SE-Asian firms' divestment intent near record levels: poll

Many show growing desire to be more agile, with many also admitting to having held on to assets for too long

Tay Peck Gek

Published Tue, Mar 19, 2019 · 09:50 PM

Singapore

SOUTH-EAST Asian enterprises' intentions to divest remain near record levels as they look to gain a competitive edge in the face of changing technology and sector convergence, EY Global Corporate Divestment Study 2019 has shown.

The survey found that the divestment activity environment is poised to continue, with 85 per cent of South-east Asia (SEA) companies planning to divest within the next two years (for Asia-Pacific or APAC, it's 82 per cent). This is a significant increase since 2018 from low previous averages, with divestment intentions of SEA firms at just 26 per cent (APAC: 35 per cent) in 2017.

More than four out of five companies (SEA: 85 per cent; APAC: 81 per cent) said streamlining their operating model would impact their divestment plans this year, demonstrating a growing…

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