Retail expertise that has actually run the floor.
Retail Experts Network is an invitation-only network connecting businesses with vetted retail, F&B and FMCG operators across South East Asia — people who have run the stores, the categories, the teams and the P&Ls — for advisory calls, scoped projects and ongoing counsel.
Why we exist
Consultants give you slides. Operators give you answers.
South East Asian retail moves fast — reshaped by shifting consumer habits, cross-border commerce and AI. Incoming brands and mid-sized operators need ground-level intelligence and swift execution across six very different markets. We bridge that gap through precision matchmaking: on-demand strategic support tailored to the nuances of each local ecosystem.
Hiring a regional team
Months of cost and commitment before the first insight — and a permanent headcount decision made on incomplete information.
Big-firm consulting
Frameworks and slide decks from people who have never opened a store, negotiated a mall lease or lost a listing.
Going it alone
A distributor list scraped from a company registry, and no reliable way to judge which names on it are worth a meeting.
The alternative: a vetted operator who has already solved your exact problem, in your exact market, available by the hour, by the project, or on retainer.
Two ways in
Which door are you walking through?
For businesses
Get ground-level answers, fast.
- Scope your problem in a 30-minute discovery call — free, and under NDA if you prefer.
- Hand-matched with 2–3 vetted experts, typically within 5 working days.
- Engage by the hour, by the project, on retainer, or on a success basis.
- One agreement, one invoice, no procurement headache.
For retail & F&B veterans
Your experience is your next career.
- Invitation-only network. Every expert is vetted, referenced and compliance-trained.
- You choose your projects, your rates and your hours.
- We handle contracting, invoicing and client management.
- Stay relevant, stay connected, and get paid for what you already know.
How it works
From problem to expert in three steps.
No platform to learn, no seat licences, no annual subscription. You tell us the problem; we bring you the person who has already solved it.
Tell us the problem
A market entry into Indonesia. A distributor that has stopped ordering. A flagship store that is not converting. A channel bleeding margin. Fifteen minutes is enough to scope it.
Meet your shortlist
We hand-match you with 2–3 operators who have solved this exact problem in this exact market — not a generalist with a framework. You see anonymised profiles first.
Engage on your terms
An hourly call, a fixed-scope project, a monthly retainer, or a success-based search. You approve the scope and the fee in writing before anything starts.
Services & specialisations
What we are engaged to do.
Our experts work across the full commercial surface of retail and F&B — online and offline, brand side and channel side.
Market entry & scaling
Country entry strategy, channel structure, route-to-market design and launch sequencing across ASEAN.
Distributor & partner search
Importer and distributor identification, vetting, introduction and negotiation support — including on a success basis.
Commercial & margin work
Pricing, trade terms, promotional ROI, joint business planning, portfolio mix and revenue growth management.
Retail & store operations
Store formats, layout and flow, staffing models, mall and landlord negotiation, service standards, shrinkage control.
E-commerce & omnichannel
Marketplace strategy, D2C build, cross-border commerce, quick commerce and digital supply chain integration.
AI & process automation
Workflow automation, intelligent document processing and back-office productivity — retail operations made cheaper to run.
Regional coverage
Where we operate.
Singapore-incorporated and Singapore-managed, with expert coverage across South East Asia. Depth varies by market — we say so, rather than claim a uniform footprint.
Core markets
Active markets
On request
Each market is supported by a vetted local Retail Expert engaged and managed by REN. Whichever markets you need, you contract with one Singapore entity.
Compliance you can audit
Structured. Confidential. Compliant.
Every engagement runs inside a compliance framework built for the expert-network industry and governed by Singapore law. Your legal and procurement teams are welcome to review it before you engage.
Binding network terms
Every expert signs Network Membership Terms covering confidentiality, conflicts of interest and anti-bribery — renewed annually with refresher training.
No confidential information
Experts are contractually barred from disclosing trade secrets, material non-public information or anything belonging to a current or former employer.
Conflicts screened first
Experts must decline engagements involving their current employer or its direct competitors without written consent, and disclose material interests.
No investment or legal advice
Experts share operational insight only. No securities recommendations, no legal advice, no adviser-client relationship with REN.
Leadership
Who you are dealing with.
Founded by operators, for operators. Between them, our leadership team has owned P&Ls from SGD 30M to SGD 150M across supermarkets, e-commerce, FMCG distribution, QSR and cinema retail — in Singapore and across 23 APAC markets — plus enterprise automation for one of Singapore's largest healthcare groups.
Seah Weixiang
Co-Founder & Principal Advisor
Retail & e-commerce
- 18+ years in FMCG retail and e-commerce; P&Ls from SGD 30M to SGD 150M.
- Ex-Amazon Lead Vendor Manager — 8 grocery categories, ~33% of Amazon Fresh Singapore topline; +28% revenue, +6.8% net margin.
- Ex-NTUC FairPrice, 11 years — built the "Ocean Fresh Delite" private label to +1200% first-year growth.
MBA (Retail Management), University of Stirling · National Retail Scholar · IMD Innovation Leaders Program
Jeevan Dass
Principal Advisor
Commercial & distribution
- P&L leadership across 23 APAC markets; revenue growth management specialist.
- Ex-Lamb Weston Senior Commercial Director APAC — 9% and 7% outperformance against plan; 65% volume gain with major QSR accounts.
- Ex-General Manager, International Shoppers — grew the distribution arm into an SGD 150M operation.
MBA, Murdoch University · Certified Scrum Product Owner · Certified Agile Leadership
Mohamed Hazlee
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Automation & digital
- 12 years as a geophysicist, then 6+ years building enterprise automation.
- Ex-SingHealth Senior Manager — organisation-wide RPA programme and Automation Operating Model.
- Ex-Bolloré Logistics Digital Automation Program Lead — cloud RPA migration and intelligent document processing.
BSc Applied Physics, National University of Singapore · UiPath Advanced Diploma · Enterprise Architecture Foundations
Common questions
Before you ask.
How are experts vetted?
Invitation or referral, career verification, reference checks and an interview with a founder. Every expert signs binding Network Membership Terms and completes compliance training before their profile is shown to any client.
How quickly can we start?
A discovery call within 48 hours of your brief, and a shortlist of 2–3 matched experts typically within 5 working days. Urgent briefs can move faster — tell us the deadline.
How does pricing work?
Four models: hourly advisory calls, fixed-fee scoped projects, monthly advisory retainers, and success-based distributor search where the fee is only payable if an appointment is made. You approve the scope and fee in writing before anything starts.
Who owns the work product?
You do. Full IP assignment on paid deliverables is standard in our Client Engagement Terms; experts retain only their pre-existing general know-how.
Is my information confidential?
Yes. Every expert is bound by confidentiality obligations before they see your brief, our engagement terms bind both sides, and client identities are treated as confidential by default. We will sign your NDA if you prefer to use your own.
What does "beta" mean for me?
We are launching in Singapore first, with matching handled personally by the founders rather than by software. Founding experts receive preferred commission terms for life; early clients receive priority matching and beta pricing. Regional expansion follows across South East Asia.
Does Retail Experts Network give advice itself?
No. We are a facilitator: we introduce clients to independent experts and administer the engagement. REN does not itself provide business, legal, investment or financial advice, and experts are independent contractors — not our employees or agents.
Retail Experts Network · South East Asia
Thirty years of retail experience. One call away.
Connecting South East Asia's retail minds. Navigating strategy, together.