The Breakfast Grille

After a decade languishing in the red, a new Executive Director, a new direction, and a name change has brought ARB back into the black. On the Breakfast Grille today, we discuss ARB's foray into the technology space, the survival of their timber business, and building a brand in Enterprise Resource Planning.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People tend to indulge in group think or they follow the herd even if it is detrimental to oneself. How can we neutralise extreme-thinking groups such as right wingers? Why do Malaysians cling on to their tribes? How do we create more barrier crossers between groups? Why is religion appealing? We discuss these questions with anthropologist, Professor Harvey Whitehouse from the University of Oxford. He was a speaker at Khazanah Megatrends Forum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming into power on the heels of the nation-gripping 1MDB scandal, Pakatan Harapan placed fighting corruption at the core of its promise to the people. What progress have they made on this front and how will the government stem the tide of corruption?We speak to Dr. Mohan and Nik Nazmi about the National Anti-Corruption Plan, the effectiveness of institutions like MACC and Parliament in fighting corruption as well as Pakatan Harapan’s promises to revise acts such as the Official Secrets Act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming into power on the heels of the nation-gripping 1MDB scandal, Pakatan Harapan placed fighting corruption at the core of its promise to the people. What progress have they made on this front and how will the government stem the tide of corruption?We speak to Dr. Mohan and Nik Nazmi about the National Anti-Corruption Plan, the effectiveness of institutions like MACC and Parliament in fighting corruption as well as Pakatan Harapan’s promises to revise acts such as the Official Secrets Act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coming into power on the heels of the nation-gripping 1MDB scandal, Pakatan Harapan placed fighting corruption at the core of its promise to the people. What progress have they made on this front and how will the government stem the tide of corruption?We speak to Dr. Mohan and Nik Nazmi about the National Anti-Corruption Plan, the effectiveness of institutions like MACC and Parliament in fighting corruption as well as Pakatan Harapan’s promises to revise acts such as the Official Secrets Act.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before they came into power, one of the Pakatan Harapan government's tenets was to forge a better relationship with the states of East Malaysia: Sabah and Sarawak. 18 months in, where are they in this? For more we speak to Professor James Chin, Director of the Asia Institute at the University of Tasmania, and Dr. Kelvin Yii, Member of Parliament for Bandar Kuching.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACE listed Sedania Innovator Berhad has had inconsistent profits in the last 3 years but is planning to return to sustainable profits by focusing on technology with a consumer edge. Datuk Azrin Mohd Noor, the Managing Director tells us his plans to turn things around and his latest venture, e-sports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ACE listed Sedania Innovator Berhad has had inconsistent profits in the last 3 years but is planning to return to sustainable profits by focusing on technology with a consumer edge. Datuk Azrin Mohd Noor, the Managing Director tells us his plans to turn things around and his latest venture, e-sports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The majority of care work is undertaken by women, whose contributions are not often acknowledged by the formal economy. To discuss the importance of recognising care work as an engine of growth, we speak to Jayati Ghosh, Development Economist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The majority of care work is undertaken by women, whose contributions are not often acknowledged by the formal economy. To discuss the importance of recognising care work as an engine of growth, we speak to Jayati Ghosh, Development Economist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in India.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram, renowned Developmental Economist and member of Council of Eminent Persons, tell us that the world is heading for difficult times not helped by a squandered decade after the Financial Crisis of 2008 to create a fairer economic model for all. The discussion continues with what direction the country should take to continue its industrialization plans and what other reforms should be prioritized.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jomo Kwame Sundaram, renown Developmental Economist and member of Council of Eminent Persons, tell us that the world is heading for difficult time not helped by a squandered decade after the Financial Crisis of 2008 to create a fairer economic model for all. The discussion continues with what direction the country should take to continue its industrialization plans and what other reforms should be prioritized.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Owned by Time Dot Com, AIMS Data Centre is seeking partnerships to expand into the region mainly in tier 2 or 3 markets. How soon could AIMS double its business? Would Amazon Web Services and other global tech giants in cloud services eventually kill them? As a relatively small player, is merging with a global operator the best option for AIMS in the future? We speak with Chiew Kok Hin, the CEO of AIMS about prospects and how it is securing its fortress in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The RAM Holdings may be best known for its work as a credit rating agency, but it has also evolved to cover a range of other services, including consulting and training. We speak to its Group CEO Chris Lee on the company’s growth and prospects whilst discussing the inherent conflict of issues that all rating agencies face.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dame Dr. Jane Goodall, a name that needs no introduction in the field of primatology and wildlife conservation, tells us on the Breakfast Grille, what inspired her to protect chimpanzees and some of the challenges she faced as a woman in this field of science in the 1960s. She also reminds us that despite the real challenges of conservation and climate change, we should remain hopeful and optimistic as change can happen if we all play our part.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bhutan is well-known for promoting Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of just focusing on economic growth as a more sustainable model of development. Professor Thakur Powdyel, Bhutan's first education minister explains what GNH means, and how to balance between the old and new to keep the youth happy. He also dismisses reports about political censorship and discrimination of women and minority groups in the country. He was in Kuala Lumpur to speak at Taylors University  on Teaching and Learning Conference 2019. