The Breakfast Grille

Datuk Jalilah Baba, Director General of Malaysian Investment Development Authority (Mida), explains how the corporatisation of Mida will shorten its service delivery, and what checks are in place to ensure no Mida officers can personally benefit from deals that come in. She also explains the process of approving the Lynas rare earth plant, how this investment will benefit us, a...

Jens Reisch, the CEO of Allianz Malaysia, explains how the company is able to scale up quickly. It is looking to lower premiums, introduce microinsurance, expand its distribution network especially in rural areas , and gain a foothold in the Takaful business where penetration rate is still low at 8-10%. Allianz is the biggest general insurance company in terms of market share. See omnyst...

Although the growth of online subscription, led by international readers, is outpacing print, John Ridding, the CEO of the Financial Times in London, says the newspaper will maintain a print and online version and cross-sell content. This is to cater for readers' media consumption habits, plus the print also allows for easier browsing. While the number of print advertiseme...

Syarikat Prasarana Group Managing Director Shahril Mokthar talks about how the new MRT might address previous complaints of unreliability, delays, breakdowns and poor feeder bus service services and comments on the following; How it aims to benchmark Singapore and HK in terms of service; Time frame for completion of all LRT and MRT works in the Klang Valley; Cost estimates, overrun estimates and t...

HSBC Senior Global Economist Karen Ward discusses her report, 'The World in 2050', where among other things, she forecasts Malaysia as being among the world's wealthiest nations; Discusses demographics as featuring quite prominently in scenario planning; The potential hindrance of energy availability; The work of Harvard’s Robert Barro, and how Ward uses his theories in her report; The relev...

Shila Dorai Raj, the Head of the Interim Competition Unit, explains that anti-competitive behaviour would include price fixing and restricting supply to manipulate the market. She also explains why the Competition Act will not cover mergers and acquisitions unless there is an abuse of dominant position. Any complaints about monopolies can be floated to the Commission. See omnystudio.com/...

Datuk Dr Mohd Shukor Mahfar, CEO of the Inland Revenue Board, gives us an idea how many people pay taxes, and the management of the Board. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Kamarul Redzuan Muhamed, CEO of Uzma Berhad explains the growth potential of the company that helps oil majors locate and produce oil. The plan is get more deeply involved in exploration to enjoy the upside, and not just earn a consultant's fees. It has a low pressure system that allows Petronas to explore for oil in idle wells. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Tan, Director at Pemandu, gives an update on notable achievements of the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) like investments in oil and gas, palm oil and tourism, and explains why certain investments like aircraft purchases by AirAsia would be counted as an investment under the ETP. In the run up to polling day, the Prime Minister has promised to make Sarawak the richest state in the co...

Andrew Brien, CEO of Suria KLCC, explains how Suria is defending its position as the premier shopping destination in light of competition from newer malls like Pavilion. One of its plans is to open a new retail space in June that will house flagship stores of some luxury brands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kyi Hla Han, Chairman of Golf's Asian Tour, discusses the business of golf, and its management: whether it is for-profit, how it is run and its revenue streams; Chances of the Asian Tour joining Australia, Japan, and New Zealand to create a "super tour" to rival Europe and the United States; Prize money on offer currently -- rate of growth; Challenges such as a still-unstable tour schedule, with s...

Chan Kin Meng, Executive Director at Beneton Properties and Committee Member of REHDA Youth, explains why the company prefers to remain a boutique player despite a possible industry shake-up if the government implements the build-then-sell (BTS) policy in 2015. He says at this point there are no immediate plans to merge with another player. The BTS policy will cause output to shrink by ...

Cesare Mainardi, Managing Director of Booz & Co North America, talks about examples in pursuing the coherent premium strategy to win in business. He is the co-author of the book "The Essential Advantage". See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Datuk Mohamad Nor Khalid or Lat, the most famous cartoonist in Malaysia, shares insights about his life, characters in his works, race relations, and censorship. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thomas Knudsen, CEO of Maersk Line Asia Pacific, talks about how the largest container ship operator and supply vessel operator in the world views global demand for moving goods, its cooling outlook for doing so and profit sustainability. He also discusses shipping rates, competition, volume growth and efforts to maintain a steady market share. He then talks of rate-dumping, earnings per container...

Australian High Commissioner Miles Kupa talks about warming Malaysian-Australia relations, potential Australian participation in the Economic Transformation Plan, talk that a Free Trade Agreement between Malaysia and Australia has fast tracked to be in place within a year (and its implications) as well as the potential for an open-skies agreement that would allow unrestricted flights between Malay...

Paul Harris, Asia Pacific Regional Director of Rolls Royce, talks about how he is growing the brand and tapping into the rapidly rising wealth of Asians especially those in Mainland China where one Rolls Royce is sold a day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HELP Corp Bhd Group President Dato' Dr. Paul Chan talks about plans to become a Multi Campus City University by 2012, expansion in Asia and developed countries and its franchising strategy. He explains the plans for, and intentions behind, its secondary listing in Singapore; plans for several new projects in China, Cambodia, an auto college planned with NAZA, as well as potential new units in Sing...

F&N Holdings Bhd CEO Dato' Ng Jui Sia talks about the dynamics and drivers behind its soft drinks, Dairies and property businesses. He then discusses rising dairy, cocoa and energy costs and the impact on margins, as well as the impact of the govt's removal of sugar subsidy effective 1 Jan 2011. He talks about the disposal of its Malaya Glass Products Sdn Bhd unit and the purchase of 23 percen...

Dell Global Business Center Sdn Bhd Managing Director Bobbi Dangerfield talks about its 15-year history in Malaysia, the extent of its business here, its best selling models and whether Malaysia continues to be a viable proposition from a cost standpoint for Dell. She also talks about its transformation strategy that Michael Dell put in place in 2007 and the progress since then, its Q4 results, an...

Habib Jewels MD Dato’ Meer Habib talks about the company's history, early days, how it started. He then discusses its listing in 1998 and subsequent de-listing. He talks company operations, stores, expansion, and country dynamics that he says supports jewellery investment. He also discusses various types of jewelerry, such as gold, diamonds and coloured stones. And discusses his price outloo...

Focus Point Bhd President/CEO Datuk Liaw Choon Liang talks about the start of his business in 1989, the business model, growth plans and the poison pen letter which resulted in his IPO being postponed. He also discusses market share, margins, its high effective tax rates and whether investors can expect a dividend policy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Talent Corporation CEO Johan Merican talks about the quest to attract Malaysians who have left the country as well as to attempt to retain those still left behind. He talks about the need to be focused, in terms of immigration and incentives in engaging the Malaysian diaspora. He discusses his 'products' such as its Resident Pass (offered to highly qualified expatriates wishing to reside and work...

Dr Xavier Jayakumar, Selangor executive councillor for health, plantation workers and poverty, talks about the plight of Indian estate workers, who only RM350 per month. the steps for them to break out of the poverty cycle, creating job opportunities for his constituents, a proper education, and what the state government is doing in order to counter such problems. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Dr Kongkrapan Intarajang, CEO of Emery Oleochemicals, tells how the company is moving away from basic oleochemicals and producing oleochemical derivatives to have more control over margins and production capacity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.