The Breakfast Grille

In the end, 28 ministers were announced with some surprises, in particular Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also double hatting as Finance Minister. We evaluate the hits and misses whilst diving into the priorities of this cabinet with Pankaj Kumar, Business Commentator and Asrul Hadi Abdullah Sani, Deputy Managing Director, BowerGroupAsia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigration is most commonly discussed through the lens of the emigre seeking a way into a new land and the rules put in place to secure borders from those deemed undesirable to enter the country. But another, less explored approach of looking at immigration control is to consider the impact on the receiving society and whether the costs of exchanging freedom for secure borders is ultimately what we as a society want. Prof. Chandran Kukathas, author of the book "Immigration and Freedom" puts forth alternative views of the immigration debate.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The higher education business has always had a reputation of being lucrative and recession proof. With competition for education dollars on the rise and students opting for the gig or creator economy, does this still hold true? Additionally, there have been instances where Malaysian public universities have been subject to political interference. Are foreign based universities with a localised presence like Heriot-Watt University Malaysia different? We speak to Professor Mushtak Al-Atabi, Provost and CEO of Heriot-Watt University Malaysia for insights.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asset management has been going through structural changes with intense competition, the shift to passive funds and lower fees. So why did CVC, one of the largest PE funds, buy a stake in Malaysia's 3rd largest fund managers? We ask Dato' Teng Chee Wai, Managing Director of AHAM Capital that question and also where markets are headed in 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. How effective is the legal framework in Malaysia to address violations against women and girls? We take stock of the progress made and action urgently needed in order for genuine societal shifts in attitudes towards gender equality and women’s rights.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a long protracted battle for Putrajaya, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has finally become Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister. We explore his decades-long ambition to run the country with Jahabar Sadiq, Founder and Editor, The Malaysian Insight and  James Chai, Visiting Fellow, ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute. We also ask if the hard work actually begins now with the different factions within this Unity government.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Islamic bonds or sukuks continued to record resilience compared to conventional bonds despite volatile crude oil prices, a high interest rate environment and general geopolitical uncertainty. How will it fare with increasing awareness of ESG investing? Bashar Al Natoor, Global Head of Islamic Finance at Fitch Ratings talks to us about the challenges Islamic finance is set to face with a global standardisation issue as well as what Malaysia needs to do to make its mark as an international hub for shariah-compliant investments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The negotiations to form the next government of Malaysia following the 15th general elections have yet to yield results, but there have been surprises and U-turns over the past two days. Meanwhile the political polarisation at the elite level is also reflected in public and social media discourse, raising concerns about the unity of Malaysian society. What challenges will the next government need to contend with to rebuild the consensus of Malaysia? We unpack the developments with our panel of experts.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in Myanmar have highlighted the division between nations in ASEAN. Philip See speaks to Manu Bhaskaran, Founding Partner and President of Centennial Asia Advisors, for an in-depth analysis of ASEAN as a force of global diplomacy, which economies have the right fundamentals, and which governments have put the right policies to drive long-term economic development and growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As predicted, the 15th general elections culminated in a hung Parliament, but few foresaw the rise of the green wave in peninsular Malaysia as PAS secured the highest seats in the august house. Ibrahim Suffian of the Merdeka Center helps us contextualise the GE15 results and discusses where politics in the country is heading.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History will be made tomorrow as more than 21 million Malaysians will be able to head to the polls to chart the future of the country in GE15. This will be a critical election as it is seen as the make it or break it moment for many key figures of the Malaysian political scene. Will Datuk Seri Anwar finally become prime minister? Or will we see things go back to the way they were with Barisan Nasional taking the helm? What about newcomer Perikatan Nasional which touts itself as a clean coalition that can return Malaysia to its glory days? Experts Tricia Yeo of IDEAS and Dr Shamsul Amri Baharuddin of the Institute of Ethnic Studies share their views and thoughts on how the future of Malaysia will be made tomorrow.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH) is a private-public platform in which the local government authorities, experts and companies collaborate internationally to stimulate entrepreneurship in the field of a circular economy. CEO, Freek van Eijk shares with us their collaboration with Malaysian companies and the government, and how Malaysia can improve to have a better circular economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

