The Breakfast Grille

On the final show of the year, we revisit the more unusual interviews we've conducted on the Breakfast Grille, reflecting the unexpected and curious nature of the world. Today's retrospective features a Malaysian-born scientist making strides in space exploration at NASA; the peculiarities of the British egg industry; as well as a trip down memory lane for the Hong Kong entertainment landscape.Featured interviews include:> NASA Trailblazer From Muar To Mars> Is The British Egg Industry Close To Breaking Point?> Delivering 55 Years Of Cantonese Entertainment - Where Next?> WWD 2022: Keep Forests Intact, Preserve BiodiversitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The political uncertainty that dogged the country for the past 2 years has been put to rest for the time being following the 15th General Elections that saw an unprecedented unity government being formed under the leadership of Dato' Sri Anwar Ibrahim. We look back at conversations with politicians and analysts on the twists and turns of Malaysia's political saga that held our attention hostage this year.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In spite of economies largely reopening in 2022, there were still many trials and tribulations for companies this year due to rising inflation, higher cost of borrowing due to the central banks raising interest rates and consumers generally tightening their belts. This had contrasting impacts on two sectors where banks generally benefited and the F&B sector did not.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite hopes that 2022 would see the global economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the year threw a curveball with the outbreak of the Ukraine as well as the prolonged closure of China's borders, among others. We revisit discussions on how these events have impacted the Malaysian and global economy at different stages of the year.Image credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been more than 1 year since the floods that affected eight states across the peninsula, and left 55 dead. The Disaster Risk Reduction Team from the Netherlands shares expertise with governments in order to find the best possible solution to tackle urgent water issues. Marco Hartman and his team recently submitted the final flood mitigation report to the Ministry of Environment and Water and shares with us the urgent steps needed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AC Ventures is a leading Southeast Asian venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups focused on Indonesia and ASEAN. We ask Ng Yi Chung, partner at AC Ventures Malaysia on the landscape of venture capital in Malaysia, and is tech still the darling?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lagenda Properties is a relatively newcomer in the property business, but it has morphed into a developer with a niche in affordable landed housing, catering to the B40 and M40 income households. Its flagship project is in Setiawan, Perak but it has ventured into other states in an attempt to replicate this success by launching products below RM250,000. Will lady luck still shine when it spreads its wings beyond Perak? We discuss this with Dato Jimmy Doh, Managing Director at Lagenda Properties.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the era of ultra low interest rates comes to an end and a global recession looms overhead, how are regional private equity players adapting to the challenging macroeconomic conditions? Dato’ Sri Nicholas Bloy, co-founder and Managing Partner of Navis Capital Partners discusses the outlook for private equity in the APAC region as well as their latest foray into private credit markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listed in 2015, Sedania Innovator Berhad focuses on project-managing and investing in sustainable energy projects as well as sustainable healthcare. Sedania’s CEO, Daniel Ruppert shares with us their latest quarterly earnings and their shift from telco during their IPO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many organisations have realised the importance and benefits of sustainability which ultimately gives it a higher survival rate. Despite many positive trends, surveys point to a low percentage of firms changing their business models to take advantage of trends in sustainability. We speak to Peter McAteer, managing director of SustainLearning on how a company can ensure a smooth transition to become a more sustainable company and how important is talent and change management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite multiple shocks to the global economy and supply chains in 2022, the world’s largest logistics player, DHL Group has thrived, with its express international shipping division, DHL Express, playing a key role in the Group’s overall resilience. But are the good times set to end in the coming year with a global recession looming amid continued geopolitical tensions? We discuss long and short term trends impacting the logistics industry with Global CEO John Pearson.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kopi Kenangan is rebranding itself as Kenangan Coffee as it ventures outside its Indonesian home where it already has more than 800 outlets employing some 5,000 staff. It is also Southeast Asia’s first new F&B retail unicorn - all within a short space of 5 years. Its co-founder and CEO Edward Tirtanata sits down for a bit of coffee shop talk to explain what this grab & go coffee chain's plans are as it sets up shop in Malaysia first before venturing beyond.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Perikatan Nasional lost the bid to form the government of the day, its influence to shape the political future of Malaysia is not to be underestimated. Wan Ahmad Fayshal, MP for Machang, and youth chief for Bersatu, one of the core parties of the coalition, tells us whether PN is a coalition for all Malaysians and what kind of opposition they intend to be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ekuinas, the Government's private equity fund management company has a focus to promote Bumiputera economic participation. With total committed investment exceeding RM4.4 billion to date, we ask CEO, Syed Yasir Arafat on how the possibility of a global recession will affect the PE landscape and their performance in turn.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has continued to slide down the rankings of Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index CPI), despite pledges to combat corruption by successive governments. On International Anti-Corruption Day, we discuss the institutional reforms that need to be prioritised to make commitments to clean government more than just aspirational rhetoric.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

YTL Communications was the first major telco to launch 5G services in Malaysia. But the rollout of 5G in Malaysia hasn't been smooth sailing. We ask CEO, Wing K. Lee, whether their stake in Digital Nasional Bhd (DNB) will be worth the money, and when will we see a profit?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PGF Capital Berhad has been listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia since 1990 but has not seen the entry of any institutional investors. However, its share price has rallied by more than 130% YTD. Its core business is in design, manufacture and distribution of glass mineral wool insulation which provides indoor comfort through thermal and acoustic insulation. We speak to Fong Wern Sheng, Executive Chairman on what is driving the share price and their outlook for 2023.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From their retail stores at TTDI and Chow Kit in 1987, Bake With Yen now has over 90 outlets throughout Malaysia. And in 2017, private equity firm Creador acquired a stake in the group for US$13 million. We ask CEO, Alexandre Rosso whether the baking hobby during the pandemic was just a flash in the pan, and was its rapid expansion a piece of cake.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.