The Breakfast Grille

After two years of stringent borders control, Malaysia will soon be reopening its borders once again and many in the aviation sector welcome this with both arms. Mohammad Al Attar, Country Manager of Emirates Malaysia shares with us on how they maneuvered the pandemic and their plans moving forward with the reopening of borders. Image credit: EmiratesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr. Malcolm Davis, Senior Analyst at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, offers a state of play for the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the choices ASEAN might soon have to make if the conflict widens. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for four years straight in the World Happiness Report. What accounts for the high levels of contentment among Finns? We discuss the factors that have contributed to strong institutional safety nets and public trust in Finland with H.E. Sami Leino, Ambassador of Finland to Malaysia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the country experiencing an unprecedented level of flooding, we ask Cha-Ly Koh from Urbanmetry and YB Charles Santiago, MP for Klang as to the solutions required to better respond, mitigate and adapt to natural disasters triggered by climate change. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's largest integrated media company, Media Prima, reported stellar 2021 earnings, marking a return to profit since 2015. Under the helm of newly appointed managing director, Rafiq Razali, how is Media Prima positioning itself amid changes in the industry, especially its broadcasting and publishing segments? We discuss his vision for the company moving forward. Image credit: Media PrimaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off the Johor state elections, we unpack the results and drama that ensued to understand what it means for politics on a federal level. Is this a bellwether for the 15th General Elections? What were the surprises and what were the letdowns? Political analysts Dr. Azmi Hassan and Dr. Oh Ei Sun share their views and analysis on a special Breakfast Grille panel. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to wages, many of us can agree that it should be increased. But the question that provokes intense debate is when and how? Should market forces dictate the quantum of our living, graduate and minimum wage? Or should government policy get into it to set direction? Philip see consults experts Carmelo Ferlito of CME and Zouhair Rosli of DM Analytics on how much you should get paid. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The past few years have been booming for semiconductor players. Automotive LED supplier D&O Green Technologies Bhd’s managing director, Tay Kheng Chiong, is on the Breakfast Grille to talk about supply chain disruptions from the pandemic, how the shift to EVs will impact them, and how ESG trends will impact them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two years into the pandemic and hardly any flights happening, how does a general insurance player tied to an airline like Tune Protect grow and maintain its presence? Rohit Nambiar, Group CEO of Tune Protect tells us their strategy for growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On International Women’s Day 2022, we speak to a pioneer that championed the environment, social causes and women's issues: listed company InNature which manages the Body Shop in Malaysia, Cambodia and Vietnam. Datin Mina Cheah-Foong, Founder and Managing Director tells us if this company has successful evolved despite the intense competition and the new challenges of rising cost of doing business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prudent, measured growth has been key to managing Covid's retail fallout but having raised Series C funding, it's now all systems go for regional and international expansion. Dione Song, CEO of women-focused Singaporean fashion retailer Love, Bonito.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eddie Wong, Managing Director of KVC Industrial Supplies and Country MD of Sonepar Malaysia shares with us how this one stop shop for commercial and industrial properties plans to improve its margins and expand beyond distribution in view of fast changing mega trends following the pandemic. Image Credit: KVC MYSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is home to one of the most biodiverse ecological environments, widely recognized for the richness of flora and fauna species with whom we share the land. In recognition of the value of our natural heritage, the government has reaffirmed a pledge to maintain 50% forest cover as part of efforts to conserve the environment - but how genuine is our commitment to preserve the forest? On World Wildlife Day, we discuss with our expert panel on what we stand to lose by unchecked development and policy measures that should be considered to preserve biodiversity. Image Credit: Sabrina Hermann/Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to the success of its Civic sedan and HR-V and BR-V SUVs, Honda is the top non-national make in Malaysia, but longer-term challenges centre on Honda's investment into EVs where the lack of a national framework befuddles manufacturers. Madoka Chujo, CEO, Honda Malaysia, discusses. Image Credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a crowded field of 16 Islamic Banks, how does one of the smallest standalone banks make waves? Arsalaan Ahmed, Chief Executive Officer of Al Rajhi Bank Malaysia tell us their strategy for growth via digital banking and are they open to an M&A? Image Credit: Al Rajhi Bank MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the most recent earnings, it looks like the worst is over for Berjaya Food but what is their strategy for growth in a crowded field? And with the added pressures of inflations and shortage of workers, will the operating environment become even more challenging? Datuk Sydney Quays, CEO of Berjaya Food Bhd answers these questions and more. Image credit: Berjaya FoodSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have boiled over into a full-scale invasion after Russia sent military troops into the country on Thursday, 24 February. Why have diplomatic efforts to resolve the stand-off failed? We speak to H.E. Olexander Nechytaylo, Ambassador of Ukraine to Malaysia for an update on the ground situation. