Enterprise Biz Bytes: Recent Episodes
BFM Media
Your personalised news feed, curated and presented by the guys who deal with SME-related news on a daily basis: the producers behind all the Enterprise shows on BFM. Enjoy an hour of friendly, informative banter on everything you need to know in the world of building and growing your business, from seeking out capital to next generation business solutions, and tech-trends to office survival tips.
Southeast Asia's IPO count fell 11% in the first half of 2026, yet funds raised jumped 117%. Meanwhile, Malaysia accounted for 36 of the region's 47 listings. Wong Kar Choon from Deloitte unpacks what’s driving interest in Malaysia’s equity market, the new regulatory guidelines and what a genuinely mature IPO market looks like.
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Social media, the 24-hour news cycle, and vocal stakeholders mean businesses are operating in full view of employees, customers, and the public, what some call the Naked Economy. Rajeev Peshawaria joins us to unpack how businesses can actually thrive in this environment, what they must get right, which companies have led by example, and what lessons the rest of us can take from them.
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Malaysia is expected to table its first dedicated climate law, the National Climate Change Bill, later this year. Jozsef Acabo of ESGpedia joins us to unpack this law, who's actually impacted (essentially everyone, since any business could be supplying a carbon emitter that gets taxed), and what businesses should be doing now to prepare.
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Building companies that can shape Malaysia's future economy takes more than capital; it takes long-term investment and the right support at the right stage. Kayse Foo joins us to unpack how Dana Impak, part of Khazanah's Advancing Malaysia strategy, backs Malaysian businesses and strategic sectors such as the semiconductor industry.
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Malaysia has seen franchise brands expand fast, open dozens of outlets and collapse just as quickly. Azizam Ramli of Pernas, the government agency tasked with developing Malaysia's franchise industry, discusses franchises that scale sustainably from those that don't, and what aspiring franchisors and franchisees need to understand first.
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The IRB's Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme for stamp duty ends at the end of this year. This is the time to stamp your eligible documents without penalties. KPMG's Soh Lian Seng explains what qualifies for this programme, what taxpayers need to do, common misconceptions, and ends with how the business community can contribute towards building a robust stamp duty framework that caters to today's business environment.
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Malaysian consumers are still spending, but they're becoming far more deliberate about where their money goes. Milieu's 2026 Consumer Study reveals a shift towards more intentional spending, and Cindy Pang joins us to discuss what these changing behaviours mean for businesses.
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Malaysia's Gig Workers Act came into force in April. We look at the Act from three angles: the policy design with Dr Lee Hwok-Aun of ISEAS, the platform's perspective with GoGet's Francesca Chia, and the lived experience of gig worker Akladima Nashan Nugraha Mohd Nasir (Dima) to ask whether this is genuinely a good deal for Malaysia's gig workers.
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Microsoft's newest Work Trend Index finds that a small group of "Frontier Professionals" are pulling far ahead in what they can do with AI. But the report also finds that organisational culture, not individual skill, is the biggest factor in whether AI actually pays off. Microsoft's Vera Siertsema joins us to unpack who's really getting value from AI, and how companies can implement this technology successfully.
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As demand for AI grows, so does Malaysia's data centre boom, particularly in Johor, along with questions about energy, water, land, and impact on local communities. Asher Ling unpacks what responsible data centre infrastructure actually looks like, and how it impacts local businesses and communities.
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Most AI governance conversations focus on making AI systems safe, transparent, and accountable. But what happens when AI starts shaping how people think and decide? Kamales Lardi joins us to unpack Cognitive Governance, the idea that safeguarding human judgement may matter just as much as governing the technology itself.
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Malaysia's e-Invoicing rollout has been underway for nearly two years, and the government has just introduced a Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme (SVDP), allowing businesses to correct e-Invoice errors without penalties until the end of 2027, alongside accelerated capital allowances for qualifying investments. Thenesh Kannaa joins us to discuss what businesses, especially SMEs, should be doing during this window to get their e-Invoicing processes in order.
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The Securities Commission and Bursa Malaysia have proposed a major overhaul of the LEAP Market, Malaysia's platform for MSMEs and mid-tier companies to raise capital. LEAP Market 2.0 would open the market to retail investors for the first time, simplify listing disclosures, and create a smoother path from equity crowdfunding to the ACE Market. Eng Cha Lun and Arthur Cheng of BDO Malaysia looks at what's changing, why LEAP's liquidity problems have persisted, and what the proposed reforms could mean for businesses and investors.
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Malaysia posted back-to-back quarters of stronger-than-expected growth, 5.4% in Q1 and an advance estimate of 5.8% in Q2. Woon Khai Jhek joins us to unpack whether this changes RAM's outlook for the year, and what a prolonged Hormuz disruption could still mean for inflation, interest rates, and economic growth.
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Insolvency is usually deemed business failure, but restructuring is about the opposite: giving viable businesses a way to reorganise, protect value, and recover. Kumar Jai joins us to unpack when a struggling business should seek help, how restructuring can protect jobs while giving companies a genuine second chance, and how the new Cross-Border Insolvency Act 2026 changes the game for creditors and businesses with foreign exposure.
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Organisational resilience isn't just financial strength or a continuity plan; it's whether employees trust their leaders and feel safe to speak up. Emellia Shariff explores why psychological safety is as critical to resilience as any business strategy, and how to create a workplace where people feel psychologically safe.
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After studying expert entrepreneurs, Professor Saras Sarasvathy found they weren't better at predicting the future; they simply made decisions differently. In a world shaped by AI, geopolitical shocks, and fast-changing consumer behaviour, we explore what a different mindset can teach entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone making decisions when the future cannot be predicted.
We discuss:
- Why expert entrepreneurs don't out-predict everyone else, and what they do instead
- The five principles of Effectuation
- How successful entrepreneurs turn surprises into opportunities rather than setbacks
- Whether entrepreneurship is a learnable method rather than an inborn talent, and what that means for developing it within a company
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Malaysia's creative industry has never lacked talent; the bigger question has always been how to turn that talent into sustainable businesses. Zainol Haqim Zainol Rashid tells us what's working, what's still holding creative entrepreneurs back, and what it will take for Malaysian creative brands to go global.
We discuss:
- The "orange economy," and where the biggest opportunities and challenges lie today
- Why funding alone hasn't been enough, and whether the real gap is commercial viability rather than capital
- How AI is reshaping design, music, publishing, and content creation
- Valuing creative IP, and what it will take for more Malaysian creative companies to build globally recognised brands without losing their local identity
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Companies are investing more than ever in workplace policies and employee well-being, but according to the 2026 Malaysia People@Work Index Report by O-Psych, the overall employee experience score is stuck at 62%, unchanged from last year, despite real improvements in workplace risks and conditions.We dig into where the disconnect lies, and what businesses may be missing beneath the numbers.
We discuss:
- What the People@Work Index actually measures, and why psychosocial risk, well-being, and psychological safety matter
- The difference between disengagement and depleted capacity, and how strong KPIs can mask a deeper people problem
- Why employees report coping better personally but feeling less connected to purpose, and what that means for long-term motivation
- "Hidden pockets of toxicity" within a company. What it means and what can be done.
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Stan Singh from ASOCIO explains why AI governance can no longer be an afterthought. AI ethics can be seen as the compass, while AI governance is the traffic rules, and right now, most organisations are driving without either. Here's what you can do to govern AI if it's being used in your organisation.
We discuss:
- What AI governance actually means in practice
- Who should be accountable when AI makes a bad decision
- What an AI Ethics Committee actually does, whether SMEs realistically need one
- How to stop governance from becoming just another compliance exercise
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With 10 million workers in the services sector, Malaysia could be more exposed to widespread unemployment than most realise, with up to 320,000 jobs at risk, rising to 680,000 under deeper automation scenarios. Dr Thomas Lim Kok-Tiong, author of "Augmentation or Elimination: The Potential Impact of AI on the Malaysian Economy," a paper published by ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, discusses the possibility of widespread structural unemployment in Malaysia caused by AI.
We discuss:
- How AI-induced job augmentation differs from elimination
- Estimates for AI-caused unemployment, and how they compare to Malaysia's Covid-19 unemployment rate
- The limits of job reskilling
- How agentic AI adoption changes the picture, and why Malaysia's status as an "AI Contender" could make its workforce more vulnerable
- What government policy could look like to get ahead of structural unemployment before it happens
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The digital economy is booming, but KRI warns MSME digitalisation is “broad but shallow.” We explore why many micro- and small businesses digitise only their customer-facing functions while core operations remain manual, the practical costs of shallow digitalisation, and why micro-enterprises, about 71% of MSMEs, struggle to improve their digital maturity.
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UNICEF's "Family-Friendly Workplaces" toolkit makes the case that flexible work, childcare support, and parental leave aren't just an HR policy, they're a win for employees, a win for business, and a win for the wider economy, backed by data from businesses across Asia and Africa. We unpack what the numbers say, and what it actually takes for a business, especially an SME, to put this into practice.
We discuss:
- The real business case for family-friendly policies,
- Why replacing a skilled employee can cost between 20% and 400% of their annual salary
- How childcare support can cut turnover among working mothers by 15–30%
- Adapting flexible policies for factory and manufacturing settings without hurting production targets
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Banks are the heart of an economy, when they struggle, everyone feels it. Southeast Asian banks head into the second half of 2026 with solid capital and liquidity buffers on paper, but the lingering fallout from the Iran war and a fragile peace deal are testing these its resilience.
We discuss:
- Why banking sector health is a leading indicator for the wider economy
- How Indonesia's rupiah weakness, an MSCI downgrade threat, and capital outflows are filtering into banks' dollar bonds
- Why Thailand's elevated household debt is weighing on asset quality, and which lenders are better positioned
- The Philippines' weaker capital ratios at midsize banks
- Singapore's new TLAC and Liquidity Coverage Ratio rules, and how the region's dollar bonds could perform if the Iran peace deal doesn't hold
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Deloitte's 2026 Global Human Capital Trends report argues that human capital is the real competitive advantage as organisations transform with AI. This extends to how AI is used within the organisation, the guardrails that need to be in place, how AI can support employee satisfaction and hiring, and how far any of this can go without trust.
We discuss:
- Nearly 60% of workers are already using AI at work on their own initiative, while only 14% of leaders feel equipped to guide how people and AI should work together. How should leaders close that gap?
- How does unresolved cultural debt accumulate within a company over time, and what are the warning signs?
- Should AI take over all the routine work, or should employees still be given simple tasks to avoid burnout?
- What should business owners be doing now to keep trust, skills and culture from falling behind?
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Large consulting firms are increasingly using AI, raising important questions for the companies that hire them. Are firms disclosing when AI has contributed to a report? How do consultants add value in an AI-enabled environment? As companies build their own internal AI capabilities, what will the future role of external consultants be, and how should business owners evaluate and select them?
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Rohit Ramesh, from Boston Consulting Group, tells us how AI is reshaping the entire hotel business, from how properties are designed and built to how rooms are priced, staff are deployed, and guest experiences are delivered.
We discuss:
- How hotels are moving past digital tools at the front desk toward faster operations, leaner costs and more personalised service.
- How automation can create value in an industry built on human connection,
- Where Malaysia’s hotels stand against neighbours like Singapore and Indonesia in adopting this technology.
Image credit: Pixabay
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What does the world, including Malaysians, feel about AI? A recent Ipsos survey of more than 23,000 people across the globe found that confidence in AI is rising, especially across Asia, but enthusiasm does not always translate into trust.
We discuss:
- How Malaysians feel about AI's impact on their jobs, daily lives and productivity, and where confidence starts to thin out.
- Why Asian markets consistently lead global AI optimism, and why Americans remain far more cautious despite being home to the world's biggest AI companies.
- What Businesses Should Do: What positive AI sentiment across Malaysia means for companies operating here
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For decades, Southeast Asian conglomerates pulled off a rare financial miracle: they consistently outpaced single-focus, pure-play firms. But that golden era is long over. Today, pure-plays win across every performance bracket, leaving massive family empires facing a brutal reality check. A vast divide has opened up across the region, with top-tier giants pulling in an impressive 20% annualised return while the bottom quartile plummets to a dismal negative 8%.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Amanda Chin, Partner at Bain & Company, joins us to unpack their recent report, Southeast Asia Conglomerates: It’s Time for Reinvention. We dive into why traditional structural advantages, like privileged regulatory access and in-house banking credit, have completely evaporated, and how complex legacy structures are saddling family empires with an average 32% "conglomerate discount."
Tune in to find out more about:
- The Generational Handover: Why the shift from post-WWII founders with gritty, hands-on operational mindsets to second and third generations is pushing corporate performance to extreme highs or devastating lows.
- The Danger of No Man's Land: The critical, often emotional choice family empires must make between staying operationally entrenched or stepping back to let professional managers run the portfolio.
- The 32% Conglomerate Tax: How convoluted webs of cascading listed entities confuse modern investors, and why breaking them up into clean pure-plays under a private holding company unlocks hidden value.
- The Strategic Steward Model: Why corporate centers must stop micromanaging business units and instead act like active investors, granting CEOs full operational autonomy while aligning them to a multi-year value creation plan.
- The Malaysian Landscape: How local groups are mirroring regional trends, alongside a look at the domestic bright spots pivoting successfully into high-growth sectors like healthcare and artificial intelligence.
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Malaysia wants to become the regional launchpad for franchise expansion across Southeast Asia. But turning that ambition into reality requires policy, financing, cross-border collaboration, and the right people.
Tune in to find out:
- What the ASEAN Franchise Gateway is trying to achieve, and why the region needs it now.
- What a successful franchise ecosystem could mean for Malaysian SMEs, investment, job creation and exports beyond the industry itself.
- What needs to be in place, from regulation and financing to stronger local brands and cross-border collaboration.
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Malaysia's statutory debt is sitting at 64% of GDP, dangerously close to the legal limit of 65%. The fiscal deficit target of 3.5% looks increasingly hard to meet. How does Malaysia get its fiscal house in order, and what happens if it doesn't?
We discuss:
- What is the impact of missing the country’s fiscal deficit target by a significant margin?
- Is it possible to reduce the national debt to 60% of GDP by 2030?
- Could Malaysia find itself in a position similar to Indonesia, facing a sovereign credit rating downgrade?
Image credit: Pixabay
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Think your business is fully digitalised just because you have a working internet connection and a payment QR code taped to your counter? Think again. A massive gap separates basic connectivity from true digitalisation.
Many Malaysian businesses are currently stuck in a "computerisation trap", digitising front-facing payments while leaving critical backend operations, data analysis, and security completely manual.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Dr. Shariq Haseeb from Unifi Biz and Abu Bakar Mohd Ibrahim from Wyndham Grand Bangsar Kuala Lumpur unpack what it really takes to scale in the modern digital economy.
We look past simple Wi-Fi setups to discuss the severe analytics deficit paralyzing mid-sized companies, why small businesses are the primary target for modern hackers, and how the hospitality sector is leveraging AI to cater to the rising demographic of "b-leisure" travelers
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In the first half of 2026, Malaysia's SME sentiment index fell to a historic low of 45.1 points, only the second time it has ever dropped below 50. Datuk William Ng, President of SAMENTA, says SMEs are currently battling a margin and cash flow crisis, and recovery will take many months.
We discuss:
- SME Bank’s SME sentiment index at its lowest point in H1 2026.
- Why recovery will take many months, and what operational damage SMEs and MSMEs are still carrying into H2 2026.
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Malaysia's exports surged 45.3% in May, and RHB has nearly doubled its full-year export growth forecast to 15.3%. But with US tariff threats and geopolitical risks still in play, can this momentum hold? One economist makes the case for cautious optimism.
We Discuss:
- Why RHB nearly doubled its full-year Malaysia export forecast and what's behind the surge in re-exports
- The outlook for petroleum exports amid the ongoing Middle East conflict
- What a potential 10% tariff means for Malaysian trade
- What could meaningfully boost Malaysia's export performance in the years ahead
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For businesses big and small, cash is the ultimate expansion bottleneck. Because funding major growth strictly from daily operations takes too much time, alternative financing is a necessity. But get your financial foundations wrong, and things get ugly fast. So, how do you design a capital strategy that actually matches your needs and cash flow rhythm?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Fang Li Wei, Executive Director of Infrastructure Strategy & Commercial Advisory at BDO Malaysia, joins us to untangle capital optimisation, navigate restrictive bank covenants, and explore how consolidating debt instantly unlocks group-wide liquidity.
Tune in to find out more about:
- The Optimisation Lifecycle: Why capital structuring must be managed as a continuous, dynamic process rather than a static setup event, and how periodic refinancing flows directly to the bottom line to enhance company valuations.
- Matching Project Rhythms: Navigating the stark cash flow variances between highly predictable utility models (like power plants) and heavily front-loaded, long-gestation assets (like highways and master-planned townships).
- The Hidden Cost of Covenants: How overlooked loan clauses can severely restrict a trading company's day-to-day operational agility, and why shifting to quarterly forecasting prevents accidental technical defaults during slower months.
- Holding Company Consolidation: The strategic value of bundling separate, high-interest subsidiary project facilities (such as independent solar or thermal units) into a unified HoldCo structure to secure a significantly lower blended interest rate.
- Proactive Lender Diagnostics: Why companies should independently stress-test their financial models before approaching banks, establishing an ongoing, transparent communication channel that treats lenders as strategic growth partners.
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Many entrepreneurs comfort themselves with the belief that their personal houses, bank balances, and family savings sit safely behind a corporate shield of limited liability. In reality, between mandatory personal guarantees, statutory director obligations, and professional negligence exposures, that shield is far thinner than most assume, so how do business owners legally insulate their personal wealth before creditors arrive?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Kenneth Poon, Director of Wealth Management at Crowe Malaysia, joins us to pull back the curtain on advanced asset protection. We look beyond basic estate planning to analyse the structural frameworks and legal moats required to safeguard multi-generational wealth from systemic business risks.
Tune in to find out more about:
- Cracks in the Corporate Shield: How signing personal bank guarantees, professional indemnity policy gaps, and director statutory defaults can instantly expose personal assets to recovery claims.
- The Look-Back Trap: Why transferring properties to a spouse or child during financial distress is a futile move, and how courts audit five-year look-back windows versus unlimited timelines for fraud claims.
- Irrevocable Trust Moats: Understanding the absolute separation of title required to fend off creditors, and how appointing a family "protector" creates a vital check against trustee mismanagement.
- Private Trust Companies (PTCs): How establishing a family-owned corporate trustee delivers the ultimate operational sweet spot, divorcing legal ownership from assets while retaining board-level management control.
- Labuan Foundations: Why utilising a distinct legal entity with zero shareholders completely stops multi-generational share fragmentation and family inheritance disputes over operating company equity.
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What happens when an AI-enabled machine learns the skills you spent years building, and then takes your job? Stan Singh, Chairman of ASOCIO, a federation of ICT associations representing 25 economies across Asia-Pacific, calls this "competency theft."
We discuss:
- Laws that can be mandated to address AI systems and machines taking your job
- Why these laws need to be consistent across the region
- Why it's not too late to start
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While many workers across the Asia-Pacific are using generative AI tools weekly, a massive execution gap remains. Stepping in to push AI literacy is AVPN. Through its $35 million USD AI Opportunity Fund: Asia-Pacific, it's supporting initiatives to help workers and small businesses learn "how to AI."
Young Park, Director of the AI Opportunity Fund Project at AVPN, joins BFM’s Enterprise Explores to review the on-ground data since the fund’s 2024 launch. We look beyond surface-level tool familiarity to explore the regional infrastructure shifts and localised training frameworks driving workforce equity toward 2030.
Tune in to find out more about:
- Scaling the Fund: An overview of how a recent $10 million USD contribution from Google.org expanded the total pool to $35 million USD to scale AI literacy across 20 distinct markets.
- Overcoming Distrust: Why mature workers aged 40 to 60 are 1.6 times more likely to distrust AI architectures, and how localised, multilingual content bridges the execution gap.
- Malaysian Deployment Tracks: A breakdown of the free, dual-track framework active locally through the ASEAN Foundation’s AIM ASEAN initiative and community boot camps run by partners like Pepper Labs.
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Malaysia has spent 50 years assembling and testing chips designed elsewhere. SkyeChip, a homegrown listed semiconductor IP design company, could be a sign that Malaysia is finally moving up the semiconductor value chain. Analyst Chloe Mak breaks down the innovation behind SkyeChip's business model, its growth factors, and the tailwinds behind Malaysia's semiconductor ambitions.
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There is a huge gap between a dual-income corporate couple scraping by in the Klang Valley and ultra-high-net-worth households, yet policymakers stubbornly lump them together.
This structural blind spot came to a head when surging fuel subsidies heavily burdened government coffers, and the political solution seemed simple: strip subsidies from the T20.
Dr. Melati Nungsari of the Asia School of Business and Timothy Tiah of Colony join Enterprise Explores to discuss why treating the T20 like a group of "1 percenters" is a mistake for the economy.
We unpack the unique vulnerabilities of high-salary wage earners living paycheck-to-paycheck in the Klang Valley, why grouping the top 1% with the 19th-percentile creates massive policy distortions, the government trust deficit, and why the ultimate economic holy grail must be worker productivity, not subsidy dependence.
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What happens to the human mind when artificial intelligence starts doing the thinking for us? Neuroscientist Aster Wei, Founder and Managing Director of neuro learning institute Otti, joins us to explore one of the most pressing questions of our time - not whether AI makes us more productive, but whether it's quietly making us less capable.
Aster shares what brain research is revealing about outsourcing our thinking to machines. We examine which cognitive skills are most at risk when they go unpractised, why struggle and difficulty are neurologically essential to learning, and how the illusion of competence — producing great output without truly understanding it, could be shaping an entire generation of workers.
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Half the world's top CEOs say their jobs depend on getting AI right. What separates the leaders pulling ahead from those quietly falling behind?
IBM Malaysia's Dickson Woo joins us to discuss IBM's 2026 CEO Study and what it means for businesses here in Malaysia.
Discussion Points:
- The Delegation Trap: Over-relying on AI for decisions threatens leadership quality, and humans must always make the final decisions.
- The Chief AI Officer: 73% of organisations expect to have one this year, yet simply creating the role isn't enough.
- Size Doesn't Have to Matter: SMEs can compete with multinationals by leveraging cloud and pay-per-use models to leverage AI.
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Instead of tweaking tax rates, why not simplify? While LHDN's recent record-breaking tax revenue for 2025 is a win for public finances, it inevitably raises critical questions about national fiscal strategy.
Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Senior Advisor on Tax Policy at KPMG Malaysia, and Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, joins Enterprise Explores to dissect the state of Malaysia's fiscal architecture.
We examine why a highly compressed local wage structure limits direct household taxation, the systemic complexities of navigating the current multi-rate Sales Tax and Service Tax (SST) framework, and the operational compliance friction facing businesses.
The panel unpacks radical proposals for structural tax simplification: from tying corporate tax liabilities directly to audited financial statements to introducing flat-rate personal reliefs and enacting presumptive turnover taxes to formalise the shadow economy.
Finally, we look at why reaching a sustainable 15% tax-to-GDP ratio depends heavily on fixing public sector leakages, cutting government-linked intervention, and restoring taxpayer trust.
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The 2026 World Cup is officially here, but for Malaysian food and beverage operators, the celebration comes with an operational headache: awkward kickoff times scheduled for 3:00 a.m., 6:00 a.m., and 9:00 a.m. local time. Compounding the problem, this commercial milestone arrives just as the sector battles a brutal stretch of rising operating costs, war-induced inflation, talent shortages, and shrinking consumer wallets.
Brian Choo from the Soul Society Group and Jeremy Lim from the Bistro Association of Malaysia (and founder of Blackbyrd KL) join Enterprise Explores to break down what the World Cup actually means for Malaysian F&B operators.
We also discuss the "delusional insanity" required to navigate the industry's steep churn rate and unpack their aggressive tactical pivots, from transforming alcohol-led bistros into 6:00 a.m. hotel-style breakfast buffet spots to combatting free home-streaming options.
Also discussed:
- The Discord Threat & The Demographic Cliff: How younger "digital native" consumers have traded face-to-face bistro gatherings for home streaming and virtual hangouts, and why F&B brands face a financial cliff as their core millennial customer base ages out.
