Pinterest Opens Singapore Office In APAC Expansion Drive

Pinterest has opened an office in Singapore to support its operations in Southeast Asia and India, as it looks to push on with its expansion efforts in Asia-Pacific. The move comes six years after it opened its first regional office in Tokyo and will see the social networking site focused on localisation for its users here.

Asia-Pacific was one of the company's fastest growing regions, Pinterest said in a statement Wednesday, where the number of users climbed more than 50% over the past year. It did not give specific numbers, saying only that "millions" used the social networking platform each month and more than 7 million ideas across the region were posted on Pinterest each day. 

Worldwide, Pinterest has a monthly user base of 250 million, with more than half living outside the US. Growing its international audience has become a priority for the company, with its new Asian office tasked to deliver relevant features for its users here, it said. 

Its Singapore team already is working with brands in the region, including Vogue India and Miss Malini in India, and MasakTV and Tastemade in Indonesia. 

Headed by "a small team of local talent", Pinterest said the Singapore site is led by country manager for Southeast Asia and India, Ayumi Nakajima, who will be focusing on the company's growth in the region. The local team also would support relationships with brands and publishers and ensure the social networking site offered localised experience for users from different cultures across the region, it said.

Nakajima added: "There is a great opportunity for brands, publishers, and creators on Pinterest to connect with these engaged users when they're considering what to do or buy next. With a team based in Singapore, we'll be able to offer an even more relevant experience for our Pinners in one of our fastest growing regions. So no matter where you're from, Pinterest is serving you ideas that feel personalised for you."

Citing stats it had collected in the past year, Pinterest said durian recipes clocked a 127% increase in searches amongst its Singapore users, while interest in balcony decoration climbed 230%. Their counterparts in India were more interested in plant decoration, which saw a 325% increase in searches over the past year. Indonesians, though, showed a preference for minimalist home decoration, with a 153% growth in such searches. 

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