The Breakfast Grille

Damco Asia, a unit of Maersk Group, is a logistics and supply chain company. Delivering robust results for 2016 will be an ongoing challenge for them. Listen to Thomas Knudsen describe to us how they plan to navigate the stormy conditions to ensure growth can be delivered.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Motorola has undergone a business restructuring from mobile phones to focusing on mission critical and public safety communication. While new growth can come from the travel sector, we also discuss whether their strong position can be disrupted by cheaper alternatives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reports of Rohingyas arriving in boats and being turned away from Malaysian shores have put the country in the international spotlight. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have strongly condemned the move to turn the refugees away, but what exactly is the role of the UN in helping to resolve the crisis? In conjunction with World Refugee Day, we sit down with Richard Towle, UNHCR's Malaysian Representative, for an in-depth look at the complexities of the refugee crisis in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Parliament recently passed the Companies Bill 2015 , a much needed update. But what does it mean for companies, shareholders and directors? Today, our panel consists of Gilbert Gan, Executive Partner at Zaid Ibrahim & Co (a member of ZICO Law) and Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Executive Chairman of Axcel-asia. They discuss the nature of the bill and whether it can truly improve ease of doing business as well as achieving greater corporate governance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Public-listed Seacera Group started out in the tile manufacturing industry, but has since diversified into the property and construction sector. Now it's testing the waters of the medical equipment business through its purchase of a controlling stake in Proligen. What synergy does this have with tiles and property? We ask Zulkarnin Ariffin, Group Managing Director of Seacera Group, on the Breakfast Grille.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How strategic is the shipping industry? Do we need to bail out another industry?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Perlis, the smallest state in Malaysia, aims to punch above its weight. It is revamping itself to achieve developed status by 2030. Listen to Menteri Besar YAB Dato' Seri Azlan Bin Man explain what the state plans to do to achieve that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TA has come a long way from its stockbroking days to now an international investor in global property assets. A better share price performance will be a mark of a more successful transition for its young new CEO, the son of TA's founder,  Datuk Tony Tiah.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a career spanning 40 years with Polis DiRaja Malaysia, Musa Hassan lead the force as the Inspector-General of Police from 2006 to 2010. In 2005, a Royal Commission on the force was constituted which had as one of its central assumptions the acknowledgement that force is "generally viewed as inefficient, uncaring, unable to prevent or check crime, [that] infringements of human rights are extensive and PDRM is not seen as being transparent or accountable to the public”. Now in retirement he continues to promote issues concerning crime and security.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The saga of the unfavourable viral post is a reflection of greater competitive pressures within the telco sector. The 2 new players added to the 3 incumbents will benefit consumers while at the same time challenge the industry. The other challenge is the online revolution and how a leader like Maxis will respond to it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Danajamin was born out of the 2008 financial crisis to help boost the grade of corporates raising funds in the PDS market. Their CEO, Mohamed Nazri Omar, helps us understand the support role they play in the Malaysian corporate bond market as well as their continued relevance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chairman of Barisan Nasional's Backbencher Club and UMNO stalwart, Tan Sri Shahrir Abdul Samad, earlier this year announced this will be his last term in politics, after a career spanning close to five decades. Listen to his story as he examines how UMNO today has changed from the days of Tun Dr. Ismail and Tun Abdul Razak.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Norway's Telenor Group is one of the world's largest telecommunications company, with operations spanning across Europe and Asia. It also holds a 49% stake in Digi.Com. Telenor's CEO Sigve Brekke is on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the challenges and opportunities in Asia, as well as Telenor's transformation into a digital service provider.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the themes of the World Economic Forum on Asean is “mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution” together with sustainable growth and social inclusion, as well as regional integration. Bringing together leaders, politicians and captains of industry, to level up on a whole range of conversations from the necessity of human rights to the transformative power of digitisation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amnesty International is one of the world's most established human rights NGO's, having been founded in 1961. As co-chair of the World Economic Forum on ASEAN being held in Kuala Lumpur this year, Shetty challenges the conventional wisdom and "false choices" governments in the region often give their citizens when framing human rights debates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Islamic finance might be known to many, the life and minds of the Shariah scholars of Islamic finance have been shrouded in mystery. Listen to Datuk Dr. Daud Bakar, author of Shariah Minds In Islamic Finance as he tells us about the role Shariah scholars play in Islamic Finance and how they come about to make certain decisions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EthisCrowd.com claims to be the world’s first ethical and Shariah-compliant real estate crowdfunding platform, which allows investors to invest in socially responsible projects. Umar Munshi, founder of EthisCrowd.com discusses the group's affordable housing projects in Indonesia -- a market with a lot of potential but also many challenges.