The Breakfast Grille

Voon Tze Khay the General Manager of REV Asia Berhad shares how the digital media group is expanding its market reach within the Malay- and Chinese-speaking audience segment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Business Integrity Alliance was set up in 2016 to identify and eliminate corruption through engagement with the business community in Malaysia. We ask if integrity and ethics in business can indeed be taught, what the resistance in the business community might be, the place of Government Linked Companies in the anti-corruption drive, and the effect of corruption on the bottom line.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Managepay's transition will be rough as witnessed by the sharp fall in reported profits and share price but the potential, if executed well, is great.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we look back on the year, we reflect on the coverage we did on the biggest story of the decade: the rise of China. With headlines like "$100 Billion Chinese-Made City Near Singapore 'Scares the Hell Out of Everybody’" (Bloomberg), it's a narrative that has developed with a significant Malaysian footnote. In this episode we have excerpts from the best Breakfast Grille conversations we have had throughout the year on China with various thinkers and industry leaders. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2016 saw Malaysia explore new frontiers in financial technology, or Fintech, which introduced new innovative ways to disrupt traditional finance business models. Ibrahim Sani recaps of the year that was, with some of our best Breakfast Grille interviews on Fintech. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeffrey S. Yablon is the Executive Vice President and General Manager for Asia Pacific of InClinica, a US-based clinical Contract Research Organisation (CRO). He joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the CRO business model and why the company has chosen Malaysia as its regional hub.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the late 70's, China's comprehensive transformation has witnessed policies that have changed institutional arrangements, societal frameworks, and governance structures of one of the most influential countries today. Though bringing prosperity and power to China, they have also resulted in demographic and environmental challenges that have in turn required counteracting policies.  Today, we ask how China balances its public policy against the corresponding effects, and what kinds of conversations are being generated around questions of an overburdened public sector, food security, environmental degradation and the NIMBY phenomenon to name a few.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Equity Crowdfunding is seen as a new form of fundraising that allows startups and SMEs to obtain capital through small equity investments from a relatively large numbers of investors, using online portals to publicise and facilitate such offers. In November, the Securities Commission approved six registered equity crowdfunding platforms. One of the approved is pitchIN. Henry Loke, the CFO of pitchIN, joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss equity crowndfunding as an alternative of raising capital.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is an AirAsia dependency necessarily a bad thing for Tune Protect? And does their digital ambition open opportunities for this?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listed property developer EcoFirst is selling of one of its crown jewels - the 1Segamat Mall in Johor - and is banking on its biggest project Ampang Ukay to anchor growth over the next decade. Dato' Tiong Kwing Hee, Group CEO and Executive Director of EcoFirst Consolidated Berhad joins us on the Breakfast Grille to share more insights into the company’s plans.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We discuss what fintech means for an old insurance company like AIA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over 45% of Malaysians who borrow from PTPTN, a student loan organisation, do not pay back their loans. We speak to Mastura Mohd Khalid, the Deputy CEO of Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional on why people don't honour their legal and moral obligations to settle their debts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Animal health solution provider Rhone Ma Holdings is set to list on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia on December 19th. Dr. Lim Ban Keong, Managing Director of Rhone Ma tells us more about the business and why they have chosen to list amidst weak market sentiment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysia-based Farringdon Group, a private wealth and investment manager, is set to launch Asia's first Shariah-compliant robo-advisory platform. CEO Stuart Yeomans tells us more about this new frontier and how he deals with regulatory & compliance concerns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corruption never really goes away; while ethics and morals are important, it is too simplistic to argue that their mere presence can counteract institutional rot. The International Anti-corruption Academy (IACA) aims to substantially contribute to the fight against corruption through rigorous academic study and culturally diverse training programmes. We speak with Martin Kreutner, an influential voice in anti-corruption circles and the dean of the IACA, regarding the state of corruption in the world and the efforts to combat its proliferation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark Smalley, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Neuroware, demystifies the world of distributive ledgers, commonly known as blockchains.