RHQ Trends in Southeast Asia

This report analyzes regional headquarters (RHQ) trends of global companies in Southeast Asia, with a focus on key players across sectors. In consumer goods, our review includes L’Oreal, Unilever, and Johnson & Johnson. In appliances, Whirlpool, Electrolux, BSH, and Samsung are highlighted. The automobile sector includes Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen, while the technology sector covers Alphabet (Google), Amazon, and Meta. In oil and gas, the analysis considers British Petroleum, TotalEnergies, and Chevron, along with other notable companies across industries.

We analyse the distribution of RHQs across Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, and evaluate factors such as the role of RHQ within corporate decision-making flows, and regulatory factors that underlie the choice of location. Singapore has historically been known to be the choice of location for regional headquarters. In 2023, about 4200 multinational companies chose to set up the RHQ here (CNA).