The Breakfast Grille

Herbalife Lessons On Managing MLM Earnings Expectations

11 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Herbalife Nutrition sees further growth potential for its meal replacement products thanks to the growing waistlines of Malaysians with the latest Nat...

Is The Delay For The Pengerang Energy Complex A Blessing?

10 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pengerang Energy Complex or (PEC) is developing one of the largest and most competitive Aromatics complexes in the world, to be strategically located ...

Cloudflare Building Resilience In Cybersecurity Space

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On the Breakfast Grille, Phil speaks to Jonathon Dixon, Vice President and MD, APJC short for Asia Pacific, Japan and Greater China, at Cloudflare, In...

History, Geopolitics, Chip War And The Semiconductor Industry.

08 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

History, geopolitics, chip war and the semiconductor industry. In the current world we live in, power be it military, economic and geopolitics is buil...

Recession Knocking On Our Doors But Better Markets In 2023

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2022 started with such promise, the world was coming out of Covid hibernation and economies were reopening but that optimism proved short-lived. Most ...

DS Sigma On For Premium Margins But Also Premium Valuations

04 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

DS Sigma Holdings Berhad is a packaging products provider, with an in-house manufacturing of corrugated paper packaging products including cartons, pr...

Parliamentary And Judiciary Revival

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At the conclusion of the general election, several critical issues of constitutional law came to the forefront. Constitutional expert Prof Shad Saleem...

Comms Chief Fahmi Fadzil On Policy Priorities For The Digital Age

02 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The age of digitalisation and technology that we’re experiencing has enormous potential to drive Malaysia’s economic future, but it also comes wit...

Best Of The Breakfast Grille 2022 - Conversations Unusual

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On the final show of the year, we revisit the more unusual interviews we've conducted on the Breakfast Grille, reflecting the unexpected and curious n...

Best Of The Breakfast Grille 2022 - Politics

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The political uncertainty that dogged the country for the past 2 years has been put to rest for the time being following the 15th General Elections th...

Best Of The Breakfast Grille 2022 - Companies

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In spite of economies largely reopening in 2022, there were still many trials and tribulations for companies this year due to rising inflation, higher...

Best Of The Breakfast Grille 2022 - Economy

26 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite hopes that 2022 would see the global economy recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the year threw a curveball with the outbreak of the Ukraine a...

Implementation Is Key To Avoid Future Flash Floods

22 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It has been more than 1 year since the floods that affected eight states across the peninsula, and left 55 dead. The Disaster Risk Reduction Team from...

AC Venture Looks To Strengthen Its Malaysia Footprint

21 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

AC Ventures is a leading Southeast Asian venture capital firm investing in early-stage startups focused on Indonesia and ASEAN. We ask Ng Yi Chung, pa...

Can Lagenda Properties Continue Its Success Into Other States?

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Lagenda Properties is a relatively newcomer in the property business, but it has morphed into a developer with a niche in affordable landed housing, c...

Navis Capital: SEA Prospects Undented By Looming Global Recession

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the era of ultra low interest rates comes to an end and a global recession looms overhead, how are regional private equity players adapting to the ...

Sedania Innovator Prioritizes On Sustainability

18 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Listed in 2015, Sedania Innovator Berhad focuses on project-managing and investing in sustainable energy projects as well as sustainable healthcare. S...

Is Sustainability The Key To Long Term Survival?

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many organisations have realised the importance and benefits of sustainability which ultimately gives it a higher survival rate. Despite many positive...

DHL Express Still Bullish On Trade Trends

14 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite multiple shocks to the global economy and supply chains in 2022, the world’s largest logistics player, DHL Group has thrived, with its expre...

Brewing Fabulous Memories : Kopi Kenangan Beyond Indonesia

13 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kopi Kenangan is rebranding itself as Kenangan Coffee as it ventures outside its Indonesian home where it already has more than 800 outlets employing ...

Bersatu, Ready To Be A Strong And Formidable Opposition?

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While Perikatan Nasional lost the bid to form the government of the day, its influence to shape the political future of Malaysia is not to be underest...

Ekuinas, Time For Consolidation And A Mandate Revamp?

11 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ekuinas, the Government's private equity fund management company has a focus to promote Bumiputera economic participation. With total committed invest...

Reverse Anti-Corruption Decline, Rev Up Institutional Reforms

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia has continued to slide down the rankings of Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index CPI), despite pledges to combat corrupti...

5G, A Game Changer For YTL Communications?

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

YTL Communications was the first major telco to launch 5G services in Malaysia. But the rollout of 5G in Malaysia hasn't been smooth sailing. We ask C...

What’s Driving PGF Capital’s Share Price Gains?