- Selling Experiences, Not Just Screens: Why simply showing a live match on a television is no longer enough to attract customers, requiring score-prediction games, physical activities, and interactive social elements.
- Discipline Over Passion: A look at why long-term survival in the brutal F&B landscape requires rigid personal routines, strict operational frameworks, and business acumen over mere culinary creativity.
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Insider trading seems straightforward, but it isn't. From overheard phone calls to presidential social media posts, the boundaries of what counts as illegal trading on non-public information are often misunderstood.
Tune in to learn more about:
- Drawing the Line: What separates a perfectly legal share sale from insider trading, and why the moment of disclosure is everything.
- The Clever Crook: How insider information travels through layers of friends, cousins, and classmates.
- Does Size Matter? Whether small trades based on insider information still constitute an offence, and how prosecutors exercise discretion.
Penalties and the Law: What the Securities Commission and AG can do if they suspect someone has conducted a trade deemed to be insider trading.
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Small businesses may look organised on the surface. But behind the scenes, messy bookkeeping habits quietly accumulate, and the damage is often felt when it's too late.
We discuss:
- The Hidden Cost: Why messy bookkeeping habits quietly accumulate into a liability only to surface at the worst possible moment.
- Why AI is Not The Answer: The three things every business must get right before reaching for any software or AI solution
- Bookkeeping Done Right: Best practices for building clean, documented, and future-proof financial processes.
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ASEAN economies are still growing, but cracks are forming. Inflation is rising, stagflation is possible, and intra-regional trade has barely budged in 30 years. What happens if the Middle East conflict drags on? And what will it finally take to boost intra-ASEAN trade?
We discuss:
- Growth Outlook: Why AMRO is sticking to 4% growth even as energy prices climb and supply chains fray — and what could blow that off course
- The Stagflation Threat: What it would actually take for the region to tip into its worst growth-inflation combo since the Covid pandemic
- A Poly-Risk Crisis: The three biggest risks facing the ASEAN region now.
- The Integration Gap: Why intra-ASEAN trade has been stuck at 22% for decades, and what would it take to develop trade and investment among ASEAN economies.
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In markets like China and India, quick commerce completely upended traditional retail, turning ultra-fast delivery into a daily necessity.
But in Southeast Asia, the script is a lot messier. Despite having the logistics infrastructure ready to go, regional platforms face a unique bottleneck: local consumers consistently value financial savings over sheer speed.
Weihan Chen, Head of Insights at Momentum Works, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the realities of the hyper-local retail landscape.
We decode why our dense networks of neighborhood mini-marts and grocery stores act as a highly efficient roadblock to app adoption, and why operators cannot simply copy-and-paste strategies across highly fragmented markets like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
We also discuss the structural "super app" advantage held by food delivery giants like Grab and FoodPanda utilising idle rider windows, how traditional brick-and-mortar brands are successfully integrating with apps to extend their physical radius, and the long-term path toward structural cost compression that platforms must achieve to survive without endless cash-burning subsidy wars.
Tune in to learn more about:
- Defining Quick Commerce: How hyper-local fulfillment setups and dark stores differ from traditional, planned e-commerce hubs like Shopee or Lazada.
- The Offline Retail Roadblock: Why Southeast Asia's highly accessible brick-and-mortar landscape prevents the same structural gap that quick commerce filled in India and China.
- Six Fragmented Markets: A breakdown of regional realities, from Indonesia's mini-mart duopoly to Thailand's corporate distribution networks, and Malaysia's wide-open competitive space.
- The Math of Convenience: Why price-sensitive consumers view on-demand speed as an emergency backup rather than a daily default shopping habit.
- Structural Cost Compression: Moving beyond subsidy wars to optimise rider density, inventory placement, and overall basket sizes.
- The Super App Fleet Advantage: How established delivery platforms lower marginal costs by deploying riders to retail routes during non-meal hours.
- The Playbook for Consumer Brands: Why fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands are already in the channel by default, and how they should measure future allocation.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Gen Z is entering the workforce in numbers, but are companies ready for them? Employers need to consider what this younger cohort wants and expects, from talent acquisition to retention.
We discuss:
- The Workplace Gap: Why traditional structures and office-first cultures are clashing with Gen Z expectations
- Flexibility vs. Salary: Pay comes first, but Gen Z brings many other considerations to the table
- Generational Collaboration: Why blending older and younger workers works best when you play to each generation's strengths rather than forcing uniformity
- Retention & Career Growth: Why Gen Z job-hops, and what businesses can do to keep young talent engaged
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Can businesses really transform if the function responsible for their people hasn't evolved?
As Malaysian companies pursue productivity gains, AI adoption, and workforce transformation, many still view HR as an administrative function. Malini Vijaya Rajah, Managing Director of PROMERITUS and HRCI Malaysia, joins us to explain why HR may be one of the most overlooked drivers of business performance.
We explore the gap between traditional HR and strategic workforce leadership, and why "human capital strategy" could become a competitive advantage.
We discuss:
- Beyond Payroll & Hiring: Why treating HR as a support function could be limiting productivity and slowing transformation efforts.
- The Transformation Blind Spot: Are companies investing in technology and automation while neglecting the workforce strategy needed to make them successful?
- Malaysia's Talent Challenge: Why skills shortages, employability concerns, and workforce readiness may be symptoms of deeper planning issues.
- AI Changes Everything: How HR's role is expanding from managing people to redesigning jobs, skills, and organisational capability.
- From HR to Business Partner: What separates strategic HR teams from the rest, and what leaders should be doing differently.
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As Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digitalisation continue to reshape industries, the need for a smarter and more resilient energy ecosystem has never been greater. In this episode, Dato’ Ir. Muhamad Nazri Pazil, Senior Chief Strategy, Regulatory & Sustainability Officer at Tenaga Nasional Berhad, shares insights on the growing synergy between Energy and AI, and how ETCon26 is driving regional conversations on the future of energy transition across Malaysia and ASEAN.
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Private credit has quietly become one of the fastest-growing corners of global finance, but most Malaysian business owners and investors have never heard of it. So what is it, how does it work, and is it right for you?
We discuss:
- What it is: How it differs from bank loans and private equity, and why it exists at all.
- The Must-Knows: What providers look at before and what borrowers are actually signing up for.
- The Borrower's Checklist: What business owners need to understand about cost and structure before taking on private credit.
- When Is It Suitable: Private credit is expensive, but for business owners confident in their growth trajectory, the flexibility it offers may be worth the premium.
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Most business owners buy insurance and file it away — relieved it's done, hoping they never need it. But the moment something goes wrong, that's when the real work begins. And more often than not, businesses discover too late that their coverage had gaps, their documentation was incomplete, or their policy didn't quite cover what they thought it did.
Weng Eu Gene, Chief Agency Officer at Berjaya Sompo, joins Enterprise Explores to cut through the confusion — what business insurance actually covers, what most owners get wrong before and after they buy, and the one thing that separates a smooth claim from a painful one.
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Between 2010 and 2020, Malaysia’s startup scene was vibrant, driven by strong leadership and proactive government grants. Today, the "top of funnel" early-stage pipeline is quietly drying up. So how does Malaysia get its startup mojo back?
Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Founder & Senior Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator and Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner, Indelible Ventures join us to share their views on the historical rise and post-2018 decline of the Malaysian tech startup landscape.
Tune in to learn more about:
- The Post-2018 Slump: Why the loss of ecosystem champions and a shift toward risk-averse bureaucracy stalled net-new startup production.
- The Exit Reality Check: Why founders should target profitable, RM30 million to RM50 million M&A exits instead of chasing unicorns.
- The NASDAQ Delusion: The hidden hurdles of international listings and why incorporating abroad doesn't guarantee valuation or analyst coverage.
- Skin in the Game: Why government-backed direct investments fail without private-sector incentive structures like carried interest.
The Fund of Funds Model Fix: Why the government must step back from direct capital deployment and why Doc Siva believes fund-of-funds should adopt a 4:1 matching fund model to truly crowd-in and seed a broader VC scene.
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Malaysian SMEs are being hit hard from multiple angles, now made worse by the fuel crisis and supply shock. But not all of them are facing this crisis equally.
Datuk William Ng, National President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) discusses what SMEs are experiencing on the ground, whether current support measures go far enough, and what businesses may need to navigate a more uncertain operating environment.
He also emphasised how businesses that have actually leveraged digitalisation and automation are now faring better than others, and why he believes SMEs need to consolidate.
We discuss:
- The Hidden Cost Wave: Beyond fuel prices, where are SMEs actually feeling the biggest financial pressure right now?
- The SME Divide: Why MSMEs, SMEs and mid-sized businesses are not facing this crisis equally.
- The Digitalisation Divide: Why SMEs that invested early in digital tools and automation may be coping better today while businesses that delayed digitalisation are now feeling the pressure more sharply.
- The Support Question: Which government measures matter most right now and where businesses still see gaps.
- The Survival Trap: Why many SMEs remain stuck in short-term survival mode despite surviving multiple crises already.
- Preparing for Constant Disruption: What businesses may need to rethink if uncertainty becomes the new normal.
- The Consolidation Shift: Why more SMEs may need to collaborate, form consortiums or even merge to scale faster and strengthen bargaining power.
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Palm oil is already up about 11% this year. But with a US-Iran conflict reshaping energy economics, Indonesia redirecting supply into biofuels, and an 82% chance of El Niño on the horizon, where do prices go from here?
Tune in to find out:
- The worst-case price scenario: What is behind the RM5,300 per tonne forecast and the specific conditions that would trigger it.
- El Niño risk quantified: An 82% probability of emergence and what that means for Malaysian and Indonesian production.
- Countries (not) stockpiling: Why major importers are sitting on existing stocks rather than buying.
- The shrinking global surplus: Projections narrowing from 3.1 million tonnes to 1.9 million tonnes, and what does that mean for CPO’s long-term price outlook?
- Long-term structural challenges: Ageing plantations, limited expansion land, and why AI won't be improving yields anytime soon.
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The RAM Business Confidence Index fell by a sizable amount in the first quarter of 2026. What does that tell us about where the Malaysian economy is heading, and when will sentiment translate to real economic pain?
We discuss:
- Reading the Index: How is it measured, and what does a broad-based decline across all five indicators mean?
- The Buffer: Why government subsidies and business inventories are buying time, and what happens when both run out.
- SMEs Under Pressure: How smaller businesses are navigating rising costs, regulatory compliance, and tightening access to financing all at once.
Who's Winning, Who's Not: Why the semiconductor industry is holding up while oil and gas face serious headwinds.
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For the first time, Brand China has overtaken Brand America in global perception. What does that mean for businesses and consumers?
We discuss:
- The Research: How consumers across 30 countries are reassessing their trust in major world powers and what two major global studies reveal about the speed of that shift.
- The Fall of Brand America: Why positive perception of the US has hit one of its lowest points on record, and why even traditional allies are pulling back.
- The Rise of Brand China: How China overtook the US in global perception for the first time and what is driving stronger favourability across Southeast Asia.
- Brand Malaysia: Where Malaysia stands in the eyes of global investors and consumers, and which industries are attracting the most attention and capital right now.
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Malaysia's tax collection hit a record RM204 billion in 2025, but what does that mean for businesses navigating an increasingly watchful compliance environment?
TraTax's Thenesh Kannaa looks at what is driving the surge in tax revenue, from e-invoicing and digitalisation to the stamp duty voluntary disclosure programme. He also breaks down the tax areas that businesses and individuals need to pay attention to this year.
Tune in to learn:
- What could have led to a record RM204 billion tax collection in 2025
- E-invoicing and the government's approach to tackling the shadow economy
- Stamp duty compliance and the risks businesses are still underestimating
- The intricacies and factors to consider when it comes to paying stamp duties
- How individual tax filing will be simplified with e-invoicing, but the responsibility still falls on the taxpayer.
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Energy policies have shifted worldwide. Reliability and security are now the primary drivers of investment decisions, replacing long-term climate goals as the defining factors for what gets built and funded.
We discuss:
- The Policy Pivot: How the global focus has shifted from climate goals to securing reliable, scalable energy sources.
- Malaysia's Energy Advantage: How Malaysia is leveraging its oil-producing strengths while positioning itself for the future with hydrogen and solar.
- Attracting Global Capital: Why investors are demanding immediate returns and operational credibility over long-term climate promises.
- Building Trust for Nuclear: Why transparency and consistency from the planning stage are essential for winning public confidence around nuclear energy.
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Is modern corporate law rigged to reward the “bad guy” in business? While we often blame greed, the real culprit might be a 150 year old legal straightjacket that forces leaders to prioritise short term returns over long term stability.
According to Jason Piper of ACCA, these 19th century rules created a legal ceiling that rewards firms for externalising costs while penalising those that build genuine value.
Tune In To Find Out
- Legal Ceiling: Why rules designed for the Industrial Revolution act as a straitjacket for modern leaders and the room you actually have to break free.
- Subsidising the Bad Guy: How current accounting standards allow polluting firms to externalise costs and appear more profitable than their sustainable rivals.
- The Six Capitals: A framework to move beyond financial data and quantify the intangible trust that actually sustains your business.
- Value Orchestration: Why the next generation of finance professionals must move from recording history to managing the future drivers of performance.
- The First Five: A practical strategy to identify the non financial factors that most directly impact your long term cash flows.
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Middle managers are often called the "heart" of the organisation, but in reality, they have become the ultimate corporate shock absorbers. As executives demand hyper-efficiency and employees demand empathy, mid-level leaders are being pushed to the breaking point.
With AI threatening to flatten corporate hierarchies and younger workers flat out refusing promotions, Michelle Ann Iking of Clarion Quest Consulting joins us to examine whether this crucial layer is fundamentally broken and how companies must radically redesign the role before their leadership pipeline dries up completely.
Learn more about:
- The "Frozen Middle" Accusation: Why middle managers are unfairly blamed for killing executive strategies when they are actually just doing damage control.
- The Promotion Trap: Why forcing brilliant technical specialists into people management is breaking the corporate talent pool.
- The Impossible Squeeze: How managers are expected to perfectly balance ruthless corporate cost-cutting with deep employee empathy.
- Conscious Unbossing: Why a growing wave of younger workers are flat out refusing promotions because the stress-to-pay ratio simply isn't worth it.
The Great Flattening: How tech giants are actively using AI to wipe out the middle layer, and what a surviving, redesigned management structure actually looks like.
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Malaysia is facing a growing water crisis that extends far beyond dry taps and household rationing. For businesses, water insecurity is emerging as a serious operational, financial and economic risk. According to the World Bank, climate change could shave up to 8.3% off Malaysia’s GDP by 2050 in a worst-case scenario, highlighting how water security is evolving into a significant operational, business and economic risk.
We discuss:
- Why can Malaysia experience both floods and water shortages at the same time
- What households, businesses, and industries should be doing now to prepare for future water stress, from conservation measures and storage solutions to reducing dependence on treated water systems.
- Why water security is becoming a critical issue for investment, operations and long-term national resilience.
- How Malaysia loses around RM2 billion annually through non-revenue water
- Why fixing the system could require up to US$70 billion in investment over the next 25 years
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The effects of the US-Iran conflict are felt around the world. Businesses are absorbing higher input costs while consumers face a higher cost of living. But even if a permanent peace agreement is secured, we may be looking at a higher-for-longer oil price situation.
Cedric Chehab, Chief Economist at BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, breaks down the macroeconomics of the current oil shock, from geopolitical risk premiums and sticky inflation to a subsidy regime in Malaysia that is fast becoming unsustainable.
Tune in to find out:
- Five Reasons Oil Prices Won't Drop Overnight: Why a ceasefire announcement does not equal cheaper fuel the next morning.
- The Sticky Inflation Problem: Even when oil prices fall, businesses and households should not assume an equivalent drop in what they pay day to day.
- The Future of OPEC+: UAE's recent departure from the alliance raises serious questions about OPEC+'s ability to coordinate global oil supply.
- Signs of Demand Destruction: Specific indicators businesses should be tracking right now as early warning signals of a broader economic slowdown.
- Practical Steps To Take: This is the fourth major energy supply shock in six years. What businesses must do now to build resilience before the next disruption hits.
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After 25 years in Malaysia, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Malaysia programme is no longer just a prestigious award. It's a strategic advantage and defining opportunity for every nominee, not just the winners.
We discuss:
- EY's globally standardised framework, which measures what actually matters, gives founders a rare, rigorous outside view of where their business truly stands.
- The "Short MBA" Effect: The application process forces founders to challenge their assumptions and rediscover their business purpose. Past entrepreneurs call it “one of the most clarifying experiences” of their entire journey.
- Access to 25 years of Malaysia's top entrepreneurs, and a seat alongside global peers at the World Entrepreneur Of The Year event in Monaco.
- Four categories: Emerging, Technology, Women, and Master. More businesses are eligible than you'd expect. Nominations close 15 June 2026.
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Southeast Asia’s regional E-commerce GMV has hit USD$157 billion, but the market has reached a point where three platforms control most of it. Weihan Chen of Momentum Works joins the show to reveal why the record numbers hide a "growth without equilibrium".
Tune In To Find Out:
- The AI Myth: Why artificial intelligence is reinforcing platform monopolies rather than democratising the marketplace for small-scale sellers.
- The Take-Rate Gap: Why "official" 13.5% platform fees don’t reflect other costs that push the real burden on brands above 30%.
- Moats vs. Commodities: Why physical delivery is now just a baseline requirement and the specific strategic value of "Orchestration" in the quick commerce war.
- Content as the Storefront: How video and live streaming transitioned from marketing tools to core sales channels, now accounting for 32% of total GMV.
- Renting vs. Owning: The defensive necessity of the Brand.com strategy and why established brands must stop "renting" customers from platforms that can change algorithms overnight.
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Hiring your first, or even your 50th, employee isn't just about growth; it comes with legal obligations that many businesses underestimate. When those obligations are ignored, the consequences are both punitive and costly. Sara Lau of law firm Skrine joins the show to discuss where employers go wrong, accidentally or maliciously, including why a simple notice clause cannot protect you from an unfair dismissal claim.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The 24-Month Penalty: Why permanent employees can secure up to two years of back wages if they fail the "just cause and excuse" test.
- The PMR Protocol: A forensic breakdown of the three legal pathways to termination, Performance, Misconduct, and Retrenchment, and the specific evidentiary requirements for each.
- The Statutory Minefield: Why commissions, bonuses, and long-term incentives are subject to EPF and how one oversight cost an employer millions.
- The "Acquiescence" Trap: Why letting minor misconduct slide today prevents you from taking legal action tomorrow.
- Ironclad Separation: How to utilise MSS and VSS schemes to avoid unilateral termination risks while ensuring documents are legally protected.
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With global shocks and competitive pricing squeezing profit margins, many SMEs are under immense pressure.
Azfar Asa'ad of CPA Australia joins the show to share insights from their latest survey of over 4,000 small businesses, as well as why cutting costs alone is a trap and the critical danger of remaining in "pilot purgatory" with AI.
Tune in to find out:
- The Cost-Cutting Trap: Why slashing operational expenses to protect thinning margins is actively sabotaging your future expansion goals.
- The New Hiring Mandate: Why resilient owners are selectively expanding their headcount, and the strict three-part criteria every new role must clearly pass to justify the investment.
- Defying "Pilot Purgatory": Why early enterprise AI adoption isn't a magic pill for structural struggles, and the specific drivers that high-growth businesses leverage instead.
The 39% Blindspot: The overlooked cyber vulnerability threatening small enterprises, and why failing to upgrade from basic e-commerce defenses guarantees irreversible reputational loss.
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77% of Malaysians rely on private cars, significantly higher than the 54% global average, and our appetite for future car-related tech is massive. Thomas Tan of Ipsos Malaysia joins the show to unpack why 61% of Malaysians would feel safer in a self-driving car and how "first-mile/last-mile" friction is keeping public transport usage at a stagnant 14%. We also explore the shift from "nationality bias" to "value-driven" buying and why your next car might come from a tech giant rather than a traditional automaker.
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Is your app growth real or is it just a vanity metric? As user journeys stretch across devices and platforms, businesses are struggling to track what actually drives value. Mathew Raju, Senior Customer Success Manager at Adjust, joins us to break down why installs no longer tell the full story, and what it takes to build a single source of truth in a fragmented, AI-driven landscape.
We discuss:
- The “Growth Illusion”: Why rising installs and engagement numbers can still hide weak business outcomes.
- The Measurement Gap: How fragmented data across platforms is quietly distorting marketing decisions.
- The Cross-Device Blind Spot: Why last-click attribution no longer reflects how users actually convert.
- AI’s Hidden Risk: How poor data foundations can lead to faster, but worse, decision-making.
- The Metrics That Matter: Why leading players are shifting focus to LTV, retention, and ROAS over installs.
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Since January 2025, the "voluntary" era of ESG has ended for Malaysia's largest firms. Under the new IFRS mandatory standards, sustainability is no longer a PR exercise, it’s a financial reporting requirement. PwC Malaysia’s Director of Sustainability and Climate Change Farhana Jabir joins the show to break down the current readiness of Malaysia’s top 50 firms.
We explore why a massive 96% gap remains in climate scenario analysis, the strategic risks of a 54% reliance on nature, and how the CFO’s role is evolving to meet the high bar of Reasonable Assurance by 2027.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The 2027 Audit Bar: Why the move to "Reasonable Assurance" is a game-changer that will require audit-level rigor on all forward-looking climate assertions.
- Strategy vs. Impact: Why firms score lowest in strategy because they focus on "impact reporting" (charity/CSR) rather than embedding climate risk into business operations.
- Double Materiality: Why adopting an "inside-out" lens provides a strategic early warning system for regulation and shifting customer demand.
- The 96% Resiliency Gap: Why firms struggle to translate climate data into business contexts and the hesitancy to disclose vulnerable assets.
- Scope 3 Quantification: Moving beyond the "data hurdle" by using spend-based approaches to establish a supply chain baseline.
- The Evolution of the CFO: Why the finance function must move from transactional efficiency to providing strategic insights on carbon taxes and climate budgeting.
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Malaysia just recorded its highest-ever Q1 trade figure at RM789.85 billion, yet the ground-level reality is far more complex. While the E&E boom and AI demand supercharge exports, a public standoff with EV giant BYD over investment conditions is testing the limits of our National Automotive Policy (NAP).
Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Adjunct Professor at Taylor's University and former Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the state of trade beyond the headline numbers.
We explore the controversy surrounding BYD’s investment conditions, why the 2020 National Automotive Policy (NAP) is behind the times in the age of Chinese EV dominance, the "Taiwan Plus One" trend and political stability as a key selling point.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The Taiwan Surprise: Why we trade four times more with Taiwan than India does, and how "Taiwan Plus One" is supercharging our semiconductor sector.
- The BYD Standoff: Unpacking the tension between MITI and the EV giant. Is Malaysia being protectionist, or are we rightfully guarding our local supply chain?.
- The NAP: Why the 2020 National Automotive Policy needs an urgent update to address the Chinese EV revolution and aggressive adoption targets.
- The JS-SEZ Hype: Why the delay in the Johor-Singapore master plan is making investors nervous.
- The "Manifesto Battle": Why industry associations must submit their "wish lists" to political coalitions now, ahead of a potential 2026 general election.
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Is Malaysia one bad harvest away from a food crisis it can't import its way out of? It's sowing season, but the conditions couldn't be worse, diesel costs are climbing, fertiliser prices have shot up, and a third of Kedah's crops were left unharvested.
Dr Sarena Omar, CEO at PNB Research Institute and a subject matter expert on agriculture and food security, joins Enterprise Explores to map exactly how the West Asia conflict is quietly impacting Malaysia's food supply chain, from the paddy fields of the north to your chicken prices in June. We unpack the double price squeeze that's slowly strangling the industry from both ends.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The 52% Stagnation: Why Malaysia’s rice production has only grown as fast as our appetite, leaving us decades behind neighbours like the Philippines and Indonesia.
- The RM2.7 Billion Subsidy Question: Is aiming for 80% self-sufficiency worth the massive trade-off in government spending and farmer competitiveness?
- Geographical Eggs in One Basket: The risk of relying on just three northern states for over 50% of our rice and the urgent need to pivot to Sabah, Sarawak, and Perak.
