Malaysian Social Media Rockstars in Singapore
Social media is a wonderful thing. It has the power to connect people from the same country to have burgers in another country.
Last Wednesday night, I had the pleasure of having dinner with a few fellow Malaysians (@nikicheong @mikefoong @ben_israel @jinkien) at Fatboys Burger Bar in Singapore.
If you aren’t following these folks, you should. They may look like harmless nice guys, but these are heavyweight influencers and shapers of the digital landscape in the region.
You’ll do good by getting familiar with their faces and what they do, for one day the very life of your business may hang on their validation. Especially if you have a presence in the Asia Pacific region.
Sure I’m dramatizing a little as per potential outcomes here, but my gut feeling isn’t exactly based on a whim.
According to the research company BIA/Kelsey, online social media spend for 2010 topped $2 billion dollars, and that is projected to rise to $8.3 billion by 2015.
Looking at the trend, you’ll want to get to know the right people early on in the game before they become out of reach for you. These folks are the early adopters in Asia and at the forefront of the action.
So here’s a little synopsis of who they are and what they do. Do follow, embrace and engage with them and remember to share that you found them on practical-strategy.com via @fooz!
WHO?
MICHAEL FOONG | @mikefoong
Organizer / Twestival Singapore 2010, 2011, Pecha Kucha Singapore 2011
You should follow him if you are into high-tech gadgets, social media events, and web videos. Mike is really a social media rockstar. By day he’s a consultant for Oracle, and by night he’s a video producer, events organizer, and blogger extraordinaire.
WEBSITE: http://www.mikefoong.com
NIKI CHEONG | @nikicheong
Organizer & Regional Coordinator / Twestival Kuala Lumpur 2009, 2010, 2011
Niki is a Journalist, celebrity-twitterer, and avid charity events organizer. This influencer is the Editor of RAGE.my for the STAR newspapers in Malaysia. His true passion is in youth empowerment. Mostly, he’s who you want to be talking to about social issues in Malaysia and how cool your brand is.
WEBSITE: http://www.nikicheong.com
BEN ISRAEL | @ben_israel
Co-Founder / Social Media Club Kuala Lumpur (SMCKL)
Ben does great things in the social media space. By day he puts on the Digital Strategist hat at Edelman Singapore. He’s also active in conversations about political news. A must-follow if you’re into all things digital and social media in the region.
WEBSITE: http://benisrael.me/
JIN KIEN | @jinkien
Online PR Warrior
JK works in PR and mainly on media relations. His passion includes pop culture and furniture. Furniture? Yes, furniture! Wonder if he hangs out at IKEA for fun? Ask him!
JACKIE MIAO | @fooz
Founder & Organizer / Twestival Kota Kinabalu
And of course, you should follow me @fooz. By day I run Mediatropica, a digital consultancy servicing the Asia Pacific region. By night I am involved in a plethora of uber-social and non-social activities. I’m passionate about social entrepreneurship, connecting with interesting people and seeing new landscapes. Also, I get and give free stuff away to people who engage with me!
Did you find this useful? Let me know in the comments section below.
