Alan Lim

📈 Around 20% of LVMH’s sales come from China (Wall Street Journal, 2024). How will LVMH leverage Alibaba’s AI capabilities to unlock more potential? 🤝 LVMH and Alibaba are deepening their partnership to enhance AI in China's unique digital ecosystem. This collaboration aims to boost LVMH's omnichannel, data, and digital prowess to craft more personalized, enriching digital journeys for discerning Chinese consumers. 🌟 Thank you Gemma A. Williams for including me in her piece on Vogue Business diving into the recent news. Check out the full article for more info and expert bites from Thomas Nixon, Luca Solca, and Amber Wu into the elevated LVMH x Alibaba partnership: https://lnkd.in/eYSTk7pX 🌐 LVMH is starting to integrate Alibaba Cloud’s powerful AI tools, including Qwen, the tech giant’s proprietary large language model, and Model Studio, the comprehensive AI model-building platform, into its business operations. This means LVMH can potentially drive innovation in DATA ANALYSIS & utilization, creating huge impact in ads, physical display, content creation, CLIENTELING, customer service, eCommerce / offline / OMNICHANNEL interactive shopping experiences, and even in INTERNAL departments like manufacturing and supply chain. How would they be applied? 🔹 Franck le Moal, LVMH’s CIO, has revealed in the past that AI capabilities are supporting the Group’s wine and spirits sector’s manufacturing side using image analysis. 🔹 Creative directors, designers, and visual merchandisers are also utilizing AI and GenAI as complementary tools for their creative ventures. 💡 Moreover, by analyzing data from the supply chain and various global markets, LVMH can potentially to make better SALES FORECASTS, and fine-tune the level of production and inventory allocation... for maximum ROI. This optimization can be applied to multiple divisions, including fashion, wine and spirits, and perfume. 🔥 LVMH has always stood out for its substantial INVESTMENT in advertising & marketing and R&D. According to Statista, by 2022, LVMH reportedly spent nearly €10 billion annually on its portfolio of over 70 brands, with this amount growing each year. Overall, the continued collaboration with Alibaba for digital transformation in China demonstrates that LVMH has a strong and clear vision for the future, supported by a solid long-term growth strategy both globally and locally, to strengthen customer interactions and relationships. I look forward to how their AI applications would develop :) #LVMH #Alibaba #AI #DigitalTransformation #China

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Uber to Buy Delivery Hero’s Taiwan Business for $950 Million Uber Technologies Inc. is set to acquire Delivery Hero SE’s foodpanda business in Taiwan for $950 million, a move aimed at strengthening its position in the Asian market, as reported by Bloomberg. The deal, expected to be completed by the first half of 2025, marks one of Taiwan’s largest acquisitions outside the semiconductor industry and signals Delivery Hero's retreat from Asia. Regulatory approval will be necessary for the transaction to proceed, considering Uber and Delivery Hero's dominant roles in the market. foodpanda and Uber Eats have long been competitors in Taiwan's food delivery space. Data from Measurable AI indicates that as of August 2023, Foodpanda held a slight lead with 52% of food delivery order volume compared to UberEats. Uber plans to consolidate the two businesses under the Uber Eats brand and has separately agreed to acquire $300 million worth of newly issued Delivery Hero stock. Delivery Hero intends to use the proceeds from the deal to repurchase convertible bonds. Following the announcement, Delivery Hero shares surged by 19% in Frankfurt trading, reaching €30.08. This move represents the company's biggest intraday gain since February and contributes to a 20% increase in shares for the year. While Uber faces challenges in its ridesharing business in the US and Latin America, its delivery segment has shown resilience, exceeding expectations in the first quarter. Uber Eats has expanded its presence in international markets like Australia, France, and Mexico, while also diversifying its offerings to include retail and grocery partners. However, concerns have been raised about the potential impact of merging two dominant platforms in Taiwan's food delivery market. Taiwan's Fair Trade Commission Vice-Chair Chen Chih-min emphasized the need to prevent competition restrictions, signaling careful scrutiny of the deal. foodpanda , generating a gross merchandise value of about €1.6 billion over the past year, represents a significant player in Taiwan's food delivery landscape. While its parent company has explored selling Foodpanda businesses in other regions, such efforts have seen limited success, with negotiations falling through in Southeast Asia earlier this year. Stay ahead with the latest in food delivery news from the weekly Boolanga Business Bites newsletter, brought to you by Wear Your Brand. Sign up for our LinkedIn newsletter now to receive weekly updates directly to your inbox every Monday.

