Industry News

Insurance asset managers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are increasingly opting for external management of their funds, according to a recent study by Clearwater Analytics. The research, which surveyed asset managers in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia, found that 35% of funds are currently managed externally, with all firms delegating between 24% and 45% of their assets to third-party managers.

The study highlights a significant trend, with 67% of executives predicting a shift towards more external management over the next five years. Only 22% foresee an increase in in-house management, whilst 11% expect no change. This shift is primarily driven by the growing reputation and acceptance of external managers, alongside enhanced transparency and reporting capabilities.

Shane Akeroyd, Chief Strategy Officer and President of Asia Pacific at Clearwater Analytics, noted, “The use of third-party asset managers across APAC is set to accelerate as insurers become increasingly comfortable with the practice and seek specialised expertise for complex private market investments.”

The study also revealed that the traditional motivations for outsourcing, such as cost-cutting and lack of in-house expertise, are now less significant. Instead, the focus is on gaining greater control and visibility over investment portfolios, with technology and platforms playing a crucial role.

As private markets continue to expand, representing a third of allocations, the reliance on external expertise is expected to become a competitive advantage for insurers in the region.

Peak Energy, a prominent clean energy platform backed by Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, is celebrating its two-year anniversary with significant achievements in the Asia Pacific region. In just 24 months, the company has developed over 15 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy projects, including 300 megawatts (MW) of operating assets and 313 megawatt-hours (MWh) of battery energy storage systems (BESS).

Operating in countries such as Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Australia, Peak Energy has positioned itself as a key player in the renewable energy sector. The company provides customised solutions, ranging from onsite solar installations to offsite power purchase agreements (PPAs), tailored to meet the specific needs of industrial and multinational clients.

Gavin Adda, CEO of Peak Energy, highlighted the company’s mission to deliver “cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable power” to corporates and utilities across Asia. He noted the company’s rapid growth, stating, “Achieving that ambition in just 24 months—becoming one of the region’s largest and fastest-growing developers—is truly remarkable.”

Peak Energy’s approach includes advanced battery storage and flexible energy supply strategies, ensuring businesses receive dependable renewable power. This is particularly beneficial for companies in regions with unstable grids or where solar energy alone is insufficient. The company is also an active member of the 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy initiative, supporting clients in achieving hourly-matched renewable power.

As Asia moves towards greater energy resilience, Peak Energy remains committed to supporting long-term decarbonisation strategies with robust and reliable solutions.

S&P Global Ratings has assessed the national insolvency regimes of Malaysia and the Philippines, assigning them jurisdiction rankings of Group B and Group C, respectively. This assessment, announced on 3 December 2025, evaluates the degree of protection afforded to creditors under each country’s insolvency laws and the predictability of related proceedings. Despite these rankings, there is no impact on existing credit ratings.

Malaysia’s Group B ranking reflects a satisfactory legal framework for creditors, with a medium level of creditor-friendliness and an intermediate rule-of-law risk. Recent legislative enhancements, such as the Companies (Amendment) Act 2024 and the adoption of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, are expected to improve the predictability of legal proceedings for both domestic and foreign creditors. However, the country still faces challenges due to limited empirical evidence on recovery realisation through insolvency proceedings.

In contrast, the Philippines received a Group C ranking, indicating a weaker legal framework for creditors. The country’s creditor-friendliness is considered weak, with high rule-of-law risk. The Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act of 2010 governs insolvency law, but there is insufficient empirical evidence on its implementation and enforceability. Additionally, the preservation of asset value is low, with few precedents of creditors receiving recovery rates above 30%. Despite these challenges, the Philippines’ legal framework supports the reorganisation of entities as going concerns, and the adoption of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency offers some mitigation.

These jurisdiction rankings provide insight into the potential recovery prospects for creditors involved in insolvency proceedings in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Over half of marketers in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region are set to increase their spending on online video, e-commerce, and influencer content in 2026, according to Kantar’s Media Reactions 2025 study. The report highlights a significant shift in the media landscape, with Netflix becoming the most preferred global ad platform among APAC consumers, marking the first time a streaming service has topped the list in the region.

Netflix’s rise is attributed to its innovative ad formats and high-quality content, with 37% of consumers finding its ads trustworthy and 35% rating them as superior in quality. Andy Gallagher, Kantar’s APAC Head of Media, noted, “Netflix is quickly gaining traction as the next big opportunity with APAC marketers increasingly acknowledging its innovative ad formats and the highly positive consumer response.”