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bhutan is well-known for promoting Gross National Happiness (GNH) instead of just focusing on economic growth as a more sustainable model of development. Professor Thakur Powdyel, Bhutan's first education minister explains what GNH means, and how to balance between the old and new to keep the youth happy. He also dismisses reports about political censorship and discrimination of women and minority groups in the country. He was in Kuala Lumpur to speak at Taylors University  on Teaching and Learning Conference 2019. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a theme park for children that helps them in their journey in deciding what profession they want to be in when they grow up whilst also learning some of the hard lessons of life including the value of a dollar and also how the economy works. To find about this place where children can pretend to be adults for a day, we speak to Shahrul Nizar Ahmad, General Manager & Mayor of KidZania Kuala Lumpur.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a theme park for children that helps them in their journey in deciding what profession they want to be in when they grow up whilst also learning some of the hard lessons of life including the value of a dollar and also how the economy works. To find about this place where children can pretend to be adults for a day, we speak to Shahrul Nizar Ahmad, General Manager & Mayor of KidZania Kuala Lumpur.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with World Toilet Day, we take a look at some of the industries on their periphery- including tiles. For a closer look at the highly competitive tiling industry here in Malaysia, we speak to Datuk CC Ngei, Founder and Managing Director of Feruni Ceramiche, which surprised the market in 2010 when they made the decision to sell their own products themselves rather than through a third-party distributor. What lies in store for them?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The insurance industry has seen many changes in the last few years with digital disruptions, increased regulatory cost and also the low interest rate environment making it hard to meet investment return targets. So we speak to Dean Connor, the President and CEO of Sun Life Financial which is one of the oldest and largest Canadian life insurance companies in the world, to discuss the industry landscape, the importance of data and their plans for Asia where they see the strongest growth opportunities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The insurance industry has seen many changes in the last few years with digital disruptions, increased regulatory cost and also the low interest rate environment making it hard to meet investment return targets. So we speak to Dean Connor, the President and CEO of Sun Life Financial which is one of the oldest and largest Canadian life insurance companies in the world, to discuss the industry landscape, the importance of data and their plans for Asia where they see the strongest growth opportunities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

H.S. Chung, the Cluster Lead for Hill+Knowlton Strategies Asia, talks about the changing face of communications and her firm’s ASEAN expansion as China-based firms forge into the region for growth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hernan Corporation, one of the country's biggest names in durian exporting, has just been acquired by private equity firm Navis Capital. What lies in store for them now, in the face of climate change, new labour legislation, and rising demand from China?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak with Efosa Ojomo, Global Prosperity Lead at the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation, and co-author of "The Prosperity Paradox: How Innovation Can Lift Nations Out Of Poverty" to understand how instead of giving handouts, market-creating innovation can uplift societies and produce global champions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MARA's assets have been or are in the process of being transferred to MARA Corporation Sdn Bhd with hopes of higher performance and even dividends to the government. The continued political-business nexus hopefully doesn't get in the way of achieving MARA's challenging mission of truly uplifting poor Bumiputeras. Apart from the focus on what is believed to be the virtuous cycle of educational social enterprises, MARA Corp doesn't believe Lynas is dirty business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The International Baccalaureate Organisation is a Swiss non-profit, best known for its IB programme offered in over 150 countries worldwide. Today on the Breakfast Grille, we speak to IBO Director General Dr. Siva Kumari about the organisation's direction, mental health concerns, and how the organisation has fared under her leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The International Baccalaureate Organisation is a Swiss non-profit, best known for its IB programme offered in over 150 countries worldwide. Today on the Breakfast Grille, we speak to IBO Director General Dr. Siva Kumari about the organisation's direction, mental health concerns, and how the organisation has fared under her leadership.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the world gears for Industrial Revolution 4.0, an estimated 47% of workers stand to lose their jobs to automation. Scholar, Carl Benedikt Frey argues in his latest book, The Technology Trap, that policy-makers should draw lessons from history in strategizing and adapting to the tide of technology. We discuss how technology, economics and politics intersect in the age of automation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Khazanah-backed education service provider LeapEd aims to develop holistic students with 21st century competencies via sustainable practices in schools. We speak to its managing director about its goals and how LeapEd's vision can be incorporated with the current education system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private equity investments have grown a lot in the past few years, and is no longer the quiet cousin of the investment world.  Tan Chow Yin of Dymon Asia Private Equity tells us about the Malaysian private equity landscape, the recent deal flows, and the all important exit while he faces competition from the big boys of PE funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Private equity investments have grown a lot in the past few years, and is no longer the quiet cousin of the investment world.  