The Breakfast Grille

Clearer Skies Ahead For GE Engine Services

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic may have ravaged the global aviation industry but there are clear signs of recovery, giving impetus to the KL, Malaysia-based maintenance...

The Challenging Road To COP 26

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In less than a week, COP26, the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow begins. We ask how nations around the world are going to resolve o...

Britain's ASEAN Dilemma And COP26's Energy Challenges

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Hay, the United Kingdom's High Commissioner to Malaysia, addresses Malaysia's policy vacuum and political and business uncertainty from the pe...

Britain's ASEAN Dilemma And COP26's Energy Challenges

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Hay, the United Kingdom's High Commissioner to Malaysia, addresses Malaysia's policy vacuum and political and business uncertainty from the pe...

Xiaomi Sees Beyond Smartphones In Tech War

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

KM Leong, General Manager of Southeast Asia for China-based smartphone maker Xiaomi International, talks about new opportunities beyond the phone, whi...

Workday's Asia Pacific Expansion

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As we exit the pandemic, what will be the new normal for work? How will companies manage their employees and how has the war for talent changed? Sande...

Clock Is Ticking, Will MAB Make It This Time?

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Covid-19 and now high jet fuel prices have been the immediate challenges for the aviation sector. But even before this, Malaysia Airlines has been str...

Afghanistan, Interrupted (Again)

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban to government in August closed the chapter on the 20 year war sparked by th...

Can We Eradicate Poverty Once And For All?

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Covid-19 pandemic has inarguably reversed the gains of Malaysia's poverty eradication programme, with both middle-income and lower-income communit...

Electrification Is The Future For Volvo

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Volvo targets to go fully green by 2030 but can these plans be achieved in Malaysia? We speak to newly appointed managing director, Charles Frump on t...

MUDA: The Disruptive Force To Be Reckoned With?

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After 1 year, MUDA still has not been able to register itself as a political party. How does this affect their plans for GE15? Syed Saddiq, MP for MUA...

ATA Plus Looking To Grow Beyond ECF

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

ATA Plus was one of the pioneer players in the Malaysian equity crowdfunding (ECF) space in 2016, and it has witnessed the growing popularity of ECF e...

iQiyi Vying For Pole Position In Asian Content Space

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mainland-China based streaming platform iQiyi is often described as China's answer to Netflix. But while it dominates the China market, can it make in...

Malaysia's Path To Covid-19 Endemicity

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After more than 600 days in the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malaysia is seeing an easing of daily new infections amid a high vaccination rate with ...

MDV's Role In Malaysia's Digital Plans

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia Debt Ventures, a government agency under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation hits a milestone - it’s 20th Year Anniversa...

Prudence Balances SME Pandemic Recovery

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

SMEs, the economic life bloods of Malaysia, were arguably the biggest victims of the pandemic. But funding their revival has to be balanced with a new...

12MP, The Devil Is In The Details

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The 12th Malaysia Plan was unveiled with the broad theme of a prosperous, inclusive and sustainable Malaysia. A goal that all Malaysians would aspire ...

Social Protection Overhaul Needed For Malaysia’s Ageing Nation

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

By 2060, Malaysia will be a super-aged nation, where 1 in 5 Malaysians will be over the age of 65. The rapidly ageing population will bring with it a ...

Nestle Adapts To Reflect Shift In Consumer Trends

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We get into conversation with Nestle, the world's largest food company, Nestlé as we ask Chief Executive Officer of Nestlé (Malaysia) Be...

Alliance Bank: Small In Size But Not In Ambition

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The banking sector has faced many challenges from a prolonged Covid-19 pandemic whilst structural changes are fast approaching. Joel Kornreich, Group ...

Will Ta Win Shine?

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Copper product manufacturer, Ta Win Holdings aims to supply to the healthcare and electric vehicle industries as well as venture into blockchain. What...

Pos Malaysia: Turning Snail Mail Around

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Postal services are all facing a structure decline as online communication has become the dominant way of life. But what tricks does newly appointed G...

Making Peace Between China And US

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kishore Mahbubani, former diplomat, author of the book "Has China Won?", and Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Research Institute, of the National Univ...

