The Breakfast Grille

In 5 years, Capital A’s logistics venture has propelled itself to market dominance by disrupting this already competitive industry. We speak to its CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak as to what are the next stages of growth, whether they have the balance sheet for it and their monetisation plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the mercury rises to unprecedented levels due to global warming, air-conditioning is fast becoming a necessity rather than merely luxury. But given that air-conditioning also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, how are industry players responding to make air-con use more sustainable? We pose these questions and more to Kintaro Izumida of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the United Nations, 1 in every 45 people on the planet will need humanitarian assistance, especially with the rise of natural disasters and geopolitical tension. To mark World Humanitarian Day 2023 last Saturday, Dato' Dr. Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia shares with us their efforts to help those in need, difficulties in securing fund and measures to keep effective administrative expense ratio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Slovenia has been a trading partner with Malaysia for a decade, with increasing imports and exports over the years. Marko Ham, the Ambassador of Slovenia, shares with us his views on bilateral trade and what the future holds for relations with Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China launched its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative or BRI some 20 years ago, with around 148 countries signing up to participate in the trans-regional connectivity project, including Malaysia. A recent report from IDEAS investigates narratives surrounding the BRI in Malaysia and what this reveals about government procurement for development projects. We discuss the findings and recommendations from the report with our panel of experts.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CyberSecurity Malaysia is an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digital, and provides a range of specialised technical services. With the unprecedented rise in online attacks, we ask CEO, Dato’ Ts Dr. Haji Amirudin bin Abdul Wahab on their role and responsibilities in the realm of cyber security and digital transformation, whether there is a lack of agency coordination, and the apparent lack of disclosures and prosecution taken against cyber criminals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Capbay, a Malaysian home grown multi-bank supply chain finance and peer-to-peer financing (P2P) platform has surpassed the milestone of disbursing over RM1 billion to more than 400 underserved SMEs in Malaysia. We speak with Director and co-founder, Darrel Ang who joins us to share his outlook for investor return rate, collection and recovery strategy, regional expansion, and whether they can grab the #1 spot in market share leadership from their local rivals.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The final tally of the six state elections on Saturday resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional retaining control of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while Perikatan Nasional held on to Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. Although this status quo outcome was widely expected, what do the granular results indicate about voter sentiment towards the main actors in Malaysia’s political theatre? We discuss the takeaways from the state elections with former Bangi MP Ong Kian Ming and the former Principal Private Secretary to the 8th Prime Minister Datuk Dr Marzuki Mohamad.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SNS Network which was listed in September 2022 is now trading below the IPO price. We speak to Ko Yun Hung, it's Co-Founder and Managing Director if the market misunderstands the business model and is it an undervalued gem.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bravo Transport is Hong Kong Island’s largest bus company and Templewater owns more than 90% of the group. Cliff Zhang, the chairman of Bravo and CEO of Templewater shares with us the transport infrastructure in place for a region that is highly reliant on its public transport, as well as its sustainability agenda.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FWD Group is a relative new life insurance player with a presence in 10 countries. What is their strategy for the next phase of growth after a rather phenomenal start and is their delayed listing going to materialise soon? Questions we pose to it's Chairman, Professor Frederick Ma.Image by: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT (KORE) is an office REIT listed on the Singapore Exchange, with a portfolio of 13 assets in major cities such as Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Sacramento, Seattle, and Orlando. So what’s the growth prospects of US office buildings and business premises? We speak with CEO & CIO David Snyder on whether US based REITs still offer attractive dividend yields, and whether their plans for the future warrants us to consider this stock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Integrated logistics provider Swift Haulage debuted on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market in December 2021 amid boom times in the logistics industry. However with slowing trade growth and a weak global economic outlook, will this pose a drag on Swift's expansion plans? We speak to Group CEO Loo Yong Hui on the growth opportunities he's focusing on, including leveraging on the rising demand of green logistics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aesthetic medical services provider DC Healthcare Holdings Bhd debuted on the ACE market on 17 July and closed at an 80% premium against the IPO price of 25 sen, and a market capitalization of 500 million ringgit. Managing director Dr. Chong Tze Sheng shares with us how the proceeds will be used, the fierce competition in the industry as well as the ethical considerations for aesthetics medicine.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Electronic manufacturing services player Cape EMS debuted on the Main Market in March 2023, raising RM155 million in IPO proceeds. How will Cape utilise the funds to build manufacturing capacity at a time of uncertain global economic conditions? We sit down with Group CEO Christina Tee to discuss the company's prospects and growth strategy in the EMS sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hong Kong Stock Exchange is one of the largest in the world and also in Asia. But it is seeing the lowest number of IPOs in 20 years in the first half of 2023. Nicolas Aguzin, Chief Executive Officer of HKEX shares with us their look north policy, and strategies for growth in a rising competition landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NETR and Ekonomi Madani was launched to much fanfare but will it be the much needed solution to Malaysia's structural issues. Economy Minister, Rafizi Ramli answers that questions whilst telling us what the PH strategy is for these state elections and if this is a referendum o the unity government.