Tan Chow Yin of Dymon Asia Private Equity tells us about the Malaysian private equity landscape, the recent deal flows, and the all important exit while he faces competition from the big boys of PE funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand, despite being Home of Middle-Earth, hasn’t had the easiest time attracting tourists. That might be — at least in part — due to its relatively remote location, which naturally makes the nation a more exclusive vacation destination. So how is Tourism New Zealand attempting to lure more Malaysian and Southeast Asian tourists? And how has the tourism industry impacted local New Zealanders? We speak to Steven about access, over-tourism and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From its humble beginnings in Yokohama, Japan, international relocation and logistics services company, Crown Worldwide Group, has expanded its presence to nearly 60 countries over 5 decades. Sharidz speaks to founder, James E Thompson, on the company’s next phase of growth as well as global trends in the logistics industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio softwares are slightly niche, but important nonetheless. A major player in this space is RCS and Media Monitors, which makes the radio software for most radio stations in Malaysia. We speak to its CEO about business growth strategies and the future of radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Radio softwares are slightly niche, but important nonetheless. A major player in this space is RCS and Media Monitors, which makes the radio software for most radio stations in Malaysia. We speak to its CEO about business growth strategies and the future of radio.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex, built at a cost of USD27 billion, has ambitions to join the big league of petrochemical clusters in the world but with competition rife in the region as well as volatile oil prices and headwinds from the US-China trade war, we speak to Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice-President and CEO of PETRONAS Downstream to find out if this goal is achievable. We also discuss the listed entities of this division and probe the financials to see if their companies can be even more efficient.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pengerang Integrated Petroleum Complex, built at a cost of USD27 billion, has ambitions to join the big league of petrochemical clusters in the world but with competition rife in the region as well as volatile oil prices and headwinds from the US-China trade war, we speak to Datuk Md Arif Mahmood, Executive Vice-President and CEO of PETRONAS Downstream to find out if this goal is achievable. We also discuss the listed entities of this division and probe the financials to see if their companies can be even more efficient.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicholas McLaren, the Country Manager at Bursa-listed DKSH—a Market Expansion firm for consumer and healthcare goods like M&Ms, Mars bars, Eli Lilli, Roche, and Novartis—discusses the trials and opportunities for his core business, a high-revenue but low-margin operation.  He also talks about its recent acquisition of Auric, which gave them a 'horizontal expansion' into frozen foods. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to living sustainability, fast fashion normally is not part of the equation. But the Aldo Group has been running on a platform of sustainability for years—so we speak to Sarah Audrea, Regional Brand Manager for Aldo in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand, about balancing sustainability and business, changing consumer trends, and changes in the retail industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Industrial parks are an integral part of the global supply chain. Here in Malaysia, we have more than 500 such parks but are they up to all international standards? So we ask Simon Lee, Executive Director of AME Elite Consortium a new listed industrial park player in Johor about how they differentiate themselves in this crowded space. We also have a frank discussion on growth and whether there is still money to be made  on their shares.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although travelling has become more common, the way people travel has changed with rising internet penetration and the onset of disruptors. With that, independent travel has grown tremendously raising the question the relevance of packaged holidays. So we speak to Dani Yap, the CEO of Parlo Berhad, an ACE listed traditional tour company on how they plan to transform after a difficult year in 2018.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Although travelling has become more common, the way people travel has changed with rising internet penetration and the onset of disruptors. With that, independent travel has grown tremendously raising the question the relevance of packaged holidays. So we speak to Dani Yap, the CEO of Parlo Berhad, an ACE listed traditional tour company on how they plan to transform after a difficult year in 2018.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The provision and cost of universal healthcare is a thorny issue. Sigal Atzmon believes that a hybrid of socially- and market-driven policies aided by cost-decimating technology can be an answer to either extreme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salesforce has seen explosive growth through their subscription model for CRM software. The strong growth has powered their ethos of spending 1% of the company's equity and staff time on social causes. For APAC growth there's a push into China with an Alibaba tie-up. This might prove challenging given the trade war and American concerns for security and data privacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salesforce has seen explosive growth through their subscription model for CRM software. The strong growth has powered their ethos of spending 1% of the company's equity and staff time on social causes. For APAC growth there's a push into China with an Alibaba tie-up. This might prove challenging given the trade war and American concerns for security and data privacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johan Merican, Director of the National Budget Office at the Ministry of Finance, breaks down the mechanics, motivations and challenges of addressing the fiscal needs of as many of the country's stakeholders as possible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johan Merican, Director, of the National Budget Office at the Ministry of Finance, breaks down the mechanics, motivations and challenges of addressing the fiscal needs of as many as the country's stakeholders as possible.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France and the US are butting heads over a 3% digital tax on big tech companies, which President Trump says targets American firms. We sit down with Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the Minister of State for Innovation, Industry 4.0 and Trade to clarify the French position on the digital tax and 5G technology, as well as discuss France's efforts to respond to IR 4.0 amid trying economic times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

France and the US are butting heads over a 3% digital tax on big tech companies, which President Trump says targets American firms. We sit down with Agnes Pannier-Runacher, the Minister of State for Innovation, Industry 4.0 and Trade to clarify the French position on the digital tax and 5G technology, as well as discuss France's efforts to respond to IR 4.0 amid trying economic times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.