Leadership Conversations with Nicky Gumbel Podcast: Anthony Tan

In this episode Nicky sits down with Anthony Tan. Imagine how difficult it would be to lead a multi-billion dollar company while embracing Jesus’ words to serve “the least of your brothers and sisters”? Anthony strives to embody the commands of Jesus as CEO and Co-founder of Grab, the leading mobile technology company in Southeast Asia; not to profit, but to serve people and build into a better future.

He shares with Nicky about the heart of Grab, which started as a mobile taxi app company to provide safer transportation for women and to create more job opportunities for Southeast Asians. These values, focused on more than just a great bottom line, come from Anthony’s faith in Jesus. As Anthony often says, “the Bible is the best leadership book.”

It can be rare in the world of tech and startups of this scale to see leaders with the humility and kindness of Anthony. During the start of the pandemic in March, Grab had to lay-off hundreds of employees and Anthony confesses to crying for the first time during a company town hall while sharing the news. He strongly desires to treat everyone with dignity and feels the weight of the tough calls that are required of any leader. Anthony’s approach to business is defined by 4 H’s (Honour, Hunger, Humility, Heart), all values that have allowed Grab to adapt this past year in the pandemic and maintain strong relationships with partners.

Throughout the inspiring and motivating conversation, the friendship and mutual respect between Nicky and Anthony leaks through so evidently. Anthony cannot seem to say enough about the Bible in One Year and how that’s impacted his life and the lives of his family members. Nicky grins from ear to ear throughout the conversation as he admires a man he’s known since his 20’s becoming such a God-honoring, integral leader. This conversation will certainly encourage and inspire you about the way God can work through business leaders to bring good in our world.

Show Notes

Bible In One Year

Grab

Anthony Tan’s Biography

Anthony Tan is Group CEO and Co-Founder of Grab, Southeast Asia’s leading mobile technology company focused on bringing transport freedom and financial inclusion to the region. Under his leadership, the company has expanded into eight countries across Southeast Asia.

Grab’s core product platform includes commuting solutions for drivers and passengers with an emphasis on convenience, safety, and reliability, as well as its proprietary mobile payments platform, GrabPay.

By focusing on a hyperlocal business strategy and building strategic partnerships, Anthony and his team successfully transformed Grab from a taxi booking app to the market-leading offline-to-online consumer app that offers the most diversified portfolio of transport services, and its popular mobile payments platform in Southeast Asia.

Anthony’s roots in the automotive industry run deep – his great grandfather was a taxi driver. Before founding Grab, Anthony was the Head of Supply Chain and Marketing at Tan Chong Group, where he drove logistics and created brand affinity for the automotive brands under the group.

Anthony graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Economics and Public Policy from the University of Chicago and has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Honors from Harvard Business School. Anthony has a hands-on leadership style and travels obsessively within Southeast Asia to inspire and fight with his teammates on the ground.