BRAVE Southeast Asia Tech: Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand & Malaysia Startups, Founders & Venture Capital VC (English) Elena Chow: Southeast Asia Talent Reset, Malaysia’s Rise & How AI Is Reshaping Hiring – E580
May 27, 2025
Elena Chow, Founder of ConnectOne, provides deep insights into Southeast Asia's evolving hiring landscape after three years. She discusses the shift from urgent hiring to strategic talent acquisition, highlighting Malaysia as a rising tech hub with a multilingual talent pool. The conversation touches on the impact of automation and AI on job functions, especially in Indonesia, where salary corrections are underway. Elena introduces her framework for identifying skills and industries that will thrive in the future, ensuring professionals remain competitive.
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From Urgent Hiring to Intentionality
- Hiring in Southeast Asia shifted from urgent mass hiring to more intentional, outcome-focused recruitment.
- Employers now plan roles carefully to optimize cost and productivity rather than simply increasing headcount.
Fractional Talent Goes Mainstream
- Fractional and contract talent has become mainstream in startups due to cost pressures and flexibility needs.
- The concept of borrowing expertise on demand is now widely accepted, multiplying rapidly in popularity.
Malaysia's Tech Hiring Rise
- Malaysia rose as a tech hiring hub with multilingual, well-educated talent at reasonable cost.
- It bridges internal culture with language versatility, attracting both American and Chinese companies.