- The Fertilizer Double Whammy: How the Iran-Israel conflict trickles down to a 80% year-on-year surge in Urea costs, hitting local production and imported food simultaneously.
- The "Ulam" Solution: Why "foolproof" local crops like Pegaga and Ulam Raja are the most economically viable tools for household food resilience.
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Is your organisation actually ready for WFH or just reacting and hoping for the best?
Hundreds of thousands of civil servants started working from home last week, and the cracks showed up on day one.
Hourly check-ins. Broken tracking apps. Officers driving back to the office just to protect their attendance records.
So, in 2026, with a new energy-driven WFH mandate reshaping Malaysian workplaces, are we any better at this than we were in 2020?
Professor Jane Tong, Professor in the Department of Management, School of Business, at Monash University Malaysia, joins Enterprise Explores to diagnose exactly where organisations go wrong and the dangerous management traps practiced today.
We explore:
The 2x2 Flexibility Matrix: Understanding the crucial difference between flexi-time (when you work) and flexi-place (where you work), and how to mix them for different roles.
The 'Ideal Worker' Stigma: Why the psychological norm of being "first in, last out" in physical offices is the biggest hurdle to effective remote management.
Input vs. Output Control: Why tracking mouse movements or hourly check-ins is crisis management and not good management, and how to pivot to objective output monitoring.
The 'Great' Manager Standard: Why good managers hit targets, but great managers recognise invisible work, the small details and cultural glues that don't show up on a KPI sheet.
Digital Boundaries & Email Blackouts: How to manage work-life integration in a world of 24/7 WhatsApp pings and why the choice to switch off must be protected by the firm.
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Is Malaysia’s tourism push being quietly derailed by rising fuel costs? Nigel Wong of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents joins us as diesel prices surge, ferry trips are cut, and operators absorb mounting losses. As Visit Malaysia Year 2026 unfolds, we examine whether the industry can hold together and what this reveals about deeper structural cracks, from illegal operators to a looming “transportation reset".
We discuss:
- The Contract Trap: Why tour operators are locked into pre-crisis pricing and forced to run at a loss as fuel costs spike.
- The Hidden Breakdown: How fewer buses, ferries, and routes are reshaping the travel experience on the ground.
- The Subsidy Debate: Why temporary fuel support may buy time but won’t fix the underlying problem.
- The Illegal Operator Gap: How unlicensed players are distorting pricing, competition, and even safety standards.
- The Industry Reset: Why this crisis could accelerate a shift toward green transport and a “high-quality tourism” model
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The Southeast Asian market is often pitched to investors as a unified market of 650 million people, but for those actually building across these borders, that narrative is a "potentially dangerous oversimplification."
Airwallex’s Andrew Chim joins the show to explore the hidden frictions of regional growth, from the "innovator’s dilemma" in local regulation to why a successful Singaporean clinic model can’t simply be "ported" into Ho Chi Minh City.
We also break down the management hurdles and cultural nuances that often kill expansion, why the "Build One, Sell Everywhere" logic fails, and why Malaysia could be emerging as the region's strategic launchpad for 2026.
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Recent allegations of "corporate mafias" using enforcement agencies to pressure business owners into forced takeovers have sent a chill through the Malaysian business landscape. But has this fear bled into the startup and SME scene?
Bikesh Lakhmichand of 1337 Ventures isn't hitting the panic button just yet, but he argues that the real danger is complacency, specifically, the lack of basic governance that allows bad actors to make their move.
We explore the critical need for professionalised governance, from watertight shareholders' agreements to independent boards, as the ultimate shield for local success stories. From the persistent valuation gap to the "Made in Malaysia, Protected by Malaysia" rally cry, we discuss how to restore trust in a market where success should be celebrated, not hidden.
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Oil won’t go below $90, higher fuel prices are here to stay, and your electricity bill is about to go up.
While Malaysia is an oil-producing nation, we now buy more oil than we consume, a reality brought into sharp focus as 40% of our fuel supply depends on the now-paralyzed Strait of Hormuz. So, what does that mean for us on the ground? UOB Senior Economist Julia Goh joins the show to unpack this, as well as explore Malaysia’s "net importer" status, the forecasted June hike to electricity costs, and why even a ceasefire won't return oil to the $60 lows of the past.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The 2015 Crossover: Why Malaysia’s transition to a net oil importer a decade ago is only now hitting the headlines.
- The RM84 Billion Bill: A breakdown of how high global prices have driven the fuel subsidy to nearly double the previous national estimates.
- The Strait of Hormuz Factor: Why 40% of Malaysia’s imported oil is currently at risk due to Middle Eastern supply route paralysis.
- The Petronas Paradox: Why higher oil prices don't equal bumper profits when refining costs and insurance premiums have doubled.
- Electricity Bill Shock: Why the Automatic Fuel Adjustment Mechanism (AFAM) is forecasted to flip to a surcharge in June.
- The 200L Quota: Assessing the government’s first move to reduce fuel subsidy quotas and its impact on consumer sentiment.
- Sectoral Margin Stress: Why energy-intensive industries like manufacturing, logistics, and tourism are reaching a breaking point.
- Inventory Front-Loading: The "Butter Buffer", how businesses are using working capital to stock up before the next price hike.
- The Fiscal Cushion: How Malaysia's reduction of the deficit to 3.7% provides a temporary shield against global recession risks.
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When fuel prices rise, where does the impact really show up in F&B businesses? Nazri Adam, Co-Founder of Sausage Sizzle, joins us to unpack how cost shocks actually move through the F&B system, and why the real impact may not have fully hit yet.
We discuss:
- The Delayed Shock: Why fuel price increases don’t hit immediately, and how “old inventory” is masking the real cost wave still to come.
- The Supply Chain Cascade: How imported goods stack multiple layers of cost.
- Margins vs Demand: What gets squeezed first inside an F&B business, and why pricing pressure may matter more than weaker spending.
- The Adaptation Playbook: From menu changes to frozen food pivots, how operators might need to rethink survival before the full impact hits.
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Are we designing buildings ready for tomorrow’s climate problems?
As heat rises and rainfall intensifies, a hidden risk is emerging in construction, where short-term cost decisions can lead to long-term structural failures. Damian Lusty of Sika Malaysia joins us to unpack why durability is often sacrificed, how climate stress is already showing up in defects, and what “credible sustainability” really means.
We also explore why frameworks like the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) and lifecycle assessments are becoming harder to ignore, as well as how issues like water ingress and corrosion start early, and why they’re far more expensive to fix than to prevent.
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Money laundering has evolved into a sophisticated "service" that hides behind legitimate corporate structures and public markets. Following the Ops Viking investigation, which saw over RM300 million in CDS accounts frozen due to alleged illicit funds, the risk for boardroom directors is no longer theoretical.
Khurram Pirzada joins Enterprise Explores to explain why traditional "Know Your Customer" (KYC) is failing and why identifying the Ultimate Beneficial Owner (UBO) is now a critical board responsibility to prevent businesses from becoming criminal vehicles.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The Corporate Infiltration: How illicit funds are migrating from the shadow economy into public listed companies.
- The Integration Trap: A breakdown of the three stages and why "Integration" into assets like hotels or investments is the hardest to detect.
- Trade-Based Laundering: How criminals abuse legitimate invoicing and trade finance to move money across borders undetected.
- Identifying Control: Why identifying who truly "calls the shots" is now a global legal expectation beyond basic identity checks.
- The Crypto Bridge: How global crypto laundering uses the technology as a high-speed layering tool between banks and e-wallets.
- The FATF Effect: What Malaysia's move to FATF "regular follow-up" status means for restored international confidence and stricter local scrutiny.
- Structural Red Flags: Red flags to watch for, including layered shareholding and frequent ownership changes that serve no genuine business purpose.
- Empowering Vetoes: Why your AML framework is only as good as your compliance team’s authority to veto a transaction.
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In case you needed confirmation, yes, corporate confinement is making you unhappy. A new employee well-being index from Monash University Malaysia suggests that micromanagement is killing employee morale and wellbeing.
On top of that, despite the physical risks and lack of corporate safety nets, Malaysian delivery riders are outscoring office-bound professionals in psychological and social happiness.
Monash University’s Professor Jane Terpstra Tong, Director of the Future Southeast Asian Centre for Workplace Wellbeing, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack her findings, including:
The Autonomy Dividend: Why independent gig workers score higher in social well-being than professionals sitting in ergonomic chairs.
The Stressors: Beyond tight deadlines and endless emails, we look at how invisible organisational politics are quietly hollowing out white-collar mental health.
The Micromanagement Epidemic: Why micromanagement is a symptom of a leader's fear; letting go of monitoring requires showing their vulnerability, a psychological trade that most Malaysian bosses are currently failing to make.
The Gig Worker Paradox: Why 35% of surveyed riders are effectively underwater on their bills but still report higher overall life satisfaction.
The True Cost of Freedom: The financial metrics gig workers must calculate to understand their true net take-home pay under the new Gig Workers Act.
Gen Z and the Bot-Team: How the youngest generation of workers is shifting away from the corporate ladder in favour of flexibility and non-traditional autonomy.
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Your next laptop or smartphone is going to cost you more than expected, thanks to the AI boom.
AI is hijacking the world’s chip factories. While the AI market accounts for only 2% of total chip volume, it now commands a staggering 50% of global semiconductor revenue, forcing manufacturers to prioritize high-margin AI orders over the electronics in your pocket.
MSIA President Datuk Seri Wong Siew Hai joins Enterprise Explores to explain why entry-level $500 laptops and sub-$200 smartphones are becoming the "first casualties" of this silicon squeeze. We also unpack how Malaysia must pivot from "assembly and test" to the "innovation brain" of advanced 3D packaging to survive this high-stakes industrial shift.
Learn More About:
The 2% Paradox: Why a tiny fraction of global chip volume generates half the industry's revenue, deprioritising your next phone
The Entry-Level Casualty: Why sub-$200 smartphones and $500 laptops are vanishing as brands extend refresh cycles to 18 months to absorb component price spikes.
Apple’s Secret Weapon: How massive scale, long-term supply contracts, and custom unified silicon allow one giant to dodge the spot market volatility killing its rivals.
Malaysia’s Two-Speed Risk: The danger of being trapped in low-margin "backend" work while global value shifts toward advanced packaging and AI integration.
The Stacking Revolution: Why technologies like Through-Silicon Via (TSV) and 3D packaging are the new frontiers for Malaysia’s National Semiconductor Strategy.
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Is your boss prepared for a RM500,000 penalty for ignoring the weather’s impact on you? As Malaysia swelters under a relentless heatwave, this rising temperature could become a massive legal liability for employers.
Sara Lau and Tatvaruban Subramaniam, lawyers from Skrine, join Enterprise Explores to break down where an employer’s liability begins and ends when it comes to employee health and safety in this heatwave, as well as what employees themselves should know.
Tune In To Find Out:
The Flexibility Trap: Why allowing employees to work from a cafe or home doesn't absolve an employer of safety obligations, and the uncontrolled environment risks that could trigger a lawsuit.
The 10X Penalty Shock: Why the jump from RM50,000 to RM500,000 was designed to stop companies from treating safety violations as a "cost of doing business."
Imminent Danger vs. Inconvenience: The legal threshold that allows an employee to walk off a job site during a heatwave without facing a pay cut or insubordination charges.
The Principal's Burden: Why main contractors are now legally responsible for the heat safety of subcontractors they don't directly employ.
The Personal Liability Pivot: How the new 2026 legal framework allows the court to charge CEOs and Directors personally alongside their companies for safety failures.
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Are Malaysia’s top students being trained for a world that no longer exists? As AI is changing how we learn and work, the value of exams like SPM is increasingly under scrutiny.
Inbaraj Suppiah, Founder of JomHack and Chan Soon Seng, CEO at Teach For Malaysia, join us to explore the growing disconnect between grades and real-world capability as well as why employers may need to rethink how they assess talent. We explore the rise of competency-based hiring and the risk of a broken entry-level pipeline.
Learn more about:
- The Grade Illusion: Why strong SPM results may no longer reflect real-world capability and what they actually measure today
- The Skills Deficit: Why graduates are entering the workforce without basic communication and problem-solving abilities and what universities are missing
- The AI Learning Trap: Are students outsourcing their thinking to AI and what “cognitive offloading” could mean for future talent quality
- The Hiring Reset: Why employers relying on degrees may be missing top talent and how competency-based assessments are changing the game
- The Pipeline Crisis: What happens when AI replaces entry-level roles and why companies may struggle to build future leaders
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A conflict far from Southeast Asia is already reshaping how, where, and even whether people travel. Flight disruptions, rising costs, and shifting demand are forcing the region’s tourism industry to adapt in real time.
Hannah Pearson, Director at Pear Anderson, joins us to unpack findings from a new report on how the Middle East conflict is affecting Southeast Asia’s travel industry, from cancellations and weaker outlooks to changing travel patterns and emerging opportunities.
As Malaysia pushes ahead with Visit Malaysia Year 2026, what do these disruptions mean for arrivals, connectivity, and the country’s ambitions as a regional hub?
We discuss:
- What’s driving cancellations: demand vs operational disruption
- Why Europe routes are especially exposed
- Where travel demand is shifting across Asia
- How businesses are adapting to disrupted connectivity
- What this reveals about structural risks in global travel
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Is your company losing talent faster than you can replace it, and you don’t know why? As Malaysia’s workforce shifts toward flexibility, side hustles, and selective career moves, a structural reset is currently underway.
Fahad Naeem of Randstad Malaysia joins the show to explore the widening employer–employee disconnect, what it now takes to retain top performers, and the rise of “career portfolio building”.
Learn more about:
- The 27-Point Gap: Why employers are overwhelmingly optimistic about business growth while employees remain cautious, and what this disconnect is already costing businesses.
- The Loyalty Collapse: Why long-term employment is fading and how “career portfolio building” is quietly replacing it as the new default.
- The 51% Risk: Why over half of employees are ready to walk and what actually drives that decision beyond salary
- The AI Trust Problem: Why companies talking about “AI” may be pushing talent away and the subtle narrative shift that changes everything.
- The Rise of Fractional Talent: How senior professionals are rewriting employment rules and what this means for hiring strategies in 2026.
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Do we still need women-focused business events in 2026? Our guests today 100% believe so. Lily Sim and Grace Tan, 2 of the 6 organisers behind the upcoming BeingOne event, join Enterprise Explores to discuss why business tips alone are worthless if entrepreneurs and business operators are running on an empty tank.
They also unpack the event’s three non-negotiable pillars of optimism, nurturing connection, and physical energy. BeingOne is a two-day mentorship and leadership gathering dedicated to women-led businesses. It will take place on April 10 and 11.
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With 80% of oil passing through the Strait of Hormuz bound for Asia, the region faces an existential threat to its energy supply. Brent Crude’s $100 price tag isn't just a "fear premium"; it reflects a structural risk driven by infrastructure damage and a complex production restart process that can take months.
Rystad Energy’s Head of APAC Oil & Gas Research Prateek Pandey breaks down why energy security has replaced affordability as the top priority for Asian policymakers and what this means for Malaysia’s upstream investments.
Tune In To Learn:
- The 15% Risk Premium: Why a ceasefire won't immediately bring prices back to $70, and the "physics" of why restarting production isn't an on/off switch.
- The Shutdown Model: Why only 20% of shut-in production can be recovered within two weeks, while full restoration can take up to three and a half months.
- Asian Dependency: Why the Philippines and Pakistan are the hardest hit, with over 95% dependence on the Strait of Hormuz for oil and gas.
- Malaysia’s Fuel Subsidy Pressure: How sustained $100 oil could drive Malaysia's inflation to 3% and significantly bloat fuel subsidy costs.
- The 2030 Plateau: Analysing Rystad’s data on Malaysia’s gas extraction peak and the urgent need for "Frontier Exploration" in Sabah and Sarawak.
- The Rise of Mobile Assets: Why Floating LNG (FLNG) and FSRUs are the preferred strategic choice for developing smaller, stranded gas fields with shorter payback periods.
- The Energy Transition Pivot: How the conflict has pushed "commercial economics" to the forefront, challenging the timeline for green energy vs. energy security.
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Apple just turned 50, but for a $3.6 trillion giant, the bigger question is what comes next? In this special Enterprise Explores episode, we break down Apple’s legacy, from category-defining hits to notable missteps, and ask whether the company is starting to lose its edge in a fast-moving tech landscape shaped by AI.
Amin Ashaari of Soya Cincau joins us as we debate Apple’s biggest wins, questionable decisions, and key flops.
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Is your business growing, or are you just trapped on a social media content treadmill? While TikTok celebrates a RM20 billion contribution to Malaysia’s economy, what is the reality for sellers on the platform? Teng Ian Wong from Momentum Works joins Enterprise Explores to discuss lessons from China about live streaming on TikTok, why sellers shouldn’t depend on a single platform, whether these are Shopee, Lazada or TikTok, and whether viral hits lead to durable brands and businesses.
Tune In To Learn More About:
- The Content Treadmill: How the low barrier to entry has created a war for consumer attention.
- The AI Host Invasion: How a Chinese influencer used an AI Avatar to generate RM32 million in 6 hours, and what this means for the future of human live-streamers in Malaysia.
- The "Blueberry" Trap: Why replicating a viral hit often leads to diminishing returns.
- The MCN Factor: Whether Multi-Channel Networks are actually adding value or just eating your margins while creating an external dependency.
- The Platform Agnostic Strategy: Why relying on TikTok Shop, Shopee, or Lazada alone may not be the most ideal step for your brand equity.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Is your city losing investment without realising it, and is connectivity the hidden reason? Professor Siqi Zheng of MIT and SMART M3S joins us to unpack why air routes still shape global business decisions, even in a digital-first world. From the surprising cost of a single layover to the concept of “network centrality,” we explore why not all connections are created equal and what cities are getting wrong.
Tune In To Find Out
- The 20% Penalty: Why a single layover can reduce a city’s attractiveness to multinational firms, and what that reveals about how businesses price “travel friction.”
- Quality vs Quantity Trap: Why adding more routes may be a vanity metric, and the strategic mistake policymakers keep making when expanding connectivity.
- The Multiplier Effect: How one direct connection to a global hub can unlock access to dozens of markets, and why this matters more than total flight volume.
- Digital vs Physical Reality: Why decades of Zoom, email, and remote work have not reduced the need for face-to-face interaction in high-value industries.
- The Connectivity Divide: How well-connected cities pull further ahead, and the strategic playbook secondary cities can use to close the gap.
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Is Asia prepared for a fuel crisis that morphs into a food catastrophe? Following missile strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG facility, the region is facing a structural gas shortage that mere "diplomacy" cannot fix. Darren Tay, Head of APAC Country Risk at BMI, joins Enterprise Explores to map the fallout: from immediate gas rationing in South Asia to the looming fertiliser cliff that could slash crop yields by 50% by October.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The Structural LNG Trap: Why the damage to Qatar’s facilities has moved the needle from a "temporary glitch" to a multi-month energy vacuum.
- The "Great Divide": Why Japan’s 250-day reserve makes it a fortress, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka face a literal 11-day countdown to energy exhaustion.
- Refinery Gridlock: The technical reason why "just buying other oil" doesn't work when refineries are physically purpose-built for specific Middle Eastern crude.
- The Fertiliser Cliff: How a gas feedstock shortage in March triggers a 50% yield collapse for rice and corn during the April sowing season.
- The Atlantic Pivot: Why Asian nations could move away from Middle Eastern cost efficiency to tap more costly, but secure, US and Atlantic energy supply chains.
- Civil Unrest Indicators: Which "first domino" nations are at the highest risk of political collapse as energy and food prices spike simultaneously?
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Is your cybersecurity stack a shield or weakness? Robert Huber, CSO of Tenable, explains why managing “300+ tools” creates a "grey space" for attackers, the explosive rise of "Shadow AI," and why true resilience takes 18 months of hygiene, not a knee-jerk tech purchase.
Tune In To Find Out:
- The Tool Sprawl Trap: Why some leaders are juggling 300+ security tools and how this fragmentation allows attackers to hide in the "silos" between your systems.
- AI’s "Perfect" Phishing: How adversaries are using AI to eliminate typos and errors, making opportunistic attacks more believable and harder to detect than ever before.
- Stitching the Attack Path: The strategic benefit of consolidation, moving from a "jigsaw puzzle" of data to a unified narrative that reveals an attacker's full journey in real-time.
- The "Shadow AI" Explosion: Why Robert’s "head explodes" at the pace of uncontrolled LLM adoption and how data leakage is outpacing our current security controls.
- People, Process, Technology: Why technical controls offer the only "deterministic" outcome and how to manage the "human flaw" of password reuse and harvesting.
- The 18-Month Roadmap: A foundational guide for small and mid-tier firms to build a security program that actually delivers ROI without "boiling the ocean."
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Think your "standard” employment contract protects you? From illegal salary deductions to non-compete clauses that won't hold water, many Malaysian employers are sitting on an HR time bomb. Former Industrial Court Panellist Ku Sim Ling (Aunty HR) and Victor Gan, CEO of E2 Workforce Consulting, join Enterprise Explores to reveal why businesses are losing over half of industrial court cases and how emotional firing decisions can trigger costly 7-figure mistakes for SMEs.
Tune in to find out:
- The 24-Month Back-Wage Hit: Why procedural mistakes can trigger a court-ordered penalty of up to two years of salary plus seniority compensation.
- The Non-Compete Myth: Why your bulletproof restraint of trade clause is likely unenforceable under Section 28 and the one specific way to actually buy a competitor-free exit.
- The Silent Breach:How late EPF payments or other breaches in the employment contract create a constructive dismissal window for employees to walk out and trigger back-wage liabilities.
- The Trade Union Surge: The data behind the 8-month spike in union recognition claims and the "Maturity Gap" currently costing Malaysian SMEs their industrial harmony.
- The RM20K Defence Barrier: Why even "winning" an Industrial Court case is a financial loss, and the document trail required to manage a claim before it reaches the bench.
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Are your international checkouts bleeding revenue because you rely on Western credit cards? Emerging markets are no longer adopting financial technology, they are building the global blueprint. From India's UPI to the rise of stablecoins replacing slow SWIFT transfers for B2B trade, the Global South is forcing a structural shift in commerce. Eduardo de Abreu, Chief Product Officer at EBANX, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the expensive realities of cross-border expansion.
Learn More About:
- The B2B Consumerisation Shift: Corporate finance teams are abandoning slow SWIFT transfers in favour of instant, consumer-style payment methods like UPI and Pix to improve traceability and reduce default rates.
- Stablecoins as Corporate Infrastructure: Moving beyond speculative assets, stablecoins now offer businesses faster cross-border fund flows and vital hedging opportunities against volatile foreign exchange markets.
- The Installment Multiplier: In regions like Latin America, offering instalment payments is a cultural necessity that substantially improves consumer affordability and can significantly boost a merchant's Average Order Value (AOV).
- Checkout Conversion Killers: Attempting to expand into emerging markets using only global card networks will lead to massive checkout abandonment if local alternative payment methods and e-wallets are ignored.
- The Global South Blueprint: Driven by the need to serve unbanked populations, emerging markets have bypassed legacy systems to build highly sophisticated, mobile-first payment rails that Western regulators are now trying to emulate.
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Is AI efficiency killing your future leaders? As entry-level roles vanish, a leadership crisis looms. Deepa George of MyHRC joins Enterprise Explores to reveal why the "Junior Hire" is becoming extinct and the risks to your succession planning. We unpack the rise of the "Neo-Apprenticeship" and the 4 essential new rules every professional needs to survive the bot-takeover.
Tune in to find out:
- The Leadership Leak: Why cutting "learner" roles today creates a dangerous shortage of "emergency successors" tomorrow.
- Beyond the Degree: Why technical skills are now just a "hygiene factor" and the 4 human-centric qualities (ABCD) that actually determine career longevity.
- The Generalist Mandate: How to master "cross-pollination" and "consequential thinking" to stay relevant in an age of siloed AI.
- The "Work-First" Gap Year: Why our cultural mindset toward immediate higher education might be fundamentally broken.
