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Former Pikom chairman to drive NCL towards platform business model

KUALA LUMPUR: Singapore-based Netccentric Ltd (NCL) would likely be transforming itself from its existing services-based business model to a platform-centric one in the near future following the appointment of former National Tech Association of Malaysia (Pikom) chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah as NCL's non-executive director last Thursday (9 July).

When contacted by NST Business, Ganesh replied that he felt honoured by the appointment, before adding that he would be working with management to digitally transform NCL's business model.

"The objective here is to develop a platform-based strategy that is able to capitalise on the growth of the global social influencer and social commerce industry," said Ganesh.

Social commerce is essentially an extension of e-commerce that involves social media and user contributions to assist online buying and selling of products and services.

"With this platform strategy, we aim to connect multiple groups – including merchants, influencers and consumers – to create positive network effects," he added.

In March, NST Business had reported that Ganesh had purchased a 84 percent stake in NCL which is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.

Besides NCL, Ganesh also owns e-commerce ecosystem builder Commerce.Asia which he founded in 2016.

Since then, the all-in-one e-commerce ecosystem has grown in leaps and bounds, and was recently recognised by Silicon Valley magazine, APAC CIO Outlook, as the Best E-commerce Consulting/Services Company in APAC 2020.

Today, Commerce.Asia has a database of over 8 million small medium enterprises (SMEs) across Southeast Asia with over 61,0000 active sellers that sell an estimated US$350 million worth of goods through various e-commerce platforms.

Ganesh himself is no stranger to the corporate world.

He had become Malaysia's youngest CEO of a public listed company at 23 with the listing of MOL.com Bhd on Bursa Malaysia in 2003, before listing MOL Global Inc on the Nasdaq market of the United States in 2014.

Today, Ganesh also serves as chairman of Future Digital, the think tank arm of Pikom.

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