The Breakfast Grille

Boustead Holdings, the investment arm of the Malaysian Armed Forces Fund (LTAT) is undergoing a major restructuring exercise to rebuild its financial position and realign its strategic assets in support of the domestic defence sector. We speak to the newly appointed managing director, Datuk Dr. Ahmad Sabirin Arshad about his plans to repair Boustead's image, which has been tarnished by scandals like the littoral combat ship (LCS) procurement, and the pathway to create a long-discussed defence ecosystem in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As AI automates the transactional tasks that once defined the profession, accounting faces a critical identity crisis. The hope is that this liberates practitioners to move from "bean counters" to strategic business advisors, but that is easier said than done. CPA Australia President Dale Pinto joins the Breakfast Grille to discuss the 17th Small Business Survey, why trust remains the industry’s primary currency, and how human ethics remain the ultimate safeguard against future corporate scandals. He also warns of a mounting skills gap as graduates use AI to bypass the foundational work that historically forged professional skepticism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AMS Advanced Materials is seeking an ACE Market listing to raise approximately RM33 million, aimed at facilitating its transition further up the industrial value chain. The IPO arrives with a valuation of 20 times earnings and follows a financial year characterized by negative operating cash flow. For potential investors, the focus remains on whether the capital will effectively drive the company's shift from its traditional trading roots toward higher-value industrial processing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MTT Shipping and Logistics is the dominant player in the Malaysian shipping sector commanding 46% of the domestic market. Its upcoming IPO, priced at RM1.03 and potentially raising RM652 million, is the biggest in the logistics sector since 2013. But could uncertainty in the global industry deter investor sentiment? We discuss MTT’s growth strategy in the face of headwinds with Managing Director Ooi Lean Hin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mechanical & electrical engineers Kee Ming Group’s share price surged on debut, riding optimism around data centres and renewable energy. But the question is - can this company deliver the growth needed to justify its valuation? Its Managing Director Nick Liew talks to us about Kee Ming's parnership with Solarvest, human resources and when it plans to pay a dividend.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is your digital bank built to last, or is it just a very expensive app? Despite massive hype, only 24 of the 55 digital banks tracked across Asia have reached profitability. The rest remain trapped by vanity metrics, offering unsustainably high deposit rates instead of building real margins. As a massive wave of industry consolidation looms, Simon Loong, Founder and Group CEO of WeLab, joins The Breakfast Grille to reveal his Southeast Asian acquisition targets, why merging struggling banks is a trap, and what survival in the new financial landscape actually costs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since 2017, Sarawakian corporate figure Dato' Sri Idris Jala has taken the PEMANDU transformation ethos beyond the corridors of Putrajaya through his consultancy, PEMANDU Associates. He outlines his latest pivot into capital investment through PEMANDU Capital and the growth targets for SME acquisitions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Apple Inc. is 50 years old, a milestone once thought impossible when the company sat 6 weeks from bankruptcy in 1996. Today, as a $3.6 trillion "Empire," the Tim Cook era faces scrutiny for prioritising operational scale over the blockbuster hits of the Steve Jobs era.David Pogue, CBS correspondent and author of Apple: The First 50 Years, joins the Breakfast Grille to dissect Apple’s near-death experience and debunk persistent myths surrounding Steve Jobs. He explores the stark transition from a "rebel" cult to a “Empire” status, the critical innovations that could define the Tim Cook era, and why he believes Apple, at its core, remains a "Steve Jobs company".Image Credit: Shutterstock. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Uzbekistan, a doubly-landlocked country in Central Asia, is stepping onto the global stage, balancing ties with major powers while pursuing economic reform and regional influence.  Ambassador Karomidin Gadoev discusses Tashkent’s multi-vector foreign policy, its engagement with the US, China and Russia, and how Malaysia fits into this evolving partnership.Image Credit: Shutterstock. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ISF Group is a family-run piping systems specialist that listed on the ACE Market in January, raising RM61 million ringgit. They have been beneficiaries of the data centre boom in recent years, but can this trend sustain future growth? We discuss ISF Group’s business strategy and prospects with second-generation Managing Director Jeff Ai Boon Chen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xiao En operates in a sector many overlook, yet one that is essential. It is also a business that demands land, capital, long-term vision and deep empathy. Dato’ Frank Choo, Managing Director of Xiao En Group, discusses the realities of building a bereavement care group, and why it is far from a “dying” industry.