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When 41 government-linked companies control 55% of all assets on Bursa Malaysia, is the state still "building" the nation or suffocating the private sector? What began as a strategic tool for wealth redistribution has ballooned into a commercial behemoth competing in banks, plantations, and retail. Dr Tricia Yeoh, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, unpacks the economic conflict between governing and government ownership in the private sector.
Dr Tricia Yeoh is Associate Professor of Practice with the School of Politics, International Relations, and Economics, at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, and Director of the Asian Institute for Policy and Engagement, University of Nottingham Malaysia
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The world is changing, but are we measuring success with the right tools? We explore this with Vincent Chin, Global Vice Chair of BCG’s Public Sector Practice, to discuss why Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the "gold standard" of economics, is failing to capture true prosperity, distribution, and sustainability.
Learn more about:
- The Four Capitals: The broader, holistic metrics (Economic, Human, Natural, Social) needed to truly measure a nation's success.
- The AI Reskilling Revolution: Why the advent of AI requires a workforce upskilling effort as profound as the Industrial Revolution, and who is responsible for training mid-career workers.
- Regeneration vs. Redistribution: The new guiding philosophy for economic transformation for investing tax dollars to build capability and social mobility, not just transfer wealth.
- The 'Trampoline' Approach: Moving beyond the "safety net" for a social welfare system that cushions the fall from disruption and bounces people back up.
- Core Utilities: Why governments must start treating digital and financial access as basic public utilities for inclusive, future growth.
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Is the rise of the "AI-powered super-productive team" a genuine technological shift, or a convenient PR mask for pandemic-era overhiring? As global giants like Block and Oracle slash thousands of jobs while setting aggressive profit targets of $2 million per employee, the corporate world is entering a radical "Lean AI" reset. XP Ng, CEO of the Academy of Artificial Intelligence, joins BFM to break down the mechanics of Agentic AI – a system where AI agents manage their own sub-agents to create a massive productivity multiplier. We explore the density of talent versus tech, the reality of token-economics, and whether Malaysian SMEs can truly use these tools to outproduce global competitors.
We also dive into the human in the loop necessity, the critical importance of Systems Thinking, and the risk of "hollowing out" companies by losing institutional knowledge in the rush to automate.
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When taking on outside capital, founders often misunderstand who truly holds the power. Owning the majority of your shares doesn't guarantee control, in fact, the board of directors ultimately holds the authority to fire a founder CEO.
David Lim, Founding Partner at TSF Law, joins Enterprise Explores to unpack the hard legal realities of founder-investor relationships. He reveals how shareholder agreements actually dictate boardroom power, the hidden dangers of investor veto rights, and how asking the right questions early on can save your company from public legal battles.
Learn More About:
- The Illusion of Control: Why retaining a majority shareholding does not guarantee control if investors hold a board majority, appoint key management like the CFO, or possess veto rights.
- The Power of the Board: How Section 211 of the Company's Act grants the board of directors, not the shareholders, the default authority to manage the business, including the power to fire a CEO with a simple majority vote.
- Reserve Matters & Forced Buyouts: How specific operational decisions requiring investor approval can slow down a company, and how breaching these reserve matters can allow investors to trigger a mandatory buyout or liquidate the company.
- Critical Shareholding Thresholds: The legal importance of owning 75% for special resolutions (like changing the constitution), 51% for ordinary resolutions (like changing directors), and 10% to formally request a general meeting.
- Strategic vs. Financial Investors: How financial investors prioritise exit economics and put options to protect their capital, while strategic investors focus on operational control and securing board seats.
- Building Resilient Partnerships: Why the healthiest founder-investor dynamics rely on setting clear expectations upfront, establishing simple quarterly KPIs, and preventing investors from interfering in daily operations.
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The paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz is a geopolitical iceberg threatening global manufacturing, with ripple effects crippling supply chains now and in the longer term. Prof. Shardul Phadnis, Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management at the Asia School of Business unpacks the implications, risks and why boards must treat supply chain resilience as a capital asset.
Learn More About:
- The Hormuz Shockwave: How disruptions at this critical choke point severely affect non-energy manufacturing by restricting crude oil feedstocks used for plastics, coolants, and paints.
- The Ripple Effect: Why missing a single weekly ocean port call can severely disrupt asset-heavy chemical plants that schedule their production campaigns months in advance.
- Rapid Exposure Analysis: The critical steps mid-tier manufacturers must take to map tier-1 supplier manufacturing locations, identify shipping vulnerabilities, and navigate shifting trade policies.
- The Death of Traditional Forecasting: Why major geopolitical disruptions violate the core assumptions of probabilistic forecasting, forcing supply chains to abandon historical data for safety stock planning.
- AI-Powered Scenario Planning: How AI accelerates scenario creation from several months to just one or two weeks, shifting its application from long-term strategy to 6-month tactical planning.
- Valuing Resilience as an Asset: Why treating adaptability as a capital asset, much like Toyota stockpiling a six-month supply of chips after the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, is logically necessary despite the tension it creates with short-term quarterly profits.
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Is the return of GST really the silver bullet for Malaysia's fiscal deficit and cascading business costs? Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Senior Advisor on Tax Policy at KPMG in Malaysia, debunks GST & SST myths.
Learn More About:
- The RM50+ Billion Math: Why reintroducing GST at a low 3% or 4% rate is "suicide" for the fiscal deficit, and how the expanded SST is already outperforming historical GST revenues.
- The GST Breakdown: Why the 2015 GST implementation failed, from crippling government refund delays to intense political pushback.
- Solving the Cascading Tax: How the current SST relies on targeted B2B exemptions to prevent the "tax-on-tax" compounding effect across the manufacturing supply chain, and why enforcing it is still a work in progress.
- Exemptions vs. Refunds: Why the current SST's reliance on business exemptions is operationally superior to the GST's cash-draining refund mechanism.
- The E-Invoicing Evolution: How the ongoing rollout of e-invoicing will effectively replicate the auditable paper trail that made GST so appealing to authorities.
- The Ultimate Tax Road Map: Dr. Veerinderjeet’s proposal to merge the currently separate Sales Tax and Service Tax acts into a single, aligned-rate legislation to ensure policy continuity for the corporate sector.
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Is the EPF's 6.15% dividend good enough? While the recent payout drew mixed reactions, the real crisis isn't the percentage, it's the dangerous over-reliance on a single pillar to fund decades of post-work life.
For generations, Malaysians have leaned heavily on the EPF as their primary retirement strategy. But as the ringgit fluctuates against the US dollar and global markets shift, generating outsized returns from overseas investments is becoming increasingly complex.
To provide a harsh but necessary reality check on retirement adequacy, Rajen Devadason, Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia), unpacks why the 6.15% yield is mathematically stronger than it looks, how to define your personal "enough" (ranging anywhere from RM500,000 to RM20 million), and the concrete blueprint required to build true financial freedom beyond the EPF.
Learn More About:
- The 6.15% Verdict: Why EPF's dividend is stronger than it looks.
- The Account 3 Trap: Why Rajen calls the suggestion to funnel all dividends into the flexible EPF Account 3 "monumentally asinine" and a major threat to long-term wealth.
- Capital Preservation vs. Liquidation: The stark realities of retirement funding, and why the common strategy of draining your capital until your final day is a terrifying way to live.
- The 5-Element Blueprint: A breakdown of Rajen's framework for financial freedom, featuring a "portfolio barbell" strategy designed to balance high-risk capital gains with reliable passive income streams.
- Personal Inflation & Stagflation: Why the official national CPI likely doesn't reflect your real cost of living, and how rising energy costs from geopolitical conflicts could trigger a brief period of economic stagflation.
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Is Southeast Asia's venture capital slowdown a crisis, or a necessary calibration? Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures, joins us to unpack the desperately needed reset across the LP, VC, and startup funding chain. We discuss the region's historic lack of cash returns, the truth behind the "AI hype bubble," and why vertical integration is the true key to building defensible tech companies in the next cycle.
During the previous boom cycle, the region's venture ecosystem was fueled by overexuberance, "spray and pray" capital deployment, and a heavy reliance on copy-pasted Silicon Valley playbooks. This strategy ultimately led to a landscape plagued by overstated revenues, inflated paper valuations, and a severe lack of Distribution to Paid-In Capital (DPI) for investors.
Today, Southeast Asia is facing a harsh but necessary reality check. With a visible slowdown in fundraising momentum and increasingly selective LPs, the entire ecosystem must grow up. To unlock the next wave of durable value creation, founders and fund managers must abandon generic tech wrappers and instead focus on addressing the real efficiency layers and deep vertical workflows of traditional businesses.
We discuss:
- The VC Reset: Why the funding chain, from LPs to VCs to startups, needs a harsh reality check to correct the overstated revenues and inflated paper valuations of the previous cycle.
- The Missing Middle: The concerning lack of new fund managers in the region, and why fresh strategies are desperately needed to fix Southeast Asia's historically poor VC return outcomes.
- Escaping the AI Bubble: Why founders need to stop pitching "AI agents" to business owners who only care about revenue, profit, and solving operational friction.
- The "SaaS Apocalypse": Why the narrative of AI destroying all software is overblown, but why generic, horizontal SaaS layers are in severe danger of commoditisation.
- The Vertical Moat: How the next durable wave of value creation in Southeast Asia will come from vertical AI/SaaS companies that deeply integrate into highly nuanced industry workflows to create ultimate customer stickiness.
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Geopolitical risk has spiked further. Following unprecedented military action, the Strait of Hormuz, a critical choke point handling 20% of the world's daily oil and LNG, is effectively paralysed.
With the geopolitical risk premium on oil already sitting between $20 and $30 per barrel, fears are mounting that a prolonged disruption could push prices past $100. This threatens to trigger a new wave of global inflation and force central banks to abandon their rate-cutting cycles.
Cedric Chehab, Chief Economist at BMI, joins BFM to unpack the macroeconomic fallout of the crisis, the US strategy of "regime reconfiguration" in Iran, and what this energy shock means for highly exposed economies in ASEAN.
Learn About:
- The $30 Risk Premium: Why BMI estimates the "fair value" of oil is currently $55 to $65, and how panic buying and supply disruptions could drive prices even higher.
- "Regime Reconfiguration" vs. Regime Change: Unpacking the US strategy in Iran, the search for a moderate transitional government, and the severe risks of sectarian conflict if the plan fails.
- The Supply Squeeze: Why the global capacity to offset physical supply losses from the Strait of Hormuz is extremely limited, despite OPEC+ signals and US production.
- The Central Bank Dilemma: How a sustained oil shock could kill hopes for monetary easing, forcing central banks to adopt hawkish forward guidance or aggressively raise rates to anchor inflation expectations.
- The ASEAN "Triple Whammy": Why Southeast Asia is highly vulnerable to this crisis, facing deteriorating terms of trade, current account hits, and massive strain on government fiscal accounts due to energy subsidies.
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Malaysia’s café and beverage market is booming, but it’s also becoming one of the most competitive consumer sectors in the country.
With over 5,000 cafés nationwide, rising coffee consumption, and aggressive expansion from regional and Chinese brands, café operators are navigating tighter margins, higher expectations, and a more tech-driven customer base. Gen Z demand is accelerating growth, home brewing remains strong, and loyalty apps are becoming as important as latte art.
Alun Jones, Project Director of Montgomery Asia and organiser of the International Coffee & Beverage Show 2026 (ICBS), alongside Koh Wei Yang, General Manager of Barista Guild Asia, joins BFM Enterprise Explores to explore how the industry is restructuring, the role of events like ICBS, and why running a cafe is no longer just about coffee.
Learn about:
- The Competitive Reset: Why Malaysia’s buoyant coffee market is also forcing operators to rethink efficiency, pricing and scale.
- The Gen Z Effect: How younger consumers are driving consumption growth and shifting expectations.
- Technology as a Survival Tool: Why loyalty apps, POS systems and data-driven engagement are no longer optional.
- Beyond Coffee: The rapid rise of tea, kombucha and alternative beverages as differentiation strategies.
- The Hard Truth for New Entrants: Why romanticising café ownership is risky and what aspiring operators need to understand before investing.
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Tariffs don’t actually protect an economy, they slowly suffocate innovation. Economies need "Creative Destruction”. Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center For Market Education, joins BFM Enterprise to unpack the macroeconomic consequences of building economic walls.
Looking through the lens of Joseph Schumpeter’s theory of "creative destruction," Dr. Ferlito argues that tariffs distort entrepreneurial calculation, breed rent-seeking behavior, and artificially keep inefficient "zombie firms" on life support at the expense of true innovation.
Learn about:
- The Illusion of Protection: Why constantly shifting tariffs erode institutional predictability, causing businesses to freeze their hiring and investment decisions.
- The "Zombie Firm" Epidemic: How protectionism traps valuable capital and talent in outdated legacy businesses rather than allowing them to flow to new, better opportunities.
- Invention vs. Innovation: Why an idea created in isolation is just an "invention" until it gets the scale, human capital, and financial backing to hit the market as an "innovation."
- The Government's True Role: Why the state must act purely as a referee ensuring fair play and contestable markets, rather than a player trying to pick winners.
- A Playbook for Malaysia: Why a highly integrated economy like Malaysia must double down on unilateral openness, genuine zero-tariff trade agreements, and protecting people (via social safety nets and reskilling) rather than protecting firms.
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Global headlines have once again put powerful individuals under scrutiny, raising broader questions about accountability at the very top.
In this episode, we explore CEO misconduct in Malaysia, from legal duties and fiduciary responsibilities to the operational and cultural impact on organisations. Are chief executives overly shielded by their status? Do public listed companies face stricter oversight than private firms? And what protections exist for employees when misconduct happens at the leadership level?
Joining us for this conversation is Sheba Gumis, Partner at Skrine, to give us a sense of the legal safeguards, governance frameworks, and whether Malaysia’s system is robust enough to keep power in check.
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If a cyber breach can happen in 25 minutes but it takes days to contain, are organisations already too late?
New cloud security findings from Palo Alto Networks point to a stark reality: attackers are now operating at machine speed, fuelled by AI. Nearly every organisation surveyed reported at least one attack on its AI systems in the past year. APIs are becoming key entry points. Identity weaknesses are driving incidents. And security teams are still juggling an average of 17 tools while trying to respond in real time.
As companies race to deploy faster using AI and automated development tools, they may be expanding their exposure just as quickly. Prevention remains critical. But resilience and response speed are fast becoming the true differentiators.
Elad Koren, Vice President of Product Management for Cortex Cloud at Palo Alto Networks, joins us to examine what breaks first under machine-speed attacks and what needs to change to keep up.
We explore:
- Why the shift from prevention to response speed is becoming the new baseline.
- What AI poisoning really means, and how intentional sabotage of AI systems could play out.
- Why APIs have become both the connective tissue and a growing vulnerability in modern cloud environments.
- The identity challenge in cloud and AI systems, and why identity now functions as the last line of defence.
- Why manual data reviews are becoming a liability at cloud scale.
- Whether the traditional separation between cloud security and the SOC still makes sense in the AI era.
This is not just about stronger tools. It is about whether organisational design, security workflows, and accountability structures are built for threats that now move at machine speed.
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Are organisations becoming more efficient, but more fragile? As companies mandate return-to-office, flatten structures and automate roles, leadership depth, trust and internal mobility may be quietly eroding.
Anthony Raja Devadoss, Country Managing Director of Korn Ferry Malaysia, examines how return-to-office is reshaping the employee deal, the unintended risks of removing middle managers, and why AI-driven restructuring demands more than cost discipline.
The conversation also turns to HR’s own credibility test — whether AI ambition is outpacing capability, and what CHROs must do to earn and sustain a truly strategic seat at the table.
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Prime time once dictated how we watched entertainment.
Today, algorithms and endless feeds have replaced schedules, and audiences are consuming more content than ever, yet often feeling more fatigued by choice. As studios consolidate their content and short-form platforms reshape attention spans, what does this shift mean for the future of storytelling and the business of media?
We explore the move from “prime time” to “scroll time” with Amin Ashaari, Co-Founder of SoyaCincau.
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On TikTok Shop, if your content doesn’t convert, you don’t exist.
TikTok Shop in the U.S. jumped from $9 billion in GMV in 2024 to $15.1 billion in 2025. But this growth didn’t come from charismatic live hosts or viral "Shoppertainment." It was powered by the static, boring "Shop Tab", good old search-based shopping.
Teng Ian Wong, Insights Manager at Momentum Works, joins BFM to dive into why American consumers are favouring traditional search over live streams, and compares this to Southeast Asia’s $45.6 billion mature ecosystem.
We discuss:
- The Shop Tab Takeover: Why the static marketplace now outpaces live shopping (only 14% of US GMV) and why Americans prefer to "search and compare."
- The "Zombie Store" Plague: Why over 50% of the 800,000+ U.S. TikTok Shops recorded zero sales, and the high barrier to algorithmic success.
- Southeast Asia vs. The US: A look at Thailand’s outsized performance ($11.5B) compared to Malaysia ($6.2B), and the structural differences in labour costs that make US live streaming expensive.
- The "Horse Racing" Strategy: How smart brands are surviving high influencer churn by betting on multiple accounts rather than a single "mega-influencer."
- Logistics & Pricing: The move toward a "Fulfilled by TikTok" model to rival Amazon, and why prices dropped in 15 out of 27 categories.
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Is Kwai Chai Hong preserving heritage, or curating it for a modern audience? As Visit Malaysia Year 2026 gathers pace, cultural spaces are becoming tourism assets and brand platforms. So, where does authenticity sit when heritage intersects with sponsorship, spectacle and commercial realities?
Zeen Chang, Co-Founder of Kwai Chai Hong, discusses the fine line between community and commodity. We examine whether restoration inevitably becomes curation, how corporate partnerships shape cultural storytelling, and what it means to protect integrity when culture becomes part of a national narrative.
We also explore the economics behind experiential heritage, the risks of aesthetic theatre, and the principles Zeen refuses to compromise on as Kwai Chai Hong continues to evolve.
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As traffic congestion worsens across the Klang Valley and e-hailing fares surge to eye-watering levels during peak hours, mobility in Malaysia is no longer just about getting from point A to B. It is becoming a question of fairness, affordability, productivity, and long-term planning. With commuters losing hours on the road, costs rising, and public frustration mounting, the cracks in our transport ecosystem are becoming harder to ignore.
We speak to Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, CEO of MARA Liner and Founder of My Mobility Vision, to unpack what is really happening beneath the surface. From the economics of surge pricing and the public’s growing distrust of platform mobility, to the deeper structural issues shaping how Malaysians move, this conversation explores what a fair and functional mobility system should look like. We examine the role of public transport, the limits of infrastructure-first thinking, and the policy choices that could determine whether Malaysia builds a more equitable system or remains stuck in a cycle of congestion and cost.
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In the last four years, Southeast Asia’s electricity demand has surged by 24%. Yet, despite the falling cost of renewables, nearly 80% of that new demand was met by coal and gas. The problem isn't the technology, it's a "locked-in" market structure that indirectly blocks the green transition
Alexandre Salesse, Partner at BCG, explains how the "Single Buyer" model and "Take or Pay" contracts have created a reliability gold standard at the cost of future flexibility.
He also unpacks the four critical reform levers needed to modernise the grid without triggering blackouts or investor flight.
Learn about:
- The Physics of Power: Why electricity is a unique commodity that requires a perfect "bicycle balance" between production and consumption.
- The "Sunk Cost" of Coal: How long-term contracts force utilities to prioritise fossil fuels they’ve already paid for, leaving no room for cheaper solar.
- Unbundling for Competition: The necessity of separating power purchasers from plant owners to resolve built-in conflicts of interest.
- The ASEAN Power Grid: Why it took 14 years to negotiate one wind farm and how a regional framework could fast-track future cross-border projects.
- Targeted Subsidies: Moving away from hidden "blanket" subsidies toward transparent, time-bound support for those who need it most.
- Avoiding Wishful Thinking: Why Southeast Asia shouldn't aim for immediate, Western-style liberalisation, but rather incremental "flexibility levers."
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What does it really take to turn innovation into consistent delivery? In this episode, the focus shifts from capital and programmes to the people behind the progress. Because while funding can accelerate ideas, it is talent, skills, and experience that determine whether companies can execute, compete, and grow.
We speak to Ts. Hj. Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan, Group CEO, MTDC, about why talent development sits at the centre of Malaysia’s innovation journey, how companies build capability through real-world environments and advisory support, and what it takes to raise standards across industries. From hands-on training and technology centres to industry-aligned learning and execution support, this conversation explores how strengthening talent can help turn innovation into long-term, sustainable growth.
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In 2025, Malaysia had 59 IPOs raising US$1.4 billion, the highest volume in the region, but when we look at the money, Singapore raised US$2 billion with just 13 deals. So Malaysia won on volume, but Singapore won on value.
Wong Kar Choon from Deloitte Malaysia joins BFM Enterprise Explores to unpack the structural differences driving this divide. While Bursa Malaysia has become the region's engine for SME growth, with 44 of those 59 listings occurring on the ACE Market, Singapore continues to be the "global capital gateway" for high-value institutional deals in the region
We discuss:
- The Valuation Gap: Why Malaysia’s domestic-driven market supports volume but caps valuations, unlike Singapore’s access to global funds.
- ACE Market Dominance: With 44 out of 59 listings occurring on the ACE Market, we ask if Malaysia is becoming a "volume factory" for small caps rather than a home for regional champions.
- The "Silicon Valley" Paradox: Why the narrative of Malaysia as the "Silicon Valley of the East" hasn't translated into a wave of semiconductor listings, and whether the real value is locked in MNCs and Private Equity.
- "Real Tech" vs. "PowerPoint Tech": The new criteria for 2026, where investors demand profitability and cash flow over growth stories.
- The 2026 Playbook: How Malaysia can move from "Recovery" to "Reinvention" by attracting foreign institutional capital and hosting marquee IPOs in AI and data infrastructure.
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For 11 months of the year, the digital economy follows a predictable rhythm: traffic climbs in the morning, peaks at lunch, and winds down at night. But during Ramadan, that rhythm is turned upside down.
Welcome to the "Sahur Spike", a pre-dawn prime time where online activity surges across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
Luthfi Anshari from AppsFlyer breaks down the data behind this shift, including why finance app installs are costing a staggering $16 USD per user in Malaysia and why the biggest mistake brands make is pausing their ads after Hari Raya.
We discuss:
- The 3 AM Economy: Why the "Sahur Spike" isn't just doom-scrolling, but a high-intent shopping window that drives real revenue.
- The "Liquidity Moment": Why finance apps see a massive surge in Week 1 as users prepare their digital wallets for the festive season.
- The iOS vs. Android Split: Why marketers need two different "rhythms", frontloading premium offers for iOS users while playing the long game with Android's steady traffic.
- The Fraud Trap: How bad actors follow the money, causing ad fraud to spike 15x in Indonesia, and why brands often celebrate "growth that isn't real."
- The "Second Spike": Why shopping activity surges again a week after Hari Raya as people return from hometown travel and restock their lives.
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For centuries, "nation" and "state" were inseparable. You needed physical territory to have a nation. But what if that is no longer true?
Nirbhay Handa, CEO of Multipolitan, argues that we are witnessing the "unbundling" of sovereignty. He draws a critical distinction between a Nation State (defined by borders and politics) and a Nation (defined by shared values and community).
Through the "Nation as a Service" model, countries like Estonia and Palau are allowing users to "log in" to their legal and commercial infrastructure without ever setting foot on their soil.
We dive into the Digital State Project to explore how this shift is creating a new class of "Multipolitans", location-independent entrepreneurs who treat jurisdictions like products.
We also distinguish the vital difference between E-Residency (subscribing to corporate laws) and Golden Visas (buying physical entry), and explore why the world is splitting into "Legacy Titans" (New York, London) and "Builder Cities" (Singapore, Dubai), and where Malaysia’s Network School fits in.
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Agentic AI promises systems that do not just generate responses, but execute real business tasks. Yet new data shows that only around 5 per cent of enterprise AI agent projects have made it into production, with most stuck in prolonged pilot phases due to poor data, siloed organisations, and unclear governance.
We examine why the gap between AI ambition and execution is widening, even as Malaysia pours billions into data centres. We explore what it really takes to manage a workforce that is part human, part algorithm, and why leadership, data readiness, and trust now matter more than the technology itself.
