Driving Digital Transformation: BE8’s Journey to Industry Leadership

CEO Apisek Tewinpagti shares how BE8 became Thailand’s digital transformation leader through innovation, strategic growth, and a customer-centric approach. 

Since its founding, Beryl 8 Plus Public Company Limited (BE8) has grown from a niche CRM provider into a powerhouse in digital transformation. Under the leadership of CEO Apisek Tewinpagti, BE8 has expanded its service offerings and navigated significant milestones, including strategic acquisitions and an IPO in 2021. With a focus on CRM, AI, and end-to-end solutions, BE8 is redefining how businesses in Thailand and the Asia Pacific region embrace digital transformation. Apisek discusses the company’s remarkable journey, key growth drivers, and future plans in this exclusive interview. 

What is the history of BE8? 

After returning to Thailand in 2003, I began working in the digital transformation sector and quickly identified a significant gap in this area. At the time, while leading organisations had adopted ERP systems, CRM solutions were still in their early stages, which led me to explore CRM as a potential niche. Through my alumni network, I connected with Salesforce, whose pioneering focus on cloud-based CRM aligned perfectly with BE8’s mission to provide specialised digital transformation services. Educating clients about the benefits of cloud technology was initially challenging from 2008 to 2011, but interest began to grow after the 2011 floods, which underscored the value of cloud platforms like Apple iCloud. Following this period, BE8 expanded its services alongside Salesforce’s growth trajectory, moving beyond sales and marketing to include marketing, integration, data, and AI solutions. BE8 went public in 2021, and through strategic acquisitions, we have since evolved into a comprehensive, end-to-end digital transformation service provider. 

What are the core services BE8 currently offers, and who are your target customers? 

BE8 provides a comprehensive suite of digital transformation services, focusing on CRM, cybersecurity, data integration and analytics, branding and marketing strategy, UI/UX design, mobile development, and management consulting. These services target a wide range of industries, with a particular focus on banking and financial services, private enterprises, and government organisations across Thailand and the broader APAC region. The company’s core objective is to offer end-to-end solutions, helping businesses transform every aspect of their operations, from strategy to execution. 

How have acquisitions contributed to the overall growth and value of BE8? 

Acquisitions have been a critical part of BE8’s strategy to build a diverse and comprehensive service portfolio. Notable acquisitions and investments—including BaysCom, X10, V&FS, ECOP, Reconix, and Techsauce—have strengthened our capabilities to be a truly end-to-end digital transformation service provider. These acquisitions have enabled BE8 to position itself as a one-stop provider of digital transformation services. A prime example is a leading insurance provider, for whom BE8 delivered a full-service solution, including strategy, logo design, branding, UX design, back-end integration, and mobile app development. This ability to deliver seamless, integrated solutions across multiple domains has become a key differentiator for BE8. 

The benefits of this expanded presence include enhanced services and the ability to utilise resources more effectively across multiple projects, as our workforce has grown from 250 to 1,000. It is natural for there to be a digestion period for different cultures to work together, but through an alignment of values for our customers and shareholders, we are all driving towards a common goal. 

What are the key drivers behind BE8’s impressive growth since 2020, with revenue increasing sevenfold and profits rising tenfold? 

The company’s rapid growth can be attributed to multiple factors. BE8 aligned its offerings with Salesforce’s evolving product ecosystem, expanding beyond CRM into marketing, AI, and integration services. The ability to cross-sell and upsell services has also played a crucial role. For example, BE8 initially provided CRM solutions, but we have since added cybersecurity, branding, and analytics services, leading to a significant increase in revenue per client. These additional service offerings allow us to boost revenue per client from 1x to 4-5x. Additionally, the company’s post-acquisition workforce grew from 250 to 1,000 employees, enabling it to manage larger projects efficiently. This operational scalability, combined with shared services across HR, procurement, and accounting, has further boosted profitability. 

Who are BE8’s main competitors, and what differentiates it from them? 

BE8’s primary competitors in Thailand are global technology consulting firms. While BE8 has established itself as a leader in CRM, the global players’ strengths lie in enterprise-level strategy and their extensive global IP. BE8 focuses on areas where we have a competitive edge, offering niche expertise in CRM, AI, and end-to-end digital solutions while also leveraging our in-depth understanding of each industry. Unlike many competitors, we can integrate services across domains, providing clients with a seamless experience from strategy to execution, which allows us to stand out in a competitive market. In the future, we aim to expand our reach and knowledge throughout the region. 

How do you foresee the digital transformation landscape evolving in Thailand and the broader Asia region? 

The demand for digital transformation in Thailand and across Asia is expected to grow rapidly, with increasing emphasis on personalised customer experiences and AI-driven solutions. Companies are seeking to consolidate their digital ecosystems and integrate emerging technologies such as generative AI to enhance operational efficiency and customer engagement. BE8 is well-positioned to capitalise on these trends by leveraging its expertise in AI, CRM, and cloud solutions. 

How does BE8 plan to leverage emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning? 

BE8 has already integrated AI into our solutions, particularly in customer service. For example, we developed virtual assistants for call centres that use voice-to-text transcription and generative AI to conduct real-time quality assessments, eliminating the need for manual QA processes. Additionally, we are working with banks to deploy AI tools for wealth management and personalised financial services. These solutions not only enhance customer engagement but also provide a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving financial sector. 

What are the biggest challenges facing BE8 today? 

The primary challenge for us lies in talent management, particularly in retaining and developing the next generation of professionals. Younger employees value independence and purpose in their work, requiring the company to adapt its talent management strategies. We are also focused on scaling operations efficiently to meet growing demand while ensuring that we maintain a strong culture and high-performance standards. Furthermore, we are constantly challenging ourselves to keep abreast of rapidly changing technology, exploring new trends and potential improved solutions for our customers while identifying emerging S-curves and opportunities for international expansion. Each of these endeavours comes with its own complexity, and knowing how to execute them in a win-win scenario is key to our success. 

What are the key drivers for BE8 over the next 3-5 years? Are there plans for new services, products, or geographical expansion? 

BE8’s future growth will be driven by international expansion, product development, and strategic joint ventures. We plan to establish a presence in key markets across the Asia Pacific. Product development will focus on industry-specific solutions built on global technology platforms, as well as custom applications leveraging AI. Through this, I hope the day will come when Thai-developed software rivals global technology platforms. 

Finally, we aim to explore digital joint ventures with multiple industries to deepen industry expertise and develop innovative, industry-specific solutions. Strategic M&A will remain a core part of the company’s growth strategy, allowing us to acquire new capabilities and expand our service offerings. 

Source: Bangkok Post