The Breakfast Grille
Episodes
Putrajaya's Pensions - Can KWAP Keep Up?
12 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With AUM of RM137 billion as of end-September 2017, Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) will have to more than double its fund size to fully...
Overseas Venture Back On The Cards For Deleum
11 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
2018 will be the year Deleum re-engages back its plans to venture overseas, says Group Managing Director Nan Yusri Nan Rahimy. The group stopped its p...
Tackling the Trust Deficit in Government Integrity
08 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The recent establishment of the National Integrity and Good Governance Department (JITN) under the Prime Minister's Department raised questions on whe...
AI and Robots Will Create Jobs!
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Will Robots and automation replace human jobs in the future?Andrew shares with his insights on how the second machine age is going to have a greater a...
Effective Border Management to Combat Terrorism
06 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tony shares his insights and over 40 years of experience in discussing the complex challenges facing governments in their quest to secure their nation...
What is United Malacca's Secret to Good Yields?
05 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Established in 1910, plantation company United Malacca remains a small player in the industry and yet, its yields have surpassed many of the big playe...
Microsoft Open the "Gates" to Education
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Don shares his insights on how technology is changing the way educators and institutions approach teaching and how profound changes in education are n...
Microsoft Open the "Gates" to Education
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Don shares his insights on how technology is changing the way educators and institutions approach teaching and how profound changes in education are n...
The Future of Travel is A.I.
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Before TripAdvisor, Expedia or Skyscanner, there was Travelocity. Travel industry veteran Terry Jones led the team that founded the travel aggregator ...
The Rise of Euroscepticism?
29 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Czech Republic is at a curious crossroads. Having just elected its own billionaire business tycoon to lead the country and facing rising Euroscept...
Bleak Future For Malls?
28 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Since starting up shop over two decades ago, Golden Eagle Retail International Group's retail assets has expanded to 31 stores in China spanning acros...
Bemoaning Football's Malaise
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysian football has just equaled its record low ranking of 174 out of FIFA's 211 member associations. Sanjeevan explains how the governing body of ...
MSWG: All Bark No Bite?
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Minority Shareholder Watchdog Group or in short (MSWG) was formed to encourage good governance amongst public listed companies with the objective of r...
Razak Baginda: I've Moved On
22 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Abdul Razak Baginda is back in the public eye as the head of newly-established think-tank ICON Centre for Global Affairs. He joins us on the Breakf...
Budding Fashion Mogul
20 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In conjunction with Women's Entrepreneurship Day on 19 November, we spoke to Vivy Yusof, the co-founder of FashionValet and The dUCk Group. In a cand...
Venturing Beyond the Family Name
17 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
RHL Ventures was founded on the wealth pooled together by the children of some of Malaysia's tycoons. The young venture capital fund has plans to attr...
Education - From Start to Finnish
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
According to the 2015 Pisa rankings, Finland's much-heralded academic achievements in science, maths and reading have been surpassed by Asian economie...
The Business of Milk - Built on Trust
15 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Fonterra Group is one of the largest dairy exporters and processors in the world. Jose tells us about Fonterra's business and how they are evolving in...
Talking Shop With ZALORA
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
E-commerce is all the rage now and ZALORA is one of the first movers into the sector. However, since the start of the fast moving e-commerce race, som...
Emirates - Is Luxury Fleeting?
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Having seen a 70% on-year decline in net income for its last fiscal year, how will Emirates weather some of toughest business conditions in its 32-yea...
Shell - Reimagining the Petrol Station
13 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Istvan talks about: -How the traditional petrol station has evolved into a convenience retail store for consumers -Shell's partnership with Ferrari an...
Sports Sells... Big Time
10 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Gibbons, Managing Director of Sports Direct Malaysia, discusses the whys and wherefores behind his company's fourfold increase in stores, while a...
Ecuador-Malaysia: Along the Same Line
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bilateral relations between Ecuador and Malaysia- first established in 1994 - can be described as friendly, with a focus on trade relations. We speak ...
IFCA in M&A Talks
07 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In his first media interview as CEO of IFCA MSC Bhd, Michael Cho shares with the Morning Run his plans for the company with him in the driving seat. I...
Patrick Grove: Rev-ing up for the Future
03 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Having built five companies from startup to IPO, Patrick Grove, the founder of Catcha Group has become a billionaire worth RM 2 billion. We spea...
Slow Ascent to Freer ASEAN Skies
31 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The ASEAN Open Skies Agreement aims to create a unified and single aviation market across Southeast Asia. Even with the full ratification by all 10-me...
