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The firm was recognised across various categories, a testament to its continued outperformance:

1. Kenanga Growth Fund (“KGF“) – Best Equity Malaysia – Malaysia Provident Funds over 5 Years
2. Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 MYR Class (“KGFS2“) – Best Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident Funds over 3 Years
3. Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund (“KMIF“) – Best Equity Malaysia Diversified – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years
4. Kenanga Managed Growth Fund (“KMGF“) – Best Mixed Asset MYR Balanced Malaysia – Malaysia Provident Funds over 10 Years

Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director said, “We are honoured to be recognised by LSEG Lipper for our consistent performance in 2025 against a backdrop of volatility, underpinned by heightened trade wars. During the year, geopolitical risks and trade tensions caused sudden swings in sentiment, which affected small- and mid-cap stocks. We steered clear of headlines and focused on sustainable earnings. This allowed us to selectively position ourselves for when valuations turned compelling while reducing exposure when risks escalated which proved effective and underscores our expertise in Malaysian equities”.

Since the launch of KGF in 2000 and KGFS2 in 2018, both funds have demonstrated consistent performance. As of December 2025, each has surpassed RM1 billion in assets under management¹, underscoring Kenanga Investors’ disciplined investment approach and commitment to long term value creation. This year’s Awards also mark KGF’s sixth Lipper title while KGFS2 celebrates its inaugural win.

Lee Sook Yee, Chief Investment Officer, elaborated on the firm’s approach, “We maintained a disciplined bottom‑up stock‑picking strategy anchored in company fundamentals, giving us the conviction to stay invested in high quality businesses with strong balance sheets and structural growth drivers. This was supported by a strict risk management framework focused on sector diversification, prudent buffers, and incremental rebalancing. In 2026, we will emphasise themes such as artificial intelligence and data centre expansion, infrastructure, utilities, and selective REITs, while remaining true to our investment philosophy”.

Over the five‑year period ended 31 December 2025, KGF delivered a total return of 48.82%, significantly outperforming its benchmark² of 3.25%. Similarly, KGFS2 achieved a robust 49.92% return compared to its benchmark’s³ 46.93%. KMIF also recorded solid results with a 32.67% return against a benchmark⁴ of 5.26%, while KMGF posted a commendable 25.88% return, exceeding its benchmark’s⁵ 11.32%.

The firm also recently introduced the Kenanga Growth Fund Series 3 (“KGFS3“), the third fund within its flagship conventional fund series. The KGFS3 utilises the firm’s proven investment philosophy and is managed with an active investment strategy depending on the market conditions and outlook, combining a top-down asset and sector allocation process with a bottom-up stock selection methodology.

The LSEG Lipper Fund Awards, granted annually, highlight funds and fund companies that have excelled in delivering consistently strong risk-adjusted performance relative to their peers. The Awards are based on the Lipper Leader for Consistent Return rating, which is a risk-adjusted performance measure calculated over 36, 60 and 120 months. This year’s achievements will serve to strengthen Kenanga Investors’ market leadership and drive its focus on creating enduring value for its investors.

For more information about Kenanga Investors, please visit kenangainvestors.com.my.

¹ Source: Lipper, 31 December 2025

² Benchmark: FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI CR

³ Benchmark: 8% p.a.

⁴ Benchmark: FTSE Bursa Malaysia Top 100 CR

⁵ Benchmark: FTSE Bursa Malaysia Top 100 Index (50%) & All MGS Index by RAM Quant Shop (50%)

Hashtag: #Kenanga

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Kenanga Investors Berhad 199501024358 (353563-P)

We provide investment solutions ranging from collective investment schemes, portfolio management services, alternative investments, as well as wills and trusts for retail, corporate, institutional, and high net worth clients via a multi-distribution network.

The LSEG Lipper Fund Awards 2026 recognised four funds under the Malaysia Provident Funds category; Kenanga Growth Fund was named Equity Malaysia (5 Years), Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 was awarded Equity Malaysia Diversified (3 Years), Kenanga Malaysian Inc Fund was awarded Equity Malaysia Diversified (10 Years) while Kenanga Managed Growth Fund was recognised with the title Mixed Asset MYR Balanced – Malaysia (10 Years).

