Early on in his career, Lewis Ng knew where he wanted to be: at the intersection of marketplaces, innovation, and Southeast Asia.

After stints at Apple, Tripadvisor, Carousell, and Seek Asia, Lewis now finds himself in the CEO role for the first time. Now, four months into his tenure at PropertyGuru, Lewis joins the 60/40 podcast for a wide-ranging conversation that covers his views on leadership, the importance of building trust in digital ecosystems, and the reason he still believes in the power of marketplaces.

“There’s a real responsibility that comes with this seat – and also a huge opportunity,” Lewis says. “Marketplaces, when done right, are some of the most impactful platforms out there.”

In this episode, hosted by Seek group CEO Peter Bithos, the two industry veterans explore:

• From generalist to operator: How Lewis charted his transition from telco and media into deep marketplace operations
• Focus over expansion: Why the company is narrowing its strategy to strengthen core markets
• The private equity partnership: What it’s like to work with active ownership under EQT, and how it shapes decision-making
• AI as an enabler: How the tech can automate listing creation and boost content quality for real estate professionals

Lewis also reflects on the transition from CXO to CEO – what felt familiar, what surprised him, and how he’s keeping people and culture at the heart of PropertyGuru’s growth story.

“The real win is to build a business that’s not just big, but also trusted, responsible, and admired,” he says.

Listen to the full episode on your preferred platform: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

Timestamps

00:00 – Intro: property markets up, PropertyGuru up
Lewis explains why PropertyGuru does well in both hot and cold markets.

01:20 – Welcome to 60/40
Peter introduces the show and Lewis Ng, filling in for Maria and Prashanth.

02:10 – Tech headlines
Nvidia’s market cap hits US$4 trillion, McDonald’s AI bot gets hacked (with “123456” as the password), and Foxconn shifts its strategy in India.

07:25 – Career rewind: from telesales to the C-suite
Lewis’s journey across Telstra, Apple, News Corp, Tripadvisor, Carousel, Seek, and now CEO at PropertyGuru.

08:45 – What is PropertyGuru?
Lewis gives an overview of the platform and its markets.

09:50 – How do you become a CEO?
Career philosophy, mentors, and the story of writing “CEO” on a customs card at age 17.

11:30 – Career strategy: getting into classifieds and Asia’s tech scene
Why Lewis took a role at Global Yellow Pages to break into marketplaces.

15:00 – Working with private equity (EQT)
Lewis shares how PropertyGuru’s investor is an “active owner” and what that really means.

16:45 – Strategic shift: doubling down on core markets
Why PropertyGuru streamlined its business, and how EQT supported that call.

19:05 – CEO priorities: focus, innovation, and people
Lewis’ three-part plan for PropertyGuru’s next phase.

20:20 – Property trends across Southeast Asia
Macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment vs. demand, and Vietnam’s growth potential.

25:40 – Why AI is helping upgrade agent listings
The rise of smart listing tools and the surprising value of bad toilet photos.

31:50 – Why Lewis loves marketplaces
It boils down to scalability, defensibility, and impact – as well as how each marketplace has touched his life personally.

37:55 – First job lessons: telesales and target pressure
How early sales experience built communication, empathy, and drive.

39:30 – Rapid-fire round
Favorite food? Pho. Country to expand into? Indonesia. Secret wish? Be an artist.

43:00 – Peter’s poem: From Seek to CEO
A custom 60/40 sign-off in verse form.

60/40 is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, and Maria Li. Special thanks to our guest, Lewis Ng, CEO of PropertyGuru. 

Welcome to Tech in Asia’s Sunday newsletter, your weekend brief on the biggest moves in Asia’s tech and startup world. Not on the mailing list? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.

In focus

• Thu Huong Le on the deeper implications of Indonesia’s #KaburAjaDulu
• Three founders, one fallout: the drama behind Vietnam’s Alterno
• GPT-5 is coming, baby

Hello reader,

This past week, I got hooked on a hashtag: #KaburAjaDulu, or “just run away first.” It popped up in Putra Muskita’s latest piece on Traveloka’s HQ move to Singapore, proof that even Indonesia’s travel tech unicorn is chasing something better.

The phrase has gone viral, tapping into the quiet exodus of young talent chasing better pay beyond the archipelago. It’s part meme, part manifesto – youthful discontent dressed as a joke.

We’ve seen this before. In China, the “lying flat” (躺平) movement caught fire for similar reasons: a silent rebellion against burnout, pressure, and a system that no longer delivers.

