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Tech advisory and investment firm GP Bullhound said it has appointed Shahril Hamdan as the firm’s new Head of Southeast Asia and Managing Director of the Kuala Lumpur office. “I’m thrilled to join GP Bullhound and lead our efforts in Southeast Asia. As a specialized global tech investor with a European base, I believe we have much to offer this region. Similarly, Southeast Asia’s dynamic growth trajectory presents unique opportunities for those who can connect the dots and build bridges between ideas, capital, and opportunity,” Shahril said in the company’s Linkedin post. According to GP Bullhound’s website, Shahril will be focusing on Southeast Asia, a growth region he believes holds increasing importance in the world. Shahril has had a varied career across the public and private sectors. This includes a stint in the Malaysian government as Economic Director at the Prime Minister’s Office, at McKinsey and Company where he served multinational and private equity clients across Southeast Asia, five years managing a mid-sized energy services company, and latterly, running his own private markets advisory. Alongside his work with GP Bullhound, Shahril co-hosts and co-owns a podcast company, where he enjoys bringing interesting conversations to a broader public. Shahril holds a BA in Economics from the University of Manchester and an MSc in Postcolonial Studies from the London School of Economics. GP Bullhound is a technology advisory and investment firm, providing transaction advice and capital to the world’s best entrepreneurs and founders. Founded in 1999 in London and Menlo Park, the firm today has 13 offices spanning Europe, US and Asia, its Linkedin page showed.–TNGLOBAL

SINGAPORE: UnaFinancial’s recent analysis of Google search queries related to lending in Southeast Asia shows a consistent spike in March over the past four years. During this period, the requests increase on average by 17.8% compared to the previous month. This pattern suggests a correlation with the financial impact of Lunar New Year celebrations, typically held in late January or February. As for the traditional New Year, the interest in lending products tends to fall in December and shows only a modest increase in January. According to UnaFinancial, the consistent rise of search activity in March, coupled with strong cultural drivers, suggests a predictable trend for 2025. The analysts anticipate that the interest in lending may grow again by 15-20% in March.   “Lunar New Year is a time deeply associated with renewal,” explain the analysts. “Families across the region often make significant purchases during this time and allocate much of their budget to festive celebrations. Borrowing afterward becomes a practical solution to replenish their household finances.”   The consumer behaviour during the holidays is also confirmed by a survey conducted by Milieu Insights in late 2023. It revealed that 52% of respondents across Southeast Asia planned to increase their spending for the 2024 Lunar New Year compared to the previous year, which demonstrates the region’s commitment to celebrating the festive occasion.  

SINGAPORE: New Relic, the Intelligent Observability company, announced the appointment of Simon Lee as Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ). Lee will play an integral role in ensuring the continued success of New Relic’s APJ business as it continues to expand across the region. With extensive leadership experience in the technology sector, Lee has a proven track record of achieving significant growth for market-leading global companies throughout Asia Pacific. Prior to New Relic, Lee held the position of Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan at Gigamon, as well as senior leadership positions at Oracle, Fluke Networks, SAP, and Seagate Technology.   Businesses across Asia Pacific and beyond are investing heavily in observability to optimise operations, cut cloud costs, enhance customer experiences, and gain valuable insights. IDC’s Asia Pacific Whole Cloud Forecast, 2024-2027 report found that Asia Pacific cloud spend is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.3% and reach $US329.1 billion by 2027. The New Relic Intelligent Observability Platform enables businesses to optimise their operations by addressing spiraling cloud cost and tool proliferation, while improving customer experiences.   “The Asia-Pacific region is culturally diverse and highly customer-centric with endless potential for growth,” said New Relic Chief Revenue Officer Chris Jones. “The depth and breadth of experience Simon brings to our team will propel New Relic’s Asia-Pacific business to new heights as we continue to expand through scaling our high-performing teams, while delivering great value to our customers.”   Based in Singapore, Lee will join an established regional leadership team including Vice President of South Pacific Sales Jason Leonidas, Vice President of Customer Adoption Rob Newell, and other key senior leaders.   “New Relic is a proven market leader in the observability space with a strong and growing customer base, innovative product, and incredible team,” said New Relic Senior Vice President and Managing Director of Asia Pacific and Japan, Simon Lee. “The observability market has immense potential for adoption and growth across businesses of all sizes. It’s clear that observability will be critical for digitally savvy organisations in 2025 and beyond, and I’m looking forward to meeting our customers and partners as we continue to help them solve their most pressing business needs.”   New Relic has seen remarkable growth in the Asia-Pacific region in recent years, especially in Japan, Australia, and India. Since opening its first Indian office in Bengaluru in March 2022, the company has expanded rapidly within the country with the team growing by approximately 400% in 2024. The company also launched the Hyderabad Innovation Center in October 2022, and relocated to a larger +500 seat facility.

