The Breakfast Grille

With travel being the first to close and last to reopen and with the advent of technologies such as Zoom, when will we see business travel recover? We speak to Bertrand Saillet, Managing Director of FCM Asia, on how travel management companies have been coping and their future prospects. Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

pitchIN raised RM59.5 million in 2020, almost 3 times more than in 2019. This was almost half of the capital raised on equity crowdfunding platforms in 2020 and makes them Malaysia’s leading crowdfunding platform by far. On the back of this astounding growth, Roshan Kanesan speaks to CEO and Co-founder Sam Shaffie about the pitchIN's plans to open a secondary market, get an Initial Exchange...

Since its birth in 2017 and operationalizing its peer-to-peer platform in 2020, CapBay has lent out more than RM1.2 billion to underserved small and medium-sized businesses. Founded by former investment bankers and management consultants, how is CapBay taking market share from traditional banks, how regulatory changes would remove limits to its growth, and how it will grow market share as more non...

After months of uncertainty, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics is finally here despite a surge in COVID-19 cases in Tokyo, and a state of emergency that runs until 22nd August. Malaysia is sending a contingent of 30 athletes to the Games, who will be looking for Olympic medals in the cycling, diving, and badminton events. Just before joining the Malaysian contingent in Tokyo, Tan Sri Mohamad Norza Zaka...

Russia and Malaysia have had diplomatic ties since the 1960s, yet bilateral trade values remain low. How can this be improved and is the production of Sputnik V vaccines in this country be part of that? We speak to H.E. Nail Latypov, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Malaysia to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Pang Chong Yong, CEO and Chairman of Gemilang International, a Johor-based and Hong Kong-listed bus maker Gemilang International Ltd that has successfully carved a niche for itself as one of the pioneering manufacturers of aluminium and electric buses in Asia-Pacific. He also shares the potential of EV Busses around the world and gets his thoughts on the future of transportation, espec...

From its inception in 2011, Johor-based Haily Group has grown into a construction company that pulled in RM166 million in revenue in 2020.  Now scheduled to list on the ACE-market this week, CEO Yoong Woei Yeh speaks to us about the reason for the listing, the company's expansion plans, and its outlook on the economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alvin Chua, President of the Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders discusses the challenges faced in light of skyrocketing global shipping costs and Covid-19 movement restrictions, and how Malaysia can improve its logistics performance including improving customs clearance and tackling corruption. On the World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index, Malaysia’s ranking has slipped sinc...

2021 has been a dismal year for the Malaysian equity market with the FBMKLCI the worst-performing major Asian market so far. Datuk Teng Chee Wai, the Managing Director of Affin Hwang Asset Management, and Anand Pathmakanthan, the Regional Head of Research at Maybank Kim Eng tells us why but more importantly what themes could still outperform despite the weak domestic outlook. See omnystudio.com/li...

In March this year, former Permodalan Nasional CEO Jalil Rasheed was appointed the new CEO of Berjaya Corp, marking the first time the post is held by someone who is not from the Tan family as the company looks to transform BCorp. What will this transformation entail and will Jalil succeed? Khoo Hsu Chuang dives into the details of this massive restructuring to find out. In a Bursa announcement da...

Qualitas Medical Group has been in the medical business for more than 20 years now, with presence across the region in Singapore and Australia. Philip See speaks to Dato' Dr Noorul Ameen, Executive Chairman, Qualitas Medical Group on how he rates the National Immunisation Program and government's handling of the pandemic. Image Credit: Qualitas Medical Group See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

A year after Covid scuppered plans for an IPO, bubble tea chain Loob Holding now counts the private equity firm Creador as a shareholder, after it sold a 30% stake for an undisclosed value. Bryan Loo, CEO and founder of Loob Holding, talks about what Creador's entry means for growth in Malaysia and the region. Image Credit: Loob Holding See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A year after Covid scuppered plans for an IPO, bubble tea chain Loob Holding now counts the private equity firm Creador as a shareholder, after it sold a 30% stake for an undisclosed value. Bryan Loo, CEO and founder of Loob Holding, talks about what Creador's entry means for growth in Malaysia and the region. Image Credit: Loob Holding See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US President Joe Biden is looking to rebuild bridges in the international community after the chaos of the Trump administration. What opportunities and challenges lie ahead for Malaysia-US bilateral relations in this new era? The newly-appointed US Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E. Brian McFeeters gives us his views. Image credit: Shutterstock.com & US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur See omnystudio.com/lis...

