Current
  • CSO (advisor) at Cineo
  • China writer at Gamasutra (CMP)
  • Venture Advisor at Ymer Venture Capital
Past
  • Director at ECitySky
  • Producer- Casual Games at Microsoft China Research and Development
  • Program Manager at Microsoft Research Asia
  • Asia XBOX and Home Entertainment Regional Business Manager at Microsoft
  • Columnist Beijing Byte at South China Morning Post
  • Principal Consultant- Strategy at Chinadotcom (CDC) - Ion Global
  • Asia Equities Analyst at Columbus Circle - PIMCO
  • Securities Analyst / Fixed Income Trader at Coutts & Co AG, National Westminster Bank
  • Bureau Chief at Baltic Observer
  • Asst. at MacWeek
Education
  • Harvard University Kennedy School of Government
  • USAICS
  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick
Connections
500+ connections
Industry
Computer Games
Websites

Frank Yu’s Summary

I believe that the best experiences are those that we learn and have fun with at the same time. My background reflects a desire to enable customers and users to craft their own experiences by giving them the tools and platforms to create and share with others.

I served as a Casual Game Producer for MS. I globally shipped MS China's first game product for deployment in 33 countries and helped start and lead Microsoft's first game development team in China. As a MS program manager, I have also shipped products for Windows Vista, Media Center PVR, Media Center Extender , Internet Explorer 7 and Microsoft Game Studios.

3 ShipIts, 1 Patent, 5 Thinkweeks, 1 Platform Launch, 2 Games

My career with Microsoft began as the Regional Business Manager for Asia in the Home Entertainment Division.I helped launch Xbox (v1) in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Singapore.

frank_yu@post.harvard.edu

Frank Yu’s Specialties:

Industry analysis, user experience, market research, strategy, interface design, coolhunting usability and ethnographic studies. game development, portfolio management and interactive entertainment.


Frank Yu’s Experience

  • CSO (advisor)

    Cineo

    (Entertainment industry)

    June 2008Present (5 months)

    China Media Startup

  • China writer

    Gamasutra (CMP)

    (Publishing industry)

    January 2008Present (10 months)

    I write about China and online games
    http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16875

  • Venture Advisor

    Ymer Venture Capital

    (Investment Management industry)

    January 2008Present (10 months)

    I give my opinions,debunk the hype and add my .02 USD
    http://www.ymerfund.com/blog/?page_id=111

  • Director

    ECitySky

    (Privately Held; Internet industry)

    December 2007May 2008 (6 months)

    They are developing a platform for letting users deliver great online experiences be they games, meetings or education.

  • Producer- Casual Games

    Microsoft China Research and Development

    (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; msft; Computer Software industry)

    April 2006September 2007 (1 year 6 months)

    I lead development, test, art, design and user experience teams to create and ship casual online games. I shipped 2 Games for MS Casual Games.

  • Program Manager

    Microsoft Research Asia

    (Public Company; 201-500 employees; MSFT; Computer Games industry)

    February 2004April 2006 (2 years 3 months)

    Prior to games, I have shipped 3 features in Internet Explorer 7 and managed Intrinsic Controls, 2 features in Media Center PC ( Smart Thumbnails for the PVR and Transrating for the Extender) and 1 UI feature (Hierarchical Carousel) that led to a technology transfer and a patent for the Windows Shell team.

  • Asia XBOX and Home Entertainment Regional Business Manager

    Microsoft

    (Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; MSFT; Computer Games industry)

    October 2002February 2004 (1 year 5 months)

    I helped to ship and launch the Xbox in Asia. I managed the sales and marketing metrics, budget and business financials of the Home Entertainment Division for all consumer products from hardware and Mac Apps to PC and Xbox games for the territories of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, China and India.

  • Columnist Beijing Byte

    South China Morning Post

    (Public Company; Newspapers industry)

    October 2001November 2003 (2 years 2 months)

    I co-wrote the Beijing Byte Column for SCMP with a focus on internet, games and technology

  • Principal Consultant- Strategy

    Chinadotcom (CDC) - Ion Global

    (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; china; Information Technology and Services industry)

    20002002 (2 years)

    Usability and user experience strategist. Expertise in wireless, mobile and gaming devices. First usability practice in Hong Kong as subcontractor for NNG.

    Corporate blogger
    Thought Leadership http://www.ionglobal.com/views.asp

  • Asia Equities Analyst

    Columbus Circle - PIMCO

    (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; Capital Markets industry)

    October 1998January 2000 (1 year 4 months)

    Analyzed Asia financial and market data for trends and investment opportunities.
    #1 International Fund YoY in 1999
    Momentum Analyst for the equity division of PIMCO

  • Securities Analyst / Fixed Income Trader

    Coutts & Co AG, National Westminster Bank

    (Public Company; 5001-10,000 employees; Financial Services industry)

    19931998 (5 years)

    Analyzed emerging market trends and financial opportunities within fixed income and equities . Specialization in technology and entertainment companies in Asia
    Dealt and closed short term debt and sovereign loans.

  • Bureau Chief

    Baltic Observer

    (Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Media Production industry)

    May 19921993 (1 year)

    Worked as a journalist and Bureau Chief covering economics in the Baltic States. Based in Riga and Vilnius with travel to Tallinn and Moscow

  • Asst.

    MacWeek

    (Computer Games industry)

    19881989 (1 year)


Frank Yu’s Education

  • Harvard University Kennedy School of Government

    MPP, Econometrics, Business, International Development, 19901992

    Activities and Societies:
    Teaching Fellow at the Joan Shorenstein Barone Center for Press and Politics, Harvard University
  • USAICS

    Military, Political Science 19891989

    Fort Huachuca Arizona

  • Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick

    BA, Philosophy, Psychology, 19841988

    Reserve Officer Training Corp Cadet

    Activities and Societies:
    Henry Rutgers Scholar
    General Honors Graduate
    Summa cum laude in Philosophy

Additional Information

Frank Yu’s Websites:

Frank Yu’s Groups:

Beijing Byte Columnist for South China Morning Post
Tech Columnist for Chinatechnews.com
Brand Columnist for APMForum.com, Beijing Technology Group on Facebook, GDC 2007, blogs in dotcom boom 1.0, GDC

  •    Harvard Jobs
  •    Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government (HKS)
  •    Interaction Design Association
  •    Invest in China
  •    Gaming People - The Gaming People Expert Network
  •    iGAMING Business Group
  •    International Network of Social Entrepreneurs
  •    Microsoft Alumni Network
  •    China Business
  •    GamesProducers
  •    Association of Virtual Worlds
  •    Private Equity and Venture Capital Group
  •    Ex-Microsoft Employees
  •    China Networking Group
  •    Techmuch.com; your daily tech-news presents; "Online Casual Games"
  •    Ex-MS
  •    Casual Games
  •    Video Gamers
  •    VENTURE CAPITAL ASIA
  •    Game Developers
  •    Game Design Professionals
  •    Xbox and Alumni
  •    Asian Hedge Funds Group
  •    Video Gaming Industry Executives
  •    Microsoft - Current and Former Employees

Frank Yu’s Contact Settings

Interested In:

  • job inquiries
  • expertise requests
  • business deals
  • reference requests
  • getting back in touch

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