The Access Group, one of the largest UK-headquartered business management software providers, has launched its new Global Operations Centre (GOC) in Kuala Lumpur, the first of its kind in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. 417 employees are already based at the GOC, which is located at The Exchange 106, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur.
The Access Group expects to create over 1,000 new jobs in Kuala Lumpur by 2027 and is aligned with Malaysia’s modern services aspirations, namely, to build an agile and competent local talent pool and create 500,000 high-value digital jobs by 2025.
The Access Group's GOC will serve as a key location in its expansion across APAC, supporting vital functions such as product engineering, customer success and operations. The Access Group is growing globally and is committed to building innovative solutions for small and mid-sized commercial and non-profit organisations across APAC, the UK and Europe, and the USA. The Access Group first entered the Malaysian market in 2018 through its acquisitions of iCare, Sage PLC’s local businesses, and Volcanic.
The Access Group's expansion into the APAC region is further bolstered by its partnership with the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), the government agency leading the digital transformation of the Malaysian economy. Through this partnership, it will provide the Group with a raft of incentives, rights and privileges from the Malaysian Government and will allow greater flexibility and support to operate, grow, expand or invest anywhere in Malaysia.
Establishing a GO Centre in the APAC region is fundamental to the Group’s global expansion. Malaysia’s thriving digital economy and stable business landscape offer an attractive location for a new hub, ideally positioned to support the Group’s ongoing global expansion.
A Uniquely Malaysian Hub
The Access Group's CEO Chris Bayne affirmed the Group’s long-term vision for the new Malaysia GOC: to build meaningful relationships with its people and customers, establish a network of shared service centres, and enhance consistent service delivery across the organisation.
“The Access Group has grown quickly in the last few years, creating a culture that our people take pride in being part of. Our new centre of excellence in Kuala Lumpur keeps that momentum going and gives our teams there a workplace they can be proud of. We want to create opportunities, foster collaboration and expand our teams further to become an employer of choice for people in Malaysia.”
YB Dr Zaliha binti Mustafa, Minister of Federal Territories and YB Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI), officiated the GOC’s opening, joined by Datuk Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli, CEO of Invest KL, representatives from MDEC, representatives from Herriot-Watt University and Asia Pacific University, alongside The Access Group GOC’s chosen charity of the year, Malaysian children's charity SUKA Society.
YB Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) added: “We are delighted to welcome The Access Group to Malaysia, whose innovation and wealth of expertise will further strengthen Kuala Lumpur’s position as the ideal destination for investments in the region. Their decision to establish their APAC hub in Kuala Lumpur reflects Malaysia’s strength in having multilingual skilled talent, pro-business policies, and robust digital infrastructure, all of which support global companies in scaling their operations efficiently.”
Datuk Muhammad Azmi Zulkifli, CEO of InvestKL said: “At InvestKL, we are committed to supporting The Access Group’s growth in Greater Kuala Lumpur (Greater KL). From the outset, our role has been to provide investment advice and strategic facilitation, empowering over 140 leading global companies in our portfolio. We are excited to be part of their journey, helping them fully harness Greater KL’s potential as a top destination for modern services in the region.”
Growing Globally and Supporting Communities
Over the next four years, The Access Group GOCs throughout the world will support 40% of the Group’s global staffing needs. The ambition is to create a global “backbone” of GOCs, providing international senior management access to diverse talent and regional infrastructure to execute the Group’s growth targets.
Each GOC embodies the physical representations of the The Access Group ambition, brand and culture and offers exceptional facilities and workspaces for staff and customers. The GOCs deliver excellence in product engineering, customer support, customer success, sales marketing and operations.
The GOCs are also designed to support The Access Group's early careers programme and develop young people’s skills by partnering with local education providers. The GOC will offer specialist training and a clear progression path for various roles, including technical, support, sales and people management.
The Access Foundation, which supports charities in regions where The Access Group has a presence, already supports Malaysia’s leading cancer charity – the National Cancer Society Malaysia’s ‘Home Away from Home’ initiative.
In addition, The Access Group staff raised MYR155,174 last year for The Malaysian Mental Health Organisation and has nominated the SUKA Society as its Malaysian Charity of the Year for fiscal year 24/25.