Phnom Penh, Cambodia  ·  Est. 2015

Yorn Sophearith
PhD

Serial Entrepreneur  ·  Digital Transformation Strategist  ·  Ecosystem Builder

Founder of Cambodia's integrated digital ecosystem — BizKhmer Digital Media, BKD Academy, Kodenique & MEKACARD. Over 15 years empowering entrepreneurs, SMEs, and communities through media, training, and technology.

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2,000+
Entrepreneurs & professionals trained
500+
Enterprises & organisations served
15+
Years across media, marketing & tech
4
Active ventures in the ecosystem
Yorn Sophearith
YEAC Board Member 2027–2029
PhD · SSBR Switzerland
IDEAS Project Mentor Lead
GIZ · SDF Partner
About
Yorn Sophearith

Building Cambodia's digital future

Phnom Penh, Cambodia · Founder & PhD

With over 15 years spanning media, marketing, technology, and education, I have built an interconnected ecosystem of companies that serve as a growth engine for Cambodia's digital economy. My work bridges strategy and execution — helping businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities navigate transformation with clarity and confidence.

"The more experiences we go through, the better we become."

As Founder and Managing Director of BizKhmer Digital Media and BKD Academy, and Advisory Board Member of Kodenique, I am passionate about empowering entrepreneurs, professionals, and organisations through digital transformation, workforce development, and practical business innovation.

I recently completed a PhD by Portfolio in Enterprise Development from the Swiss School of Business and Management (SSBR), Switzerland — a milestone that reflects my commitment to grounding practice in rigorous research.

Digital Transformation Strategic Marketing Training & Development Entrepreneurship AI Adoption SME Growth Innovation Ecosystems Workforce Readiness
Executive Persona · D–I–C Profile
D
Decisive
Driving transformational change through bold, results-oriented leadership
I
Innovative
Building resilient ecosystems through persuasive communication and vision
C
Conscientious
Turning high-level vision into sustainable, operational excellence
Languages
Khmer Native
English Full Professional
Thai Professional Working
Chinese Limited Working
French Elementary
Venture portfolio

The BizKhmer ecosystem

An interconnected platform for Cambodia's digital future — each venture solves a distinct problem, and together they create a self-reinforcing growth engine.

BizKhmer Digital Media
Full-service digital agency · Founded 2018
Active

Cambodia's integrated media, marketing, branding, and digital transformation company. Supported 500+ enterprises, SMEs, NGOs, and corporate clients through comprehensive digital marketing, branding, media production, PR, and transformation consulting. Serving clients across education, hospitality, real estate, retail, F&B, manufacturing, healthcare, and technology sectors.

Strategic MarketingBrand Development Digital MarketingMedia Production PR & CommsDigital Transformation SEO · Google Ads · Meta Ads
bizkhmerdigitalmedia.com.kh →
BKD Academy
TVET-licensed training centre · Founded 2024
Active

Professional digital skills and workforce development platform. 1,500+ participants trained through digital marketing, AI, leadership, sales, and entrepreneurship programs. Active partner of the Skills Development Fund (SDF), IDEAS Project, and development organisations.

Digital Skills TrainingAI Literacy EntrepreneurshipLeadershipSDF Partner
bkdacademy.com.kh →
Kodenique
Software & tech development · Founded 2025
Active

Strategic technology company specialising in custom software, web & app development, AI integration, CRM/ERP, and digital product development for Cambodian enterprises.

Custom SoftwareMobile AppsAI IntegrationCRM/ERP
kodenique.com →
MEKACARD
Digital networking platform · Co-Project Owner
Growing

Modern digital business card and SME networking platform. Enables professionals and entrepreneurs to build meaningful connections while reducing reliance on paper-based networking.

Digital Business CardSME NetworkingLead Generation
mekcard.app →
Morodok Basedth
Eco agri-tourism · Head of Strategies · Est. 2021
Expanding

Cambodia's first premier eco-agri-tourism destination — a 50-hectare sustainable leisure and green-space project in Kampong Speu Province, driving local job creation and ecological development.

Agri-TourismStrategyBrandingCommunity Impact
morodokbasedth.com →
BizKhmer News
Media & news platform · Founded 2015
Active

Digital media and news platform focused on entrepreneurship, business development, innovation, and technology in Cambodia. Foundation of the BizKhmer ecosystem.

