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Hello reader,
Imagine if your boss accused you of sleeping around and then sent you a string of 56 messages that included threats of putting you under police investigation, accusations that you had committed criminal offenses, and unsolicited remarks about your religion.
Personally, it sounds like an awful experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But it’s something that actually happened to Wanda Tan (not her real name) when she worked for Moovaz, a Singapore-based relocation service company.
A Tech in Asia investigation has revealed even more issues going on at the firm. We go deeper in today’s premium story.
Today we look at:
- What happened at Moovaz
- What’s next for live sellers after TikTok Shop’s exit from Indonesia
- Other newsy highlights such as East Ventures’ partnership with a South Korean VC firm and Alami Group’s latest fundraise.
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Where do we go from here?
Image credit: Timmy Loen
Moovaz was founded in 2017 by Vishnu Vasudeven, Junxian Lee, and Jerry Chua. In 2019, Vasudeven left the company and established renovation firm ServiceBack before returning to Moovaz last year.
However, tensions began to rise in Vasudeven’s companies by September 2022.
- Troubled waters: Moovaz has been entangled in a number of legal problems this year. Tan, who we heard about in the introduction of this newsletter, sued Moovaz over her unpaid salary and wrongful dismissal. The firm also faces a suit from its biggest vendor for unpaid services. Meanwhile, ServiceBack was taken to court by a former employee over his unpaid salary.
- Personal and professional: According to employees and vendors, it was Vasudeven’s behavior that led them to take legal action, with another former ServiceBack employee saying that the founder “lashed out at him with words of abuse” and accused him of having an affair when he asked about his unpaid salary. When Tech in Asia asked Vasudeven about his concerns regarding the personal lives and intimate relationships of his employees, he said that he was “traditional” and that these matters made him uncomfortable.
- The big B: Vasudeven was declared bankrupt in 2019 and has yet to be discharged. This means that under Singapore law, he cannot manage a business or act as a director of a company unless given permission by the court or the official assignee. While Vasudeven told Tech in Asia that he is not a director of either company from a legal perspective, both Moovaz and ServiceBack employees have shown us proof that he has been involved in the daily operations of both firms.
Read more: Moovaz navigates challenges: Harassment, missed payments, and legal proceedings
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