Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore –  Ant International, Grab, and StraitsX announced a collaboration to explore the viability of utilising Purpose Bound Money (PBM) in cross-border payments. 

Purpose Bound Money (PBM) is a system that defines the conditions for using an underlying digital currency. PBM, which was first launched by MAS as a component of Project Orchid1, has the potential of lowering payment processing costs and enabling the guided allocation of funds for a specified purpose. 

The goal of this collaborative initiative is to make it easier for GrabPay businesses to integrate with Ant International’s Alipay+ solutions, allowing them to accept payments from a diverse tourist audience. If successful, the expansion of cross-border payment capabilities is expected to increase the use of Purpose Bound Money (PBM), with the goal of launching it in Singapore by 2024.

This cross-border payment project aims to expand local merchants’ customer reach while providing benefits to small and micro-scale businesses. Smaller retailers in Singapore have traditionally experienced restrictions in providing a varied range of payment alternatives to international travellers. This constraint is typically linked to the lengthy process and high expenses associated with incorporating new digital payment methods, which can take months or even years.

By leveraging a distributed ledger infrastructure and Purpose Bound Money (PBM), tiny to micro-scale retailers can more easily serve global consumers. This reduces the complexity involved in integrating cross-border payments by doing away with the need for new system upgrades and manual end-of-day reconciliation between accounting systems.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – SEEK, the parent company of Southeast Asian career platforms JobStreet and JobsDB, has recently welcomed Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim as its newly elected non-executive director during the company’s annual general meeting.

Based in Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim is the first Asia-based board member in SEEK’s history, aligning with the pivotal role Asia plays in the company’s future growth strategy.

This appointment comes as SEEK sets the foundation for growth of its Asia business through the unification of its three online employment marketplaces – namely SEEK (in Australia and New Zealand), JobStreet (in the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore), and JobsDB (in Hong Kong and Thailand). The three-year long investment program is set to complete in the 2024 financial year.

For this role, Ibrahim brings over 40 years of experience in the Southeast Asia region, including over 16 years in information technology and 23 years in telecoms. He also served the Malaysian government in various roles, including being appointed in 2020 by the former prime minister of Malaysia as a member of the then Economic Action Council and of the Digital Economy Council.

Currently, Ibrahim serves as the chairman of government-owned Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, Malaysia’s public transport owner and operator, and chairman of privately owned QSR Brands Holdings Bhd and AirAsia Aviation Group Ltd. He is also a non-executive director of publicly listed Sunway Berhad.

Furthermore, his executive experience also includes being the chief executive officer of Axiata Group Berhad from 2008 to 2020, and as chief executive officer of Maxis Communications Berhad for over eight years prior to that. He also has executive experience with multinational companies, including IBM and Digital Equipment Corporation.

Speaking on his own appointment, Ibrahim said, “I’m honoured to join SEEK’s esteemed board of directors, and am excited to be part of the technology company’s continuous growth journey in Asia. This role is especially meaningful to me as SEEK’s purpose of helping people live more fulfilling and productive working lives and helping organisations succeed aligns with my passion and values. I look forward to contributing my expertise to help SEEK advance its ambitions and make a positive impact on millions of talent and employers in the region.”

Meanwhile, Peter Bithos, chief executive officer of Asia at SEEK, also commented, “Tan Sri Jamaludin joins the SEEK Board at an opportune time. Once our three core online employment marketplaces – SEEK, JobStreet and JobsDB – are unified into a single platform next year, we will have the ability to scale efficiencies and unlock vast growth opportunities across APAC.”

“With Asia being a key market for SEEK, Tan Sri Jamaludin’s vast expertise in the technology sector, as well as his astute understanding of the region’s business landscape will be valuable in guiding us in our journey forward,” he added. 

Lastly, Graham Goldsmith, chairman of SEEK, mentioned, “Tan Sri Jamaludin’s experience in the information technology and telecommunications sectors in Asia and his various current roles, are a valuable addition to the expertise and views on the Board, and supports the achievement of SEEK’s continuing growth aspirations in Asia.”

Philippines – As a key to catalysing e-commerce growth for online sellers, WorldFirst, a one-stop digital payment and financial services platform for cross-border trade SMEs has recently revealed its plan to launch its latest digital finance solutions.