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🚀 Retail in China has become significantly more DIGITIZED. Brands must integrate public and private domains for a seamless omnichannel experience.  🌐 We are seeing rising importance in customer acquisition through CONTENT-DRIVEN engagement in public traffic domains.  📱 For instance, Xiaohongshu (RED), often dubbed "China's Instagram," allow brands to leverage multi-media content marketing and user-generated content to effectively promote products and build brand awareness.  🛍️ The platform has also incorporated more e-Commerce and CLIENTELING features, such as livestreaming sales, custom Mini Program stores, Key Opinion Sales profiles, private messaging..., streamlining online sales conversion and closing the entire customer journey loop. 🎥 E-Commerce marketplaces like JD.com and Tmall are also becoming more similar to social media, with dedicated sections offering SHORT VIDEO and LIVESTREAMING content. 📈 But the benefits NEED to go deeper than one-time purchases. While public traffic domains offer more exposure for building brand awareness and online presence, it's becoming increasingly DIFFICULT for brands to extract CUSTOMER DATA due to tightening data protection laws.  💪 Brands need to simultaneously strengthen PRIVATE DOMAIN operations, which allows them to collect 100% of customer data to effectively target and nurture consumer relationships for future engagement, online and OFFLINE conversion, loyalty, and more. 📜 HOWEVER, it’s worth noting that the rules of the game between platforms are constantly changing so the tactics we mention here need to be adapted when necessary. It’s crucial to stay updated on changes and continuously optimize your approach. Each platform may also require a different strategy. Brands need to dive into the different nuances of each platform, as this is just a high-level take. 🎯 Here’s the takeaway: Brands can leverage public traffic marketplaces and social media to attract mass traffic, and private traffic channels, especially the WeChat ecosystem, for loyalty nurturing via 1-on-1 interactions and customer service.  🔁 Integrating these two can create a powerful OMNICHANNEL synergy that drives customer acquisition and sales conversion, ultimately leading to long-term, sustainable growth. Don’t hesitate to ping me if you want to talk more about making the most of data, omnichannel, CRM... in China :) Many thanks to EZR for the insightful share.  #OmniChannel #China #Retail #DigitalTransformation #ContentMarketing 

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Why Southeast Asia entrepreneurs and content creators need to start Live selling? Live commerce in China 2022 currently close to $500B in GMV and more on year 2023. Live sellers choose to sell on FB & IG because of free traffic and zero transaction fee unlike other marketplaces. FB & IG do not intend to invest in Live shopping features as like Tiktok, so enabler like ULive (Iterative S22) help Live sellers automate record the live orders in real time. This help live sellers save x10 of time,labour cost & most importantly loss zero sales. Learn more: www.ulive.me #ulive #singapore #malaysia #laos #livecommerce #liveshopping #liveselling

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Among the new flock of Asian geese, Nomura said Vietnam and Thailand are the clear winners based on data it compiled and results of a survey of around 130 companies. The two front-runners are expected to continue to build on these gains, except Thailand which is facing a structural deterioration in competitiveness. TalentHero #vietnam #thailand #supplychain #manufacturing

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We are thrilled to announce that Turing Drive has been invited to participate in Sushi Tech, Japan's largest startup expo. It's an honor to be recognized among the innovative leaders shaping the future of technology. The startup landscape in Japan presents unique opportunities and challenges, quite distinct from Taiwan. At Turing Drive, we embrace this wave of change, determined to make our mark and drive progress forward. Since last year, we've been fostering@ partnerships with several Japanese clients, and this year promises even greater achievements. Our commitment to innovation knows no bounds. Japan's aging population poses significant challenges, but we see autonomous driving as the ultimate solution. Yet, many traditional vehicle manufacturers lack the resources to develop autonomous technology. That's where Turing Drive steps in. We're poised to make a difference by enabling Japanese manufacturers to embrace autonomous driving. Together, let's accelerate into a future where technology transforms lives and shapes a brighter tomorrow. #TuringDrive #Innovation #AutonomousDriving #SushiTech