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic had resulted in a rise in online transactions for used cars, but the competition is also intense. We speak to CARRO, a Singapore-based automotive marketplace, present in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia on their business model and are they the next unicorn. Ernest Chew, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer gives us the answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was first established in 2011, and is now under the Ministry of Human Resources. But TalentCorp did not have a CEO for more than 2 years in June 2018 until CEO Thomas Matthew was appointed in November 2020. On The Breakfast Grille, Philip See asks Thomas Mathew, CEO of TalentCorp on the ROI of the nearly half a billion ringgit spent on TalentCorp; as well as their role in this wave of the Great Resignation and migration of talents.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the advent of the pandemic and a challenging time for the construction sector, we ask Ng Wai Hoe, Managing Director, SIAB Holdings the rationale for this IPO for this mid-sized construction player. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nokia today has moved beyond the mobile phone business, focusing on telecommunications technology services and network equipment supply, where it’s one of three dominant players in the sector, alongside Ericsson and Huawei. However the Finnish tech giant was largely seen as falling behind its competitors in the past few years, especially in the race towards 5G. Can they stage a comeback? We discuss where Malaysia fits in Nokia's bigger picture with Datuk Mohd Rauf Nasir. Image credit: EPA-EFESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Patrick Williams, Senior Vice President for Asia of Rosti Group, a global plastics injection moulding company and contract manufacturer, shares with us how they have battled the supply chain and workers shortage issues stemming from the pandemic specifically in their Asian sites in Suzhou and Senai. He also discuss with us on his strategies for Asia and on how they tackle plastics that have a bad reputation in its impact to the environment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US-based telecommunications software company Mavenir created its name as a disruptor in the industry, championing cloud-native software solutions and Open Radio Access Network (RAN) implementation for 5G networks. But given US-China geopolitical tensions and the sensitive nature of the technology, does this fence them out of China? We speak to Mavenir's Asia Pacific chief Dipesh Ranjan on the growth strategy of the company amid transformational trends in the telecommunication sector.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big business wants to hire technologists while students fear debt and increasingly, seek meaningful and rewarding careers not necessarily centered on benefits, even as startup life beckons. Professor Rebecca Taylor, the CEO of University of Southampton Malaysia, fields these issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the largest loss since the IPO, is 2022 the year of recovery for this 24 hour convenient store operator? Dang Tai Luk, Group CEO of MyNews Holdings Berhad tells us his plans for growth and how he intends to grow customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive market. Image credit: MyNEWSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may be Valentine's Day but condom usage is down 30-40% globally while the fortunes of the world's largest maker of the prophylactic, Karex Bhd, has been flat at best. CEO Goh Miah Kiat explains the difficult path forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to United Nations data, less than 30% of researchers are women, indicating a significant diversity gap in knowledge generation in academia. On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we speak to Dr. Cheah Phaik Yeong, Professor of Global Health on why more women are needed in research and the importance of bioethics and engagement in healthcare sciences.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ucrest Berhad's Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Eg Kah Yee, shed light on how their i-Medic platform penetrate the digital health business and how Ucrest has fared during the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, first set up in 2000 to galvanize private sector to prioritize the triple bottom line: people, planet and profits. Some 15,000 companies have signed up to date - however, just over 100 companies are Malaysian. Why has reception been so lacklustre? Faroze Nadar, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network for Malaysia & Brunei discusses efforts to convince Malaysian corporates that sustainability is the new imperative.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to one of the world's leaders of medical devices, global multinational B Braun. With a rich 200 plus history in Germany, we ask Mr. Christoph Mueller, Asia Pacific Senior Vice President of Operations the challenges they faced in getting essential medical supplies amidst the supply chain disruption and whether Malaysia is losing is competitiveness as a manufacturing hub as it celebrates it 50 year anniversary in Penang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Traditional Chinese Medicine has gone mainstream in the last few years, seen as complementary to western medicine. Is the challenge now attracting the millennial and Gen Z's? Aaron Boey, Group CEO of Eu Yan Sang International Ltd tells us their growth strategy and is omni channel marketing the solution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is known for their QS World University Rankings. Dr. Edward Harcourt, Senior Vice President joins Philip to talk about how the pandemic changed education, what QS does, and why there are hardly any changes to the top 10 universities?