Exclusive: GitLab’s success in APAC and ANZ showcased in Singapore event

GitLab, a global leader in DevSecOps, recently held its highly successful DevSecOps World Tour and Partner Leadership Summit in Singapore.

The two-day event attracted over 200 attendees and showcased the company's ongoing impact in the Asia-Pacific and Japan (APJ) region.

Craig Nielsen, GitLab's Vice President for APJ, described the event as a milestone for the company.

"It was fantastic to host the DevSecOps World Tour in Singapore for the first time," he said. "We were oversubscribed, which speaks volumes about the interest in innovation and collaboration in the region."

A Two-Day Collaborative Success
The event featured keynote speeches, fireside chats, and roundtable discussions with strategic partners and customers, including GovTech, Agoda, Accenture, and AWS.

Nielsen highlighted the diversity and quality of insights shared at the event.

"There's nothing better than hearing from other practitioners about how they've used technology to drive successful outcomes," he explained.

The Partner Leadership Summit, held alongside the DevSecOps event, brought together GitLab's key collaborators across APJ.

"It's about creating an intersection between great technology and great innovation," Nielsen added.

Held at the Fairmont Hotel in Singapore, the event's venue provided an ideal setting for networking and knowledge exchange.

"The feedback we've received has been overwhelmingly positive, with attendees appreciating the opportunity to learn and connect," he said.

Regional Challenges and Opportunities
Discussing the unique dynamics of the APAC and ANZ regions, Nielsen noted that businesses face both opportunities and challenges.

In ANZ, high operational costs and stringent regulations demand efficient, innovative solutions.

"ANZ has been a technology pioneer in adopting new trends like DevOps," he said.

In contrast, markets like India are experiencing rapid growth, with businesses expanding their developer teams.

Nielsen remarked, "Every customer I met in India last week talked about adding developers."

"This growth mindset is driving innovation faster than in many other regions."

The region's young, digitally native populations also push organisations to prioritise digital-first, omni-channel experiences.

"Whether it's digital driver's licences in New South Wales or travel apps in Thailand, APAC is setting the pace for digital innovation," Nielsen explained.

AI: Revolutionising Software Development
AI's transformative potential in software development was another key topic of discussion.

"We've seen a lot of experimentation over the past 12 to 15 months, and now organisations are focusing on strategic implementation," Nielsen said.

He highlighted GitLab's unique approach to AI, which targets not only coding tasks but also the broader software development lifecycle.

"Developers spend only about 20% of their time writing code. We're investing in features that tackle the other 80% of tasks," he explained.

Examples include test generation, code refactoring, and root cause analysis for pipeline failures.

"Our AI tools help developers save time and focus on what matters," Nielsen added.

GitLab's AI Impact Dashboard also measures effectiveness, providing insights into value-driven use cases.

Customer Success Stories
GitLab's impact in the APJ region is underscored by several customer success stories.

Agoda, a leading travel company, improved developer satisfaction by 17% after adopting GitLab.

Nielsen noted, "A better developer experience is crucial in today's competitive talent market."

FinTech company Airwallex leveraged GitLab to deliver a high-velocity project for a key customer, while Bendigo and Adelaide Bank completed a complex migration of 1,500 projects across 30 organisations in just four weeks. "These examples highlight the real-world value GitLab delivers," Nielsen said.

Looking Ahead
GitLab's future in the APAC and ANZ regions is bright, with continued investment in sales and post-sales capacity.

"We see enormous potential in this region," Nielsen said. The company's recently announced GitLab Duo Workflow exemplifies its commitment to innovation.

"This intelligent, always-on agent monitors projects and anticipates risks, moving beyond the traditional prompt-response paradigm," he explained.

GitLab's focus remains on empowering organisations to build software faster and more efficiently. As Nielsen concluded, "It's about helping our customers achieve their goals while staying ahead of the curve."