Photo credit: Bolt
Global ride-hailing firm Bolt is hiring a country manager in Malaysia, suggesting that the company may expand to the country soon.
On its career page, the Estonia-based company stated it is looking for an exec to “lead and launch” its ride-hailing business in Malaysia.
According to the post, the country manager will be based in Kuala Lumpur and will work with teams from local operations and the company’s headquarters, as well as with the regional manager and stakeholders such as regulators.
Tech in Asia has reached out to Bolt for comments.
If the expansion pushes through, Malaysia will become the firm’s second market in Southeast Asia after Thailand.
According to a report from Mordor Intelligence, Bolt holds the second-largest market share for ride-hailing services in Thailand, operating in seven local cities. The firm appears to also have been chipping away slowly at Grab’s dominance in the market.
Bolt currently offers services with cars, motorcycles, and taxis in Thailand. However, in Malaysia, regulators prohibit ride-hailing services for two-wheelers.
For four-wheelers, Malaysia is still dominated by popular incumbents such as Grab and MyCar. Bolt will also face competition from other players like AirAsia Ride, EzCab, Maxim, and inDrive.
Founded by Markus Villig in 2013, Bolt said it has served more than 150 million customers across 45 countries. Its other Asian markets include Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, and Nepal.
The company is also expanding into new markets across other continents. Recently, it entered the Egyptian market by launching in Cairo, following previous entries into Botswana and Zimbabwe.
See also: GoTo plus Grab: The merger that neither needs and regulators don’t want
Editing by Miguel Cordon and Lorenzo Kyle Subido
(And yes, we’re serious about ethics and transparency. More information here.)
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
