Forwarding, Freight News

Beacon sets up Hong Kong presence

[ November 18, 2020   //   Chris ]

London-based digital forwarder Beacon has opened an office in Hong Kong and has appointed. James Yu, previously logistics program manager at Uber in Hong Kong, as ocean procurement lead, HK.

A growing number of Beacon’s customers have supply partners in China and elsewhere in Asia, and having a presence in the same time zone enables the company to offer superior customer service and better connectivity between importers and exporters. Having a local presence also means Beacon can continue to develop its technology for the benefit of both customers and their manufacturers.

Co-founder and chief executive Fraser Robinson said: “A large proportion of our cargo volumes originate in Asia and it is important to us that we have a local presence to provide better service to our customers and their partners in China and the surrounding areas. Proximity to both importer and exporter means better communication, a more real-time customer experience, as well as deeper insights that enhance our platform. The COVID-19 pandemic has further reinforced the need for more sophisticated technology solutions in order to establish more transparent and resilient global supply chains.”

Beacon has increased its headcount from 35 to 75 since March and it has also achieved a ratio of 40% women employees, in line with its objective of fostering gender diversity and inclusivity in the workplace

In June, Beacon raised over $15 million in its Series A fundraising round, with investors including Jeff Bezos, the founder and CEO of Amazon, and leading US venture capital firm 8VC.

Tags: Beacon