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Analysts Ryan Bohl and Jared Mondschein join Philip See to discuss the Middle East's volatility, questioning U.S. strategic regional influence versus reactive crisis management and its economic impact on Asian markets.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kazakhstan is a land-locked central Asian country situated along the ancient Silk Road and it aims for bilateral trade with Malaysia to grow from US$220 million currently to US$1 billion in the next few years. Ambassador Bulat Sugurbayev shares thoughts on how to make this happen, as well as his country's role in geopolitics and how Borat helped put Kazakhstan on the map.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With over 500 companies currently under investigation for bid-rigging in government tenders worth RM2 billion, MyCC is sharpening its enforcement teeth. Datuk Iskandar Ismail, CEO of MyCC, discusses the critical upcoming amendments to the Competition Act, why the commission is targeting digital platforms, and the hard lessons learned from high-profile courtroom battles with Grab and Malaysia Airlines.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How does a mid-sized European nation navigate an increasingly turbulent world? Juraj Koudelka, the Czech Republic’s Ambassador to Malaysia, shares his thoughts on the state of Malaysia-Czech relations, opportunities for trade and investment, and how a Central European country, and member of NATO, approaches today’s shifting geopolitical landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MUDA completed its inaugural election last Saturday, ushering in a new leadership team. On today’s Breakfast Grille, Sharaad Kuttan sits down with new president Amira Aisya Abd Aziz and founder Syed Saddiq, MP for Muar, to discuss the party’s future plans, leadership approach, and strategies ahead of GE-16.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Solarvest Holdings is the largest pure-play solar energy player listed on Bursa Malaysia and can be seen as a bellwether of the national industry. While it's a darling of analysts, its share price has taken a hit trending 32% lower on a year to date basis. What is Solarvest doing to change investor sentiment? We discuss the prospects and growth strategy of the company with CEO Davis Chong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Building construction firm Tuju Setia debuted on the Main Market in 2021 to much fanfare, but investor optimism for the stock has plummeted since as construction costs skyrocketed post-pandemic. What is Tuju Setia doing to reverse its fortunes? We catch up with Managing Director Wee Eng Kong and discuss his strategy for revitalising the firm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Varia Berhad is a Bursa-listed mid-tier construction firm that has been involved in infrastructure projects ranging from flood mitigation to highway upgrades and sewerage treatment plants. It managing director, Datuk Benson Lau, is now setting his sights on transforming the firm into a property developer while aiming for a RM1 billion market capitalisation by early next year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Madani Government came into power on the promise of institutional reform and anti-corruption, with Prime Minister Dato' Sri Anwar Ibrahim pledging no compromise in tackling misconduct in state-linked entities. Why then has progress on reforms been slow to emerge? We dig deep into the roots of Malaysia's Political-GLC Complex with Prof. Emeritus Edmund Terence Gomez of Universiti Malaya. He is the author of "Misgovernance: Grand Corruption in Malaysia."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On The Breakfast Grille this morning, we examine Venezuela’s political crisis following the abduction of President Nicolas Maduro and what it means for diplomacy, sovereignty, and bilateral ties with Malaysia. Philip See speaks with H.E Radames Gomez Azuaje, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Three years ago, Fabrice Benard stood at the helm of a complex corporate marriage: the acquisition and merger of AXA Affin and MPI Generali into what is now Generali Insurance Malaysia. At the time, the priority was clear, integration.Today, the company has secured its position as the country's fourth-largest general insurer. However, being a general insurance heavyweight isn't enough. Generali is now actively hunting for a major life insurance acquisition to match its general insurance footprint and crack the top five in the life space.Meanwhile, the broader industry faces severe on-the-ground crises. With medical inflation hitting 15% and causing roughly 340,000 Malaysians to cancel their policies, the sector is banking on a massive, multi-stakeholder RESET project to fix private healthcare costs.Simultaneously, rising flood risks are forcing insurers to deploy hyper-local data models, fundamentally changing how motor coverage is priced.To unpack the shifting economics of modern risk, his M&A strategy, and the future of consumer premiums, Fabrice Benard, CEO of Generali Insurance Malaysia, returns to The Breakfast Grille.