Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Global financial services company Mastercard and superapp Grab have joined hands to launch the ‘Small Business, Big Dreams’ regional programme to digitally upskill gig economy workers and small businesses in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. This collaboration is part of Strive Community, a global philanthropic initiative developed by the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and Caribou Digital that aims to support the resilience and growth of five million small businesses around the world.

The new regional programme includes the launch of two online business courses for Grab’s driver and delivery-partners aspiring to start new businesses, and small business owners seeking to grow in a competitive digital economy. It aims to enable small businesses to reach their full potential by supporting them to digitise their operations, unlock their access to financial services, and more effectively participate in the digital economy.

The two new online courses, namely the ‘Driver Entrepreneurship Toolkit’ and the ‘Small Business Toolkit’, were created based on survey insights from over 34,000 driver-partners and 600 small businesses in the region. Although almost all small businesses surveyed use smartphones for their businesses, 42% still rely solely on paper and pen to manage their businesses.

“Many Southeast Asians working in the informal sector aspire for more, but the reality is that a lot of them do not have the means or the opportunity to access quality training programs. Through our partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, we hope to give gig workers and small businesses a boost to get started. Our ‘Small Business, Big Dreams’ programme will equip them with business knowledge and practical skills through a structured learning journey tailored to their needs and interest areas,” said Cheryl Goh, group head of marketing and sustainability at Grab.

Meanwhile, Payal Dalal, SVP of social impact, international markets, and centre for inclusive growth at Mastercard, commented that they are delighted to work with Grab on this initiative that will boost digital capacity and inclusion amongst aspiring entrepreneurs and small businesses post-pandemic.

“Mastercard has globally committed to bringing a total of 1 billion people and 50 million micro and small businesses into the digital economy by 2025. Today’s announcement follows the success of Mastercard Academy 2.0 in Indonesia, Business Cell in the Philippines, BSR’s HER Project Digital Wage in Cambodia, and Care Ignite in Vietnam, which have empowered millions of small businesses to access technology, training, mentorship, and financial services,” she said.

Singapore – European-headquartered digital media, gaming and entertainment company Azerion has announced the formal launch of its high-impact ad auction and gaming SSP ‘Azerion’s Improve Digital’ in Australia and Southeast Asia. This follows Azerion’s APAC launch in July this year.

The proprietary SSP enables publishers to sell digital ad inventory across their web, mobile and app-based properties, while allowing advertisers to deliver high-impact creative ads to consumers with a strong focus on brand and performance results.

In addition, it enables advertisers to reach highly engaged and diverse audiences across Azerion’s owned-and-operated web properties, as well as independent digital publishers. The company’s advertising auction platform provides media buyers with high-impact ad formats across publisher sites and game titles through standard display, native, skin and video ads.

As a full-featured SSP, it allows multiple ways of monetising publisher inventory including header bidding, programmatic guaranteed or via private marketplaces. The burgeoning in-game advertising also brings more choice and flexibility for sellers and buyers to connect directly and conduct ad transactions.

Elizabeth Grant, operations and commercial director for JAPAC at Azerion, said, “The cornerstone of Azerion’s advertising auction platform Improve Digital is that by merging in-game advertising with our high impact creative technology, we place attention, brand and performance at the centre of every marketing campaign.”

She also added that the Asia-Pacific market is yet to reach its full potential and presents an untapped opportunity for advertisers seeking to reach gaming audiences, which vary wildly in demographic and cultural background.

“The gaming audience is growing exponentially across mobile, casual and social formats and brands have a unique opportunity to take part in this growth. We expect advertisers to increasingly embark on the journey of deploying our gaming and technology expertise to connect with hard-to-reach audiences across web, mobile and app,” she added.

Singapore – Travel service provider Trip.com has launched a new interactive social campaign called ‘Just Like That’, which leverages the latest traveller preferences and insights to make it easier than ever for consumers to meet loved ones abroad and explore the world again as borders reopen and restrictions ease.

