Why is now the time to launch in Asia Pacific?
If there ever was a time to launch in Asia Pacific it would be now, but it takes local knowledge, connected individuals and savvy choices to succeed.
Why is now the time to launch in Asia Pacific?
Three years ago we launched our first office in Asia Pacific, generating a profit in the first seven months, since then we have grown revenue upwards of 30% consistently year on year, and hired eight members of staff split between a regional HQ in Singapore and a more recent Greater China hub out of Hong Kong.
The outlook for 2017 is extremely positive, we’ll grow both teams to cope with ever increasing demand from clients in the digital and tech space and open-up shop in Australia, a market we currently service well from Singapore, but have desires to expand.
Since we’ve been on the ground APAC has become the fastest growing digital advertising economy in the world, the region is now home to more than half of the worlds internet users, and Alibaba set an all-time record for its Initial Public Offering raising $25 billion, more than the three largest IPOs by American Internet companies combined!
If this isn’t enough to explore an APAC strategy, then we’ve got another 15 great reasons why:
1. It takes less than a week to register / incorporate a company in Singapore and set up a bank account
2. You can do this for less than 200 quid
3. Corporation tax is around 11% on profits equivalent to 1m GBP, nearly half that of the UK
4. Less than 6% on 200k GBP!
5. You can send money back to a London HQ with no charges or withholding tax
6. There are government grants for tech and digital firms, as well as to fund research in these high growth sectors
7. In 2016 the State launched a task force to pioneer growth in digital, with the mandate of ‘creating a smart city on steroids’
8. International business, a diverse and multicultural workforce is positively encouraged
9. The Brexit hangover isn’t a feature of any conversation when discussing multimarket strategy
10. You can actually get an appointment with an agency CEO or clientside CMO without a Facebook, Google or Snapchat name card
11. You’ll have more visibility with cash rich Asian Venture Capital community and Digital / Tech power houses on the acquisition trail
12. You’re way more plugged into the China opportunity to better understand the scale v’s risk questions
13. The mean monthly temperature is 26.5 degrees
14. Club St gives Charlotte St a good run for its money for your media centric networking over beers
15. Singapore is Asia for beginners, you drive on the same side of the road and signs are in English
Having lived and breathed the Singapore launch and assisted 14 ad-tech / mar-tech clients scale in market, Ultimate Asset will be holding a breakfast briefing with some industry leaders to help advise on the APAC start-up opportunity covering:
- Overview of APAC digital / tech market
- SG v’s AU as a regional HQ
- The China question……
- Office set up, logistics, timeframe
- The battle for talent
The event will take place on the 2nd March 2017, from 8.30am - 9.30am, Grange Fitzrovia Hotel, 20-28 Bolsover St, Fitzrovia. To reserve your place at the breakfast briefing please click here.
Content by The Drum Network member:
Ultimate Asset
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