The platform will cater to new southeast Asian markets including Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, and Malaysia in 2023 and 2024 and is set to provide online sellers with safe, fast, and reliable cross-border payment and financial services.

For this particular project, SMEs can now swiftly open a multi-currency world account to trade globally. In this case, money is deposited into the local collecting account of the sellers, where it will be immediately combined with the available amount. 

In addition, said world account provides a single user-friendly portal for sellers to manage their growing operations across countries and marketplaces. Sellers can then have tier stores, e-marketplaces and entities, while customising account statements accordingly for reconciliation.

Clara Shi, CEO at WorldFirst and Vice President at Ant Group, expressed her enthusiasm about this project, stating, “Building on our global fintech capabilities and strong success in China, Singapore and other markets, we are confident our secure and fast cross-border payment and e-commerce enablement services can help small businesses in Southeast Asia extend their international footprint.

Following its success in Chinese and Singaporean markets, WorldFirst will offer a hassle-free one-stop store opening services across global marketplaces. With an expedited process across 28 partner e-commerce platforms, set-up time for the seller goes down to within 24 hours.

Through this, sellers may now find a broad array of value-added professional services through WorldFirst and boost their growth in online advertising, logistics, and website development and management. 

Singapore – A total of 8 in 10 Southeast Asians are purposely waiting for Black Friday to fulfil their annual wish lists, a report from Milieu Insight revealed.

The data further showed that more than half, or 63%, across the region willingly wait for Black Friday to make higher-priced purchases, with Vietnam topping the list of countries at 76%.

While the report suggests a wide diversity and priority in Southeast Asia’s shopping list during the Black Friday season, fashion (65%) came out on top, followed by electronic gadgets (56%), and personal care products (56%), who both got the same results.

Interestingly enough, digital channels such as online shopping, app deals, and digital payment transactions showed promising results during the Black Friday shopping spree in the region.

The data from the report highlighted that 72% of people in the region prefer online shopping during Black Friday, showcasing a preference for the convenience and accessibility offered by digital platforms. Among the countries, Indonesia takes the lead, with a whopping 94% now favouring online shopping. Singapore is also closely behind at 81%.

While cash (43%) and cash follows (32%) maintain a significant share of the payment options, almost 65% of Indonesians, 58% of Malaysians, and 58% of Thais already showed strong preference for using e-wallets during their shopping. These numbers surpass the regional average of 50%, underscoring the prevailing regional inclination towards digital transactions.

Social media and cashback apps are also playing significant roles in encouraging more consumers in the region to do their shopping. The reports revealed that social media (69%) and shopping or cashback apps (54%) are among the ones that keep consumers informed about on-going and upcoming Black Friday deals.

This is especially important as deals such as cashback or rebates drive purchasing decisions for Southeast Asians. Cashback or rebates (63%), early access deals (30%), and flash sales (53%) are among the key motivators for consumers to purchase during the shopping season.

These factors underscore the evolving needs of Southeast Asian shoppers, who seek not only discounts but also additional perks that enhance their overall shopping experience.

The data from the Milieu Insight report shows that digital channels have a profound influence on shaping consumer behaviour and driving awareness among Southeast Asians during this shopping bonanza.

Singapore – Grab and Heckler Singapore has recently launched their latest sustainability campaign via BLKJ Havas, which brings a trio of finger characters to life and showcases how a mere tap of the digits can empower eco-friendly choices. 

Aimed at raising awareness among consumers about the significant impact their choices can make, Grab’s ‘Wonder Fingers’ campaign with Heckler Singapore showed that scrolling through our phones could be used for better things like tapping for good.

For this campaign, Heckler got to work using Maya and Cinema4D on three short animated films and assets for a personalised digital report, termed the Grab Personal Impact Story, to showcase the positive outcomes of using Grab.

For the environment, Heckler chose to build backgrounds in 3D that looked like they were made of paper. This aesthetic gave the films a playful base to set the action in, along with some intriguing textures. By modelling and rigging photorealistic human fingers to represent different ethnicities and backgrounds, Heckler also gave them human-like characteristics, including playful eyes that used expressions to communicate the impact the fingers were having.