06 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

PGF Capital Berhad has been listed on the Main Market of Bursa Malaysia since 1990 but has not seen the entry of any institutional investors. However,...

Will Bake With Yen Rise To The Occasion?

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From their retail stores at TTDI and Chow Kit in 1987, Bake With Yen now has over 90 outlets throughout Malaysia. And in 2017, private equity firm Cre...

Anwar's Cabinet, A Dream Team Or Unwieldy Group?

04 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the end, 28 ministers were announced with some surprises, in particular Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim also double hatting as Finance Minister. We evalua...

The Overlooked Costs Of Immigration Laws

01 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Immigration is most commonly discussed through the lens of the emigre seeking a way into a new land and the rules put in place to secure borders from ...

Heriot-Watt University Staying Ahead Of Industry Demand

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The higher education business has always had a reputation of being lucrative and recession proof. With competition for education dollars on the rise a...

AHAM's Ambitious Plans For Regional Expansion

29 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Asset management has been going through structural changes with intense competition, the shift to passive funds and lower fees. So why did CVC, one of...

Centre Survivors In Policy Action To Combat VAW

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

25 November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. How effective is the legal framework in Malaysia to address vio...

Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, A Lesson In Persistence

24 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a long protracted battle for Putrajaya, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has finally become Malaysia's 10th Prime Minister. We explore his decades-long ...

Sukuk Issuances In The Age Of ESG

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Islamic bonds or sukuks continued to record resilience compared to conventional bonds despite volatile crude oil prices, a high interest rate environm...

Post-GE15: The King As Kingmaker And Reflections On Unity

22 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The negotiations to form the next government of Malaysia following the 15th general elections have yet to yield results, but there have been surprises...

ASEAN’s Economic And Geopolitical Resilience

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Russia-Ukraine war and conflicts in Myanmar have highlighted the division between nations in ASEAN. Philip See speaks to Manu Bhaskaran, Founding ...

GE15 Post-Mortem: The Unpredictability Of The Malay Swing Vote

20 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As predicted, the 15th general elections culminated in a hung Parliament, but few foresaw the rise of the green wave in peninsular Malaysia as PAS sec...

PM Candidate or Parliamentary Candidate?

17 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

History will be made tomorrow as more than 21 million Malaysians will be able to head to the polls to chart the future of the country in GE15. This wi...

The Journey Towards A Circular Economy

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH) is a private-public platform in which the local government authorities, experts and companies collaborate international...

FIFA : Football Is For All, But Is It Really?

15 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

World Cup season is upon us and in the years and months leading up to the kick-off in Qatar this November 20th, we can't escape knowing about it. Go t...

KJ In The Political Fight Of His Life

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Khairy Jamaluddin is in the political challenge of his life with a seven cornered fight in Sungai Buloh. He has made known of his ambitions to be Prim...

QTR Soaring On Tailwinds Despite Blockade, Pandemic Setback

13 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While all airlines were badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, for Qatar Airways the global shutdown came on top of a blockade imposed by neighbo...

Adobe - Not Just Photoshop!

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Many have heard of Adobe because of their best-in-class photo-editing app, Photoshop. That's just one of many software suites of Adobe which has grown...

Tourism Selangor Pursues Tourists, Balancing Between Conservation And Economics

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Selangor has many attractions to draw tourists - both natural and manmade - and many locals are discovering them especially in the years before intern...

GHL, Diversifying To BNPL And Microlending

08 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The payment method for Malaysians has transformed dramatically in the last few years and payments remain the largest fintech segment in the industry. ...

OCBC Malaysia, Charting A New Growth After 90 Years

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As one of Malaysia's oldest and largest foreign banks, is OCBC ready for the structural shift in the banking landscape with intensifying competition? ...

The State of US-Malaysia's Relations

06 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia and the United States have had 65 years of relations ever since over independence in 1957. Despite the changing global geopolitical environme...

Is Wise Making All The Wise Moves In The Fintech Space?

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since its founding over a decade ago, Wise has expanded to become a global transaction platform moving £9 billion monthly. Its CEO and cofounder Kris...

Principles Over Politics: PSM Stands Alone

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Parti Sosialis Malaysia is the sole party based on ideology, specifically socialism - but ideology doesn’t insulate one from cut-throat Malaysian po...

Kawan Engineering: In Search Of Environmentally Friendlier Businesses

01 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kawan Engineering has been in the business of making and designing heat exchangers and boilers for more than 25 years. It counts companies like Petron...

CAAM Focused On Keeping Flying Safe

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After Malaysia was unceremoniously downgraded by FAA, questions were raised about our safety standard. We speak to Datuk Captain Chester Voo Chee Soon...