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian undergarment manufacturer Caely Holdings has evolved from a small-direct selling company to the largest exporter of lingerie and maternity wear in the country. How is the company navigating the challenges of the pandemic and growing ESG concerns among investors? We discuss the company's prospects with CEO Gok Ching Hee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ascott International Management is wholly owned by Capitaland Investment, and in Malaysia is the largest international serviced residence operator with around 6,200 units in 27 properties. Its country general manager, Mondi Mecja speaks to us about the outlook of the serviced residential sector, its future expansion plans and the impact of pandemic on its performance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During Chinese New Year, carbonated water for some is a must. Philip See speaks to Spritzer, a leader in manufacturing bottled water products. Kenny Lim Seng Lee, Executive Director and Group CEO of Spritzer Berhad comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how the supply chain disruptions and rising costs impacted them, what are their future aspirations and how will Spritzer move forward with rising ESG concerns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia’s satellite operator MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd’s Chief Operating Officer, Yau Chyong Lim talks about Malaysia’s satellite industry, the CONNECTme NOW services and MEASAT’s s role in bridging the digital divide.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ERS Energy installs and designs solar power systems from all sectors like residential and industrial. On The Breakfast Grille, Jonathan Kan, Managing Director and Co-Founder of ERS Energy Sdn Bhd talks about the latest technological advancements in the field of renewable energy, and the contributions of the company to a more sustainable future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pact with China tech giant Huawei has sent shares of local circuit testing firm JF Technology Bhd through the roof, but production delays, China's Zero-Covid policy and lofty valuations offer stern tests. Datuk Foong Wei Kuong, Founder and Managing Director, answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can technical and vocational education and training (TVET) be made more relevant and attractive to Malaysians? To mark the International Day of Education, our Breakfast Grille panel discusses the ingredients for an effective TVET ecosystem, drawing lessons from the German dual-vocational training system. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has upended travel, retail and meetings, prompting the question of the implications for property and construction - including lifts, elevators and walkalators. James Leong, Managing Director of TK Elevator Malaysia, answers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Logistics players have made banks during the pandemic as movement restrictions drove up demand for delivery services. Ninja Van Malaysia is one of the beneficiaries - they’ve seen their deliveries balloon to approximately 2 million parcels a day across Southeast Asia. Where do Malaysian operations factor in Ninja Van Malaysia's big picture vision? We discuss the fortunes and prospects of Ninja Van Malaysia with Country Head Adzim Halim.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MoneyLion has the distinction of being a US digital bank with a Malaysian workforce, courtesy of its co-founder and CTO Foong Chee Mun who set up an office in Kuala Lumpur. Following its listing on the NYSE in September last year with a valuation of USD2.9 billion, is MoneyLion looking to expand to Asian shores? We speak to Chee Mun on how MoneyLion leverages on technology to serve the underfinanced and its growth targets moving forward. Image credit: MoneyLionSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are there any lessons that can be drawn from the pandemic to tackle the climate crisis? Alice Hill, the author of The Fight for Climate After COVID-19, who also served as a special assistant at the White House under President Obama shares about the actions that governments and communities can take now in response to accelerating climate change.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volumes on Bursa Malaysia had been on a declining trend except for 2020 when many turned to online trading as working from home became the norm. But as we return to work, how does online broker, Rakuten Trade intend to maintain profitability when it offers the cheapest commission? CEO Kazumasa Mise explains whilst telling us their strategy for growth. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Engineering support services provider Coraza Integrated Technology is set to be one of the first companies to debut on the ACE market this year with the aim of raising some RM33 million for their business expansion. We speak to Managing Director Lim Teik Hoe about competition in the ESI space, how it intends to use IPO proceeds and Coraza's growth strategy moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Accounting firms have evolved over the years and now offer a range of services but does this business model have inherent conflicts of interest? Soo Hoo Khoon Yean, Managing Partner of PwC Malaysia answers this question while telling us about their strategy for growth and if they too are affected by the great resignation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Country Heights Holdings, a property juggernaut in the 90s that has fallen to losses in four of the last five years, is aiming for a turnaround, this time as a digital landlord. Managing Director Datuk Jared Lim explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the semiconductor industry growing more than 25% in 2021, we speak to Kuang Eng Oh, Group Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director, Mi Technovation Bhd on how this semiconductor equipment and material business operator has been diversifying and what his long term technology roadmap will be.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mohd Daud Mohd Arif, CEO, Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC) is in the hot seat as he explains about the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Industry Blueprint 2021-2025 and what is the likely recovery trajectory for the medical tourism industry as the world continues to grapple with the pandemic. Image credit: Shutterstock.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Senheng seeks to raise around RM270 million from its IPO at the price of RM1.07 per share, we ask Lim Kim Heng, Executive Chairman of Senheng New Retail Bhd how he plans to use the proceeds of the IPO.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.