About us - Handshakes

Leveraging data to empower safe, informed business decisions

Founded in 2011, Handshakes has grown into an award-winning DataTech company. Today, we are located in 6 cities and are expanding our presence across the globe.
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Story

As former regulators at the Singapore Exchange (SGX), our founders Daryl Neo and Charles Poon experienced firsthand, the difficulty of discovering connections between persons and companies. And as the amount of data they had access to grew, so too, did the challenges of discovering meaningful insights – especially within reasonable timeframes.

In an effort to solve these challenges, they began working on a solution that combined reliable corporate data with adaptive technologies – enabling greater market transparency and faster risk detection. The result was the creation of our award-winning Handshakes App.

Since our inception in 2011, we have also invested in key technologies (such as artificial intelligence) to improve the speed at which our clients are able to extract quality, data-driven insights – reducing workflows from months to weeks, days, and hours.

Management

Daryl-Neo
Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder Daryl Neo

Daryl Neo is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Handshakes, an award-winning data technology company specialising in corporate intelligence solutions.

Under his leadership, Handshakes secured an investment round led by S&P Global in 2022, joining earlier investors Nikkei Inc and SPH Media Holdings Pte Ltd, to launch the company onto the global stage. The Handshakes platform features interactive maps of complex, multi-layered company ownership and management relationship networks generated from official data sources. Trusted by regional clients based in audit, banking, investigation and enforcement, its solutions increase corporate transparency and bolster business transactions.

Recognised for his business acumen with knowledge of financial sectors in Asia, Daryl also leads Nikkei Group Asia Pte Ltd as the Special Executive Officer, the first SEO appointment by Nikkei outside Japan.

Prior to founding Handshakes in 2011, Daryl was a regulator at the Singapore Exchange (SGX).

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Charles-Poon
Chief Products Officer and Co-Founder Charles Poon

Charles has been involved in various parts of the Singapore capital market for the last 20 years. He started his career with Singapore Exchange Ltd (“SGX”) in 2000 and had been involved in all facets of the business from listing promotion to issuer regulation. In 2011, Charles left SGX to start Handshakes with fellow SGX-colleague, Daryl Neo.

Charles helms as Co-Founder and Chief Products Officer at Handshakes. You can find Charles experimenting with novel approaches to understanding Handshakes data and taking its innovation to the next level. Charles is an intellectual who can’t resist a new challenge. He enjoys solving difficult problems. Charles is currently also a member of the Catalist Approval Committee of SAC Capital Private Limited.

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Hsin-Min
Chief Operating Officer Ng Hsin Min

Hsin Min specialises in economics and holds a Masters in Information Studies. She spent a large part of her career in Singapore Exchange where she was involved in various units across Operations including market data, securities/derivatives market trading and clearing operations.

She joined Handshakes in 2018 and is currently the Chief Operating Officer where she oversees a regional Operations unit in driving delivery excellence of Handshakes products and services. Apart from working with her team to constantly improve internal processes for greater efficiency, Hsin Min also has a passion for helping each of her members reach their fullest potential.

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Shawn-Leong
Chief Commercial Officer Shawn Leong

Shawn is a computer engineer by training, with a Masters in Intellectual Property Management. In the last 10 years, he has dabbled in colourful mix of Legal, Project Management, Product Development, Business Operations and Sales, for both private and public sectors. You may have interacted with or seen products and services that Shawn has contributed to, from IRAS e-services to X-mini portable speakers and semi-conductor technology patents.

Presently, he is Chief Commercial Officer of Handshakes. In the last 6 years, he laid the foundations of sales, account management and project management for the company, helping Handshakes become one of the fastest growing companies in Singapore today.

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Voon-Sze-Yin
Financial Controller Voon Sze Yin

Sze Yin joined Handshakes in October 2019. In her current role as the Company’s Financial Controller, she is responsible for the Group’s overall financial accounting and tax matters. Sze Yin holds a Bachelor Degree in Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from the University of Melbourne, and is currently a Chartered Accountant of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Prior to joining the Company, Sze Yin was a Chief Financial Officer in two public listed companies in Singapore. She has ten years of experience in auditing and assurance with one of the Big 4 public accounting firms.

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Ong-Jun-Hao
Chief Information Officer Ong Jun Hao

Jun Hao is an established professional with over ten years of experience in the Information Technology (IT) industry. During his stint with Accenture, he has successfully embarked several clients within the regulatory technology, high tech consumer goods, utilities, shipping and logistics industries on their digital transformation journey.

Jun Hao is currently the Chief Information Officer at Handshakes where he oversees timely delivery of innovative solutions with the key focus on delivering value to clients. Coupled with his keen business acumen and being an accountant by training, he ensures that the team stays focused on achieving streamlined operations through appropriate adaptation of technological innovations.


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Clients

Handshakes’ solutions are trusted and used by regional regulators, public sector agencies and financial institutions across the globe.


Testimonial


Awards

We are SG:D Accredited.

You can be assured of our product’s core functionalities, our ability to deliver as promised, and your data security.

2024
High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2024

By Financial Times

Singapore’s Fastest-Growing Companies 2024

By The Straits Times and Statista

2023
Top 100 High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific 2023

By Financial Times

Top 20 Singapore's Fastest-Growing Companies 2023

By The Straits Times and Statista

2019
CIO Advisor’s Top 10 APAC

Machine Learning Solution Providers

2018
IDC’s Innovators Awards

Asia Pacific Data-As-A-Service Provider

India ASEAN Youth Awards

Most Innovative Business Idea

SiTF Awards Best Innovative Product
2017
SiTF Awards

Best Innovative Product (Artificial Intelligence/Big Data)

2016
Singapore National Infocomm Awards

Most Innovative Infocomm Product/Solution

Singapore National Infocomm Awards

Our Presence

 

Handshakes’ headquarters is located in Singapore. Our presence also spans 5 other cities and is continuing to grow.

Singapore Kuala Lumpur Penang Hanoi Taiwan Australia