Munchy’s Food Industries is responsible for snacks like Lexus cream biscuits, Muzik bites, and Oat Krunch, brands that ring a bell with many Malaysians. From humble beginnings back in 1991, today they claim to be the number one homegrown biscuit brand in Malaysia, exporting its products to more than 50 countries, but has the pandemic thrown a spanner into the works? Image credit: Zety Akhzar...

We talk with Datuk Dr. Lim Jee Gin, Group Managing Director of Nestcon Bhd about their future plans into Industrial Building Systems (IBS), their order book, and how they plan to use the RM 45 million proceeds from their successful IPO in the Bursa ACE market. Image credit: Nestcon Bhd See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abdul Aziz Othman, the CEO/MD of Petronas Gas Bhd., fields questions on moribund growth at the gas utility, its ongoing appeal as a dividend haven and fresh pockets of growth, given its still-amenable capital position. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the then-Federation of Malaya when it gained independence in 1957. Six decades later, Australia is among Malaysia's top ten largest trading partners. Lyn Mak speaks to the outgoing Australian High Commissioner to Malaysia, H.E. Andrew Golędzinowski to reflect on the bilateral relationship between Malaysia and Austr...

The credit reporting industry has seen tremendous growth in Malaysia as both consumers and businesses increasingly use the service. But does this justify paying premium valuations for such a company and could this be Malaysia's hottest IPO for 2021? Dennis Martin, Group CEO of CTOS Digital tells us whilst also diving into their growth strategies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Accenture Interactive could well be among the world's largest digital agencies that no one knows about. But it is, thanks to its roster of blue-chip clients from its famous consulting parent. Thomas Mouritzen, its South East Asia Lead, discusses his plan for expansion beyond the parental fold and the cutting edge of digital innovation in ASEAN. Image credit: Shutterstock.com & Accenture Intera...

Homegrown human capital management solutions and technology provider Ramssol Group is headed to a listing on the 13th of July. With ambitious expansion plans in the works for across the region, we speak to Cllement Tan, CEO of the Ramssol Group Bhd to find out whether Covid-19 has thrown a wrench into those plans. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We speak to Robin Lee, CEO of HelloGold, a mobile app that is on a quest to democratize gold investments to the broader population in a crowded era of cryptocurrencies, volatile commodity prices, meme stocks amidst a tightening wallet of the middle classes during the covid-19 pandemic. Image credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Herizal Hazri, Chief Executive of ISIS Malaysia, discusses overlooked policy areas, and how think tanks could remain relevant in this age of disruption and to the TikTok generation. He also comments on how Southeast Asia could do a better job in responding to disputes with China, and what's missing in Malaysia's National Recovery Plan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

E-wallets, robo advisors, and cryptocurrency, have all become more prominent as the pandemic accelerated digitalisation. Looking ahead, the digital banking scene is heating up with final bids for licenses expected at the end of the month. Roshan Kanesan explores the world of Malaysian fintech with Karen Puah, President of the Fintech Association of Malaysia (FAOM), and Vincent Fong, Editor of Fint...

Pemerkasa Plus, valued at RM40 billion, is the latest government stimulus to help Malaysians deal with the pandemic. But a year and a half since Covid's appearance, critics still question the efficacy, governance, and affordability of Pemerkasa and the six other financial stimulus packages thus far unveiled, worth a total RM380 billion. National Budget Director Datuk Johan Merican discusses. Image...