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The newly-launched Malaysia Aerospace Industry Association aims to promote and develop Malaysia as the aerospace hub of choice in Asia. Pro-tem President Naguib Mohd Nor joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss how the association plans to achieve this goal.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is the Grille that ties up a series of previous grilles. UDA Holdings is a well known name. It has business relationships with previous firms that we've interviewed, including the Kg. Bharu Development Corp, MIDA, BBCC and more. Listen to Datuk Ahmad Ahmad Abu Bakar, CEO of UDA Holdings Berhad defend how this company helps the Bumiputra agenda of the country using property development as a tool of the New Economic Policy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sasbadi is a household name in the education publishing sector. We pose some tough questions to co-founder and Managing Director, Law King Hui, and ask him how Sasbadi plans to stay relevant in the digital age.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It is challenging for a big company like Petronas Chemicals to deliver high growth as the company has become entrenched in the olefins and fertilisers divisions. PChem's share price is at about the same level over the last 5 years save for oil and currency related volatility. Projects like SAMUR and Rapid give the company some hope.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The volatile business environment has not only affected corporate Malaysia and large conglomerates. Smaller businesses are also feeling the pinch. These include coffee-shops and mamak stalls - a staple and big part of Malaysian food culture. Post-GST, operators are also having to cope with increased costs from foreign worker levies, reduced subsidies and weak consumer sentiment. We discuss how these operators are managing cost inflationary pressures and if that glass of teh tarik costs way more than it should.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Inaugurated with the Lima Declaration - promoting the free circulation of goods, services and people - the Pacific Alliance is a Latin American trade bloc which comprises Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru with Costa Rica and Panama in the process applying for membership. With over 40 countries with Observer status, and 3 out of 4 of in the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, the bloc is claiming an importance rivalling the more established Mercosur (Common Marker of the South) anchored by Brazil. Mexico as the cornerstone of the bloc which has 37% of Latin America’s population, 35% of its total GDP, 46% of its exports and 50% of its imports. This morning we ask how Malaysia fits into a bloc that seeks actively to engage with Asia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dato' Ilyas Mohamed, Chairman of Koperasi Amanah Pelaburan Berhad (KAPB), explains how KAPB intends to transform this sleepy organization into a force to be reckoned with in the world of investment funds.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global defence industry is big business. We speak to Stephen Phipson, Head of UKTI-DSO, a body tasked with promoting British defence companies, their products and services to the world. Listen as we uncover the ethics of marketing weapons of war, as well as the use of taxpayers funds for this purpose.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sweden-based JAK Members Bank is a member-owned, cooperative enterprise that operates on an interest-free savings and loan system. It's been called the safest bank in Sweden. Can a bank operate successfully if it does not charge interest on its loans? Sammy Almedal, CEO of JAK discusses the similarities of its model of interest-free banking with Islamic finance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christoph Mueller's concealed reasons for his resignation raises more questions about the restructuring and future of Malaysia Airlines. Certainly great strides have been made in the short term by targeting low hanging fruits through cost rationalisation. But Malaysians would ultimately want to know whether they would have to continue funding a national identity indefinitely. Listen to the full interview with the new Malaysia Airlines CEO, Peter Bellew on The Breakfast Grille dated 22nd July 2016 Interview Highlights What factors led to your resign decision? You said it’s due to personal reasons but did you feel a sense of responsibility to sit out your contractual term? "Yeah, good morning Julian, and thanks for having me, also thanks for the question to clarify. I do understand that this is a business station and I would ask you, which part of personal reasons do you not understand?" "You might recall that I signed to join Malaysia Airlines as early December 2014, I joined in January 2015, and have been busy working on this case ever since. So, let’s talk what has been achieved so far, and I believe we have moved very very swiftly, and very decisively in our restructuring plan" Was there an agreement