After restructuring, Leflair Group will expand M&A and proceed to IPO at the end of 2022, according to Pamela Aw Young, Group COO of SoPa

After successful restructuring, what will the Leflair platform and structure be like?

The familiar Leflair platform will become a backbone for the expansion of Leflair Group. With this restructuring, Leflair Group's model can be considered as a way to re-imagine the retail supply chain. The group is also focusing on acquiring companies for its ecosystem. At the top of the supply chain, there will be distributors, marketing solution providers, forwarding units, and warehouse infrastructure.

When combining these companies in the same ecosystem, every unit will play a certain role, creating profits for themselves and for the whole group.

After the acquisition by SoPa, the Leflair platform was officially restructured into the Leflair Group

What are the specific goals that SoPa targets for Leflair Group in 2022?

Since its official IPO and listing on Nasdaq, SoPa has focused on merger and acquisition (M&A) activities to invest in acquiring companies with online platforms operating across six connected verticals: lifestyle, food and beverages, travel, digital media, business-to-business software, and loyalty technology in the three most significant countries of Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

Through these six verticals, Sopa is gradually implementing a strategy of completing and expanding the Sopa ecosystem to connect millions of consumers and thousands of suppliers in Southeast Asia.

After the restructuring, LFG will begin to sprint with a new strategy, focusing on developing the Leflair platform into a retail and marketing ecosystem in the globally connected lifestyle and luxury segments in Southeast Asia. This will extend value for users through online connections on the Leflair platform with leading global and regional brands.

Leflair Group will also continue to expand its M&A negotiations to acquire relevant platforms in the online retail, lifestyle, media, and marketing segments, and gradually come into funding rounds to attract investors and aim for its IPO at the end of the year.

What does the transfer from an e-commerce platform to an ecosystem require in terms of upgrades and changes in LFG's operating and management activities?

The expansion of the Leflair Group's ecosystem after the restructuring will lead to many operational changes. The group will have to face several challenges, from rearranging personnel positions to financial management and system administration to ensure the successful operation of all service branches acquired after M&A activities.

Operational management must ensure smooth connectivity, helping system members to support each other in the most effective way.

The management of Leflair Group will not only be about managing an online shopping platform, but also aiming to manage a complete and closed supply chain to optimise its operations, save costs, and promote revenue, thereby creating common profits for all members of the ecosystem.

How will SoPa strictly follow the management and operation of LFG?

With the unique advantage of managing and operating a platform, SoPa already has common standards to establish financial transparency, build a team, and utilise human resources. The general adjustment must also ensure to preserve and promote the business culture of Leflair Group and SoPa.

Together with the leadership team at LFG, we will identify the advantages and disadvantages in relation to human resource management, finance, and the systems of new members in order to build a strategy to best support them. Accordingly, their business will be associated with the common culture of the whole system without losing its own identity. Therefore, we all continue developing and contributing to the perfection of the common ecosystem.

What is the role of the new CEO, Loic Gautier?

Shortly after taking office, Gautier will be responsible for running LFG with its strategy of expanding its platform across Southeast Asia, and at the same time continuing negotiations to acquire related platforms in online retail and lifestyle and gradually completing a leading global ecosystem in South Asia by connecting hundreds of thousands of high-end fashion brands. We believe that this is a mission that perfectly matches his abilities and this is also an opportunity for Leflair Group to make spectacular changes on its expansion journey forward. With exceptional talent, if you just give them solid leverage, then they can create countless incredible successes.

SoPa has also appointed Ngo Thi Cham as the group’s COO after more than a year as CEO of Leflair. Is it just a coincidence that the two women were chosen to manage and operate the LFG and SoPa ecosystems or is there a feminist priority policy?

At SoPa, we are completely equal in competition. SoPa is a multinational corporation listed on Nasdaq, so we consider and select personnel based on our belief in the strengths of every individual. At the same time, we evaluate their strategic vision, creativity, ability to grasp macro issues, and business management experience. In doing so, we place them in the right position to maximise their potential. In fact, there are quite a few female leaders at SoPa, holding many key positions in the leadership team.

I, and the leaders of SoPa, are focused on creating fair competitive opportunities for all genders and are ready to empower people if they personally meet our standards of kindness, professional working attitude, creativity, effectiveness, enthusiasm, and progress.

In your opinion, what are the advantages of SoPa's female leaders?

From a personal perspective, I think women in any role have distinct advantages and are effective in management thanks to their ability to be patient, listen to others, work with enthusiasm and determination, and build team connections.