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Temu's Meteoric Rise in Japan: A Game-Changer in E-commerce 🚀 Since its official launch in Japan in July 2023, Temu has quickly become a force to be reckoned with in the e-commerce landscape. By January 2024, Temu's user base had soared to over 15.5 million, growing at a staggering 2.2 million monthly new users. This impressive growth rate has outpaced significant players like Amazon, Rakuten, and Yahoo Shopping by 52%, solidifying Temu's position as a dominant player in the market. Its unique value proposition makes Temu's success story even more compelling. By leveraging a robust and efficient supply chain, Temu connects consumers directly with manufacturers, cutting out the middleman and significantly reducing costs. For instance, a pair of wireless earphones that might cost $50 on Amazon is available for just $5 on Temu. This stark price difference is a testament to Temu's ability to source goods directly from Chinese manufacturers, offering unbeatable prices to consumers. Moreover, Temu's commitment to customer satisfaction is evident in its logistics strategy. Temu provides free standard shipping in Japan, with delivery times ranging from 5 to 9 days. While express shipping options have yet to be available, the free standard shipping has been a significant draw for cost-conscious shoppers. Temu's rise is not just about numbers; it's about a strategic approach to e-commerce that prioritizes affordability and efficiency. By standing on the shoulders of Pinduoduo and integrating advanced low-cost supply chains, Temu has created a highly attractive product pool. Currently, Temu's prices are 50-80% lower compared to Amazon, eBay, and even brick-and-mortar stores in the U.S., giving consumers the confidence that they are getting the best deal. As we witness Temu's rapid ascent, it's clear that the e-commerce landscape is evolving. The combination of low prices and efficient supply chains is a winning formula that other e-commerce platforms may need to emulate to stay competitive. What do you think about Temu's strategy and its potential to revolutionize the global e-commerce market? Please share your thoughts in the comments and discuss the exciting possibilities! #Ecommerce #RetailRevolution #Temu #JapanMarket #SupplyChain #CustomerExperience #DigitalTransformation #TechInnovation #RetailTrends #GlobalBusiness #MarketStrategy #CrossBorderEcommerce #Pinduoduo #Amazon #Rakuten #YahooShopping #ConsumerBehavior

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Many have noticed that Joe Tsai, Chairman of #alibaba group, mentioned in the #NBIM interview "we have stepped on our own foot". However, the redefinition of who Alibaba's customers are is probably very significant. For a long time, Alibaba's focus has been on businesses (sellers & merchants). "Make it easy to do business everywhere" was the vision - and the company's largest revenue source has been (all forms of) advertising. Joe Tsai defines Alibaba's customers as "users" - the consumers who browse and make purchases on Alibaba's platforms. The shift sounds initiative but in implementation it would require a lot of organisational/KPI changes and tough decisions. One example was #taobao's recent policy of allowing customers to request a refund without returning goods (#pinduoduo has been doing that for a long time by the way). We talked about in E71 of the Impulso Podcast by Momentum Works. Listen here: https://lnkd.in/gFCipWY3 Full transcript here: https://lnkd.in/gFCipWY3 Alibaba's transformation is an ongoing major undertaking that has lessons for many organisations. Worth following closely. Check out Momentum Works report "Transforming Alibaba" (https://lnkd.in/g7qyDugS)

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The growth of Japanese SaaS companies is accelerating rapidly. Three years ago, only four companies had an ARR exceeding 10 billion yen, but this year that number has increased to ten. This simultaneous growth is clear evidence that Japan's cloud software market is taking off. Key drivers of this growth include: 1/ The widespread penetration of SaaS among the majority of large enterprises and SMEs in Japan. 2/ Successful execution of multi-product strategies by SaaS vendors. 3/ Enhanced ARPU resulting from strategic pricing adjustments. Leading SaaS companies are maintaining high growth rates, and further expansion is expected. Here is the download link for the full report: https://lnkd.in/ez57d_3Z