World Cup season is upon us and in the years and months leading up to the kick-off in Qatar this November 20th, we can't escape knowing about it. Go to the supermarkets and you see products from potato crisps to beers and fizzy drinks all emblazoned with the FIFA logo. It is for sure a big billion dollar global business which Simon Chadwick, a professor of sport & geopolitical economy, at the SKEMA Business School and also co-author of the Business of the FIFA World Cup, discusses with us.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khairy Jamaluddin is in the political challenge of his life with a seven cornered fight in Sungai Buloh. He has made known of his ambitions to be Prime Minister of Malaysia. We ask him why he deserves that role, is reform within UMNO possible and his political future if he loses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While all airlines were badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, for Qatar Airways the global shutdown came on top of a blockade imposed by neighbouring countries on Qatar since 2017. With the blockade now lifted and pandemic recovery in full swing, is clear skies ahead for Qatar Airways, especially with the tailwind of the FIFA World Cup this month? We discuss the outlook for Qatar Airways with Dato' Muzammil Mohamad, ASEAN Regional Manager.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many have heard of Adobe because of their best-in-class photo-editing app, Photoshop. That's just one of many software suites of Adobe which has grown by leaps and bounds since its inception. One of Adobe's most impressive moves was the transition from a licensed software company to a completely cloud-based company. How did this happen and what's the next growth phase for Adobe? We will be speaking to Simon Dale, Managing Director South East Asia and Korea of Adobe.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selangor has many attractions to draw tourists - both natural and manmade - and many locals are discovering them especially in the years before international travel resumed. How has the state helped its travel, tourism and hospitality players survive the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns and what is it doing now to revitalise this sector? Azrul Shah Mohamad, the CEO of Tourism Selangor, talks about balancing the fragile natural beauty that is Selangor state while pursuing the lucrative tourism dollar.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The payment method for Malaysians has transformed dramatically in the last few years and payments remain the largest fintech segment in the industry. But with margins compressing, no thanks to a very competitive landscape, what does this mean for one of the earliest players - GHL? We ask their Group CEO, Sean Hesh these questions and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As one of Malaysia's oldest and largest foreign banks, is OCBC ready for the structural shift in the banking landscape with intensifying competition? We put its CEO, Dato’ Ong Eng Bin in the hot seat to ask this question whilst asking if they would consider inorganic growth via an acquisition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia and the United States have had 65 years of relations ever since over independence in 1957. Despite the changing global geopolitical environment, the US remains one of our third-largest trading partners, after China and Singapore. But with the growing influence of China and uncertainty in Europe, leading to a volatile macroeconomic environment, how will bilateral relations between the US and Malaysia change? Its ambassador, Brian McFeeters comes on the Breakfast Grille to discuss.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since its founding over a decade ago, Wise has expanded to become a global transaction platform moving £9 billion monthly. Its CEO and cofounder Kristo Käärmann takes the hot seat to discuss how the company has grown and the future of Wise, especially in Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parti Sosialis Malaysia is the sole party based on ideology, specifically socialism - but ideology doesn’t insulate one from cut-throat Malaysian politics. After the Pakatan Harapan and PSM electoral pact fell through at the eleventh hour, PSM decided to stand on its own ticket in GE15. Can the most principled party in the country make headway with mainstream voters? We speak to Arveent Kathirchelvan, Youth Chief of Pemuda Sosialis on the political future of PSM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kawan Engineering has been in the business of making and designing heat exchangers and boilers for more than 25 years. It counts companies like Petronas, Sime Darby, Tenaga as well as France's Alstom and Halliburton from the US amongst its clients. Today, it is venturing into the waste-to-energy business mindful of increasing demand for more climate-friendly solutions. Lim Thou Lai, its Managing Director, share what his future plans are for the company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After Malaysia was unceremoniously downgraded by FAA, questions were raised about our safety standard. We speak to Datuk Captain Chester Voo Chee Soon, CEO of the Civil Aviation Authority of Malaysia (CAAM), about how challenging it was to restore our status after 3 years. We also asked if the MAVCOM and CAAM merger is still pending.