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a weakened market environment, going back to basics in investing may prove to be a safer move to take. But those who can capitalize on market inefficiencies may see some gains to be mined in such a lean market environment. We speak with Munirah Khairuddin, CEO of CIMB Principal Asset Management (CPAM) to find out more on this, and to better understand the main principle of asset management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Xbit Asia's success as the country's first bitcoin exchange depends on ambitious plans to get consumers and merchants to buy into the cryptocurrency idea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recent months has seen leadership changes in IPG Mediabrands. Newly appointed CEO Bala Pomaleh joins us on the Breakfast Grille to share his insights into the advertising industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Courier service provider Nationwide Courier Services Berhad is embarking on a turnaround strategy which includes a proposed bid to acquire Airpak Express as part of efforts to capture growth in the e-commerce segment. Managing Director Rozilawati Basir outlines the group's strategy to compete against the new players in the industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Water Services Industries Act (WSIA) 2006 was meant to give states greater control over managing their respective water supply. But after nearly 8 years in power, Pakatan Harapan, wrangling over the issue continues. Today the ex MB explains his side of the story, and why he thinks the responsibility should still lie with the current state administration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Any asset can be collateralised to raise funding. Pos ArRahnu takes it one step further by pawnbroking smaller denominations of gold as a versatile facilitator of microcredit. We look into the pros and cons of this business including whether expensive effective interest rates are Islamic, funding options, and the digital impact.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NanoMalaysia, the business entity under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, is mandated to be the lead driver for the nanotechnology industry in Malaysia. We ask CEO Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad just how successful NanoMalaysia has been with the commercialization for nanotechnology.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Earlier this year, the world was stunned by the brazen cyber-heist carried out on Bangladesh’s central bank from which $81 million was stolen. The then-governor Dr Atiur Rahman resigned from his post after the theft, just four and a half months before his planned retirement. For a man who was awarded ‘Central Bank Governor of the Year for Asia 2015', what did the abrupt departure mean for his legacy? Has the scandal overshadowed the pioneering socially responsible financing programmes he put in place during his tenure? We ask the man himself, on the Breakfast Grille.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Adam Brimo, founder & CEO of OpenLearning on the future of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) in Malaysia. OpenLearning is an online learning platform that helps digitise education in the country, by working closely with local universities. Do MOOCs help with the democratisation of education, or does it turn universities into businesses? Even if this is so, is it an entirely bad thing? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lim Kok Hing, Founder & Executive Director of the online payments provider iPay88, says the smartphone will be the wallet of the future, as money goes digital and cash diminishes in usage.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holstein Milk Company is the appointed anchor company for Khazanah Nasional's NKEA Project in the Agrifood sector. We speak to their CEO, Loi Tuan Ee on how they plan to provide fresh farm dairy products to the people of Malaysia, and beyondSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Smartly, a robo-advisor set up in Singapore, allows customers to invest cheaply and speedily. The disruptive forces of fintechs will pose a great challenge to the traditionally high-cost fund managers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ThinCats is Australia's first online market for secured business loans linking retail lenders and investors with SME borrowers. We speak with their CEO, Sunil Aranha on how this business might work here in MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MKH Berhad, formerly known as Metro Kajang Holdings, started out as a property developer of townships in Kajang and Semenyih but have now diversified into the plantation business with 16,000 hectares in Indonesia. Tan Sri Eddy Chen, the managing director of MKH, discusses how the group plans to weather the current property down cycle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today as polls closed across the USA we cross over to three Malaysians in the thick of the battle for political control of the world’s only Superpower. We examine issues of ground sentiment, White identity politics, control of the Senate and the implication of either a Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton win for global dynamics. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stockspot is an Australian-based robo adviser disrupting the investment scene. By charging low fees for investing in Exchange-Traded Funds, they are championing the fintech revolution. We speak to Stockspot's Founder & CEO, Chris Bryki to learn more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The author of the best-selling book titled “When China Rules the World: the End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order,” joins us to catch up on developments since 2012 when his books was published. The book has been translated into fifteen languages and has sold several hundred thousand copies.  The book has been shortlisted for two major literary awards and his TED talk on how to understand China has had over 2 million views. On the back of the trip of Prime Minister Najib Razak to Beijing and the RM144 billion worth of deals signed, we ask if we should exercise caution even as China’s extends its hand in trade and investments. