Investment & Market Trends

KUALA LUMPUR: Ayudante, the Japan-based leading digital marketing and digital measurement consulting agency dedicated to helping clients use data to drive business in the digital age, today announces its acquisition of Sparkline, a Singapore-based independent digital marketing business and pioneering Certified Partner and Reseller of Google Marketing Platform (GMP), making Sparkline a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ayudante. Sparkline has the sales rights for Google Marketing Platform and has a strong business in Malaysia. This acquisition marks a significant regional milestone, showcasing a successful example of a regional acquisition by a Japanese company and bolstering confidence in the ability of regional companies to exit to international buyers. Sparkline, one of the first Google Marketing Platform Certified Partners and Resellers in Asia, has established a reputation for its industry-leading expertise in data utilization consulting. Ayudante, the first Japanese Google Marketing Platform Certified Partner and Reseller, has been expanding its international team to support the global business expansion of its Japanese clients. The acquisition of Sparkline by Ayudante underscores the increasing interest of multinational companies in Southeast Asia’s dynamic tech ecosystems. With Malaysia being a critical market in this region, businesses can now access Ayudante’s certified services of Google Marketing Platform. This is in line with the growing demand for data analytics and digital marketing solutions in Malaysia, driven by the government’s emphasis on digital transformation and the adoption of advanced technologies across various sectors. Hiroshi Yasukawa, CEO of Ayudante, said: “I am pleased to be partnered with Sparkline, which has the longest history in our business field in Singapore. Together, we aim to become the top GMP reseller in the Asia Pacific region.” Aleetza Senn, CEO and founder of Sparkline, said: “Sparkline has always been about providing bespoke and agnostic analytics services to businesses using digital data for customer and marketing growth. This alignment with Ayudante is really exciting and helps us scale that vision to many more businesses in the region, especially at a time when the industry is being disrupted due to privacy regulations and change.” Besides the Google Marketing Platform business, the collaboration will also focus on SEO across multiple languages and digital marketing. The companies’ developers will work together to enhance data development, automation related to tags, and digital marketing services in the era of GenAI. This strategic move is timely for Malaysia, where businesses are increasingly relying on sophisticated data analytics and automation to stay competitive. The names of the respective companies will not change, and the conditions of the acquisition have not been publicly disclosed. Following the acquisition, Naohiro Yamaura, COO of Ayudante, will assume the position of Chairman of the Board at Sparkline under the new management structure. He is one of the most successful figures in the Google Marketing Platform business in Japan, having authored eight books and leading the industry. Moving forward, Yamaura will collaborate with CEO Aleetza to accelerate Sparkline’s growth in the Malaysia market.

KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Amazon announced that they have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to bolster export capabilities of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. Under the agreement, both parties will join forces to spearhead the “Go Global with Amazon and MATRADE” initiative which will help Malaysia brand owners and sellers seize cross-border business opportunities with Amazon Global Selling. Amazon Global Selling helps businesses from anywhere in the world to launch a global business, build international brands and reach Amazon’s hundreds of millions of worldwide active customer accounts. MATRADE and Amazon will partner to raise awareness and provide essential knowledge about cross-border e-commerce to Malaysia brand owners and sellers. Amazon Global Selling will share insights and expertise, facilitate training workshops, and guide businesses through the Amazon seller journey, including account registration, product preparation, listing, shipping, advertising, and more. MATRADE and Amazon will work closely to showcase success stories of Malaysia-based sellers selling overseas on Amazon – such as in the U.S. and EU stores, inspiring and motivating other local small business owners to start their cross-border business with Amazon Global Selling. In addition, MATRADE will support and promote Amazon Global Selling’s training activities to relevant local entities, including businesses, authorities, and business associations to foster greater participation. The MoU will strengthen and open new opportunities for MATRADE and Amazon’s collaboration which first started in 2021. The latest joint initiative took place in April 2024 in Kuala Lumpur and consisted of an in-person seller workshop which saw strong participation from Malaysia sellers. “We are thrilled to partner with Amazon in our efforts to empower Malaysian SMEs in international markets,” said Dato’ Seri Reezal Merican Naina Merican, MATRADE Chairman who witnessed the MoU Exchange today. “This MoU highlights our commitment to helping them, leverage e-Commerce in expanding their global footprint. Together with Amazon, we aim to provide Malaysian SMEs with the essential tools, knowledge, and support to succeed in today’s competitive global marketplace.” Anand Palit, Head of Amazon Global Selling in Southeast Asia, said, “We are excited to strengthen our collaboration with MATRADE to empower Malaysia SMEs to leverage Amazon’s global reach. We are observing a growing interest from Malaysia sellers to sell overseas with Amazon. In fact, the number of new Malaysia sellers selling their products overseas through Amazon Global Selling nearly doubled in the January-April 2024 period compared to the same period the year before. The MoU with MATRADE will provide Malaysia brand owners with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to seize cross-border business opportunities as Amazon sellers.” Amazon’s global infrastructure and resources to help sellers sell overseas Amazon is continuously investing in logistics, tools, services, programs, and people to foster the growth of sellers’ businesses on Amazon worldwide. Globally, more than 60% of sales in the Amazon store come from independent sellers—most of which are small and medium-sized businesses. Amazon has 23 stores globally and can ship products to customers in over 200 countries and territories. Through Amazon services like Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), sellers can scale their business more easily with Amazon helping them store, pick, pack and ship their products, while also taking care of customer service and product returns. With Supply Chain by Amazon, an end-to-end, fully automated set of supply chain services, sellers can quickly and reliably move products from manufacturing locations to customers around the world. Amazon provides tools to sellers such as the Customer Loyalty Analytics Dashboard and Brand Tailored Promotions which can help provide upsell and retention capabilities tailored to different customer segments and build stronger relationships with customers and boost brand and product-level loyalty. Amazon constantly listens to selling partners’ feedback to innovate to improve the seller experience. For example, in order to reduce time spent on generating accurate listings, a set of generative AI capabilities have been launched to make it faster and easier for sellers to list new products.

KUALA LUMPUR: KL Bunkering Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between Bursa Malaysia-listed Hiap Huat Holdings Bhd (HHH) and KL Platform Services Sdn Bhd (KLPS), has commenced the construction of an RM100 million liquid bulk storage terminal at West Port in Port Klang. This deal comprises a 46+12-year land lease agreement obtained from Westports Malaysia Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of Westports Holdings Bhd. This development responds to Malaysia’s increasing demand for liquid bulk storage and underscores KL Bunkering’s commitment to environmental sustainability and innovative industry practices. The new terminal, set to be a game-changer in the industry, will occupy a strategic location at West Port. This prime positioning will enable the terminal to capitalise on West Port’s superior connectivity and access to local and international markets. The facility will feature a storage capacity of 123,800 cubic meters spread across 41 vertical storage tanks. It is designed to accommodate various products, including petroleum, petrochemicals, and biofuels, ensuring versatile and comprehensive storage solutions for various industrial needs. HHH managing director Datuk Chan Say Hwa expressed his enthusiasm for the project. “We are thrilled to embark on this ambitious project, which represents a significant milestone for the HHH group and the Malaysian liquid bulk storage landscape. “Our commitment to green practices, combined with our strategic location and cutting-edge technology, will position us as one of the leaders in the industry while contributing to a more sustainable future,” he said in a statement. Through several key initiatives, the terminal will embody KL Bunkering’s dedication to environmental stewardship. It will employ certified sustainable products as the primary heating source, significantly reducing the environmental impact. In line with global sustainability trends, the focus will also be on storing environmentally friendly products such as biofuels and materials related to the circular economy. This approach minimises ecological footprints and supports the transition towards a greener and more sustainable industry. In addition to its environmental initiatives, KL Bunkering has established a strategic partnership with Qastalani Sdn Bhd, a leading player in the Malaysian bitumen market. This partnership includes a 46-year collaboration agreement for approximately 38 per cent of the first phase capacity, with an option to expand to 40,000 cubic meters. This collaboration highlights the strong market confidence in KL Bunkering’s capabilities and the project’s potential. The terminal’s development will be executed in three planned phases, with an estimated capital expenditure of approximately RM100 million over five years. The first phase is anticipated to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2025. This phased approach ensures a robust and scalable development process, allowing KL Bunkering to effectively meet the growing storage demands. With a seasoned management team boasting extensive experience in the maritime and oil and gas industries, KL Bunkering is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of this ambitious project and deliver exceptional value to its stakeholders.