The Breakfast Grille

From the most recent earnings, it looks like the worst is over for Berjaya Food but what is their strategy for growth in a crowded field? And with the added pressures of inflations and shortage of workers, will the operating environment become even more challenging? Datuk Sydney Quays, CEO of Berjaya Food Bhd answers these questions and more. Image credit: Berjaya Food See omnystudio.com/listener...

Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have boiled over into a full-scale invasion after Russia sent military troops into the country on Thursday, 24 February. Why have diplomatic efforts to resolve the stand-off failed? We speak to H.E. Olexander Nechytaylo, Ambassador of Ukraine to Malaysia for an update on the ground situation. Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

The pandemic had resulted in a rise in online transactions for used cars, but the competition is also intense. We speak to CARRO, a Singapore-based automotive marketplace, present in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia on their business model and are they the next unicorn. Ernest Chew, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer gives us the answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

It was first established in 2011, and is now under the Ministry of Human Resources. But TalentCorp did not have a CEO for more than 2 years in June 2018 until CEO Thomas Matthew was appointed in November 2020. On The Breakfast Grille, Philip See asks Thomas Mathew, CEO of TalentCorp on the ROI of the nearly half a billion ringgit spent on TalentCorp; as well as their role in this wave of the Great...

With the advent of the pandemic and a challenging time for the construction sector, we ask Ng Wai Hoe, Managing Director, SIAB Holdings the rationale for this IPO for this mid-sized construction player. Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nokia today has moved beyond the mobile phone business, focusing on telecommunications technology services and network equipment supply, where it’s one of three dominant players in the sector, alongside Ericsson and Huawei. However the Finnish tech giant was largely seen as falling behind its competitors in the past few years, especially in the race towards 5G. Can they stage a comeback? We discus...

Patrick Williams, Senior Vice President for Asia of Rosti Group, a global plastics injection moulding company and contract manufacturer, shares with us how they have battled the supply chain and workers shortage issues stemming from the pandemic specifically in their Asian sites in Suzhou and Senai. He also discuss with us on his strategies for Asia and on how they tackle plastics that have a bad...

US-based telecommunications software company Mavenir created its name as a disruptor in the industry, championing cloud-native software solutions and Open Radio Access Network (RAN) implementation for 5G networks. But given US-China geopolitical tensions and the sensitive nature of the technology, does this fence them out of China? We speak to Mavenir's Asia Pacific chief Dipesh Ranjan on the grow...

Big business wants to hire technologists while students fear debt and increasingly, seek meaningful and rewarding careers not necessarily centered on benefits, even as startup life beckons. Professor Rebecca Taylor, the CEO of University of Southampton Malaysia, fields these issues. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the largest loss since the IPO, is 2022 the year of recovery for this 24 hour convenient store operator? Dang Tai Luk, Group CEO of MyNews Holdings Berhad tells us his plans for growth and how he intends to grow customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive market. Image credit: MyNEWS See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It may be Valentine's Day but condom usage is down 30-40% globally while the fortunes of the world's largest maker of the prophylactic, Karex Bhd, has been flat at best. CEO Goh Miah Kiat explains the difficult path forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to United Nations data, less than 30% of researchers are women, indicating a significant diversity gap in knowledge generation in academia. On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we speak to Dr. Cheah Phaik Yeong, Professor of Global Health on why more women are needed in research and the importance of bioethics and engagement in healthcare sciences. See omnystudio.com/liste...

Ucrest Berhad's Founder, Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Eg Kah Yee, shed light on how their i-Medic platform penetrate the digital health business and how Ucrest has fared during the pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative, first set up in 2000 to galvanize private sector to prioritize the triple bottom line: people, planet and profits. Some 15,000 companies have signed up to date - however, just over 100 companies are Malaysian. Why has reception been so lacklustre? Faroze Nadar, Executive Director of the UN Global C...

We speak to one of the world's leaders of medical devices, global multinational B Braun. With a rich 200 plus history in Germany, we ask Mr. Christoph Mueller, Asia Pacific Senior Vice President of Operations the challenges they faced in getting essential medical supplies amidst the supply chain disruption and whether Malaysia is losing is competitiveness as a manufacturing hub as it celebrates it...

Traditional Chinese Medicine has gone mainstream in the last few years, seen as complementary to western medicine. Is the challenge now attracting the millennial and Gen Z's? Aaron Boey, Group CEO of Eu Yan Sang International Ltd tells us their growth strategy and is omni channel marketing the solution. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is known for their QS World University Rankings. Dr. Edward Harcourt, Senior Vice President joins Philip to talk about how the pandemic changed education, what QS does, and why there are hardly any changes to the top 10 universities? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malaysian undergarment manufacturer Caely Holdings has evolved from a small-direct selling company to the largest exporter of lingerie and maternity wear in the country. How is the company navigating the challenges of the pandemic and growing ESG concerns among investors? We discuss the company's prospects with CEO Gok Ching Hee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ascott International Management is wholly owned by Capitaland Investment, and in Malaysia is the largest international serviced residence operator with around 6,200 units in 27 properties. Its country general manager, Mondi Mecja speaks to us about the outlook of the serviced residential sector, its future expansion plans and the impact of pandemic on its performance. See omnystudio.com/liste...

During Chinese New Year, carbonated water for some is a must. Philip See speaks to Spritzer, a leader in manufacturing bottled water products. Kenny Lim Seng Lee, Executive Director and Group CEO of Spritzer Berhad comes on the Breakfast Grille to talk about how the supply chain disruptions and rising costs impacted them, what are their future aspirations and how will Spritzer move forward with ri...

Malaysia’s satellite operator MEASAT Satellite Systems Sdn Bhd’s Chief Operating Officer, Yau Chyong Lim talks about Malaysia’s satellite industry, the CONNECTme NOW services and MEASAT’s s role in bridging the digital divide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ERS Energy installs and designs solar power systems from all sectors like residential and industrial. On The Breakfast Grille, Jonathan Kan, Managing Director and Co-Founder of ERS Energy Sdn Bhd talks about the latest technological advancements in the field of renewable energy, and the contributions of the company to a more sustainable future. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A pact with China tech giant Huawei has sent shares of local circuit testing firm JF Technology Bhd through the roof, but production delays, China's Zero-Covid policy and lofty valuations offer stern tests. Datuk Foong Wei Kuong, Founder and Managing Director, answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can technical and vocational education and training (TVET) be made more relevant and attractive to Malaysians? To mark the International Day of Education, our Breakfast Grille panel discusses the ingredients for an effective TVET ecosystem, drawing lessons from the German dual-vocational training system. Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The pandemic has upended travel, retail and meetings, prompting the question of the implications for property and construction - including lifts, elevators and walkalators. James Leong, Managing Director of TK Elevator Malaysia, answers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.