Business MediaEntrepreneurship NewsThought Leadership
bizkhmer.com →
Community impact

Real outcomes, measured impact

From provincial street vendors to international development partners — a decade of ground-level change across Cambodia.

~950+
Micro-vendors & informal economy participants supported
~250
Women CEOs & entrepreneurs mentored — IDEAS Project
~500
Informal economy participants reached in provinces 2026
146
Trainees — Skills Matching Program (SDF)
20+
Professional training programs developed & delivered
IDEAS Project Cambodia
Co-Head of Trainer & Mentor Lead
Regional ASEAN initiative empowering 250+ women-led MSMEs across Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Kampong Chhnang, and Battambang through e-commerce, digital marketing, and business transformation.
Skills Development Fund (SDF)
Skills Matching Program (SMP)
Developed 20+ professional training courses aligned with industry needs. Delivered training to 146+ trainees and coordinated enterprise engagement across Cambodia's formal and informal sectors.
Informal Economy Initiative
Upskilling Cambodia's Informal Workers
Practical digital, financial literacy, and business skills training for nearly 1,500 participants — street vendors, micro-business owners, tricycle drivers, and women entrepreneurs across multiple provinces.
YEAC · CJCC · AUB · MoSTI
Institutional & Ecosystem Partnerships
Long-term training and mentorship collaborations with Cambodia's leading entrepreneurship associations, universities, and government-aligned bodies driving national skills development.
Core expertise

Strategic pillars

Fifteen years of deliberate practice across four interconnected domains — each reinforcing the others.

01
Digital transformation strategy

Guiding businesses through digital adoption with scalable frameworks that bridge traditional operations and the modern digital economy. From brand repositioning to end-to-end technology integration.

Strategic brandingSME digital adoption System designTechnology roadmapping AI integration
02
Training & capacity building

Designing and delivering practical, industry-driven learning programs that produce immediate results. Specialising in culturally-responsive curricula for Cambodian and ASEAN contexts.

Curriculum designTrainer training (ToT) Workforce readinessProgram evaluation Women entrepreneurship
03
Marketing & communications

Integrated marketing, brand strategy, PR, thought leadership, and executive personal branding — helping businesses build a presence that commands trust in competitive markets.

Brand strategyContent marketing PR & stakeholder commsExecutive branding LinkedIn marketing
04
Ecosystem & community building

Cross-sector partnerships, entrepreneurship association leadership, mentorship programs, and SME network development — creating self-sustaining communities of practice.

Cross-sector partnershipsMentorship design SME network strategyPublic-private collaboration ASEAN engagement
International exposure
🇯🇵 Japan
🇰🇷 Korea
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇼 Taiwan
🇵🇭 Philippines
🇨🇳 China
🇫🇷 France
🇨🇭 Switzerland
🇮🇳 India
🇵🇰 Pakistan
🇹🇭 Thailand
Career journey

From editor to ecosystem builder

Over 15 years of deliberate progression — from Cambodia's earliest digital newsrooms to leading a multi-venture ecosystem serving the national digital economy.

2026 – Present
Board Member — Digital & Innovation Commission
YEAC · Young Entrepreneurs Association of Cambodia

Newly elected to the 2027–2029 mandate. Driving AI adoption, digital capability building, and public-private partnerships for Cambodian businesses.

2023 – Present
Managing Director & Head Trainer
BKD Academy

TVET-licensed training centre empowering 1,500+ participants. Leading Skills Matching Program, IDEAS Project, and informal economy development initiatives.

2018 – Present
Founder & Managing Director
BizKhmer Digital Media

Built from the ground up into a full-service digital ecosystem. 500+ enterprises served. Led expansion into training, software, and networking platforms.

2018 – 2022
Associate Professor — MarComm, Marketing Management, Digital Economy
CamIU · University of Cambodia · CEO Institute

Shaped the next generation of Cambodian marketing and business leaders at three leading universities over four years.

2015 – 2016
Corporate Communications Manager
Phnom Penh City Center (PPCC)

Directed strategic communications and branding for Cambodia's flagship urban development project. Managed media relations, CSR, and multi-platform campaigns.

2010 – 2015
Senior Editor · Production Manager
Sabay Digital Corp · BNEWS

Editorial leadership at Cambodia's leading digital media houses. Shaped national digital content standards and built the foundations of digital storytelling in Cambodia.