The Hong Kong-based Asia Asset Management’s (“AAM“) 2026 Best of the Best Awards awarded Kenanga Investors under the following categories, Malaysia Best Impact Investing Manager, Best Impact Investing Manager in ASEAN, Malaysia Best Equity Manager, Malaysia CEO of the Year (Co-Winner), Malaysia CIO of the Year, Malaysia Best House for Alternatives and Malaysia Best ESG Engagement Initiative.

At the AAM ETF Awards 2026, Kenanga Investors received an accolade under the category Malaysia Leverage and Inverse ETF of the Year for the Kenanga KLCI Daily 1x Inverse ETF. The IFN Investor Awards 2025 awarded the Kenanga Islamic Balanced Fund under the categories of “IFN Investor Best Balanced Mixed Assets Fund in Malaysia — MYR 2025”, “IFN Investor Best Balanced Mixed Assets Fund in Asia Pacific 2025”, and “IFN Investor Best Global Balanced Mixed Assets Fund 2025”.

The FPAM Financial Planning Leadership Award 2025 presented Kenanga Investors with the Platinum Award under the Charter Member Category, highlighting our dedication to shaping the future of financial planning. The FSMOne Recommended Unit Trusts Awards 2025/2026 has awarded the Kenanga Growth Fund Series 2 with the “Sector Equity — Malaysia Focused” award for the fourth consecutive year since 2022. For the ninth consecutive year, we were affirmed an investment manager rating of IMR-2 by Malaysian Rating Corporation Berhad, since first rated in 2017. The IMR rating on reflects the fund management company’s well-established investment processes and sound risk management practices.

This Press Release was issued by Kenanga Group’s Marketing, Communications & Sustainability department.

Jardines embeds sustainability within its value creation strategy and applies a rigorous lens to investment and capital allocation decisions. There are clear sustainability expectations for our diverse portfolio of market‑leading businesses with the aim to build resilience and mitigate emerging risks.

Earlier, Jardines announced its strategic repositioning from owner-operator to an investment company with a focus on sustainable, top-quartile Total Shareholder Return. Jardines is also committed to active portfolio value creation, talent development, world-class governance and sustainability improvements across its portfolio.

In 2025, Jardine Matheson delivered strong progress on its ‘Building Towards 2030’ sustainability strategy:

• Climate action – Decarbonisation remains top priority. 8% decline in scope 1 and 2 emissions from companies on the Decarbonisation and Transition pathway
• Responsible consumption – Improvements in waste reduction, resource efficiency and circularity initiatives. 29% decrease in total waste generated and 95% total waste diverted from landfill
• Social inclusion – Ongoing investments in education, health and livelihoods. US$59m in community investments made
• Governance and transparency – Enhanced sustainability governance and disclosure as Jardines maintains portfolio oversight of sustainability across its portfolio. ESG ratings improvement reflect positive response on sustainability performance _{(S&P: 82nd percentile, ISS ESG: Prime)}

Ben Keswick, Executive Chairman of Jardine Matheson said, “Sustainability is foundational to how we protect and enhance economic value and build long-term resilience across Jardine Matheson – it is an essential value that every business in our portfolio must commit to and that guides the investment decisions we make. We will continue to embed sustainability in our strategy and portfolio management decisions, with a clear focus on decarbonisation, by setting clear commitments, measuring progress against our roadmaps, and applying disciplined governance across our portfolio.”

Decarbonisation is top priority
Contributing to a sustainable, low-carbon future is a strategic priority for Jardines. In 2025, the Group delivered an 8% reduction in total scope 1 and 2 emissions, reflecting steady progress across its diversified portfolio. This was supported by a continued shift away from fossil-fuel energy, with renewable energy accounting for 45% of total energy consumption, alongside an overall reduction in energy use.

Jardines’ decarbonisation approach is structured around two pathways: a Decarbonisation Pathway, and a Transition Pathway for mining and energy businesses.