by both parties to terminate this contract so soon after you signed it? "You might recall that I signed to join Malaysia Airlines as early December 2014, I joined in January 2015, and have been busy working on this case ever since. So, let’s talk what has been achieved so far, and I believe we have moved very very swiftly, and very decisively in our restructuring plan. We’ve seen more than just green shoots in going forward, we have a positive quarter in 2016. Our operating cash flow has turned into positive territory. We’ve stopped the bleeding. " "So, we ticked a lot of boxes in our restructuring plan which on our projected timeline, were marked as being later. So I think the whole the whole team have 14,000 employees of MAB can look back and say, you know, we’ve achieved a lot, but the job is not done - yet. Certainly. But I believe we can be proud of what we have achieved and that is basically where we are today in May 2016." Does Khazanah give you a free hand in managing MAS (MAB)? "We have embarked on MAB from the very first moment in, let’s say, running the company on commercial terms. And since Khazanah has pronounced, as early as August 2014 that they are not in for the long run, but as soon as this airline is marketable again, they will re-float MAB group through the market, as constituted behavior, on our part, as well as our shareholders’ part, we’ve behaved like a normal listed company in whatever we do, so I would strongly object that there is any let’s say undue influence that is different to any listed company." "We simply haven’t had the work for these 6,000 people. I still believe this was the darkest hour of MAS respectively, MAB, ever, to let go 6,000 people. It was a very hurting moment in our history." Was Khazanah okay with laying off of the 6,000 staff which has got implications for our national employment? "Yeah, but let’s face it. We simply haven’t had the work for these 6,000 people. I still believe this was the darkest hour of MAS respectively, MAB, ever, to let go 6,000 people. It was a very hurting moment in our history. But as we see, we have cut cost by 32% year over year. Our payroll cost are down 40% year over year. Our average fare per passenger, increased 22%, our production down merely 30%, we have turned into positive territory." "I think that most of the people if not all of them, have found new employment, and I want to say once more, that Malaysia is a place to do business, and the economy is very strong…. And literally apart from statistical unemployment, we are operating in an environment where everybody finds its fair place in the society and the economy " "These were necessary cuts and you know the workforce of Malaysia Airlines was bloated. Processes were inefficient, but on the good side, I think that most of the people if not all of them, have found new employment, and I want to say once more, that Malaysia is a place to do business, and the economy is very strong…. And literally apart from statistical unemployment, we are operating in an environment where everybody finds its fair place in the society and the economy" "We are often called regional airlines, and I would strongly oppose that because in airline language regional airlines are airlines flying within the country and regional aircrafts. We are an international airline. We transport more than 10 million passengers a year. Our route network is a global network. If you incorporate our partners, we want to connect Malaysia with the world. We want to support the local economy and we are suppose to fly to those places where Malaysian business people want to conduct their business" Does the strategy to cut staff,

The Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement brings about various changes to our IP laws, from copyrights, trademarks and patents, right down to the methods of valuing our IP. Listen to MyIPO's Deputy Director General, En Abdul Aziz Ismail and the Director of Ella Cheong Malaysia, Mr. Soh Kar Liang break down the complicated issues surrounding the IP laws in relation to the TPP.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

U Mobile is the smallest of the four mobile telco players and positions itself as a “challenger” to the Big Three incumbents - Maxis, Celcom and Digi. Can they keep this position amidst talk there could be a new entrant to the market? Wong Heang Tuck, the CEO of U Mobile joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss this and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waze is an Israel-based mapping and navigation company, which was acquired by Google in 2013 for over $1 billion. Malaysia is the biggest Waze markets in the region, with over 2.5 million monthly active users in KL alone. So why has Waze done so well in Malaysia? Amir Mirzaee, Business Development Lead for APAC, EU & US for Waze, joins us on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the reasons.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Briand Greer, President of Honeywell Southeast Asia joins us as we explore at length the business of Honeywell Asia. We discuss their aeronautics, electrical and electronics business, as well as their oil & gas division among others.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

