The Access Group Granted Malaysia Digital Status
The Access Group, one of the largest UK-headquartered providers of business management software to small and mid-sized organisations in the UK, US, Ireland and Asia Pacific, has been awarded Malaysia Digital status by Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the government agency leading the digital transformation of the Malaysian economy.
Malaysia Digital status is a prestigious designation and unlocks a raft of incentives, rights and privileges from the Malaysian Government and will allow Access greater flexibility and support to operate, grow, expand or invest anywhere in Malaysia.
The exclusive package will propel the Group’s plans to enhance its presence in the APAC region and support the opening of a new Global Operations Centre (GO Centre) in the capital Kuala Lumpur later this fiscal year.
Establishing a GO Centre in the Asia Pacific region is fundamental to the Group’s global expansion. Malaysia’s thriving digital economy and stable business landscape offer an attractive location for a new hub, ideally positioned to support the Group’s ongoing global expansion.
Chris Bayne, CEO of The Access Group, said:
“This is an exciting development for Access and we are grateful for MDEC’s support, which will fast-track our growth in APAC. The recognition underscores our commitment to digital transformation globally and reflects our sustained investments in the digital infrastructure in the APAC region.
Over the next four years, the Access GO Centres will support 40% of our global staffing needs. Having these strategically located offices keeps momentum growing. Our ambition is to create a global ‘backbone’ of GO Centres which will provide international senior management, access to diverse talent and regional infrastructure to execute the Group’s sustainable growth.”
Recently appointed Pooja Singh, Managing Director, Global Operation Centres APAC commented:
“We are honoured to receive the Malaysia Digital status and look forward to working closely with MDEC to support the growth of Malaysia's digital economy. For Access, Kuala Lumpur offers a compelling proposition for our first GO Centre in APAC with its fantastic business environment and exceptional talent pool.
I am excited to lead Access in Malaysia providing an exceptional experience to customers across APAC and to see the bright opportunities that lie ahead. Our long-term vision for the new Malaysia GO Centre is to build meaningful relationships with our teams and customers, build a network of shared service centres and enhance consistent service delivery across the organisation.”
Mahadhir Aziz, Chief Executive Officer, MDEC commented:
“We are delighted to welcome the Access Group into the Malaysia Digital family and we are keen to support their ambitious goals for an APAC hub. Access brings a wealth of innovation to our region and a global network of technology and expertise that will become part of our thriving digital ecosystem in Malaysia.
Working with leading digital organisations such as Access supports our national strategy to drive the digital economy, which is set to surpass our target of contributing 25.5% to the nation’s GDP. We look forward to playing an integral role in the growth of Access in Malaysia, wider APAC and beyond.”
Access entered the market in Malaysia in 2018 through the acquisitions of iCare, Sage’s local businesses and Volcanic and currently employs 172 people across three offices in both Kuala Lumpur and Penang. The new Access GO Centre will create hundreds of jobs in the region, drive innovation, develop skills and provide international management to support teams in both APAC and the UK.
The Access Foundation which supports charities in regions where Access has a presence already supports Malaysia’s leading cancer charity - the National Cancer Society Malaysia’s ‘Home Aways from Home’ initiative.
In addition, Access has recently announced it has made The Malaysian Mental Health Organisation a charity of the year for 2023/24, to support their work promoting mental well-being in the community and providing support for local people with mental health problems and their caregivers through support service provision, education, training, research and advocacy.
