Tag: Southeast Asia

Singapore – Singapore-based education technology company and language learning platform for K12 students, LingoAce, has appointed Jeremy Lin, Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, and founder of the Jeremy Lin Foundation, as its first-ever global brand ambassador. 

As part of this ambassadorship, Lin will be collaborating with LingoAce to promote language learning and cross-cultural understanding through education technology. 

Lin knows firsthand the struggles of having to learn a second language – growing up in the United States, with a family living in Asia, he learned Chinese as a child through traditional experiences. Through working with LingoAce, Lin recognises the value of applying technology to create immersive learning experiences and wants to help more children learn languages in this manner. 

The announcement was made last week during Lin’s fireside chat at The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) Partner Summit in Washington D.C. During the chat, he discussed the upcoming documentary about the Linsanity phenomenon 10 years ago, 38 at the Garden. LingoAce will be partnering with TAAF to promote and bring awareness to the film.

Lin shared that growing up and playing basketball in California, he personally knew many kids that had to navigate through inequities in terms of access to education. 

“I am proud to be partnering with LingoAce to help children across the globe from all backgrounds to be open to new cultures and languages, perspectives and wisdom, friendship and connections, as well as futures and possibilities,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Hugh Yao, LingoAce’s CEO and founder, noted that Lin’s personal story, passion for education and bridging cultures, as well as his impact on society, make him the most ideal brand ambassador for LingoAce.

“We’re proud to partner with Jeremy who has shattered entrenched stereotypes through hard work, compassion, and no small amount of grit. We hope our global students learn from his example and aspire to dream like Jeremy,” said Yao.

Singapore – Global web recommendation platform Outbrain has appointed Benjamin Steel, former head of business development for APAC at advertising agency Bench, to be its new general manager for SEA. 

In his new role, Steel, who will be based in Singapore, will be responsible for developing Outbrain‘s regional business strategy and digital growth, leading a successful business team and delivering revenue growth from both publisher and advertiser sales.

Steel has a wealth of experience in APAC, having spent eight years based in Singapore. Aside from his previous role at Bench, Steel has held senior sales management roles at eGentic and AB Tasty. Moreover, he has held various roles in Australia, including new business manager at Yahoo, where he was tasked with launching Yahoo Native.

Commenting on his appointment, Steel said that Outbrain is a rapidly growing company and now is an excellent time to join the team, as he aspires to make a positive difference here.

“Great content matters even more today than ever before. Outbrain publishers can expect continued support to better monetise journalism and independent journalism as we expand deeper into South East Asia regions,” he added.

Meanwhile, Andrew Burke, Outbrain’s managing director for APAC and growth markets (India, China, and Brazil), shared that Steel brings a strong track record of digital technology experience and is the ideal candidate to help lead the business in South East Asia, a region that is becoming increasingly important to their business.

“As Outbrain’s new general manager, we know Benjamin is committed to growing our existing presence in the market. He already has plans to expand the publisher base and deepen relationships with marketers and agencies using our innovative monetisation tools. In doing so, we’re working towards building a thriving native advertising ecosystem in the region,” said Burke.

He added, “His expertise in digital advertising and ability to collaborate in a team-oriented environment will advance our growth in the region, and we are very much looking forward to working with him.”

Singapore – Esker, the global cloud platform and AI-driven process automation solutions provider for finance and customer service functions, has partnered with HitPay, a full-stack payment provider offering a full range of payment methods that include credit cards, BNPL and local e-wallets in Asia.

With HitPay, Esker customers in Asia can now offer additional payment options to their customers, such as Paynow, Grabpay, and Alipay. HitPay’s payment solution is fully integrated with Esker’s Accounts Receivable solution, offering a wide range of options to get paid faster by providing additional payment methods that are available throughout Asia.

Aditya Haripurkar, HitPay’s co-founder and CEO, commented, “HitPay is dedicated to helping companies grow with scalable, easy-to-use payment solutions. We’re delighted to partner with Esker and drive the success of businesses around the globe.”

Meanwhile, Albert Leong, Esker Asia’s managing director, said, “We continue to make strategic partnerships for innovative local and global payment solutions to enrich the portfolio of Esker Pay. The partnership with HitPay will provide our customers with additional payment options such as Paynow, Grabpay, Alipay and more.”