With many COVID-related travel constraints removed, Trip.com continues its journey to make reconnection and rediscovery a snap – especially with many avid travellers already setting out for their next adventure and exploring global destinations ‘Just Like That’.

As part of Trip.com’s first social campaign in Southeast Asia post-pandemic, the innovative travel service provider is collaborating with over 100 KOLs in markets across Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia to storytell the emotional aspects of travel, such as reconnecting with loved ones as well as showcasing the ease of using Trip.com for travel bookings. 

The KOLs include @adirasalahudi, @syarif.ig, @widsawaphatiew. The campaign will demonstrate how simple it is to book a fulfilling travel experience that fits each consumer’s needs, be it planning a romantic honeymoon in the Maldives, having an inspiring off-site meeting in Bali, or a culinary trip in Tokyo.

In addition, Trip.com will be running a #MyTripJustLikeThat giveaway on social media from now to 20 November 2022. Trip.com users from Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand stand to win prizes worth up to S$1,200, MYR 4,200 and THB 35,000 respectively, including Trip coins, hotel vouchers, tickets and more.

Singapore – Global food company Mondelez International has announced the appointment of Hemant Rupani as its new president of its Southeast Asia business unit. He was previously the managing director of Mondelez Kinh Do Vietnam, and replaces Glenn Caton who has moved to a global role.

In his new role, Rupani will be responsible for the SEA cluster of markets including the exports business in the broader Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region, leading growth and end-to-end business.

Rupani is an accomplished leader with over 20 years of experience working in India, US and Vietnam covering various industries including food and beverage (F&B), telecommunications, and consulting. Prior to joining Mondelez International in 2016, he worked with several leading organisations including PepsiCo, Vodafone, Britannia, and Infosys Technologies.

Speaking about his appointment, Hemant said, “The SEA business has been on an accelerated growth path driven by increasing consumption, digital penetration, talented population, and cultural diversity in the region.”

He added, “We have built a reign as category leaders across segments with our portfolio of iconic global brands and local jewels. Combining our solid team, local-first strategy, and robust investments, we are in a strong position to lead the future of snacking and drive sustainable growth forward.”

Manila, Philippines – Philippine-based data analytics platform Packworks has officially launched its business intelligence tool ‘Sari IQ’, which provides data analytics on the behaviour and spending habits of consumers who buy their needs in traditional ‘mom-and-pop stores’, known locally as ‘sari-sari’ stores.

The platform launch was announced by Ibba Bernardo, Packworks’ co-founder and chief marketing officer, at the IMMAP DigiCon Valley 2022 held virtually on October 11, 2022.

The Sari IQ dashboard provides real-time and historic information on consumer spending and can be configured to develop an analysis for product types sold in small retail formats. It gives retailers and multinational brands complete visibility into sari-sari stores’ operations, allowing them to extend their slow-moving products and services to a wider pool of customers. Analysis through the platform also helps them come up with data-driven decisions to increase sales of sari-sari store owners by understanding and predicting consumer demand within their area.

Moreover, the platform tracks information from Packworks’ broad network of almost 200,000 sari-sari stores nationwide that use its super app called ‘Super Sari Store’.

“Sari IQ is the trusted, go-to partner for sari-sari stores that empowers businesses to be on top of their brand’s performance and make data-driven decisions every day,” said Andres Montiel, Packworks’ chief data officer.

In Packworks’ latest study, Sari IQ showed that Filipinos tend to care more about their hygiene than their empty stomach as they prioritise buying self-care products such as hair shampoo and conditioner in sari-sari stores located in areas previously battered by natural calamities.

Indonesia – Public relations and content marketing agency Mutant has appointed Tanya Tresnasari, former general manager of Golin and Weber Shandwick, to be its new country manager for Indonesia.

In her new role, Tresnasari will be leading, running, and delivering strategic and results-driven campaigns across PR, content, social media, and branding.

