The Breakfast Grille

The Malaysian equity market has been a winner in this post-Covid-19 era with record-high volumes due to a jump in retail trading, but how can this momentum be sustained whilst continuing to protect the market from errant participants? Datuk Muhamad Umar Swift, CEO of Bursa Malaysia Berhad, tells us the growth path of the Exchange and the resolution of the inherent conflict of interest structure. S...

Bursa Malaysia ended 2020 as the best performing stock market within emerging markets in ASEAN, in large part due to the stellar profits of glove makers and healthcare players. But has the easy money been made, and what will outperform this year? We discuss the market outlook with a panel of experts: Teng Chee Wai, MD of Affin Hwang Asset Management, and Anand Pathmakanthan,  Head of Regional...

The Malaysian timber industry contributed 1.6% to GDP in 2019, accounting for RM22.5 billion in exports. With so many industries disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic, and with support growing for sustainability measures worldwide, how will the timber industry survive? We speak to newly minted CEO of the Malaysian Timber Council, Muhtar Suhaili. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

South Africa is in the midst of a second wave of Covid-19 infections, with positive cases surging recently past the 1 million mark. How is it acting to contain the pandemic and mitigate the economic fallout on its already slowing economy? And what are the prospects for deepening Malaysia - South Africa bilateral ties during these trying times? We discuss the state of play with South Afri...

Semiconductor player Mi Technovation is on a high-growth path, and its solutions can already support wafer sizes of 7nm and below, versus the current norm of 14nm. Would it still maintain its head office in Malaysia, or shift to China or Taiwan to be closer to its customers and access more engineering talent? And as companies like Apple, Microsoft and Amazon move into chip designing and as the US-...

At the start of a fresh year and with an eye on GE15, we look back on the political tumult that was 2020 and the lessons that can be drawn for a way forward with our panel of experts, Dr Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate at Nottingham University Malaysia, and Jahabar Saddiq, Editor-in-Chief of The Malaysian Insight. Image Credit: akids.photo.graphy / Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/li...

The Covid-19 pandemic shocked economies, causing unemployment and poverty rates to soar. The IMF predicted global GDP would shrink by 4.4% this year. We revisit conversations with experts on the Breakfast Grille on policy responses to resuscitate the economy and support the most vulnerable. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US-China trade war was overshadowed by the Covid-19 pandemic this year, but geopolitical tensions continue to manifest in other arenas. We revisit conversations on the Breakfast Grille discussing the power struggle between the US and China, the future of China as a regional superpower, and the vision for a post-Trump America. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for priva...

Malaysia dealt with multiple crises this year - the pandemic and political upheaval. From the Sheraton Move to the Sabah elections, we revisit revealing conversations on the Breakfast Grille with political actors. Image Credit: adam yusof / Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2020 will go down in history as the year the world was upended by Covid-19. We revisit conversations on the Breakfast Grille with industry leaders on how the pandemic has impacted their business, from the devastation wrought on the retail and hospitality sectors, to the windfall gains of glove makers and e-commerce players. Image Credit: Shutterstock.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Although global supply chains were severely disrupted in the first half of the year due to the pandemic, the shipping industry has returned to an even keel and is poised to end the year on a high note amid booming demand for logistics services. But can the good times last for Malaysian shipping players? We discuss the state of the industry, and the outlook for 2021 with Ooi Lean Hin, Chairman of t...

Klang Valley residents are no strangers to unscheduled water disruptions, with as many as 10 occurring in just the last three months, affecting millions of households. But what exactly is the cause of these supply cuts? Why have they been happening so frequently? And perhaps most importantly, who is responsible to ensure they don't keep happening? We ask Suhaimi Kamaralzaman, CEO of Air Selangor,...

Singapore-based Advend Group was acquired by Etika Holdings last year, in a deal reportedly valued at around S$67 million. However, with the rise of working from home, falling foot traffic, and an increasingly competitive market for beverages, how will the vending machine services provider navigate the challenging business environment ahead? To find out, Lyn Mak speaks to CEO Santharuban Thurai Su...