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a total of 570 candidates vying for 245 state seats in the upcoming state elections, we speak to Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate, Asia Research Institute at the University of Nottingham Malaysia on the election that will be a critical barometer of our political landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JLL is a Fortune 200 company with more than US$20 billion of annual revenue, whose origin dates back to 1760 and is today listed on the NYSE. In Southeast Asia they advise on property deals, specialise in real estate and investment management. Chris Fossick, the CEO of Southeast Asia shares with us what to expect for the property sector amid rising interest rates and competition in the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How have Zoom fortunes fared now that the pandemic is over, and most workers have returned to physical office? What other new products and services can Zoom offer moving forward to retain stickiness amongst its users, be it individuals or corporates? We speak with Lucas Lu, Zoom Head of Asia (ASEAN, South Korea, Hong Kong SAR, and Taiwan) to get the answers where they are headed to. Or maybe Claude, Zoom’s new AI can help chart its course.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s net foreign direct investment amounted to RM74.6 billion in 2022, but how can we further improve the ease of doing business here? Liew Chin Tong, Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry shares with us the initiatives and targets of the ministry, as well as how prepared is DAP for the state elections.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This month, the war in Ukraine crossed the 500 day mark since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. How do the events in Russia’s history inform the political developments of today? And what role does the international media and foreign correspondents play in crafting narratives of Russia for the rest of the world? For perspectives on these issues, we speak to former BBC correspondent and author James Rodgers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian are ill-prepared for retirement with only 18% of EPF members having enough savings when they reach 55. We speak with Nurhisham Hussein, Chief Strategy Officer at the Employees Provident Fund as to what are the solutions to this especially as we become an aging nation. We also discuss some of the reforms that EPF is planning to introduce and if these are the much needed solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chery has returned to the Malaysian market and launched two of its flagship models. Country Director of Chery Malaysia, Leo Chen shares with us what is different this time, competition in this country, and their plans to launch electric vehicles here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xendit, an Indonesian payment gateway has started its operations in Malaysia. We speak to their CEO, Moses Lo to find out their plans for Asean expansion, how soon they will turn EBITDA positive and is a listing on the cards?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlike 2022, Asean equities markets have underperformed compared to Japan, Korea and US. We check in with our panel consisting of Anand Pathmakanthan, Head of Regional Equity Research, Maybank Investment Banking Group and Patrick Chang, Chief Investment Officer, ASEAN Equities, Principal Asset Management as to the reasons why. We also explore what are the investment themes to consider and the stocks that will outperform in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malacca Securities has evolved from a family run stock broker to offer financial advisory services. 3rd Generation Managing Director Lim Chia Wei, launched M+ Global digital platform 2 months ago as part of the company's expansion plans to trade in both US and Hong Kong markets. We find out how this business intends to stay relevant and profitable, in what some say is an industry in structural decline with shrinking commissions and poor retail participation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selangor is said to be the most competitive in this upcoming state elections. Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari, Caretaker Menteri Besar of Selangor tells us why they are confident of winning at least 33 out of the 56 seats and what strategy they intend to pursue to ensure vote transferability from UMNO supporters. He also tell us if the economic track record is really due to their efforts or thanks to geography.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

WASCO, an integrated energy solutions company in the oil and gas industry known for its pipe coating segment has an order book of RM3.5bn, close to the record high. We speak to Giancarlo Maccagno their Managing Director to find out if renewable energy will be the catalyst for growth and is there still upside to their share prices after a rather stellar run already.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you have ever picked up the game of golf, then the name MST Golf would not have escaped you. MST is the largest golf retailer in Malaysia and Singapore, and sells 90 brands across their 44 stores. They now seek to list on the main market of Malaysia on 20 July. We speak with Ng Yap, Executive Director and Group Chief Executive Officer to find out if this elitist sport is growing, and is the business of golf really that lucrative?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caretaker Chief Minister of Penang Chow Kon Yeow talks about his first term as the state's chief executive and what he and his administration have accomplished since taking control of the state government since 2018. Now with the contest for all 40 seats in the Penang Legislative Assembly happening on August 12th, Chow is offering voters unity and a development plan that hopes to balance progress and sustainability. How will this battle play out?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ERM describes itself as the largest pure-play sustainability consultancy, in an era where all consulting firms are dabbling in the ESG space. Global CEO Tom Reichert shares with us the challenges in driving the sustainability agenda and how that’s buoying the business of consultancy. We’ll also ask him about the opportunities he sees in growing their business in the Asia-Pacific, which currently accounts for just 10% of revenues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SkyWorld Development will be listed on Bursa next Monday 10 July, with an IPO price of 80 sen per share. Will the recently announced FY2023 record results give its IPO a boost ? We speak with Datuk Seri Ng Thien Phing, the Founder and Executive Chairman, to understand their relationship with DBKL, their landbank acquisition strategy, and development philosophy, and what he plans to achieve with the IPO proceeds for the company and himself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a crowded competitive market, how does Bermaz Auto, the franchise holder and sole distributor of Mazda, Kia and Peugeot intend to stay ahead of the pack. Dato Francis Lee, CEO of Bermaz Auto Berhad answer that question and also if the share price is undervalued.