Tresnasari brings more than 20 years of experience in the communications industry, spanning advertising, activation, and public relations. At Golin and Weber Shandwick, she was instrumental in driving cross-practice collaboration and helped to diversify the agency’s roster with key clients, including Sanofi, MSD, Clubhouse, Linktree, Carousell, Shell, and Hyundai, as well as Cathay Pacific, and Singapore Airlines, amongst others. 

Mutant said that expanding to Indonesia was the next logical step for the agency after a successful decade in Singapore and robust growth in Malaysia since its launch in 2019.

Commenting on her appointment, Tresnasari said, “Just as the name suggests, Mutant is constantly evolving. I’m excited to bring the agency’s blended PR, content, social and branding approach and adapt it for clients locally. With the addition of new hires, Mutant Indonesia has already hit the ground running, and I look forward to welcoming and driving real business outcomes for clients.”

Meanwhile, Joseph Barratt, founder and CEO of Mutant, noted, “It’s an exciting time to enter the market, with a differentiated offering that combines PR, content, social media, and branding to help businesses succeed. I can’t think of anyone better than Tanya to lead us through this, and pave the way for Mutant’s next chapter.”

In addition, Gabriela Gunawan also joins Mutant Indonesia as a PR Manager. Previously from Golin Jakarta and Weber Shandwick, Gunawan has worked with a variety of clients, including Morgan Stanley, Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, and SK-II, as well as Mastercard.

Manila, Philippines – Tier One Entertainment, the Philippine-based gaming and esports entertainment company, will be launching its latest incubator programme ‘ALLIANCE’. This aims to gather a curated list of Web3 content creators and train them to be top-notch opinion leaders shaping the future of content creation in the global blockchain and crypto industry.

For this programme, Tier One Entertainment has appointed Tyrone Anthony Bretaña as the head of ALLIANCE. He has worked with some of the biggest brands in fintech and e-commerce for eight years. With an early adopter mentality, Bretaña has the vision to lead the ALLIANCE into becoming a global collective that will drive traffic and mainstream adoption of Web 3 while promoting the values of authenticity, relevance, and legitimacy.

The new programme’s initial list includes professional basketball player Jared Dillinger, holistic wellness coach Chris Tan, gaming content creator Crisostomo ‘Chibiby’ Tan Jr., multimedia creative John Sedano, and DJ and producer Patty Tiu, as well as architect and artist Timi Sky, and filmmaker and entrepreneur Janina Manipol. 

Also joining them are business executives like Block Tides founder Myrtle Ramos, Stock Smarts CEO Marvin Germo, and Tetrix CEO Emman Navalan who have etched their names in the Web3 community.

“As a company that has multi-millions in following in the Web2 space, our role is to be able to help bring the attention and the traffic and help contribute to the mainstream adaptation of Web3. We are confident that our future plans for Web3 will help bring a new generation of users to the exciting space,” said Tryke Gutierrez, CEO of Tier One Entertainment. 

Previously, Tier One Entertainment conducted its influencer programs such as AMPLFY, ARDENT, and ASCEND, which elevated the video game streaming careers of SB19’s Josh Cullen, Filipino actress Sharlene San Pedro, and streamer and content creator Khenji Saito. It also launched The Gaming House with ABS-CBN, a reality show featuring gaming personalities, the first of its kind in Asia. This is on top of managing athletes under Blacklist International, a world champion in mobile esports.

Singapore – Digital brand agency Bonsey Jaden has welcomed Daniel Loo as its new regional executive creative director for Southeast Asia, and brings with him over twenty years of experience that followed the industry shift from traditional to digital media.

He has previously led creative teams in some of the top international advertising agencies in Malaysia including Ogilvy, McCann and Hakuhodo. A copywriter at his core, Loo has also acted as the regional head of copy at Grab—at a time when the company was changing rapidly—giving him a necessary cross-cultural perspective on what drives the coming waves of new businesses.

Speaking on his appointment, Loo said, “I was really drawn to Bonsey Jaden’s adaptable and very flexible culture because one thing I’ve learned over the past two decades is there are no clear-cut solutions, especially now; the digital space has expanded and changed so much.” 