In 2025, Jardines’ portfolio companies began formal reporting on climate risks and opportunities to their audit committees, following the integration of climate risks into existing ERM processes the prior year. Alongside, Jardines is also integrating sustainability factors into investment due diligence and decision-making, ensuring material sustainability-related aspects of an investment are considered as Jardines continues to unlock value creation for its stakeholders.

Looking forward
Looking ahead, Jardines will continue to embed sustainability as a core value driver across its portfolio by setting clear commitments and prioritising decarbonisation. The Group will continue to strengthen governance and incentives to drive accountability and deliver on scope 1 and 2 emissions reduction pathways.

To access the Sustainability Report 2025, please visit sustainability.jardines.com/2025/ or click here to download the PDF.
Hashtag: #JardineMatheson

https://www.jardines.com
https://www.linkedin.com/company/jardine-matheson/

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Jardine Matheson

Jardine Matheson (Jardines) is a diversified, Asia-focused investment company. Founded in China in 1832, Jardines creates value for our stakeholders by building lasting, scalable businesses in Asia that produce sustainable returns and market leading services and products.

We ensure highly-qualified boards and leadership teams are in place across the Group, with incentives aligned to driving shareholder value. At the holding company level, we aim for decisive portfolio management built on disciplined capital allocation and strong investment expertise.

At Jardines, we value integrity and long-term partnerships. We ensure global best practice in risk management and governance is embedded across our portfolio, and coupled a strong balance sheet with excellent access to low-cost funding from banks and the capital markets.

Since our founding, Jardines has benefitted from the role of family shareholders who act as long term stewards of our values and commitments – which includes embedding sustainability across our portfolio companies and doing right by our communities for the long term. We are proud to build value for shareholders while also making a positive contribution to the communities we serve.

Jardine Matheson holds interests in Hongkong Land (54.7%), DFI Retail Group (77.5%), Mandarin Oriental (100%), Jardine Pacific (100%), Jardine Cycle & Carriage (JC&C) (85.7%), and Zhongsheng (21.4%). JC&C in turn has a 50.1% shareholding in Astra.

Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited is a listed company with a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and a secondary listing in Singapore.

www.jardines.com

By Asad Mirza It seems that President Trump’s Tuesday morning Truth Social post, which threatened “a whole civilisation will die tonight” and raised the spectre of nuclear war, has jolted the American lawmakers, and it has begun a chorus of calls either for Trump’s impeachment or for his removal via the invocation of the 25th […]

The article Irrespective Of Two Week Ceasefire, Demand For Impeachment Of Trump Grows In U.S. Congress appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

By Nitya Chakraborty China and Russia are the two major countries which are going the wholehog in boosting the Myanmar junta chief Min Aung Hlaing who has just been elected as the new President following national elections which were rigged, according to the international poll observers. India also exercised its diplomatic pragmatism by doing away […]

The article China Goes All Out To Boost The New President Of Myanmar Min Aung Hlaing appeared first on Latest India news, analysis and reports on Newspack by India Press Agency).

The research, authored by Research Strategist Ager Freddy, Senior Researcher Timothy Benson, and ACES Institute President Dr. Shanggari Balakrishnan, argues that the phrase “doing the right thing” is frequently invoked in business discourse as a universal moral ideal, yet it is rarely examined through the lens of operational cost and strategic trade-offs. The study identifies that what is considered “right” varies significantly depending on the stakeholder ranging from regulatory compliance for governments and governance standards for investors to fair wages for employees and responsible resource use for environmental advocates.

The 4Cs Framework and Institutional Resilience

Central to the publication is the introduction of the 4Cs leadership framework: Creativity, Conscientiousness, Constancy, and Collaboration. According to the ACES Institute, these four pillars are essential for embedding ethical considerations directly into an organization’s product design, engineering processes, and corporate culture. The researchers suggest that by moving beyond surface-level corporate social responsibility and toward an institutionalized philosophy, companies can build a foundation for long-term differentiation and resilience.

