Resource Centre

Richard Bradbury and Matt Armitage offer a satirical and insightful review of technology in 2023. Alongside Matt’s obsession with creating conspiracy theories, we look at the proliferation of disinformation and the continued polarization of social media and broadcast platforms. We cover the advancements and setbacks in electric vehicles (EVs) and the continuing uncertainty of the crypto space. The...

Low Value Goods Tax, e-invoicing, Service Tax increase, Capital Gains Tax, Luxury Tax, and the Global Minimum Tax. To kickstart the new year here on Resource Centre, we review all the key tax related developments for businesses in 2023 and how they will need to navigate them in 2024 with Thenesh Kannaa, Executive Director at Tratax. 2023 saw the introduction and acceleration of a few key things in...

In 2023, the Public Relations industry witnessed a transformative shift with the rise of Generative AI as illustrated by the ripple effects of Open AI’s ChatGPT and its many use cases. In addition, sustainability and ESG had been a key focus and narrative in the business world, due to international sustainability requirements and compliance. This emphasis has also resulted in a significant reevalu...

As 2023 draws to a close, we revisit a crucial aspect often overlooked in the workplace - inclusion. Is inclusion synonymous with diversity, equity, and inclusion? What distinguishes it? Ridhima Khanduja from Kincentric Malaysia joins us to discuss the key questions surrounding inclusion, its drivers, obstacles, and measurement metrics, as we gear up for a more inclusive 2024 in the workplace. See...

Did you know that you probably type in a password around four times a day? And despite our best efforts with complex passwords and two-factor authentications (2FA), the reality is, bad actors still find their way in. Andrew Shikiar from FIDO Alliance joins us to discuss why it’s high time to bid farewell to passwords, the rise of passkeys and other secure alternatives, and how you can protect your...

There’s no denying how convenient our lives have become since we were introduced to Siri, Alexa and Cortana. We no longer have to search for someone's phone number in our contact list to call them but can just say 'Call Rich'. In much the same way, invisible apps are already simplifying our work life and making us more productive, and this will only pick up pace as the use of AI becomes more perva...

While influencer marketing has been part of e-commerce marketing for years, it has often struggled to rise above tactical "pay-and-pray" sponsored engagements and affiliate campaigns. But with studies now showing 80% of consumers in Southeast Asia having made purchases due to an influencer recommendation, how do brands adapt to stay competitive in this evolving landscape? Antoine Gross from impact...

Ransomware? Password attacks? Or maybe it was just a good, old Phishing email that took you down. Even with sophisticated technical defences, systems and processes in place, cybersecurity breaches happen. How do organisations limit the human error in cyber attacks? Sathish Murthy from Cohesity ASEAN & India breaks down the simple steps businesses can take to protect themselves from threat acto...

Budget 2024 was touted as a unique opportunity for the government to comprehensively address the multifaceted needs and aspirations of Malaysia's workforce, as the nation commits to achieving full employment by 2030. From the rising cost of living, to worker protection, financial well-being, to underemployment, Joelle Pang from FastCo Malaysia talks to us about the path that lies ahead of us, and...

Did you know it takes 41 days on average to fill a role in Singapore and Malaysia, with hiring managers dedicating over 50 hours a week to the task? The price tag for job advertising is also staggering, but the real shocker - 1 in 5 new hires won't stay for a year. Kevin Fitzgerald, Managing Director, Asia at Employment Hero, joins us to discuss the State of Recruitment in Malaysia & Singapore...

More and more countries around the world are looking at making ESG disclosures mandatory for listed companies. In fact, some 30 countries maintain some degree of mandatory ESG disclosure regulation, including the US, the UK, Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. So what does this mean for your business? Benjamin Soh, Founder & Managing Director of STACS, talks to us about the trends pushing for...

50% of us believe we can spot a deep fake. The problem is, we might be overestimating our abilities; some deepfakes are so remarkably sophisticated that they can’t be detected with the naked eye. So, what does this mean for our defences against fraudsters? Frederic Ho from Jumio talks to us about how deep fakes are fueling identity theft, what individuals and businesses can do to counter this thre...

