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Hi readers,
People come and go, and that’s especially true with companies and their employees. But behind every ebb and flow of talent leaving a company and joining another is a personal story that rings a truth that we all know but may choose to downplay: People matter and losing them is costly.
I’ve been in the workforce for more than a decade, and I’ve had my share of doing all sorts of jobs. Journalism wasn’t my first gig and when I managed to cut my teeth in the trade, I began right at the bottom as a junior writer.
Every time there was a town hall, I’d hear my previous bosses pull that cliched bluster of “everyone is dispensable,” only to backpedal when key staff start leaving. Then the typical song and dance ensues: The boss will counter offer, with some taking what seems like a new deal while others choosing to sever ties and move on.
That people are crucial to an organization can be gleaned from Capital A chief Tony Fernandes’ LinkedIn post where he took aim at “new digital unicorns” who had poached his staff last year. But he wasn’t the only one in the wilderness, as my colleague Putra Muskita would find out – MyTukar, the Malaysian arm of automotive marketplace Carro, also lost talent that year, too.
Where did these employees go? Carsome – the rival of Carro and, to a certain extent, Capital A as well.
Some of Capital A’s and MyTukar’s former employees have been climbing up the ranks in their respective companies for over five years. What made them jump ship, I wonder, given all those years of dedication?
There were whispers of Carsome poaching them, but the company told us that no such attempts were made.
Anyway, journalism requires me to stay factual, and the fact is Carsome is currently a magnet for top talent.
— Emmanuel Samarathisa, journalist at Tech in Asia
Top stories this week
Image credit: Timmy Loen
1️. Capital A, MyTukar lost key execs to Carsome in 2021
The exodus involves junior and senior execs from across AirAsia’s marketing and tech divisions as well as MyTukar’s business development unit.
2. Unearthing Sea Group’s alumni network
Taking advantage of skill sets honed at Sea Group, the company’s alumni have gone on to launch startups in different verticals.
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