KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian-based Xamble Group, listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, signed a subscription agreement to receive an A$400,000 (RM1.2 million) investment from Georg Chmiel, a leading tech entrepreneur and public markets expert.
Chmiel will invest in Xamble via the subscription of new chess depositary interest (CDI) at 3.5 cents per CDI, the company said in a statement.
He will also receive 2 million options at 4.5 cents per CDI, vesting equally over five years, contingent on his directorship at each vesting date.
Upon finalising his investment by early November this year, he will join the Xamble board as an independent non-executive director.
Xamble executive chairman Ganesh Kumar Bangah said Chmiel's investment is a huge vote of confidence in Xamble and the goal to build a pan-Southeast Asian influencer marketing platform.
"I am delighted to welcome an executive of his calibre to our team. His skillset in growing disruptive technology companies and experience leading ASX-listed businesses will be invaluable as we approach our new growth phase.
"Georg will help us advance our inorganic growth strategy, our ambition to capture a significant share of the influencer marketing sector in Southeast Asia, and help deliver greater value for our shareholders," Ganesh said in a statement.
Chmiel brings three decades of experience in rapidly growing disruptive online businesses, having successfully developed and exited Australian and Southeast Asian ASX-listed companies, creating significant shareholder value.
He had a leading role in more than 40 acquisitions.
Chmiel is currently chair and co-founder of Kuala Lumpur-based Juwai-IQI Holdings, Southeast Asia's largest proptech player, operating across more than 20 countries and transacting approximately 50,000 properties per year via its technology platform.
Before this, he was executive chair of iCarAsia, the number one automotive marketplace network in Southeast Asia, until its acquisition by the online car trading platform Carsome.
Chmiel was also managing director and chief executive officer of iProperty Group until its sale to REA Group, the biggest online takeover in Southeast Asia.
Chmiel will assist the Xamble group with investor engagement and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and drive the company's regional expansion across Southeast Asia's rapidly growing influencer marketing sector.
"I believe Xamble's technology platform, especially the Xamble Creators and Xamble Social Wallet, are true game changers for Southeast Asia's rapidly growing eCommerce sector," Chmiel said.
"The Xamble platform enables influencers to improve their interactions with brands and consumers significantly. Thereby, Xamble allows to monetise content better while simultaneously allowing brands for the first time to track the sales results via the platform digitally," he added.