Singapore – Small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are thriving in Southeast Asia as vital engines behind the economy. Yet they often face unique challenges, especially when looking to expand and compete on a larger scale. Alongside workforce management, they also have to navigate the intricacies of embracing digital transformation to unlock success.
At the forefront of addressing these challenges is global people platform Deel, a company dedicated to streamlining hiring and payroll. Having recently appointed Philip Tnee as the new head of SMB in ASEAN, Deel is reinforcing its commitment to delivering businesses’ specific needs.
In an exclusive interview with UpTech Media, Philip shares his approach and vision for empowering SMBs, outlining his strategic leadership direction to unlock potential. He shares his take on the role of digital transformation in modern workforce management, specifically for SMBs looking to grow their operations.
Leading SMBs across ASEAN
In his recent appointment, Philip Tnee steps into a crucial role, spearheading Deel’s dedicated sales team in the SMB segment throughout ASEAN. This entailes developing and implementing strategies to expand its customer base and driving growth.
“SMBs are the backbone of ASEAN’s economy, and my role is to empower these businesses by providing them with the tools and support they need to scale efficiently and compliantly, both within their home markets and internationally. By fostering a high-performing, customer-centric sales culture, I aim to help more SMBs unlock their potential and contribute to the region’s continued economic development,” Philip said.
Guiding his approach are two fundamental principles stemming from his experience: effort and integrity.
“For me, effort means going the extra mile to understand our clients’ unique challenges, and working tirelessly to deliver solutions that truly make a difference. Meanwhile, integrity is critical in building trust through transparency and accountability, both within our team and with our customers,” Philip shared.
Rethinking HRM operations
As entire industries are being transformed by technology, SMBs must remain competitive, especially as they aim to expand beyond local boundaries. While some are tapping into global talent pools, Philip points out that their human resource management (HRM) operations may not be on par.
“This gap creates real pain points around compliance, onboarding, payroll, and benefits—especially when operating across multiple countries with different regulations,” Philip said.
He also shares how Deel addresses these challenges, allowing businesses to scale internationally while enabling their workers to access global opportunities.
“By integrating global high-skilled experts into local teams, companies can also bridge immediate talent gaps and foster knowledge transfer, ensuring sustainable growth and competitiveness in the ASEAN region,” he said.
Some SMBs are still solely dependent on their local workforce, which Philip says may limit their growth in the region. He encourages them to take advantage of the talents available in different countries, ensuring that Deel can help onboarding and management become seamless.
“The future of work is global, and SMBs need to embrace cross-border hiring by tapping into remote and freelance talent pools while ensuring compliance with local regulations,” he said.
Digitally transforming SMBs
From the traditional landscape of workforce management, digital tools are reshaping SMBs’ HRM operations. Philip observes how these tools are transforming HR into a “proactive, data-driven and employee-centric discipline.” With artificial intelligence, automation and compliance risk detection have become easier.
“At Deel, we’re not just observers of this transformation – we’re leading it. We use our own AI-powered platform internally, making us our own biggest client. We rely on Deel AI, our self-built, AI-powered knowledge base, to ensure our teams have a single source of truth and can collaborate efficiently across functions.” Philip said.
“This gives us a unique perspective on the real challenges HR professionals face, and it means we’re constantly testing and refining our solutions, ensuring they genuinely make HR professionals’ lives easier,” he added.
However, ensuring SMBs’ success goes beyond HRM. Streamlining the HR function only lays a critical foundation that they must continue through a holistic process.
“Scaling isn’t simply about increasing headcount. It’s about building engagement, retention and productivity across a distributed workforce,” Philip said.
To him, it is essential for SMBs to focus on all stages of the employee experience, responsibly facilitating their onboarding, benefits, performance management, and well-being. This also applies to remote teams, allowing them to forge a sense of culture and connection.
“The right digital tools can help design intentional employee journeys that drive satisfaction and performance, supporting sustainable growth,” he said.
With Philip’s appointment at Deel, new opportunities and innovations await SMBs in ASEAN. Ultimately, his vision for these businesses speaks of empowerment, going beyond being a service provider to a strategic partner. As Deel rethinks HRM operations, it guides SMBs towards sustainable growth, paving a path for their success.
