William Lee’s Post

Bolt is now in Malaysia! This is a game-changer for the e-hailing industry, long dominated by Grab. Here’s why this is a big win for consumers and drivers alike: In Thailand’s e-hailing landscape, where Bolt and Grab both operate, we’ve seen the positive impacts of competition firsthand: 1. Lower Fares for Consumers: In Thailand, Bolt's presence has led to competitive pricing that keeps fare increases in check, giving consumers more affordable rides. Malaysians could see similar benefits, with the increased choice forcing platforms to offer more attractive rates. 2. Better Incentives for Drivers: Competition in Thailand means better earnings and incentives for drivers, with each company striving to offer a fairer share of earnings. As Bolt establishes itself in Malaysia, drivers here may benefit from better pay structures and incentives, promoting fairer treatment in the gig economy. 3. Enhanced Service and Innovation: In Thailand, Bolt and Grab have pushed each other to improve services, from in-app features to customer support, leading to an improved experience for riders and drivers. Malaysians can look forward to innovations that enhance safety, reliability, and convenience. The arrival of Bolt could lead to a more balanced e-hailing market in Malaysia, where competition fosters value and choice for everyone involved. Looking forward to seeing how this unfolds! #Malaysia #Bolt #Grab #eHailing #ConsumerBenefits #GigEconomy #Innovation

🚍 Bus Drivers: Singapore’s undervalued heroes. It’s 2024, and Singapore faces a growing labor crisis in its transportation sector. Let’s talk about bus drivers - the people who keep our city moving yet remain undervalued and overlooked. Despite offering salaries as high as $5,000, young Singaporeans still hesitate to join this "blue-collar" profession. Why? Because we’ve been conditioned to undervalue essential jobs. Think about it: If driving a bus ensures society functions, isn’t it time we gave it the respect it deserves? Sure, initiatives like gamification on Roblox and flashy sign-on bonuses are innovative, but let’s not kid ourselves - these are band-aids on a gaping wound. The real problem is our collective mindset. 🔍 *What needs to change?* - Start early. Teach kids that every job with purpose is worth respect. - Formalize training. Make bus driving a skilled trade with clear career pathways. - Showcase the stories. Young bus captains like Matthew and Dionte prove it’s a job of pride and passion. Instead of endlessly chasing “prestige”, isn’t it time we valued impact? Singapore’s buses don’t drive themselves (yet), and until they do, let’s stop dismissing those who do the work. #Transportation #Society #JobsWithPurpose #Leadership #Innovation

Welcome to the Daily Rundown! Here are the top business stories for Wednesday (Oct 16) – Worker protection, carmakers’ China woes and more. 1️⃣ How far should worker protection go? Singapore has to find the right balance between workers’ welfare and its pro-business stance, says Senior Minister of State for Manpower Zaqy Mohamad, following union concerns about Dyson’s recent layoffs. https://lnkd.in/dnjAxqDk 2️⃣ VW, BMW and Mercedes struggle in China German carmakers Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz Group and BMW reported slumping sales in China, amid strong competition from Chinese carmakers. Torbjorn Karlsson, a senior client partner at Korn Ferry, highlights a key shortcoming: https://lnkd.in/d-R6Xwnt 3️⃣ Forest City lures crypto enthusiasts Johor’s Forest City, which has been dubbed a “ghost town”, is hosting some 150 crypto enthusiasts under a three-month programme. Arifah Sharifuddin, head of digital tourism at the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), shares his observations: https://lnkd.in/dzg8CigY 4️⃣ Adobe’s new AI video tools Adobe has introduced an AI model that generates videos from text prompts. Group design manager Christopher Azar explains how it stands out from other AI video generators: https://lnkd.in/dxF4CKZt 5️⃣ Video: Ringgit’s rise The Malaysian ringgit’s surge could reshape cross-border shopping for Singaporean tourists. The Business Times explores the implications in this video: https://lnkd.in/dp_P7jfz 💡Should workers have more protection against retrenchment? Share your thoughts below. ✍️: Ting Wei Toh #DailyRundownAsia

Bus companies in Singapore are facing a critical challenge. With current bus drivers nearing or reaching retirement age, and fewer young Singaporeans willing to take up the job, the industry is in dire need of fresh talent. SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business, Assistant Professor of Strategy & Entrepreneurship (Education), Terence Fan, proposes that bus operators can attract talent by reducing the load of drivers. Read on to discover how the industry can tackle its manpower challenges for a sustainable future. https://brnw.ch/21wQeIr