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PM Najib Razak’s week-long visit has international observers taking note of the Administration’s agenda on trade and defense in terms of the balance of power in the region. One analyst suggests that Malaysia has become a “wobbly domino” while another suggests that we are pursuing a “balanced approach” towards China and the new realities in the region. Yet others point to the cooling relations with the US following the July move by a unit of the US Justice Department known as the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative announcing it was investigating 1MDB. Today we learn from the Administration its view of this third high level visit to China by the Prime Minister.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Lee, CEO, Ombudsman for Financial Services comes under the radar for his dispute-mediation role in Bank Negara's newly formed division that was formerly known as the Financial Meditation Bureau. The Ombudsman's independence, the financial industry's burden of responsibility, and consumer knowledge and rights are among the topics discussed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the recent Legislative Council elections and the even more recent refusal by elected members to 'play by the rule book' at the swearing in, we take a brief survey of a complex conversation the people of Special Administrative Region are having with themselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rita Benoy Bushon has been an illustrious, vocal advocator for the rights of minority shareholders during her 8-year tenure as CEO for the Minority Shareholders Watchdog Group. Given lingering governance issues and the dominance of GLCs in corporate Malaysia, the question of whether an appropriate successor can be found to fill the shoes of the outgoing CEO comes to the fore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2014, Khazanah introduced the 12-Point Malaysia Airlines Restructuring Plan. In it, Malaysia Airlines planned to shed over 6,000 jobs. The Corporate Development Centre (CDC) was created to help reskill and retrain those who exited MAS and help them better prepare for the job market. Listen to CDC's CEO, Shahryn Azmi explain the progress of the programme, and help us better understand the current job market in Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Known as the de facto capital of the European Union, the biggest political & economic decisions are decided in Brussels, Belgium. H.E. Daniel Dargent discusses the relevance of the EU post-Brexit, as well as how the country is tackling new challenges in immigration & terrorism.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More needs to be done to clarify the rationale of the biodiesel policy which might have environmental, costs and inflationary considerations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BCM Alliance Berhad is involved in the distribution of commercial laundry equipments and supplies medical devices to hospitals. They are heading for an IPO this October. Listen to their Managing Director, Liaw Chong Lin, as he outlines his company's growth plans following the listing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hanley Chew, CEO of Berjaya Hotels & Resorts, joins us on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how he plans to shake up the hospitality industry to meet the needs of a new breed of travellers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Steve Keen, Head, School of Economics, Politics & History at London's Kingston University, says massive global accumulation of private debt puts the world economy on the cusp of financial collapse. He also talks Brexit, AEC, gold as a currency whilst also debunking Islamic Finance's supposedly safe characteristics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kuantan is quite literally and perhaps metaphorically at the centre of Malaysian and China relations. Kuantan port's strategic location saves 1 to 1.5 hours over Port Klang and Singapore en route to China. The Malaysia-China Kuantan Industrial Park (MCKIP) was set up to take advantage of such a relationship. We find out how this, along with the East Coast Economic Region (ECER), which covers Kuantan, has benefitted the region. There is also the question of how China's expansionist policies in the South China Sea affect business relations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Islamic economy is a scope that covers a wide range of sectors and issues. However, over the last half century, the topic on developing Islamic economy has been dominated by the role of Islamic finance, and within that, Islamic banking. To tell us about the larger elements of what Islamic Economics can bring to the world, we speak to Prof. Aslam Haneef, Director of the Centre of Islamic Economics, IIUM.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Islamic fund managers are now in a dilemma. Having invested predominantly in the Oil & Gas sector, they have been forced to move their funds elsewhere to more favourable sectors. We speak with Iqbal Khan, CEO of Fajr Capital to see where these funds are heading to.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

REDtone International Berhad is a broadband and voice solutions provider. They are heavily focused on the digital future; discussing this and more, we speak to their Managing Director, Dato' Wei Chuan Beng. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From the people who brought you the Subang Jaya Medical Centre, cost-cutting will be a major strategy to deal with the competition as well as possibly healthcare affordability. The group is also looking into acquisitions at a time when assets prices are expensive and parent Sime Darby looking into financial rationalisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Golf has seen a steady decline in Europe since 2010 according to a report by KPMG. This also comes on the back of Adidas and Nike winding down the golf business. We ask the question of how golf can expand its appeal and at the same time how the European PGA can grow the business. Keith Pelly offers a few game changers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' M. Murly, founder and CEO of Aspen Group, an affordable housing-focused property developer, talks about making the sector profitable, and how lackluster market conditions has seen them innovate, making technology services an integral part of its revenue streams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.