Talabat CPO on From Local Food Delivery to Regional Tech Powerhouse | Yi-Wei Ang | E223 | #TheProductPodcast

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“At the end of the day, if you forget about your customers, if you forget about the problem that you’re solving, that’s when a company starts to lose its soul.”

In this edition of #TheProductPodcast newsletter, we explore the transformative journey of , the Chief Product Officer at , the largest tech company in the Middle East. With a robust background in product management and a deep understanding of local markets, Yi-Wei shares invaluable lessons on product strategy, team dynamics, and the importance of cultural context in driving product success.

🎧 Check out the full episode here 🎧

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There are many incredible lessons to learn from Yi-Wei Ang. Here are a few of the top ones:

The Importance of Local Context in Product Development

“As a local player, we can afford to invest in things like Ramadan promotions because we have skin in the game.”

Yi-Wei highlights that understanding local nuances is essential for creating products that resonate with users. At Talabat, being deeply embedded in Middle Eastern culture allows them to tailor their offerings to meet specific needs. For example, during Ramadan-a culturally significant time-Talabat invests heavily in grocery promotions and customized user experiences that reflect the traditions of fasting and evening gatherings. This localized focus not only strengthens customer loyalty but also creates a competitive edge against global players who may lack such cultural depth. By prioritizing regional relevance, Talabat ensures its products are meaningful and impactful for its audience.

Building a Customer-Centric Product Organization

“You have to put the customer at the heart of it.”

Yi-Wei underscores the value of solving real customer problems as central to product success. As Talabat expanded from food delivery into groceries and fintech solutions, staying close to customer needs became critical. He encourages product teams to engage directly with users by shadowing sales calls or spending time in customer care roles. This approach fosters empathy and ensures products address genuine pain points. For instance, when designing their Buy Now, Pay Later feature, understanding customer financial behaviors helped refine the offering into something truly valuable. A relentless focus on customers keeps Talabat’s products relevant and loved across diverse markets.

Balancing Depth and Breadth in Product Offerings

“To build a product customers love, you have to go really deep.”

Yi-Wei explains that while expanding into multiple verticals is tempting, spreading too thin can dilute focus and quality. At Talabat, they prioritize excelling deeply in one area before moving into others. For instance, after mastering food delivery-a process refined over nearly 20 years-they expanded into groceries and fintech services like Buy Now, Pay Later. This phased approach ensures that each vertical is well-developed before scaling further. By focusing on depth first, Talabat delivers exceptional experiences while maintaining its leadership across categories.

Personalization as a Key Driver for User Engagement

“Understanding your customers at specific moments is key to providing a personalized experience.”

Yi-Wei identifies personalization as a cornerstone for enhancing user satisfaction. By leveraging data analytics and AI technologies, Talabat tailors recommendations based on user behavior and context-whether it’s suggesting quick lunch options during office hours or highlighting social dining spots for evenings with friends. This personalized approach not only improves user experience but also strengthens engagement by anticipating customer needs at the right time and place. Personalization is central to Talabat’s vision of creating seamless and meaningful interactions for its users.

Fostering Vulnerability and Learning in Leadership

“Failing quickly is probably not a bad thing.”

Yi-Wei champions vulnerability as a critical trait for product leaders. He acknowledges that product management often places leaders at the intersection of immense expectations from various teams-engineering, design, business-and emphasizes the importance of creating a culture where failure is seen as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. By modeling vulnerability himself-admitting when he doesn’t have all the answers-he encourages his team to experiment boldly and share challenges openly. This approach fosters innovation while reducing fear of failure within teams, enabling them to take calculated risks that drive growth.

Investing in Talent Development for Emerging Markets

“When you don’t have all the talent ready across the street, you get very creative about building that talent pipeline.”

In regions where product management is still emerging as a discipline, Yi-Wei focuses on cultivating talent pipelines through long-term investments. At Talabat, this includes partnerships with universities, associate programs for transitioning professionals into product roles, and internal upskilling initiatives for employees from diverse backgrounds like QA or venture capital. These efforts not only address immediate hiring needs but also build a sustainable ecosystem of skilled talent capable of driving innovation in the Middle East’s growing tech landscape.

🔑 Key takeaways

  • Leverage local insights to create culturally relevant products that resonate deeply with users.
  • Prioritize customer engagement by staying close to their needs through direct interactions.
  • Focus on depth before breadth when expanding into new verticals or markets.
  • Use personalization powered by data analytics to enhance user experiences meaningfully.
  • Build cultures where vulnerability is embraced and failure serves as a stepping stone for learning.
  • Invest strategically in talent development to grow skills aligned with long-term goals.

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Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia
Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia

Written by Carlos Gonzalez de Villaumbrosia

CEO at Product School — Global leader in product management training

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