Pentamaster Turns Crises Into Opportunities

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We get into a conversation with Chuah Choon Bin, Executive Director of Pentamaster about his journey so far and the plans he has to grow the business ...

Main Market Beckons For Southern Cable

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kedah-based cable and wire maker Southern Cable is graduating to the Main Market by the end of the year, with its post-pandemic recovery plans and new...

Amadeus: Travel Solutions During The Pandemic

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak to Mieke De Schepper, Executive Vice President and Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, Amadeus on how this global travel technology leader se...

AstraZeneca No-Profit Vaccine Strategy

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The unusual pairing of Oxford university scientists and British-Swedish pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca led to the not for profit Covid-19 vaccine. B...

Catalysing Malaysia's Paralympics Success

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak to Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin, President of the Paralympics Council of Malaysia on Malaysia's record haul, the controversy surrou...

Malaysia At 58: Bridging The Gaps Between East And West

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the nearly six-decade union between the states of Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, misconceptions of history, the constitution and cult...

Oriental Group's Road To Recovery

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Known for their dim sum lunches and lavish Chinese banquet dinners, Phillip Siew, Chairman of Oriental Group, one of Malaysia's largest Chinese Restau...

WorldRemit: Moving Money With A Click Of A Button

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With a click of a button, sending money quickly is now an option and for less charges than before. We speak to one of the disruptors, WorldRemit as to...

Future-Proof Mental Healthcare Policies

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The toll of the Covid-19 pandemic extends far beyond the physical disease; it's impacts include the mental health dimension. According to official sta...

For LBS Bina, Ports And Tourism Beckon, Beyond Property

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Affordable homes have been the only bright sparks in a moribund property sector, but new growth opportunities can and must be unearthed, possibly in t...

Contact-Tracing Apps: How They Work And Privacy Concerns

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Besides social distancing and vaccines, another tool in the fight against COVID-19 has been contact tracing, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, contact t...

GHL: Changing To Stay Ahead In The Fintech Race

07 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The fintech space in Malaysia is still at a nascent stage but the field is getting crowded. GHL one of the earliest payment players recognises this an...

Post-Bloom, Hibiscus’ Position In Fossil-Clean Era

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Kenneth Pereira, the founding Managing Director of Hibiscus Petroleum Bhd, Malaysia’s first SPAC with oil and gas assets in Malaysia, Austral...

Transformative Change Needed For Resilient, Sustainable Cities

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The United Nations projects that 70% of the world’s population will reside in urban settlements by the year 2050. Additionally, the Covid-19 pan...

Lagenda Properties: From Poultry To Property

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the impact of Covid-19 and uncertain economic environment, Lagenda Properties is upbeat in achieving its RM1 billion sales target for this yea...

Solutions To Old Economic Problems In A New Malaysia

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Terms like unemployment, underemployment, upskilling, social protection and inequality are issues we’ve been hearing more about in the last few ...

Merdeka 64: Reflections On Malaysian Resilience And Political Reforms

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The political turmoil of the past few years have left many feeling cynical about the state of Malaysian democracy. But there are reasons to stay hopef...

Deleum: New Change Of Direction

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With a change in leadership after a challenging 2020, Philip See speaks to Ramanrao Abdullah, Deleum's new group CEO on how he’s cleaned up hous...

Airbus: When Will Air Travel Return?

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Anand Stanley, President of the Asia-Pacific arm of the European aviation multinational corporation Airbus, talks about how air travel will change as ...

Critical Thinking The Antidote For Covid-19 Misinformation

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Covid-19 pandemic has spawned more than just health and economic emergencies, it has also created a crisis of misinformation that the World Health...

Myanmar: An Overthrown Elected Government's Fight To Restore A Stolen Democracy

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Myanmar has been under a military dictatorship for more than 6 months, a period marked by civil disobedience movements and demonstrations which drew d...

Red Hat: Banking On APAC, Governments, And Edge Computing

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

IBM bought Red Hat for approximately $34 billion, making it the largest software acquisition in history. Roshan Kanesan speaks to Red Hat’s Asia...

Private Healthcare During And Post Pandemic

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Datuk Dr. Kuljit Singh, President, APHM & Nadiah Wan, Group CEO, TMC Life Sciences Bhd joins us for a panel discussion on the state and future of ...

