Let's Talk, Singapore

Under the new SkillsFuture Jobseeker Support Scheme, lower- and middle-income workers who have lost their jobs would get up to S$6,000 over a period of up to six months. Four weeks of government-paid paternity leave will be made mandatory from April 2025. And additionally, a new Shared Parental Leave scheme will also be introduced, comprising 10 extra weeks of paid leave, shared between both paren...

Matt Taylor, Senior Director, FTI Consulting discusses what investors should expect from the Jackson Hole Summit and other central bank actions this week. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A “major reset” in Singapore’s policies and attitudes - that’s how Lawrence Wong described his maiden National Day Rally speech since taking office as Singapore’s Prime Minister three months ago.  Among the key initiatives - a financial aid scheme targeted at providing support for retrenched workers, and an extra 10 weeks of shared leave for parents of newborns. More grants for lower-income couple...

On this World Photography Day, we’re diving into the incredible power of photography, and how images shape our world. There are those personal photos that we all love and cherish, but there are also photos that tell a story, preserve history, and spark change. Audrey, Ryan and Emaad talk about the power of a corporate headshot, and explore some famous photos you’ve probably seen before—but with st...

In this episode of Mind Your Business, we speak with the CEO of a sporting giant, where he will share how his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut shaped his career and leadership style. With over two decades of experience, he has played a key role in Decathlon’s global expansion, and now he's focused on transforming the sporting experience in Singapore. From his passion for adventure sports t...

In a year marked by heightened political activity and the rise of election-related misinformation, brands face unprecedented challenges in maintaining their reputation and consumer trust. How should businesses and brands advertise safely in an Election year? We speak with Laura Quigley, SVP, APAC, Integral Ad Science, to explore the impact of AI, deep fakes, and stricter regulations on advertising...

Joshua Liaw, CEO, Elite UK REIT shares what he's keeping an eye on in the property sector following the change to a Labour government. He also shares his view on the MAS's latest proposal to simplify leverage requirements for all Reits is a step in the right direction, but feels more can be done. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The AI landscape is a fierce battlefield where tech giants vie for dominance. Leading semiconductor company, AMD is a formidable contender, pushing the boundaries of computing power and driving innovation in AI hardware and software. We speak with Alexey Navolokin, Director, Commercial Sales, Asia Pacific Region, AMD to find out more about their latest offerings and how AMD is shaping the future o...

Matt Maley, Chief Market Strategist, Miller Tabak shares his insights on potential fireworks that might be seen in the markets in the next week when the Democratic National Convention takes place, sectors that he is keeping an eye out for, and his takeaways from Disney's latest earnings. Presented by: Ryan Huang Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: AaronP/Bau...

When you have time alone for meals, what do you do to pass the time? Do you sit quietly and enjoy your food, or do you usually put on Netflix or your favourite show? A lot of us choose to put a show or movie on; and turns out the habit can impact our diet, like overeating and eating mindlessly. Audrey, Ryan and Emaad chat about the kinds of shows that make us eat more.   Presented by Audrey Siek,...

A new environmental movement is gathering pace: “Nature Positive”. The concept of "Nature Positive" envisages a planet where the current rapid loss of biodiversity is halted and reversed, and nature is restored. Since the term was coined in 2020 amid negotiations for the Global Biodiversity Framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity, world leaders, businesses and civil society have ral...

For those that experience the uncomfortable effects that regular coffee can present - jitters, anxiety, sleeping issues - the decaffeinated can be an attractive-sounding alternative. But given that the two most common methods used to make decaf coffee use chemicals, is it really safe to consume? Emaad and Ryan discuss whether the chemicals used in the decaf process are dangerous, and whether chemi...

Christine Short, Vice President of Research at Wall Street Horizon shares her insights on the patchy data of late, observations on how consumers are spending and whether all of that will weigh down on business in the coming quarter. Presented by: Ryan Huang Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors See omnystudi...

Ritesh Ganeriwal, Head of Investment and Advisory, Syfe discusses how investors should navigate the current volatility and how concerned they should be around a recession. He also shares why bonds are looking more attractive in the current environment. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Device management app Mobile Guardian was recently removed from all students’ personal learning devices after a global cybersecurity breach affected about 13,000 secondary school students from 26 secondary schools in Singapore. It’s an application that enables parents to manage students’ device usage by restricting applications or websites and screen time. These students had their devices wiped re...

Singapore is emerging as a global leader in cancer research, with a strong focus on genomics and personalised treatments. We want to explore how local innovation is transforming cancer care with a pioneering healthtech company that has developed a groundbreaking multi-cancer early detection tool. Dr Min-Han Tan, Founder, CEO and Medical Director, Lucence shares how they are collaborating with phys...

Joey Chew, Head of Asia FX Research at HSBC discusses which Asian currencies are set to come out on top in the second half of the year, against a backdrop of a strengthening yen as well as a prospective Fed rate cuts. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singapore is host to several species of lizards - be it house lizards or monitor lizards - but this is only a tiny sample size compared to the over 6,000 that inhabit the world! On World Lizard Day, Emaad and Ryan dive into some quirky facts about these reptile descendants.   Presented by Emaad Akhtar & Ryan Huang  Produced and Edited by Emaad Akhtar Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its...

The pineapple, a tropical icon synonymous with prosperity, is a beloved ingredient in countless desserts. But this sunny fruit harbours a surprising secret: its often-discarded leaves could be the fashion industry's golden ticket to sustainability. A potential game-changer, pineapple leaf fibre offers a promising eco-friendly alternative to traditional, high-carbon textiles. Let's find out more fr...

Brian Niccol, who has held the top position at Chipotle since 2018, will take the helm of Starbucks starting September. He will replace Laxman Narasimhan, whose relatively brief tenure began in March last year, when he took over from Howard Schultz and became the first chief executive to come from outside the company.  David Dietze, Managing Principal at Peapack Private weighs in on Starbuck's lat...

The importance of board training has been brought to light, with several company directors having been brought to task under the Companies Act for governance issues in recent months. Their wrongdoings range from minor offences such as not holding regular annual general meetings or not filing annual returns on time, to more serious ones like dereliction of duty, cheating and fraud. As part of effor...

Brian Lee, Economist, Maybank Securities discusses how much more optimistic the outlook for Singapore's growth is with Q2's GDP final print reading coming at 2.9%, above consensus forecast. This comes as Singapore narrowed its official full-year growth forecast for 2024 to a range of 2 to 3 per cent, from 1 to 3 per cent previously,  Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

When we think of the world's stock of left-handed humans, the first thing that comes to mind for many is that they stand out from the crowd. And for good reason too - research suggests only 10 percent of us are lefties. What does history tell us about whether our ancestors were left-handed, why do they remain in the minority today, and what are some of the traits / advantages / disadvantages of be...

Suan Teck Kin, Head of Research & Executive Director at UOB shares his insights on the weakness and indicators pointing to weakening US economy, how severe a US recessionary story would look like, and whether it's a concern that consumers are tightening their purse strings down the value chain. He also shares his perspectives on the criticism surrounding the speed of upcoming rate cuts and how...

A possible deal between German financial services company Allianz and Singapore's Income Insurance has dominated headlines over the past few weeks.  Allianz’s proposed S$2.2 billion offer for Income, which is subject to approval from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, has triggered concerns over whether it would erode Income’s social mission of providing affordable insurance for Singapore’s lowe...