Even before AI entered the chat, millennials and Gen Z have been drowning in bad news: economic slowdowns, layoffs, rising costs.

Now, the stakes are much higher. By 2030, the World Economic Forum predicts that 92 million jobs will disappear, while 170 million new ones will emerge. But where? And for whom?

As Putra writes, the challenge isn’t just stopping the brain drain of local tech firms or young people, it’s building systems that make staying worthwhile. In an AI-first world, the best talent shouldn’t have to run – they should be empowered to build.

Image credit: Timmy Loen

We’ll be spotlighting more of these builders as Tech in Asia ramps up its AI coverage in the months ahead.

As always, we’re committed to keeping things balanced, going beyond splashy funding rounds to explore how AI is reshaping society, especially here in this region.

Got thoughts or story ideas? Drop us a line at editors@techinasia.com. We are all ears.

Thu Huong Le, managing editor

Editor’s picks

1️⃣ Singapore drift: What Traveloka’s shift really tells us

Traveloka’s recent “rebrand” as a Singapore-headquartered company didn’t sit well with some in Indonesia. But it also raised an uncomfortable question: Has the pressure to be seen as a homegrown champion boxed some Indonesian companies into a limiting narrative? Tokopedia was absorbed, and Gojek could be next in a potential merger with Grab.

2️⃣ Inside the founders’ feud tearing Alterno apart

Alterno, a climate tech startup in Vietnam, has been caught up in a messy founders’ feud over the past year. Its former CEO claims he was pushed out and unfairly compensated for his shares.

While all three co-founders remain committed to the mission, the public fallout risks overshadowing what Vietnam’s startup ecosystem should truly stand for.

3️⃣ The hacked strikes back: Agentic AI startup fights cyber threats

A startup that began as a pen-testing platform is now taking on cyber threats with agentic AI. Its new system, Brahma Fusion, mimics an entire security ops team using specialized AI agents.

With ransomware losses exploding, Peris’ founders say automation is the only way forward for SMEs.

Short cuts

1️⃣ GPT-5 is coming. Uh-oh.

Back then, we lined up for the next iPhone. Now, we brace ourselves for GPT-5, 6, 7. The stakes? Way higher. Sam Altman says GPT-5 will bring new tech and reasoning powers we haven’t seen before.

2️⃣ From Sweden, with love

Swedish AI startup Lovable just hit US$100 million in ARR, faster than OpenAI and Wiz. In just eight months, it’s racked up 2.3 million users and a US$200 million series A. The message is clear: AI hypergrowth isn’t just in Silicon Valley anymore.

3️⃣ Deeptech founders, meet Singapore’s wallet

With VC funding drying up, NUS is stepping in to back Asia’s deeptech founders. It’s not just about the money, as startups also get mentorship and market access.
If it works, Singapore could become the place in the region to build deeptech firms.

Weekend deep dive

Bryan Johnson is going to die

In this fascinating interview with Wired editor-in-chief Katie Drummond, Bryan Johnson, the face of the “Don’t Die” movement, shifts gears from longevity to AI.

He discusses “Bryan AI,” a digital extension of himself. Johnson also pushes back on The New York Times’ reporting on his company, calling it false.

However, the tech boss still considers shutting down Project Blueprint, even referring to the company as a “pain in the ass” and adding that he doesn’t need the money. He also imagines a future where he’s remembered and respected – in the 25th century.

Quote of the week

“Spend less time doomscrolling on Instagram; spend more time using the AIs.”

-Aravin Srinivas, CEO of Perplexity

That was Srinivas’ no-nonsense advice in a recent interview, a wake-up call for Gen Z and pretty much anyone job hunting right now. With AI moving fast and eating up parts of the job market, he’s saying it plain: adapt or get left behind.

Last call! Nominations close July 31. Is your name on the list?

Submissions for CTO of the Year 2025 are closing soon. This is your last shot to spotlight SEA’s top tech leaders!

This is your final chance to join Southeast Asia’s biggest tech stage.

CTO of the Year 2025, presented by Tech in Asia and AWS, is closing nominations this July 31. We’re searching for the builders behind the breakthroughs, CTOs or tech leads driving early-stage innovation across the region.

If you’re a pre-series A to series B startup, have 10+ members in your team, and are making a real-world impact, we are keen to hear from you! Finalists pitch live at the Tech in Asia Conference in October in Jakarta, gaining exposure to investors, operators, and media. Winners receive recognition across the region and new opportunities.

The stage is set. The spotlight’s waiting. Will you step into it?

🗓 Deadline: July 31, 2025

🎯 Nominate or apply now