Education

Academic credentials

PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Enterprise Development
Swiss School of Business Research (SSBR) · Switzerland · 2025–2026
MBA
FR
Master of Business Administration
Social & Cultural Entrepreneurship
Université Lumière Lyon 2 & Lille I · France · 2014–2016
MBA
IN
Master of Business Administration
International Business
Ganpat University · India · 2012–2013
B.Ec
KH
Bachelor of Economics
Banking & Economics
University of Puthisastra · Cambodia · 2007–2011
Certifications
LinkedIn Marketing StrategyLinkedIn
Google Ads Essential TrainingGoogle
Training of Trainers (ToT)South Korea · KOICA
Emotional Intelligence in LeadershipProfessional Development
LinkedIn Advertising FundamentalsLinkedIn
Knowledge Co-Creation ProgramJapan · Kitakyushu & Tokyo
Institutional leadership

A trusted cross-sector partner

Active roles across entrepreneurship associations, development programs, and business networks — contributing to Cambodia's ecosystem beyond commercial ventures.

YEAC
Board Member — Digital & Innovation Commission
2027–2029 Mandate · January 2026 – Present

Driving digital transformation and AI adoption initiatives for Cambodian enterprises. Fostering partnerships across government, academia, and the private sector.

YEAC · YEDC
Chair of PR Committee · Vice-Chair of Youth Entrepreneur Development Centre
January 2021 – Present · 5+ years

Leading national communications strategy for YEAC. Shaping youth entrepreneurship programs and supporting Cambodia's startup and SME community.

IDEAS Project Cambodia
Mentor Lead & Co-Head of Trainer
September 2023 – June 2026

Regional ASEAN initiative empowering women-led MSMEs across Cambodia with culturally-responsive training curricula and digital tools.

CSC Group KH
Board Member — International Relations
December 2024 – Present

Contributing to international collaboration and cross-border strategy for a diversified conglomerate with assets nearing $100M, spanning real estate, construction, and agriculture.

Morodok Basedth
Head of Strategies
July 2021 – Present · 5 years

Spearheading the strategic development, technology adoption, and branding of Cambodia's first premier eco-agri-tourism destination in Kampong Speu Province.

BNI Brilliant · Phnom Penh 2
Former President
October 2022 – October 2023

Led one of Cambodia's most active business networking chapters. Drove membership growth, strategic recruitment, and business referral culture based on Givers Gain principles.

Blog

Insights & perspectives

Practical thinking on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, marketing, and building businesses in Cambodia and Southeast Asia.

View all posts
AI in Cambodia's
Business Landscape
A practical guide for SME owners
AI & Technology SMEs Featured
How Cambodian SMEs can start adopting AI without a big budget

Most business owners think AI requires expensive infrastructure. In reality, the tools available today — from ChatGPT to Canva AI — are already within reach of any SME with a smartphone. Here's a practical starting point based on what I've seen work on the ground in Cambodia.

June 2026 · 8 min read Read post →
Building a
Personal Brand
Personal Branding
Why every Cambodian entrepreneur needs a personal brand in 2026

Your business card is no longer enough. In a world where buyers Google you before they meet you, your digital presence is your first handshake.

May 2026 · 6 min read Read →
Export
Marketing
Digital ExportGIZ
What I learned from the TOT Training on Digital Marketing for Export

Three key takeaways from the training that every Cambodian export-oriented SME should know — from website diagnostics to LinkedIn strategy.

June 2026 · 5 min read Read →
Workforce
Development
TrainingInformal Economy
Training Cambodia's informal economy: lessons from 950 micro-vendors

What happens when you bring digital skills training directly to street vendors and tricycle drivers? The results surprised even me.

Apr 2026 · 7 min read Read →
Ecosystem
Building
Entrepreneurship
From one agency to five ventures: how I built the BizKhmer ecosystem

The honest story of building BizKhmer from a one-person consultancy in 2015 to a multi-venture digital ecosystem serving 500+ enterprises.

Mar 2026 · 10 min read Read →
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Practical insights on digital transformation, entrepreneurship, and Cambodia's business ecosystem — no spam.
Publications

Research & written work

Academic papers, reports, book chapters, and institutional contributions on entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and Cambodia's economic development.

Full publication list
📘
PhD Portfolio
Enterprise Development in Cambodia's Digital Economy — A Portfolio Study
Swiss School of Business Research (SSBR) · 2026

A portfolio-based doctoral study examining enterprise development, digital transformation adoption, and entrepreneurship ecosystems in the Cambodian context. Integrating practice-based research with strategic business analysis.

