PropertyGuru Group, the Singapore-based property technology company, announced Thursday the appointment of Lu Yao as Managing Director, effective September 15.
As Managing Director, he will lead the growth of the Group’s Singapore marketplace business, PropertyGuru, and will drive strategies that deliver value to property seekers and customers, the proptech firm said in a statement.
According to the statement, Lu Yao will be a part of the group’s Executive Leadership Team (XLT) and will report to the Chief Executive Officer, Lewis Ng.
Lu Yao brings rich marketplaces and e-commerce industry experience, delivering commercial growth, driving operational excellence and leading large teams across Singapore and Asia.
Before PropertyGuru, he was the Group Head of Marketplace and Bangladesh Chief Commercial Officer at Daraz Group (Alibaba International Digital Commerce), responsible for shaping the company’s commercial strategy in the South Asia region while driving the growth transformation for Bangladesh.
Previously, Lu Yao led the growth mandate for Shopee Singapore’s FMCG Cluster and Mall, building its retail and last-mile delivery businesses from scratch.
Earlier in his career, he advised on strategy and organizational transformation as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company in China and led patented product innovation in research and development at Dow Chemicals in the United States.
As Managing Director for Singapore, Lu Yao will drive business and growth strategies that maximize the customer value and impact, spearhead the commercial and sales teams, lead and mentor a cross-functional country leadership team towards shared success, and manage business operations.
As part of the XLT, Lu will play an integral role in driving the group’s business strategy and execution alongside the rest of the leadership.
“We are excited to have Lu join us as our Managing Director for Singapore, and on behalf of the Group, I would like to extend a warm welcome to him. Lu’s deep experience in marketplaces and his strength in scaling businesses with the customer at the core are essential for our next growth phase,
“His expertise will be invaluable as we continue to innovate and deliver more meaningful solutions for property seekers, agents, and partners in Singapore,” said Lewis Ng, Chief Executive Officer, PropertyGuru Group.
Lu Yao, Managing Director, Singapore, PropertyGuru, sai PropertyGuru has transformed how people in Singapore and Southeast Asia find their dream homes, and he is honoured to be part of that journey.
“I look forward to working closely with the dynamic and diverse team to deepen the trust we have built with property seekers and partners, while driving innovation and growth to shape the next chapter of the PropTech industry in the region,” he added.