Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

From China’s Communist Party signaling further delay to third plenum to China Evergrande Group granted an adjournment of a court hearing into a liquidation petition to January 29.  Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs  gives us an analysis of those headlines and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If money and accolades bring many of the finer things in life, why are "successful" Singaporeans still unhappy, unfulfilled, and dissatisfied? In fact, today 80 percent of senior executive leaders and C-suites in Singapore are on the verge of quitting, with Singapore losing S$16 billion a year because of crippling mental health conditions that lead to high absenteeism and low productivity.  Kellyj...

There is no better time to shop in a year with the upcoming year-end sales fast approaching. Shopping has become increasingly convenient and exciting with the rise of e-commerce and alluring sales, both offline and online. In tandem with this evolving retail landscape, how can retailers meet consumer demands and maximize profitability?  George Pepes, APAC Vertical Solutions Lead, Healthcare and Re...

Singapore stocks were pulled into positive territory at the open after stocks on Wall Street and Europe closed the previous week higher. In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed up 0.2 per cent after 64.8 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Singtel. The telecommunications provider has secured its first green loan, amountin...

Today we’re going to talk about a company formed from the merger of one of the world’s largest privately-owned fragrance & taste companies, Firmenich, as well as, DSM, a company who’s touted as a global, purpose-led leader in nutrition, health and well-being.  Formed in May 2023, the combined entity DSM-firmenich defines itself as an innovator in nutrition, health and beauty, with over 150 yea...

Henry Kissinger, the former US Secretary of State and National Security Adviser died on November 29 at the age of 100. While he was an influential member of the US government under two Presidents, Kissinger was also seen as a controversial figure in global politics. In fact, his legacy in Asia has been much debated.  How will Henry Kissinger be remembered in Southeast Asia? And what impact will he...

Did you know Singaporeans generated more than 740 million kilograms of food waste in 2019? That’s equivalent to the weight of 51,000 double-decker buses! With more than 20% of people in Singapore still facing food insecurity issues, how can we change the conversation surrounding food to reduce waste? Nicol Ng, CEO, X-Inc & Founder, The Foodbank Singapore and YPO member shares how her organizat...

Singapore stocks were pulled into positive territory today after stock markets in the US and Europe ended mostly higher overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.3 per cent after 54.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have IHH Healthcare. The mainboard-listed company reported earnings of RM532.1 million (S$152.7 m...

In this digital age, people are heavily reliant on online payments and new payment technologies for transactions. Keeping up with the trend, fraudsters are continuously finding creative ways to perpetuate their scams.  What role can data analytics plays in financial fraud detection, and what are the best strategies that regulators can implement to prevent financial crimes? Ian Holmes, Global Lead...

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) advance report of how Singapore’s labour market fared in the whole of 2023, with high inflation this year eating into the spending power of Singapore residents, the real incomes for workers at the 20th percentile fell by 3 percent compared with the same period last year, while that for median workers dipped by 2.3 percent, even as nominal wages grew. Rah...

Skincare and cosmetics, yes that’s what we are going to talk about on this segment today!  Founded in 1956, our guest BABOR BEAUTY GROUP is a German family business that started out as a niche brand for professionals within the skincare industry.  The company has been headed by the third generation of the owner family since 2014 and has seen rapid growth that made it into the powerhouse for innova...

Singapore stocks opened weaker today, following heavy losses of the top-traded counter. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.2 per cent to 3,078.74 points after 45.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Manulife US Reit. Units fell as much as 27.5% after the counter resumed trading today.  Its manager had earlier rev...

Greece has accused Britain of showing "a lack of respect" by abruptly cancelling a meeting between their leaders at short notice in a dispute over ancient Greek sculptures brought to Britain in the early 19th century. What are the Parthenon Sculptures at the centre of the row between Britain and Greece? How will this dispute reflect on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at a time when the UK is st...

Switzerland is once again the world's most talent-competitive country, followed by Singapore, according to INSEAD's 2023 Global Talent Competitiveness Index .  How have the world's most talent competitive countries competed to attract and nurture talent over the past decade? What are the lessons we can take away from the talent landscape and what is the outlook for talent competitiveness in the ye...

With the resurgence of global travel following the pandemic, our global perspective is more important than ever. Common to all our global work: experiences come first – personality-forward for our brand operators and tailored for unique experiences that speak to their brands and the local context. What opportunities do these post-pandemic hospitality trends present for architects and designers? We...

Building a talent ecosystem to help the 120 million professionals in Southeast Asia grow their careers. Well, that’s the aspiration and the mission of our guest for today Glints. Founded in 2015, Glints is a recruitment platform that allows organisations to hire the right talent from anywhere in Southeast Asia.  With operations spanning across key markets such as Singapore, Indonesia and Vietnam,...

As an antithesis to usual Christmas celebrations with fabricated tree structures, Millenia Walk is encouraging a Singapore-first, eco-friendly Christmas celebration this year as part of the Millenia Walk Christmas With Our Trees initiative and its ongoing sustainability efforts.  This includes showcasing a 7-metre-tall Christmas tree made entirely out of 5.5 tonnes of salvaged wood in the form of...

Among cities ranked as the world’s best for annual prime property price growth, three in the top 12 are Australian, according to Knight Frank’s Prime Global Cities Index Q3 2023 which tracked the movement of 46 luxury residential markets worldwide. Given it's potential in 2023, how will Sydney’s luxury property market play out in 2024? What does it mean for international investors here in Singapor...

Singapore shares started trading in positive territory today, tracking gains in the US and Europe markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was up by 0.5 per cent at 3,220.76 points as 51.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Manulife US Reit, after it requested a trading halt this morning after releasing details of its recap...

From highlights to the recently concluded Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) annual congress to Malaysia and Thailand looking to enhance their cooperation to proper economic growth.  Dr Mustafa Izzuddin, Senior International Affairs Analyst, Solaris Strategies Singapore gives us an analysis of those headlines and more.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might have played Tamagotchi before, but for some of us who grew up in the early 2000s, we went for Neopets. Founded in 1999, Neopets is an immersive, web-based pet game where we raise our virtual pets, collect free items under the Money Tree, and of course, haggle for goods with virtual shopkeepers and get chased off for making an unreasonable bargain.  The online game was a hit back then. Ac...

As the 2023 F1 season came to a close, we look back on the campaign that was dominated by Max Verstappen - who clinched 19 of 23 race wins to seal an emphatic third world title. F1 Analyst Matthew Marsh is in the hot seat to give us his hot takes, including his pick on best & worst in class for the year. Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg |  raushan@sph.com.sg   See...

South Asian fashion is having its moment in the sun, shaping and embracing current global fashion trends. From textiles to patterns and beading, South Asian style has been a significant presence in the industry, inspiring designers worldwide with its rich heritage. But what about its presence here in Singapore? Samia Khan, Founder, Studio Mèlange shares how her platform is bringing the best of Ind...

Singapore stocks opened weaker today, following overnight losses on global markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.2 per cent to 3,079.31 points after 50.7 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch today, we have Sembcorp Industries, after the energy group yesterday announced two separate agreements to acquire wind assets in...

A surge of respiratory illnesses related to flu, respiratory syncytial virus and other infections has been sweeping across some parts of China and mainly infecting children, as the country experiences its first full winter since easing COVID-19 restrictions. What do we know so far about the mysterious pneumonia outbreak in China? And how will China respond to the outbreak? Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fe...