The Breakfast Grille

Faizal Othman, CEO of the national wastewater management company Indah Water Konsortium​ discusses its financial situation and prospects, operational challenges, sustainability plans and roadmap to financial parity.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iPay88 was “fintech” before the word “fintech” was coined and became a mainstream word. Lim shares with us the back story on how ipay88 came about in 2006. Over a decade old today, are there IPO plans in the pipeline? We ask Lim this. We also discuss the current “it” topic when it comes to electronic payments-- e-wallets. With so many people making a beeline to join the e-wallet game, will there come a time when there will be too many players in this space? Lim weighs in. Moving forward, the game plan for ipay88 is to digitalise payments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Across the globe, governments are faced with the problem of curbing illicit trade. The implications of illegal cross-border goods goes beyond the economy. Senior Economist with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Piotr Stryszowski talks to us about the depth of the problem, and how governments around the world are approaching it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carved out from the Axiata group in 2012, edotco is the first regional and integrated telecommunications infrastructure services company in Asia. It has ambitious expansion plans but the company seems to have hit some turbulence with its recent expansion into Pakistan delayed. What happened? Suresh also talks about how the current operating landscape has shifted and what is the state of play today for the industry today. We also discuss the regional telecom tower industry. Meanwhile, at home, the Malaysian market has been growing consistently at a pace of between 1,000 and 2,000 towers per year but yet, edotco only has a 20% market share in its home ground. Why is that? Suresh speaks to us about this and what is edotco doing to play catch up. He also shares that the company - in which Axiata has a 62.4% stake in - will look into fibre in two to three years time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nestlé Malaysia's revenue, net profits and share prices have been on an upward trajectory, despite consumer concerns over Milo's sugar content. Alois addresses those health concerns, and also comments on Mydin's claims that Malaysian's 'just don't have money'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the Golden Triangle and the death camps of Wang Kelian, to the Islamic State and the siege of Marawi City, illegal trade flows and prospers. Today we ask our guest, who was at The Economist’s Global Illicit Trade Summit 2018, what has been, what’s not being done and what the consequences are for failing to stem the tide of illicit trade in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Siobhan Das, Executive Director of the American Malaysian Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), fields questions centering on declining US investment in Malaysia and shares US business interests' pain points and areas for Malaysia to improve. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

iCar Asia positions itself as the leading cars portal network in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. We speak to CEO Hamish Stone about the ever-changing consumer trends and how iCar plans to stay competitive amid a crowded online automotive landscape.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite regaining second place in terms of service revenue market share, Celcom lost about 1 million subscribers in 2017. Can Axiata's largest operating company make further advances in an already saturated market?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A five-minute elevator pitch backed by five years of ground-work produced a new agency, one tasked with improving the “cultural sector of the creative economy”. It positions itself as “a connector between creators, regulating bodies, private investors or businesses, policymakers and consumers”. Today we ask if this million-Ringgit government venture will give the public bang for its buck.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gavin shares his expertise about managing due diligence and third-party risk when it comes to global operations. He also talks about how Malaysian companies and organisations can better equip themselves to deal with the challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UN High Commission for Refugees report “I am Here, I Belong”  surveys seven countries, including Thailand and Malaysia. The report asserts that “no child needs to be stateless. Whether a child has been left stateless because of discriminatory nationality laws or other reasons, childhood statelessness is entirely preventable.” The question we ask today is why haven’t we been able to solve a problem that experts say is “entirely preventable”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world’s largest rubber glove manufacturer, Top Glove Corporation, now plans to diversify into the condom-making business. With aspirations to become a Fortune 500 company by 2040, we ask Top Glove’s Managing Director, Dato Lee Kim Meow, what lies ahead for the company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump recently signed the Taiwan Travel bill, which encourages US officers to meet their Taiwanese counterparts. China reacted to the bill, saying it was "strongly dissatisfied". Amid such heightened tensions between the US and China, how does Taipei, which is seen as a "pawn" in Sino-US relations, continue pushing its New Southbound Policy? James shares his perspective, while also highlighting the potential for deeper ties between Taiwan and Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norway is the second largest seafood exporter in the world, serving the world some 