May 2006 was when our story started. “Forest” describes the ecosystem, while “Interactive” refers to the tech nature of the business, and the company’s Founder & CEO, Johary Mustapha, was guided by a vision to be an integral part of the mobile tech ecosystem.
This year is an exciting time for us, as we celebrate 15 years in business. However, due to pandemic-related restrictions, there was no great in-person fanfare. Heart-warming get-together over scrumptious meals, elegant gala dinner events, and company trips had to be put on hold.
However, it was still important to Forest Interactive that the 15th Anniversary show must go on – if not to commemorate this momentous occasion, then to give thanks to our talents, past and present, as well as partners.
With respect for the safety of talents and social distancing guidelines, instead of a traditional in-person event, Forest Interactive opted to celebrate its 15th year in business virtually.
A Little Goes a Long Way
Many would agree that receiving a surprise gift at the door step is one of the many joys in the world, and opening up a care package is even more so. This little buzz of excitement and anticipation is what Forest Interactive’s talents got to experience for the 15thAnniversary celebration.
Forest Interactive coordinated an internal gift exchange, where talents were randomly paired with another talent within the company, and they were given the opportunity to craft their personalized message of hope. Assigning partners at random also allowed many talents to get to know people in the company that they would otherwise not have the opportunity to speak to. The heartfelt messages were bundled with thoughtfully curated gift boxes filled with a variety of goodies, which talents were able to choose to celebrate the commemorative event.
The More, The Merrier
Food has a way of bringing people together, and with the 15th Anniversary doubling as an Eid celebration for talents all over the world, Forest Interactive wanted to keep the tradition going with the talents’ favorite cuisines. Everyone in the company were given access to a budget for a celebratory meal of their choosing – an initiative that brought everyone closer together, including for country managers from our global offices who invited company partners and vendors to join in on the fun.
Over in Jakarta, where social gatherings are allowed with certain restrictions, Forest talents were able to enjoy a lovely dinner at Half Patiunus to celebrate the 15th Anniversary. The talents arrived ready to party in style, and they all went the extra mile to conquer the best-dressed award. Along with it, a lucky draw and various fun activities allowed talents to win exciting and exclusive prizes on the big day. Health and safety measures were also in place to ensure the event was in line with pandemic SOPs.
#BetterTogether
Filled with laughter and revelry, the virtual event was peppered with a rapid-fire Q&A session with the CEO, an interactive quiz that saw 117 talents racing to the top of the charts to win three-month subscriptions to Disney+.
In Johary’s engaging rapid-fire Q&A, he was challenged to reveal interesting insights into the future of technology and personal fun facts about his passions and interests – all in two sentences or less!
Going Further for the Greater Good
As icing on the cake, Sheena Pimentel, Head of Corporate PR at Forest Interactive, officially launched the Forest Interactive Foundation, which serves to advance the company’s corporate responsibility, sustainable development, and charitable giving goals.
Since 2006, Forest Interactive has pursued its mission and steadfast commitment in shaping future innovators in schools all over Malaysia, building a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, addressing inequity by increasing access to basic needs for underserved communities, as well as combating climate change.
Forest Interactive will continue to build trust and transparency, achieve and share the world’s sustainability agenda under the Foundation.
& So Much More
Meanwhile, Johary Mustapha also penned his 15 learnings from 15 years of shaping the company. In it, he details successes and failures, perspectives and insights.
Forest Interactive’s in-house Creative Production team also produced a short film titled The Mettle, which chronicles the company’s journey over the years, focusing on those nostalgic moments, heart-warming relationships, and unwavering contributions from talents, partners, clients and subscribers who helped build the company.
The Creative Design team also joined in on the creative fun with Forest Interactive 15th Anniversary-themed Instagram AR filters and animated stickers, which empowered talents to introduce double the fun to their virtual celebration experience, on their socials.
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