Pinterest opens 1st S-E Asian office in S'pore

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Tech firm Pinterest has opened an office here as part of its regional expansion, it said yesterday. The move comes about three months after its debut on the New York Stock Exchange.

Founded in the United States in 2010, Pinterest serves as a visual discovery engine that lets users “pin” interesting ideas in categories such as fashion and food. It makes money by featuring “promoted pins” on users’ feeds.

The Singapore office will be headed by Ms Ayumi Nakajima, Pinterest’s country manager for South-east Asia and India.

The company has had an office in Tokyo since 2013.

The Singapore team has fewer than 10 employees, including marketing and creator managers who work with brands, publishers and content creators.

Pinterest is expected to hire more Singapore-based staff for these roles here, but the team will remain small in the near term.

International growth is a “top priority” and the Asia-Pacific is among the fastest-growing markets, Pinterest said.

The number of users in the region has risen by more than 50 per cent over the past year.

It will use the office here to build localised user experiences.

“There is a great opportunity for brands, publishers and creators on Pinterest to connect with these engaged users when they are considering what to do or buy next,” Ms Nakajima said.

“With a team based in Singapore, we’ll be able to offer an even more relevant experience for our users in one of our fastest-growing regions.”

The Singapore team has worked with regional media partners such as Vogue India and Femina Magazine in Indonesia.

Pinterest reported revenue of US$756 million (S$1.03 billion) in the 12 months to Dec 31 last year, with a net loss of US$63 million.