Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab hires former Indonesian police chief

Southeast Asian ride-hailing firm Grab said on Monday (Jan 30) it has appointed Indonesia’s former national police chief to oversee corporate governance and long-term plans for its biggest market.

Grab said it plans to expand to more cities in Indonesia, grow its transport services and invest in a mobile payments platform.

Badrodin Haiti, who was Indonesia’s chief of the National Police from April 2015 to July 2016, “brings extensive experience working with government stakeholders and ensuring aligned interests among different stakeholders,” the company said in a statement.

Grab and its competitors, Uber of the United States and homegrown company Go-Jek, have faced regulatory obstacles in Indonesia.

The government has ordered ride-hailing service providers to pass vehicle safety tests and get local partners, among other conditions.

“As the technology and ride-hailing sectors evolve in Indonesia, Mr. Haiti will play a guiding role to ensure Grab contributes constructively to the implementation of new transport regulations and safety guidelines,” Grab said.