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What does it really take to move a company from early promise to real growth? In this episode, we shift the focus from funding alone to the structured journey founders must go through to build, validate, and scale. Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all programmes, the emphasis is on tailored pathways that help companies navigate each stage of development with clarity and purpose.
We speak to Ts. Hj, Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan, Group CEO, MTDC about why customised accelerator tracks matter, how companies are diagnosed and validated before entering the market, and what it takes to reduce risk for both founders and investors. From early stage support and sandbox testing to growth funding and international expansion, this conversation explores how the right structure, sequencing, and support can help turn promising ideas into sustainable businesses.
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For decades, the internet ran on a simple economic contract: creators publish content, search engines organise it, and humans click on it. That click was the currency of the open web.
But in 2025, that contract is unraveling. Nan Hao Maguire of Cloudflare reveals that the internet is shifting from a human utility to a "Machine-to-Machine Economy." With AI crawlers like Google Bot consuming data without sending traffic back, we are seeing a 24-25% "referral deficit" that threatens to bankrupt the creator economy.
We also dive into the dark side of this shift: the rise of Agentic AI and autonomous cyber threats. Cloudflare’s data shows a terrifying escalation in brute force, with the Aisuru botnet hitting peak attack rates of 31.4 terabits per second, a scale that legacy infrastructure simply cannot survive.
We discuss:
- The Broken Contract: How AI crawlers are creating a "referral deficit" by scraping answers without providing clicks, forcing creators toward "pay-per-crawl" licensing models.
- The Machine Web: Why 31% of all internet traffic is now bot-originated, and how we are moving from "AI as a tool" to "AI as a teammate" (Agentic AI).
- The Aisuru Escalation: The massive leap in cyber attack volume from 7.9 Tbps to 31.4 Tbps in just months, and why most providers fail past the 20 Tbps mark.
- Malaysia’s Vulnerability: Why "People in Society" (individuals) have become the #1 cyber target in Malaysia, surpassing banks and government agencies.
- Autonomous Defense: The shift toward "AI vs. AI" warfare, where autonomous defense systems are the only way to counter agentic attacks.
- The Quantum Leap: The silent positive trend of Post-Quantum Encryption, which has jumped from 30% to 52% adoption on Cloudflare’s network.
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We often talk about AI disrupting jobs, but Peng T. Ong (Co-Founder of Monk's Hill Ventures) is talking about something far more absolute: a singularity.
In his essay, "The Economic Singularity: Life as Work Transforms," Peng argues we are approaching a tipping point where the marginal cost of labor and knowledge trends to zero. When AI can write code, draft contracts, and generate strategy decks faster and cheaper than humans, the traditional engine of the economy, trading labor for wages, breaks down.
So, what comes next? Will we live in a "Star Trek" utopia of exploration, or a "Wall-E" dystopia of consumption?
We discuss:
- Defining the Singularity: Why the economy faces a "Blue Screen of Death" when infinite productivity meets zero-cost intelligence.
- The 7 Future Worlds: From the "Star Trek" pursuit of discovery to the "Backup World" where communities preserve pre-tech skills for resiliency.
- The Vulnerability Paradox: Why unregulated white-collar jobs (consultants, investors) are on the chopping block before blue-collar trade work.
- UBC vs. UBI: The critical difference between giving people a salary (Income) versus giving them a stake in the means of production (Capital).
- The "Entrepreneurial" Shift: How education must pivot from vocational training to teaching children how to create value in a post-labor world.
- The Open Source Defense: Why the value of AI models themselves will drop to zero, preventing any single corporation from holding a monopoly on intelligence.
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Running a business built on local craft and grit is a cornerstone of Malaysian culture. But as the nation prepares for the massive influx of Visit Malaysia 2026, "passion" alone may no longer be enough to scale. While MSMEs represent 97% of all registered businesses and contribute 38% of the national GDP, many remain tethered to a cash-heavy past that limits their growth.
In this episode of Open For Business, we sit down with Previn Pillay, Country Manager of Visa Malaysia, to discuss the invisible infrastructure required to move a business from a simple roadside transaction to a total digital transformation.
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Innovation is often talked about in terms of funding, but money alone rarely brings new technology to market. In this episode, we explore how Malaysia is supporting innovation beyond grants, and what it really takes to help companies move from research and early ideas into commercial reality.
We speak to MTDC GCEO Ts. Hj, Mohammad Hazani Hj. Hassan about de-risking new technologies, building supportive ecosystems, and shortening time to market through advisory, partnerships, and practical facilitation. From university research to startup growth and global expansion, this conversation looks at how founders can better navigate the journey from idea to impact.
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Malaysia is riding a record-breaking wave of RM144 billion in data centre investments, yet the "job density" remains surprisingly low. We examine the stark reality of building a digital empire when the nation faces a 90% gap in engineering talent and the looming "brain drain" to Singapore.
Carlos Garcia Rodriguez joins the show to deconstruct the execution risks of this surge, from the massive strain on power and water grids to the rising costs of "project overheating." We explore whether Malaysia is destined to be a "digital landlord" for global giants or if we can truly move up the value chain by 2026.
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Food delivery in Southeast Asia is no longer just about moving meals from Point A to Point B. It has evolved into a $22.7 billion industry where platforms don't just facilitate demand, they orchestrate it.
According to Momentum Works, the sector has bounced back with 18% year-on-year growth, but the rules of the game have fundamentally changed.
Grab continues to dominate with 55% market share, while Shopee has surged past Foodpanda to claim the #2 spot, but the bigger story is the shift in power. Weihan Chen explains why platforms are transitioning from simple transaction channels to "Operating Environments."
In this new reality, discovery is no longer linear; it is content-led, incentive-driven, and algorithmically curated. For F&B merchants, this creates a potentially harsh "pay-to-play" landscape where data asymmetry favors the platform, not the restaurant.
We discuss:
- The Meituan Shadow: How the threat of China’s delivery giants is forcing local players to adopt "batching" and extreme efficiency to survive.
- The Leaderboard Shakeup: How the landscape has consolidated, with Shopee leveraging its ecosystem power to overtake Foodpanda.
- Demand Orchestration: Why platforms are moving beyond logistics to actively influence what you eat through "content-led discovery" and data asymmetry.
- The "Pay-to-Play" Era: Why organic reach is dying for F&B merchants, and why menus must now be designed specifically for platform algorithms.
- The Death of Dark Kitchens: Why the "Real Estate Arbitrage" model failed in Southeast Asia due to a lack of demand density.
- Unit Economics 2.0: How platforms are staying profitable despite falling Average Order Values (AOV) by driving up frequency and optimizing delivery batches.
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For the last two years, corporate AI strategy has largely revolved around "Assistants", chatbots that wait for a human prompt, but could that phase be already coming to an end?
Nicholas Eayrs of Databricks argues we are now entering the era of the Agentic Enterprise.
In this new paradigm, AI stops waiting for instructions and starts interacting with other systems autonomously. Imagine a "Procurement Agent" negotiating with a "Finance Agent" to optimise supply chains in real-time, without human intervention.
We explore how this shift from "chatting" to "doing" is already happening, and much more, including:
- The Death of the Prompt: Why the future isn't about better prompt engineering, but about architecting autonomous flows where humans act as supervisors, not operators.
- The "Multi-Agent" Swarm: How specialised, smaller models (rather than one giant LLM) will collaborate to handle complex tasks like finance and logistics.
- Bridging the Data Gap: The role of the Model Context Protocol (MCP) in allowing AI agents to "talk" to legacy systems of record (like CRMs and ERPs).
- Solving "Black Box" Anxiety: Why a bad chatbot answer is annoying, but a bad agentic decision is expensive, and how Evaluation Frameworks and strict data lineage provide the necessary governance.
- The Human in the Loop: Why the modern workforce must pivot from "users" of software to "Systems Architects" who define the constraints and outcomes for autonomous agents.
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When business leaders talk about the talent crunch, the focus is usually on skills, communication, and job readiness. But Malaysia’s newly launched National Education Plan 2026–2035 introduces a more fundamental shift: time.
With education pathways accelerating, students may enter university younger and reach the workforce sooner. While this may look efficient on paper, it raises a harder question for employers. Are we mistaking learning speed for workforce readiness?
We speak with Professor Hazel Melanie Ramos, Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning at University of Nottingham Malaysia, to examine what accelerated education timelines really mean for universities, businesses, and Malaysia’s future workforce.
We discuss:
- How the National Education Plan 2026–2035 reshapes the talent pipeline through faster education pathways.
- What earlier university entry means for student maturity, resilience, and readiness for work.
- Whether universities can deliver deeper learning in shorter timeframes.
- The risks employers may face if graduates arrive sooner but less prepared.
- What shared responsibility between universities and businesses is needed for workforce development.
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Volatility, AI, and uncertainty are no longer future risks. They are the conditions businesses are operating in right now.
Today, we examine what IBM’s 2026 Business and Technology Trends reveal about how organisations are responding to constant disruption. From decision-making at speed and real-time operations, to the shifting role of employees, AI transparency, and the growing importance of control and trust, this conversation looks past hype and into the choices that will shape competitiveness.
Dickson Woo, Country General Manager and Technology Leader at IBM Malaysia, talks about where leaders are focusing today, what may be underestimated, and which decisions will ultimately separate those who keep up from those who fall behind.
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Following President Trump’s "Liberation Day" announcement threatening ASEAN with up to 49% tariffs, IDEAS argues that the member states of the 600-million-strong bloc panicked. Vietnam and Cambodia rushed to cut deals immediately, and Malaysia eventually followed suit with the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART), albeit after initial attempts to rally the region failed.
We sit down with Dr. Stewart Nixon, author of the report "Divided We Fall," to dissect why ASEAN chose self-preservation over solidarity and the potentially dangerous concessions buried in the fine print.
We discuss:
- The "Panic" Discount: How Vietnam and Thailand’s rush to Washington sparked a regional "arms race" of concessions, handing leverage directly to Trump.
- Section 5 & Sovereignty: The controversial clause in Malaysia's deal that links trade policy to US national security, effectively forcing Malaysia to police US interests against China within its own borders.
- The "Transshipment" Trap: Why vague definitions of "circumvention" in the new deal create a compliance nightmare for manufacturers planning their supply chains.
- Convenor vs. Captain: Why the ASEAN Chair failed to rally the troops, in stark contrast to the EU’s unified stand against Washington.
- The Illusion of Safety: Dr. Nixon argues that buying "certainty" from Trump is a myth, citing how the USMCA did not protect Canada or Mexico from future tariff threats.
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The Ministry of Education’s Education Blueprint 2026-2035 has officially landed with a clear, mandatory mandate: a Grade C floor for English, BM, Mathematics, and History. But as we enter a decade defined by generative AI and automation, is a static grade on a paper certificate still a valid currency for the Malaysian workforce? Or is the national curriculum benchmarking for a world that no longer exists?
We sit down with Edmond Yap, co-founder of Tupai, to deconstruct ‘The Grade C Trap’.
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Innovation is risky for banks, and traction is expensive for startups. Launched in May 2025, the PayNet Fintech Hub aims to solve this deadlock by acting as the "bridge" between Corporate Malaysia and innovation.
BFM speaks with Gary Yeoh (PayNet) and Joshua Lim (Buzz) to explore how this ecosystem works. We dive into the success story of Buzz, a startup that pivoted from green-tech to a B2B financial media network, utilising PayNet's resources to secure a pilot with TNG Digital.
We discuss:
- The "Bridge" Strategy: How PayNet reduces the risk for incumbents (like banks and e-wallets) to experiment with startups by vetting them and absorbing trial costs via PayNet Credits.
- The Buzz Pivot: Joshua shares the grueling journey of pivoting from a B2C recycling business to a B2B fintech solution, utilising the hub's resources to upgrade their API infrastructure.
- The "Grocery" Pilot: A deep dive into the Buzz x TNG Digital partnership, a cashback program where users upload offline grocery receipts to the TNG e-wallet for instant rewards.
- The 2026 Roadmap: Gary outlines the vision for a "B2B App Store" where banks can seamlessly "pull" verified fintech solutions (loyalty, analytics, engagement) directly from a trusted PayNet platform.
The Opportunity Wall: How corporates can now post problem statements for the fintech community to solve.
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The timing couldn't have been more scripted. Just as the Online Safety Act (ONSA) 2025 came into force on January 1st, the AI chatbot Grok sparked a controversy by generating inappropriate content, prompting action from Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
Lawyers Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi dissect this new regulatory landscape. We explore whether ONSA is a necessary shield against digital harm or a potential "political tool" for censorship, and what the RM10 million penalty cap means for tech giants operating in Malaysia.
We discuss:
- The "Grok" Precedent: How the recent AI chatbot controversy served as the first real test case for MCMC's new powers under ONSA.
- Who is Targeted? A breakdown of the three key entities regulated by the act: ASPs (Social Media like X/Facebook), CASPs (Content providers like Netflix/Infotainment), and NSPs (Telcos).
- The "Teeth" of the Law: Analysing the severe penalties, up to RM10 million for serious non-compliance, and whether this is enough to compel Big Tech to change their platform design.
- Reporting Mechanisms: The two distinct routes users now have to report harmful content (Direct to Platform vs. Direct to MCMC).
- The "Proactive" Shift: Why companies must move from reacting to reports to proactively moderating content before the MCMC’s upcoming Code of Practice makes it mandatory.
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It’s a new year, and optimism is starting to creep back in.
On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we examine Ipsos Malaysia’s 2026 Predictions report to understand how Malaysians are feeling about the year ahead and what that means for businesses.
From confidence in the economy and attitudes towards AI and jobs, to the growing importance of wellbeing and the commercial impact of the 2026 World Cup, the data points to cautious but resilient optimism.
Joining us is Arun Menon, Managing Director of Ipsos Malaysia, to help separate sentiment from reality and explain how businesses should respond to shifting expectations, spending behaviour, and emerging risks in a year shaped by hope.
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2026 presents a landscape of mixed signals for Asia-Pacific: US tariffs are at their highest levels since the 1930s (effective rate of 13.6%), and China’s growth is projected to slow to 4.1%. Yet, Fitch Ratings has maintained a Neutral outlook for the sector.
Thomas Rookmaaker, Head of APAC Sovereigns at Fitch Ratings, joins BFM to break down the region's "two-speed recovery", where AI-driven economies surge while traditional exporters lag, and warns that fiscal buffers are slowly eroding as government debt climbs.
We discuss:.
- The "Neutral" Verdict: Why Fitch maintains a stable sector outlook despite geopolitical headwinds, citing strong FX reserves and credit buffers in developed markets.
- The "Two-Speed" Recovery: How the AI boom is shielding tech-heavy nations while non-tech exporters face dampened demand from the US and China.
- The China Slowdown: The impact of China’s downgrade to 'A' and the property slump on the broader region, with spillover effects hitting commodity prices and consumption.
- Fiscal Erosions & Social Unrest: With median government debt-to-GDP rising to 50.1%, we discuss why fiscal consolidation is stalling and how social unrest (e.g., Nepal, Indonesia) is forcing governments to spend more.
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Country Watchlist:
- Malaysia: Rated 'BBB+' (Stable) supported by political stability and 4% growth, though debt reduction remains gradual.
- Thailand: The outlier with a Negative outlook due to delayed tourism recovery and high household debt.
- The Danger Zone: Why the Maldives ('CC') faces a critical test with a $500m Sukuk repayment in April.
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In late November, Costco filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the “Liberation Day tariffs", and the White House remained surprisingly silent.
BFM speaks with Bryan DeAngelis of Penta Group to decode this "quiet rebellion." Corporate America is finally "unbending the knee," but they are doing it with a new playbook: filing lawsuits based strictly on business logic while avoiding the public shaming that bruises the President's ego.
We discuss:
- The Costco Strategy: Why the retailer’s decision to sue quietly after Thanksgiving, relying on "brand math" rather than PR stunts, possibly saved them from a Truth Social firestorm.
- The "Business Lane": How companies are learning to push back against policies like tariffs by framing them strictly as shareholder protection rather than political opposition.
- Political Volatility & Populism: With the President's poll numbers sinking, Bryan explains why the administration is leaning harder into populist rhetoric (like the attack on institutional housing investors) to regain momentum.
- The 2026 Midterm Outlook: Why "razor-thin" margins in Congress mean Democrats could flip the House even before November, and how this gridlock will force the President to rule almost exclusively through Executive Orders.
The Erosion of Authority: From GOP resignations to state-level defiance on redistricting, we analyse whether the White House is losing its grip on its own party.
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The "buy and wait" era is over. According to Knight Frank Malaysia, 2026 marks a shift toward "value hunting amid volatility." Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Knight Frank Malaysia, joins BFM to decode the 2026 outlook.
With office supply set to drop by 11% this year and over a third in 2027, the market is approaching a critical "decision year" where tenants lose their leverage. We discuss the rise of a "two-tier market," why industrial rents are staying disciplined despite the China+1 boom, and how investors must now manufacture "alpha" through active asset management.
We discuss:
- The 2025 Scorecard: How front-loaded global trade and domestic consumption kept the market resilient, and why the 2026 "cool-down" is normalisation, not a hangover.
- Industrial "Smarter Space": Why manufacturers are buying land to build rather than renting. Amy explains the shift from sheer scale to high-spec facilities (higher floor loading, automation readiness) to support supply chain diversification.
- The Two-Tier Market: How the tech boom and Gen AI are creating a polarisation across sectors. Green, efficient buildings are winning, while older stock faces obsolescence.
- The Office "Decision Year": With new office supply dropping sharply in 2026 and 2027, the window for tenants to lock in favorable terms is closing. We discuss the "Stay vs. Go" debate for companies in aging buildings.
- Asset Level Alpha: Why market-driven growth is gone. Amy argues that returns must now be "earned" through active retrofitting and repositioning of older assets, rather than passive holding.
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According to the Risk in Focus 2026 report, organisations in Southeast Asia correctly rank cybersecurity, business resilience, and digital disruption as their top priorities. Yet, with cybercrime losses in Malaysia crossing RM1 billion, there is a glaring gap between risk awareness and real-world preparedness.
BFM explores this "implementation gap" with Suhailah Abdulla and Philip Satish Rao from the Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia. They argue that risk policies often look good on paper ("form over substance") but fail because organisations treat cybersecurity as a backroom function rather than "organisational DNA."
We also discuss why Internal Auditors must evolve from financial checkers into "nervous system sensors" for the board, and how to navigate the specific dangers of "Agentic AI" while keeping humans in the loop.
We discuss:
- The Preparedness Paradox: Why high risk awareness hasn't translated into fewer breaches, and the danger of "compliance on paper" versus actual implementation.
- Cybersecurity as DNA: Why treating cyber risk as IT's problem is a fatal error. Philip gets into the need for adaptive controls that evolve as fast as the hackers do.
- AI Governance & "Human in the Loop": How to balance the opportunity of AI with the risk of "Agentic Enterprises." We discuss the necessity of establishing governance frameworks that prevent over-reliance on algorithms.
- The Auditor as "Nervous System Sensor": Moving beyond the independent mask. Why modern auditors need engineering and supply chain skills to provide true risk intelligence to the board.
- Interconnected Risks: Lessons from COVID-19 on why siloed risk management fails, and why boards must view supply chain, geopolitical, and digital risks through a single Enterprise Risk lens.
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2025 was a year of "stark contrast" for Malaysia’s private capital markets. While institutional commitments from GLICs like Jelawang Capital, Khazanah, and KWAP signaled continued government support, regional confidence faced significant headwinds. The eFishery scandal cast a long shadow over governance, while giants like Temasek signaled a bearish pivot, cutting back on early-stage investments in favor of safer bets.
Ng Sai Kit, Chairman of the MVCA, joins BFM to wrap up our 2025 Review & 2026 Outlook series. We discuss the regime of "normalisation and discipline," and why the association is rebranding to the Malaysia Private Capital Association (MPCA).
We discuss:
- The 2025 Scorecard: Sai Kit characterises the year as one of "normalisation." While GLIC commitments (Khazanah, Jelawang, KWAP, PNB) provided reassurance, the industry’s core constraint remains: capital formation is scaling faster than exits.
- The Temasek Pivot: With regional giants like Temasek scaling back on early-stage bets, Sai Kit weighs whether Malaysia can capture this flow or if the "void" signals a deeper structural issue in Southeast Asian VC.
- The Exit Bottleneck: The traditional Silicon Valley unicorn model is failing locally. Sai Kit argues for a shift toward incentivising M&A and encouraging mid-sized companies to merge for scale.
- What LPs Want Now: The free money is gone. LPs are now demanding "proof of underwriting discipline", treating follow-on investments as new checks rather than automatic support, and rigorous loss management.
- Valuation Realities: Sai Kit explains why using headline numbers from funding rounds to calculate fair value is dangerous. We break down why different share classes (with seniority and liquidation preferences) mean the "paper value" often differs from reality.
- The "Crowding-In" Strategy: Why Sai Kit believes that government-led funding is healthy for a developing ecosystem, provided it validates rather than replaces private capital.
- The Rebrand (MVCA to MPCA): Why the association is dropping "Venture" and "Private Equity” from its name to embrace Private Capital as a whole, more clearly embracing Private Equity (given that it isn’t reflected in the short form name) but also including Private Credit and Venture Debt.
- ASEAN Ambitions: Insights into the formation of the ASEAN Private Market Council, aimed at harmonising fragmented fund structures to allow seamless cross-border fundraising across Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines.
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For years, the Malaysian fintech story was about anticipation, waiting for digital bank licenses, waiting for regulation, and waiting for mass adoption. According to the Malaysia Fintech Report 2025, the wait is over.
Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech News Malaysia, joins BFM to review a year where Malaysia moved from "promise to delivery."
We break down the explosive growth of DuitNow QR (where Malaysia ranks second only to China) and the 100 million+ transactions in the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) sector.
However, execution comes with costs. With digital banks posting significant initial losses, 2026 is set to be the year of "Economics and Cost Control."
We discuss:
- The "Execution" Pivot: How 2025 saw a surge in adoption, from RM967 million in cross-border transactions to the ubiquity of QR payments.
- Digital Bank Reality Check: Why heavy losses in the first year are typical for the sector (the J-curve effect) and why the 2026 strategy will shift toward lending, insurance products, and AI-driven cost efficiency.
- The End of the BNPL "Wild West": With SPayLater and Atome dominating the market, we discuss the implications of the Consumer Credit Act and the risks associated with a user base where 70% earn under RM5,000.
- Cross-Border Connectivity: The role of the Nexus scheme (connecting 5 central banks) and Alipay+ in driving regional payment integration.
- Open Finance: The next regulatory frontier. Vincent explains how API-based data aggregation will finally allow consumers to view their entire financial life on a single dashboard, provided incumbents get on board.
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For Malaysian SMEs, 2025 was a defensive year, graded a modest C+ (or B-) by SAMENTA. It was a year defined by uneven recovery, compliance shocks (from e-Invoicing to SST hikes), and the "Second China Shock" squeezing local businesses.
For 2026, Datuk William Ng, National President of SAMENTA, outlines a strategy of "Selective Offense”. We discuss why businesses must prioritise cash preservation over aggressive expansion, how to navigate the talent crisis exacerbated by minimum wage hikes, and why "financial hygiene" is the key to unlocking bank financing and private equity.
We also explore why branding is the only true leverage SMEs have left to regain pricing power in a market where costs are spiraling.
NOTE: This interview was recorded prior to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim delivering his 2026 New Year Message. After reaching out to Datuk William for his reactions, updated commentary on the extended e-invoicing transition period to 12months and SST revisions has been woven into the conversation.
We discuss:
- The 2025 Review: Why export-oriented SMEs thrived while domestic players struggled.
- The 2026 Strategy: Why "Selective Offense" and automation are the themes of the year.
- The Talent Crisis: How minimum wage hikes and the gig economy are hollowing out the workforce.
- The AI Reality: Moving from fear to practical use cases like ESG reporting and demand forecasting.
- The Equity Question: What to know before selling a stake to Private Equity.
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If 2024 was the year of recovery, 2025 was the year of "overexuberance followed by utter deflation." While market cap peaked at $4.2 trillion and Bitcoin hit a high of $126k, the market has since cooled, with Bitcoin struggling to break past $100k since mid-November. But looking past the price action, the real story was the quiet rise of institutional plumbing.
