The Breakfast Grille

As the world begins to embrace the entrance of electric vehicles and electric engines into the market, we ask the question of how this would impact transportation on a wider scale? We talk to Tony Seba, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Disruption and Clean Energy of Stanford University as well as author of the report, Rethinking Transport 2020 - 2030 to shed some light on the disruption and it's implications on the transportation of the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Just three years ago Sony was on the ropes and had lost its mojo. After a successful turnaround, Sony  it is looking to the future with new innovative products and  a marketing strategy focusing on customer experience. The Managing Director of Sony Malaysia, Satoru Arai tells us why Sony is cool again.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shareholders of Sedania Innovator recently approved the acquisition of Islamic FinTech platform provider Sedania As-Salam Capital for RM12 million. How will Sedania achieve synergies between this acquisition and its other verticals, namely Green Technologies, Internet of Things, Big Data Analytics and mobile airtime sharing? Datuk Azrin and Ridzuan also explain how SASC will help Sedania rebound from its 2016 net losses of RM2.14 million, while shoring up share prices which have halved since its high in July 2015.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the public tranche of Advancecon's IPO oversubscribed by 10.28 times, Yeo believes the timing is now right for the earthworks and civil engineering specialist to tap the capital markets to fund its expansion plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Volkswagen is on a major drive to win back the trust of their customers after Dieselgate and major issues in Malaysia. The new CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Malaysia, Erik Winter tells us of his plans to rebuild the Volkwagen brand.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tan Sri Lim Hock San, MD of the property developer LBS Bina, talks about the nuances of the affordable housing segment, its launches for 2017, China market potential in Zhuhai, and its growth strategy  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The detariffication of motor insurance premiums went into effect July 1, 2017. Antony explains how will this affect Malaysian motorists and insurance companies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Siew Ka Wei, the Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, talks about government policies to steer more arrivals and spending to the country and measures to repair the reputational damage that has afflicted the nation in recent years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Celebrity Fitness and Fitness First set to be housed under a new entity, Evolution Wellness is poised for a stronger hold on the Asian market. Simon outlines the growth prospects and the challenges that lie ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his latest book, "China's Crony Capitalism: The Dynamics of Regime Decay", Professor Minxin Pei casts doubt on whether China's ongoing anti-corruption campaign can be truly effective in tackling endemic financial malfeasance in the country. We speak with Professor Minxin Pei on his views regarding the roots of corruption, the pervasiveness of crony capitalism and the future of democracy in the world's second largest economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

About one-third of the estimated 3,000 freight forwarders operating in Malaysia are registered members of the Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders. Alvin outlines the challenges facing the industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his latest book, Prof. Guy Standing lays out the case against rentier capitalism - where a small majority accumulate vast wealth and power from rental income of tangible and intangible assets - and how universal basic income can mitigate the grievous economic imbalance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isuzu is synonymous with tough SUV’s and commercial vehicles. It was a rising star in the global automotive industry in the 80's, but declined in the 90's. The automotive industry is rapidly evolving and Isuzu needs to stay relevant. The Malaysian MD talks to us about Isuzu's direction in Alternative Fuels, Autonomous vehicles and its plans for Malaysia and the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Irish Central Bank warned that Ireland is the EU economy most likely to be affected by Brexit. Part of this is because Ireland was more reliant on UK export markets that any other EU country. The Bank’s Chief Economist said the overall impact of Brexit of the Irish economy is uncertain, and depends on the nature of any new trade agreement. In the event of a hard Brexit with no UK-EU trade agreement, its said GDP would fall by 3%. Today we look at the complex road for the country of under five million people.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kedah State Development Corporation owns a 67% stake in Bina Darulaman, which is the largest property player in Kedah. Datuk Izham explains how the company balances the state government's socio-economic agenda, versus ensuring profit growth for shareholders.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sepang International Circuit has been hosting the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix for the past 18 years, but 2017 marks the last edition of the world-renowned motor racing event in Malaysia. Brian Fernandez speaks to Dato' Razlan Razali, the Chief Executive Officer of Sepang International Circuit (SIC), to learn about the business of motorcar racing and the fate of Sepang International Circuit beyond Formula One.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Daibochi Plastic and Packaging Industries is set to expand its ASEAN footprint, with forays into Myanmar and Indonesia. Will its regional expansion plans come at a cost to its Malaysian operations? Thomas delves into the company's growth prospects.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael Chan, CEO of MYTV, the free-to-air digital terrestrial TV broadcaster controlled by Tan Sri Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, addresses issues such as competition with the incumbent Astro, the extensive funding needs of the new platform as well as the commercial viability of a platform that is being threatened by Internet streaming services.