Cody Amos, creative director at Heckler Singapore, admitted that dressing the fingers up was a challenge as the animation team had to re-imagine them as a full human body in order to know where the cut of a tank top would end or where the hem of a skirt would begin.

“The finger characters themselves were modelled in Maya to look realistic, but with googly eyes and stuck on mouths that we animated to bring their emotions to life. All this detail made it feel halfway between a fun animated film and a puppet show,” Amos said. 

“Because the characters are fingers, we wanted to build the world around them in a way that felt like a miniature set that finger puppets could live in. To give it realism, and add some humour, we made it all look like it was made of paper and cardboard, and even put in flying elements on popsicle sticks, held together with sticky tape,” he added. 

Notably, these simple taps on screens using Grab have contributed to diverting over 8,100 tonnes of waste from landfills and the planting of 200,000 trees, bolstering forest conservation efforts across Southeast Asia.

Singapore – Global brand suitability and contextual advertising platform Channel Factory has strengthened their APAC operations, recently appointing Kevin Rooney to managing director for Southeast Asia and India, and Kriti Jetley to head of sales SEA.

In their new roles, Rooney will be assuming overall responsibility for SEA and India and collaborate with other APAC leaders, whilst Jetley will be instrumental in driving Channel Factory’s sales efforts and building on key client relationships in the SEA region. 

With an impressive career spanning over 20 years, Rooney brings extensive expertise in sales, leadership and marketing, having over 19 years across WPP agencies with his former role being APAC CEO for mSix and Partners. His notable achievements include winning Campaign’s New Business Team of the Year and setting two ‘R3 new business leagues’ records.

On the other hand, Jetley brings with her 14 years of experience in the dynamic digital landscape of the Asia-Pacific region. Most recently Head of Product Marketing at TikTok SEA, she has also held senior sales roles at Criteo and Outbrain, bringing with her an extensive knowledge of the digital ecosystem. 

Speaking on his appointment, Rooney said, “I am honoured to join Channel Factory as Managing Director for Southeast Asia and India, and I look forward to driving the company’s growth in these vibrant markets. Channel Factory’s commitment to transforming the media landscape through brand suitability and advanced technology aligns perfectly with my passion for innovation and business development.”

Speaking on her appointment as well, Jetley also mentioned, “I am proud to now be a part of Channel Factory, a company that is at the forefront of revolutionising brand suitability by aligning content seamlessly with advertisers’ needs.”

“In the era of burgeoning User-Generated Content, reaching in-target audiences at scale has become a challenge for brands and the demand for effective brand suitability solutions has never been more critical. I am thrilled to extend my expertise across the digital landscape and contribute to Channel Factory’s mission in this regard,” she added. 

Meanwhile, Alex Littlejohn, managing director of APAC at Channel Factory, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Kevin and Kriti to the Channel Factory team. Their wealth of media and industry experience will contribute significantly to our growth in the APAC region, and we look forward to achieving great success with this robust team.”

Singapore – Following the momentum of a two-year Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed in April 2023, as well as their previous partnerships, experience and travel services platform Klook and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) have decided to scale up partnership efforts with joint investments of over S$2m to drive inbound tourism to Singapore.

Through this initiative, Klook and STB launched an integrated events marketing campaign to raise awareness of the diverse range of leisure events in Singapore, and will be rolling out a second initiative anchoring on STB’s latest brand campaign ‘Made in Singapore‘.

With a vast array of events to occur in Singapore such as the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, Jumptopia, ZoukOut, and Singapore Comic Con, Klook introduces unique product bundles to enhance the overall experience and facilitate further discovery to encourage visitors to explore Singapore in a more holistic way, in turn driving strong returns for the local tourism and economy.

For the second initiative, the marketing and tactical partnership between STB and Klook in Southeast Asia will focus on digital content powered by Klook’s network of ‘Klook Kreators’, which are micro and nano content creators and affiliates that aim  to drive engagement and conversion.

By using its Kreator channel to create authentic content, Klook is planning to leverage the power of social media to connect travellers to the best of what Singapore has to offer. From beauty and fashion to food, this digital-led campaign aims to engage and inspire social media-savvy travellers in Southeast Asia to experience the unique local Singapore flavour for themselves.