37 million meals of seafood every day. Some 99% of salmon eaten by Malaysians are from Norway. We speak to Jon Erik Steenslid, Regional Director for Southeast Asia of the Norwegian Seafood Council on the growing demand for Norwegian seafood in Asia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Efficient E-Solutions Berhad provides integrated business process outsourcing services. Having sold its core business to Canon in 2015 it is now looking to cybersecurity to power its growth over the next 5 years. We speak to its CEO Victor Cheah to get more insights into the company's strategy moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Johan Ishak just took on the hot driving seat at Media Prima Television Networks five months ago at very challenging time for the business. The TV business just fell into the red in FY2017 registering losses to the tune of RM113 million. What happened there? And what are his plans to turnaround this business in a challenging operating landscape? Johan shares his journey so far and his plans to bring the business back to a profit position by 2019. Among his strategies include intensifying their digital efforts, diversifying further into TV shopping as well as to provide content to the "modern Malaysian". But do modern Malaysians still watch TV? We ask him this.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The European Union is looking to ban palm oil imports for biofuels. Meanwhile, local industry players are having to contend with seemingly competing sustainability certifications. The RSPO shares its current stance on these industry developments.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This year's Italian election marked the defeat of the centre-left government and the rise of the Eurosceptic centre-right coalition headed by the Lega Nord and the Five Star Movement. Appealing to very different demographics, the two leading parties are seen as unlikely coalition partners - one pushing for tax cuts and the other pushing for massive public spending. With significant levels of debt, observers note that the challenge for Italian parties is to commit to sustainable public finances - which their European partners will want - while getting voters to support them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When we talk of conflict situations women are often spoken about primarily as victims. But what about the positive role of women in resolving conflicts? And within particular faith and ecumenical traditions we ask what women in particular bring to the table when it comes to conflict resolution.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Children are often an overlooked demographic in the national discourse on rising cost of living and economic inequality. And yet, the effects of poverty on children - particularly those living in urban areas - have long-term consequences. Dr. Amjad Rabi, Deputy UNICEF Representative and Dr. Muhammad Khalid, Managing Director of local policy research firm, DM Analytics, share the findings of a recent report on the factors and implications of urban child poverty in Malaysia. You can read the report ‘Children Without: Urban Child Poverty & Deprivation in Low-Cost Flats’ here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mooted over a hundred years ago, International Women’s Day gives us pause in our busy year to take stock of where women are in terms of their lives and conditions. From global to local conversations, we speak to stalwarts of the Malaysian women’s movement, about the gains as well as challenges. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day on March 8, we speak to a young, up-and-coming female leader in Corporate Malaysia - Mah Xian-Zhen. Xian gets honest and shares the challenges she faced, and is still facing, being a young female board member. We also talk tech and business. Omesti - a listed tech company that develops technology solutions - fell into the red in FY2015 and remains loss-making in FY2017. In its latest quarterly results losses have expanded, for the nine month period ended Dec 31, 2017, due to lower revenue and gross margins. What is the group doing to return to the black? Xian is confident of Omesti seeing black ink in FY2019. Omesti has said for some time now that it wants to shift towards a recurring revenue model with the goal of providing long term sustainability, h0wever that has yet to translate into its earnings. What’s the issue here? Listen in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norway was one of the first countries to introduce a gender equality law in the 1970s and the first to impose gender quotas for corporate boardrooms, which it did in 2008. We speak to the Norwegian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency Marianne Hagen, on Norway’s experience and efforts to empower women through legislation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With RM61.6 billion allocated for the Education Ministry under Budget 2018, is money all that's required for Malaysia to achieve academic success? Khadijah sheds light on the progress made under the Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Established as a strategic unit in the Prime Minister's Department with the purpose of leading the Bumiputera agenda as part of the National Transformation Plan, to date TERAJU has provided business opportunities, financing and human capital development exceeding RM 117 billion. We speak to Special Projects Director, Junady Nawawi, on the various initiatives championed by the unit, such as the "Carve-Out & Compete" initiative, and the type of results it has generated.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vijay gives his perspective on the Workspace-as-a-Service industry and how Regus is evolving to meet stiff competition from new market entrants.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