Manila, Philippines – Women’s health ecosystem in Asia, Ease Healthcare, has officially launched its digital health services and mobile app in the Philippines, aimed at empowering Filipinas with the tools and support they need to make informed decisions about their sexual, reproductive, and menstrual health and wellness. 

Through the Ease app, users can gain access to convenient, affordable, personalised, and credible women’s health information and services from the comfort of their own homes. Users can access teleconsultations with leading local medical professionals for their various women’s health needs, as well as opt for discreet medication delivered right to their doorsteps within one to two business days in Metro Manila and Antipolo, and three to 10 days for the rest of the Philippines. Ease will also be building more in-app community features localised to the specific needs of Filipino women.

As part of the app launch, Ease has partnered with ‘It’s OK to Delay’, an SBC (social and behaviour change) campaign by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) ReachHealth project, to educate young adults in the Philippines about family planning and contraception. This partnership has launched a virtual live event, ‘Girls Helping Girls’, which was held in April 2022, focused on family planning.

Together with local organisations such as Philippine Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), Ease also aims to address four key access gaps for women’s health in the Philippines through its services, namely inconvenience, high costs, stigma, and lack of education. 

Juan Antonio A. Perez III, POPCOM’s executive director, said that in a conservative society like the Philippines, women’s health is not often openly discussed, which has led many young women to come unprepared in making informed decisions about family planning and their own sexual and reproductive health matters. 

“We’re excited to democratise conversations on women’s health with Ease, and we look forward to more partnerships with them in the future,” added Perez.

Meanwhile, Guadalupe Lazaro, Ease Healthcare’s co-founder, noted, “Besides providing greater education, we also wanted to build a safe community for women to exchange information and ideas without feeling judged so that more could make informed decisions about their own health. Through these efforts, we hope to change the landscape of women’s health in the Philippines.”

Rio Ho, Ease Healthcare’s co-founder, shared that today, they have over 12,000 women in the Philippines alone using their app and teleconsultation services, and they look forward to growing this community with this official launch. 

“We hope to establish ourselves as a trusted and reliable source for women’s health services and education in the country,” said Ho.

Jakarta, Indonesia – As the digital era poses challenges to businesses which require them to get support from advanced technology to excel in the domestic and global competition, Indonesia’s conglomerate company Salim Group has established a joint venture with technology company WIR Group to develop a metaverse platform that will help them maintain their business leadership and competitiveness, and at the same time drive the development of the metaverse platform in Indonesia. 

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for this strategic partnership was signed by Michel Budi Wirjatmo, WIR Group’s president director, and Axton Salim, Salim Group’s executive director.

Commenting on the partnership, Salim said, “We see that our partnership with WIR Group will bring us great opportunities for the growth and development of our business in the future. Through the adoption of the metaverse platform, we can explore the potentials and business opportunities that are unimaginable before.”

Meanwhile, Wirjatmo thanked Salim Group for its trust to collaborate and establish a joint venture with WIR Group, and underlined WIR Group’s commitment to keeping the trust by presenting leading technology solutions based on the company’s expertise and experience in developing metaverse technologies that have been recognized in many countries.

“We have the capability to build and develop virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI) that will support Salim Group in entering the borderless digital era through the metaverse technology that we are developing,” said Wirjatmo.

He added, “With our expertise and experience in building and developing metaverse technology since 2009 to complete thousands of projects in the US, Germany, Spain, Nigeria, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Myanmar, WIR Group is confident in assisting the industry, including Salim Group, to enter and explore the metaverse world, to make innovations and breakthroughs, and to optimize every opportunity.”

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Digital property marketplace PropertyGuru in Malaysia has awarded a nine-month social media content strategy retainer to Aforemention, a performance marketing agency under creative firm Forefront Group. 

The partnership will see a new content series called ‘#GuruKnows’, aimed at guiding home seekers in making confident decisions by curating some of PropertyGuru Malaysia’s best content. A masthead that pays homage to PropertyGuru’s brand colours of red, yellow, white, and grey, is featured alongside the content series to highlight the function and purpose of the website. The design elements also feature a persona with a smart hairstyle and glasses, portraying an intelligent guru full of property knowledge — a nod to the ‘guru’ identity, and the letter ‘O’ is stylised with a magnifying glass to symbolise how easy it is for users to find their answers. 

Moreover, the partnership entails Aforemention being responsible for PropertyGuru Malaysia’s social media content management and other performance marketing duties under the ‘#GuruKnows’ content series. The agency will also work on elevating PropertyGuru Malaysia’s social content to further enhance their position as the property industry leader for the current buyers, as well as future buyers.

