Justin Mallen, a San Francisco native, developed an appreciation for Asia early on, which led him to specialize in Chinese history and economics while finishing his degree in Asian Studies and Economics at Bowdoin College. After graduation in 1993, he began his career at a small trading firm and helped increase product turnover 30x over five years.

In 2000, Justin founded Silk Road Telecommunication, a company that offers Internet Data Center (IDC) services for China’s rapidly growing Internet industry. Under his leadership, the company grew from start-up to generating tens of millions of dollars in revenue while achieving an EBITDA of nearly 50%. He later expanded SRT’s telecom services to Southeast Asia, entering markets in the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In late 2021, Justin returned to the United States and began mentoring startups as an adjunct partner at Orbit. He has focused on helping these companies establish board governance that fosters growth while maintaining proper processes. Justin also serves on the board of PandaBus, a Chinese technology company that is innovating mass transit solutions.

Recently, Justin has been developing ready-to-go IDC projects in Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Policy changes in China have shifted IDC growth and opportunity to other Asian countries, providing potential first-mover advantages for those with the vision and expertise to seize them.

In January 2023, Justin joined the Atlantic Council, a Washington DC think tank as a Non-Resident Senior Fellow where Justin works to enhance the strategy for engaging China amid the breakdown in US-China relations.

Overall, Justin’s entrepreneurial spirit, business acumen, and Asia expertise have driven his success across various industries.