QES is involved in the distribution of inspection, test, and measurement equipment, materials, and engineering solutions. Ahead of its anticipated listing on on the ACE Market on March 8, Chew speaks about the company's growth prospects and the associated risks, both domestic and global.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stephane Garelli is a world authority on competitiveness. Besides being an academic and author of several books, he was also the Managing Director of the World Economic Forum and of the Davos Annual meetings. He shares his insights into what defines competitiveness, as well as the challenges businesses and nations will be facing moving forward.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Less than two weeks ago, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh named him Distinguished Professor for 2017. Its the fifth such award given. In naming Rajah Rasiah, the Minister noted that he was being honoured for his contributions to informing economic policy with his research. Also noted were the many awards he has been over including the Brain Gain Award in 2004, to the Celso Furtado Prize and Rajawali Fellowship at Harvard University in 2014. Today we speak about policy formulation, academic culture and why we haven’t scaled the heights of the innovation ladder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Estee Lauder turns 72 years old this year. Since the group first started shop in 1946, the operating landscape for the beauty retail business has changed drastically and competition has intensified greatly. What are the group's strategies to navigate itself through this tougher operating landscape today? Paul shares them with us and the measures undertaken to keep its traditional brands relevant today. We talk about embracing change and adopting a "digital first" strategy. Paul sees potential in the ultra luxury beauty segment and shares that the group will be launching Asia's first free standing Tom Ford Beauty store in KLCC in the middle of this year. How has moving away from traditional channels, such as department stores, to own free standing stores and e-commerce channels impacted the group's traditional business relationships? We ask him this. We also discuss beauty trends moving forward that includes young girls wearing make up. Are girls putting on makeup too soon? Listen in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For many Malaysians, Bata has long been associated with school shoes and affordable footwear. What’s their strategy for remaining relevant in an increasingly crowded and competitive retail landscape? Ajay shares insights into Bata's strategy to remain a value brand, while at the same time positioning some of their offerings at higher price points.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John D'Agostino is Managing Director of DMS Governance, the world's largest governance fund. He founded Digital Asset Group, an industry association that aims to create best practices for institutional trading of crypto-assets, and also regularly advises global regulators on best practices. He joins us on The Breakfast Grille to share his insights on the future of cryptocurrencies and digital assets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Donald Trump took the White House, he promised to withdraw from the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement, from the North American Free-Trade Agreement, he disavowed the global climate change accord, and criticized global institutions including the United Nations and NATO. He has delivered on some of these promises while still negotiating others, and might even change his mind on at least one (Paris Accords). Today we talk about Trump’s tone, Jerusalem and the role the US wants in the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Tan Sri Munir Majid about the direction of the country, challenges to its multicultural fabric, as well as the rise of China and how best to negotiate the best deal for ourselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to S&P, the value of Shariah-compliant assets globally is expected to reach up to USD3 trillion within the next decade. Dato' Rafique talks about the industry's growth potential, as well as the challenges, as Islamic finance strives towards greater mainstream acceptance. The CEO of Maybank Islamic, Malaysia's largest Islamic commercial bank, also shares his outlook on the sukuk market, potential M&As in the domestic Islamic banking sector, and HouzKEY.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Described by some as the 'bad boy of European politics', Yanis Varoufakis was the Greek Finance Minister in 2015 at the height of its debt crisis. On the sidelines of the World Capital Markets Symposium 2018, we speak to Yanis on his account of the events -  chronicled in his book 'Adults in the Room' - as well as his thoughts on the future of the EU and global capitalism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The UNDP champions 17 sustainable development goals, touching on the climate change, gender equality, and poverty. Do market structures have to be revamped? Does rising protectionism threaten this global agenda? How much has Malaysia achieved in this framework? Ms. Clark outlines the challenges and the costs in striving towards equality and sustainability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the run-up to the GE14, analysts and observers are sharpening their tools to better interpret political dynamics. From redelineation to seat allocation to the dynamics of building a coalition, Malaysians are witnessing a range of issues, not all of which are immediately understandable to the lay person. Today we ask what we need to be attentive in the next 100 days.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yong Tai Berhad is bullish on its development projects within Impression City in Melaka, as well as its potential regional expansion with its Impressions Melaka live performances.