He added, “I’ve always been interested in the way advertising evolves, so it’s been both fascinating and daunting to witness that change, but it’s also taught me that these so-called ‘soft skills’—being resilient, being curious, being able to wrap your head around the experiences of others—are objectively far more valuable than society would have us believe.”

Meanwhile, Daniel Posavac, co-founder and CEO at Bonsey Jaden, commented, “I consider us very fortunate to have connected with Daniel Loo at the right time. It’s not often you come across talent with such depth and breadth of experience, who also knows when and how to bend or break a rule if it’s just going to work. I feel that Daniel’s work speaks for itself, and we are excited about him joining our leadership team and heading up one of our largest teams in the business.”

Loo’s appointment follows the recent appointments at Bonsey Jaden, including Marvin Duval as new head of strategy and Sherwin Kukreja as new head of social media. Bonsey Jaden has primary investment from the CUE Group, and more recently the two companies have collaborated in launching a data-driven solution targeted at the retail industry.

Singapore – Southeast Asian property technology company PropertyGuru has announced its new brand repositioning that is centred around guidance to everyone in the property journey – including property seekers, sellers, agents, developers, banks, valuers, and city planners.

The new brand positioning–‘Where every step of your journey will be guided by Guru’–reflects PropertyGuru’s vision to be a trusted advisor. It echoes the Group’s mission to help property seekers, sellers and owners make confident property decisions, beyond ‘property search’.

PropertyGuru also introduced a new enterprise brand, ‘PropertyGuru For Business’ as it doubles down on innovative solutions that will guide its property enterprise partners to achieve their business goals. ‘PropertyGuru For Business’ unifies PropertyGuru’s business-to-business (B2B) offerings and is designed to guide enterprise clients such as property developers, agencies, banks, valuers, and policy/city planners. 

Other proprietary solutions including PropertyGuru Finance, DataSense, ValueNet, FastKey and event solutions, PropertyGuru For Business will deliver synergies by leveraging data and technology, to help all enterprise clients tap into new growth opportunities and optimise efficiency. 

Hari V. Krishnan, chief executive officer and managing director at PropertyGuru Group, said, “As Southeast Asia’s market leader, the Group is acting upon the responsibility of helping everyone in their property journey make more confident decisions. We will be the infrastructure through which anyone seeking or selling property can make confident property decisions because every interaction is upheld by principles that create trust between users.” 

He added, “That infrastructure is the ‘Property Trust Platform’. We are introducing data solutions that bring transparency, use our innovations in technology to deliver efficiency and digitise property buying and selling, as we guide all our stakeholders on their property journey.”

Meanwhile, Remona Duquesne, director of brand at PropertyGuru Group, added, “Our brand repositioning reflects a strategic pivot into the Group’s new phase of growth outlining our value proposition that the Group offers, beyond search. We want to be right there at every step of the property journey, providing guidance in a market that is filled with complexity, mistrust, and anxiety. We will be that guide.” 

She added, “The brand repositioning sees a new narrative that better reflects our evolution. We will also enhance the experiences created across all platforms, from our offline presence to website, apps, and social platforms.”

Malaysia – Car e-commerce platform Carsome has started its workforce reduction across all operations in SEA. The move will impact a number of employees, who will receive their full severance package and extended health benefits until the end of the year, as per Carsome.

In a report made by Tech Wire Asia, Carsome stated that it will now be focusing on enhancing productivity by aligning resources with contributions to the bottom line and enforcing stricter performance management, which is part of employee base optimisation.

Moreover, the same report said that the layoffs follow Carsome’s announcement of its group-wide accelerated profitability plan to achieve its target of positive EBITDA within the next few quarters. 

In a statement, Carsome said, “This plan includes accelerating its integration with the newly-acquired iCar and WapCar ecosystem of companies, as well as employee base optimization, and automation of processes to further increase group efficiency.”