Pertama Digital Berhad (PDB) announces the appointment of  Lim Nasrul Halim as its CEO, Designate, heralding a bold new era in the company’s mission to revolutionise Malaysia’s digital ecosystem with impactful, inclusive, and innovative solutions. At 40, Mr. Halim brings nearly two decades of experience as a transformative corporate strategist, having driven groundbreaking results across technology, venture capital, private equity, and global brand expansion. During his 20 years of corporate leadership, Mr. Halim has held key roles across diverse industries, including guiding a government-linked corporation (GLC) in Malaysia, contributing to Enterprise Development Centre Singapore (EDC), and spearheading growth for global tech companies and renowned international brands. His ability to execute large-scale strategies and deliver sustainable growth underscores his expertise in navigating complex markets, fostering innovation, and achieving transformative business outcomes. As CEO, Designate, Mr. Halim will spearhead several high-impact initiatives at PDB designed to position the company as a frontrunner in Malaysia’s digital transformation. Key among these is the delivery of PDB’s regularisation plan, encompassing the strategic acquisition of Kridentia Tech Sdn. Bhd., a leader in digital identity and biometrics, and a surveillance technology company based in Singapore, which will strengthen PDB’s portfolio of cutting-edge digital security and identity solutions. In a move to expand its global footprint, PDB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ruya Holdings Limited, a Dubai-based company, to co-develop advanced identity and biometrics solutions powered by artificial intelligence. This collaboration will leverage the combined expertise of both companies to set new benchmarks in secure and innovative digital technologies. Mr. Halim will also oversee the expansion of KOCEK, PDB’s innovative platform for inclusive financial transactions, in partnership with local financial institutions. This expansion includes the development of a targeted digital solution for school children, aimed at cultivating financial literacy and enabling cashless transactions in schools. Additionally, PDB is introducing a tailored solution for small-scale traders, designed to bridge the digital divide by providing underserved communities with critical and affordable financial tools. This initiative will empower traders in the B40 segment to access opportunities and thrive in the digital economy. “This is a defining moment for Pertama Digital Berhad and for Malaysia’s digital transformation,” said Halim. “I am honoured to lead PDB as we embark on a journey to empower communities, create meaningful impact, and push the boundaries of what is possible with technology. By driving strategic acquisitions, forging groundbreaking collaborations, and expanding platforms like KOCEK, we aim to deliver solutions that uplift lives, enable businesses, and transform Malaysia into a truly inclusive digital nation.” “This is an exciting time for Pertama Digital Berhad as we embark on a transformative journey under Halim’s leadership,” said Datuk Ahmad Nazri bin Abdullah, Chairman of PDB. “Halim’s extensive experience and visionary approach will undoubtedly propel PDB to new heights. We are confident that his strategic expertise and commitment to innovation will enable us to deliver impactful solutions that address the needs of Malaysians and position us as a leader in the digital ecosystem.”

KUALA LUMPUR: The Access Group, one of the largest UK-headquartered business management software providers, has appointed Lim Chee Gay as the new Managing Director of their Global Operations Centre (GOC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, effective 1 January 2025. The appointment marks a milestone in the Group’s regional and global growth strategy. Following the launch of its new GOC in November 2024, it – alongside the other Access GOCs throughout the world – will support 40% of the Group’s global staffing needs, and deliver excellence in product engineering, customer support, customer success, sales marketing and operations. Chee Gay’s appointment is also a reflection of the Group’s ambition to build a global backbone of world-class innovation hubs that empower customers, attract top talent, drive advancements in products and AI, accelerate sales growth and deliver operational excellence. Through the newly launched GOC, Access further expects to create over 1,000 new jobs in Kuala Lumpur by calendar year 2027 and is aligned with Malaysia’s modern services aspirations, namely, to build an agile and competent local talent pool and create 500,000 high-value digital jobs by 2025. A Leader Rooted in Excellence and Transformation Driven by his passion for innovation, Chee Kay brings a wealth of experience in helping global companies scale operations and drive transformation in dynamic industries. Most recently, he was the Global Chief Human Resources Officer at TDCX, a Singapore-based leading provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) services, where he and the senior leadership team spearheaded the company’s expansion from 3,000 to 19,000 employees and successfully established 10 new operational sites within seven years. His 29-year career journey encompasses significant leadership roles at organisations, including AIA, Samsung, T-Systems, and Intel, where he not only held key positions but also played a pivotal role in driving growth, innovation, and transformational initiatives. Recognised as one of Southeast Asia’s HR Icons, Chee Gay’s strategic acumen and passion for innovation continue to inspire meaningful organisational growth. He is also Adjunct Professor and Advisory Board Member at several universities, a further testament to his commitment to discovering and developing future talent.   Commenting on his new role, Chee Gay said: “Access has a clear vision as a premier technology solutions provider, delivering exceptional value through operational excellence and innovation.This is an exciting time to join Access, following an exceptional local reaction in Malaysia and wider APAC to our launch. We have a strong foundation upon which to build, now is the perfect time to deepen our connections within the community and deliver even greater value to our customers. I am personally committed to making our new GOC world class and I look forward to working with our talented team to grow the business and attract the best skills across APAC for Access.”   Chris Bayne, CEO, The Access Group said: “Our GO Centres in Loughborough, Timișoara, and Kuala Lumpur are instrumental in driving innovation, enabling faster M&A integration and providing exceptional customer experiences on a global scale. We are delighted to welcome Chee Gay into the Group. Under his leadership in Kuala Lumpur, we are confident that he will further strengthen its position as a critical hub in our global network – fostering collaboration, innovation and excellence.”