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Alibaba’s South Asian e-commerce unit Daraz to conduct new round of lay-offs

  • Daraz acting chief executive James Dong said the latest job cuts come amid ‘unprecedented challenges in the market’
  • The number of Daraz employees in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal to be affected by the lay-offs was not disclosed

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Daraz Group’s e-commerce operations cover Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Photo: Alibaba
Coco Fengin Beijing
Daraz Group – the leading e-commerce company in South Asia, excluding India, owned by Alibaba Group Holding – is set to conduct a new round of lay-offs amid “unprecedented challenges in the market”, a year after slashing 11 per cent of its workforce.
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“Reluctantly, we will bid farewell to many valued members of the Daraz family,” acting chief executive James Dong said in an internal memo published on the company’s website on Tuesday. Alibaba, owner of the South China Morning Post, acquired Daraz in 2018.

“Despite our efforts to explore different solutions, our cost structure continues to fall short of our financial targets,” he said. “Facing unprecedented challenges in the market, we must take swift action to ensure our company’s long-term sustainability and continued growth.”

Dong, who also runs Alibaba’s Southeast Asian e-commerce unit Lazada, was appointed to head Daraz in January.
A Daraz Express rider makes a same-day delivery run in Pakistan. Photo: Daraz
A Daraz Express rider makes a same-day delivery run in Pakistan. Photo: Daraz
The number of Daraz employees – spread across the company’s Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal operations – to be affected by the latest job cuts was not disclosed.
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The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

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