DKSH Holdings : A Century's Worth Of Staying Power In Malaysia

30 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It started out in 1923 in Penang as a trading business called Diethelm & Co from Switzerland, today it is a Bursa-listed market expansion services...

Scicom Looking Solid But Why The Underperformance?

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Scicom (MSC) Bhd has evolved from being just a call centre provider to now an end-to-end service provider in Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). The m...

FM Global Logistics Aims For Global Expansion Amidst Volatility

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

FM Global Logistics Holdings Berhad is one of Malaysia’s largest freight and forwarding industry with a presence in the region. Most of its revenue ...

Betamek Aims To Be An Alpha Automotive Electronics Player

25 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Betamek Berhad is listing on Bursa Malaysia's ACE Market on Oct 26th 2022, after 33 years in the business, mostly supplying car audio systems to Perod...

CTOS, Gunning For Growth Both Organically And Inorganically

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

CTOS Digital Berhad had one of the best debuts on Bursa Malaysia in 2021. It has since been on an acquisition drive including a controversial majority...

DAP Youth : Why Good Governance Can Trump Identity Politics

20 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia’s 15th General Election will be held on Nov 19th, 2022, and political parties are ramping up their preparations. DAP Youth Chief and Pakata...

Aerodyne, Malaysia's "Soonicorn"?

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Aerodyne Group is a Malaysian drone-based enterprise solutions provider that has a presence in 35 countries and also plans to raise USD100-200 million...

SAP Bets Big On The Cloud

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the largest software companies in the world has taken the strategic decision to bet heavily on the cloud. Will it pay off? We ask SAP's Southea...

How To Break The US Dollar Doom Loop?

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the US Federal Reserve embarks on an unprecedented monetary policy tightening cycle, the US dollar has also strengthened in relation to most curren...

Speaker Art Harun: When Ideals Clash with Realities

16 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Prominent legal activist Art Harun created uproar when he took up the post of Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat under the Perikatan Nasional government, wit...

PKR Youth: Repairing Trust Deficits in the Party

13 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Former student activist Adam Adli was elected this year as the PKR Youth Chief, beating a more experienced rival for the top post. What does he bring ...

Sunview - New Kid In The Sought After Solar Space

12 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sunview Group Bhd is a renewable energy player slated to be listed on the ACE Market of Bursa Malaysia on Oct 17, with targets to raise 34 million rin...

Robots Won't Replace Your Accountants Anytime Soon!

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Accounting firms today have expanded their business to more than just auditing, with many of the major firms like the Big Four expanding into digital ...

GE15, A Game Changer?

10 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The dissolution of Parliament was finally announced, thus paving the way for the 15th General Elections. This was not a surprise, even though Budget 2...

Time To Mainstream Climate Bonds

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Climate Bonds Initiative is an international non-profit organization working to mobilize global capital for climate action. Philip See speaks to Sean ...

Fitch Ratings Sees Silver Linings Amidst Bleak Global Economic Outlook

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly three years since Covid-19 ravaged the world's economy and nothing has been the same since. Throw in a war in Europe, and China that still want...

Policy, Not Personality: MUDA Gears Up For GE15

04 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In a country teeming with long-serving politicians, the emergence of MUDA has galvanised political enthusiasm among Malaysian youth, especially in the...

German Unity In A Divided World?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

German Unity Day, which falls on the 3rd of October, is celebrated in Germany to commemorate its reunification in 1990, when West and East Germany wer...

Uzma Makes Its Shift From O&G To New Energy

02 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Oil and gas service and equipment company, Uzma Group has faced volatile oil prices in the last two years leading to a sharp deceleration of earnings....

Graphjet's Goal To Jumpstart Graphene Demand

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysian-based company, Graphjet Technology will be converting palm kernel shells into graphite and graphene. The company aims to raise 115 million U...

Indonesia On The Cusp Of Transformation

28 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

President Joko Widodo has made it his mission to transform Indonesia's economy and shepherd the migration of the capital city to East Kalimantan. We d...

Is UMNO Ready For GE 15 And Why Now?

27 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As the momentum for GE15 heats up, is UMNO ready for elections? UMNO's youth chief, Dato’ Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki tells us the party's strategy to appea...

Maybank Islamic Targets For Top 3 Position

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Islamic Banking landscape is competitive in Malaysia with 16 players, so is growth for Malaysia's largest Islamic Bank overseas an acquisition?&nb...

VALE Malaysia, Here To Stay For The Long Term

25 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vale is the world's largest producer of iron ore and nickel with operations in more than 30 countries, Malaysia included. Its Malaysian CEO, Rodrigo R...