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Wira Dr Ameer Ali Mydin, Managing Director of the hypermarket and emporium chain, Mydin, is back in the hot seat to tell us why the company is selling its premium urban grocer, Sam’s Groceria. He also discusses what went wrong with the Kedai Rakyat 1Malaysia programme (KR1M), or the 1Malaysia People’s Shop, after the initiative was discontinued by Mydin last October.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This Scandinavian country has scores on social indices the envy of the world. It has produced global brands like Erricsson, H&M and Spotify. And its capital Stockholm, is home to more Unicorn start-ups, than any city in the world. Despite these successes, its a country with its own challenges from integrating immigrants and keeping the equilibrium in the Baltics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hindu festival of Thaipusam offers a much photographed spectacle of Indian ethnic identity. But behind this gathering are more difficult questions about the conditions of the community in the post-colonial period. Just over a decade ago, the Hindraf mass gathering shocked observers and politicians alike. Today we talk to Arumugan Kalimuthu, author of “March 8” and political activist, and Tasman Adrian, Youth Chief for Batu Constituency for the PPP, to explore if so-called “Indian issues” are best understood within an identity or class framework. And if the national dilemma over inequality - wealth as well as income - is the one pressing concern that Indians share with their fellow Malaysians. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

East Coast Economic Region Development Council (ECERDC) is “ready” to launch its Masterplan 2.0 soon. “Between 2018-2025, we have set a new target of RM70 billion investment,” ECERDC’s CEO Datuk Seri Jebasingam Issace John tells BFM. The new investment target will bring the total of investments for ECERDC to RM180 billion in 2025. Over the last decade, the East Coast region accumulated RM111 billion of private investments up to 2017, a target actually set for 2020. Manufacturing accounts for about half of investments pumped into the region, followed by tourism and oil & gas. Moving forward, Issace John says ECERDC’s Masterplan 2.0 will look at productivity, where the region will move to a knowledge based economy from a traditional manufacturing one. He acknowledges that they have to “gear and prepare” themselves for Industry 4.0. Issace John also talks about the the implementation of high-impact public infrastructure projects such as the Kuantan Port expansion, East Coast Expressway (Phase 3) and the East Coast Rail Line (ECRL) will play in the East coast. We ask him the reasons behind the escalating cost of the ECRL. Is the latest figure of RM55 billion for the ECRL a finalised or moving figure? BFM also asks him if we are relying too heavily on the Chinese. Of the foreign direct investments into the East Coast, 30% is from China. Listen in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prof. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak explains why Thailand has not returned to democracy after a military coup 4 years ago, the impact of China’s investments and challenges to ASEAN’s intergritySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lord Willetts speaks about his career as a Conservative Party politician, life Peer, academic and author, with his recently published book “A University Education”. We also get some unique insights into his interaction with former Prime Ministers, David Cameron, John Major and Margaret Thatcher.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we speak to the author of “The Development of Malaysian Capitalism, From British Rule to the Present Day” whose book is credited with responding to “naysayers” who have had a hard time explaining the success of our particular model of capitalist growth. We also explore her recent work on the “precious” relationship between Malaysia and the People’s Republic of China, especially as it has rapidly evolved over less than a decade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Frontier Digital Ventures (FDV) is focused on investing in online classifieds businesses that are in underdeveloped and emerging countries. Granted there is potential with the digitalisation of ads and growing internet/smartphone penetration… But, are they able to monetize this shift to online ads? While the company’s revenue is up year-on-year, net loss for FY2016 widened nearly 100% to $4.6 million Australian dollars (2015: $2.5 million). From the 13 platforms that it is in, all are making negative EBITDAs for 1H2017. What is FDV's path to profitability looking like? The company expects some of its investments to turn profitable this year but it will not be enough to bring the group to the black ink in 2018. Is FDV looking at M&A opportunities given that the company is sitting on cash of some AUD 16 million? (as at September 30, 2017) Listen in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the unipolar world that ended the American century giving away to the next hegemonic power like a China or is it going to usher in a multi-polar world? And if its going to be a multi-polar world, which countries are waiting in the wings and what do they stand for? Today we speak to the author of “Post-Western World: How Emerging Powers Are Remaking Global Order” who looks at countries in the BRICS grouping and beyond.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Donald Trump was inaugurated on the 20th of January last year, 12 months later his approval rating languishes at 39%. Today we look back on the first year of the Trump administration, in particular we take a look at how its policies have impacted the global balance of powers, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.