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Ascender's Overview

Total employees900
HeadquartersNorth Sydney
Founded2015

Ascender, prior to its acquisition by Ceridian in March 2021, was a prominent independent provider of payroll and Human Capital Management (HCM) software and services across the Asia-Pacific region. It offered a comprehensive suite of solutions designed to meet the complex HR and payroll needs of businesses operating in diverse regulatory environments. Ascender's services included payroll outsourcing, HR software platforms (covering aspects like talent management, learning, and workforce analytics), and managed services, catering to over 1.3 million employees of its 3,000+ clients monthly. The company was known for its strong regional presence and expertise, particularly in countries like Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, and across Southeast Asia.

Where is Ascender's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Served as the central hub for strategic direction, product development, corporate operations, and client support coordination for Ascender's HR and payroll services across the Asia-Pacific region.

Notable Features:

Modern office facilities designed to foster collaboration and innovation, supporting a large team of professionals in technology, customer service, and corporate functions.

Work Culture:

A dynamic and customer-focused work environment, emphasizing expertise in HR technology, regional compliance, and service excellence in the fast-paced APAC market.

HQ Significance:

Key to Ascender's leadership in the APAC HCM market, facilitating its growth, regional expansion, and the delivery of localized solutions to a diverse client base prior to its acquisition.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters likely reflected values of innovation, customer centricity, and regional expertise, essential for its operations in the competitive HCM landscape.

Location:

Prior to its acquisition, Ascender had a significant presence across the Asia-Pacific region, with offices and operations in over 10 countries including Australia, New Zealand, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and India. Its functions supported globally (within APAC) included multi-country payroll processing, HR software deployment, talent management solutions, and managed HR services, tailored to local compliance and cultural nuances.

Street Address:

Level 10, 100 Pacific Highway

City:

North Sydney

State/Province:

NSW

Country:

Australia

Ascender's Global Presence

Manila, Philippines

Address: Ascender Philippines, Inc., Rockwell Business Center Sheridan, Sheridan St, Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines (representative address, may vary)

To provide cost-effective, high-quality operational support and managed services to clients across various countries in the Asia-Pacific.

Singapore

Address: 1 Wallich Street, #14-01 Guoco Tower, Singapore 078881 (representative address, may vary)

To spearhead growth in Southeast Asia, manage key client relationships, and provide localized HCM solutions.

Shanghai, China

Address: Unit 901, BEA Tower, 60陆家嘴环路 Pudong, Shanghai, China (representative address, may vary)

To support multinational and local companies in China with compliant and efficient HR and payroll services.

Buying Intent Signals for Ascender

Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right accounts at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.

Notable news
Hiring actively
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
Corporate Finance
*Example signal, not calculated in real time

Executive Team of Ascender

As of April 2025, Ascender' leadership includes:

Andrew Wilson - Chief Executive Officer (former)
Inna Wahlberg - General Manager, Asia (former)
Karla Kovacevic - Chief People Officer (former)
Roderick Leighton - Chief Financial Officer (former, until Jan 2021 according to LinkedIn, role changed later)

Investors of Ascender

Ascender has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

Potentia Capital
First State Super (now Aware Super) (as co-investor)

Executive New Hires/Exits in the Last 12 Months

Hire1
Exits1

Significant executive changes occurred around Ascender's acquisition by Ceridian in March 2021. Leadership from Ascender was integrated into Ceridian's APJ structure, and Ceridian leadership took over key regional roles for the combined entity.

Departures

Andrew Wilson, Transitioned from CEO of Ascender to Head of Sales, APJ for Ceridian following the acquisition, marking the end of his role as CEO of the independent Ascender entity.

New Appointments:

Stephen Moore, Appointed by Ceridian to lead the combined Ceridian and Ascender operations in the APJ region after the acquisition of Ascender.

Technology (Tech Stack) used by Ascender

Discover the tools Ascender uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

Ascender Email Formats and Examples

Ascender (pre-acquisition) likely used common corporate email formats. The most probable formats included [first].[last]@ascenderhcm.com or [first_initial][last]@ascenderhcm.com. These are standard in many organizations.

[first].[last]@ascenderhcm.com

Format

jane.doe@ascenderhcm.com

Example

90%

Success rate

News and media

Ceridian NewsroomMarch 1, 2021

Ceridian Completes Acquisition of Ascender, a Leading Payroll and HR Solutions Provider in Asia Pacific

Ceridian announced the completion of its acquisition of Ascender, significantly expanding Ceridian's presence in the Asia Pacific Japan (APJ) region. The acquisition combined Ascender's established expertise and customer base in APJ with Ceridian's Dayforce platform....more

HRD AustraliaNovember 18, 2020

Ascender recognized in HRD Service Provider Awards 2020

Ascender was recognized in the Human Resources Director (HRD) Magazine’s Service Provider Awards for 2020, winning medals in categories such as Payroll Systems, HR Management Systems, and Reward & Recognition. This highlighted their strong service offering in the APAC region prior to acquisition....more

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