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It started out in 1923 in Penang as a trading business called Diethelm & Co from Switzerland, today it is a Bursa-listed market expansion services firms dealing in consumer goods and healthcare amongst others. How has DKSH Holdings Malaysia navigated all the economic challenges and how will it continue to grow? Stephen Ferraby, its chairman, talks about how everything from ensuring Famous Amos cookie bins are well stocked while ensuring Covid-19 vaccines are efficiently distributed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scicom (MSC) Bhd has evolved from being just a call centre provider to now an end-to-end service provider in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). The market globally is projected to grow by a CAGR of 9% from 2022 to 2030. Chong Tjen San will ask its CEO, Dato’ Sri Leo Ariyanayakam whether Scicom can capitalise on this trend and why its stock is not so loved.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FM Global Logistics Holdings Berhad is one of Malaysia’s largest freight and forwarding industry with a presence in the region. Most of its revenue comes from Malaysia and they have also seen significant growth from the US, and Australia is their second largest revenue contributor. In today’s episode of the Breakfast Grille, Philip See will be asking its group managing director, Chew Chong Keat, about how the company plans to expand its footprint, the boom of the logistics industry, the impact of rising costs, and how the uncertain geopolitical and economic situation as well as supply chain disruptions will affect its fortunes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Betamek Berhad is listing on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market on Oct 26th 2022, after 33 years in the business, mostly supplying car audio systems to Perodua vehicles for 28 of those years. Its managing director, Mirzan Mahathir, talks about plans to diversify and take advantage of increasing use of electronics in vehicles.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

CTOS Digital Berhad had one of the best debuts on Bursa Malaysia in 2021. It has since been on an acquisition drive including a controversial majority stake in RAM. Few-months old Group CEO, Erick Hamburger Barraza shares with us their next stage of growth, and whether financial performance does justify the expensive valuations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s 15th General Election will be held on Nov 19th, 2022, and political parties are ramping up their preparations. DAP Youth Chief and Pakatan Harapan Youth Chairman, Dr Kelvin Yii, shares his insights into how the coalition plans to face the upcoming national polls after striking out four times in state elections for Sabah, Johor, Malacca and Sarawak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aerodyne Group is a Malaysian drone-based enterprise solutions provider that has a presence in 35 countries and also plans to raise USD100-200 million to grow to the next stage. We speak to Kamarul A Muhamed, Founder of Aerodyne Group, about what is that next stage of growth and of course, the monetisation plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the largest software companies in the world has taken the strategic decision to bet heavily on the cloud. Will it pay off? We ask SAP's Southeast Asian president Verena Siow for her views and also if worries of an economic policy will see a slowdown in IT spend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the US Federal Reserve embarks on an unprecedented monetary policy tightening cycle, the US dollar has also strengthened in relation to most currencies. What's the impact of the global dollar cycle on emerging market economies? We discuss the implications and policy tools that governments have to mitigate the fallout with Maurice Obstfeld, Professor of Economics at the University of California.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prominent legal activist Art Harun created uproar when he took up the post of Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat under the Perikatan Nasional government, with many questioning his independence. We discuss his term in the Speaker's Office, his approach to decision-making in Parliament and views on how the august house should be reformed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former student activist Adam Adli was elected this year as the PKR Youth Chief, beating a more experienced rival for the top post. What does he bring to the table and why is the youth wing against bringing MUDA into the fold? We discuss this and more with Adam.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sunview Group Bhd is a renewable energy player slated to be listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on Oct 17, with targets to raise 34 million ringgit via the listing exercise. CEO Ong Hang Ping shares with us the purpose of the IPO, how the funds will be used, and competition in the solar PV market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accounting firms today have expanded their business to more than just auditing, with many of the major firms like the Big Four expanding into digital services, risk assurance and even consulting. Are we also seeing smaller firms follow suit? Philip See speaks to Francesca Lagerberg, the newly appointed CEO of Baker Till, and also the tenth largest accounting network in the world by revenue, on the industry landscape and the company’s plans moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The dissolution of Parliament was finally announced, thus paving the way for the 15th General Elections. This was not a surprise, even though Budget 2023 was just tabled. We get first hand reactions with our panel of experts; Ibrahim Suffian, Programme Director, Merdeka Centre and Pankaj C. Kumar, business commentator.