When Will Thailand's Tourism Industry Recover?

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Land of Smiles is feeling a little sullen. As the pandemic continues to ravage the tourism industry globally, Thailand is certainly a country not ...

Still Everyone’s FAVE-rite E-Wallet?

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We speak to Joel Neoh, CEO and founder of Fave, on how one of the pioneers of the Malaysian mobile wallet space navigates these difficult waters with ...

PM9: Battle Of The Ageing Rock Stars?

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the Breakfast Grille today, we ask Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate, Nottingham University Malaysia and Jahabar Sadiq, Editor-in-Chie...

PM9: Battle Of The Ageing Rock Stars?

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On the Breakfast Grille today, we ask Dr. Bridget Welsh, Honorary Research Associate, Nottingham University Malaysia and Jahabar Saddiq, Editor-in-Chi...

Hong Seng - Becoming A Supply Chain Platform For Healthcare

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lester Chin, executive director of Hong Seng Consolidated Bhd discusses the dramatic revival of the company's fortunes as a result of selling Covid-19...

First ASEAN, Next China: iFAST's Asia Domination Plan

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lim Chung Chun, the Chairman and CEO of Singapore-listed wealth management Fintech iFAST Corp has witnessed a 2x jump in its share price in 2021 as lo...

First ASEAN, Next China: IFast's Asia Domination Plan

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Lim Chung Chun, the Chairman and CEO of Singapore-listed wealth management Fintech iFAST Corp has witnessed a 2x jump in its share price in 2021 as lo...

Youth & Politics: Langkah Sheraton, UNDI18 & Getting Into Politics

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why bother voting? This is a troubling question that some young people are asking following the events of Langkah Sheraton. That’s the question ...

GIIB Holdings - Still Bullish On Rubber Glove Making

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

GIIB Holdings has been a market leader in tyre retreading and rubber compound manufacturing. Due to losses in the past 5 years, it is now looking to s...

QES’s Quest For Growth

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With the rapid growth and strong global demand for semiconductor chips, we speak to the Managing director of QES Group, Chew Ne Weng on his ambitions ...

Grab - The One App To Rule Them All?

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Grab's ability to combine mobility, delivery, and now financial services with a touch of a button make it one of the most widely used apps in the regi...

MAG Holdings: From China Oils To Sabah Prawns

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Ng, Executive Chairman of Sabah-based aquaculture company MAG Holdings, is switching from its China-based edible oils business into prawn farm...

Examine Biases, Build Support For More Women Leaders

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why is it that despite longstanding calls for women to be better represented both in political and business leadership, women's representation continu...

Nando's Pandemic Reflections

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic has been a calamity for the F&B and hospitality sector, but thanks to a couple of cash infusions and a much-needed pivot, there appea...

Pertama Digital Pivoting To Fintech & Govtech

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Formerly known as Sinotop Holdings, Pertama Digital is setting its sights to expand its govtech business through its unit, Dapat Vista, a pioneer in g...

Lack Of Political Will Leaves Trafficking Victims Unprotected

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Every year, thousands fall into the hands of human traffickers, and are placed in positions of forced labour, exploitation, or worse. In order to brin...

Malaysian Urban Public Transport And How To Improve It

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 2019, the federal government said it was aiming to achieve 40% of public transportation usage within the next 10 years, from the 20% it was at...

Will Corporate Travel Return To Pre-Pandemic Levels?

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

pitchIN - Digital Investing Hub (Bank) Of The Future?

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

CapBay: Birthing An Unicorn

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 m...

Malaysian Athletes Overcoming Odds On Road To Tokyo

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 un...

Russia, The Enigma

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Gemilang Thrives On The Business Of Building Buses

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

Haily Digging Deeper Into Johor

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 s...

High Costs, Slow Clearance And Bumi Equity Rules

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Alvin Chua, President of the Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarders discusses the challenges faced in light of skyrocketing global shipping costs ...

The FBMKLCI Still So Unloved

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

BCorp Transformation: Will Jalil Berjaya?

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Qualitas Advocates For Private Sector To Combat Covid-19

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Qualitas Medical Group has been in the medical business for more than 20 years now, with presence across the region in Singapore and Australia. Phili...