The study also reveals that YouTube remains a favourite among marketers for capturing consumer attention, whilst Prime Video ranks in the top five for both consumers and marketers. Pinterest has entered the top five for marketers, driven by Gen Z’s preference for its positive content.

Offline channels continue to hold strong appeal, with Digital Out of Home (DOOH) ads and cinema ads gaining popularity. Gallagher emphasised the importance of a balanced omnichannel strategy, stating, “Integrating offline touchpoints into the media mix remains essential for maximising reach and resonance.”

The report also highlights the growing influence of generative AI in advertising, with 62% of marketers excited about its potential. However, consumer concerns about fake content persist, with 63% worried about the authenticity of AI-generated ads.

Tetra Pak has announced the appointment of Marcelo Perazzo as the new Managing Director for Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, and Indonesia (MSPI), effective 1 December 2025. Based in Jakarta, Perazzo will spearhead the company’s initiatives in this rapidly developing region, which is pivotal to Tetra Pak’s growth strategy amidst evolving consumer demands.

With nearly 30 years of experience at Tetra Pak, Perazzo has held various leadership roles in Finance, Marketing, and Sales, notably in the Southern Cone and Iberia regions. His expertise in driving growth and operational excellence is expected to bolster Tetra Pak’s commitment to delivering innovative and sustainable food solutions. “I’m excited to contribute to the continued growth of MSPI and to work alongside our customers in the region,” Perazzo stated, highlighting the dynamic nature of the food and beverage industry in these markets.

Perazzo succeeds Michael Wu, who has been instrumental in strengthening customer relationships and positioning the business for future success. Tetra Pak’s focus on advanced food processing and packaging solutions remains steadfast, with the company aiming to help customers stay ahead of market trends and improve production efficiency.

This strategic appointment underscores Tetra Pak’s dedication to combining global expertise with local insights, fostering innovation, and driving growth across the MSPI region. Perazzo holds a degree in Economics from UADE University in Buenos Aires.

StarHub and NeutraDC, the data centre arm of Telkom Indonesia, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to advance Quantum-Safe connectivity solutions across Southeast Asia. This collaboration integrates StarHub’s Low-Latency Data Centre Connect solution with NeutraDC’s carrier-neutral ecosystem, aiming to provide faster and more secure cross-border data exchange for enterprises in Singapore and Indonesia.

The partnership will see StarHub establish a Point of Presence at NeutraDC SNG-3 in Singapore, enhancing ultra-low-latency interconnectivity and cloud-ready access. This move supports Singapore’s role as a regional digital hub, facilitating seamless and secure access to data resources across the region.

In the current digital economy, enterprises require high-performance data exchange capabilities. StarHub’s solution offers a sub-1 millisecond path to cable landing stations, ensuring seamless regional connectivity. The collaboration also focuses on quantum security, which is increasingly replacing current encryption standards to counter future security threats.

Customers will benefit from direct connectivity, software-defined networking, quantum-safe encryption, and service orchestration. Tan Kit Yong, Chief of Regional Enterprise at StarHub, stated, “Through this collaboration with NeutraDC, we’re making it simpler for businesses to move, protect, and scale their data, helping them unlock real performance advantages.”

Sendang Praptomo, CEO of NeutraDC Singapore, added, “Quantum secure connectivity represents the new frontier of security, overcoming the limitations of current encryption standards.”

This partnership extends StarHub’s network of alliances with leading data centre operators, furthering its strategy to expand its Low-Latency Data Centre Connect footprint across Southeast Asia.

A recent survey conducted by UnaFinancial across Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia reveals that 84% of Southeast Asians trust fintech services. Singapore leads with a remarkable 92% of respondents expressing confidence in these platforms. The survey highlights that the primary factors influencing trust include the security of financial data, transparent fees and terms, and brand reputation.

In Singapore, 91.8% of consumers trust fintech services, with transparency, data security, and brand reputation being the main drivers. The Philippines follows closely with 88.1% trust, where brand reputation plays a significant role. Vietnam reports the highest percentage of respondents with high trust at 37.2%, emphasising data security and transparent fees. Meanwhile, Indonesia shows a larger neutral segment, with 29.4% highly trusting fintech services, focusing on transparency and security.

