Asia’s 40 Under 40 Anna Melissa “Iya” Mendoza

Creating the New Era for Professional Services in SEA

Anna Melissa "Iya" Mendoza

CEO and Co-Founder

Apeiron Group

Growing up, Anna Melissa “Iya” Mendoza was deeply influenced by her father, a CPA who exemplified unwavering integrity. His example inspired her to pursue a career where she could blend her passion for accounting with a meaningful impact. Iya began her journey at SGV & Co. (EY Philippines), gaining invaluable insights into the precision of a global firm. She further honed her skills at InCorp., managing comprehensive corporate services, which not only strengthened her technical expertise but also sparked her entrepreneurial mindset. In these roles, Iya observed how large firms executed engagements with precision, driven by well-established SOPs. However, she noticed that such clockwork execution is an opportunity in the professional services landscape. As Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem grew, traditional firms with their enterprise-focused and SOP-driven solutions struggled to meet the needs of agile businesses, while boutique firms lacked forward-thinking solutions to drive innovative startups forward. Determined to address this, Iya co-founded Apeiron, a tech-enabled corporate services firm designed to scale with its clients. Apeiron reimagines professional services by blending operational efficiency with strategies tailored to startups and niche enterprises. Today, Iya leads Apeiron in empowering businesses across Southeast Asia with scalable, impactful solutions. How? Let us know in this exclusive interview.

What lessons from established firms shaped your strategies when co-founding Aperion?

While co-founding Apeiron, I quickly realised we lacked the scope and scale economies, and learning curves of established firms. To address this, we adopted a three-pronged strategy. First, we assembled co-founders with complementary expertise in corporate development, accounting and tax, and corporate law. Next, we built a lean, tech-powered team for efficient, scalable operations. Lastly, we enhanced proximity to the market, focusing on sustainable segments like hypergrowth startups and niche enterprises. Our approach delivers flexible, endto-end solutions, scaling from accounting and tax to HR services, fractional CFO, and M&A support.

What’s your greatest strength as a leader that helps you achieve success?

My leadership style is collaborative and transformative. I believe in empowering teams through trust, transparency, and a shared vision. I set clear goals, support development, and encourage innovation while fostering open communication. For instance, I helped an early employee navigate his career path by listening more than speaking. Guiding the person to set his own track under the bigger umbrella of the company’s vision. This allowed significant personal and professional growth, which ultimately led to the employee becoming now one of the best managers of the accounting services team.

How do you prioritise work-life balance and rejuvenate yourself?

My ability to create value for clients, partners, employees, and shareholders comes from maintaining my overall well-being through family, travel, and personal time. Family provides unconditional love and a safe space to be myself. Travel broadens my perspective, exposing me to diverse cultures and grounding me in the world’s vastness. Personal time allows for self-reflection and introspection, helping me recharge, realign my focus, and stay connected to my goals and values.

How do you stay ahead of technological advancements while ensuring personalised services to your clients?

Technology will always advance, but it’s up to us to harness it effectively. At Apeiron, we don’t adopt every shiny new tool; our tech roadmap aligns with our evolving business model, not the reverse. This approach is built on three pillars. First, we are a tech-enabled service company, not a technology company. Second, our hypergrowth startup and niche enterprise clients prefer end-to-end solutions over self-service platforms. Third, every business is unique. By integrating proprietary and third-party technologies, we customise solutions that deliver maximum value, grouping and embedding tools to meet each client’s specific needs effectively

What corporate professional services industry trends will have a substantial impact on businesses in Southeast Asia?

Southeast Asia’s professional services industry thrives on fractional services and talent outsourcing. Clients seek expertise to enhance legacy structures or drive growth at a fraction of full-time executive costs, met through our fractional CFO and HR services. On the outsourcing front, companies increasingly focus on core strengths, outsourcing support roles. Additionally, North America and Europe face a “pipeline problem,” with fewer students pursuing accounting and finance. This presents a significant opportunity for Southeast Asia, as its skilled talent can bridge gaps across value chains and regions, offering cost-effective, high-quality solutions to meet global business demands.

What legacy do you hope to leave as a leader?

I want to be known as the person who reimagined professional services through Apeiron, a Southeast Asia-based firm empowering start-ups and enterprises through technology-enabled one-stop solutions that turbocharge innovation, global compliance, and integration of Western markets with the region. My vision extends to mentoring the next generation of leaders, shaping them to excel in their fields and drive successful enterprises. My legacy will reflect my passion for innovation, commitment to success, and dedication to uplifting communities and businesses.