Jj Chai

Jia Jih Chai, commonly known as JJ Chai, is the CEO and co-founder of Rainforest, an e-commerce aggregator based in Singapore. He has a notable background in scaling businesses and has held significant roles in prominent companies prior to founding Rainforest.

Professional Background

• Rainforest: As CEO, JJ Chai leads the company in acquiring and operating e-commerce brands, focusing primarily on the mum and baby care sectors. Under his leadership, Rainforest has achieved remarkable growth, including a 9x increase in yearly revenue and rapid profitability shortly after its inception.34

• Carousell: Before Rainforest, JJ was the Senior Vice President of Growth & Strategy at Carousell, where he was instrumental in driving user growth and corporate strategy.24

• Airbnb: JJ served as the Managing Director for Southeast Asia and India at Airbnb, being the first employee in the region. He played a crucial role in establishing Airbnb's presence and scaling its operations across Southeast Asia.12

• McKinsey & Company: Earlier in his career, he worked as a junior partner at McKinsey, advising telecommunications and technology firms on strategy and operations.12

Education

JJ Chai holds an MBA from INSEAD and a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Computer Engineering from the National University of Singapore.12

Entrepreneurial Vision

JJ is passionate about fostering a robust startup ecosystem in Southeast Asia. His approach to business emphasizes strategic acquisitions and understanding market needs to build strong brands that resonate with consumers. He is also involved in angel investing to support emerging entrepreneurs.145