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Anthony Tan and Tan Hooi Ling, co-founders of Grab, will be joined onstage in Singapore during the opening bell ceremony by representatives of the Grab driver-, delivery- and merchant-partner communities, who were on the frontlines transporting people, preparing as well as delivering food and essential goods, especially during critical stay-home pandemic periods. These Grab partners have tapped on the Grab platform to better leverage digital services to earn livelihoods and grow their businesses.
Grab employees will also attend the event, including many of those who have been with the company for over six years (internally known as a ‘Grabversaurus’). The ‘Grabversauruses’ joined the company when it was only offering ride-hailing services and operating in less than 30 cities, and have contributed to the company’s growth into a superapp that is now available in 465 cities. In recognition of the collective effort and continued partnership of the Grab community to reach this milestone, about 1,500 Grab employees, as well as representatives from Grab’s partner communities, from across Southeast Asia will be featured on the Nasdaq Tower in Times Square, New York City, after Grab is officially listed on Nasdaq.
Anthony Tan, Group CEO and Co-founder, Grab, said, “It’s important to us not to lose sight of what this was all built on. The heart and hard work of our Grabbers to serve our partners, and in turn, the dedication of our partners towards serving their customers. That’s why we chose to hold the ceremony close to home. To be here, amongst our community, sharing the moment with them as we cross the threshold into a new chapter of our journey.”
Quotes from Grab partners who will be participating in Grab’s opening bell ceremony
Roszana Binte Ali, a GrabFood delivery-partner, said, “I’m so happy to be a part of today’s celebration. Before delivering with Grab, I had tried many times to get a job and was close to giving up hope after seven years of trying. Grab was the first company that gave me the ability to earn an income and support my family, even with my disability. I am proud to be financially independent. I hope that Grab will keep bringing these earning opportunities to many more people in Southeast Asia.”
Peh Hock Chuan, a Grab driver-partner, said, “I am on the roads almost every day because I want to provide a better living for my family. I was very touched to learn that the Emerald Circle scholarships2 were given to both of my children, Pearlyn and Peter, so that they could study the courses of their choices in university. I want to keep doing my best for them so that they can focus on doing well in school and life. Thank you Grab for investing in our children, who are our future.”
Melvin Chew, Owner of Hawkers United and Jin Ji Teochew Braised Duck & Kway Chap, said, “Singapore’s home-grown hawker culture is internationally recognised and is the fruit of labour of many generations of hawkers. It is not an easy trade to be in and the community struggled during this pandemic period with tightened restrictions. Going digital was one of the ways to help the hawker community stay afloat and I am glad that as a homegrown company, Grab had extended support and taught the hawkers the digital skills to reach more customers. To me, it’s clear that our region is able to grow in a meaningful and sustainable way because of Grab’s growth. I’m proud to see it go public today and hope it will continue to help small businesses across Southeast Asia.”
Mastura, Owner of Hjh Maimunah, said, “Grab has helped me to sustain my restaurant’s business during this pandemic. They understand the needs of a small F&B business like mine amidst the various Covid measures, and my aspiration to bring traditional Malay and Indonesian cuisines to more customers. With their help, we were able to continue to serve not just our returning customers, but also more people from beyond the proximity of our physical restaurants. Being awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand recently was also a huge recognition of our efforts. I’m happy to see Grab go public today – it is a major milestone and I hope that together with Grab, we can continue to grow and become better together. Working with a partner who understands us is always a joy. I look forward to more opportunities to grow with Grab.”
Jonathan Tan, Founder and Managing Director, PRISM+, said, “As a fellow entrepreneur, I know that a startup journey is never easy, and that’s why I am so happy to be here today to join Grab’s listing moment and see a fellow homegrown company succeed. This really pushes me on, and is a powerful reminder of Southeast Asia’s potential. As the first display brand born and bred in Singapore, Grab has been invaluable in helping us supercharge our sales, serving the needs of our users by providing them accessible and flexible payment solutions. We recorded a 30% increase in revenue in the last 5 months, and look forward to recording new highs with our continued partnership with Grab.”
More quotes from Grab driver-, delivery- and merchant-partners, and other business partners from across Southeast Asia are available in the Appendix.
To access photos and collateral from the opening bell ceremony, please visit here. Please note that the link will be continually updated throughout 2 December. For general photos, videos (b-roll), executive photos and collateral, please visit Grab’s Press Center.
Source: Grab(Press release)