Darien Mah, Forefront Group’s founder, said, “This is a pivotal point for brands to start communicating with property buyers of the future. The aspiration to lead a good life starts early, it is up to industry players to grab their attention and nurture their intents as early as possible.” 

Meanwhile, Sylvester Hiew, Aforemention’s partner, commented, “We are excited about the creative potential. By injecting pop-culture references and memes into our assets, we can equip aspiring property buyers with crucial knowledge and at the same time keep them entertained.”

Singapore – Luxury hotel Fairmont Singapore has partnered with Razer, the global lifestyle brand for gamers, to launch its first gamer-centric suites, creating a premier experience that will appeal to all gamers from amateurs to pros.

The new offering transforms three luxury suites into true gaming havens decked out with Razer’s peripherals, and paired with hospitality touches and amenities, letting guests engage in a range of immersive game genres, as well as explore a host of pampering lifestyle treats within the surrounds of the hotel.

For the Razer Gamer and Streamer Suite, the gaming den is a LAN experience with widescreen monitors and luminescent green LED light strips that will let guests feel like an esports pro about to enter their first-ever tournament. It is fitted with Razer peripherals and hardware, allowing ten players to come together IRL to finesse their games or pit their skills against one another.

Moreover, streamers can take over the streaming booth where they can choose to display graphics on the wall-mounted TVs, or for gaming communities to watch on Twitch while they narrate and commentate on the streams. The booth will be armed with Razer’s latest broadcaster line-up for an optimised streaming experience. 

Meanwhile, in the Razer Console Lounge, gamers can enjoy into the plush sofa and bean bags, jazzed up with the latest Xbox and PlayStation 5 consoles, along with Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma controllers. It also consists of dining and mini bar menus, from a selection of pizzas, burgers, charcuterie, and cheese, as well as assorted snacks and drinks that will be served right to any of the suites to enjoy. Accommodating up to six players, the suite is also perfect for intimate, casual gaming sessions amongst friends and families.

For the Razer Mercury Suite, the room is illuminated with fun, customisable colour-changing light panels that add flair to the 3v3 gaming set-up. This suite is a gamer and streamer’s paradise fitted with the latest Razer technology.

Fairmont Singapore’s luxury gaming suites are available to book now, and will open to the public on 24 May 2022 and will be available until April 2023. Play times are from 9:00 am to 11:00 pm SGT daily.

Marcus Hanna, the managing director of Fairmont Singapore and Swissôtel The Stamford, shared that they are pleased to partner with Razer, one of the most recognised and notable gaming lifestyle brands in the world, to introduce the ultimate gamer-centric experience marrying Fairmont Singapore’s thoughtful hospitality and Razer’s gaming innovation. 

“Building on our success of hosting last year’s ONE Esports Dota 2 Singapore Major, the launch of our luxury gaming suites is set to capture the gaming niche and diverse communities of players in a time when gaming has permeated the mainstream and become a ubiquitous form of fun and entertainment. At the heart of it, it also reflects our continued focus and commitment towards bringing unique experiences that appeal to the different passions and ages,” said Hanna.

Meanwhile, Flo Gutierrez, Razer’s director of global esports, commented that they are thrilled to bring to life a new way for esports enthusiasts to enjoy their best games and build incredible memories with their friends in a unique location like Fairmont Singapore.

“Esports has grown tremendously in popularity, becoming a familiar fixture in mainstream entertainment. And so, we have been working hand in hand with Fairmont Singapore’s team to create three unique suites made to offer phenomenal experiences to whoever enters them for a casual, hardcore, or competitive gaming experience,” said Guttierrez.

Manila, Philippines – Local fiat and crypto wallet services provider Coins.ph has raised US$30m in their latest series C funding to accelerate investment in its Web3 ecosystem, as well as expand its presence in Southeast Asia.

In addition, the additional funding will support the company by reinforcing the platform’s crypto-native credentials and adding new products and services. Current growth plans include adding more cryptocurrency tokens, upgrading and relaunching the Coins.Pro exchange, offering additional crypto-focused merchant and payment services, supporting GameFi and guild management products, and entering new geographies.

For Wei Zhou, CEO of Coins.ph, the new funding is a significant milestone for the platform, and will allow them to accelerate and scale faster, bringing them one step closer to achieving their vision of being the go-to platform for all crypto, Web3, and P2E gaming in Southeast Asia.