EPF has made great strides in diversifying into foreign assets as well as upping its equity allocation. But retirement adequacy is still a huge problem. EPF is now having dialogues with the government for some kind of national income policy. There also appears to be an existential crisis of how to deal with the sharply devalued ringgit over the last few decades and how to move away from the mindset that home is best as far as investments are concerned. To catch the video, watch it here Interview Highlights Statutory bodies like Lembaga Tabung Angkatan Tentera, Tabung Haji, MARA; now they've all received very negative press regarding they way they conducted businesses. EPF however, seems to be spared that. Care to share with us why? "Well I think, as you know, the EPF takes a very high view on integrity, on governance and transparency as well. So I think if you look at what we're trying to do over the last four or five years especially, is to increase the amount of transparency of our proceedings, of what we do, and also in terms of our governance standards, to make sure the people understand that the EPF operates at the highest level of governance." "So it goes beyond just the structure of EPF. We have two boards. The board of directors that looks after the social security issues, and an investment panel that looks at independently at investment decisions. But all the way down to our transparency, if you look at what we do at a quarterly basis, we are one of the very few funds that actually announces quarterly results. We believe that is important because we hold public listed companies to a particular standard, and we want to make sure that we try to adhere as close to that as well." "If you look at our annual report, it goes into a lot of detail and not only about our investments, our accounts, but even down to our operations and what we do for our members. And I think it's important to remember as well, it's not just about managing money, it is also about managing the experience of our 14 million members and our 600,000 employers to make sure that whenever they come to an EPF branch, when they deal with the EPF staff, they get the highest level of service as well. So I think that the nett experience from the customer point of view, which is an affirmation that our belief in the integrity of the whole process. This basically goes along with assuring people that we are the kind of organization that they can rely on. Not just to manage the money, but to deliver the best service possible to members." You were appointed to head EPF back in April 2013, what sort of succession plan does EPF have? "Well, succession planning is extremely critical for any organization. For us especially at the EPF, we have been doing a lot of work over the last few years. Introducing new trainings and new programs to make sure that we have an internal pools of successors ready for a lot of key positions. I know, we have had discussions with our management, we're trying to focus on an 80-20 principle where at least 80% of all positions that come available for promotions or hiring are filled from internal resources. And only about 20% are from external resources." "And to do that we have invested a lot in terms of making sure that we have our people ready at all times. Sitting underneath me i have three deputy CEOs who are all very capable people and certainly I think at a pinch any one of them could fill in for me if I were to not be in the organization any more. And seeing things as far as EPF is concerned, our board takes a very serious look at it, and is a very augmented program to ensure that we have key people available for all key positions." "And what we do today is that we already know in advance, who's retiring, who's leaving the company, and we try to make sure that 3 months ahead of that departure, we have someone in place already to take over and to shadow that position for at least a few months before they step in to take over." "Well, they've renewed my contract in 2015 for another three years so certainly I think if all goes well, I'll be here for all those three years until 2018. Well I think it is quite an important period for us as well as we are doing a lot of transformation during this period as well as the introduction of our Shariah savings programme." "Well certainly if all goes well, I will be here for another 2 years until 2018. And I think it's an important period for us as well. We're doing a lot of transmission during this period including introduction of our syariah savings programme as well as you could see during the presentation of our annual report of changes of how we deliver our services. We're focusing on a lot more internet delivery and pushing online. And that's a very big part of my plan for the EPF for 2017, 2018. And b basically to make EPF and online organisation as far as possible. " "So certainly until 2018 I will be there. And anything beyond that is anybody's guess." The long term perfo

Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim, Chairman of Awqaf Holdings is never shy about his opinions regarding the shortcomings of GLCs and "Malaysia Inc". He proposes a more equitable way that balances religious obligation and corporate acumen that seeks to redistribute wealth from the top 1% back to the majority of the people, particularly to the poor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Engineering firm Surbana Jurong has played a huge role in developing city master-plans for over 30 different countries including its home-base in Singapore. Group CEO, Wong Heang Fine discusses some of its successes in urbanising the city's landscape and the future of cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In conjunction with World Press Freedom Day, we interview one of Malaysia's most influential press companies, Utusan Melayu Berhad on their thoughts on press freedom in the country. Listen as we have a frank discussion with Utusan's Group Managing Director, Datuk Mohd. Noordin Abbas, and ask what he thinks about the selective prosecution of journalists, leeway given to government press organs, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BHIC Bofors Asia is a joint venture company between BAE Systems and Boustead Heavy Industries. Listen to their Deputy CEO, Nils Ove Gustaffson explain their plans on expanding their business here, and how technology transfer happens, between three countries; Sweden, Britain, and Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Synonymous with credit cards, Visa is charting a new path as a payments solution company. Head of Products for Southeast Asia, James Lim discusses some of the new frontiers the group is embarking on, as it faces stiff competition from more nimble technology firms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Yeo is a veteran politician having served in 4 senior Cabinet positions after a career in the Republic’s airforce where he earned his stripes as a Brigadier-General. Since losing his parliamentary seat in the 2011 General Elections, has been associated with the Lee Kuan Yew School for Public Policy and more recently was elected Chancellor of Nalanda University in Bihar, India. We tap for his thoughts on island state as a model for other nations as well as tensions in the South China Sea.