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has ambitious climate goals, including a target to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. But is the country’s institutional framework up to the task? We unpack the findings of the Malaysia Climate Change Institutional Assessment report with Carmen Loo of the World Bank Group.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On International Women's Day, Minister of Women, Family & Community Development, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri assesses Malaysia’s progress on gender equality and women’s rights. She also discusses the implementation of the Anti-Sexual Harassment Tribunal, the challenges survivors face in reporting abuse, and persistent legal and cultural gaps around marital rape and underage marriages.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest war in the Middle East erupted when the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran following failed negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme. Was this conflict avoidable and how is Iran responding to the onslaught? We hear from H.E Valiollah Mohammadi Nasrabadi, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Middle East tinderbox was struck ablaze on Saturday when the US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran. How might this conflict shape the power dynamics in Tehran as well as the broader region? We discuss the stakes at play with Middle East expert Dr. James Dorsey.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One year into his presidency, Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto faces a complex balancing act, from domestic issues to balancing relationships with China and the US. Julia Lau of the ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute and Muhammad Haziq Jani of the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies share insights on the political and economic trajectory of Indonesia under Prabowo.Image Credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Free market proponents have commonly viewed state capitalism with suspicion. However, global trends indicate increasing state intervention in the world economy by both developed and developing economies alike. What are the implications of this for market players and is this development necessarily a net negative for the global economy? We discuss these themes with Adam Dixon, the Adam Smith Chair at Panmure House, a think tank under the Heriott-Watt University.He's also co-author of the book, The Spectre of State Capitalism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Telekom Malaysia is switching its 5G wholesale partner from Digital Nasional Berhad, to U Mobile, a move that comes as Malaysia advances its shift from a single to a dual network model. The announcement has unsettled the market and raised fresh questions about ownership, competition and the economics of 5G. We unpack the implications with Alex Wong, Managing Editor and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In an industry that has been significantly disrupted, telcos are struggling with declining ARPUs and high capex requirements. Does this change the MNO landscape in Malaysia. Gurtaj Singh Padda, co-founder and CEO of Tune Talk, discusses the company’s prospects amidst intense competition,  their monetisation plans and their 5G strategy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip See discusses Malaysia’s clean energy push with Siti Safinah Salleh, CEO of the Energy Commission, discovering how the regulator is balancing reliability, affordability and sustainability while scaling renewables and regional power trade, as rising demand and new climate laws put the power system to the test.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sri Lanka has suffered from a series of crises in recent years, culminating in its 2022 economic collapse and the political turmoil that ousted the Rajapaksa dynasty from government. How is the current left-leaning government charting the country's turnaround? We discuss the trajectory of Sri Lanka with the Acting High Commissioner to Malaysia M.I. Mohamed Rizvi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip See discusses Malaysia’s clean energy push with Siti Safinah Salleh, CEO of the Energy Commission, discovering how the regulator is balancing reliability, affordability and sustainability while scaling renewables and regional power trade, as rising demand and new climate laws put the power system to the test.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

February 24 marks four years since the war in Ukraine began, the deadliest European conflict since World War II. To mark this grim milestone, we speak with H.E. Dr. Hennadii Nadolenko, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Malaysia for an update on the situation, his assessment of how peace talks are progressing and potential areas to strengthen Malaysia-Ukraine ties.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Louis Dreyfus Company is one of the world’s largest agribusiness firms, at the centre of global flows of grains, oilseeds, rice, coffee and other essential commodities. Rubens Marques, LDC's Head of South & Southeast Asia, talks about how the company manages price risk, coordinates supply chains across borders, and why Asia and Malaysia in particular, is becoming more central to its strategy.