Tealive Sweetened By Creador, Expanding Overseas

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 sol...

Tealive Sweetened By Creador, Expanding Overseas

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 sol...

US - Malaysia, Better Ties Ahead

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

US President Joe Biden is looking to rebuild bridges in the international community after the chaos of the Trump administration. What opportunities an...

Munchy’s On Acquisitions, Inflation, And Pandemic Profitability

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Munchy’s Food Industries is responsible for snacks like Lexus cream biscuits, Muzik bites, and Oat Krunch, brands that ring a bell with many Mal...

Nestcon Builds On Its Successful IPO

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We talk with Datuk Dr. Lim Jee Gin, Group Managing Director of Nestcon Bhd about their future plans into Industrial Building Systems (IBS), their orde...

Flat Years Prompt Petronas Gas To Pad Expansion Plans

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Australia - Battling New Variants, Building Regional Ties

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Australia was among the first countries to establish diplomatic ties with the then-Federation of Malaya when it gained independence in 1957. Six ...

CTOS, Credit Checking Its Way To Success

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The credit reporting industry has seen tremendous growth in Malaysia as both consumers and businesses increasingly use the service. But does this just...

Accenture Interactive, Flying The Nest For Pastures Anew

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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 c...

Ramssol - Growing Its Reach Across SEA

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Homegrown human capital management solutions and technology provider Ramssol Group is headed to a listing on the 13th of July. With ambitious expansio...

Pot Of HelloGold At The End Of The Rainbow?

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

ISIS On The Evolving Role Of Think Tanks

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Herizal Hazri, Chief Executive of ISIS Malaysia, discusses overlooked policy areas, and how think tanks could remain relevant in this age of disruptio...

Malaysian Fintech: Funding Bottlenecks, Regulatory Framework, And Digital Banking

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

E-wallets, robo advisors, and cryptocurrency, have all become more prominent as the pandemic accelerated digitalisation. Looking ahead, the digital ba...

RM380b From Penjana, Permai & Pemerkasa: Hit Or Miss?

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

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...

Can Everyone Still Fly

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With borders still closed and travel severely curtailed, can Air Asia still survive? Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, CEO and Co-Founder of AirAsia tells us hi...

Can Everyone Still Fly

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With borders still closed and travel severely curtailed, can Air Asia still survive? Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, CEO and Co-Founder of AirAsia tells us hi...

Corruption - Malaysia's Secret Pandemic

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The National Patriots Association hopes for Malaysia to return to happier times when we could live together in harmony. In that spirit, the group has ...

The Volunteers Driving The Vaccination

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Malaysia's vaccination program rolls steadily onwards, volunteers are on the frontlines helping to register people for vaccination, and also assist...

The Volunteers Driving The Vaccination

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As Malaysia's vaccination program rolls steadily onwards, volunteers are on the frontlines helping to register people for vaccination, and also assist...

Getting UDA Back On Track

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 2019, the Auditor General highlighted project delays and governance issues at UDA Holdings, an investee of MOF Inc. Salem Khailany was subsequently...

Mydin Faces The Challenges Head On

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

15 months into the Covid-19 crisis, retailers still face constant challenges with the ever-changing SOPs and sluggish consumer sentiment. But with the...

Naluri On Track to Profitability, But Is Consolidation Inevitable?

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wanted your own support team to help you with your physical and mental health, as well as financial planning and career coaching? Enter Naluri Hi...

Naluri On Track to Profitability, But Is Consolidation Inevitable?

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wanted your own support team to help you with your physical and mental health, as well as financial planning and career coaching? Enter Naluri Hi...

Custodial Deaths Still An Issue 16 Years On

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A recent spate of deaths in police custody has made headlines over the past two months and raised concerns over why this keeps happening. Furthermore,...

German-Malaysia Trade Ties, How To Keep It Growing

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

With over 700 German companies in Malaysia, we remain Germany's largest trading partner in ASEAN. However, Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are not fa...

The EPL: Billionaire Money And Rising Americanisation

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Billionaire owners, rising Americanisation, and the fall of European Super League; BFM's Roshan Kanesan speaks to football financial analyst Kieran Ma...