The study acknowledges that this values-driven approach often necessitates difficult decisions that may carry significant short-term costs. Organizations pursuing deep sustainability or ethical strategies may face higher production expenses, skepticism from traditional market analysts, and resistance from consumers who express support for sustainability in theory but remain sensitive to price in practice. Furthermore, the research explores how global economic and political dynamics, such as shifting regulations and differing sustainability standards across international markets, complicate the efforts of leaders to maintain a consistent ethical stance.

Case Study Analysis: Letright Industrial Corp., Ltd.

To provide empirical evidence for these findings, the report examines the multi-decade journey of Letright Industrial Corp., Ltd., a manufacturer of premium outdoor living products. Under the leadership of founder and CEO Ren Li, the company made a pivotal decision in the early 2000s to abandon wood then the dominant material in the industry in favor of recyclable materials such as aluminum. This decision was driven by personal conviction regarding environmental impact rather than immediate market demand or regulatory requirements.

The case study illustrates the “Constancy” pillar of the ACES framework, noting that the move initially triggered significant resistance. During this period, customers continued to prefer traditional materials, employees questioned the strategic shift, and management warned of the financial consequences of declining orders. However, the research highlights that by persisting through this uncertainty, Letright successfully transitioned from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to an original design manufacturer (ODM). This shift allowed the company to build its own intellectual property, eventually leading to the development of the Ombra solar smart pergola, which integrates photovoltaic technology for renewable energy generation.

Executive Perspective on Global Leadership

“Organisations today operate in a landscape where expectations rarely align,” stated the authors of the study. “What appears responsible to one group may be viewed as inadequate or even harmful by another. Ultimately, ethical leadership does not mean achieving universal approval or avoiding difficult decisions. Instead, it requires organisations to define their own principles and align strategy, operations, and innovation around those values.”

The publication concludes that while “doing the right things” does not guarantee universal agreement, organizations that clearly define their values and consistently act on them are statistically more likely to build lasting relevance and resilience in an increasingly complex business environment. This research forms a key part of the ACES Institute’s ongoing mission to examine the intersection of leadership, sustainability, and responsible corporate transformation across global industries.
Hashtag: #ACESInstitute #LetrightIndustrial

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About ACES Institute

About Letright Industrial Corp., Ltd. | Ombra Brand

While half of Malaysian small businesses report improved profitability from their technology investments over the past two years, the proportion generating more than 10 per cent of revenue from online sales declined from 74 per cent in 2024 to 62 per cent in 2025.

Digital payment usage has also declined in 2025 with 74 per cent of small businesses receiving more than 10 per cent of their sales through digital payment platforms such as GrabPay, Touch ‘n Go and Boost, compared to 78 per cent in 2024.

Priya Terumalay, CPA Australia’s Regional Head for Southeast Asia, said while government initiatives have helped support technology adoption, these efforts have yet to drive significant uptake of deeper productivity-enhancing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, process automation, data analytics and systems integration.

“Technology investment remains concentrated in computer hardware and customer-facing functions like mobile apps and payments, while structural constraints continue to limit more transformative approaches,” Priya said.

“With cost pressures remaining a persistent challenge compressing margins, policy priorities should focus on addressing structural constraints such as re-orienting digital support towards automation, systems integration, and data use along with support for productivity-enhancing responses rather than short-term relief.”

Businesses making technology investments must include adequate protection measures to minimise cyber risk exposure as 35 per cent of small businesses lost time or money due to a cyber-attack in 2025.

Only 39 per cent reviewed their cybersecurity protections over a six-month period, the second lowest result among the 11 markets surveyed.

Despite the challenges, business sentiment on the Malaysian economy remains positive with 75 percent of small businesses expecting the economy to grow in 2026.

A strong 77 per cent also anticipate business growth this year, although improved access to effective finance, especially for investment will be important to enable deeper digital transformation and build resilience.

“This is particularly crucial for outward-oriented small businesses navigating global supply chain pressures and trade policy uncertainty that could weigh on growth, especially firms integrated into regional supply chains.” Priya said.