He also added that as the Philippines continues to witness the mass adoption of cryptocurrencies, there is a real need for a secure, regulated, and user-friendly product in the market. Zhou also noted that they are solving that problem by delivering crypto and payment services that allow their customers to access, invest, trade, and spend their crypto assets seamlessly as a part of their daily lifestyles.

“We enable our users, even those without bank accounts, to easily access a wide range of financial services directly from their mobile phones. Our mission is to increase financial inclusion across Southeast Asia’s largely unbanked population of 650 million through our highly trusted brand and long track record of operating in full compliance with regulations. We see a massive opportunity to capture new users as engagement with Web3 surges in the Philippines and beyond. We will continue to build upon our leading market share and acquire new customers with a product that connects digital-first users with real-world goods and services,” he stated.

Coins.ph had been previously bought out by Zhou, who previously served as the chief financial officer at Binance, alongside Joffre Capital. Through the buyout, Zhou has been appointed as Coins.ph’s new CEO, as well as serving as CEO of the platform’s holding company that also operates Thailand’s blockchain-enabled platform, Coins.co.th.

Manila, Philippines – Shopper marketing consultancy, Behaviorally, has announced its expansion to the Philippines, servicing its clients from a new Manila hub, with Joy Abella-Yu, former senior director for business development and media at insights and consulting company Kantar Philippines, joining as the new vice president.

Aside from her previous role at Kantar, Abella-Yu has also held leadership roles at numerous research agencies, as well as client companies, including Johnson & Johnson, The Hershey Company, and Procter & Gamble, amongst others. She has over 15 years of market and consumer insights experience having worked throughout SEA and in the US. Abella-Yu will be joined by Kat Lim, Behaviorally’s director of client development, servicing brands in the region from the new hub.

According to Behaviorally, this move is the latest in Behaviorally’s rapid expansion in Asia and globally including new offices in Switzerland, Australia, New York City, France, and Germany. Behaviorally applies a digital-first approach to shopper research, a unique behavioural framework, state of the art AI technology, and decades of category expertise to define and diagnose the factors that influence consumer behaviour and drive shopper growth at both the digital and physical shelf.

Crispin Beale, Behaviorally’s group president, said that Abella-Yu’s extensive experience will help FMCG companies in and outside of Asia shape their go-to-market and retail strategies, as well as develop successful innovations.

“Plus her knowledge of media and digital trends make her the perfect fit for helping us implement our strategic vision in this region and guide our customers to success,” added Beale.

Singapore – Digital commerce enabler in SEA, Synagie, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Singapore Management University (SMU), aimed at co-developing digital education and training programmes. 

The programmes are specially designed to address the specific talent and skills shortages faced by the technology and e-commerce sector in the region. It seeks to upskill over 3,000 sector professionals by 2025. 

More than 60 SMU-certified programmes across seven areas of focus will be co-developed by SMU Academy (SMUA), the professional training arm of SMU and Synagie Commerce Academy (SCA). These include personal development, customer business development, channel development management, marketing and creative services, and supply chain operations, as well as customer engagement solutions, and business analytics solutions.

Complemented by SMUA’s highly interactive, collaborative, and project-based approach to learning, the modules delivered at SMUA will be taught by leading e-commerce and tech experts with industry experience. The programmes will be launched progressively in the latter part of this year. Participants, who will successfully complete the programme, will receive a certificate jointly issued by SMU and SCA.

Jack Lim, Singapore Management University Academy’s executive director, shared that the partnership with Synagie signifies their commitment to deepening collaboration and engagement with the industry to create practical learning programmes for adult learners who are looking to upskill and reskill. 

“Drawing from the proven andragogy expertise of SMU Academy and industry knowledge from Synagie, these programmes will serve to better equip the workforce with in-demand digital skills, eCommerce experience and bridge talent and skill gaps in this era of disruption,” said Lim.

Meanwhile, Olive Tai, Synagie’s managing director and co-founder, believes that to truly maintain their position as global leaders of the e-commerce sector, SEA’s e-commerce and tech players must come together to inspire and build the next generation of talent. 

“Synagie’s partnership with SMU marks significant milestones for two of the company’s stategic schemes – Synagie Commerce Academy (SCA) and Synagie Partner and Network (SPAN) – roadmapped to propel and future proof the Company position as Digitial Commerce’s leader and change agent for good,” said Tai.