Relena Sei has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Jumpstart Media Limited, with a mission to “connect teams, ideas and innovation across borders.”
Sei, who has a degree in Politics, Business and Sociology from New York University and a Juris Doctor Degree from Harvard Law School, will take up the reins of the company in March this year. Having spent periods of her childhood in locations as varied as Montreal, Calgary, California, New York, Boston, Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong, and growing up with exposure to a multitude of cultures and friends, Sei is all too familiar with new experiences. Her most recent role was at Lionpride Properties, which focuses on large real estate developments in the Philippines.
Sei is highly experienced in a multitude of other industries, including PR, fashion, law, finance, and property development. During her stint working in capital markets, she focused on IPOs in the U.S., debt issues, and cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
Sei says that she has always had a rebellious streak, leading her to love “life on the edge.” Innovation, for her, has an element of danger that she finds exciting, as there are inherent risks that have the potential to lead to radical changes in our lives. This love for pushing the boundaries draws her toward industries that are colorful, like the media space. She believes that innovation truly matters when it reaches people, making “media an integral part of every success story.”
Looking ahead at her new role, Sei says that Jumpstart is “much more than just an entrepreneur’s magazine,” as the platform can help build new markets for startups globally. For this reason, she considers Jumpstart’s mission to be impactful for the the innovation sector as a whole.
“In addition to cross-border growth in our media segment, we will focus on our accelerator and other programs,” says Sei.
“Jumpstart is the catalyst that spreads the impact of innovation and makes it matter,” she adds.
When she isn’t working, she heads to bookstores and surfs Goodreads to pick out the next novel to lose herself in. Her favorite book is Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, where the author, a former FBI international hostage negotiator, presents novel ways to become more persuasive in all fields. Her choice further underlines her appreciation for new perspectives and original ideas.
Sei will replace James Kwan, the current CEO of Jumpstart Media Limited, who will assume the role of Executive Chairperson. He will now focus on special partnerships and expansion, and will continue to work at Jumpstart on a daily basis.
