KrASIA and 36Kr Global are pleased to announce the appointment of three new section leads.
Brady Ng has been named KrASIA’s chief editor for China and Southeast Asia, Annabelle Siena Lim now leads Oasis, and Alex Zhao is in charge of 36Kr Global’s research team.
Brady Ng brings with him more than a decade of reporting and editorial experience. He had his start as a photojournalist in the Palestinian Territories and Israel in 2009 before continuing to produce textual and radio reports in the Middle East and North Africa during the Arab Spring, then in East and Southeast Asia. His work has appeared in major western and Asian publications, including Vice, The Guardian, and Nikkei Asian Review (now Nikkei Asia). Between 2015 and 2019, Ng also covered the transformations in East and Southeast Asia’s retail sectors for Shopping Centers Today, a trade publication of the International Council of Shopping Centers.
Ng will spearhead KrASIA’s daily coverage of innovation in China and Southeast Asia, with a focus on the intersection of tech, policy, culture, and ingenuity. This represents a new direction in KrASIA’s scope of reportage. “KrASIA’s reporters will explore big ideas that they wonder about and examine these notions through the lens of their local expertise to present fresh insights about what’s going on in East and Southeast Asia, as well as where we may be heading in the next five or ten years,” Ng said.
“We want to share what we wonder about with our readers. Aside from digging into the inner workings of startups and tech companies, or the implications of choices that steer venture capital investments, we’ll also dig into exciting changes in emerging and rapidly evolving economies, whether it’s how big data analyses inform environmental policy, how digital twins mitigate damage during natural catastrophes, or just how people develop new ways to interact with each other and the world around them,” Ng added.
Ng’s team is present in Beijing, Singapore, Jakarta, Yangon, Chiang Mai, Tokyo, and New York.
Annabelle Siena Lim is joining KrASIA as publication lead of Oasis.
“Oasis essentially humanizes leadership in Asia,” Lim said. It is a place for people with unique experiences to “tell their stories, be they stories of failure or other lessons learned.” The platform highlights the voices of people who are initiating changes in industries that are transforming consumers’ habits and how businesses function in Southeast Asia, and presents their stories in ways that are meant to inspire current and future entrepreneurs.
One of the core objectives, Lim said, is to create a digital haven that fosters insightful exchanges and interactions in a sensationalized world.
This extends beyond Oasis’ content. The division will also organize fireside chats with KOLs who will discuss what it means to redefine leadership and what “failure” means to them, like during the Redefining Leadership event that Oasis will organize this summer. Lim has a long-term vision for Oasis to be “the educational platform for thought-provoking content about leadership, particularly in Asia.”
To accomplish these objectives, Lim will lean on her experience as the executive director of a regional social enterprise that pivoted on digital media content for the social impact sector. This included partnerships with MNCs such as Facebook, ByteDance, and Twitter that focused on their corporate social responsibility efforts, as well as collaborations with nonprofits to formulate their online footprint. She is currently an advisor to UNDP Cambodia’s Bluetribe startup incubation program.
Oasis is set to relaunch in early June. This will include a revamped website as well as new arms of content, like rapid-fire Q&As with KOLs and one-minute insights on TikTok.
Alex Zhao is joining 36Kr Global as head of research. He will lead a team of industry experts and research analysts to track, analyze, and interpret technology-driven trends in domestic and international settings. “We carry out various forms of counseling services for governments, corporations, startups, and investment institutions, enabling them to make better informed decisions to tackle real-world challenges in the cross-border business environment,” Zhao said. “Our mission is simple and clear—assist foreign companies’ foray into the vast Chinese market and support Chinese companies to explore opportunities overseas.”
Zhao is building a diverse team that comprises experts in specific industries after developing personal, practical experiences, multilingual specialists who can form deep connections with clients who may have different cultural backgrounds, and experts in relationship management techniques.
Under Zhao’s helm, 36Kr Global’s research division will build out a “major middle platform”—a task force that supports rapidly changing business functions performed by front desk staff. “Do we provide consulting reports? Yes. Can we scout for partners on behalf of our clients? Definitely,” Zhao said. “But besides these, there are so many things we can do to make the magic happen. I will be transforming my team into an adaptive ‘major middle platform’ that is always seeking the best way to satisfy our clients’ desires.”
Previously an assistant vice president at HKEX, Zhao has extensive experience in linking China’s tech-related business with the rest of the world. At HKEX, he promoted IPO listings in Hong Kong to enterprises based in mainland China and Southeast Asia. Before that, Zhao was a TMT banker with Credit Suisse for nearly four years.
At the moment, Zhao’s research team is already engaging with peers in Singapore and Tokyo to field requests from the team and formulate new modes of collaboration.
Regarding the appointments of Ng, Lim, and Zhao, 36Kr Global CEO Max Ma said, “I am honored to work together with Brady, Alex, and Annabelle. Their experience, professionalism, and passion in media, research, and social impact are great additions to our team. Our values reflect a common understanding, which I believe is the root of a sense of trust in a team that spans many countries and locations. This is precisely why we came together.
“We will continue to elevate the standard of English-language coverage in China and other regions in Asia to become the portal through which the world can interpret these geographies. At the same time, 36Kr Global will reinforce content creation related to policies, industry overviews, and leading regional businesses, and provide solid leads for enterprises to reference while making decisions. Of course, we also recognize our responsibilities and obligations with respect to social welfare, and we endeavor to provide support to even more people.
“I believe 36Kr Global will provide elevated value and benefits to our readers and partners as we serve businesses around the world.”
The teams of KrASIA, Oasis, and 36Kr Global’s research arm are ready to deliver new insights, whether you are a member of the tech sector, investment community, or general reader with an interest in innovative developments in Asia. If you’d like to get in touch with any of our new team leads, they would love to hear from you:
- Brady Ng: brady@kr-asia.com
- Annabelle Siena Lim: annabelle@kr-asia.com
- Alex Zhao: alex@global.36kr.com
If you know someone who is an outstanding individual suited for a profile or feature on Oasis, please contact Annabelle Siena Lim.
36Kr Global is KrASIA’s Hong Kong-based parent company. 36Kr, a Nasdaq-listed company, is one of 36Kr Global’s shareholders.