Budget 2018 - Does it Make Cents?
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In light of the Budget 2018's announcement, Nurhisham Hussein and Veerinderjeet Singh discuss fiscal consolidation and the deficit, as well as GST and...
Budget 2018 Preview: A Balancing Act
27 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The World Bank and Deloitte help frame expectations for Malaysia's 2018 Budget, set to be tabled in Parliament by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Raza...
Investing In Malaysia For The Long Haul
26 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dinesh speaks about their flagship project In Malaysia which is the Lifestyle Quarter at TRX(Tun Razak Exchange), and why they stayed invested in TRX ...
Whither Brand EU?
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The facilitation of trade, commerce and investments between the EU and Malaysia is the key role played by the EU-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Indu...
Surging Through ASEAN
24 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Paul Lim, CEO of power company PESTECH International, discusses its surge through Malaysia and the region since its 2012 listing, talking about its pr...
Kevin Gaskell - Turnaround and M&A guru
23 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
British engineer-turned-entrepreneur Kevin Gaskell is credited for reviving luxury car brand Porsche in the 1990s, and went on to have successful lead...
In Spain, The Sun Rises Again
20 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
His Excellency Carlos Dominguez Diaz, the Spanish Ambassador to Malaysia, breaks down Catalanonia's independence movement, latterly moving on to the i...
Samsonite's Success Already in the Bag?
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Having made 10 acquisitions since 2012, Samsonite clearly has no intention of resting on its laurels. Satish also explains Malaysia's importance as a ...
Xin Hwa: Going the Last Mile with E-Commerce
17 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From its beginnings as a land transport company in 1965, Xin Hwa has recently bet on e-commerce to drive its growth forward. Kok also outlines key fea...
Sweet Success in Asia
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matt Whittaker shares the growth story of New Zealand-made Whittaker’s chocolate, the country’s Most Trusted Brand ,which was established...
Twin Pillars of Success
11 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to Jeffrey Chew to find out how Paramount is growing two different but synergistic businesses and moving from strength to strength via a...
Teong Has No Plans To Sell Out, Still Very Invested In GDex
10 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There had been news that Japan's Yamato is considering taking a majority stake in Malaysian GD Express Carrier Bhd (GDex) from its 23% currently, and ...
Objection, Your Honour
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to newly-elected Malaysian Bar President George Varughese about the role of the Malaysian Bar in contributing to public discourse and the pro...
Malay Mail Chief: All Media is Biased
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The prevailing narrative today is that the news media is in trouble. This is fuelled by the disrupted business model, the rise of “fake news&rdq...
Is Brazil Business-Friendly?
03 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Trade between Malaysia and Brazil is expected to hit a record high of US$4 billion this year. But given its political turmoil, corruption scandals and...
Habib & Retail Sector On The Up
29 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato Sri Meer gives us an overview of the retail sector in Malaysia,and the upcoming 18th Asia-Pacific Retailers Convention and Exhibition (APRCE) org...
Global Inequality Down, National Inequality Up
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
One of the world's leading economists of inequality, Branko Milanovic looks at who has won and who has lost from globalisation. He discusses the now ...
Bermaz - Better Times Ahead
25 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Bermaz Auto is the sole distributor of Mazda vehicles in Malaysia and the Philippines. It saw its latest quarterly earnings fall by over 50% amid a ch...
Big Risks, Big Ideas
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysia Debt Ventures (MDV) has disbursed more than RM11 billion in financing to more than 680 technology companies since its inception in 2012. Its ...
Future Proof or Legacy Laggard?
20 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Quick Ride, a company conceptualised by Cartrade Group and Koperasi Amanah Pe-laburan Bhd (KAPB), is providing a new leasing service targeted at the f...
Funding for the Masses
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
ATA Plus is one of the six companies approved and licensed by the Securities Commission Malaysia to operate an Equity Crowdfunding (ECF) platform in t...
Sabah - Treat Us As Equal Partners
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In the lead up to Malaysia Day on the 16th of September, we reflect on the state of the Federation, its strengths as well as some of its serious chall...
The Digi 'Headache' - Relief in Sight?
13 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Norwegian telco, Telenor, which has a 49% stake in Digi, has described its Malaysian operations as its 'main headache'. Murty outlines how Malaysia's ...
MBAs - Still Worth It?
08 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Asia School of Business is a collaboration between Bank Negara Malaysia and MIT Sloan. Professor Charles Fine spells out how he plans to grow ASB'...
Is MoF Inc Too Powerful?
