Under The Radar

Helping energy firms extract oil in remote areas and in deeper waters in a more pocket friendly manner. That’s exactly what our guest for today does.    Founded in 1990, SGX mainboard-listed Dyna-Mac is a global multi-disciplinary contractor who undertakes the detailed engineering, procurement, and construction of modules and facilities in vessels widely used in the oil and gas industry.  One of t...

If you have not been to the movies of late, this conversation is probably a hint for you to do so.  But if you’ve been to the cinemas of late, chances are you might have watched the Barbie Movie, Oppenheimer or the latest instalment of the Mission:Impossible franchise, the Dead Reckoning Part 1.  Speaking of which, beyond the cast and directors, have you ever wondered what made the movies come to...

If you don’t know something, just Google it!  While Google started out as the name of a search engine company, the word has become almost synonymous with the act of looking something up online. Beyond that, the tech firm has made itself into all parts of our lives. Some of us use Gmail for emails, Google docs for crafting documents, and Google Drive for cloud storage.  Not to mention the Android o...

Taking an elevator or escalator has probably become an integral part of our lives, but the companies behind them often go unnoticed. And that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about today. Founded in 1910, KONE is a global leader in the elevator and escalator industry. It provides elevators, escalators and automatic building doors as well as solutions which can add value to the life cycle of any...

The VC investment landscape is back with focus as we speak to the venture arm of one of Japan’s largest consumer credit companies, Credit Saison.  Called Saison Capital, the corporate venture arm invests in Pre-Seed to Series B companies with a focus on Southeast Asia and India.  While the firm is sector agnostic, it likes to work with founders that are building platforms or ecosystems that have t...

We’ve talked about electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircrafts on the show. They come in the form of flying cars, air taxis or even delivery drones.  But just like how cars need to be parked at car parks or garages, and how aeroplanes need to stay at airports, flying cars and delivery drones also need to be parked somewhere once they reach their destinations.  Our guest for today desi...

This company will certainly ring a bell for those who’ve been keeping an eye on the movers on the Singapore exchange.  Our guest for today is DFI Retail Group, or a leading pan-Asian retailer that owns the Cold Storage and Giant chains of supermarkets, Guardian pharmacies and 7-Eleven convenience stores here in Singapore. At a group level, DFI Retail operates over 10,500 outlets in 13 countries an...

Today we’re going to talk about a company that supplies steel pipes, tie rods, as well as crane rails for waterfront, underground and even rail projects.  Founded in 2011, Mlion Corporation is a foundation solutions company that focuses on port and waterfront developments, civil excavation and power generation related infrastructure in Asia.   It also adds value to the supply chain by providing do...

Let us put on our lab coats and head over to the chemistry lab today! That’s probably what you may have heard years ago as a student. Why am I bringing this up? Well, I’m bringing this up because our guest for today is New York Stock Exchange-listed Waters Corporation, or a global leader that makes analytical instruments and software used in scientific laboratories.   Founded in 1958, Water Corpor...

It has been slightly more than six months since our interview with Tapestry, or the fashion group behind Coach, Kate Spade and Stuart Weitzman.  A lot has happened since then. Perhaps the most important development of all is Tapestry’s US$8.5 billion acquisition of its competitor Capri Holdings in August.  Capri, as we know, owns the brands Versace, Jimmy Choo and Michael Kors.  Tapestry says the...

Do you know that Singapore actually builds electric motorbikes? Yes you’ve heard it right.  While such bikes are not on the roads of Singapore, they are exported to other Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia.  Our guest for today is one of these electric motorbike manufacturers. Founded in 2019, Ion Mobility is a Singapore-based startup that aims to tap the growing appetite for electric vehic...

Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into one of the oldest bakeries in Singapore.  Make a guess – you might have just passed by one of their outlets today!  Back in 1926, Polar Puffs and Cakes, or the then Polar Cafe opened its first outlet on 51 High Street, where it was known for its Curry Puffs, ice-cream and chilled beverages.  The cafe was more notably the go-to place for politician...

