Shopee sent out a memo by their group president Chris Feng on 13 June, detailing their plans to retrench workers from their food delivery ShopeeFood and online payment ShopeePay teams in Southeast Asia.
Staff from Mexico, Argentina and Chile will also be laid off, along with cross-border teams supporting the Spanish market.
Feng said in his memo:
“Given elevated uncertainty in the broader economy, we believe that it is prudent to make certain difficult but important adjustments to enhance our operational efficiency and focus our resources.”
“This is to ensure that, as a business, we remain in the best possible position to continue scaling sustainably and, ultimately, to win.”
Feng explained the decision to lay off workers, saying that it was to optimise operations in certain segments and markets.
He also added that business will continue operating in Shopee Mexico, Argentina and Chile; and ShopeeFood and ShopeePay will operate as usual in Southeast Asia.
Feng added that the retrenchment drive was a “very difficult decision to make” and that they will do the very best they can to support them through this transition.