The Breakfast Grille

Malaysia's largest independent power producer has seen losses for the last 2 quarters. We check in with Anwar Syahrin Abdul Ajib, their CEO as to why this is happening since IPPs are supposed to be a defensive business. We also ask if Malakoff's Transformation plans are robust enough to compensate for their ageing power assets as the country moves towards a carbon-neutral future. See omnystudio.co...

Hup Seng ping pong biscuits are no stranger to most Malaysian households as they are a classic snack that we grew up with, dipping the biscuits into our favourite hot beverage. We speak with the family’s 2nd generation, Kerk Chian Tung, Executive Director of Hup Seng Industries Berhad, to share with us the legacy of the company, maintaining product quality, keeping true to its brand values, divide...

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence advanced manufacturing solutions and technologies are used to design and make 95% of the cars and 75% of the smartphones manufactured around the world. Lim Boon Choon, President of Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence for Korea, Asean, Pacific and India shares with us the company’s outlook, and the Swedish company’s mergers and acquisition strategy to keep ahead of...

With the announcement that the Progressive Wage Policy (PWP) will be voluntary, incentive-based and productivity-linked, we speak to Dr. Geoffrey Williams is an economist and a Professor at the Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST) to get his insights and perspectives. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After almost 19 consecutive quarters of losses, there is urgency for Pos Malaysia to transform itself. We speak to their Group CEO, Charles Brewer on what their other revenue sources will be as the core postal business faces a structural decline in an era of digitalisation. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After 26 years, Secret Recipe has a global and local footprint of 500 stores. We speak to 2nd generation Managing Director, Patrick Sim on their strategy for the next phase of growth, the challenges of the F&B industry and their monetisation plans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian outbound travel agency Apple Vacations was making over RM270 million in sales pre-pandemic, but the Covid-19 pandemic torpedoed revenues amid prolonged lockdowns and border closures. One year after the reopening of borders, have they managed to return to 2019 highs? We speak to Group Managing Director Dato' Sri Koh Yoh Heck on the travel group's fortunes and how the company is adapting t...

FMCG company Mamee-Double Decker, now helmed by the third generation of the Pang family, and boasts a range of food products sold in over 80 countries, including iconic brands Mamee Monster and Mr. Potato. What’s their recipe for longevity in the fast-paced consumer goods sector? We find out how a homegrown Malaysian company conquered the ASEAN snack market with Pierre Pang, Group CEO of Mamee-Dou...

With the six-state election now behind us, what institutional reforms and policies must be the focus of state government moving forward, and should Parliamentary Select Committees be formed and institutionalised at the DUN level in all states? Questions we pose to the CEO of IDEAS, Dr Tricia Yeoh. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today, Ukraine celebrates 32 years of independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The country's chargé d'affaires, Denys Mykhailiuk, talks about what it means as war to defend his homeland from last year's Russian invasion continues, the ongoing counter-offensive to retake annexed territory annexed by Moscow and what a post-war future might look like. See omnystudio.com/listen...

In 5 years, Capital A’s logistics venture has propelled itself to market dominance by disrupting this already competitive industry. We speak to its CEO, Pete Chareonwongsak as to what are the next stages of growth, whether they have the balance sheet for it and their monetisation plans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the mercury rises to unprecedented levels due to global warming, air-conditioning is fast becoming a necessity rather than merely luxury. But given that air-conditioning also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, how are industry players responding to make air-con use more sustainable? We pose these questions and more to Kintaro Izumida of Johnson Controls-Hitachi Air Conditioning. See omnys...

According to the United Nations, 1 in every 45 people on the planet will need humanitarian assistance, especially with the rise of natural disasters and geopolitical tension. To mark World Humanitarian Day 2023 last Saturday, Dato' Dr. Ahmad Faizal Mohd Perdaus, President of Mercy Malaysia shares with us their efforts to help those in need, difficulties in securing fund and measures to keep effect...

Slovenia has been a trading partner with Malaysia for a decade, with increasing imports and exports over the years. Marko Ham, the Ambassador of Slovenia, shares with us his views on bilateral trade and what the future holds for relations with Malaysia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

China launched its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative or BRI some 20 years ago, with around 148 countries signing up to participate in the trans-regional connectivity project, including Malaysia. A recent report from IDEAS investigates narratives surrounding the BRI in Malaysia and what this reveals about government procurement for development projects. We discuss the findings and recommendations...

CyberSecurity Malaysia is an agency under the Ministry of Communications and Digital, and provides a range of specialised technical services. With the unprecedented rise in online attacks, we ask CEO, Dato’ Ts Dr. Haji Amirudin bin Abdul Wahab on their role and responsibilities in the realm of cyber security and digital transformation, whether there is a lack of agency coordination, and the appare...

Capbay, a Malaysian home grown multi-bank supply chain finance and peer-to-peer financing (P2P) platform has surpassed the milestone of disbursing over RM1 billion to more than 400 underserved SMEs in Malaysia. We speak with Director and co-founder, Darrel Ang who joins us to share his outlook for investor return rate, collection and recovery strategy, regional expansion, and whether they can grab...

The final tally of the six state elections on Saturday resulted in a 3-3 tie, with Pakatan Harapan-Barisan Nasional retaining control of Selangor, Negeri Sembilan and Penang, while Perikatan Nasional held on to Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah. Although this status quo outcome was widely expected, what do the granular results indicate about voter sentiment towards the main actors in Malaysia’s polit...

SNS Network which was listed in September 2022 is now trading below the IPO price. We speak to Ko Yun Hung, it's Co-Founder and Managing Director if the market misunderstands the business model and is it an undervalued gem. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bravo Transport is Hong Kong Island’s largest bus company and Templewater owns more than 90% of the group. Cliff Zhang, the chairman of Bravo and CEO of Templewater shares with us the transport infrastructure in place for a region that is highly reliant on its public transport, as well as its sustainability agenda. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FWD Group is a relative new life insurance player with a presence in 10 countries. What is their strategy for the next phase of growth after a rather phenomenal start and is their delayed listing going to materialise soon? Questions we pose to it's Chairman, Professor Frederick Ma. Image by: Shutterstock See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Keppel Pacific Oak US REIT (KORE) is an office REIT listed on the Singapore Exchange, with a portfolio of 13 assets in major cities such as Austin, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Sacramento, Seattle, and Orlando. So what’s the growth prospects of US office buildings and business premises? We speak with CEO & CIO David Snyder on whether US based REITs still offer attractive dividend yields, and whet...

Integrated logistics provider Swift Haulage debuted on the Bursa Malaysia Main Market in December 2021 amid boom times in the logistics industry. However with slowing trade growth and a weak global economic outlook, will this pose a drag on Swift's expansion plans? We speak to Group CEO Loo Yong Hui on the growth opportunities he's focusing on, including leveraging on the rising demand of green lo...

Aesthetic medical services provider DC Healthcare Holdings Bhd debuted on the ACE market on 17 July and closed at an 80% premium against the IPO price of 25 sen, and a market capitalization of 500 million ringgit. Managing director Dr. Chong Tze Sheng shares with us how the proceeds will be used, the fierce competition in the industry as well as the ethical considerations for aesthetics medicine....

Electronic manufacturing services player Cape EMS debuted on the Main Market in March 2023, raising RM155 million in IPO proceeds. How will Cape utilise the funds to build manufacturing capacity at a time of uncertain global economic conditions? We sit down with Group CEO Christina Tee to discuss the company's prospects and growth strategy in the EMS sector. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...