The Breakfast Grille

UWC Berhad looks to be one of the beneficiaries of COVID-19 with its stock price more than doubling since a low 3 months back. The company has come a long way from simply supplying wire cut machines and is now worth around RM2 billion on the back of the boom in the semiconductor supply chain. More recently UWC has been tapping into the increased demand in medical equipment and life sciences on the back of COVID-19. With that in mind, how far can UWC go and is it all smooth sailing going forward?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

UWC Berhad looks to be one of the beneficiaries of COVID-19 with its stock price more than doubling since a low 3 months back. The company has come a long way from simply supplying wire cut machines and is now worth around RM2 billion on the back of the boom in the semiconductor supply chain. More recently UWC has been tapping into the increased demand in medical equipment and life sciences on the back of COVID-19. With that in mind, wow far can UWC go and is it all smooth sailing going forward?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like all industries in the country, film production and the arts had come to a screeching halt over the last few months, with many out of work as they’re unable to continue shooting or perform in public. As the economy starts up and movement restrictions are slowly eased, how can the local arts and film scene move forward?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, necessity became the mother of digitisation, with Microsoft saying it saw “two years’ worth of digital transformation in two months”. With this in mind, how will MDEC balance the need to support the micro SMEs and Mak Cik Kiahs, while also growing and nurturing Malaysian tech startups and potential unicorns that will drive innovation? Surina also gets into unemployment, attracting FDI and competing with Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lockdown may have ended but the pandemic has devastated the economy and set it back by 2-3 years and growth may only recover though not to stellar 2019 levels beginning 2021. The big uncertainty remains the possibility of a second wave. Datuk Ruben Emir Gnanalingam Bin Abdullah, Managing Director of the Klang-based port operator, Westports Holdings Bhd, discusses these issues, plus other items like its expansion plan, concession agreement, dividend policy and bright spots, like its mainly intra-Asia and Asia-Europe trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China is discouraging its citizens from visiting Australia due to reports of racist attacks. It has also slapped tariffs and restrictions on certain Australian products after Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for independent investigation of the pandemic outbreak. In light of ongoing tensions, we speak with Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, HE Andrew Golędzinowski on balancing Australia's engagement with the US, its long-time ally, and China, and post-Covid-19, the opportunities for deeper economic ties with Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Economic Action Council (EAC) in its many guises have been called each time the country faces a crisis since 1997. The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic scar tissue it leaves behind is no different. The EAC was revived in March comprising of leading corporate figures, successful entrepreneurs and of course key government officials. So we speak to it's Executive Director, Professor Tan Sri Dato Dr Noor Azlan Ghazali on the role the EAC plays and whether the initiatives rolled out also consider the structural reform that that the country needs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jalil Rasheed President & Group Chief Executive of Permodalan Nasional Berhad, discusses his plan to internationalise the RM300 billion fund's returns profile within the next two years while also upping governance controls within its investees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should online marketplace Carousell be concerned over Facebook's growing presence in the scene? Carousell is an online marketplace that’s been primarily known for second-hand goods and has essentially app-ified the classifieds. Since its founding in 2012, it has since grown to become one of the largest and fastest online classifieds marketplaces in the world with over 250 million listings and operating in eight markets - Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar. Roshan speaks to co-founder Lucas Ngoo about the growth, impact of the pandemic, the potential threat from Facebook and the merger with Telenor's 701 Search.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Global CO2 emissions have decreased dramatically as countries around the world have gone into forced movement restrictions, amid fears of the global pandemic. Yet the change is not sustainable, since it has not been underpinned by structural reform. To get some insight into what infrastructure and attitude changes we need to see in order to really make a dent in the climate crisis, we speak to Corinne Le Quéré, Professor of Climate Change Science, at the University of East Anglia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Grab and GoJek be worried about Lalamove’s growing presence in the region? Hong Kong Unicorn Lalamove has been described as the Uber for logistics. While primarily a B2B service, the platform’s awareness in Malaysia has grown as merchants & customers used Lalamove as an alternative to GrabFood during the Movement Control Order. Roshan gets into their potential IPO, expansion into India and Indonesia, profitability and Malaysian