12 Malaysian companies win Deloitte Asia Pacific tech award

Kuala Lumpur, January 19 2009 - Twelve Malaysian companies are among the top 500 companies in the Asia Pacific region to win the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2008 Awards that was announced recently.

Pulse Group PLC was ranked No 1, followed by Everest Web Sdn Bhd, N2N Connect Berhad, Kreateevee Sdn Bhd, Bsmart Technology Sdn Bhd, XYBase Sdn Bhd, Riskk.Com Sdn Bhd, Bernama Systems & Solutions Advisor Sdn Bhd, IF Interactive Sdn Bhd, Comintel Sdn Bhd, Interbase Resources Sdn Bhd, and JobSteet.com Sdn Bhd.

Deloitte Malaysia Executive Director of Technology Consulting, Ow Chee Hong, said the technology sector in the Asia Pacific region continued to soar in 2008 as Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific winners set new records for growth.

Ow said this year saw an increase in the number of Malaysian internet companies that made it into the ranking, with Pulse Group being Malaysia’s No. 1 ranked winner.

“Internet companies continue to be on the rise as digital marketing becomes more mainstream. Internet companies are flourishing as they offer a more feasible and cost-effective way for businesses to reach out to their target markets.

“This is evident in today’s world as MNCs, non-profit organisations and even newly-elected US President, Barack Obama, has hopped on the internet bandwagon and succeeded tremendously,” he said.

Deloitte also released the results of this year’s Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific CEO Survey, the firm’s annual analysis of business trends among the winning Technology Fast 500 companies.

Ow said the survey, conducted in the last quarter of 2008, revealed that in order to achieve continued success, the Technology Fast 500 CEOs will increase their focus on the Asia Pacific region.

This indicates that they anticipate the Asia Pacific market to remain stronger than other world markets.

Igal Brightman, Global Managing Partner of Deloitte’s TMT Industry Group said while the technology, media and telecommunications (TMT) sectors will continue to grow globally in the long-run, even the top-performing TMT companies know that it is important to realistically and carefully plan their growth strategy for the turbulent times ahead.

“That being said, the vast majority of the Technology Fast 500 CEOs remain optimistic about future growth, in spite of the recent financial turmoil.

“These companies have so far successfully navigated these tough economic times because they follow well-articulated business plans, provide innovative technologies and pursue largely new, untapped markets,” he said.

The average revenue growth across all 500 Asia Pacific technology companies, which were recognised and honoured at Deloitte’s annual awards ceremony in Hong Kong recently, reached 707 per cent over the past three years. 

This represents the highest level of growth since Deloitte started its rankings in 2002. The growth rate for the top five firms more than doubled over figures of 2007 and mainland China occupies an increasingly important position in the rankings, with six companies ranked among the 10 fastest growing companies.

Two companies from Taiwan and two from South Korea rounded out the top 10.

Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2008

Top 10 winners’ information: 

Highlights of the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific 2008 CEO Survey include:

• 67% will increase their focus on the Asia Pacific market
• The biggest threat to growth is financial pressure, limited access to capital and deflationary pressures—rising from 15% in 2007 to 35% in 2008
• 65% say their investment plans remain unaffected by conditions on the credit market

A detailed report of the Fast 500 rankings and Deloitte’s annual CEO survey is available at: http://www.deloitte.com/fast500asiapac.

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