For many years, Singapore has a regulatory age minimum of 30-years old, to qualify for Taxi provisional driving licence; not until the grave mistake Singapore Policymakers allowed 21-years old to do Ride-hailing from 2010 against the ruling. Recently, to bring in par with this regulatory framework; now, all drivers need to be at least 30-years old. But our retirement age has increased from 60 to 62, thru 65, soon going up to 67. Essentially, the mid-life crisis at 35 of the past, has moved into PME-40 as the new found retrenchment age or Disrupted by Technology. In other words, retirement up 7-years, mid-life crisis up 5-years; therefore, is it time to increase the age requirement for Ride-hailing and Taxi drivers for licensing? This has one key policy of consistency as remaining, max out our workers Economic productivity, before going into their Career of Last Resort. When New Industrialization in transition with Machine Intelligence, many Singaporeans from PME-40 will be Disrupted by Technology. Evidence to show, more workers between 30 and 40 years old available to do Ride-hailing, hence 2 more players in the marketplace. Let's hear from you .....

✍ Founder’s Diary: Why I Love Bolt and How It Inspired HotelBuddy 💫 Not many people know this about me, but I’m actually an introvert 🙈. While I mostly enjoy working with people, public speaking, and big events, they often leave me drained. After something like TechChill or sTARTUp Day, I need a few days to recover in peace. Honestly, I even avoid small talk with anyone, from taxi drivers to hairdressers—it’s just not my thing! (Also, it might have something to do with being Estonian 🤭) That’s why I’ve loved #Bolt since day one. Back when their first version was just a phonebook of taxi companies, it was already brilliant for me. After launching their taxi-hailing service, I was sold—no small talk, no cash, no stress. Today, Bolt is among Europe’s TOP 10 most valuable companies, worth €7.4 billion—a huge achievement for an #Estonian company from our tiny nation of just 1.3 million people. Watching Bolt and other Estonian success stories inspired me to dream big for HotelBuddy. Will we ever be a #unicorn? Who knows🤷♀️ But from the start, we’ve focused on 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 for 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 and 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘀 alike. HotelBuddy was born to make hotel stays smoother and more enjoyable. No more waiting in line to check in, fumbling with paperwork, or struggling to access services. We’ve created a fully digital, self-service solution that: ✅ Lets guests check in online in just 1.5 minutes—3.5x faster than average. ✅ Provides mobile keys for easy room access. ✅ Enables streaming Netflix or YouTube to the TV. ✅ Allows guests to book services, chat with staff, and check out from their own devices. ✅ Supports sustainable, paperless operations. It’s been amazing to see how this technology improves the guest experience and helps hotels operate more efficiently. Some may call these features “nice to have,” but for me, they’re 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹. It’s about making travel easier for everyone, especially those of us who value simplicity and autonomy. Here’s to dreaming big and building passionately. You never know where your ideas might take you. 🦄 ✨

Apple Just Invested in Indonesia's Future - Shouldn't You Too? Tim Cook wasn't just sightseeing in Bali in April! Apple's CEO made a strategic move, inaugurating the country's fourth Apple Developer Academy. This isn't just another tech program – it's a game-changer for Indonesia's digital future. Picture a pipeline of skilled programmers, designers, and tech experts ready to take on the industry. That's exactly what Apple's nurturing. These academies produce graduates equipped to lead the next wave of innovation. It's a win-win for Indonesia's tech ambitions and a clear signal to investors: Indonesia is fertile ground for tech talent. And the good news doesn't stop there. Cook's meeting with President Widodo sparked whispers of potential Apple manufacturing ventures in Indonesia. This could be a goldmine for investors seeking a base in Southeast Asia's booming tech market. Sure, the academy itself might not create a million jobs overnight. But it's a powerful symbol. It shows a government committed to fostering a tech-savvy workforce and a global tech giant placing its bets on Indonesia's potential. This, business leaders, is an opportunity you can't afford to miss. Dive deep, explore the investment landscape, and be a part of shaping the future of tech in Southeast Asia. Don't miss your chance to ride the wave! Contact us today to explore investment opportunities and navigate the business setup process in Indonesia. We'll help you turn the tech wave into your success story. WA: +62 812 3754-5909 info@balibusinessconsulting.com https://lnkd.in/dCijKKpb

Singapore's inflation was 1.9% in November 2024, declining trend and shows that we are managing cost of pressure rather successfully. While the Platform Workers Act shouldn't add too much cost to commuters from 2025. In addition, more Singapore workers are choosing Ride-hailing and Taxi as the Career of Last Resort, because of the flexibility it offers, using a car for family usage and income, concurrently. The availability of more drivers will keep the competition "in-check" among several platform apps. For now, Singapore has exceeded 100,000 drivers roaming our roads and if more players could encourage this industry growth? Let's hear from you .....