operations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a global environment where many organisations have had to rapidly adapt to remote working due to Covid-19 and digitise their processes, does this accelerate the use of cloud applications? To answer this question we speak to David Webster, Asia and Japan President of Workday, one of the world’s leading cloud-based enterprise technology solutions providers focusing on human capital and financial planning. We also ask about the challenges of cloud especially in Asia where there are infrastructure issues while privacy and security are valid concerns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tourism and travel have been badly hit across the world. Many tour agencies and hotels have closed completely. Mario Hardy, CEO of PATA or Pacific Asia Travel Association has some insights on how the region could be recovering. It might be sooner than we think. Also how will Covid-19 reshape the industry?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While some recovery in footfall has been noted in recent weeks, the pandemic has ravaged the country's retail sector, potentially leaving hundreds of thousands unemployed and thousands of small business bankrupt and insolvent, with even the largest mall owners suffering. More needs to be done, including extending and widening loan moratoriums to all business loans, waiving interest and statutory payments, say Datuk Garry Chua, President of the Malaysian Retail Chain Association (MRCA) & Tan Sri Teo Chiang Kok, President of the Malaysia Shopping Malls Association.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

George Taitim Tulas, CEO of Sabah Credit Corporation tells us the objectives of this non-financial institution while giving us their strategy for growth despite only having a presence in the state. We also ask about how Covid 19 has impacted the local economy and whether they do contribute to the high indebtedness of civil servants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia's first digital wealth management platform comes back on The Breakfast Grille to get into the new and old competition and whether it can manage with the unprecedented uncertainty in the economic landscape. We also get into the impact of COVID-19 on their business and growth, potential partnerships with local unit trust products and FinTechs, as well as concerns over the aggressive quantitative easing from the US Federal Reserve. Photo taken last year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephanie Sitt, CEO of Inmagine group founded the company with her husband Andy and grew their business to become the fourth largest stock image repository in the world (123RF). The group also owns Pixlr, the online photo editor that has been installed over 100 million times. Sitt discusses her plans for Inmagine and how she works effectively with her husband.Image by: 123RF.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With one of the highest death and infection rates from Covid-19, Italy will be significantly impacted. We speak to Dr Ugo Panizza, Professor of Economics and Pictet Chair in Finance and Development at The Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies to find out what policy options the country has to reduce the economic scar tissue from the lockdown. We also discuss the European response to this crisis and does this crisis actually reveal the wide divide between the members.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 has thrown many industries into confusion, as companies try to adapt to a new normal. One such player is Kelington Group Berhad, which is a Ultra High Purity gas and chemicals delivery company, looking to expand into the industrial gas production space. We speak to Raymond Gan, CEO of KGB, about the company's new factory, expansion plans, and mitigating coronavirus disruption.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle is a recognisable name for business communities around the world. But with Covid-19 affecting travel and media ad-spend, is their niche position enough to survive? Is there still appetite for the kind of lifestyle that Monocle embodies? We talk about all this and more, with Tyler Brûlé, Monocle's Founder and Editor-in-Chief. Photo credit: strangerpixel / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hua Fung Teh, the Group President of ONE Championship, a Singapore-based global sports media platform and known as Asia’s answer to the UFC, talks about his brand's appeal in the region and how it is adapting to the fallout from the pandemic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We examine the government's strategy to combat Covid-19 with Tan Sri Dr Jemilah Mahmood, Public Health Special Advisor to the Prime Minister. She also talks about what to expect next, Malaysia's involvement in drug trials, and how we could secure access to vaccines, if any is discovered. She is the founder of Mercy and has served several international bodies in leading responses to emergency and humanitarian crises.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With schools and universities shut, and physical distancing now more of a priority than ever before, BAC Education, like many other universities faces an unprecedented disruption. Today on the Breakfast Grille, we speak to Raja Singham, Founder and Managing Director of BAC Education, which manages several private institutions including Brickfields Asia College, about the future of education, preserving the university experience, and ensuring students are able to weather IR4.0.