{"id":210351,"date":"2024-04-03T17:49:48","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T09:49:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.grab.com\/sg\/?post_type=editorial&p=210351"},"modified":"2025-12-18T21:19:16","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T13:19:16","slug":"grab-ceo-anthony-tan-ted-interview","status":"publish","type":"editorial","link":"https:\/\/www.grab.com\/sg\/inside-grab\/stories\/grab-ceo-anthony-tan-ted-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"[Watch] The guiding principles behind Grab\u2019s evolution\u2014a conversation with Grab CEO Anthony Tan"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Anthony Tan has a clear message for entrepreneurs: We can\u2019t build extractive businesses anymore, and strive for social and environmental goals through philanthropy later in life.<\/p>

Businesses today can and should consider a double- or triple bottom line from the start. In other words, businesses can pursue social and environmental goals with the same diligence as profit maximisation.<\/p>

For Grab, this means focusing on creating opportunities for people working in low-income, or informal sectors, such as taxi drivers and food vendors. This also includes reducing Grab\u2019s carbon footprint by transitioning its fleet to electric vehicles.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\tThere are real social problems out there. According to the World Bank, the rich-poor divide is actually getting worse in each country. We have a calling to address this divide. Why? If the rich-poor divide gets worse, we can see massive social disruption. We don't want to wait for that to happen in this part of the world.<\/b>\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnthony Tan, Grab CEO<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Tan takes us through the turning points of Grab\u2019s evolution, and explains the values that drive his decision-making in an interview with Boston Consulting Group\u2019s Amane Dannouni for TED.com.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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(Watch the full interview here)<\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Tan discusses how Grab\u2019s multitude of services stack onto each other and originate in one core principle: Increasing safety [2:34]<\/p>

That includes the development of Grab\u2019s cashless payment system, GrabPay. Its first purpose was to reduce the risk for Grab\u2019s driver-partners, who had started to become known for carrying significant amounts of cash from passenger fares. [4:05]<\/p>

Tan goes on to explain:<\/p>

  • the core principles that led to the formation of a digital bank [5:10];<\/li>
  • why a platform that serves informal workers in low-margin sectors need scale and velocity to be sustainable [7:29];<\/li>
  • how working in collaboration with regulators, even if it meant moving slower at times, ended up making Grab stronger, [10:30];<\/li>
  • and how Grab\u2019s commitment to emissions reductions factors into its business goals [12:14]<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    \n\t\t\t\tGoing triple-bottom line wasn't altruistic. We saw that climate conditions have a direct economic impact on the business. When there's a flood in Manila, or in Jakarta, our drivers can't move. And when they can't move, there's no business.<\/b>\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAnthony Tan, Grab CEO<\/cite>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/blockquote>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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    Watch the full video to hear more about Tan\u2019s vision for Southeast Asian businesses that empower, not extract.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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