The 10 nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are on track to create one of the world’s most important economic growth zones. The combined gross domestic products (GDP) of ASEAN — US$1.5 trillion — is projected to nearly double by 2020 as an estimated 120 million people join the middle and affluent classes. Given that more than 40 percent of global internet users are based in Southeast Asia, the region has drawn significant attention from large digital companies. Germany’s Rocket Internet has invested heavily in Lazada, the e-commerce firm in Southeast Asia, and Zalora, the Asian online fashion retailer. Likewise, China’s Alibaba purchased 10.35 percent of...
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