Hann Liew, Founder and CEO of Halogen Capital, joins BFM to review a volatile 2025 and outline the outlook for 2026.
We discuss:
- The 2025 Scorecard: Hann describes the year as "overexuberance," where a pro-crypto US administration drove hype that outpaced reality. However, the market floor is now significantly higher than previous cycles.
- The Genius Act: How new US legislation has legitimised stablecoins, forcing major banks like JP Morgan to explore the "blockchainisation" of their internal systems.
- The $300B Stablecoin Utility: Beyond trading, stablecoins are now essential infrastructure. Hann explains why you can't have a tokenised bond market without tokenised cash to settle it.
- Tokenising Real World Assets (RWAs): How tokenisation upgrades assets from paper certificates to immutable code. We explore the potential for a tokenised bond and what it could mean for Malaysian capital markets.
- Bots Paying Bots: The intersection of AI and Crypto. Hann explains why AI agents can't open bank accounts, making stablecoins the essential currency for the emerging "machine-to-machine" economy.
- Outlook 2026: Why the lack of a "blow-off top" is a sign of maturity, the potential passing of the Clarity Act, and why fiat currency debasement remains the ultimate long-term tailwind.
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Malaysia’s economy scored an ‘A’ in 2025, with strong GDP growth and a strengthening Ringgit. But with slowing global growth and US tariffs looming, was 2025 a fluke or a foundation?
Pankaj Kumar, Managing Director of Datametrics Research & Information Centre (DARE), joins BFM to kick off our "2025 Review & 2026 Outlook" series. We unpack the disconnect between stellar macro data and the "ground reality" of rising costs, and why the full impact of US trade policy might hit Malaysia like a tsunami in 2026.
NOTE: This interview was recorded just before the US attacked Venezuela and captured its President Nicolás Maduro. As such, this development is not reflected in the conversation.
We discuss:
- 2025 Report Card: Pankaj grades Malaysia’s GDP performance an ‘A’, driven by a surprise 17.7% surge in net exports in Q3 and the successful rollout of the BUDI 95 subsidy rationalization.
- The "Feel Good" Gap: Why businesses and consumers aren't feeling the growth. Pankaj attributes this to the booming e-commerce sector killing retail footfall, low wages, and the compliance costs of new taxes like the widened SST.
- Cabinet Reshuffle & Governance: Pankaj welcomes the recent appointments but argues the Prime Minister should relinquish the Finance Minister portfolio to ensure better governance.
- The Trump Factor: Malaysia navigated the "liberation day tariffs" well with a reciprocal 19% rate, but Pankaj warns that 2025’s export numbers were inflated by "front-loading" demand, meaning the real pain will arrive in 2026.
- Outlook 2026: With the US and China slowing down, Malaysia must pivot to domestic demand and broader investments to sustain growth as export momentum fades.
- Ringgit to 3.80? Why Bank Negara will likely hold rates steady, and Pankaj’s bold prediction that the Ringgit could head back towards its peg-era level of 3.80 as the US dollar’s safe-haven status erodes.
- Investment Strategy: Navigating the risks of a "Trump-friendly" Fed Chair and why Pankaj is bullish on precious metals, specifically arguing that platinum is undervalued relative to gold.
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When we talk about Malaysian tech, we often talk about data centers and infrastructure. But are we actually building anything? Two weeks ago, over 600 developers, students, and founders answered that question at the Cursor x Anthropic Hackathon Malaysia.
Kong Ka Weng and Faw Ali join us to break down how a small community meetup exploded into one of the region's largest AI coding marathons. They explain the phenomenon of "Vibe Coding", where non-technical founders use AI to build production-ready apps, and why the rise of AI agents is allowing solo founders to skip the traditional seed stage.
We also dive into the tech stack that made this possible, exploring how "agentic" IDEs like Cursor allow developers to go from idea to MVP in hours, not months.
We discuss:
- The Grassroots Explosion: Scaling from a 30-person meetup to 1,800 signups in weeks.
- The Tech: How AI Agents (like Claude) read files, edit code, and visualise UI changes autonomously.
- The Projects: From "Waze for Sailors" to a retro fighting game based on social media profiles.
- The Venture Track: Partnering with 500 Global to fast-track hackathon projects into investable startups.
The Talent: Addressing Malaysia's brain drain and the influx of regional builders.
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A recent analysis of 4.6 million global conversations reveals a fracture in the climate narrative. While emerging markets like Brazil and Indonesia are surging with optimism driven by tangible infrastructure delivery, the US and UK are mired in skepticism, policy reversals, and fatigue.
Dan La Russo, Senior Partner at Penta, joins us to unpack the massive shift from the era of "Climate Commitments", where ambitious targets were enough, to the era of "Climate Credibility," where stakeholders demand proof.
We discuss why consumers have become the most skeptical stakeholder group and how companies can bridge the trust gap by reframing sustainability through the lens of affordability and daily life rather than abstract long-term goals.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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General Managers must own AI, not CIOs or CTOs.A new report from Bain & Company reveals a sharp divide: while most companies are stuck in "pilot purgatory," a small group of AI leaders are securing 10–25% gains in EBITDA. The difference isn't the software, it's the strategy.
Shazrul Asari and Dhruva Murugasu, Partners at Bain & Company, join us to explain why scaling AI requires a fundamental business transformation rather than just "sprinkling AI on top" (like adding extra sambal to Nasi Lemak). We explore why plugging AI into old workflows is like driving a supercar in a traffic jam, and why the rise of "Agentic AI" demands a total rethink of the organisational chart.
We discuss:
- The Divide: Why leaders achieve scale while others get stuck in sheltered pilots.
- Workflow Redesign: Why you must decommission old processes, not just layer AI on top.
- Agentic AI: The structural shift from "digital helpers" to "digital workers" that act autonomously.
- The Talent Trap: How to prevent the "hollowing out" of junior roles via augmented apprenticeships.
- CEO Advice: Why momentum matters more than perfection in the race to scale.
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As the year winds down, cyber attackers are gearing up. Semperis’ 2025 Ransomware Holiday Risk Report reveals that over half of ransomware attacks hit during weekends or holidays, when most organisations sharply reduce monitoring and response capability. With identity systems at the heart of almost every major breach, and with global cybercrime costs set to reach USD 10.5 trillion, the stakes have never been higher.
Jeff Wichman, Director of Incident Response at Semperis, discusses what really happens when attackers strike, why identity weaknesses amplify the damage, and what frontline ransomware negotiations can teach business leaders. A grounded, visual, and highly practical conversation on how every organisation – from SMEs to large enterprises – can strengthen resilience before the next holiday season.
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By 2026, cybercrime will no longer just be a service, it will be a fully automated industry . Trend Micro predicts a seismic shift where autonomous AI agents can scout targets, infiltrate systems, steal data, and even negotiate ransoms without a single human finger on the keyboard .
Sage Khor, Technical Lead at Trend Micro, joins us to break down this AI-fication of cybercrime . He explains the dangers of "machine-speed" attacks hitting organizations that still respond at "human speed" , the rise of "poisoned" AI models that trick systems into ignoring threats , and why Malaysia saw a 29% spike in data breaches in early 2025.
We discuss:
- The 2026 Prediction: How cybercrime moves from "as-a-service" to fully automated factories .
- Machine Speed vs. Human Speed: Why traditional defenses can't keep up with AI agents .
- Poisoned AI Models: How attackers "teach" AI to ignore dangerous threats
- The Cloud Risk: Why simple misconfigurations are often more dangerous than zero-day exploits .
- Resilience Strategy: Why the focus must shift from blocking every attack to rapid containment and "cyber risk exposure management"
Related & Mentioned Podcasts
- Rise of the Agentic Enterprise: AI That Plans & Act
- The 7 Sins of Enterprise AI Investment
- Handling the Hack: The 4 Rules of Crisis Comms
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AI is changing how businesses operate and how they get attacked. Palo Alto Networks’ 2026 New Rules of Cybersecurity Report highlights six major shifts that will redefine cyber risk, from deepfake identity deception, rogue autonomous agents to data poisoning, quantum threats and even the browser becoming the new workspace.
We speak with Sarene Lee, Country Director for Malaysia at Palo Alto Networks, about what these predictions mean for Malaysian businesses, where the blind spots are, and how leaders can prepare to stay secure in the AI economy.
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We are in the middle of an AI gold rush, driven by FOMO and massive capital expenditure. Yet, a recent MIT report reveals a startling statistic: 95% of Generative AI pilots fail to deliver measurable business impact. Why is the failure rate so high?
Prashant Kumar, Founder of Entermind, joins us to discuss his new white paper, "The Seven Original Sins of AI Investment."
He argues that the problem isn't the technology, it's the lack of "orchestration" between people, workflows, and data. We unpack why companies are failing to scale their AI pilots and why the next competitive moat won't be data, but human instinct and creativity.
We discuss:
- The 95% Failure Rate: Why most AI pilots are built for demos, not the "messy reality" of the work floor.
- Sin #1: The danger of forcing AI into legacy workflows instead of redesigning them.
- Sin #4: "If you own the house, you are owned by the house", the trap of building everything in-house.
- Sin #7: "Training brains you don't own", the risk of feeding proprietary data into public models.
- The Future Moat: Why "Human Deviation" and empathy will matter more than data.
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We’ve spent the last two years learning to talk to AI. Now, we’re entering the era of "Agentic AI", systems that can plan, execute, and act on their own. But are we ready to manage digital employees and what happens if they make mistakes?
Huy Nguyen-Tuong, Managing Director at BCG, joins us to discuss the "Agentic Turn." He explains why adding AI to old workflows ("paving the cow path") is a recipe for disaster, how to balance supervision with autonomy, and why leaders must bring the "shadow workforce" of secret AI use into the light.
We discuss:
- Agentic AI: The shift from AI that talks to AI that does.
- The "Shadow Workforce": Managing the risk of employees using AI in secret.
- Governance: Why humans must remain liable for agent actions.
- Workflow Redesign: Why you need to rethink processes from scratch, not just automate them.
- The Talent Trap: How to prevent the hollowing out of junior skills.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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For decades, Malaysia’s progress has been measured by GDP and economic data. But a new study by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) flips the lens to focus on what Malaysians actually dream of. The findings? Financial freedom and mental well-being are now prioritised almost equally, signaling a shift in national sentiment.
Nurlin Mohd Salleh, Head of BCG Malaysia, joins us to unpack the "MY Impian" report.
She discusses the four key Malaysian archetypes, (from "Harmony Seekers" to "Go-Getters"), the surprisingly humble definition of financial freedom, and why the dominance of well-being-focused aspirations might create a gap with the nation's high-growth economic goals.
We discuss:
- Why financial freedom and mental well-being are neck-and-neck as top priorities.
- The 4 Malaysian archetypes: Harmony Seekers, Providers, Legacy Makers, & Go-Getters.
- Why 60% of the population prioritising well-being could impact national innovation.
- The "Go-Getter" Gen Z: Are we doing enough to nurture their ambition?
- The gig worker's dilemma: balancing flexibility with a lack of safety nets.
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Asia is no longer rising in unison. According to Nomura’s latest Asia Macro Outlook 2026: Mind the Gap, a sharp "North-South divide" is emerging, driven by the AI supercycle and shifting supply chains. While tech-heavy economies ride the wave, others risk being left behind.
Euben Paracuelles, Chief ASEAN Economist at Nomura, joins us to unpack this bifurcation.
He explains why Malaysia is positioned as a clear "winner" with a forecasted 5.2% GDP growth, the potential impact of US transshipment tariffs, and his contrarian prediction that Bank Negara Malaysia may be the only central bank in the region (outside Japan) to hike rates in 2026.
We discuss:
- The North-South Divide: Why Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and Malaysia are decoupling from laggards like Thailand and Indonesia.
- The AI Supercycle: Why Nomura believes this is a sustainable structural shift, not a bubble.
- The 'Second China Shock': How overcapacity in China is flooding markets with cheap goods and who is most vulnerable.
- Malaysia’s Outlook: The catalysts behind the 5.2% growth forecast, including the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone.
- A Contrarian Call: Why financial imbalances could trigger a Bank Negara rate hike in late 2026.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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For years, many companies have treated Southeast Asia as a single, monolithic consumer market. But new research from Milieu Insight reveals a more complex reality: the region is actually split into three distinct "consumer economies," each with its own unique mindset, pressures, and motivations.
CEO Sundip Chahal joins us to unpack the findings of their latest consumer outlook report. He explains the "stressed digital" behavior in markets like Indonesia and Vietnam, the disciplined "strategic comfort" of Singapore and Malaysia, and how a simple question about spending $100 can reveal the financial pulse of an entire nation.
We discuss:
- Why Southeast Asia is fragmented into three distinct consumer economies.
- The "Stressed Digital" segment: why inflation isn't stopping spending in Indonesia and Vietnam.
- The "Strategic Comfort" segment: how Malaysians balance optimism with disciplined value-hunting.
- The "$100 Question": a simple pressure test that reveals consumer sentiment.
- Why a uniform regional pricing or promotional strategy is destined to fail.
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When we talk about global success stories, BYD stands out as the classic underdog. Once dismissed by Elon Musk as “not even in the same league,” it’s now the world’s largest EV maker, a brand that’s not just selling cars, but reshaping how Chinese innovation is perceived around the world. Yet its rise wasn’t only about technology or pricing; it was a masterclass in storytelling. According to new research by CARMA, the global media narrative around BYD was driven by its credibility, its leadership, and its sense of purpose. So what can Asian brands learn from China’s global underdog? Jeremiah Rodrigues, General Manager at CARMA Malaysia joins us to explore all that and more.
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Venture studios promise to "manufacture startups" at scale, offering a shortcut to high-performance growth. But according to Jeffrey Paine of Golden Gate Ventures, the reality is often far less glamorous, with many studios collapsing within 24 months.
In this episode, Jeffrey breaks down why he believes the venture studio model rarely delivers fund-level returns. He explains the dangers of "zombie companies," the misalignment of incentives between studios and founders, and why a non-standard equity structure can make future fundraising nearly impossible.
We discuss:
- The difference between a venture studio and a traditional VC.
- Why operational overload and a lack of discipline kill most studios.
- The "incentive trap": why studios struggle to kill weak ideas.
- How non-standard equity structures scare off future investors.
- What high-performance studios do differently (specialisation & surgical focus).
For founders considering joining a studio and investors evaluating the model, this is a critical look at the economics and pitfalls of "manufacturing" startups.
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ASEAN is famous for its food, but a new report reveals a surprising statistic: only 23% of the region's F&B trade stays within Southeast Asia. What's stopping the flow of goods between neighbors? The answer lies in a complex web of "red tape," from confusing nutrition labels to divergent halal rules.
Dr. Evelyn S. Devadason, lead advisor for the latest ASEAN Integration Report from The Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS) , joins us to unpack the hidden barriers choking regional trade.
She explains why non-tariff measures (NTMs) disproportionately hurt MSMEs, the high cost of information asymmetry, and why "capability access" is more critical than market access for small businesses.
We discuss:
- Why intra-regional F&B trade is shockingly low at 23%.
- The "regulatory distance" created by divergent food safety and labeling rules.
- How inconsistent halal standards create friction for exporters.
- The "say-do gap" between trade agreements and on-the-ground reality.
- Why MSMEs need "capability access" (digital & vertical integration) to survive.
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As 2025 comes to a close, it’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and reset. But a true annual review goes beyond just listing resolutions, it requires deep introspection to uncover the painful lessons, celebrate the wins, and set a clear, strategic path for the year ahead.
Jeevan Sahadevan, Founder of Leverage Labs, returns for his annual tradition of guiding us through "25 Questions to Review Your 2025." He breaks down his framework for an 8 hour to 2-day deep dive into your year, designed to help you find closure, identify necessary endings, and define your "one-word theme" for 2026.
We discuss:
- The 25-question framework: from reviewing 2025 to planning 2026.
- Why you must identify your "painful lessons" before setting new goals.
- The "necessary endings": what you need to cut to move forward.
- The "law of the sixth": auditing the 5 people you spend the most time with.
- How to find your "one-word theme" to guide your entire year.
For entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone looking to level up, this is an essential guide to closing the chapter on 2025 and designing your best year yet.
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Malaysians have embraced e-commerce, but with maturity comes a shift in behaviour. Ipsos Malaysia’s latest data shows that promotions and discounts now outrank product quality as the top reason consumers shop online.
We speak with Kuan Sawu Fang, Senior Client Officer at Ipsos Malaysia, about how this obsession with value is reshaping the digital marketplace. Are platforms and SMEs caught in a never-ending cycle of discounts? And what happens to brand loyalty when price becomes the product?
We examine how Malaysia’s digital economy is being transformed by the way we shop, click, and spend.
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Malaysia’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are contributing more to GDP and exports than ever before, but many still struggle to break into global markets. High costs, customs challenges and unpredictable delivery timelines often hold them back, even when demand exists overseas.
Denise Wong, Head of Cross Border at Ninja Van Malaysia, discusses what MSMEs need to understand before expanding internationally, how 44 new shipping lanes are opening fresh opportunities in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, and why logistics is becoming a strategic tool rather than a back-end function.
A practical, grounded conversation for founders and business owners who want to take their products beyond Malaysia’s borders.
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With Budget 2026 announced, the Finance Bill 2025 tabulated in Parliament last week has revealed key details. From clarifications on Capital Gains Tax (CGT) to a major shift in stamp duty compliance, businesses have a new set of rules to navigate.
Tax expert Thenesh Kannaa of TraTax joins us to break down some key updates. He discusses the new and clarified scope for CGT (including preference shares), the move to a self-assessment system for stamp duty and updates around returns and payments, and the upcoming changes to corporate tax installment schedules that will impact cash flow planning.
We discuss:
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT): How preference shares and liquidations are now in scope.
- Stamp Duty: The implications from the shift to self-assessment and the deadlines for filling returns and payment of duty.
- RPGT: New rules to improve cash flow and limit loss carry-forwards.
- Corporate Tax: The transition to a 12-month installment schedule within the financial year.
November Updates: OECD guidance on remote work and new Labuan substance requirements.
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Elite athletes spend years sharpening their minds, not just their skills. But what can business leaders learn from that discipline?
Today, Mike Way, the head coach of Harvard University’s squash programme, and Bharati Suresh Chand, Founder of Global Edge Pharma and Global Edge Consultancy, discuss how mental fitness shapes performance, decision-making, and consistency. They explain what separates mentally strong performers from talented ones, how pressure influences behaviour, and the habits that help athletes and leaders stay composed and focused.
They also reflect on insights shared at the recent Mental Fitness Sports Conference 2025, and discuss practical routines organisations can adopt to build healthier, steadier teams.
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Malaysia’s data centre sector is seemingly entering a new phase of expansion powered by AI adoption and hyperscale investments. We’re now being positioned as one of Asia’s most cost-competitive markets with a strong balance of affordability, policy stability and regional connectivity.
Based on a new report from a global professional services company, Turner & Townsend, Kuala Lumpur was ranked 17th globally in data centre construction costs (at US$11.37 per watt). This puts KL among Asia’s most cost-competitive markets and well below regional peers like Singapore and Tokyo.
But as competition intensifies across the region, what will truly set Malaysia apart in a market defined by scale, speed, and sustainability? To help us explore this, we speak with Carlos Garcia Rodriguez, Project Director at Turner & Townsend.
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In today's digital landscape, a cyber attack is almost inevitable. But while many companies are prepared to handle the hack, they often fail to handle the headlines. A new analysis by Penta found that reputational damage often stems not from the breach itself, but from how transparent, accountable, and timely the response is.
Dan La Russo, Senior Partner at Penta, joins us to discuss the new rules of crisis management. He explains why "speed + transparency = trust," and warns of the emerging threat of "agentic AI" that can launch attacks with minimal human intervention.
We discuss:
- Why cyber risk has moved from the IT back-office to the boardroom.
- The "Speed + Transparency = Trust" formula for crisis communication.
- Case studies: What Cloudflare did right vs. the reputational cost of silence.
- The emerging threat of "agentic AI" orchestrating cyber attacks.
- The critical first 2 hours of an incident response plan.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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What it takes for SMEs to thrive in the future? How can they stay resilient in uncertain times, be resourceful with limited resources, and remain ready to seize new opportunities? Industry leaders will share insights and real-world strategies to inspire SMEs to adapt, innovate, and grow in an ever-changing business landscape.
This event was presented by Maybank. Future-proofing your business.
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Budget 2026 brings new opportunities and challenges for SMEs, from updated grants and incentives to evolving tax strategies. This panel will break down what the budget means for your business, highlight ways to maximise available support, and discuss how SMEs can position themselves strategically in the post-budget landscape.
This event was presented by Maybank. Future-proofing your business.
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For SMEs eyeing regional or global expansion, tariffs can make or break profitability. This panel cuts through the complexity of trade agreements, customs duties, and pricing strategy to help exporters future-proof their margins. Expect real-world insights from successful exporters and trade experts on navigating tariff structures and leveraging Free Trade Agreements.
This event was presented by Maybank. Future-proofing your business.
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Businesses are feeling the squeeze from higher SST, rising electricity bills, foreign worker levies, and tougher financing. This panel will explore how companies are managing these pressures through smarter cost control, efficiency, and government support to stay competitive.
This event was presented by Maybank. Future-proofing your business.
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Despite ongoing privacy changes and rising costs, the global mobile app economy experienced a stable growth this year and this trend is expected to be carried forward with lots of room for growth in 2026.
This is a finding from a recent report released by measurement and analytics company, Adjust, titled The Mobile App Growth Report: 2025 Edition that suggests APAC leads all regions in the mobile apps economy through a combination of scale, cost efficiency, and strong user engagement, significantly outpacing the global average.
To get a better understanding on how marketers and developers are navigating through this competitive app landscape, where the growth opportunities are coming from and what’s in store for the app economy in 2026, we speak with Mathew Raju, Senior Customer Success Manager at Adjust.
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Malaysia’s tourism sector has crossed a major threshold, recording more than RM210 billion in revenue. It is being hailed as evidence of a full recovery and a sign that Malaysia’s tourism economy is back on a strong footing. But behind the headline number lie deeper questions about sustainability, visitor expectations, and our readiness for Visit Malaysia 2026.
Are we building a genuinely high-value, experience-driven tourism economy, or are we simply benefiting from short-term demand? And what does this milestone tell us about where the sector needs to go next?
Joining the conversation today is Rohizam Yusoff, Champion of the Tourism Productivity Nexus, an industry-led platform under the Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC), designed to boost the productivity, innovation, and competitiveness of the tourism sector.
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Malaysia’s economic fundamentals have been strengthening, the ringgit is holding steady, inflation is cooling, and business sentiment is gradually improving. On paper, things look stable.
But on the ground, SMEs are telling a very different story: hiring has never been harder, wage expectations continue to rise, workers are demanding flexibility, and younger employees are increasingly pushing back against low pay, rigid structures, unclear progression, and burnout-inducing cultures.
This tension, between macroeconomic optimism and micro-level labour friction, is shaping a new workplace reality. Today, we explore what’s driving this shift, why employees feel more empowered, and what Malaysian SMEs need to rethink if they want to attract and retain talent in 2025 and beyond.
Joining this conversation is someone who follows Malaysia’s labour market closely: Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education.
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Malaysia throws away vast amounts of edible and reusable food every day, but initiatives like MPAJ’s waste-diversion programme, which saved over RM100,000 by rerouting 2,400 tonnes of scraps, show there’s real economic value waiting to be unlocked. We speak with Anis Hanani Suffian, Co-Founder & CEO of ReMeal, to take a look at why food waste remains stubbornly high, what it would take to treat it as a business opportunity rather than an environmental headache, and how councils, SMEs, F&B operators, and households could all play a part in building a viable food-waste economy in Malaysia.
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CEOs in Malaysia are embracing AI but balancing courage with caution as they push for productivity, innovation, and measurable ROI.
Dickson Woo, Country General Manager and Technology Leader at IBM Malaysia, discusses the key takeaways from the IBM 2025 CEO Study and what they reveal about how Malaysian leaders are rethinking the future of work.