Does Fundaztic plan to apply for a digital banking licence, sell out to a financial institution, list on the ACE Market, or issue Islamic investment notes? Calvin Foo, acting CEO, discusses these questions, as well as whether SMEs are borrowing to merely survive or to grow, how Fundaztic manages risks of its issuer portfolio in a pandemic, and what is in its business plan for the next 5-10 years....

As telecommunication services become increasingly commoditised, the big players have been looking at ways to diversify their businesses. For Axiata Group, this led to Axiata Digital Services - their venture spanning services such as e-wallets, microfinancing, microinsurance and anything else outside the traditional telco domain, with names like Boost, ADA, apigate and Aspirasi in their portfolio o...

Can SOCAR ride out the pandemic? In December 2019, SOCAR was optimistic about the future, looking to spend just under RM100 million to grow the fleet, while also venturing into different services, and expand beyond borders. However, that was before the pandemic. So is SOCAR still optimistic? Roshan Kanesan speaks to Leon Foong, CEO of SOCAR Mobility Malaysia, to find out, as well as whether the fu...

The Malaysian Industrial Development Finance Berhad (MIDF) looked to be on track to procure a banking license in a potential merger with Al Rajhi Bank, but that looks to have fallen apart. Will MIDF continue its search for a banking license following the collapse of this deal? Roshan Kanesan speaks with Dato' Charon Wardini Mokhzani, MIDF's Group Managing Director, about this as well as their rela...

What lies ahead for the glove industry? With a vaccine on the horizon but average selling prices climbing ever higher, coupled with persistent labour issues, we reached out to Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam, President of the Malaysian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (MARGMA), to find out what we can expect for this sector going forward. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five years since its IPO, we check in with Bioalpha, which has seen its business disrupted as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Khoo Hsu Chuang speaks to William Hon, CEO of Bioalpha, to discuss the health supplement company’s path to recovery, its plans for overseas expansion and the overall outlook for 2021. Image Credit: bioa.com.my See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The retail sector has been through a rollercoaster ride this year with Covid-19. So, what does a retailer need to do to stay afloat or even thrive? Shafie Shamsuddin, Managing Director of AEON Co. (Malaysia) Bhd, tell us what they'll be doing to grow the business and what strategy they have to meet the fickle and demanding tastes of consumers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The victor of any election is not just determined at the ballot box, but also by the information war that happens at lighting speed and is often ubiquitous. So, shaping the narrative has become essential for any political party. Fahmi Fadzil, PKR Communications Director, and Shahril Hamdan, UMNO Information Chief, join us on a panel to discuss this, youth issues and whether their political parties...

It's International Anti-Corruption Day and Dr Muhammad Mohan, President of Transparency International Malaysia, and YB Wong Kah Woh, Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, discuss the progress (or not) of Malaysia's journey to a cleaner country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While many businesses were decimated by the pandemic, one particular industry thrived globally, despite border closures and lockdowns. The global logistics industry has seen exponential growth, as e-commerce exploded and more companies started digitizing. We speak to John Pearson, global CEO of DHL Express, about how the company has navigated the pandemic, its strategy for expanding market share a...

Covid-19 has rent all manner of businesses asunder, and healthcare is no exception. But what does Malaysia's largest private healthcare group do to come back from a year when patients, treatments and healthcare tourism ground to a standstill? Ahmad Shahizam bin Mohd Shariff, President and Managing Director of KPJ Healthcare Bhd, discusses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is OneConnect here to support or replace banks? Roshan Kanesan dives into this and what this 'technology-as-a-service' firm does with their Southeast CEO. They also get into OneConnect's Asian expansion, Malaysia's importance to the digital bank builder, their dependence on Ping An Group and Ping An owned-Lufax for revenue, as well as thoughts on China tech concerns and new fintech regulations. Im...