Thomas Jeng: BCG Consultant to Aspire GM, Navigating Regional Fragmentation & Continuous Learning Self-Awareness - E441

BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders and Venture Capital VC

Thomas Jeng, Singapore General Manager of Aspire, and Jeremy Au talked about three main themes:

1. BCG Consultant to Aspire GM: Thomas discussed his decision-making process at Georgetown University aiming to become a lawyer or diplomat, but switched to consulting at BCG where he worked on challenging projects like "delayering" cases. He recounted his transition to an executive advisor role at Gartner in Singapore, and eventually completing a Yale MBA. He also shared how founding a digital talent startup that eventually failed enriched his leadership skills. He helped scale 500 Startups' ecosystems business from $2 million to $16 million and then led the Singapore market as GM for Aspire, one of Asia's leading fintech startups.

2. Navigating Regional Fragmentation: Thomas talked about Southeast Asia's fragmented market, emphasizing its complexity and the need for tailored strategies. He contrasted the region's challenges with the more straightforward dynamics of the US market and identified fintech as a significant growth sector in the region, particularly in Singapore, due to favorable geopolitical conditions. He also highlighted underinvested areas like professional services, legal services, and logistics. For aspiring regional managers and GMs, he stressed the importance of people management, communication, and functional expertise. Successful GMs should understand broader organizational contexts, influence product roadmaps, and develop strategic visions aligned with company goals.

3. Continuous Learning Self-Awareness: Thomas reflected on his journey towards self-awareness and the importance of confidence and humility. He advised his younger self to balance confidence in his strengths with the recognition of areas needing improvement. He noted that the balance is crucial for personal and professional growth. He also emphasized that effective learning involves acknowledging knowledge gaps and actively seeking to fill them. He shared how his experiences, from consulting to startups, taught him the value of both strategic planning and execution.

Jeremy and Thomas also talked about the emotional toll of "delayering" consulting cases, challenges in digital transformation within traditional banking, and the impact of generative AI on professional and legal services.

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