Lazada layoffs suggest spinoff, IPO of Alibaba unit might not be on the horizon

NEWS on Jan 3 about layoffs ripping through Lazada may have come as a shock to many observers. But to some industry watchers, the cost-cutting measures might be a case of too little, too late.

Alibaba-backed Lazada has fallen behind in the e-commerce race in South-east Asia. Former employees have lamented about its inability to reclaim its crown from Shopee, despite the Sea subsidiary undergoing a rough patch.

Part of this has been due to disruptions in the regional e-commerce scene, not least by the emergence of TikTok Shop.