SINGAPORE (THE BUSINESS TIMES) - California-based Snap Inc, which created multimedia messaging app Snapchat, is set to open a Singapore office later this year.

It is now monitoring the Covid-19 pandemic and will accelerate plans to establish a local presence once the situation eases, the company said on Thursday (June 25).

Snap has made its first hire in Singapore. Anubhav Nayyar, who was appointed director of South-east Asia market development, will be part of the international markets team, which is led by its managing director Nana Murugesan.

Among other things, the international markets team is responsible for Snap's growth strategy, expanding company operations in key global markets, driving cultural relevance, and building its community with a range of programmes and local partnerships, Snap said.

Prior to joining the company, Mr Nayyar spent seven years at calling and messaging app Viber, where he was the senior director and head of Asia-Pacific.

Snap said the South-east Asia (SEA) region has "grown in importance for the company over the past 12 months" and that the Singapore office will strengthen its support for brand advertising partners based in the Asia-Pacific region.

Kathryn Carter, Snap's general manager for Australia, New Zealand, SEA and Hong Kong, said: "Snapchat reaches 85 per cent of 13-24-year-olds in Australia, and our growing audience in the SEA region offers advertisers a unique opportunity to reach a generation of consumers who are driving the post-Covid-19 recovery."

Earlier this month, the company announced that Snapchat will deliver breaking news from partners such as The Washington Post, NBC News and ESPN. Other updates on the app will include entertainment and wellness features.