pitchIN appoints Xelia Tong as COO

• Will oversee pitchIN's operations, including its ECF and IEO platforms
• A respected leader in M’sia’s early-stage investment & fundraising sector

pitchIN has announced the appointment of Xelia Tong as Chief Operating Officer, effective from 1 September 2023.

A well respected member of Malaysia's early-stage investment and fundraising industry, Tong has held various key roles including positions at Malaysia Debt Ventures, Bank Simpanan Nasional, Cradle Fund and most recently, she served as venture partner at ScaleUp Malaysia.

“The appointment of a COO is part of the strategic actions that the co-founders are taking to establish a strong leadership team at pitchIN. Kashminder Singh, the co-founder of pitchIN and I strongly believe that Tong will be a very valuable addition to the team,” said Sam Shafie, CEO of pitchIN. 

“We're forging a digital investment powerhouse, propelling innovation and resilience in this space, therefore Tong’s invaluable experience is set to play a pivotal role in driving our vision forward,” he added. 

Tong will be responsible for the overall operations of pitchIN which includes its Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) and Initial Exchange Offering (IEO) platforms, as well as the soon to be launched Secondary Market platform.

She will be supported by a strong leadership team that includes chief technology officer, Steven Wong, ECF headNisa Zulkifi, Legal and Compliance head, Faten Nabila and pitchIN Academy head, Hanif Tamin. A Head of the IEO team will be in place in October 2023.

"I'm thrilled to be part of pitchIN, and I'm grateful to the founders for having me on board. It's an exciting opportunity to contribute to the growth of the SEA funding ecosystem,” Tong said. 

“ECF and IEO are fascinating fundraising solutions that democratise investment in high-potential SMEs and startups. With the co-founders and the leadership team, I look forward to elevating pitchIN to new horizons," she added.