About the survey

CPA Australia’s 17th annual Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey was conducted among small business owners/senior managers during November and December 2025 to identify the characteristics of successful small businesses across the region. The findings for the survey come from 4,166 small businesses in 11 markets. From the commencement of the survey in 2009, we have surveyed over 50,000 small businesses across the region. These include Australia, Mainland China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.
Hashtag: #SmallBusiness #CPAAustralia #MalaysiaBusinesses

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About CPA Australia

CPA Australia is one of the world’s largest professional accounting bodies, with more than 175,000 members in over 100 countries and regions, including more than 21,000 members in Southeast Asia. As we mark our 140th anniversary, we also celebrate 70 years of presence in Malaysia. With offices in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam, we are the largest Australian accounting body in the region providing education, training, technical support and advocacy. CPA Australia provides thought leadership on issues affecting the accounting profession and the public interest. We engage with governments, regulators and industries to advocate policies that stimulate sustainable economic growth and have positive business and public outcomes. A CPA is a Certified Practising Accountant. More at cpaaustralia.com.au

This marks the first time an Asia-wide environmental hackathon exclusively for undergraduate and master’s students is held in Vietnam. The competition aims to identify and develop technology-driven solutions to pressing environmental challenges, while fostering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration among the younger generation.

Participants will advance through three main stages: Registration & Preliminary (April 6 – May 17, 2026); Online Training Phase (June 2 – June 28, 2026); and Final Round & Hackathon at VinUniversity (July 2 – July 5, 2026, tentative).

During the Registration & Preliminary Round, participants register online in teams of up to four members. Eligible applicants must be current undergraduate or master’s students at universities across Asia.

Application materials include an idea proposal and an introductory video. Based on evaluation by the Technical Board, the Top 30 teams will be selected to advance to the next stage.

The competition encourages interdisciplinary ideas that integrate multiple fields—including technology, environmental sciences, economics, and social sciences—with the aim of creating solutions that are innovative, feasible, and socially impactful.

Proposed ideas should address one of three key challenge areas: Renewable Energy and Low-Carbon Mobility; Urban Air Quality and Climate Resilience; Water Resources and Climate-Resilient Agriculture.

During the Online Training Round, the Top 30 teams will participate in a series of intensive training sessions and expert consultations with multidisciplinary specialists. These sessions are designed to equip teams with deeper domain knowledge and up-to-date insights on sustainability trends and relevant technologies, enabling them to further refine and expand their proposed solutions.

During the Final Round and Award Ceremony, all travel and accommodation expenses for the Top 30 teams will be fully covered. The teams will take part in a 24-hour hackathon at VinUniversity (Hanoi), where they will further develop and refine their technology-driven solutions before presenting them to the Judging Panel. Based on this evaluation, the Top 9 teams will be selected to advance to the final assessment round, from which the winning team will be determined.

The Chair of the Judging Panel is Prof. Duong Nguyen Vu, Vice Provost of Graduate Education at VinUniversity and Chief Scientific Officer at the Center for AI Research. He had been a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore until July 2025, where he served as Scientific Director at the Air Traffic Management Research Institute (ATMRI). Under his leadership—as Executive Director until 2025—the institute has emerged as a global leader in air traffic management research, thanks in large part to the scientific foundation he helped establish. Before joining NTU, Prof. Vu was the founding Director of the John von Neumann Institute at Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, spearheading university-industry collaborations and championing innovation and entrepreneurship in education.

Prior to returning to Vietnam in 2010, he was Head of Innovative Research and Senior Scientific Advisor at the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL). He also advised Vietnam’s Minister of Planning and Investment on innovation strategy, contributing to the establishment of the National Innovation Center.

The competition offers a total prize pool of USD 24,000, comprising one First Prize of USD 8,000, one Second Prize of USD 5,000, two Third Prizes of USD 3,000 each, and five Consolation Prizes of USD 1,000 each. Beyond the awards, participating teams will gain valuable opportunities to engage with leading experts from across the region, expand their professional networks, and strengthen their access to the broader innovation ecosystem.

