Technology Is Borderless: A Truly World-class Environment for Engineers

PayPay Leader Interviews is a series of interviews with PayPay group top executives that show a glimpse into their personalities and perspectives. This time, we interviewed Keisuke Yamamoto (aka “KSK”) the head of
the Technology Platform & Core Components Division.

Experiences from the Initial Days at PayPay

Please tell us your journey leading up to joining PayPay

The beginning was around March 2018, with a business trip to both Paytm in India and Paytm labs in Toronto. Since then, we had many exciting discussion with PayTM members including Sam and decided to build the application from scratch. Then we formed the teams from Yahoo! JAPAN & PayTM members. This is how my PayPay journey started.

At the time of PayPay’s launch five years ago, unauthorized credit card access and incidents occurred one after the other following the start of a promotional campaign. I only remember feeling terribly sorry for the users and dealing with each issue, one by one, every day. It was really tough, but I told myself never to repeat the same thing. At the time, the experience of implementing a 24-hour monitoring system to oversee the situation in real-time and responding together with team members is something I still cannot forget.

The Role and Uniqueness of the Division

Tell us about the duties and responsibilities of your division

Under the Technology Platform & Core Components Division, there are various development sections for each product line, as well as sections for utility/core components, infrastructure, and the like.
We are a developer-centric organization even within PayPay, covering a wide range of responsibilities like payment systems, authentication systems, and infrastructure, with each part playing an essential role in providing PayPay’s services.

What are you mindful of in managing the division?

I believe this connects to the culture of PayPay, but in terms of organizational management, I just don’t give orders and end it there.

I always keep an eye on each project’s situation, and if there’s something concerning or a situation where I should step in, I do so not as a manager waiting for further reports but as a developer by getting on the same page with members already working on the problem.
Although the company is in a different phase from where it was in Day 1, even now as a Head, I believe it’s crucial not to change how I interact with the “frontline,” and I make a point to keep that mindset.

What is the appeal of your division?

Looking at my division as a Product member, there are two key characteristics.

Five years after PayPay’s launch, we’ve moved from enhancing the system to a phase of exploring new technologies and efficient use of them, with a plethora of opportunities to try new things out. Even as we transition to different stages, the essence of PayPay remains the same—consistently reviewing and improving the fundamental aspects, which is something we tend to take for granted.

Another aspect is the direct impact the products we develop have on users. We, as creators, always think from the user’s perspective when delivering value-added products, which I think is both a strength and attraction of our department.

Always Maintain an Open Mind

What do you value in your work?

I particularly like the following from PayPay 5 senses:
‌”Ego is not welcome, communication is necessary” (value communication, respect the diversity of colleagues, and work on decisions as one team).

I keep my calendar as open as possible so I can communicate immediately when needed by team members. Rather than setting up meetings in advance, I make sure I can jump into a Zoom call if somebody needs to talk.

When I want to do something or move things forward, I always listen to those around me to determine what is truly needed. That way, I can gain insights from different perspectives and ways of thinking. So in my work, I am very fond of that PayPay Sense.

What do you emphasize in your members’ growth?

I focus on creating an environment where members can think and drive initiatives themselves. Rather than just being satisfied with the numbers from our efforts, I want team members to think what actions to take next and execute them.

Of course, I don’t just leave everything to them. I consider whether their actions are appropriate, what might be lacking, or if there are different vantage points to consider. This approach remains the same across all levels, whether it’s somebody “on the ground,” Senior Managers, or myself. Despite our different viewpoints and focus areas, we provide advice on each action and make steady progress, ensuring that each person can grow.

What do you hope to accomplish at PayPay in the future?

PayPay has achieved a leading position in the domestic payment service. Now, five years after its launch, I feel that we must not just look at what is immediately in front of us but always look further ahead and continue to challenge ourselves.

There are no borders in technology. We need to think big and thoroughly understand the international environment in the fintech area, experience new technologies ourselves, and continue to be a technology-strong organization. I would like for us to create systems and products that cannot be easily replicated by other companies, providing even more value to our users. We hope you look forward to what PayPay will do in the future.

We Want People Who Want to Change the Fintech Industry

Lastly, a message for our readers please!

We want to work with those who have a strong desire to accomplish something with a company leading in the fintech area, both domestically and internationally.

PayPay is looking for people who can lead, and who excel in at least one thing. It’s fine if you don’t speak Japanese as long as you can speak English, and vice versa. It’s a place where you can directly express your opinions and think proactively about what to improve.

Plus, there are many opportunities for challenges and growth in this company, especially in PayPay’s development team. So, if you’re up to challenges and getting out of your comfort zone, I welcome you.

Editor’s note
KSK appeared in a suit on the day of the interview. He said, “I don’t usually dress like this, but it was particularly cold in Gunma today” with a laughter, lightening up the atmosphere before the interview. We hope to introduce the various sections of KSK’s division in future articles. Stay tuned!

*Job openings and employee affiliations are current as of the time of the interview.