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international non-profit organization working to mobilize global capital for climate action. Philip See speaks to Sean Kidney about the development and certification of green bonds, as well as what is required to accelerate its growth as we near COP27.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nearly three years since Covid-19 ravaged the world's economy and nothing has been the same since. Throw in a war in Europe, and China that still wants to completely eradicate the virus, and you have a recipe for continued uncertainty. Brian Coulton, Chief Economist at Fitch Ratings, helps us unpack the latest Global Economic Outlook that forecasts a global recession amidst rising inflation while trying to pick out some sliver of hope along the way.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a country teeming with long-serving politicians, the emergence of MUDA has galvanised political enthusiasm among Malaysian youth, especially in the wake of Undi18. But can they translate political enthusiasm into actual seats in Parliament in the next GE15? We speak to Syed Saddiq, Member of Parliament for Muar and President of MUDA on the party's plans for GE15.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

German Unity Day, which falls on the 3rd of October, is celebrated in Germany to commemorate its reunification in 1990, when West and East Germany were unified. More than three decades later, the country has grown to become a superpower in Europe and a symbol of progress in the world. But with a war raging on nearby in Ukraine and right wing governments rising in the region, how will this impact Germany's future? H.E. Dr. Peter Blomeyer, German Ambassador to Malaysia comes on the Breakfast Grille to discuss these issues as well as the developments between Malaysia and German bilateral relations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oil and gas service and equipment company, Uzma Group has faced volatile oil prices in the last two years leading to a sharp deceleration of earnings. We ask founder and CEO, Dato' Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed about the impact of unstable market conditions, what efforts are being taken to detach from black gold, and of course, if we should buy the stock of this listed company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian-based company, Graphjet Technology will be converting palm kernel shells into graphite and graphene. The company aims to raise 115 million US dollars via a de-SPAC deal for a NASDAQ listing in October this year. Set to be the third Malaysian unicorn, CEO Lee Ping Wei shares with us business expansion plans, why the route of a SPAC listing, and how the rise of EVs will impact them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Joko Widodo has made it his mission to transform Indonesia's economy and shepherd the migration of the capital city to East Kalimantan. We discuss the progress of these plans with His Excellency Hermono, Ambassador of Indonesia to Malaysia, as well as the pain points in Malaysia-Indonesia bilateral relations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the momentum for GE15 heats up, is UMNO ready for elections? UMNO's youth chief, Dato’ Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki tells us the party's strategy to appeal to the voters, party unity and his thoughts on the current political landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Islamic Banking landscape is competitive in Malaysia with 16 players, so is growth for Malaysia's largest Islamic Bank overseas an acquisition?  Dato' Rafique Merican, CEO of Maybank Islamic answers that question whilst also telling us if their plans for a separate listing are on track.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vale is the world's largest producer of iron ore and nickel with operations in more than 30 countries, Malaysia included. Its Malaysian CEO, Rodrigo Ribeiro de Arajo takes the hot seat to talk to us about its operations, plans for expansion and how one of the largest mining companies in the world can operate in an increasingly ESG aware landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While there is widespread acceptance that environment, social and governance or ESG principles are crucial for business continuity, what this looks like in practice is an ongoing debate. What are the trends driving ESG action in the economy today and how should businesses position themselves for resilience? Dr. Andrea Bonime-Blanc, author of "Gloom to Boom: How Leaders Transform Risk to Resilience," discusses the megatrends she sees impacting business decision-making and why the ESG space should also include technology issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

They say prevention is better than cure and information is what helps us win battles. So knowing your genetic history can provide you a snapshot of who you are and how to be on the lookout for any hereditary concerns. The ACE Market-listed Malaysian Genomics Resource Centre has been providing these services and is now diversifying into cancer immunotherapy. CEO Sasha Nordin talks to us about how MGRC can provide these services at a fraction of the price while ensuring the company remains profitable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.