Dr. Le Thai Ha, Managing Director of the “For Green Future” Foundation and Head of the Organizing Committee, shared: “We believe that ideas with the power to shape the future do not always emerge from large laboratories or well-established institutions; they often arise from the insight, initiative, and determination of young people to make a difference. Through the Asian Hackathon for Green Future, we seek to create a platform where students across the region can transform their environmental awareness into tangible, innovative solutions that deliver meaningful impact for communities and the future.”

The Asian Hackathon for Green Future is expected to foster innovation aligned with sustainable development, while contributing to the development of a new generation of young talents capable of cross-border collaboration to create solutions with lasting, positive impact across the region.

Interested candidates may register for the competition via: https://forms.gle/o3L5BVLExUYKQtGJA

For any inquiries, please contact the Organizing Committee at [email protected] for further assistance.
Hashtag: #ForGreenFutureFund

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The project is a collaboration between Wycombe Abbey, BE Education, and Rabbit Holdings, a subsidiary of BTS Group Holdings Public Company Limited, reflecting the continued expansion of global education networks into Asia and Thailand’s growing relevance as a destination for international schooling.

Founded in 1896 in Buckinghamshire, Wycombe Abbey is widely recognised for its academic excellence and long-standing reputation for combining rigorous British curricula, including IGCSEs and A Levels, with a holistic approach to student development. The model emphasises intellectual curiosity, leadership, and a global perspective.

Wycombe Abbey also represents a rare example of a historic global institution that has successfully maintained its academic standards while expanding internationally. Its schools in Hong Kong and major cities across China have demonstrated the ability to uphold the same quality of education, driven by close collaboration and strict academic oversight from Wycombe Abbey UK. This approach ensures consistency in teaching standards, student outcomes, and the overall educational experience across its international network.

The school’s entry into Thailand comes amid sustained growth in the country’s international education sector. Thailand currently hosts more than 250 international schools serving approximately 70,000 to 80,000 students. The market is valued at over 80 billion baht and continues to expand at an annual rate of around 10%, driven by rising demand from both Thai and expatriate families seeking globally recognised education pathways.

Bangkok’s appeal as an education destination is supported by its quality of life, safety, regional connectivity, and relatively competitive cost of living, positioning the city as a potential regional hub for international families.

Wycombe Abbey’s international network already spans Hong Kong and multiple cities in China, including Changzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. Bangkok will serve as one of its newest strategic locations, with further expansion planned in Singapore and South Korea, strengthening cross-border academic connections and student mobility within Asia.

William Vanbergen, Founder and Chairman of BE Education and Chairman of the Wycombe Abbey International Advisory Board, said the expansion represents more than a geographic extension.

“Wycombe Abbey isn’t just expanding. It is bringing one of the UK’s most respected educational traditions into Asia, while creating a multi-campus network that connects students across locations through shared experiences and collaboration,” he said.

Chotchawal Leetrairong, representing BTS Group Holdings and serving as financial advisor, said the investment aligns with a broader vision of urban development.

“World-class education is a fundamental component of a global city. Our investment reflects a long-term commitment to strengthening Bangkok’s position by supporting international education, talent attraction, and economic development,” he said.

Fiona Angel, Founding Executive Headteacher of Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok, said the school will focus on developing well-rounded students equipped for a rapidly evolving global environment.

The school will offer a continuous 15-year education pathway from Nursery to Year 13 (ages 2–18), with both day and boarding options. Boarding will remain a central element of the educational model, designed to foster independence, responsibility, and leadership within a structured learning community.

Located near Thana City on Bangna-Trad Road, the campus will span over 66 acres, positioning it among the largest international school campuses in Bangkok. Facilities will include an Olympic-standard swimming pool, FIFA-standard football field, tennis and golf facilities, basketball courts, a full athletics track, and a 1,000-seat stadium, supporting both academic and co-curricular development.

The combination of Wycombe Abbey’s academic reputation and the school’s strategic location is expected to further strengthen Bangkok’s position as an emerging Asian education hub. Situated just 10 minutes from Suvarnabhumi Airport, the campus offers convenient regional access for international families, while its high-quality boarding facilities are designed to meet the needs of students and parents across Asia. This positioning is expected to attract a growing number of families seeking world-class education within the region.

