With two decades of experience building and scaling technology companies across Asia Pacific, Neoh will be Roblox’s most senior business lead in the two regions
Roblox, the global immersive platform for gaming and creation, has a new face for its business in Southeast Asia and Oceania. The company has appointed Joel Neoh as managing director for the two regions, where he will serve as its most senior business lead, overseeing strategy and working with local teams and partners.
Neoh joined Roblox this October, and his to-do list is already long. He is looking to grow the company’s presence in Southeast Asia (SEA) and Oceania (OCE), foster partnerships, support the creator ecosystem, and align Roblox’s global product and business priorities with local market demands.
A ROLE BUILT AROUND CREATORS
At the heart of the job is the community. Neoh will champion a growing base of Roblox developers and creators, help local studios use Roblox’s tools to scale and find commercial success, and familiarize players and parents in the region with the brand. Roblox sees plenty of room to grow here: a young, digitally native population, a fast-evolving digital ecosystem, and a strong focus on safety make Southeast Asia and Oceania a significant opportunity for long-term growth.
For Neoh, the draw is personal. “I’ve spent my career building companies across this region, and I’ve seen first-hand the creativity, optimism and entrepreneurial energy here. We’re at a moment where technology is making it easier than ever for people to move from simply consuming digital experiences to creating them. That’s what excites me most about Roblox. We have an opportunity to help a new generation of creators across Southeast Asia and Oceania turn ideas into experiences, communities and businesses that can reach the world. As we grow, keeping young people safe and working closely with parents, regulators and local communities will remain central to everything we do. I believe this region can become one of the most important sources of creativity on Roblox, helping reimagine the way people come together through play and creation,” he said.
Roblox says it is in this for the long haul. Zhen Fang, VP of international at Roblox, said: “South East Asia and Oceania are important regions for Roblox within APAC, with a vibrant and fast-growing community of creators and players. We are committed to the region for the long term, and we will keep investing in our local teams, creators, and partners here. Joel has built and scaled businesses across the region for two decades, and his entrepreneurial experience and strong ties to the local tech ecosystem make him the right leader to guide the next phase of our growth across these regions.”
FROM GROUPSMORE TO FAVE
Neoh arrives with a long track record. An entrepreneur and investor, he has spent two decades founding, building, and scaling technology companies across Asia Pacific, spanning digital media, e-commerce, fintech, consumer health, and AI.
His story began with GroupsMore, which he founded in Malaysia and which merged with Groupon ahead of its IPO. He went on to lead Groupon Asia Pacific. He later founded Fave, a popular Southeast Asian fintech and consumer payments platform that grew to more than 10 million users before Pine Labs acquired it in 2021. Most recently, he was managing director at Prenetics, where he led the consumer health businesses.
Neoh is also an active investor who has backed more than 50 startups across Asia, particularly in consumer technology. He is a founding partner of First Move, an early-stage venture capital platform supporting entrepreneurs across Southeast Asia, and was most recently an investor in, and involved in the launch of, IM8.