From calculated risk-taking to building AI-ready teams and bridging skills gaps, we explore how courage, data, and collaboration can help Malaysia’s workplaces turn technology into true performance.
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Corporate gifts and entertainment are essential for building goodwill, but they're also a notorious tax "grey area." Where does a non-taxable gift end and taxable income begin? And how can your business ensure its entertainment expenses are 100% deductible?
Tax expert SM Thanneermalai of Thannees Tax Consulting Services joins us to navigate these "grey areas." He explains the critical difference between a personal gift and a taxable business transaction, the rules for 50% vs. 100% deductions, and why meticulous documentation is your best defense in an audit.
We discuss:
- When a "gift" is (and is not) taxable income for the recipient.
- The "50% vs. 100%" rule for deducting entertainment expenses.
- How to claim a 100% deduction (e.g. staff entertainment, promotional items with logos).
- The tax implications of "grey areas" like large monetary gifts and nominees.
- The critical documentation businesses must keep to justify their claims.
For business owners and finance teams, this is an essential exploration into navigating the tax rules of gifts and entertainment, especially as tax authorities become more sophisticated.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Malaysia's recently passed Gig Workers Bill aims to formalise the industry and provide social protections. But for platform operators, its "one-size-fits-all" approach, heavily based on e-hailing, poses a critical threat to the 70% of gig workers who are part-time and work in diverse sectors like care and logistics.
GoGet's Franchesca Chia and Kiddocare's Rahman Hussin join us to unpack the serious, on-the-ground flaws in the bill. A critical look at the unintended consequences of well-meaning regulation.
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We’ve all Googled our way to an answer — searching, comparing, and digging through sources to learn something new. But that process is changing fast. AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity can now summarise topics, provide instant insights, and even teach you new skills — all without leaving a chat window.
XP Ng, CEO of the Academy of Artificial Intelligence, talks about how AI-driven learning is reshaping the way we find and process information. They unpack what we gain — and lose — when algorithms think for us, how this shift could disrupt traditional search engines, and what it means for the future of curiosity, critical thinking, and digital literacy.
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Malaysia’s Ministry of Education has recently announced plans to introduce a co-teaching model by 2027, pairing two teachers in every classroom and weaving moral education into the weekly curriculum. The goal: more engaging lessons, stronger values, and future-ready graduates.
But can this approach deliver real change or will it strain an already stretched system?
Janice Chong, Co-Founder and Programme Director of Edvolution, shares what it will take for the co-teaching model to work: retraining teachers, preparing schools, and ensuring graduates emerge ready for the modern workplace.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Malaysians aren't just online shoppers; they're among the world's most confident and frequent cross-border consumers. A new study by Airwallex and Statista found 94% of Malaysians are confident in buying from international merchants, and 72% do so at least once a month, far outpacing global averages.
Aren Yip, Malaysia Country Manager at Airwallex, joins us to unpack what's driving this borderless shopping culture. He discusses the outsized role of influencers, the critical importance of localised payments, and the ‘mental hurdles’ local SMEs must overcome to seize this massive international opportunity.
We discuss:
- Why Malaysians are more confident and frequent cross-border shoppers than the global average.
- The three drivers of this trend: global media, sales promotions, and trust.
- The outsized role of influencers, with 76% of Malaysians swayed by them.
- The critical importance of localised payments (like FPX and e-wallets) for conversion.
- The opportunities and ‘mental hurdles’ for Malaysian SMEs looking to export.
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Are you one of the 76% of Malaysian consumers thinking about switching car brands? A new report from Deloitte reveals a shift in the automotive market, with brand loyalty at a regional low as a flood of new players enters the scene.
Kevin Ohkohchi, Consumer Leader at Deloitte Malaysia, joins us to unpack the findings from their 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Survey.
We discuss:
- Why 76% of Malaysians plan to switch brands for their next vehicle.
- The shift in preference back to hybrids over pure EVs.
- The top criteria for Malaysian buyers: performance over price.
- The key barriers to EV adoption: charging, time, and cost premiums.
- How the end of CBU tax exemptions will likely shift the market to local assembly (CKD).
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A recent broadcast error, where several regional leaders were misidentified on air, has sparked questions about how such mistakes happen in an era where automation and AI are increasingly woven into production workflows.
We don’t know whether technology played a role in that specific case, but it’s prompted a broader conversation: as organisations rely more on automation to handle information at speed, are we creating new risks when it comes to accuracy and accountability?
We discuss and explore this with technologist, writer, and host of Mattsplained, Matt Armitage from Kulturpop.
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Over 97% of all international data travels through a vast, invisible network of subsea cables. As Malaysia invests billions in its AI ambitions and data center boom, this undersea infrastructure is no longer just a utility, it's a critical strategic asset.
Martyna Sucharzewska, a Technology Analyst at BMI, joins us to explore this new global race. She discusses why the explosive demand from AI is fueling new investment, how tech giants like Google and Meta are shifting the balance of power by owning these digital highways, and the growing geopolitical risks in contested areas like the South China Sea.
We discuss:
- Why subsea cables are the critical backbone of the AI-powered economy.
- How AI and cloud services are driving a surge in new cable investments.
- The fundamental shift as tech giants (not telcos) build their own private cables.
- Why these cables are now strategic assets and geopolitical flashpoints.
- Malaysia's strategic position to become a regional digital infrastructure hub.
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According to The Global Data Center Report 2025, Singapore today has one of the highest compute capacities in the world — about 8,000 people per megawatt of compute power. In Vietnam, that number jumps to 1.7 million. This growing gap isn’t just about infrastructure — it’s about who gets to build, train, and benefit from the next generation of AI.
We sit down with Tim Lin, Partner and Co-Founder of The Digital Infrastructure Collective (Asia), to explore one of the most overlooked inequalities of the digital age — the compute divide.
Tim shares how regions like the Johor–Singapore nexus could anchor a more inclusive model for digital growth in Asia, combining policy foresight, private investment, and cross-border collaboration.
From data sovereignty to AI accessibility, it’s a conversation about the unseen power structures shaping our digital future — and what it will take to make the AI economy truly equitable.
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As businesses move to the cloud, they are no longer buying software, they are subscribing to a service. This critical shift from ownership to access is governed by Software as a Service (SaaS) agreements, and many leaders are signing them without understanding the significant risks.
Lawyers Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi (of Halim Hong & Quek) join us to decode these complex contracts. They explain the common pitfalls, from ambiguous Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and data ownership clauses to the new IP concerns being raised by generative AI.
We discuss:
- The shift from software "ownership" to "access" and what it means for your rights.
- Why the Service Level Agreement (SLA) is the most critical clause for B2B.
- Data ownership: who really owns your data, and can your provider use it to train AI?
- The crucial components of an exit strategy to ensure data portability.
- Red flags to watch for in auto-renewal and price increase clauses.
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They are Malaysia’s 7.7 million Gen Zs, the first generation to grow up entirely online and the next to redefine how we live, work, and spend. Visa Malaysia’s latest Gen Z Decoded study reveals how this cohort blends family values with digital-first lifestyles, managing money through apps while seeking meaning and flexibility at work. We speak with Previn Pillay, Country Manager at Visa Malaysia, about how their financial habits, trust in technology, and views on identity are reshaping the modern workplace.
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Tax predictability is a cornerstone of any good tax system, giving businesses and individuals the confidence to plan and invest. Yet for many in Malaysia, the tax landscape has felt anything but stable. While Budget 2026 offered a pause on major new taxes, questions about fiscal discipline and long-term policy remain.
Dr. Carmelo Ferlito and Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh joined us for a deep dive into tax policy. They discuss the ‘amazing dichotomy’ of Malaysia's budget, the critical need for accountability in public spending, and why a long-term tax calendar is essential for business confidence.
We discuss:
- Why tax predictability is crucial for business investment and FDI.
- The ‘amazing dichotomy’ in Budget 2026: a low deficit target with record-high spending.
- The vital need for accountability in government spending, not just revenue collection.
- How political dynamics get in the way of long-term policy continuity.
- The principles of good tax design, including a proposed tax calendar for stability.
For business leaders, CFOs, and policymakers, this is an explorative, high-level discussion on what it will take to build a truly stable and predictable fiscal environment.
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Five teenagers from a Felda settlement in Pahang are defying expectations, and geography, to represent Malaysia at the FIRST Global Challenge in Panama City, the world’s biggest youth robotics competition. Guided by mentors from Lam Research and Roboticist Malaysia, these students from Sekolah Menengah Islam Al-Maarif have become the first team from Felda, Pahang, and an Islamic school to qualify.
We explore how access, mentorship and belief can transform students with no robotics background into world-class innovators, and what their journey says about the future of Malaysian talent.
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Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in retail investors using apps, data dashboards and now AI-driven tools to make decisions that once belonged mainly to analysts and full-time traders. At the same time, younger Malaysians are moving beyond the traditional blue-chip counters that previous generations favoured, and are beginning to explore new themes like clean energy, technology indices and AI-linked equities.
Events like Moofest, which position themselves as platforms to explore the future of wealth and investor education, reflect this shift. The conversation is no longer just about what to buy, but how decisions are being made in a tech-driven landscape and whether AI is helping Malaysians invest smarter or simply trade faster.
Today, we speak with Indy Lau, COO of Moomoo Malaysia, to explore how AI is influencing investor behaviour, what the new Malaysian investor looks like, and how platforms like Moomoo are navigating that shift.
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Salim Abu Haniffa, Executive Director of the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce–Southern Africa, joins us to discuss this "we don't see each other" paradox between Malaysia and South Africa.
He makes the case for South Africa as a critical gateway to a $1 trillion regional market, explains the vast, untapped opportunities in areas like halal and agritech, and calls for a shift from "handshake diplomacy" to "supply chain diplomacy."
We discuss:
- The current state of Malaysia-Southern Africa trade relations.
- Why South Africa is a strategic gateway to the 400-million-person Southern African Development Community (SADC) market.
- The untapped potential in the halal economy and other key sectors.
- The risk of Malaysia being "left behind" as regional peers increase engagement.
- Key recommendations for businesses to de-risk and enter the African market.
For business leaders and policymakers, this is a deep dive into the opportunities and misconceptions of doing business in Africa.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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For decades, global trade was dominated by goods like oil and cars. But a new report from BCG argues the real battleground of the future is in services. From cloud computing and fintech to streaming, services trade is projected to hit nearly $12 trillion by 2032, creating new tensions and ‘fault lines’" that will reshape the global economy.
Aparna Bharadwaj, Global Leader of the Global Advantage Practice at BCG, joins us to unpack these findings. She discusses why digital services have become geopolitical flashpoints, how governments are using non-tariff barriers like data localisation, and why businesses must now develop a ‘geopolitical muscle’.
We discuss:
- What services trade is and why it's growing twice as fast as goods.
- Why digital services (cloud, SaaS, fintech) are the new ‘fault lines’.
- The rise of non-tariff barriers like data localisation and digital taxes.
- Why businesses must build a ‘geopolitical muscle’ to survive.
For business leaders and policymakers, this is an essential guide to the new, complex, and high-stakes future of global commerce.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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For decades, an American identity has been one of the world's most powerful brand assets. But in a shifting global landscape, is it now a liability? A new survey from Ipsos reveals a 22% global drop in purchase intent for American brands, creating a ‘perception penalty’ that has real economic consequences.
Seth Traum, a Partner at Ipsos Strategy3, joins us to unpack the findings from their "Brand America 2025" survey. He discusses why this anti-American sentiment is rising, how some brands like Apple navigate it, and the strategic playbook for brands in this complex new reality.
We discuss:
- The 22% ‘perception penalty’ and its impact on trust and sales.
- Why US sentiment is rising while global sentiment is falling.
- Key lessons from the brand strategies of Apple, Tesla, and McDonald's.
- The importance of monitoring the ‘say-do gap’ between attitudes and actions.
- Why brands should focus on universal values over a national identity.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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While Budget 2026 introduced no new broad-based consumption taxes, the landscape for businesses has been far from static in 2025. From the continued expansion of the SST scope to key changes in excise and stamp duties, Geeta Balakrishnan, Tax Director at PwC Malaysia, joins us to break down the key issues.
She discusses the ‘grey zones’ in the expanded SST regulations, the bottom-line impact of new excise duties, and the strategic shift to digital compliance with e-invoicing and self-assessment for stamp duty.
We discuss:
- The key consumption tax takeaways from Budget 2026.
- Why SST collection has now surpassed previous GST levels.
- The "grey zones" in the expanded SST scope and what they mean for compliance.
- Key changes to excise duties (EVs, alcohol, tobacco) and stamp duties.
- The broader push to modernise tax compliance through digitalization.
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We sit down with Anas Amdan and Shahrizal Denci, co-founders of Bantu Tani Sdn Bhd, to explore how Malaysia’s food waste crisis isn’t just an environmental problem but also an economic one.
Every day, Malaysia discards around 17,000 tonnes of food, almost half of which is still edible. Behind that number lies a hidden cost for SMEs, especially in agriculture and food retail, where waste isn’t waste until someone fails to extract value from it. For entrepreneurs like Anas and Shahrizal, the challenge isn’t just about saving food, it’s about redesigning systems so surplus becomes opportunity.
From logistics bottlenecks to shifting consumer mindsets, we discuss how Bantu Tani is building a business model around redistribution, recovery, and revaluation as well as what it would take to make food waste reduction a legitimate part of Malaysia’s food security strategy rather than a side campaign.
From Budget 2026 incentives to cultural barriers, it’s a conversation about turning what we throw away into an engine for resilience, sustainability, and growth.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Budget 2026 signals Malaysia’s boldest digital push yet, with initiatives ranging from a RM2 billion Sovereign AI Cloud and RM5.9 billion R&D, commercialisation and innovation (R&D&C&I) fund to new AI and cybersecurity training incentives for SMEs.
But beyond the hype, can Malaysia really execute? Are our SMEs ready to go digital, and do people even understand what these AI initiatives mean for them?
Alex Liew, Chairman of the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), joins us to discuss whether Malaysia’s new tech policies can deliver real-world impact, and how execution, inclusivity, and cyber trust will define the country’s digital future.
This episode of Enterprise Explores was brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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With Malaysia’s Budget 2026 freshly tabled, many SMEs and mid-tier companies are parsing through the fine print to understand what the government’s promises of reform and inclusion actually mean for them.
We speak with Datuk William Ng, National President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA), to discuss what’s in Budget 2026 for SMEs — from financing access and compliance pressures to digital readiness and export potential. Does this “Rakyat’s Budget” truly deliver on its promise to strengthen Malaysia’s small-business backbone, or are entrepreneurs still waiting for deeper, structural support?
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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We unpack Malaysia’s 2026 National Budget and its implications for the business community with Farah Rosley, Malaysia Tax Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Tax Consultants.
The continuity in the Budget 2026 reinforces fiscal consolidation and economic resilience, with a strong focus on strengthening existing tax frameworks, targeted incentives, and continued subsidy rationalisation. Key highlights include:
- A reduced fiscal deficit target of 3.5% of GDP, signaling continued fiscal discipline.
- Subsidy rationalisation measures, including the capping of RON95 petrol, contributing to a total expected savings of RM15.5 billion.
- Strengthened tax collection through the nationwide rollout of e-invoicing by mid-2026 and a new stamp duty self-assessment system.
- A new outcome-based incentive framework for corporate tax, linking financial support to measurable outcomes like employment and technology transfer.
Key targeted incentives for businesses, including:
+ An expanded RM1.5 million tax deduction on listing expenses for the energy, utility, and technology sectors.
+ An accelerated capital allowance to promote domestic direct investment and digital technology adoption.
+ A 10-year tax exemption for domestic sales from food security projects.
- Support for regional integration through initiatives like the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone and the ASEAN Business Entity Framework.
- A continued focus on sustainability, with enhanced green technology incentives and the impending introduction of a carbon tax.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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We sit down with Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at AmBank Group, to look ahead to Budget 2026 through the lens of Malaysia’s broader economy.
As global uncertainties persist, inflationary pressures remain, and fiscal consolidation efforts continue, Malaysia faces the challenge of sustaining growth while navigating structural reforms and maintaining investor confidence. Yet within these headwinds lie opportunities, from targeted subsidies and smarter spending to policies that could strengthen productivity and long-term competitiveness.
Firdaos shares his insights on what to watch in this year’s budget, from the assumptions guiding fiscal strategy to the key indicators shaping Malaysia’s outlook for 2026 and beyond.
From reform priorities to spending trade-offs, it’s a grounded look at how Malaysia can balance stability with ambition as Budget 2026 is tabled.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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We sit down with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Founder & Senior Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator, and Ng Sai Kit, Chairman of the Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (MVCA), to look ahead to Budget 2026 through the lens of Malaysia’s tech startup ecosystem.
In a landscape where funding pipelines have tightened, valuations are being recalibrated, and global competition for talent intensifies, many founders are trying to sustain innovation while navigating an uncertain investment climate. Yet amid these pressures lies opportunity — from stronger public–private partnerships to smarter use of government procurement and policy tools that could reignite growth and confidence.
Dr Siva and Sai Kit share what meaningful support for startups and investors should look like, from improving access to capital and export readiness, to designing policies that attract quality investments and reward long-term innovation.
From funding gaps to procurement reforms, it’s a candid look at how Malaysia’s tech ecosystem can move from resilience to renewal as Budget 2026 approaches.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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We sit down with Dr Chin Chee Seong, National President of the SME Association of Malaysia, to look ahead to Budget 2026 through the eyes of Malaysia’s small and medium businesses.
With costs climbing, regulations multiplying, and technology evolving faster than most firms can keep up, many SME owners are trying to modernise while simply keeping the lights on. Yet beneath the strain lies opportunity, digital tools, automation, and policy reforms that could transform challenges into catalysts for growth.
Dr Chin shares what real support for SMEs should look like, from fairer tax structures and faster disbursement of grants to more accessible financing and smarter incentives for innovation.
From tax breaks to training grants, it’s a candid look at how Malaysia’s small businesses can trade frustration for momentum as Budget 2026 approaches.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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Accessing financing remains one of the toughest challenges for Malaysian businesses, especially when collateral is an issue. That’s where Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan (SJPP) steps in, with government-backed guarantees designed to help SMEs and mid-tier companies tap into the funds they’re entitled to.
Datuk Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin, Principal Officer of SJPP, explains what businesses can still access in 2025, how they can actually get it, and whether new schemes might be on the horizon in Budget 2026.
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Malaysia has seen a surge in ransomware attacks in recent years, with high-profile cases like the KLIA ransom demand of USD10 million raising alarm about the country’s cyber resilience. As the nation’s digital economy grows, so too does its vulnerability. And experts warn that artificial intelligence is giving cybercriminals new tools, while the looming reality of quantum computing threatens to upend the very encryption that underpins global cybersecurity.
At the recent Cyber Defence & Security Asia (CyberDSA) conference, these issues took centre stage. In this episode, Ian Farquhar, Security CTO at Gigamon, explains why Malaysia must shift from a reactive to a proactive cybersecurity posture, how businesses can safeguard their hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and what resilience in a post-quantum world really looks like.
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A safer way to donate to social impact projects?
The Securities Commission of Malaysia has recently issued new guidelines for Social Exchange Platforms, creating a regulated avenue for channeling philanthropic capital to social impact projects. But what exactly are these platforms, and what do the new rules mean for non-profits and donors?
Lawyers Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi from Halim Hong & Quek join us to break down this brand-new framework. They explain the stringent requirements for operators, the rules for listed projects (like the 80/20 fund utilisation cap), and the robust accountability mechanisms designed to build donor trust.
We discuss:
- What a Social Exchange Platform is and how it differs from ECF or P2P.
- The stringent requirements for operators, including a RM5 million capital floor.
- The key criteria for projects, including the 80/20 fund utilisation rule.
- The new accountability mechanisms, from impact reports to mandatory trust accounts.
- How this framework benefits both individual donors and corporate CSR programs.
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For years, the promise of the ASEAN startup ecosystem has been hindered by fragmented regulations, funding gaps, and disconnected networks. A new, ambitious initiative, the ASEAN Digital Center of Excellence (COE), aims to finally solve this by building a truly integrated regional platform.
Neil Cheong, Co-founder of the venture studio GUIDE, joins us to share an inside look at this project. His firm is acting as an independent secretariat, gathering grassroots perspectives from across the region to design a platform that truly serves the needs of the ecosystem, from an AI-powered investor directory to a "soft landing zone" for regulatory harmonisation.
We discuss:
- The mission behind the new ASEAN Digital Center of Excellence (COE).
- The grassroots approach to designing a platform for the ecosystem, by the ecosystem.
- The most requested features, from an AI-powered directory to a regional mentor network.
- Why access to talent and knowledge is a bigger challenge than funding.
- The concept of a "soft landing zone" for regulatory harmonization.
For startup founders, VCs, and ecosystem builders in Southeast Asia, this is an inside look at the ambitious plan to build a more connected and seamless digital future.
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Malaysia’s freight and logistics sector is changing fast. Projected to grow from nearly USD 30 billion in 2025 to almost USD 38 billion by 2030, the shift from speed-focused express delivery to freight solutions is transforming how businesses trade. For industries like healthcare, electronics, and advanced manufacturing, precision, compliance, and cold-chain reliability are now business-critical.
Trade lanes are also shifting. With renewed momentum around the EU–Malaysia Free Trade Agreement and stronger Asia–Europe connectivity, exporters now have greater access to European markets, but only if they can keep pace with stricter requirements and rising logistics demands.
Woon Tien Long, Managing Director of FedEx Malaysia, shares how freight is changing the logistics game, what SMEs need to know about tariffs and trade opportunities, and how Malaysia can position itself as a key player in global supply chains.
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As US tariffs rise, Asian exporters face a stark choice: absorb the costs and see margins shrink, or pass them on and risk losing market share. A new report from Nomura finds that, on average, Asian exporters are absorbing about one-fifth of these new costs, but the strategy varies dramatically across countries and industries.
Sonal Varma, Chief Economist for India and Asia ex-Japan at Nomura, joins us to unpack this critical issue. She discusses who is absorbing the costs versus who is passing them on, the "double whammy" of tariffs combined with currency appreciation, and what this means for competitiveness and growth across the region.
We discuss:
- The key findings from Nomura's report on US tariffs and Asian trade.
- Who is absorbing the costs vs. passing them on, and why.
- The "double whammy" of tariffs and currency appreciation squeezing margins.
- The specific sectors, like electronics and autos, that are under the most pressure.
- The outlook for trade and growth as tariffs continue to rise.
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In the world of venture capital, one metric separates paper promises from real success: DPI, or Distributions to Paid-In Capital. It's the actual cash returned to investors, and in a landscape littered with inflated valuations, it matters more than ever.
Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures, joins us to demystify this crucial metric. He explains why a lack of DPI has created a liquidity crisis in Southeast Asia, the need for a strategic "reset" in the regional ecosystem, and his candid advice for fund managers and founders navigating this tough new reality.
We discuss:
- What DPI is and why it's the most important metric in venture capital.
- The liquidity crisis facing the Southeast Asian venture ecosystem.
- Why the region needs a "reset" away from chasing unicorns toward viable M&A.
- The challenges for both LPs and GPs in a low-DPI environment.
- Why startups must be "default alive" and focus on revenue as the best funding.
For VCs, LPs, and startup founders, this is an essential and candid deep dive into the real economics of the venture capital industry in Southeast Asia.
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China’s move to ban tech firms from buying certain Nvidia AI chips has reignited the semiconductor race, with rivals like Huawei pushing back into the spotlight through massive chip clusters and new roadmaps. The stakes are high: supply chains are shifting, the balance of power in AI computing is in flux, and Malaysia is positioning itself to move further up the semiconductor value chain.
We speak with Andrew Chan, Executive Director of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association. They discuss how these geopolitical and technological shifts could reshape Malaysia’s role in the chip ecosystem, whether in design, packaging, or talent, and what opportunities and risks lie ahead as the global race for AI hardware accelerates.
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When it comes to tax compliance, what works better: engagement or enforcement? With Malaysia's "shadow economy" estimated at 30% of GDP, the debate over using the carrot or the stick is more critical than ever for the nation's fiscal health.
