Leadership crisis highlights chaos at Upmesh

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Hi readers,

There are always two sides to a story. That sounds trite, but it’s an important lesson I learned while working on this piece.

Before meeting him in person, I had formed a negative view of Shawn Teow – who took over as CEO of Upmesh after his fellow co-founder Wong Zi Yang stepped down in April 2023. My impression of Teow was based on what I had heard from others and seen via screenshots.

Of course, I was professional, but I was also fully prepared to dislike him. It’s easy to villainize someone you’ve never met.

But after meeting Teow and hearing his side of the story, I could put myself in his shoes and understand why he did or said certain things. This isn’t to excuse his conduct, but really, none of us are perfect.

At the end of May, Teow stepped down as CEO, citing the need to take care of his family and his health, which he said had worsened since Wong left.

I wish him the best, and hope that Upmesh can continue to thrive without him around.

— Simon Huang, journalist at Tech in Asia

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