15/07/2026
🇸🇪 From Malaysia to Sweden: A heartfelt farewell to Sara & Anders 🇲🇾
After an incredible 8 years of making Malaysia their home, Sara (Team Lead, Core Development - finance) and Anders (Consultant Director) are preparing to head back to Sweden. But before they pack their bags, we sat down with them to look back at how their journey started and revisit their favorite memories with the Monitor ERP SEA family.
✈️ How it all started
After spending two and a half years in Singapore, Sara and Anders returned to Sweden, but their hearts remained deeply tied to Southeast Asia. They knew their adventure in this part of the world wasn’t quite over.
Then came a surprise phone call from Morgan (Group CEO of Monitor ERP).
"Morgan called to offer Anders a job," Sara shares. "At first, we actually declined because it didn’t seem right with two young kids at the time. But when Anders came home, we gave it a second thought. Within two days, we decided to go for it."
Even though Anders and Daniel (CEO of Monitor ERP SEA) didn’t know each other well back then, Anders reached out to him for a candid chat just to get a genuine feel for what life in Malaysia would be like. That very same week, they flew out to visit Penang in August 2017 – a spontaneous trip that was meant to be a brief look around, but ultimately turned into a beautiful 8-year chapter of their lives. By October, Anders officially joined the team, with Sara following shortly after in February 2018.
🤫 Clearing the grapevine
With the news of their departure, people began to wonder—what’s the real reason behind the move?
"No, we are not divorcing, and no, we are definitely not pregnant!" Anders laughs. "There isn't one particular big thing that triggered this. Once a decision is made, the ex*****on naturally falls into place fast for us. It wasn’t an easy choice, but it just felt like the right time."
For Sara and Anders, it is simply a moment when the stars aligned for their next chapter:
🩵Family first: Having lived abroad for over a decade, it has been years since they were close to home. With parents growing older, they are deeply looking forward to spending quality time with both their parents and their children back in Sweden.
💙Staying in the Monitor family: While Sara will miss the physical office energy, she is happy that she will continue her journey with Monitor remotely from Sweden.
💙Shifting regional alignment: On the career front, Anders’ focus has increasingly shifted toward operations in Western time zones, so making the move back is an ideal setup for his daily work.
🌷 Evolving with the Monitor family
When Sara and Anders arrived, the Monitor SEA team consisted of just 8 to 9 people. Today, they leave behind a bustling team of over 100+ colleagues.
🧡The early days: "In the first 2–3 years, we were like one big family," Anders recalls. "I knew everyone's name and everyone helped each other out. While the team has grown tremendously since then, that foundational team spirit is something I will carry with me forever."
🌳Unforgettable moments: Anders will never forget their first-year team trip to ESCAPE, watching Eddie (Team Lead, Core Development - platform) being absolutely terrified of the rides but still bravely joining in on the fun with everyone.
🥮Embracing local culture: Sara fondly remembers immersing herself in local traditions, including her very first time baking traditional mooncakes—and the hilarious moment Fadhly (IT Team Lead) accidentally smashed one of them. (Note: Fadhly may not be the only culprit!)
🍲 What they'll miss most
Malaysia's food culture is well-known, but what has left a permanent mark on them goes beyond the dishes themselves. It’s the Malaysian way of eating that they will miss the most: the bustling food courts, the spontaneous outings, and the beautiful culture of ordering, sharing, and enjoying meals tightly together as a community.
As Anders reflects on saying goodbye:" It’s the people, the deep friendships, and the colleagues, that makes it difficult to leave. It is going to be extremely tough to say goodbye.”
❤️ We aren't saying goodbye, just "see you later!"
Thank you, Sara and Anders, for pouring your hearts into growing Monitor ERP SEA over the last 8 years. We are so grateful that you are staying within the global Monitor family, and we wish you the absolute best as you start this next chapter back in Sweden! 🇸🇪✨
