The Breakfast Grille

Mitsui & Co Japan has raised its LGMS stake to 25% in ACE listed IT and cybersecurity firm LGMS Berhad, opening new markets across 60 countries. We speak with CEO Fong Choong Fook on how plans to take full advantage of this new partnership against the backdrop of increasing data breaches and scams reported. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The business model of accounting firms have evolved from mere compliance auditing to advisory. Revenues have jumped as a result but does arise potential issues of conflict? Deloitte CEO, Yee Wing Peng tells us how they navigate this and the operating landscape considering the threat of a global recession. We also discuss if human capital is their most important asset but also challenge. See omnyst...

Is the heyday of IBM behind them, with the likes of Microsoft, Google and Amazon grabbing more headlines these days in the fields of cloud service, machine learning and artificial intelligence ? Or is the giant finally awakening? We speak with Catherine Lian, Managing Director, IBM Malaysia to find out how IBM plans to respond to the competition, talent management, and accelerating growth. See omn...

Charles Santiago, Chairman of National Water Services Commission (SPAN) and former Klang MP shares his plans to avoid a water crisis, including checking on dam water levels and raw water availability, and proposals on an inter state water connection See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

ucrest-malaysia-digitalising-healthcare-2023-company-prospects See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Malaysian Plastics Sustainability Roadmap, Malaysia targets 76% of plastic waste to be collected for recycling by 2030. How far away are we from these end goals - and does the economic environment incentivise players operating in this space? Seah Kian Hoe, Founder of Johor-based recycler Heng Hiap Industries gives us the lay of the land in plastic recycling and responds to greenwa...

Niro’s recovery from the pandemic goes from strength to strength and on track for a Bursa listing next year. But is it good enough to qualify for the main board? We speak with Managing Director, Ian Kok about the recovery, regional expansion, their roadmap to list on Bursa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G Capital Berhad is a transportation specialist turned utilities player poised to capitalise on Malaysia's renewable energy transition with power purchase agreements in small hydro power and solar power. We speak to Executive Director Datuk Yap Yee Ping on why GCAP is betting on renewable energy to bring the business back in the black. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

G Capital Berhad is a transportation specialist turned utilities player poised to capitalise on Malaysia's renewable energy transition with power purchase agreements in small hydro power and solar power. We speak to Executive Director Datuk Yap Yee Ping on why GCAP is betting on renewable energy to bring the business back in the black. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Siemens has had a long history in Malaysia - stretching back more than 110 years ago when it recorded its first sale - until it became Siemens Malaysia in 1972. More than half a century later Siemens Malaysia is in many industries - healthcare, power generation, energy management, mobility, building technologies. The new President & CEO of Siemens Malaysia, Tindaro Danze, talks to us about his...

Generali Malaysia has completed its acquisition of a controlling majority in AXA-Affin joint ventures in Malaysia and is the second largest general insurer in the nation. Fabrice Benard, the Country CEO of Generali Malaysia and CEO of Generali Insurance Malaysia Berhad shares with us the timeline for business integration, how will insurance penetration rate be improved and competition in the indus...

Last month, the government announced the delay of the gazettement of the KL Structure Plan 2040 to allow for engagement sessions by DBKL and other stakeholders after complaints that inputs and objections were not responded to. In a special Breakfast Grille panel discussion, our expert guests discuss what should be considered in this plan to make KL a more liveable city. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Deputy Communications & Digital Minister Teo Nie Ching sits down to discuss what the government plans to do to take even further, Malaysia's 40-rung jump in Reporters Sans Frontières' 2023 World Press Freedom Index. She prioritises what changes need to happen to the Communications & Multimedia Act 1998 which was enacted before Twitter, Facebook and TikTok were even conceived. With 6 state...

DXN Holdings Berhad is involved in the sales of health-oriented and wellness consumer products, and they are distributed through its direct selling network or sales branches. The group is bound for a main market IPO in mid-May, after a delist in 2011. Philip See asks CEO, Teoh Hang Ching on how the raised funds will be used, why a relist on the main market, as well as the sustainability and the ou...

Last year the IRB collected a record RM175 billion in taxes, the highest in history. Much needed since the government is targeting to lower the fiscal deficit but is our tax system, fair, efficient, consistent and certain? Questions we pose to its CEO, Datuk Mohd Nizom Sairi. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coinciding with the 20 years anniversary of the EU Delegation to Malaysia, we ask the Ambassador of the EU to Malaysia, H.E. Michalis Rokas, on the role of the EU in an increasingly multi-polar world, why did EU raise concerns about security risks in Huawei’s bid for 5G role in Malaysia and their position on palm oil. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the World Bank, economic growth in East Asia and Pacific region is projected to expand by 5.1% in 2023 thanks to China's reopening. But their report also points to slowing pace of reform. We ask Aaditya Mattoo, Chief Economist of the East Asia and Pacific Region, World Bank as to why this is happening and what are the headwinds he expects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Should companies be run to earn a profit, or to serve a purpose?  Author and London Business School professor of finance, Alex Edmans believes that it's not an either-or choice. Philip See speaks to Alex on the profit versus purpose conundrum that businesses face. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United Nations has warned that the world is at risk of exceeding the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit for global warming in the next 10 years. How is Malaysia responding to the climate crisis? We speak to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change on progress to reduce carbon emissions, the timeline for tabling the National Adaptation Plan and concerns over en...

The pandemic and rising input costs hit the construction and property sectors significantly causing listed company, Crest Builders to suffer three consecutive years of losses. Eric Yong, Managing Director of Crest Builder Holdings Berhad tells us if 2023 is the year where profit will be achieved despite the competitive environment and their strategies for growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Romania, a country in Eastern Europe, has much to offer the world - access to at least 10 EU countries via the famed Danube River, accessible from the Black Sea; a passionate effort to combat corruption; and a commitment to fight climate change. Ambassador of Romania to Malaysia, Nineta Bărbulescu, breaks down the experience of her nation, one generation after the fall of communism there. See omny...

Dymon Asia Private Equity invests in Southeast Asian companies in the lower mid market space, typically looking to invest between 15 to 50 million dollars. Some of their investments are Farm Fresh, BookXCess and Frontken. Managing Partner Tan Chow Yin shares with us their recent fundraising and how the environment for investment changed post-pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

April 20th every year is the United Nations Chinese Language Day in recognition of the fact that it is the world's second most spoken language with over 1.1 billion speakers (English has some 1.12 billion). In Malaysia, the existence of vernacular schools that use Mandarin as a medium of instruction has been a topic of debate - does it help unite a multi-ethnic society or is it necessary to bring...

Global business process outsourcing or BPO is a 300 billion US dollar industry, with the customer experience (CX) sub-sector accounting for about a third of that pie. How is Singapore-based player TDCX carving out its niche amidst a competitive landscape and the digital transformation wave? We speak to Executive Vice President and Group CIO Byron Fernandez to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Rubber has had a long history with Malaysia where at one time we accounted for half the world's supply of rubber, transforming Malaysia into Britain’s richest colony. But for the past decade, the industry has been on decline since its heyday. We speak to the Malaysian Rubber Board's Dato Dr Zairossani for the government's plan on expanding the industry and assisting its stakeholders. See omnystudi...