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“From 1990, the trend flipped; a century’s worth of rich nations’ rise has been reversed in just two decades. Their share is now back to where it was in 1914. This trend, which might be called the ‘Great Convergence’, is surely the dominant economic fact of the last two or three decades. It is the origin of much of the anti-globalization sentiment in rich nations, and much of the new assertiveness of “emerging markets,” writes Professor Baldwin. Today he speaks to us both about global trends as well as our own national car project.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Increasing “halal certification” awareness among consumers is spurring growth in “halal” manufacturing. And the Johor Halal Park, the preferred name for the UMLand joint venture with the Johor state government, plans to ride this wave. It is positioning itself as a 100% halal - differentiating itself from the two dozen already existing halal parks in the country - as well as leveraging on its proximity to Singapore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Briand talks about Honeywell's  transformation from an old industrial Fortune 100, company into a major IOT( Internet of things) player and future leader in the "Connected Internet".He also talks about his experiences as a US Navy Aviator and as an entrepreneur and how this has shaped his career as a corporate leader.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philip Teo, Executive Director/Acting Group Chief Executive of the Enterprise Data Management firm Kronologi Bhd, talks about its growth prospects such as in India, where its acquisition of Quantum Storage (India) (QSI) Pte Ltd is expected to give its earnings a lift this fiscal year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over a decade since its establishment, PHB now has about 56,000 investors. Datuk Kamalul speaks about the prospects of commercial property development, while boosting Bumiputera ownership in such assets in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Finnish start-up HMD Global is the new home of Nokia phones. James speaks about the rationale of being back the iconic Nokia 3310 and how its smartphones can compete in an ultra-competitive market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Henry, Founder and Senior Principal of the Australia-based global architecture and design firm Populous, talks about its specialty in sports and entertainment structures, including their track record that includes London's O2 Arena and football team Tottenham Hotspurs' new ground. Populous are in KL to help MRCB design KL Sports City, which is a revamp of the sports facilities at Bukit Jalil.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is Africa Day, when the founding of the Organisation of Africa Unity is commemorated. The theme this year is “Harnessing the Demographic Dividend through Investment in Youth.” The youngest of the world’s continents, Africa also has the highest level of youth unemployment. We explore how countries on the Continent will make the best use of its demographics, if politics remains an impediment to progress and why trade between Malaysia and African nations is tepid.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From being on standby for US President Barack Obama to treating medical tourists, Prince Court Medical Centre prides itself in being a 'full-fledged' hospital. However, Chong explains how he's managing the challenges in the healthcare industry, from contending with medical inflation to tackling the shortage of nurses and specialist doctors.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Creative industries contribute 1.6% to the GDP, and through this investment arm , it aims to boost it further. Established in 2012, the initial funding was RM200 million, and this year MyCreative is targeting to invest between RM50 and RM60 million to finance up to 25 companies. Is this public money well spent and where has the arm taken us in what is essentially a global conversation on the creative class and its role in growth story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ba U Shan-Ting, President of Domino's Pizza Malaysia & Singapore, discusses the various road-bumps faced by the pizza player in recent years, like GST and rising labour and material input costs. But store openings have been rising and demand has been strong for the franchise player. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andre Stiegler, Studio Manager for the gaming company Codemasters, talks about relocating to Malaysia, the only foreign outpost for the British firm and the dfficulties of navigating sea change in the gaming industry from consoles to online, and trying to stay afloat at the same time. He also talked about Malaysia as an overseas office and the value it adds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A global paranoia over security threats have settled into the norm of everyday life for most people in cities and on the internet. iCetana, is a company that specialises in the business of surveillance, which has a market that includes perhaps unsurprisingly the retail sector. We ask CEO Chris Farquhar about security trends and whether the world has indeed become a more dangerous place to live in.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the oil and gas slowdown in recent years, T7 Global, then known as Tanjung Offshore, also had to contend with a boardroom tussle and allegations of money laundering. Datuk Seri Dr. Nik Norzrul explains how the company is moving past its legacy issues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yesterday, the Malay-right group Perkasa launched a campaign to undermine the electoral success of the Malaysian Indian Congress. They said they would begin in Datuk Seri Dr. S. Subramaniam's constituency of Segamat, Johor. Today we ask the 5th President of one of the founding parties of the Federation, how he views this and other challenges. We also discuss the recently-announced Malaysian Indian Blueprint and the ever-burgeoning public healthcare system.