Wycombe Abbey has consistently delivered strong academic outcomes. Over the past decade, 28% of its graduates have secured places at Oxford and Cambridge, with many progressing to leading universities worldwide. Across its international network, 38% of students in its Hong Kong and China campuses have been admitted to QS Top 10 universities, while 74% have gained entry to QS Top 50 institutions globally.

With its established academic track record, international network, and large-scale campus, Wycombe Abbey International School Bangkok aims to position itself as a leading provider of British-curriculum education in Southeast Asia, while contributing to Bangkok’s long-term development as a global education destination.

For more information, please visit https://wycombeabbeyinternational.com/schools/bangkok/

Hashtag: #WycombeAbbey

https://wycombeabbeyinternational.com/schools/bangkok/

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Dentsu has appointed Yusuke Kagohara as chief financial officer for Southeast Asia, handing him a mandate that goes beyond traditional finance oversight as the advertising and marketing group tightens governance and prepares for a more disciplined phase of expansion across one of Asia’s most competitive markets. The appointment took effect immediately, and Kagohara will report to Sanjay Bhasin, chief executive for Southeast Asia.

The move lands at a sensitive point for global agency networks. Growth remains available across Southeast Asia, but margins, client expectations and regulatory scrutiny are all sharpening. Dentsu’s own framing makes clear that this is not merely a replacement hire. Company statements and industry reports describe the post as part of a wider effort to deepen strategic and financial discipline and strengthen governance across the regional cluster, which covers Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The business employs more than 4,000 people in the region under what Dentsu describes as a borderless operating model formed in 2023.

Kagohara arrives with a profile that fits that brief. Before this appointment, he served as group head of risks and controls at Dentsu Group Inc., where he worked on internal controls, enterprise risk management and broader governance and remediation efforts. Earlier assignments included chief financial officer and deputy chief financial officer roles in Beijing and at Dentsu Creative China, experience that gave him exposure to large and complex operating environments in Asia. Industry coverage of the appointment has also highlighted his background in corporate strategy, transformation and all-round finance, suggesting the company wanted someone comfortable with both compliance architecture and commercial execution.

That background matters because agency finance chiefs are no longer judged only on forecasting, cost control and reporting. They are increasingly central to how networks integrate acquisitions, police internal controls, price AI-enabled services and defend profitability while clients demand more measurable returns. Dentsu has been signalling this shift at group level for months. Its global management overhaul announced in February was pitched around stronger execution, while its 2025 integrated report and governance materials emphasised capital discipline, internal investment, productivity and the strengthening of leadership and controls.

Southeast Asia gives that challenge extra complexity. The cluster spans fast-growing but highly uneven markets, each with different media structures, regulatory standards, client mixes and digital maturity. Dentsu has described the region as one of the world’s fastest-growing, and its own ad spend outlook has projected Asia Pacific growth ahead of the wider global economy. In December, the company forecast that global advertising spend would rise 5.1 per cent in 2026 to more than $1 trillion, with Asia Pacific remaining the fastest-growing region. For a network trying to convert that momentum into durable earnings, stronger financial control becomes a strategic tool rather than a back-office function.

Bhasin’s comments underline that point. In remarks carried by multiple reports and company-linked posts, he said growth on its own was not enough and that the business needed expansion that was “accountable, resilient, and built to last”. He described Kagohara’s experience in governance, transformation and complex markets as critical to the next stage of Southeast Asia’s development. Kagohara, for his part, said the region stood out for its scale, complexity and ambition, adding that strong fundamentals were universal even when market conditions varied widely. Those comments indicate a leadership view that the next test for Dentsu is not whether Southeast Asia can grow, but whether it can do so with tighter controls and greater consistency across markets.

The timing also follows a change in the seat Kagohara is filling. Trade reports late last month said Bharti Agrawal, who had served as CFO for Southeast Asia at Dentsu, had moved to Monks as chief financial officer for APAC marketing services. That succession gives the new appointment a sharper operational significance, because it suggests Dentsu moved quickly to avoid drift in a role that sits at the centre of planning, compliance and regional coordination.