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🇯🇵 Cultivating Cross-border collaboration 🌍 Cross-border collaboration is reshaping the global startup landscape, with Japan emerging as a key player in this international exchange. The Land of the Rising Sun is not just exporting innovative technologies but also welcoming foreign startups with open arms. 🇯🇵 Tokyo's startup ecosystem, is becoming a magnet for international entrepreneurs. Different initiatives and events are breaking down barriers, creating a melting pot of global innovation right in the heart of Japan. 🇩🇪 The strong connection between Japan and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in Germany showcases the power of international ties. As the most important location for Japanese companies in continental Europe, NRW offers a springboard for Japanese startups looking to expand westward. 💼 At 8 Impact, we're at the forefront of this cross-border movement, supporting and financing international expansions for scaleups both to and from Japan. Our mission is to facilitate seamless global growth, connecting innovative minds across borders. 🚀 The future of innovation is borderless, and Japan is playing a pivotal role in this global narrative. From fintech to robotics, Japanese startups are not just going global - they're inviting the world to join them in shaping the future of technology and business. #pe #scaleup #finance #vc

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Songkran, the Thai New Year, poses significant challenges for both restaurants and delivery platforms. The surge in customer demand clashes with a limited supply of riders, resulting in peak-hour crunch times. This often leads to prolonged delivery times and cancellations, putting a strain on the efforts of restaurants and delivery services to maintain a positive customer experience. Despite their best efforts, managing the influx of orders during Songkran remains a struggle for many restaurants. Contrary to popular belief, however, it can be advantageous for restaurants to stay open during this time. With fewer restaurants operating due to holiday closures, the available customer demand gets distributed among a smaller pool of restaurants, resulting in increased sales for those that remain open. Here are some statistics from one of N-Infinite partner brands on Grab: Overall customers increased by a remarkable 56%, with new customers growing by 74% during the Songkran holidays. A big shout-out is deserved for all the restaurants that remained open and the dedicated riders who braved the hot and wet conditions on Thailand's roads to fulfill orders during this busy period!

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Greater diversity in Japan's VC & startup ecosystem is imperative to realize the government's “5-Year Startup Plan”. The first step to 'moving the needle' is understanding where the needle lies. Tokyo Women in VC's latest report sheds light on the issues and will help all of us move forward! 🚀

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Here are some key points about venture capital in Taiwan: - Taiwan has a relatively mature and active venture capital industry, especially for its strength in technology startups and companies related to semiconductors, electronics, and IT hardware. - Major venture capital firms in Taiwan include AppWorks, Kickstart Ventures, Emerillon Capital, WI Harper Group, and Quantum Hi-Tech Venture Capital among others. - Key areas that attract VC funding in Taiwan are semiconductor design, internet/mobile services, biotech/medical devices, AI/big data analytics, fintech, and green energy technologies. - The government has initiated several programs and funds to promote entrepreneurship and startup investment, such as the AngeLNexT co-investment program. - Total venture capital investment in Taiwanese startups reached a record high of around $1.8 billion in 2021 across over 300 deals, according to industry reports. - However, compared to markets like mainland China and Silicon Valley, the VC ecosystem is relatively smaller and more focused on early-stage deals rather than larger growth rounds. - There are increasing connections between Taiwan's VC industry and international investors, with cross-border deals becoming more common in recent years. - Challenges can include a relatively small domestic market size and difficulties in expanding regionally compared to startups based in larger countries.

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Alibaba.com and JD.COM, major players in China's e-commerce sector, face increased competition from cost-effective platforms like Pinduoduo and Douyin. To meet the growing demand for affordability, these giants have adopted aggressive discounting strategies. However, these strategies yield mixed results, with marginal revenue growth during major sales events. Alibaba's revenue growth is projected to be 5.3% for the March quarter, while JD.com is expected to see a 6% increase. These figures are modest compared to the explosive growth of competitors like PDD Holdings, which reported a 123% increase in the last quarter. My two cents on how the two companies can gain a competitive advantage is differentiation. That differentiating point is that Alibaba and JD.com must focus on delivering a premium, trustworthy experience instead of entering the lower end of the consumer value chain. They need to redefine their value propositions and adapt to evolving market dynamics, as simply competing on price is unsustainable. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gKr9zrPe Are you excited about the latest trends in payment, banking, e-commerce, or Seamless Asia? Let's dive into these dynamic topics together! Feel free to take a look at my profile for more insights. #Ecommerce #ChinaMarket #BusinessStrategy #ConsumerTrends #DigitalMarketing #SeamlessAsia

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