Enterprise Explores

Malaysia faces a talent crunch as fewer young people are choosing to continue into their tertiary education, which means that there are fewer workers entering the job market. With many SPM graduates opting for low-paying jobs over further studies, the value of a degree comes into question as the youth consider the cost-to-benefits of a degree in the current landscape. What does this mean for busin...

Institutional investors have traditionally kept their distance from crypto, but that’s apparently starting to change. On Enterprise Explores, we speak with Aaron Tang, APAC General Manager at Luno, to explore the drivers behind growing institutional interest and how Malaysia compares to regional markets in fostering adoption. In this episode, we delve into the state of institutional crypto adoptio...

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services are everywhere, making it easier than ever to split payments with no interest… if you pay on time. But for many young Malaysians, BNPL is turning into a debt trap, with overdue payments piling up before they even realise it. Are these services really helping people manage their finances, or are they encouraging overspending? Are BNPL providers doing enough to edu...

Food is more than just a meal. It is culture, tradition, and a reflection of our world. But the way we grow, cook, and eat is changing. Climate change, rising costs, and new food technologies are affecting what ends up on our plates. To explore what’s next, Kita Food Festival launched The Future of Food Series, a lineup of pop-ups and talks bringing together chefs, farmers, and researchers to reth...

Planning a trip has never been easier, or more overwhelming. With a few clicks, travellers can compare destinations, book flights, and even take virtual tours of hotels. But with endless options, misleading deals, and scams lurking online, making the right choice isn’t always straightforward. That’s where Interactive Virtual Tourism (IVT) comes in. By allowing travellers to connect face-to-face wi...

Geopolitics is reshaping global trade, positioning Malaysia, other ASEAN nations, and the Global South as key winners. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Aparna Bharadwaj, Managing Director & Partner at BCG Singapore and Global Leader of BCG’s Global Advantage Practice, as she unpacks the forces transforming international trade and what today’s business leaders must understa...

Did you know there are over 60 Chinese F&B brands in Southeast Asia with more than 6,100 outlets? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Jianggan Li, Founder and CEO of Momentum Works, tells us about the explosive rise of Chinese food and beverage brands in the region. Drawing insights from the "Chinese F&B in Southeast Asia" report, our conversation unpacks the key factors driving this e...

Malaysia’s unemployment rate has hit its lowest point in nearly a decade, signalling a major shift in the job market. But is this real economic growth or just a temporary post-pandemic effect? While hiring is on the rise, youth unemployment remains a challenge, and businesses still struggle to find skilled talent. Are Malaysians securing quality jobs, or is the gig economy playing a bigger role? W...

From Khazanah’s impressive 2024 performance to MAHB’s privatisation, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into the inner workings of Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional. The firm plays a crucial role in managing the nation’s wealth—but what drives its decisions, and how does it justify them? Drawing on insights from its 2025 Annual Review, our discussion with Managing D...

Straight As for Malaysia’s IPO Market? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the dynamic world of IPOs as Malaysia’s capital market outperforms its regional peers. Despite a 36% decline in overall Southeast Asian IPO proceeds, Malaysia doubled its funds raised in 2024 with 55 listings—the highest number since 2006. With record ACE Market listings and increasing foreign investor inte...

How do tariffs shape global trade and impact your bottom line? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we sit down with Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at Ambank Group, to decode the multifaceted world of tariffs. Drawing on historical insights and current trends, Firdaos explain how tariffs are designed for revenue generation and industry protection and dives into the ripple effects of these types...

Today, we’re looking at a major shift in how Malaysia’s civil service operates. The Ministry of Digital, in collaboration with Google Cloud, has launched the AI at Work 2.0 initiative, aiming to equip 445,000 public officers with cutting-edge generative AI tools. Beyond the technical capabilities of AI, there are deeper concerns, and from a public perspective, what does this mean for the way citiz...