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In his latest book 'Minister of Finance Incorporated: Ownership and Control of Corporate Malaysia', Professor Edmund Terence Gomez explores the role o...
Subsea 7- Surviving $50 Oil
05 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
How are oil & gas companies coping with the extended period of lower oil prices? We speak to Olivier Blaringhem, Vice President for Asia Pacific a...
GE14 - When, Why and How
30 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Speculation is rife about when the next, and 14th, General Elections will be called. Needless to say, speculation is rife with the timing of the polls...
Late Check-In for Tourism Tax
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysia is set to roll out a new tourism tax effective 1st September 2017 after a series of delays. It has been met with heavy criticism from various...
Why Don’t You Put on A Condom!
23 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Last month the United Nations’s released a report which shows that Malaysia together with nine other countries accounted for over 95% of all new...
In Corporate Governance, The Tail Cannot Wag the Dog
22 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato' Yusli Yusoff, President of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance (MICG) and former CEO of Bursa Malaysia, discusses the local corporat...
KL Sports City - Definitely not a White Elephant
18 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We speak to its Project Director,S Nalgunalingam about KL Sports City, the newly refurbished Bukit Jalil complex that was originally constructed durin...
Vinda Cleans Up in Personal Hygiene
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Founded in 1985 and listed in the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Vinda Group is the company behind personal hygiene brands such as TENA, Libresse, and Dryp...
Where Brand Britain, Brand Malaysia Meet
16 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
After a year of political turmoil following the Brexit vote, UK-Malaysia businesses and trade ties remain strong. But the unfolding of Brexit negotiat...
Rolls Royce - The Pinnacle of Luxury
15 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Rolls-Royce is a brand associated with the pinnacle of luxury and prestige. We catch up with Paul Harris, Asia Pacific Regional Director of Rolls Royc...
Golden Startup Opportunities in Southeast Asia
14 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Golden Gate Ventures is an early-stage venture capitalist firm in Southeast Asia with over 30 investments across 7 countries, including Carousell, Red...
Is Insurance 'Digitisation' Real?
11 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Allianz Malaysia continues to roll out its digitisation agenda, what would that ultimately mean for its 17,933 agents (as of 2016) and its cu...
Creativity At Internet Speed
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Throughout 2016, TBWA Worldwide has secured a line up of new business, most notably U Mobile, Taylor’s University, Dairy Farm and Tealive. We sp...
Immigration - Turning Up The Heat
09 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato’ Seri Mustafar Ali was appointed Director-General of the Immigration Department in August last year, parachuted in from his previous positi...
MAB Turnaround: 'Half-Time' Report
08 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Is RM6 billion enough to bring Malaysia Airlines back to sustained profitability and a 2019 relisting? How will MAB retain its crew amid fierce indust...
Sri Lanka Open for Business
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Malaysia is one Sri Lanka's major trading partners with a trade surplus of over RM2.5 billion. We speak to HE AJM Muzammil, High Commissioner of Sri L...
Can Our Youth Create A New Politics?
04 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A recent survey showed that many young people are unclear where they stand in the race to capture the heart and minds of voters in the upcoming 14th G...
There’s Still Gold Down South
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato’ Zamani Kasim, CEO, Astaka Holdings Limited, talks up the vast potential of the Johor/Iskandar region, helped by the royal and political co...
Mary Kay: In the Pink of Health?
02 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With some 60,000 'beauty consultants' here in Malaysia, how much more can Mary Kay grow in the domestic market? KK also speaks about the direct-sellin...
JF Technology - From The Kitchen to Global Innovator
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato Foong Wei Kuong, Managing Director of JF Technology Bhd shares his journey from starting his company from his kitchen to becoming an innovator in...
Third Time's the Charm for Aspen IPO
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Having been rejected twice by Malaysian regulators, Aspen Group finally got its IPO off the ground on July 28, albeit via Singapore's Catalist board. ...
Latin America - Outside Our Comfort Zone?
28 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) is hosting the Latin American Business Day in Kuala Lumpur next Tuesday. The event serves as a...
Forest City: Seeing the Wood from the Trees
27 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dr Yu Runze, Chief Strategy Officer of Country Garden Pacificview, discusses the China developer’s mammoth Forest City project, in terms of huma...
Terrorism - Making Ready Recruits for Violence
26 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Currently serving as an Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychiatry in the School of Medicine at Georgetown University, our guest today is the author of...
Nicol David: Legend, Icon and Role Model
25 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Dato’ Nicol David, eight times World squash women's champion and five times British Open winner, talks about Malaysia’s pipeline of top sp...
