Credit where it's due

A full-time MBA in the mid-2000s at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management gave Soon Sze Meng the impetus and contacts to take the next big step in his career.  

It led directly to an internship and then a job with one of the world’s best regarded management consultants which, in turn, paved the way to his current role as Hong Kong-based senior director and general manager for digital payments firm Paypal.  

The rapid development of fintech services is transforming spending patterns and consumer behaviour, and Soon Sze Meng finds himself right at the forefront of that revolution.

As Hong Kong-based senior director and general manager of PayPal, with responsibilities also extending to Taiwan and South Korea, he is overseeing expansion of the firm’s digital payments platform. Around the world, it already has close to 203 million active account holders, giving merchants and consumers the ability to conduct transactions online, on a mobile device, via an app, or in person. 

“It is simple and secure,” Soon says. “In effect, we are providing a digital wallet which can be funded from a bank account, credit or debit card, with the funding source determining what can be spent. We are working in partnership with major financial institutions to create better ways to move and manage money, offering choice and flexibility whether you are paying or getting paid.” 

To this end, the company obtained an SVF (stored value facilities) licence from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) in November last year and is now focused on increasing the number of merchants, enhancing predictive data analytics, and implementing new bio-protection features.