Who controls AI’s future? As China’s DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen push open-source forward, OpenAI is doing the opposite — keeping its most advanced models proprietary. Earlier this year, CEO Sam Altman admitted that OpenAI may be “on the wrong side of history” when it comes to open-source AI, sparking intense debate. Is this a necessary move for safety and sustainability, or a power play that stif...

As AI becomes more widespread, its potential benefits and risks for businesses become clearer. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack four emerging AI trends that are set to reshape business with Azwan Baharuddin, Malaysia Country Managing Director of Accenture. Drawing on insights from their 2025 Tech Vision report, Azwan explains how exponential AI growth—termed the "Binary Big Bang"—...

From key leadership changes in Malaysia’s fintech scene and lifting of the digital bank moratorium in the Philippines, to emerging trends in crypto and digital banking, the Malaysian and ASEAN fintech world is off to a dynamic start in 2025. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we explore these developments with Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech News Malaysia. Vincent breaks down the latest...

E-commerce is evolving fast, and if there’s one platform that’s been shaking up the industry, it’s TikTok Shop. Just a year after launching in the United States, it has already raked in a staggering US$9 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). But beyond the numbers, this signals a massive shift in how consumers discover and buy products, that is, through entertainment-driven commerce. Here in S...

Platforms like Instagram are trying to lure creators away from TikTok with initiatives like the Breakthrough Bonus. At the same time, an increasing number of American users are migrating to Xiaohongshu (RedNote), a Chinese social media platform, despite security concerns. This has raised questions about its future growth and the potential strain on its censorship mechanisms. But is this the right...

From governance costs ranging between RM500k and RM3.5 million to board diversity extending beyond gender and age, this episode of Enterprise Explores unpacks findings from the 2024 Directors’ Remuneration Report, a joint initiative by Aon and FIDE FORUM. We examine how financial institutions structure compensation for their boards—and the implications for governance, accountability, and talent re...

Malaysia’s ties with Japan have long shaped its industrial growth, but is new momentum emerging through M&A deals, cross-border investments, and strategic partnerships into Malaysia’s SMEs and MTCs? From local succession challenges and IPO deadends to industrial reorganisations and the rise of halal products, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack Malaysia’s evolving role as an attr...

In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into the power of services in driving economic development, with Alessandro Barattieri, Senior Economist with the Office of the Chief Economist for East Asia and Pacific at the World Bank, to discuss the key findings of their "Services Unbound" report. Discover how digital technologies and policy reforms are reshaping economies in East Asia and the...

Malaysia tops the Southeast Asia-5 Data Centre Opportunity Index yet again, clocking an impressive 429 MW in annual take-up—well ahead of Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. From subsea fibre connectivity and cloud availability zones to an influx of tech giants like Microsoft, AWS, Google, and Oracle, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into factors that cement Malaysia’s position as a d...

Tourism has always been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economy, celebrated for its cultural diversity, natural beauty, and historic landmarks. The Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) initiative aims to position the nation as a global tourism hotspot, but its journey has been marked by challenges. From public backlash over a promotional video’s lack of cultural representation to debates about the campaign ma...

In today’s show, we’re exploring the challenges that businesses face when they’re aiming to go international and how they can successfully achieve this, considering financial constraints and having to comply with a country’s rules and regulations. We speak with Dr. Shan Nair, President of Nucleus, a one-stop global expansion solution for businesses and a consultant on international expansion. For...

Who are the key voices and influencers in Trump 2.0? Which policies should we watch for? How much power could Big Tech and Silicon Valley wield? Donald Trump’s return raises immediate questions about “America First” policies, renewed trade wars, and intensified immigration crackdowns—moves likely to reshape global business. In this conversation, we decode the Trump 2.0 agenda, from tax reforms to...

This month, Malaysia enters an important moment in data privacy with the rollout of the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024. Spanning three phases, the amendment introduces key changes — recognising biometric data as sensitive, mandating Data Protection Officers, and imposing heftier penalties for non-compliance. In this episode, we speak with Ong Johnson, Partner & Head of Technolog...