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip See sits down with Dato’ Dr Wong Ruen Yuan, CEO & Managing Director of Smile-Link Healthcare Global Berhad to talk about the company’s business operations, financial situation, audit issue with Bursa Malaysia, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan’s University of Tsukuba took a historic step in 2024 by opening its first overseas campus in Kuala Lumpur, offering a unique program that combines science, design, and global perspectives. But can this ambitious initiative attract students and set a new standard in higher education? Philip See discusses this with its Dean of Faculty, Prof. Dr. Maki Tsujimura.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia has emerged as a major data centre hub in Southeast Asia, attracting global hyperscalers and cloud giants such as Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet. What makes Malaysia so attractive for these investments, and how meaningful are the economic benefits? We speak to Cheam Tat Inn, Managing Director of Equinix Malaysia, the global digital infrastructure company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On World Radio Day, Datuk Suhaimi Sulaiman, Director-General of Radio Television Malaysia, talks about radio’s relevance in the age of streaming and AI, the challenges of talent and innovation within a public broadcaster. And as RTM turns 80 this April, he reflects on what the future is like for the media landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 was the perfect storm for the world's biggest producer of condoms with tariffs, a strong Ringgit and weak procurement demand. Goh Miah Kiat, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Karex Berhad tells us his turnaround strategy to improve margins and why we should still consider their stock.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, February 11th, is International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Professor Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, one of Malaysia's most influential scientists, working in HIV and public health, and who now leads Monash University Malaysia, shares her insights drawing from her experience throughout the decades, assessing what the situation is like today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s tourism sector has rebounded strongly after the pandemic, but as Visit Malaysia Year 2026 gets underway, the bigger question is whether this recovery can translate into lasting gains. Amirul Rizal Abdul Rahim, Director-General of Tourism Malaysia, discusses strategy, execution, and what Malaysia’s tourism industry could look like beyond 2026.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2025 was the perfect storm for glove makers hit by the impact of tariffs, intense Chinese competition and their red ocean strategy. We ask Lim Cheong Guan, Managing Director of Top Glove Corporation Bhd if the worst is over for the world's largest glove maker and if margin improvement is in sight.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Colombia and Malaysia have maintained friendly ties since 1978, cooperating on trade, palm oil and drug trafficking. Philip See will speak with Juan Carlos Moreno Gutiérrez, Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Colombia in Malaysia, to explore this bilateral relationship and his insights on the US–Venezuela crisis and its potential regional impact.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The hospitality industry is a challenging one with global brands present. So what are the challenges for home grown hospitality company,  Exsim Hospitality Berhad? Justin Tan, their managing director, tells us their growth strategy and  why we should consider buying their stock.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hock Soon Capital is heading for a Main Market listing after nearly five decades as a privately run egg producer. Executive Director Alex Ong discusses the IPO, expansion plans, margins, subsidies, export ambitions, and what investors need to believe for value to be hatched from this listing.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Papa Zola The Movie has taken Malaysia by storm, grossing around RM60 million ringgit domestically and becoming the country’s highest-grossing animated film to date. On today’s Breakfast Grille, Philip See speaks with Mohd Nizam Abdul Razak, Founder and CEO of Monsta Studios Sdn. Bhd, about the film’s success and the journey of building a homegrown animation studio into a global IP powerhouse.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip See speaks to Simon Tay, Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, on how intensifying great power rivalry is closing the space for middle powers. As hedging becomes harder and alignment more consequential, they examine Malaysia and Singapore’s differing strategic responses, what this means for ASEAN’s coherence, and whether multilateral institutions still carry real weight in today’s geopolitical order.Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of Works oversees more than 20,000 kilometres of roads nationwide, including 33 tolled highways. Beyond ensuring road safety, it plays a key role in driving national growth through infrastructure development at both the federal and state levels. Its Minister Dato’ Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi tells us about these challenges, as well as Sarawak’s political direction, MA63, and the Sarawak Formula.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.