Carsome to lay off hundreds of workers ahead of IPO

 

Carsome, which has about 4,000 employees, said it is “making adjustments” to its workforce where necessary. (Carsome pic)

PETALING JAYA: Carsome Group, which operates a Southeast Asian used-car online marketplace, is cutting hundreds of jobs to reduce costs as it works to reach profitability ahead of a potential stock-market listing.

The company, which has about 4,000 employees, is eliminating positions across Southeast Asia, with Indonesia and Thailand the hardest hit, people familiar with the matter said.

Carsome has scaled down its operations significantly in those two markets, which it entered in 2017, they said, asking not to be identified as the plans aren’t public.

Malaysia’s most valuable technology start-up last year delayed its dual listing plans in Singapore and the US on concerns that deteriorating macroeconomic conditions could dent its valuation.

The company expects to break even this year and is set to achieve its first full year of profitability in 2024, CEO Eric Cheng said in July.

Carsome is preparing to be ready for an initial public offering (IPO), and when there is a window, the company can list quickly, he said at the time.

Carsome “makes adjustments to its workforce where necessary,” the company said in an emailed response to questions, declining to comment on specific numbers.

“We remain committed to investing in all of our current markets and plan to accelerate profitable growth in 2024,” it added.

Higher interest rates combined with slowing economic growth and geopolitical tensions have hurt market sentiment and weighed on first-time share sales.

Carsome raised US$290 million (RM1.36 billion) early last year at a valuation of US$1.7 billion in a series E round led by the Qatar Investment Authority as well as 65 Equity Partners and Seatown Private Capital Master Fund, both of which are backed by Singapore’s Temasek Holdings Pte Ltd.

Founded in 2015, Carsome has expanded into Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore. The company works with more than 13,000 dealers and sold more than 150,000 cars last year, according to its website. - FMT