The Breakfast Grille

Winston Choe, Managing Partner, Tech Growth Ventures, the growth accelerator and funding firm, discusses its business model, target industries, areas of focus, (outbound-Asian firms or vice-versa?), the addressable market for venture and government-linked funds, its standards of corporate governance / anti-corruption measures, investors sought and their profile, its investment promises, track reco...

Barathan Pasupathi the CEO of JetStar Asia comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the current challenges facing the industry and how the company intends to overcome it. Currently based in Singapore, low-cost carrier JetStar flues to 23 destinations on the back of its fleet of 18 A320. He talks about how JetStar aims to keep its costs down, its ancillary initiatives and the question of overcap...

Syamil Fahim Mohamed Fahim, Chief Operating Officer at Kumpulan Media Karangkraf, discusses the company ethos, its five business divisions (printing, books, magazines, newspapers and digital), challenges (political interference, newsprint costs, the death of print, family business challenges like succession planning, corporate strategy, exit plans and the move online and into digital.  See om...

The construction sector benefits from the government's active infrastructural stance and demographic support for property. Econpile benefits from this as piling is the foundation for construction projects in a space that is plagued by short supply. But with expanding debt and so many projects having been announced, is growth in this space sustainable? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

The National Unity Consultative Council notes that the majority of Malaysias are concerned about social mobility especially for their children and “are more preoccupied with the quality of education and the infrastructure in their communities rather than ethnic and religious issues” which politicians and the media too often focus on. BFM asks what went wrong with the Education system a...

Brazil won hosting rights to the World Cup in 2007 under the Presidency Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Current President Dilma Rousseff says that this will be the “Cup of all Cups”. For many it’s only natural for Brazil to host the Cup. After all, Brazil is acknowledged as the spiritual home of football. Some say it represents the gold standard of football – combining beauty an...

Dato' Beh Huck Lee, Managing Director, Eupe Corporation Bhd, discusses its plan to move out of its Kedah market, his read of the local property market, demand-supply imbalances, its Klang Valley strategy, its margins, dividend policy and float. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ravi Kashyap, Country Manager and President of Engineering Business, Aker Solutions Malaysia  speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille as its Norwegian parent splits its business into two separate entities in a move to streamline operations and become leaner. He also sheds lights on the how the group continues to support Malaysia's aspirations to be the regional oil and gas hub and why talent ret...

Michael Lake the CEO of Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the business of making movies in Malaysia. Pinewood Iskandar Malaysia is a joint venture between government investment body Khazanah Nasional Bhd and UK-listed Pinewood Shepperton Plc. The company has aims to be a hub for the region, with companies drawn in by a list of incentives but discusses what draw...

I-Bhd's theme parks in were a way to attract the crowds into i-City in Shah Alam. High-valued property projects soon followed. I-Bhd is now making big bets on further forays into property development and investment with a massive cash call more than 3x the size of it's shareholders' funds. We check out whether the concept of i-City will stand the test of time. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

The strong growth in the health supplement industry is driven by higher awareness of alternative and preventive care. Shaklee uses the direct selling model which Roger Barnett says is using social marketing to harness sweat equity and turn it into income and growth. Shaklee's combination of product guarantees and green practices to create what looks like a benevolent organisation has paid handsome...

Ee Ching Wah, Executive Director of the REAL Education Group comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the landscape of the education sector in Malaysia and the current boom in private education. Established in 1986, REAL Education group is one of the earliest on the scene, and recently saw the entry of CIMB Private Equity as a shareholder. He talks about what the entry of CIMB means for REAL, w...

Kim Wales, Founder and CEO, Wales Capital, discusses the business of crowdfunding, the JOBS Act, the various schemes available, the challenges inherent (such as over-regulation its its nascence), and the opportunities available.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scomi Engineering Bhd's CEO Kanesan Veluppillai comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the progress of the company's monorail projects in both India and Brazil. Scomi is in the business of designing and supplying monorail trains and systems, but has been loss-making for the past three years on the back of forex losses and projects delays. Kanesan talks about how he aims to turn the company pr...

His Excellency Mario Sammartino, the Italian Ambassador to Malaysia, speaks to us on the Breakfast Grille in conjunction with the nation's National Day which commemorates the birth of the Italian Republic and  also the upcoming EU Presidency which will be chaired by Italy from July to December. He also  discusses Italy's ailing economy, new Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the lack of a...

Lim Kwee Shyan, President of the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association or Margma, comes on the Breakfast Grille to discuss the current state of issues facing the rubber glove manufacturers. From issues of gas hikes to water disruption, he gives his outlook on how the members are coping. Margma, was established in 1989 as a non-profit industry association that extends a range of services...

Ken Myres, president of Romacorp Inc, best known for the Tony Romas line of casual restaurants comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about the challenges facing the industry post-2008 global financial crisis. After facing bankruptcy in 2005, he talks about how the company managed to bounce back, its choice to do the franchise model overseas and how Romacorp sees Asia in general. See omnystudio.com...

Datuk Tan Say Jim, Group Managing Director and Group CEO of IRIS Corporation Bhd, discusses his core e-passport business, high trade receivables, its primary contribution to group revenues and the reasons behind its pursuit of business with African nations. He also discusses its expansion into education with Stamford College, renewable energy, property development (in the Pacific islands) and its...

Jayant Menon, Lead Economist at Asian Development Bank, discusses the ADB's role and efficacy in funding the development of poorer, developing nations. He also questions the GLC phenomenon in Malaysia, and argues that their presence and growth is detrimental. He says GLCs crowd out the private sector, drives up prices and reduces the country's competitiveness. See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

As GST dawns upon us in about a years time, exempt list, zero-rated items and unscrupulous profiteering are on our list of concerns. Subromaniam Tholasy, Director of GST at the Royal Malaysian Customs, tries to clarify this along with the question of whether the GST is progressive. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The strong outlook for the Malaysian insurance landscape is supported by low penetration, bancassurance, takaful and regionalisation. Maybank is well-represented on all fronts: Etiqa Insurance and Takaful is an amalgamation of all previous incarnations and acquisitions that has exposures in the life and general businesses as well as Islamic and conventional products. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

The Mandarin Oriental brand is well-known and respected. Richard Baker, Executive Vice President and Operations Director – Asia, talks about what it takes to achieve that. The ultimate objective is still profitability where pricing power that comes with brand recognition complements an occupancy strategy. The rise of social media sites like Tripadvisor that rates hotel quality is also e...

Koh Pee Seng, Managing Director, Milux Corp, talks about his company's transition from low-margin electrical appliances into metals and mining.  An industry known for its capital-intensive nature and unstable prices, is this the turning point for the group to return to profitability?   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sam Tan, group managing director of Ken Holdings Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about its status as a boutique developer and how it plans to build on that going forward. Currently the company boasts a landbank of just over 47 hectares, and in 2012 recorded RM55.8 million in revenue and RM20.9 million in net profit. He talks about Ken's plans for the future and how the the company plans...

Morten Lundal the new CEO of Maxis Bhd comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how the country's largest telco is undergoing a change. Once considered the top dog among the telcos, Maxis has been suffering from declining market share and sluggish earnings. Morten talks about transforming Maxis, what the future holds for the company and how he intends to regain the top dog position.  See o...