There Will Not Be War
24 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
President Moon Jae-in of South Korea was elected in May 2017 promising economic reform, amidst widespread public outrage over corruption allegations t...
Are Malaysians an Unhappy Lot?
21 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Published in the South China Morning Post, an opinion piece by the regionally syndicated columnist, has pushed buttons over the expression &ldqu...
Matrix Concepts: Profiting from Affordable Housing
20 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Matrix Concepts has won the Forbes Asia's 200 Best Under A billion Award and is currently part of the Edge Billion Ringgit Club. With affordable housi...
Steel-ing IT-Self for Change
19 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last six decades, Chuan Huat has weathered many challenges in its key segments, namely steel and IT retail. Dato Mark Lim explains how the co...
A Region in Flux
17 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With a background in both journalism and conflict resolution, Vatikiotis, is able to look beyond the glass and steel facades of Southeast Asia’s...
Science, Maths: Might We or Won't We?
14 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff, CEO, Malaysian Industry Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT) is asked about his agency’s mandate, KPIs and results...
Retail Industry Struggles with Disruption
13 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tan Hai Hsin, Managing Director of Retail Group Malaysia joins us on the Breakfast Grille to provide some insights into the retail industry eco ...
Disruption 2030
12 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As the world begins to embrace the entrance of electric vehicles and electric engines into the market, we ask the question of how this would impact tr...
Sony is Cool Again
11 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Just three years ago Sony was on the ropes and had lost its mojo. After a successful turnaround, Sony it is looking to the future with new innov...
Sedania Aims to 'Bring Sexy Back'
10 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Shareholders of Sedania Innovator recently approved the acquisition of Islamic FinTech platform provider Sedania As-Salam Capital for RM12 million. Ho...
Advancecon: Tilling the Earth for Future Growth
07 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the public tranche of Advancecon's IPO oversubscribed by 10.28 times, Yeo believes the timing is now right for the earthworks and civil engineeri...
Volkswagen's Drive to Regain Trust
05 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Volkswagen is on a major drive to win back the trust of their customers after Dieselgate and major issues in Malaysia. The new CEO of Volkswagen Passe...
Malaysia Real Estate Growth is in Affordable Segment
04 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tan Sri Lim Hock San, MD of the property developer LBS Bina, talks about the nuances of the affordable housing segment, its launches for 2017, China m...
Behave, Foolish Motorists
03 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The detariffication of motor insurance premiums went into effect July 1, 2017. Antony explains how will this affect Malaysian motorists and insurance ...
Mo’ Tourists, Mo’ Money
30 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Datuk Siew Ka Wei, the Chairman of Tourism Malaysia, talks about government policies to steer more arrivals and spending to the country and measures t...
Is Evolution Wellness a Fit Company?
29 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Celebrity Fitness and Fitness First set to be housed under a new entity, Evolution Wellness is poised for a stronger hold on the Asian market. Si...
Behind the Curtain of Corruption in China
28 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In his latest book, "China's Crony Capitalism: The Dynamics of Regime Decay", Professor Minxin Pei casts doubt on whether China's ongoing anti-corrupt...
Behind the Curtain of Corruption in China
28 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In his latest book, "China's Crony Capitalism: The Dynamics of Regime Decay", Professor Minxin Pei casts doubt on whether China's ongoing anti-corrupt...
Freight Forwarders Fending Off Foes
23 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
About one-third of the estimated 3,000 freight forwarders operating in Malaysia are registered members of the Federation of Malaysian Freight Forwarde...
Imagining Equitable Capitalism
22 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In his latest book, Prof. Guy Standing lays out the case against rentier capitalism - where a small majority accumulate vast wealth and power from ren...
Isuzu Moves With The Times
21 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Isuzu is synonymous with tough SUV’s and commercial vehicles. It was a rising star in the global automotive industry in the 80's, but declined i...
Ireland - Brexit’s Frontline State
20 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Irish Central Bank warned that Ireland is the EU economy most likely to be affected by Brexit. Part of this is because Ireland was more reliant on...
Kedah Property Sector: A Level Playing Field?
19 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Kedah State Development Corporation owns a 67% stake in Bina Darulaman, which is the largest property player in Kedah. Datuk Izham explains how th...
Sepang Beyond the F1 Dream
16 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Sepang International Circuit has been hosting the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix for the past 18 years, but 2017 marks the last edition of the wo...
'Plastics & Packaging' Unwrapped
15 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Daibochi Plastic and Packaging Industries is set to expand its ASEAN footprint, with forays into Myanmar and Indonesia. Will its regional expansion pl...