View abstract →
📗
Research Report
Digital Skills Gap in Cambodia's SME Sector — Findings from the Skills Matching Program
BKD Academy · Skills Development Fund (SDF) · 2025

Analysis of workforce digital readiness across 20+ industry sectors, based on data collected from 146 trainees and enterprise partners under the SDF Skills Matching Program.

Download report →
📄
Training Manual
Practical Digital Marketing for Cambodian MSMEs — A Trainer's Handbook
IDEAS Project Cambodia · BKD Academy · 2024

Culturally-responsive training materials developed for 250+ women-led MSMEs across four provinces. Covers e-commerce basics, social media marketing, and digital business planning.

Access materials →
📰
Industry Article
The State of Digital Transformation Among Cambodian SMEs in 2025
BizKhmer News · Published 2025

Drawing on a decade of working with 500+ enterprises, this article maps the current adoption curve, common barriers, and practical entry points for digital transformation among Cambodian SMEs.

Read article →
🎓
Curriculum Framework
Competency-Based Digital Marketing Curriculum for Cambodia's TVET System
BKD Academy · MoEYS Collaboration · 2024

A nationally-aligned competency framework for digital marketing training within Cambodia's technical and vocational education system, developed in collaboration with industry practitioners.

View framework →
🌏
Conference Paper
Women-Led MSMEs and the Digital Divide — Evidence from Cambodia's Informal Economy
ASEAN Entrepreneurship Forum · 2025

Case-based paper drawing on fieldwork from the IDEAS Project Cambodia, examining how women-owned micro-enterprises engage with digital tools and the structural barriers they face.

Read paper →
🔔
Collaborative research welcome
Open to co-authoring papers, contributing to development sector reports, and participating in research on digital transformation and SME development in Cambodia and ASEAN.
Discuss collaboration
Book shop

Books by Sophearith

Practical business books written for Cambodian entrepreneurs, professionals, and digital learners — available in Khmer and English.

📦
Currently available
5 titles · More coming soon
Bestseller
ទីផ្សារ
ឌីជីថល
Yorn Sophearith
Khmer
Digital Marketing for Cambodian SMEs

A step-by-step guide to social media, SEO, and digital advertising tailored for the Cambodian market.

$18
Print · PDF
The Digital
Entrepreneur
Yorn Sophearith
English
The Digital Entrepreneur — Building a Business in Cambodia's New Economy

From idea validation to scaling — a practical blueprint built from 15 years of building ventures in Cambodia.

$22
Print · PDF · ePub
ភាពជា
អ្នកដឹកនាំ
Yorn Sophearith
Khmer
Leadership in the Digital Age — A Guide for Cambodian Business Leaders

Combining Eastern values with modern management frameworks to build high-performing teams in Cambodia.

$16
Print · PDF
New
Brand
Cambodia
Yorn Sophearith
English · Khmer
Brand Cambodia — How Cambodian Businesses Win Globally

A strategic playbook for Cambodian brands navigating international markets — from export branding to cross-cultural communication.

$24
Print · PDF
SME Growth
Playbook
Yorn Sophearith
Khmer
SME Growth Playbook — Scaling Your Business in Cambodia

Frameworks and case studies from 500+ Cambodian SMEs on how to grow sustainably in a rapidly changing economy.

$20
Print · PDF
Bulk orders
Training & institutional orders

Purchasing books for a team, training program, or institution? Contact for bulk pricing and custom delivery options across Cambodia.

Signed copies
Personalised & signed editions

Request a personally signed copy — great for gifts, events, or your business library. Available for all titles.

Enquire about bulk orders Request a signed copy
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✓ Delivery across Cambodia within 3–5 days
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✓ Free shipping on orders over $40
Contact

Let's build something meaningful

Open to speaking engagements, GIZ and development partner collaborations, consulting, mentorship programs, and strategic partnerships across Cambodia and the ASEAN region.

LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/yornsophearith
Website
bizkhmerdigitalmedia.com.kh
Open for collaboration in
Speaking engagements & keynote presentations
GIZ, development partner & NGO program design
Digital marketing & transformation consulting
Training & capacity building for enterprises
Entrepreneurship mentorship & coaching
Strategic partnerships across the ASEAN region
Venture advisory & board advisory roles