What does it actually take to build a high-performing sales culture in Asia — in the age of AI? Charlene Tan, Head of Asia at Qualtrics and a 20-year veteran of Oracle, SAP, Workday and Splunk, doesn't hold back. In this conversation, she breaks down the two behaviors that silently make or break sales culture, why your top performer might be your biggest liability, how her reps are using AI to walk into negotiations sharper than ever, and why in Asia — no matter how good your tech is — trust is still the only currency that matters. Honest, direct, and packed with nuggets!

Charles Ferguson is a seasoned business leader, entrepreneur and growth advisor in Asia with an impressive 30 year career with Intel, Microsoft, SalesForce, SAP, ADP and GP.
However, his journey was anything but conventional! An American boy who spent his formative years in Indonesia, went home to the US for University and returned to Asia to build a career in Tech (and owned a Jazz Bar in Shanghai along the way).
What stands out isn’t just his experience, but his philosophy that he fully embraces as a citizen of Asia for more than 30 years.

In this episode, we unpack “The Sales Pipeline Illusion” through the lens of B2B selling in Indonesia, one of Southeast Asia’s largest and most complex markets.

Featuring insights from Kidung Ajisurya, Sales Director at Bureau Veritas, the conversation explores why seemingly healthy pipelines often fail to convert, and what sales leaders can do to change that.

We navigate multi-layered stakeholders and relationship-driven decision-making in Indonesia to understanding cultural nuances to unveil what selling in Indonesia is like.

Here, activity doesn’t equal progress, a “polite yes” can mean “silent no,” and trust takes years to build.

Ever wondered why a one-size-fits-all sales process doesn't work in Korea? Here's the truth.

In today’s episode, we speak with Professor JJ Song, a leading Sales Management expert in Korea. He dives deep into the unique complexities of B2B selling in thisvibrant market, how selling has evolved and why culture literally eats strategy for breakfast.

Many companies assume that a solid product and a standard sales process are enough. But that's a misconception!

Like each market, Korea has its own nuances. Adapting your sales process to local demands, mindset and behavior is crucial for success.

JJ shares insights on how to modify strategies based on specific environments and customer needs.

The Future of B2B Sales: AI, Trust, and the Human Advantage

Episode Description

Sales has changed dramatically over the past decade.

Buyers are more informed than ever, technology is reshaping how companies sell, and artificial intelligence is beginning to transform the sales profession itself.

In this episode of Sales in Asia, I speak with Philip Yim, Managing Director of Kärcher Singapore & Malaysia, about how the sales profession is evolving and what it takes to succeed in the modern B2B environment.

Philip shares insights from his decades of experience leading sales teams across Asia and explains why, despite rapid technological change, trust and human relationships remain at the heart of great selling.

We also discuss the impact of AI, how buyers have changed, and the leadership mindset required to build high-performing sales organizations today.

In this episode we discuss:

• How B2B buyers have changed in the digital age
• The shift from product selling to solution selling
• The role of data and technology in modern sales
• Whether AI will replace salespeople
• Why trust and human relationships still matter in complex deals
• Leadership lessons from running Kärcher in Singapore and Malaysia

Guest
Philip Yim
Managing Director, Kärcher Singapore & Malaysia

Podcast
Sales in Asia – Conversations with sales leaders across the region about the future of B2B selling.

Startups need funds - to start, to grow and to sustain. But what makes a start-up Investable?

And why do founders' perception of their own value often exceed those of the investors?

Our guest Dr Yong Hsin Ning mentors and coach start-ups to help them more investable.

With more than 20 years in Change Management consulting, academia as a faculty and adjunct Professor and entrepreneurship, she shares a powerful framework and offers up wisdom to founders seeking investments.

• What are the ingredients to driving successful change?
• How different are they in Japan, Malaysia or Singapore?
• Is a motivated staff sufficient for change to happen?

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Our guest this is week is KL Loh, the Country Head of Ricoh Singapore.

With over 30 years of industry experience, and more than 20 as a change leader. KL shares his journey, experience and advise in driving change.

We conclude our chat with Jeremy with his perspectives on "Start-up Sales in a Downturn".

Among them:

• How deeply do VC get involved in sales strategy and operation
• South East Asian startups are facing a double whammy of expensive Sales talent, and the lack of talent in tech sales. How can startup navigate that?
• What should sales professionals consider before joining a start up?