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heineken Malaysia Berhad, formerly known as Guinness Anchor Bhd (GAB), has been in sharp focus recently, following the government's move to change the excise duty structure. Managing Director Hans Essaadi discusses the impact of GST on its operating costs and what this will mean for the selling prices of its products. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The threat of cyber security is ever increasing. While BAE Systems is traditionally associated with military hardware, particularly their Typhoon Eurofighter,  they are also investing heavily in promoting cyber defence to many countries, including Malaysia. We sit down with John Brosnan, BAE Systems Managing Director for South East Asia to learn more about their growth strategies for this region and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are too many medical graduates but too few specialists leaving healthcare needs unfulfilled. Doctors and specialists are lured by lucrative positions in the private sector. Medical qualifications have become a commercial, supply side focus while healthcare funding and proper policy are left wanting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

YB Senator Dato' Dr. Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki, the Deputy Minister in the PM's Department in charge of Religious Affairs, discusses the role of the government in determining what being Shariah compliant means, the controversies surrounding Tabung Haji and other Islamic NGOs like YaPEIM and JAKIM. We also find out why the government believes that Zakir Naik is the voice of moderation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to Michael Tan, Executive Director of Pecca Group Berhad, discuss the listing of the company on Bursa Malaysia. They are a leather upholstery manufacturer and currently have a large client base in car makers. They plan to diversify into aircraft clients pending their approval from the DCA.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently compiled a list of the top 10 risks to the global economy, which included the possibility of Donald Trump winning the US presidential elections, a hard landing in China and the likelihood of a 'Brexit'. Simon Baptist, the Chief Economist at EIU walks us through the list, and shares his views of the most pressing concerns in today's increasingly volatile economic environment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPAC) are still under scrutiny but can Reach Energy stay above the rest? Listen to their CEO, Ir. Shahul Hamid explain their position.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) is one of the world's largest pulp and paper company. Tracing its origins from the Suharto regime in Indonesia, APP is now operating in over 120 countries globally. Listen to Jose Raymond, APP's Vice President of Corporate Affairs explain how APP is combating haze and pollution, while at the same time remain profitable and commercially viable. He also explains how Singapore's Transboundary Pollution Act affects his firm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his postscript to his collection of columns and speeches titled “The Malaysia That Could Be” the former Editor-in-Chief of the New Straits Times Press Bhd lays bare the country’s political dynamics as he sees. Having had a leading role in helping the Administration of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi set the early course of his government, Kalimullah speaks to issues of leadership, “the unforgiving world of Malay politics”, UMNO factionalism, racism in the media establishment and a sense of hopelessness for positive change in the country.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tower sharing can greatly lower capex cost for telco players. OCK takes this proposition to other emerging Asean economies where mobile usage growth is expected to be strong. It helps that Telenor is also OCK's customer, giving OCK a bluechip insulation from some of the political risker nations in the region.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On February 18th, the Human Resources Ministry signed a MoU with Bangladesh to bring in 1.5 million workers, over the next three years.The very next day, the Home Ministry announced a freeze on the intake of all foreign workers. And happening concurrently is the rehiring programme to legalise undocumented foreign workers. We sit down with Deputy Home Minister, Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed, to cut through the cloud of confusion over the current state of our foreign labour policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Japan Tobacco International (JTI) claims that sales of illicit cigarettes are on the rise. Listen to JTI's MD, Guilherme Silva explain why he thinks the industry is at a 'tipping point' on the back of the aggressive excise sales tax imposed by the government in recent months.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.