ONE FORMER EMPLOYER BUYS ANOTHER

Yesterday it was formally announced what has been the subject of rumours for several months - Singapore-based PropertyGuru had purchased the Thai-based property-focused company Ensign Media.
It's a weird yet interesting situation for me personally as I worked for both companies in my last two positions. With PropertyGuru I was International Group Editor while at Ensign I was Publishing Director, mostly responsible for Property Report magazine and, while it was being published, the Thai language edition of Bloomberg Businessweek Thailand.

 To me there is no doubt that Steve at PropertyGuru (right) has purchased Terry (left) for one reason alone - the Asia-wide Property Awards that Ensign Media has established over the last 10 years.
From its humble start in Phuket some 10 years ago, Property Report magazine has flourished into an Asia-wide title and has garnered much respect in the process.
The one issue I see here is culture. Having worked for both companies I can say with total authority that both companies have entirely different cultures and ways of working. When Ensign is swallowed by the Guru machine it may not be an entirely trouble-free process.
This transaction will be the third involving a regional company buying a Thailand property website in the last year, with both ThinkofLiving.com and Prakard.com now in foreign hands.
For sure the Thailand property website sector is both competitive and attractive to overseas players right now.
DISCLOSURE: I am now Group Editor for Dot Property Group, based in Bangkok but with websites through Southeast Asia.