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Published Aug 1, 2018

Recode Decode: Grab co-founder Hooi Ling Tan

Grab co-founder Hooi Ling Tan shares her insights on fostering a diverse workforce, the strategic collaborations with Uber and Toyota, and Grab's transformative journey into a super app, positioning it as a digital leader in Southeast Asia's tech landscape.
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Episode Highlights

  • Super App

    , co-founder of Grab, discusses the company's ambitious transition from a transportation service to a super app. This strategy aims to integrate various services such as food delivery, payments, and logistics into one platform, reflecting Grab's growth over the past six years. Tan emphasizes the open platform approach, inviting partners to collaborate and address Southeast Asia's unique challenges using Grab's established assets and knowledge 1.

    We're transitioning from our transport to an open platform strategy, and we're also launching grab platform today.

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    This move positions Grab as a central hub for everyday needs in the region, expanding beyond its original transport focus.

       

    Seamless Travel

    Grab's vision for seamless travel solutions involves integrating its services with public transportation to offer end-to-end travel experiences. explains that the goal is to simplify the travel process for Southeast Asian customers, who often face long commutes with multiple transitions 2. By enabling a single booking for an entire journey, Grab aims to enhance convenience and efficiency.

    Think about grab going forward, where for them all they have to do is book with one click an end to end journey.

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    This approach supports public transportation rather than replacing it, utilizing technology and data to improve accessibility and efficiency 3.

       

    Future Tech

    In discussing future technologies, shares her thoughts on emerging transportation innovations like electric vehicles (EVs) and autonomous vehicles (AVs). Grab is actively involved in developing these technologies, with the largest fleet of EVs in Singapore and plans for AVs in select regions 4. Tan humorously mentions her dream of teleportation, highlighting the company's forward-thinking mindset.

    A pipe dream of mine is teleportation, because I hate the concept of getting stuck in traffic.

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    While some technologies remain speculative, Grab focuses on solutions relevant to Southeast Asia, ensuring safety and efficiency in their implementation.

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