UnaFinancial analysts note that regional trust in fintech is bolstered by growing digitalisation and market familiarity. They attribute Singapore’s leading position to its widespread smartphone and internet access, strong digital literacy, and routine interactions with online services. As fintech continues to evolve, these insights underline the importance of security, transparency, and reputation in fostering consumer trust across Southeast Asia.

Omise, a prominent provider of online payment solutions in the Asia-Pacific region, has unveiled Omise MCP, a new infrastructure that allows AI agents to autonomously manage financial tasks. This development enables businesses to connect AI systems to over 60 Omise payment tools securely, without the need for custom API integrations.

The introduction of Omise MCP signifies a shift from passive payment gateways to intelligent, automated financial systems. Jun Hasegawa, Founder and CEO of Omise, stated, “With Omise MCP, we’re not just enabling AI to observe payments, we’re enabling it to operate them.” This innovation allows AI agents to execute complex financial tasks such as transaction management, refunds, and operational reporting autonomously.

Built on the Model Context Protocol (MCP), Omise MCP provides a secure, two-way integration for AI agents and large language models (LLMs) to interact with payment systems. This infrastructure ensures financial-grade reliability, as emphasised by Amborish Acharya, Group Chief Technology Officer of Omise, who noted that the foundation is “secure, predictable, and fault-tolerant at scale.”

Omise MCP offers access to a comprehensive suite of payment tools, allowing AI agents to perform actions like accepting payments across various platforms and automating time-intensive tasks. This advancement marks a significant step towards a future where payments are not only digital but also intelligent and adaptive.

Founded in 2013, Omise operates in Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and the United States, and is recognised among the top 25 payment processors in the US. The company remains committed to fostering an inclusive and sustainable digital economy through secure and innovative solutions.

A recent survey conducted by UnaFinancial across Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia reveals that 84% of Southeast Asians trust fintech services, with Singapore leading at 92%. The survey highlights that the primary factors influencing trust include the security of financial data, transparent fees, and brand reputation.

In Singapore, 91.8% of respondents expressed trust in fintech platforms, with 69.1% somewhat trusting and 22.1% highly trusting these services. Key drivers of trust in Singapore include transparency of fees and terms (60.3%), security of financial data (58.8%), and brand reputation (57.4%). Recommendations from family and friends also play a role, influencing 35.3% of respondents.

The Philippines follows with 88.1% of respondents expressing trust, where brand reputation is particularly significant, affecting 73.8% of participants. In Vietnam, 37.2% of respondents report high trust, with data security being the most critical factor for 76.9% of them. Indonesia shows a more varied trust landscape, with 29.4% highly trusting and 22.4% remaining neutral, emphasising transparency and security.

UnaFinancial analysts note that regional trust is bolstered by growing digitalisation and market maturity. Singapore’s high trust levels are attributed to widespread smartphone and internet access, strong digital literacy, and familiarity with online services. As fintech continues to evolve, these factors are expected to further influence consumer trust across Southeast Asia.

BuzzFeed Asia has teamed up with Taboola to launch DeeperDive, a pioneering AI answer engine, across its platforms in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This innovative tool aims to transform the reader experience by providing instant, conversational answers sourced from BuzzFeed’s content and Taboola’s real-time insights.

DeeperDive is designed to increase user engagement by offering smarter, trend-aware responses and encouraging deeper exploration of content. It also opens new revenue streams through contextually relevant advertising embedded within AI-powered results. Unlike traditional AI engines, DeeperDive utilises insights from 600 million daily active users and 9,000 publisher partners, ensuring timely and relevant answers.

Scott Mackenzie, CEO of BuzzFeed Japan & Asia, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We’re thrilled to expand BuzzFeed’s on-site functionality for our readers, grow user engagement, and open up new revenue opportunities.” Adam Singolda, CEO and Founder of Taboola, highlighted the innovation, saying, “BuzzFeed Asia is offering content to readers in a completely new, appealing, and innovative way.”

The introduction of DeeperDive is expected to significantly increase readership and engagement by providing clear, intuitive answers and links to relevant articles. This initiative marks a step forward in leveraging AI technology to enhance the digital content landscape, offering publishers a new avenue for growth and monetisation.