The Breakfast Grille

We speak to its Project Director,S Nalgunalingam about KL Sports City, the newly refurbished Bukit Jalil complex that was originally constructed during the 1998 Commonwealth Games.He also shares the initiatives taken to ensure sustainability of the sporting complex once the games are over. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 1985 and listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Vinda Group is the company behind personal hygiene brands such as TENA, Libresse, and Drypers. With core business segments in tissue, incontinence care, feminine care and baby care, Vinda aims to become a leading hygiene company in Asia. We speak to Su Ting Nee, Southeast Asia Regional President of Vinda Group on their operations in Malaysia, its green initiatives and prospects in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a year of political turmoil following the Brexit vote, UK-Malaysia businesses and trade ties remain strong. But the unfolding of Brexit negotiations between the UK and the European remain uncertain and in today’s Grille ask what will keep Malaysia an attractive destination for investments, are we well placed to be a regional hub for British businesses and does Malaysia’s turn to China for armaments pose challenges for the British arms industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rolls-Royce is a brand associated with the pinnacle of luxury and prestige. We catch up with Paul Harris, Asia Pacific Regional Director of Rolls Royce Cars; on how the brand is evolving in the region, and maintaining leadership in the top end of the market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Golden Gate Ventures is an early-stage venture capitalist firm in Southeast Asia with over 30 investments across 7 countries, including Carousell, Redmart and CodaPayment. Founding partner Jeffrey Paine talks about how Malaysian startups and the domestic ecosystem stack up against the rest of the region. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 As Allianz Malaysia continues to roll out its digitisation agenda, what would that ultimately mean for its 17,933 agents (as of 2016) and its customers? Zakri also provides industry updates following the detarrification of motor insurance premiums in July, and the new corporate governance policy by Bank Negara Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Throughout 2016, TBWA Worldwide has secured a line up of new business, most notably U Mobile, Taylor’s University, Dairy Farm and Tealive. We speak to Troy Ruhanen, President and CEO of TBWA to discuss the Malaysian advertising landscape, upcoming trends and engaging millennials.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato’ Seri Mustafar Ali was appointed Director-General of the Immigration Department in August last year, parachuted in from his previous position in the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC). One year on, we follow-up with the Director-General on efforts to make good on his pledge to clean up corruption in the department, as well as challenges in tackling border management issues, undocumented workers and curbing trafficking in persons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is RM6 billion enough to bring Malaysia Airlines back to sustained profitability and a 2019 relisting? How will MAB retain its crew amid fierce industry-wide competition for talent? Is premium still the way to go for the national carrier? Peter addresses these issues and more in his second Grille in two years.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia is one Sri Lanka's major trading partners with a trade surplus of over RM2.5 billion. We speak to HE AJM Muzammil, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to discuss how the country is open for business and the relationship it shares with China, India and Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recent survey showed that many young people are unclear where they stand in the race to capture the heart and minds of voters in the upcoming 14th General Elections. Whose fault is that and to what extent can political parties remedy the situation that some might blame them for. Today, we take a non-partisan approach to the question of the involvement of young people in politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato’ Zamani Kasim, CEO, Astaka Holdings Limited, talks up the vast potential of the Johor/Iskandar region, helped by the royal and political connections of its controlling shareholder Datuk Daing Malek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With some 60,000 'beauty consultants' here in Malaysia, how much more can Mary Kay grow in the domestic market? KK also speaks about the direct-selling cosmetic company's plans for halal certification, e-commerce, and regional expansion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato Foong Wei Kuong, Managing Director of JF Technology Bhd shares his journey from starting his company from his kitchen to becoming an innovator in the electrical and electronics industrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having been rejected twice by Malaysian regulators, Aspen Group finally got its IPO off the ground on July 28, albeit via Singapore's Catalist board. Dato' Murly highlights the property developer's flagship project, Aspen Vision City, which features the Ikea store in Penang, along with possible expansion plans across ASEAN.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is hosting the Latin American Business Day in Kuala Lumpur next Tuesday. The event serves as an opportunity for local businesses to look at trade opportunities between Malaysia and the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. On one hand, critics say the grouping suffers from a confusing “spaghetti bowl” of free trade agreements; on the other hand, Malaysian entreprenuers have focused on Mexico, almost to the exclusion of this fast field of play. Today we hear from the Mexican Ambassador as well as MATRADE representiative about what is on offer at the MITI event.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Yu Runze, Chief Strategy Officer of Country Garden Pacificview, discusses the China developer’s mammoth Forest City project, in terms of human capital management, commercial returns, governance, funding, politics, environment and technical challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Currently serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at Georgetown University, our guest today is the author of many books on terrorism and violence. Having interviewed hundreds of terrorist, Speckhard studies the thinking as well as the external conditions that makes a person a ready recruit to terror organisations. Her books included “Talking to Terrorists: Understanding the Psycho-Social Motivations of Militant Jihadi Terrorists, Mass Hostage Takers, Suicide Bombers and “Martyrs”, and “Bride of ISIS: One Young Woman's Path into Homegrown Terrorism”.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato’ Nicol David, eight times World squash women's champion and five times British Open winner, talks about Malaysia’s pipeline of top sporting professionals, the SEA Games, Squash’s continued exclusion from the Olympics and her continuing aspirations as a top professional.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President Moon Jae-in of South Korea was elected in May 2017 promising economic reform, amidst widespread public outrage over corruption allegations that plagued his predecessor. But a shadow hangs over the dynamic economy as its northern neighbour sends Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles in it way. We speak to South Korea’s envoy about the complexities at play in the divided peninsular, their fight against graft and bilateral trade relations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Published in the  South China Morning Post, an opinion piece by the regionally syndicated columnist, has pushed buttons over the expression “optimism deficit” . Are we an overly critical and negative lot, or are some people burying their heads in the sand while the country sinks? Today we look at both optimistic and pessimistic points of view and whether the twain will ever meet.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matrix Concepts has won the Forbes Asia's 200 Best Under A billion Award and is currently part of the Edge Billion Ringgit Club. With affordable housing at the top of the mind of homebuyers, government and property developers, Dato Mohamad Haslah Amin, Chairman of Matrix Concepts shares his secrets on how Matrix Concepts remains competitive in this market.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the last six decades, Chuan Huat has weathered many challenges in its key segments, namely steel and IT retail. Dato Mark Lim explains how the company intends to fend of the recent threats posed by Chinese steel imports and lacklustre retail consumer spending, all while expanding its production footprint across the Asean region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a background in both journalism and conflict resolution, Vatikiotis, is able to look beyond the glass and steel facades of Southeast Asia’s rapidly growing economies to get at deep dynamics that are shaping the region. Today we tap him for his views on this emerging community of over 600 million with a focus on the seemingly futile fight against graft, the failures of democratisation, and the rise of religious extremism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff, CEO, Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) is asked about his agency’s mandate, KPIs and results in delivering the country’s science and technology ambition.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tan Hai Hsin, Managing Director of Retail Group Malaysia  joins us on the Breakfast Grille to provide some insights into the retail industry eco system and how the industry is responding to numerous challenges, including the rise of eCommerce.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.