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Income inequality has been on the rise, and it is estimated about 70-80% of the Malaysian working population has savings to survive 1-2 months. Their plight has been most acute in this Covid-19 pandemic. Nurhisham Hussein, Chief Strategy Officer at EPF and Ahmad Yazid Othman, the CEO of MTEM or Majlis Tindakan Ekonomi Melayu discuss if the government is doing enough to help, and how it can be more effective.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since acquiring KiplePay in 2017, Green Packet has been out to transform itself from a traditional communications services company, into a digital services provider. Just a week out from its flagship foray into proptech, we speak to CC Puan, Group Managing Director and CEO of Green Packet, about the company's financial performance, plans to navigate the new normal, and when they will return to the black.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With oil prices hitting new lows, cutting capex and terminating projects is to be expected. So how will oil and gas companies weather this downturn? Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin, CEO of Sapura Energy, one of Malaysia's integrated oil and gas companies tell us what's up his sleeve to weather this crisis and can they renegotiate the refinancing of their RM10 billion debt.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food aid for the B40 community has been a hot topic during this Movement Control Order, with the government catching criticism for its handling of food distribution. To speak more about this, as well as issues within the Petaling Jaya constituency and the wider country, we speak to Maria Chin Abdullah, former chairperson of Bersih 2.0 and Petaling Jaya MP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the post pandemic world, the inequality that already exist will likely exacerbate but what can be done to reduce this? And what will happen to the Malaysian aviation sector which has come to a grinding halt? Dr. Nungsari Ahmad Radhi, former Chairman of the Malaysian Aviation Commission (MAVCOM) tells us his views on the matter and is merging airlines the solution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2008, the financial crisis was caused by reckless and over leveraged banks but this time, world economies are brought to their knees by a health crisis. However will financial systems which are the bedrock of any economy then follow in tandem and go into shock? Thorsten Beck, Professor of Banking and Finance at Cass Business School tells us what needs to be done to avoid this whilst also telling us if the Malaysian banking system is robust enough.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is the impact of anxiety on an election choice? We explore this with James Bisbee as he explains his thoughts behind the fall of Bernie Sanders in the Democratic Primary race, how he thinks the Presidential race between Joe Biden and Donald Trump could look like, how the Congressional and Senate races could play out and what kind of measures the US could adopt to facilitate their elections later this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Gerald, the Group CEO of business solutions firm Cuscapi Bhd, discusses how the business is dealing with the fallout from Covid-19, given that its main clients are in F&B and autos, two sectors most-hit by the worst virus since SARS in 2003.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leader of Pakatan Harapan and President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim discusses Pakatan Harapan's priorities now, whether he still wants to become Prime Minister, and when he is prepared to let go of the reins as President of PKR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Leader of Pakatan Harapan and President of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR), Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim discusses Pakatan Harapan's priorities now, whether he still wants to become Prime Minister, and when he is prepared to let go of the reins as President of PKR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bank Pembangunan Malaysia is the country’s oldest development financial institution with a twin mandate of national development and profitability, but is coming off a chequered past of funding projects owned by 'connected' parties. Now, Arshad Ismail, President / Group CEO since April 2019, wants to up risk and governance standards while evolving into a policy driven bank. He discusses delivering on these plans whilst dealing with the fallout from Covid-19.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With travel restrictions now in place across most of the globe, higher education institutions are facing an uncertain future. Here in Malaysia, the postponement of SPM and STPM examinations, as well as fears over the coronavirus, have also meant that enrolment of domestic students is in limbo, in addition to the inability of some international students to enter or exit the country. To look into this, we speak to Prof. Zaharom Nain, Chairman, of Pergerakan Tenaga Akademik Malaysia (GERAK) and Prof. Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Taylor's University, about support needed for universities, revenue threats, and how to close the gap for students whose needs are not entirely met by e-learning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the movement control order, availability of food has become a priority for Malaysians and this also includes our favourite snacks. So we speak to James Kane, Managing Director for Malaysia & Singapore of Mondelez International, one of the largest snack food companies in the world on the challenges they face during this period. We also ask what are the snacking habits of this country and does localisation work for global brands like Cadbury and Twisties.