MANILA, Philippines — Global immersive platform Roblox has officially appointed seasoned entrepreneur and investor Joel Neoh as its new Managing Director for Southeast Asia (SEA) and Oceania (OCE).
Assuming the role this October, Neoh will serve as Roblox’s senior business lead across both regions. His mission focuses on driving regional strategy, expanding Roblox’s local presence, forging strategic partnerships, and accelerating creator ecosystem growth while tailoring global priorities to local market demands.
Fueling a New Generation of Digital Creators
A key pillar of Neoh’s strategy will be empowering local developers and studios to leverage Roblox’s creation tools for global commercial success. Additionally, he will lead initiatives to familiarize regional players and parents with the brand, placing a strong emphasis on user safety and digital well-being.
“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,” said Joel Neoh. “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.”
Committing to Long-Term Regional Growth
Recognizing Southeast Asia and Oceania’s young, digitally native population as a critical long-term growth driver, Roblox leadership reiterated its commitment to investing in local talent and creator networks.
“South East Asia and Oceania are important regions for Roblox within APAC, with a vibrant and fast-growing community,” stated Zhen Fang, Vice President of International at Roblox. “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.”
Two Decades of Tech Leadership
Neoh brings over 20 years of experience founding, scaling, and investing in Asia-Pacific tech enterprises across fintech, digital media, e-commerce, consumer health, and AI:
- Groupon Asia Pacific: Founded GroupsMore in Malaysia (acquired by Groupon) and later led Groupon’s APAC operations.
- Fave: Founded the major regional fintech and payments platform, scaling it to over 10 million users before its acquisition by Pine Labs in 2021.
- Prenetics & Venture Capital: Most recently served as Managing Director for Prenetics’ consumer health division. As an active investor, he has backed over 50 startups, serves as a Founding Partner at early-stage VC firm First Move, and was involved in launching IM8.