Talking about the partnership, Sarah Wan, general manager of Klook Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, said, “Singapore has been a key destination leading travel recovery within Southeast Asia, and we’re excited to once again partner STB. We aim to inspire travellers by highlighting how Singapore makes unexpected, diverse and unique experiences possible.”

Meanwhile, Terrence Voon, executive director, Southeast Asia of STB, said, “We are delighted to team up with Klook to strengthen Singapore’s position as a compelling travel destination and leading events hub in Southeast Asia. Our new initiatives aim to drive tourism recovery and highlight distinctive experiences that make each journey to Singapore memorable. They will also complement STB’s new Made in Singapore campaign, which showcases how our city transforms ordinary moments into extraordinary experiences.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – With the holiday season around the corner, TikTok Shop gives Malaysian SMEs a boost during this 11.11 sales period by providing greater support for local small businesses with a brand spotlight segment. 

Focusing on Malaysian local brands, Tiktok Shop’s spotlight segment promoted several brands including dessini, casevalker, farm fresh and barang dapur basah as well as its very own Pertarungan Livestream Mega 11.11 (Mega Livestream Showdown 11.11).

This event, which was streamed on TikTok Shop, featured 10 well-loved local creators @tulippetals, @khairulaming, @dearcarynn, @bossa_sce_oe, @bossjerry88, @crackbrader, @aidunoo, @peemondayz, @almiyaz.my, and @akak_e, which took to their livestream sessions and highlighted their 11.11 product promotions as part of one of the biggest e-commerce events of the year.

Shoppers also acquired no minimum spend vouchers available through these livestreams between 8pm to 12 midnight on 11.11 itself to enjoy further savings on their purchases.

Alongside the livestream sessions, as part of the event, TikTok shop also provided entertainment with live performances by talented artists such as @daliafarhana, @gastonpong, @shilaamzahofficial, @itzputridahliaa, and @danialkifli__ .

These efforts by TikTok Shop to assist SMEs follow through from their efforts in 2022, partnering with 50 local ministries, GLCs, Educational institutions, and state governments to provide and build support for its sellers. 

This also includes a joint investment with MDEC worth RM31 million for the DE Dagang initiative, which benefitted 22,000 sellers in the form of product discounts, shipping vouchers, and transaction fee subsidies.

This was further amplified through the TikTok Shop Summit, held in 2023 to celebrate the platform’s 1-year anniversary in the Malaysian market, with TikTok Shop celebrating, educating, and awarding sellers for their contribution to the nation’s economy.

Singapore – Global socially-led creative agency We Are Social has announced its appointment of Omar Sotomayor as its regional executive creative director in Southeast Asia.

In his new role, Sotomayor will oversee the agency’s creative vision and strategy in the region, lead creative excellence, and manage a creative team of more than 30, in locations including Singapore and Indonesia.

He will collaborate with clients, including Samsung Mobile, Netflix, and Google, to deliver innovation and effective creative solutions, while spearheading creative efforts across We Are Social’s specialist offerings in the Southeast Asia region. This includes the agency’s future-tech and innovation arm, .XYZ, which is led by the team in Singapore.

Sotomayor brings 18 years of experience in the advertising industry, and previously was executive creative director & regional community lead at Edelman Singapore, where he helped lead the transformation of the creative department and integrated solutions while driving growth through new business wins.

Speaking on his appointment, Sotomayor said, “I’m excited about We Are Social’s in-house capabilities, talent, and innovative spirit. They have a unique socially-led vision that combines tech and culture, opening doors to creative possibilities. I look forward to learning from the team and helping to reimagine our clients’ businesses.”

Meanwhile, Christina Chong, CEO of We Are Social in Southeast Asia, commented, “I was immediately drawn to Omar’s approach and dedication to his work, his way of thinking, and more generally, his passion for innovation and creativity.His exceptional knowledge and creative experience, alongside his deep understanding of the social and digital landscape, will be invaluable to our clients.”

“His leadership will take our creative teams in Singapore and Indonesia to the next level, all while driving forward the creative offering for .XYZ and in new markets for We Are Social in Southeast Asia,” she added.