, and build long-term career insurance.

Key topics covered :

Executive career transformation & personal reinvention
The rise of skills-based organizations and agile leadership models
AI, automation, and the evolving role of the C-suite
Global mobility & cross-cultural management
Building influence, resilience, and board readiness
The future of work in Asia and beyond

🎧 Subscribe now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your executive inspiration and learn how global leaders think ahead, move faster, and lead smarter.

Subscribe to our newsletter to get access to exclusive insights and all the details about the Leaders in Motion Academy, our executive program.

Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

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