According to Kincentric, when Employee Experience (EX) is consistent in your organisation, customer satisfaction and financial performance rise by more than 2X. The problem is, almost a third of employees around the world endure a highly inconsistent experience and it's impacting their engagement and business outcomes. Ridhima Khanduja, Partner & Market Leader of Kincentric Malaysia delivers a...

Four out of five banks in the Asia-Pacific region are boosting their tech budgets. Big data, analytics, AI, and Machine Learning are in the spotlight. To seamlessly integrate these innovations, financial institutions must break free from legacy systems. How can they do this and reshape their operations? Tan Lee Thong from Workday dives into this transformation journey, and talks to us about the vi...

Many things can prompt a shift in organisational culture; New leadership, strategic pivots, market dynamics, technological strides… And this is why transforming your company culture is crucial to not only stay relevant but also for optimising team dynamics, fostering innovation, and ensuring a harmonious workspace for all. Organisational Psychologist and CEO of O-Psych Hetal Doshi gives us the rec...

Startups are the heartbeat of innovation, powering economies, creating jobs, and attracting investments. And while Malaysia has a buzzing startup ecosystem, more needs to be done to elevate its landscape including deepening our capital pool and fostering local investor engagement. CEO of Beyond4 S.T Rubaneswaran joins us to discuss strategies for bridging the startup funding gap, igniting a dynami...

In a recent survey by Randstad Malaysia, 1 in 2 respondents said they would leave their jobs to pursue healthier work-life balance. But that's not all – the data paints an intriguing picture of a dynamic job market, with one in three Malaysians planning to switch jobs this very year. It's a movement spearheaded by the millennials, with a staggering 42% of them considering job shifts. We speak to o...

There’s a new breed of online shoppers in Southeast Asia. While most of us return to the malls for the bulk of our shopping after the pandemic, this segment of savvy, loyal e-commerce shoppers continue to buy all they need online - accounting for almost half of the total e-commerce purchases in the region. Our friends from Ninja Van Malaysia give us some insights into this segment of the populatio...

Under Belanjawan 2023, an additional RM40 million has been allocated to the Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MYCIF) to further enhance the liquidity of equity crowdfunding (ECF) and peer-to-peer (P2P) markets in a bid to better serve the financing needs of this important segment of the economy. We take a closer look at P2P financing and the MyCIF facility, including why, how, and when SMEs and Social...

In tabling the revised Belanjawan 2023 in February, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) will offer over RM1bil in financing, focusing on micro SMEs. We speak to BSN’s CEO Jay Khairil on what is available for MSMEs, the process to apply for some of this financing, and more. Learn more about Belanjawan 2023 at https://belanjawan.mof.gov.my/manfaat/ See omny...

In Belanjawan 2023, the government spent some time talking about initiatives to support SMEs, from financing to funding, and tax cuts and even a Digitalisation Grant Scheme. We speak to Datuk William Ng, Chairman of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Malaysia (Samenta), for his thoughts on the budget and the various initiatives to support SMEs. Learn more about Belanjawan 2023 at http...

The key to talent retention is giving your employees what they want, when they want it, in that particular phase of their lives or career. But how do you recognise what each individual employee wants or needs, to deliver this, and do it at scale? Terrence Yong from Visier gives us the low down on People Analytics, and how it helps us understand the fundamental questions and actionable truths to el...

Last week, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) launched the Horizon – Digital Economy Publication 2022. During the launch, BFM moderated a panel discussion exploring the purpose of this publication, how Malaysia’s digital economy compares regionally, the role of the private sector in driving the digital economy, and what Malaysia’s digital future looks like. BFM had this discussion wit...

Strong branding is intrinsically linked with higher customer acquisition rates, customer loyalty, and increased sales. But how do you gauge just how well your brand is doing? How do you measure brand strength, track its progress, and potentially pivot when market sentiment shifts through the seasons? We discuss. Photo Credits: LinkedIn | Uri Snyder See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informati...

A recent 2022 GlobalData survey revealed that nearly 40% of Malaysians are either flexitarians or low meat eaters. To help the food service sector in Malaysia better address and tap into this trend, Unilever Food Solutions brought in The Vegetarian Butcher, allowing them to supply the F&B sector with plant-based solutions and ingredients. We speak to Dhillon Ng, Head of Country with Unilever F...