(Marketingmagazine.com.my)- By Malati Siniah
In a move many are reporting as an ‘acqui-hire’, Singaporean based e-commerce start-up, Carousell recently hired the entire product and engineering team of Malaysian start-up WatchOverMe.
A message on Watch Over Me’s website
As a result of this acquisition, WatchOverMe, a personal safety app which allows your loved ones to keep track of your journey, has shut its doors in Malaysia. In light of its closure, the company decided to open source its technology.
“As a coincidence, since we announced our plan to open source the technology on our website, I’ve gotten emails from non-profits and other organizations who are eager to maintain and build on our technology and have it continue to serve users for free worldwide,” Watch Over Me Co-founder and CEO Xin-Ci Chin told tech news site e27.
Chin, who founded the company in 2012 will be a part-time consultant advising Carousell on improving the app’s CRM infrastructure and processes.
Carousell app. Photo credit www.facebook.com/carousell.my
It was reported in Tech in Asia that WatchOverMe’s Chief Technology Officer, Jinny Wong will now be working on ‘features to build trust and safety among Carousell users.’
Apart from its recent acquisition Carousell also announced the appointment of Andrius Baranauskas, formerly with preloved fashion marketplace Vinter, as their new product director.
Earlier this year the start-up brought in Airbnb’s very first Southeast Asian employee Chai Jia Jih as their Vice President (International).
The mobile marketplace which allows people to sell and buy items via mobile made waves last month when it secured a funding of US$35 million to grow the company.
The 5th Malaysian Chief Marketing Officers (CMO) Conference is a full day journey into the minds of some of the sharpest and most inspiring minds in the business.
The market is in a state of flux. Media fragmentation has gone wild. Digital is exciting but also a minefield if handled wrong. Marketers need stamina, focus and a scalable approach to strategies. ROI has never been more confusing.
Hear from these dynamic and feisty brand leaders on how they are facing the New Realities:
• Loh Keh Jiat – CMO, Digi Telecommunications Sdn Bhd
• Raja Teh Maimunah Raja Abdul Aziz – MD & CEO, Hong Leong Islamic Bank Berhad
• Sulin Lau – Head of Marketing Services, Maxis
• Cyril Dhenaut – Head of Marketing, KFit
• Timothy Johnson – Senior VP of Marketing, INTI International University & Colleges
• Eric Wong – Marketing Director, IBM Malaysia
• Srikanth Ramachandran – Executive Director, Moving Walls
• Spencer Lee – Head of Commercial, AirAsia Berhad
• Bala Pomaleh – CEO, IPG Mediabrands
• Rachel Lim – Co-Founder of Love, Bonito
• Edward Ling – Sales Manager, Waze Malaysia
• Santharuban T. Sundaram – Group Marketing Manager, Etika Holdings (formely Permanis)
• Dato Seri Vida – Founder, Pamoga & Qu Puteh
•Rafiq Razalli – CEO, Media Prima Digital Sdn Bhd
Date: September 6th, 2016 (Tuesday)
Venue: Sime Darby Convention Centre, Jalan Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
For details, contact Ruby on 03-77262588, [email protected]
Download event PDF here
More details www.marketingmagazine.com.my/cmo2016
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