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The QS World University Rankings 2024 was released last week and three new metrics were introduced this time. We discuss the the value and accuracy of university rankings, as well as how Malaysian institutions stack up to global peers with Dr Edward Harcourt, Senior Vice President & Managing Director of QSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prasarana subsidiary Rapid Bus manages urban bus networks in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuantan. How is the company responding to longstanding complaints of lack of adequate bus services and poor connectivity? We discuss efforts to improve the coverage, efficiency and ridership of the city's bus system with CEO Muhammad Yazurin Sallij.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MyDIGITAL Corporation was incorporated in 2021 as an agency and is tasked to monitor the progress of the Malaysian Digital Economy Blueprint and the National 4IR Policy (N4IR). We speak with Fabian Bigar, CEO of MyDIGITAL, to see what they have been doing this past 3 yearsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 2016 as a Business Process Management company, DayThree has been competing with the big boys like TDCX, VADS, SCICOM, and Aegis. How have they been fairing, what inroads have they made and what is their market share? We speak with Raymond Davadass, Founder & Managing Director of Daythree Digital Berhad to understand their 7 year growth story and what the ACE Market listing in July means for future expansion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

REDtone an integrated telecommunications and digital infrastructure services provider has just moved from ACE to the Main Market, We sit down with their CEO, Lau Bik Soon to discuss strategy, competition and is the rollout of 5G more hype than substance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Funding Societies has launched its comprehensive Islamic Financing solutions for both the micro SME and SME segments, in line with Malaysia’s aspirations to be a leader in Islamic finance. But is this enough for the platform to penetrate the semi urban markets? We speak with Chai Kien Poon, Country Head, Funding Societies Malaysia to share the strategic objectives, channel strategy and the path to profitability for the company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With 6 states heading to the state polls, will the outcome be status quo. What is the psyche of the voter especially the Kelantanese who have been loyal to Pas since 1990. We speak to Datuk Mohd Zaid Ibrahim, Political Commentator & Former Law Minister for his thoughts and also why he has shifted political allegiances multiple times in his political career.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Six states in Peninsular Malaysia are heading to state elections by August, in what is widely viewed as a referendum on the fledgling unity government of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Anwar Ibrahim. What are the current dynamics at play in Malaysia’s ever-shifting political landscape, and how will this determine what happens at state level polls? We discuss themes and trends ahead of state elections with our panel of experts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from his parliamentary seat this month, sending shockwaves throughout British politics and posing yet another headache for current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. What are the implications of his exit for the Conservative party and the stability of the UK government? We discuss these developments with political scientist Prof. Chandran Kukathas.Image Credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the proliferation of devices, cybersecurity attacks have been on the rise. Victims are not only enterprises but consumers as well. We speak to GU Renukanand, Regional Vice President of F-Secure, a Finnish listed company on their strategy for growth in Asia and why they choose Malaysia as their regional hub.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) sector has been intensively competitive over the years, and only a few companies remain in the space. We speak with Farid Yunus, CEO of redONE Network on what it takes to survive, his plans to be a Superapp, market expansion around ASEAN and when will the long awaited IPO take placeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 26 year relationship between Brahim's Food Services and Malaysia Aviation Group will come to an end this month, and the airlines will only have 24 days to find alternative suppliers to fulfil the 20,000 meals per day required for its in-flight services starting 1 July. We speak with Shukor Yusof, Founder and Primary Analyst of Endau Analytics to find out what’s the backstory to this and also MAG’s strategy for growth after what appears to be a successful turnaround.Image by: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world is dividing itself into various blocs - based on ideology, economics and religion. What does this say about the role that a small country like Malaysia can play in the greater scheme of things? Dr Prashanth Parameswaran, is a senior columnist at The Diplomat and a fellow at the Wilson Centre’s Asia Programme, he is also a founder of the ASEAN Wonk newsletter. He gives us an assessment of how Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has navigated foreign policy since taking office over 6 months ago.www.aseanwonk.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EA Tech, an oil and gas company was declared a PN17 company in 2022 have submitted their regularisation plans to the regulators. We sit down with Nasrul Asni Muhammad Dain their CEO, to unpack the details of it whilst keeping an eye on their growth plans and what profit they can achieve in 2023 after registering RM20mn in 2022.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public transport woes have been increasingly common with infrequent bus and train services, overcrowding and breakdowns. We speak to Minister of Transport, Anthony Loke about this being resolved and can KLIA return to it's former glory despite infrastructure issues. As state elections are around the corner, we also discuss seat allocations and has DAP sacrificed too much for this Unity Government.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Putin, Trump, and Bolsonaro to Erdoğan, and Xi, the world has been seeing the rise of authoritarian leaders. Gideon Rachman, author of The Age of the Strongman and chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times shares with us if this is a recent phenomenon, and what are the ingredients or environments that are ripe for these kinds of leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.