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bringing back some of the approximately 150,000 Malaysians in the diaspora back home, is a hot button public issue. While it represents only 5% of the 6 year old agency’s current work, it probably occupies  the lion share of the conversation that TalentCorp generates on the global issue of talent. Today we look at the government’s efforts on the brain drain issue as well as graduate employability.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Michael J. Lambert, Director of Banknotes at the Federal Reserve and Head of the US Currency Education Program, talks big themes like the war on cash, counterfeiting, going digital, cryptocurrencies and the Yuan onslaught.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Axiata is betting on a Celcom turnaround to move past 2016, a year which the telco "wants to forget". Investors would probably look for proof that Axiata is a good fund manager of regional telco and tech assets by boosting its share price which has substantially underperformed the FBMKLCI last year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has a plan to encourage the B40 group to become ride-sharing drivers. Meanwhile, there's a push in Malaysia's parliament to legalise such services. Is it all smooth sailing now for Uber Malaysia? Leon explains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Lim Ooi Joo, Managing Director of Inta Bina Group Bhd, the Klang Valley and Johor-focused building contractor, is going for listing on the ACE Market at the end of May. But unlike other builders with CONQUAS and QUALITAS accreditation, has no plans to move into development just yet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Ministry of Finance's recent report, Malaysia's property market saw an 11.5% decline in transaction volume and 3% drop in value in 2016. Against that backdrop, Goh speaks about the prospects of this boutique high-end developer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, Executive Director, Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) & Sivarajan Arumugam, Secretary-General, Parti Sosialis Malaysia PSM participate in a panel on the proposed Employee Insurance Scheme (EIS), discussing the necessity of starting a social safety net for retrenched workers. Good idea -- but Issues like scheme mechanics, oversight, management and governance come into play. Plus, should the masses subsidise a few?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exactly how free is the Malaysian media? As of 2017, the country ranks 144th on the World Press Freedom Index. Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed does not agree with the ranking, given that the country enjoys unrestricted internet access and a space for independent media outlets to operate. On this World Press Freedom Day, we discuss with him about what constitutes "press freedom" in multiracial and multi-religious Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Many of the most highly regarded works on Malaysian history, politics, economics, sociology and law have been carried out here at Australian National University.” The director of the newly set-up Malaysia Institute was also reported saying that  “Australian scholarship on Malaysia has declined in recent years, and more Australians studied the Malay language in the 1970s than they do today.” To understand the larger higher education story as well as the specifics of the Institute, we speak to the Ross Tapsell its newly minted director.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are the doors closing for aspiring immigrants to the New Zealand? Its government is taking a Kiwi-first approach and is tightening the immigration policy as it shifts focus to attracting skilled migrants. But there still are opportunities for Malaysians there: Investors are welcomed especially in sectors, like tourism, which are growing rapidly. As New Zealand and Malaysia celebrates the 60-year milestone in its relationship, we spoke to the High Commissioner of New Zealand about its relationship with Malaysia, ASEAN and China.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charles Brewer, CEO of DHL eCommerce, talks strategy in an ASEAN market that is growing at leaps and bounds in the one area which is upending traditional retail: ecommerce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SilverTech Global is the result of a joint venture between Heitech Padu and SilverLake. Its core business is in the digital government market, specialising in public sector identity management projects for developing countries. Do they have the solutions to transform tedious and complex bureaucratic processes in governments that would better serve the public? We ask its CEO Jonas Lind.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Donald Trump came to the White House as an outsider. And while he as excelled at signing Executive Orders, his legislative agenda has been beset with problems which in part reflect his inexperience in the complex levers of government, his inability to pander to the Republican who control Congress and his own lack of a coherent policy agenda. But it is early days yet for a man who might end his tenure as a President of consequence.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tomorrow is Earth Day with its focus on environmental and climate literacy. The global campaign see literacy as “the engine not only for creating green voters and advancing environmental and climate laws and policies but also for accelerating green technologies and jobs.” It will also see the launch of the autobiography of veteran environmental campaigner, Gurmit Singh. His book is titled “Memoirs of a Malaysian Eco-Activist”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Tyre Retreading Manufacturers Association of Malaysia, 30% out of 1.2 million retreaded tires on the market were not manufactured according to specifications. Cheah addresses the concerns surrounding the industry, ahead of Eversafe Rubber's IPO on April 21.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Responsible for the training and development of the 45,000 employees of Malaysia's biggest bank by market cap, Nora Manaf, Group Chief Human Capital Officer of Maybank Group, shares how she's trying to ensure job satisfaction in a VUCA world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Spotify now boasts 100 million users, and about half of them are paid subscribers. Sunita highlights Asia’s role in the overall growth strategy for one of the world’s leaders in online music streaming.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.