It is probably time that you’re thinking about dinner on a Friday afternoon, and on that note – how about a warm hearty bowl of noodles to kickstart your weekend? Our guest for today is one of the largest manufacturers of fresh noodles in Singapore.  Founded in 1996 as a noodle supplier, Leong Guan has since opened its own noodle manufacturing factory in 2006 and currently provides not only noodle...

Pencils are a much needed tool as we get through our work day, and today we’re going to bring you an inside look into a pencil manufacturer that has been around for over 250 (262) years! Bingo if you’ve guessed Faber Castell. Founded all the way back in 1761, Faber- Castell is one of the oldest industrial companies in the world, and has been owned by the same family for – get this – nine generatio...

The accounting and professional services industry is back in focus today.  Founded in 1904, our guest is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or ACCA. This is a global body for professional accountants with over 200,000 fully qualified members and 500,000 students worldwide.   While widely known as an association or educational body, ACCA essentially operates like a business with a t...

Laptops, computers and phones – they are among the items that have shrunk in size over time as consumers demand items that are smaller, more portable and perhaps cheaper.  But besides our daily consumer goods, did you know that even satellites are getting smaller too?  Not only are satellites getting smaller, they also need to fly closer to the Earth to collect better quality data to power industr...

Can you imagine that the Moon may support a population of 1,000 with over 10,000 people visiting each year by 2040?  How about having the moon support industries such as construction, energy, steel procurement, communications, transportation, and even tourism and medicine? It may seem a little out of reach at this point in time, but that is the belief of our guest for today ispace.  Founded in 201...

This conversation is set to pique your interest if you’re a grocery shopper or a foodie. On that note, have you ever read the back of a food label packaging and wonder what exactly is this ingredient called the chicken extract that is packed with umami flavour?  Or have you opened a bag of barbecue flavoured chips and wonder what’s behind that rich and smoky flavour?  Or perhaps – what are milk pr...

The adoption of digital solutions within the construction industry is at the heart of our conversation today.  Founded in 2014, our guest Novade develops cloud and mobile applications for construction companies to use in work sites. The applications streamline work processes such as quality control, safety inspections and workforce management and reduce the paperwork needed in construction project...

Acquiring talent in the fast growing consumer market of ASEAN – that’s what we are going to talk about in this segment today.  With over 5,100 branches across 60 countries around the world, our guest is leading workforce solutions company Adecco.  The Switzerland-based firm provides a comprehensive range of workforce solutions and consulting services which includes junior to mid-level talent acqui...

You might have used Fitbit in your daily exercise routines. But did you know factory machines use an equivalent of Fitbit too? In fact, we’re going to talk to a company that offers “Fitbit-for-machines” services using the Internet of Things. In layman terms, the firm offers a scalable digital factory system comprising of hardware equipment that tracks the steps or output, the heart rate or the tem...

Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into a private equity real estate firm that connects real estate to capital markets.  Founded in 2016, Q Investment Partners or QIP is a Singapore-based PE real estate firm that raises funds from institutional investors to buy, develop and sell buildings to generate investment returns. The firm currently manages and executes around US$400 million of in...

Do you remember the time when you had to scan a QR code to check into malls and to dine in at restaurants?  Well, today we’re going to talk to the company behind the Tracetogether token that has been a huge part of our lives during the pandemic.  Incorporated all the way back in 1999, TraceTogerther maker iWOW is an Internet of Things solutions provider.  Its name stands for Inspiring the World of...

This is a conversation that you would love if you’re into Asian-dramas or variety shows – think the likes of your Running Man, Descendants of the Sun and so on.  Our guest for today is Viu, which is a leading pan-regional over-the-top video streaming service operated by billionaire Richard Li’s PCCW.  The firm distributes Asian contents in different genres in local language subtitles, as well as p...

Today we’re going to talk about the people behind the flats and apartments we live in – the people building our homes that is.  Construction firms, as we know, have been hit by supply chain disruptions and a manpower crunch during the pandemic.  While things are looking up as work resumes and supply chain bottlenecks ease, industry players continue to face challenges such as working with pre-pande...