In this episode of 60/40, we sit down with Lewis Ng, the new CEO of PropertyGuru, to explore the evolving role of marketplaces in Southeast Asia—and what it takes to lead one.
In conversation with Peter Bithos (his former boss, no less!), Lewis reflects on his path from telesales to the C-suite, how he deliberately built career experience to become a tech executive, and why he believes marketplaces still offer some of the most resilient business models around.
They also unpack:
Listen for a clear-eyed conversation on scaling with purpose, managing investor expectations, the beauty of marketplaces, and what it really feels like to step into the CEO seat.
Timestamps
00:00 – Intro: Property markets up, PropertyGuru up
Lewis explains why PropertyGuru does well in both hot and cold markets.
01:20 – Welcome to 60/40
Peter introduces the show and Lewis Ng, filling in for Maria and Prashanth.
02:10 – Tech headlines of the week
NVIDIA hits $4T, McDonald’s AI bot gets hacked (with “123456” as the password), and Foxconn shifts strategy in India.
07:25 – Career rewind: From telesales to the C-suite
Lewis’s journey across Telstra, Apple, News Corp, TripAdvisor, Carousel, Seek—and now, CEO at PropertyGuru.
08:45 – What is PropertyGuru?
Lewis gives an overview of the platform and its markets.
09:50 – How do you become a CEO?
Career philosophy, mentors, and the story of writing “CEO” on a customs card at age 17.
11:30 – Career strategy: Getting into classifieds and Asia tech
Why Lewis took a role at Global Yellow Pages to break into marketplaces.
13:00 – What’s different about being CEO?
How the mindset shift hits you—and why it’s more consuming than expected.
15:00 – Working with private equity (EQT)
Lewis shares how PropertyGuru’s investor is an “active owner” and what that really means.
16:45 – Strategic shift: Doubling down on core markets
Why PropertyGuru streamlined its business—and how EQT supported that call.
19:05 – CEO priorities: Focus, innovation, and people
Lewis’s three-part plan for PropertyGuru’s next phase.
20:20 – Property trends across Southeast Asia
Macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment vs. demand, and Vietnam’s growth potential.
23:10 – Product pillars: Trust, efficiency, and sustainability
How PropertyGuru is building for impact—from verified agents to AI listings to inclusive rental tools.
25:40 – Why AI is helping upgrade agent listings
The rise of smart listing tools and the surprising value of bad toilet photos.
27:25 – Real estate differences: SEA vs. Australia
Why property photos and seller involvement vary across markets—and why that’s starting to shift.
31:50 – Why Lewis loves marketplaces
Scalability, defensibility, impact—and how each marketplace has touched his life personally.
37:55 – First job lessons: Telesales and target pressure
How early sales experience built communication, empathy, and drive.
39:30 – Rapid-fire round
Favorite food? Pho. Country to expand into? Indonesia. Secret wish? Be an artist.
43:00 – Peter’s poem: From Seek to CEO
A custom 60/40 sign-off in verse form.
Give us feedback or nominate topics & speakers at 6040podcast@techinasia.com.
60/40 is co-hosted by: Prashanth Ranganathan, Peter Bithos, and Maria Li. Special thanks to our guest, Lewis Ng, CEO of PropertyGuru.
A podcast by Tech in Asia, a member of The Business Times.