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Movement Control Order in place, children around the country have been told to stay at home. E-learning and TV broadcasts are how they continue their studies- but is this enough? And what will education look like in a post-MCO Malaysia? For this and more, we speak to Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, as well as former Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, today on the Breakfast Grille.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With hardly any planes flying, borders closed and most countries in some form of a lockdown, we speak to Yap Lip Seng, CEO of the Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) and Nigel Wong, Honorary Secretary General for Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) to find out how badly their sector has been affected. We also take a deeper dive on whether the government is providing adequate support for this important contributor to the economy whilst asking if travel is possible at this time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 took the world by surprise as infection rates soared while countries took turns to go into lock-downs. With that, came the inevitable shortage of essentials including medical supplies as global supply chains became affected. Dr Khor Swee Kheng, a physician and public health specialist tells us why it is critical that we start thinking of a Pandemic Production Act to overcome these problems.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Covid-19 pandemic has placed uncertainty at the forefront. When will cases peak? What kind of a recovery will we see? Will shuttered economies be able to reopen? Amid this global guessing game, we speak to Ramanan Laxminarayan, Affiliate Professor of Global Health at the University of Washington, and Director and Senior Fellow, The Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy, about modelling the progression of the outbreak, India as a potential new hotspot, as well as when we might feasibly see a vaccine on the market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ZICO Holdings started life as a law firm, and now has grown to provide advisory services to companies around the ASEAN Region. Amid the turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, we ask Managing Director, Chew Seng Kok, about ZICO’s expansion plans, the outlook for advisory services, and their pathway back to the black.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 took Europe by a complete surprise with infections rates rising sharply especially in Spain and Italy. A complete lockdown followed as the race to flatten the curve became a priority. However, the economic consequences have been severe. To find out what policy solutions are available and whether there is solidarity in the European Union to overcome this crisis, we speak to Ramon Marimon, Professor of Economics at the European University Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Teong Teck Lean, CEO of GD Express, one of the biggest names in express delivery, outlines his concerns for the business and the new opportunities that have emerged during this crisis. More pertinently, he thinks the worst is to come after the pandemic is over.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to the Covid-19 virus adding to global economic frailties, Bank Negara Malaysia estimates a worst-case scenario of a 2% contraction in 2020, making a raft of fiscal and monetary policy measures a necessity. Assistant Governor Marzunisham Omar discusses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to the Covid-19 virus adding to global economic frailties, Bank Negara Malaysia estimates a worst-case scenario of a 2% contraction in 2020, making a raft of fiscal and monetary policy measures a necessity. Assistant Governor Marzunisham Omar discusses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now that the Movement Control Order has been extended until the end of April, concerns over the state of vulnerable groups in Malaysia have become even more dire. However, there is none more vulnerable than the child. Children from low income families are now lacking basic necessities like food, and are in some cases at risk of becoming victims of domestic violence. To help us understand the situation, we speak to James Nayagam, chairman of Suriana Welfare Society, about the struggle for food, education, and safety facing these children, and what laws the country needs to protect them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Funding is essential for small businesses reeling from Covid-19. But many challenges exist. Aria Putera Ismail, the CEO of SME Bank and Chairman of the Association of Development Finance Institutions of Malaysia (ADFIM), explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Funding is essential for small businesses reeling from Covid-19. But many challenges exist. Aria Putera Ismail, the CEO of SME Bank (and Chairman of Association of Development Finance Institutions of Malaysia (ADFIM), explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carmelo Ferlito, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) discusses the government's approach in stimulating the economy during this Covid-19 crisis, and what more could be done and differently.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carmelo Ferlito, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) discusses the government's approach in stimulating the economy during this Covid-19 crisis, and what more could be done and differently.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.