The Case For Adding Technology To ESG

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

While there is widespread acceptance that environment, social and governance or ESG principles are crucial for business continuity, what this looks li...

The DNA Of Malaysian Genomics Resource Centre

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

They say prevention is better than cure and information is what helps us win battles. So knowing your genetic history can provide you a snapshot of wh...

Hexagon Transforming Digital Industrialization

20 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hexagon AB is a publicly listed global InfoTech company specializing in hardware and software digital reality that was founded in 1992 and headquarter...

Running Up That Hilton, Tapping The Demand For Revenge Travel

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With international borders reopening and Covid-19 quarantine requirements mostly lifted, the travel and hospitality industry is seeing a return to nor...

AME REIT, Malaysia's First Shariah Industrial REIT Makes Its Debut

18 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Industrial REITs have outperformed in the last few years on the back of the e-commerce and logistic boom. However in the era of rising interest rates,...

Crafting A Path To Socio-Economic Progress

14 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The inclusion of Sabah, Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia under one national banner has created a rich tapestry of cultural heritage, including generati...

Tyson Foods Malaysia: From Freezer To Grille

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tyson Foods is a 90 year old US company that's one of the world's largest frozen food producers, listed on the NYSE. It's been in Malaysia since 1987 ...

Singapore, Small In Size But Not Its Tourism Goals

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Singapore is an island that is just 57km wide and 27km long with a population of just over 5.9 million people. However this has not held it back from ...

Samling Endeavours Greater Transparency

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Samling Group is a Malaysian conglomerate with diverse business interests from automobiles, to palm oil and most prominently, timber. It was once...

GE15 : The Battleground For The Young & The Restless

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

How will the upcoming 15th General Election be fought? Will the same old faces be fielded again? Issues of racial and religious divisions in Malaysia ...

Dissecting The Development Conundrum

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Why do some countries remain poor, despite continuous policy efforts over decades to chart an economic path out of poverty? Development expert Stefan ...

POS Malaysia's Play To Outlast The Decline Of Mail

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The push towards digitalisation, declining mail volumes and the rise of more nimble delivery competitors have affected the core business of postal ser...

Roche's Push To Personalize Healthcare

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Roche is a global leader in cancer treatments and one of the world's largest biotech companies with more than a century of history. Having established...

Malaysia Vs. China, Who Will Win The Glove Race?

05 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia is the biggest producer of rubber gloves in the world but will China overtake us soon? Dr Supramaniam Shanmugam, President of MARGMA tells us...

Homegrown Healthcare Tech Solutions For Regional Applications

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Qmed Asia is a homegrown healthcare tech start-up founded in 2018 by doctors who simply hated the long unproductive queues at hospitals. So, they deve...

Nestcon Overcomes Labour Shortages

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Having survived through the pandemic, many construction players are now faced with a new set of challenges like rising material cost and labour shorta...

Malaysia, Its Time For Honest Conversations

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we celebrate 65 years of independence from the British, what economic shape is Malaysia in? What are the structural reforms that are needed to ensu...

RE Player Samaiden Going Regional

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Malaysia plans to increase the share of renewable energy (RE) in its installed capacity to 31% in 2025 and 40% in 2035. But is there still money to be...

Framing The Conversation On The International Business Of Home Décor

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Classic Scenic Berhad makes wooden picture frames and is listed on Bursa Malaysia's Main Board. It is one of the biggest frame makers in the world and...

People-Centred Cities Requires Strong Leadership

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over four billion people around the world live in cities and the number is growing by 1.5 million each week. As urban growth rockets through the regio...

Don't Pass Go, Straight To Jail For Najib

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Yesterday, the five-person apex court bench chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun unanimously dismissed former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak'...

Reviving Interest In Bursa Malaysia, No Easy Task

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bursa Malaysia wears the dual hat of market regulator and listed exchange company. However, average daily values have been on a declining trend. We as...

Selling Premium High-End Gym Equipment In Malaysia

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Technogym is a maker of premium high-end gym equipment that has been supplying the hospitality, corporate, business and home segments since it was fou...

World Vision Malaysia Fueled By Malaysian's Generosity

19 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

World Vision Malaysia is a child-focused organization set up in 1997 to support community development and humanitarian programs. We ask CEO, Terry Leo...

Are Books Still A Lucrative Business

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

More people turned to books during the pandemic but was this reflected in revenues. Not likely if operations was just focused on fairs and bookshops. ...

JPDC Turning Johor Into A Regional Oil And Gas Hub

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The most intensive oil and gas activity in Malaysia is presently carried out in Johor, where major oil storage, trading, bunkering, warehousing and ma...