Tax expert Harvindar Singh joins us to dissect the state of tax compliance in Malaysia. He discusses the effectiveness of the self-assessment system, the role of technology like e-invoicing in raising the "detection risk," and the lessons we can learn from other countries in building a culture of trust between taxpayers and the authorities.
We discuss:
- The state of tax compliance in Malaysia vs. regional peers like Singapore.
- The debate: balancing enforcement ("the stick") and engagement ("the carrot").
- The crucial role of technology and e-invoicing in improving compliance.
- Why simplifying the tax system is essential for building a compliance culture.
- How to bridge the "trust deficit" between taxpayers and the IRB.
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ASEAN continues to be seen as a region of immense opportunity, but the 11th EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Survey by the EU-ASEAN Business Council reveals a paradox. European companies are optimistic about revenues and expansion, yet at the same time frustrated by red tape, rising non-tariff barriers, and slow progress on integration.
So where does Malaysia fit in — a country some describe as a sweet spot, not as saturated as Singapore and not as fast-rising as Vietnam, but potentially a gatekeeper for European firms? Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council, shares what the findings really mean for ASEAN’s credibility, competitiveness, and future.
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Apple has moved far beyond selling gadgets. Each launch now reinforces a bigger story — an ecosystem that locks in millions of users worldwide. With the global rollout of the new iPhone, updated Apple Watch, iPads and more, including their arrival in Malaysia, Alexander Wong and Amin Ashaari, co-founders of SoyaCincau, discuss whether Apple is doubling down on luxury, lifestyle and loyalty rather than breakthrough innovation.
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With Malaysia's government debt hitting a record high of over RM1.2 trillion, many of us see an abstract, impossibly large number. But what does this actually mean for our economy, our currency, and our collective future?
Senior Economist Julia Goh from UOB joins us to provide a 101 on government debt. She breaks down why governments borrow, the key warning signs of when a country is borrowing too much, and provides a clear-eyed assessment of Malaysia's current fiscal position and its path forward.
We discuss:
- Why governments borrow and how it differs from personal debt.
- The key warning signs to watch, including the debt-to-GDP ratio.
- The real-world consequences of a sovereign debt default.
- An assessment of Malaysia's current debt position and fiscal health.
- Why Malaysia's high level of ringgit-denominated debt provides a crucial buffer.
For business owners, investors, and anyone looking to understand the forces shaping our national economy, this is an essential primer on government debt and fiscal responsibility.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Everyone is talking about "democratising AI," but what does it actually take to move this powerful technology from the hands of a few tech giants into the core of everyday enterprise operations? While individual AI usage is high, businesses are still struggling to move beyond experiments to monetisation at scale.
Prem Pavan, General Manager for Southeast Asia and Korea at Red Hat, joins us to discuss this critical challenge.
We discuss:
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What "democratising AI" really means for businesses on the ground.
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The key challenge: moving from proofs of concept to monetising AI at scale.
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The crucial role of open source in making new technologies enterprise-ready.
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The future of AI, including the rise of data sovereignty and agentic AI.
For CIOs, CTOs, and enterprise architects, this is an exploration into the open-source and hybrid cloud strategies needed to win in the era of AI.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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For years, sustainable finance meant investing in green companies. But a new, more pragmatic idea is gaining traction: transition investing, funding high-emitting industries to help them decarbonise. While 91% of Malaysian investors are interested, most don't fully understand it and are wary of the risks.
Eugenia Koh, Global Head of Sustainable Finance at Standard Chartered, joins us to break down this emerging concept. She explains the difference between transition and traditional ESG investing, the need for credible, science-based plans to avoid greenwashing, and the path to mainstreaming this new approach.
We discuss:
- What transition investing is and how it differs from traditional ESG.
- Why it's a complementary strategy for decarbonising the real economy.
- The investor paradox: high interest but also high skepticism and a knowledge gap.
- How to assess a company's transition plan for credibility.
- The key steps needed to mainstream this new form of sustainable finance.
For investors and wealth managers, this is a deep dive into the next frontier of sustainable finance and the potential opportunities it holds.
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Why do so many digital transformation and AI projects fail to deliver their promised returns? According to our guest, the answer has less to do with technology and everything to do with the most overlooked element: the human factor.
Bestselling author and digital transformation expert Kamales Lardi joins us to share her human-centric approach to technology. She explains why successful transformation hinges on trust and mindset shifts, the real risks of AI that go beyond cybersecurity, and the importance of having a clear, transformative purpose to guide your organization through change.
We discuss:
- The "human side" of digital transformation and why it's critical for success.
- Why AI should be seen as an enabler to solve business problems, not a silver bullet.
- A case study on why simply replacing people with AI for cost-cutting often fails.
- The importance of a "massive transformative purpose" in leading change.
- Why human-centered governance is essential for the safe adoption of autonomous AI.
For C-suite leaders and digital strategists, this is an essential guide to putting people at the center of your transformation journey. Catch Kamales at MDX Summit 2025 happening at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 17-19 Sept 2025.
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In a world buzzing with AI hype, how do you separate real innovation from the "bubble of expectations"? With three decades of experience on the frontiers of technology, our guest, a self-described "tech bubble collector", offers a unique, long-term perspective on the cycles of boom, bust, and breakthrough.
Tech investor and entrepreneur Nicklas Bergman joins us to share his insights. He discusses why he's skeptical about the current generative AI hype, the real "data economy advantage," and his work with the European Innovation Council's €10 billion fund to commercialise deep tech.
We discuss:
- A tech investor's reality check on the AI "bubble of expectations."
- The true "data economy advantage" and its associated privacy risks.
- Inside the European Innovation Council's €10 billion deep tech fund.
- The key ingredients for successfully commercialising scientific innovation.
- What Malaysia can learn from the Nordics to build its tech future.
For tech investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, this is an insightful long-term perspective on navigating hype cycles and building a resilient innovation economy. Catch Nicklas at MDX Summit 2025 happening at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 17-19 Sept 2025.
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The US government is now a strategic shareholder in chipmaker Intel, signaling a new era of state intervention in the US But what are the real risks of this interventionist playbook for innovation, free competition, and investor confidence?
Economist Dr. Carmelo Ferlito joins us to dissect this trend. He argues for a clear distinction between a market economy driven by price signals and a state-led one driven by policy, warning that state intervention often leads to inefficiencies, politically protected monopolies, and an erosion of investor confidence.
We discuss:
- The key differences between a market economy and a state-led economy.
- The dangers of governments "picking winners and losers."
- Why politically protected monopolies stifle long-term innovation.
- The risks to investor confidence when the state becomes a major market player.
- The historical cycles of state interventionism and their consequences.
For policymakers, investors, and business leaders, this is a broad exploration into the complex and cyclical battle between market forces and state control.
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New rules incoming for affiliates, sellers & marketplaces? With Malaysia's new E-commerce Bill set to be tabled by year-end, Ganesh Kumar Bangah, the e-Commerce Chapter Chair of PIKOM, joins us to break down the need for it and key implications.
He discusses the need to regulate dominant marketplaces, the crucial new legal distinction between affiliates and sellers, and his strong advocacy for local brands to build their own e-commerce websites.
We discuss:
- The key aims of the upcoming E-commerce Bill.
- The new distinction between "affiliates" (influencers) and "sellers."
- The argument for regulating dominant, foreign-owned marketplaces.
- Why brands should invest in building their own brand.coms to reduce reliance.
- How the new rules will impact sellers, logistics partners, and consumers.
For e-commerce sellers, brand owners, and digital marketers, this is a deep dive into the changing regulatory landscape and the strategies needed to thrive.
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With Google's massive antitrust trial in the headlines and Malaysia set to amend its own Competition Act, the rules of fair play in business are under the spotlight. But what do these laws actually mean for businesses on the ground, and could you be accidentally breaking them?
Competition law expert Tan Shi Wen, a Partner at Skrine, joins us to demystify this complex area. She explains the two main prohibitions under Malaysian law, why the rules apply to SMEs just as much as corporate giants, and the severe financial and reputational risks of getting it wrong.
We discuss:
- The two main prohibitions in Malaysian competition law.
- Why the law applies to all businesses, not just dominant players.
- The very broad definition of an "agreement" (and its hidden risks).
- The severe penalties for non-compliance: up to 10% of worldwide turnover.
- The upcoming changes to the Competition Act, including a new merger control regime.
For business owners of all sizes, this is a guide to understanding your compliance obligations and competing on merit in today's regulated market.
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Across our cities, empty shop lots and vacant office buildings are a common sight, a sign of wasted potential. But for enterprising individuals and businesses, could these underutilised assets be the next big opportunity?
Cha-Ly Koh, Founder and CEO of the data analytics firm UrbanMetry, joins us to provide a data-driven look at this issue. She discusses her framework for assessing these properties, the key financial and execution risks involved, and why repurposing old buildings is often harder and more expensive than building new ones.
We discuss:
- How to identify and define an "underutilised asset."
- The key financial, legal, and execution risks to consider before repurposing.
- Why it's often more expensive to revitalise old buildings than to build new.
- Why community and social capital are a city's most underutilised assets.
- Policy ideas like a "vacancy tax" and "patient capital" to encourage urban renewal.
For real estate investors, developers, and urban planners, this is an essential, data-driven guide to the challenges and opportunities of urban renewal.
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Artificial intelligence is powering a new wave of innovation, but it's also fueling a darker reality: the rise of 'Dark AI.' From hyper-realistic deepfakes to perfectly crafted phishing scams, how are cybercriminals weaponising this technology, and how can businesses and individuals protect themselves?
Sergey Lozhkin, Head of Kaspersky's Global Research & Analysis Team for APAC, joins us to break down this emerging threat landscape. He explains how Dark AI enhances existing threats, the dangers of unapproved AI tools in the workplace, and why employee education is now more critical than ever.
We discuss:
- What "Dark AI" is and how cybercriminals are using it to create malware and scams.
- Why AI is both a "shield" for defenders and a "sword" for attackers.
- The growing threat of sophisticated, AI-powered phishing and deepfakes.
- The risks of unapproved AI tools and malicious browser extensions in the workplace.
- Why strong cybersecurity basics and employee education are the best defense.
For business leaders and IT managers, this is an essential deep dive into the new frontier of cyber threats.
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In a global debt market of over $100 trillion, the Shariah-compliant Sukuk market has just crossed its own major milestone: $1 trillion. But what exactly are these Islamic financial instruments, how do they differ from conventional debt, and what's driving their rapid growth?
Bashar Al Natoor, Global Head of Islamic Finance at Fitch Ratings, joins us to get into all this and more.
We discuss:
- What Sukuk are and how they differ from conventional bonds.
- The key drivers behind the market's growth to over $1 trillion.
- The important difference between asset-based and asset-backed Sukuk.
- Malaysia's role as an evolved domestic ecosystem vs. the GCC's US dollar market.
- The powerful and growing synergy between Islamic finance and ESG investing.
For investors, financial professionals, and policymakers, this is a deep dive into one of the fastest-growing segments of the global debt capital market.
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Amidst geopolitical uncertainty and relentless pressure on supply chains, Asia's manufacturing sector is turning to technology to stay competitive, with 94% of leaders planning to invest in AI. But what are the real-world use cases, and what are the biggest hurdles to successful adoption?
Marcelo Tarkieltaub, Regional Director for Southeast Asia at Rockwell Automation, joins us to dissect the findings from their 2025 "State of Smart Manufacturing" report. He discusses the skills gap, the challenge of legacy infrastructure, and Asia Pacific's unique "pragmatic" and efficiency-driven approach to AI.
We discuss:
- The key use cases for AI in manufacturing (quality, efficiency, and cybersecurity).
- The biggest challenges to adoption: the skills gap and legacy systems.
- Why APAC's adoption strategy is more "pragmatic" than other regions.
- The mindset shift: viewing sustainability as a key driver of efficiency.
- Practical first steps for SMEs to begin their smart manufacturing journey.
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Beyond the gleaming skyscrapers and historical landmarks, what is the true heritage of a city like Kuala Lumpur? As we celebrate Merdeka, we explore how our urban heritage can be a living asset, preserving our unique identity while powering industries like tourism.
Shin Tseng of REXKL and Nigel Wong of MATTA join us to discuss this critical topic. They explore the move beyond tangible architecture to embrace intangible culture, the challenge of maintaining authenticity while improving sites for tourism, and the debate over Kuala Lumpur's unique "tapestry" or "Rojak" identity.
We discuss:
- Why heritage is more than just buildings, it's about living, intangible culture.
- How to balance "polishing" a site for tourism while keeping it authentic.
- The debate over Kuala Lumpur's unique and complex heritage identity.
- Why local residents are the true "soul" of any heritage site.
- A vision for curating micro-heritage districts to celebrate our diversity.
For urbanists, tourism professionals, and anyone passionate about the future of our cities, this is an exploration into the art of celebrating and preserving our national identity.
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Months after new reciprocal tariffs were announced, initial data shows that Asian exporters have been front-loading shipments to the US to get ahead of the hikes. But what does this early reaction tell us about the real impact on trade, and what comes next after the frenzy?
Darren Tay, Head of APAC Country Risk at BMI, joins us to break down the findings from their new report. He analyses the varied responses across the region, from Taiwanese firms absorbing costs to Japanese exporters buffered by a weak yen, and explains why we should brace for a "payback" period and a global slowdown in 2026.
We discuss:
- The "front-loading" effect and what the initial trade data reveals.
- How Taiwan is absorbing the tariffs and how currency changes have buffered Japan
- Why Asian financial markets have been surprisingly resilient so far.
- The long-term impact: a global slowdown and reduced reliance on the US.
- Why 2026 is the year to watch for the full "payback" from the tariffs.
For business leaders, exporters, and investors, this is a data-driven analysis of the new tariff landscape.
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TikTok Shop's global business is booming, doubling its GMV to over $26 billion in the first half of 2025. But beneath this explosive growth, the ecosystem is in constant flux, with Indonesia overtaking the US as the largest market and a rapid turnover of top influencers and products.
WeiHan Chen, Insights Lead at Momentum Works, joins us to dissect the findings from their latest report on this dynamic platform. She discusses the different growth drivers in Malaysia versus other key markets, the real challenges sellers face in a content-driven environment, and the maturity gap in live commerce between Southeast Asia and the West.
We discuss:
- The key drivers behind TikTok Shop's $26B global growth.
- Why Indonesia has re-emerged as the platform's largest market.
- The challenges for sellers (and why over half of US stores had zero sales).
- The maturity gap in live commerce between Southeast Asia and the US.
- Why brands need a clear, diversified channel strategy to succeed.
For brands, sellers, and marketers navigating the future of social commerce, this is an essential deep dive into the strategies and volatility of the TikTok Shop ecosystem.
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CrowdStrike’s 2025 Threat Hunting Report suggests cloud attacks have increased by over 130% in just six months, and adversaries are even targeting AI tools companies are using today. In light of this, we explore how adversaries are weaponizing AI—from deep fake interviews and fake résumés to GenAI-built malware—and targeting the very AI systems businesses rely on. We also break down the report to explore how enterprises can adapt with agentic AI, real-time behaviour analysis, and cross-domain detection strategies. To help us break all this down, we speak with Fabio Fratucello, Field CTO, Worldwide at CrowdStrike.
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For years, the mobile commerce race was all about one thing: app installs. But the game is changing. While global shopping app installs have declined, user engagement is on the rise, signaling a major strategic shift from chasing quantity to cultivating quality.
Manish Wali, Head of Inside Sales & Business Strategy for APAC at Adjust, joins us to unpack the findings from their latest "Shopping App Insights Report." He explains why APAC is defying global trends to become the new growth engine and breaks down the playbook for winning in today's mature mobile commerce economy.
We discuss:
- The strategic shift from user quantity (installs) to quality (engagement).
- Why APAC is the new growth engine for mobile commerce.
- The growing importance of re-engagement strategies like reattribution.
- How to leverage AI for smarter targeting and personalisation.
- Key strategies for app retention and preparing for the crucial Q4 peak season.
For marketers and e-commerce leaders, this is a look into the new rules of the app economy and the strategies needed to build a loyal, high-value user base.
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Almost nine in 10 Malaysians are already using AI in some form, one of the highest adoption rates in the region. But while excitement is high, trust is still catching up. We speak with Dr Ieva Martinkenaite, Senior Vice President and Head of AI at Telenor Group, about what makes Malaysia’s AI moment unique, why issues like fairness, data, and accountability matter more than ever, and what’s really at stake if we fail to get responsible AI right.
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While logistics rents across Asia-Pacific are contracting for the first time since the pandemic, Malaysia's industrial real estate market is holding steady. So what's driving this unique resilience, and how is demand evolving in a post-e-commerce boom era?
Allan Sim, Senior Executive Director at Knight Frank Malaysia, joins us to break down the findings from their latest report. He discusses how Malaysia's neutral status, strong infrastructure, and surprising new demand from EV makers and even pickleball courts are shaping a balanced and robust market.
We discuss:
- Why Malaysia's industrial market is resilient amid a regional slowdown.
- The surprising impact of pickleball courts on industrial land supply.
- The new demand drivers, including EV manufacturers and cold chain logistics.
- How infrastructure projects like the ECRL will shape future demand.
- The outlook for rents as a new wave of multi-level warehouses comes online.
For investors, developers, and business owners in the logistics and manufacturing sectors, this is a deep dive into the forces shaping Malaysia's industrial real estate landscape.
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The rise of polyworking, juggling multiple jobs and side hustles, has been linked to over 6 million cyberattacks in just six months, according to Kaspersky. This new way of working is creating a perfect storm for cybercrime, dramatically expanding the digital attack surface for both individuals and the organizations they work for.
Cybersecurity expert CF Fong, Founder & Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhad, joins us to break down the real-world risks of this trend. He explains how poor password hygiene, device overlap, and the hidden dangers of "Shadow IT" are opening new doors for hackers, and why humans remain the weakest link.
We discuss:
- Why "polyworking" creates a wider attack surface for cybercriminals.
- The hidden dangers of "Shadow IT" and how it bypasses corporate security.
- Why Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a non-negotiable necessity.
- How to create cybersecurity policies that are simple and actually work.
- Why cybersecurity is now a "business survival problem," not just an IT issue.
For business leaders, IT managers, and anyone juggling a side hustle, this is an essential guide to the new realities of cybersecurity in a flexible work era.
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Global EV sales continue to rise, but the reputation of the industry is becoming more complex and exposed. While some markets enjoy a wave of optimism driven by innovation and policy support, others face mounting scrutiny over safety, affordability, and supply chain ethics.
Tefik Lajthia, Director of Global Insight + Intelligence at The Penta Group, joins us to unpack the findings from their global reputation report, which analysed over a million online mentions. He discusses the key divergence in sentiment between consumers and investors, and across different regions like India, Germany, Japan, and the US.
We discuss:
- The key drivers of positive and negative sentiment in the EV market.
- Why consumer sentiment remains more positive than investor sentiment.
- A regional breakdown: why India is a reputational leader while Japan is lagging.
- The significant reputational risk of supply chain ethics (cobalt and lithium).
- How high-profile recalls and policy instability impact the entire industry.
For leaders and investors in the automotive and energy sectors, this explores the reputational risks and opportunities shaping the next phase of the EV transition.
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With 94% of APAC bank CEOs citing AI as a key priority, the race is on to move beyond simple chatbots and pilot projects. But what separates the top 10% of "forerunner" banks from the rest, and what does it take to turn AI into a real engine for growth?
Doriss Chow, Managing Director for Financial Services at Accenture Malaysia, joins us to share insights on how leading banks are making strategic, long-term bets on AI. She discusses the most impactful use cases, from fraud management to investment advisory, and breaks down the crucial foundations required for success: a strong digital core, data maturity, and a focus on "Responsible AI."
We discuss:
- What the top 10% of "frontrunners" banks are doing differently with AI.
- The most impactful AI use cases in fraud, payments, and advisory.
- The crucial foundations (tech, data, people) needed for AI adoption.
- Why "Responsible AI" is essential for building customer trust.
- The real ROI of AI, including faster revenue growth and better compliance.
For leaders in the financial services industry, this is a guiding conversation to the strategies and challenges of a true AI reinvention.
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In a global Ipsos study spanning 32 countries, Malaysia stands out. The age we say “old age” begins has risen from 56 to 60 in just seven years, making us an outlier in Southeast Asia. Six in ten Malaysians also look forward to later life, far above the global average, and we slightly underestimate how long we will live. What is driving this change in perception and sentiment, and what does it reveal about our culture, economy and expectations for the future? Kiranjit Singh, Regional APAC Lead at Ipsos Strategy3, joins us to break down the findings and explore what they tell us about who we are and where we are headed.
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Retirement: It's an 'Income Problem,' Not an EPF Problem.
Proposals to restructure the EPF aim to solve Malaysia's retirement crisis by creating a pension-like income stream for retirees. But what if the problem isn't the EPF system itself, but a much deeper issue with our income and corresponding quality of education?
Rajen Devadason, Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia) Berhad, joins us with a contrarian take, arguing that Malaysia has a fundamental "income problem" rooted in long-term educational policy missteps. He discusses his bold proposals for reform, including the controversial but necessary step of raising the retirement age to combat longevity risk.
We discuss:
- Why the core issue is an "income problem," not an EPF problem.
- The case for raising Malaysia's retirement age to 70.
- How long-term educational policy has impacted national income levels.
- What "longevity risk" is and why it's the biggest threat to retirement.
- Why individuals must focus on building their own private pensions.
For policymakers and anyone planning for the future, this is a conversation that dives into perspectives on deep, structural reforms needed to secure Malaysia's long-term economic well-being.
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Five years after a massive accounting scandal and a dramatic NASDAQ delisting, Luckin Coffee has staged one of the most remarkable comebacks in corporate history, growing to over 26,000 stores. But the real story isn't just the recovery; it's the powerful, digital-first system that fuels its explosive growth.
Jianggan Li, CEO of Momentum Works, joins us to dissect this incredible turnaround, based on their new "Inside Luckin Coffee" report. He explains how Luckin operates more like a tech or e-commerce company than a traditional cafe, using data to drive everything from its rapid R&D engine to its hyper-efficient store operations.
We discuss:
- The story of their dramatic comeback from scandal and delisting.
- How they operate like an e-commerce company, using stores as fulfillment centers.
- Their data-driven R&D that launches over 100 new products a year.
- Key lessons for other brands on digital capabilities and supply chain mastery.
For F&B leaders, entrepreneurs, and strategists, this is a deep dive in building a digital-first, data-centric F&B brand.
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Former economy minister Rafizi Ramli says letting students finish school at 16 could get Malaysians into the workforce by 21, giving the economy a boost as the population ages. Critics warn it could leave young people underprepared and deepen inequality.
With Parliament having just made secondary education compulsory until 17, is Malaysia ready to rethink the school-leaving age, and what would it mean for universities, employers, and the students themselves?
Jagdish Singh Malhi, Director of Student Recruitment and Marketing at University of Nottingham Malaysia, and Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, join us to explore the opportunities, risks, and what it would take to make such a change work.
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Following recent amendments to the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), it is now mandatory for certain Malaysian companies to appoint a Data Protection Officer (DPO). With the deadline having passed on June 1st, are you compliant, and what does this new role actually entail for your business?
Tech lawyers Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi from Halim Hong & Quek join us to break down the new guidelines from the Personal Data Protection Commissioner. They explain who needs to appoint a DPO, the core functional roles of the position, and the different pathways to achieving compliance.
We discuss:
- The specific criteria for when a company must appoint a DPO.
- The 6 core functional roles and responsibilities of a DPO.
- The difference between "Fundamental" and "Advanced" DPO competency.
- The legal distinction between a "data controller" and a "data processor."
- The three pathways for compliance: outsourcing, a hybrid model, or upskilling.
For business owners, directors, and legal teams, this is an essential and urgent guide to navigating Malaysia's new data protection landscape.
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By 2030, one in five Malaysians will be over the age of 60 — a demographic shift that’s prompting the government to review whether the current retirement age of 60 still makes sense. With proposals on the table to raise it to 65, what would this mean for businesses, workers, and the economy?
Sam Baxendale, Co-Founder & CEO of Kinetik Hiring, joins us to explore the policy drivers, workplace readiness, and intergenerational dynamics at play, and whether Malaysia is adapting to an ageing workforce or simply buying time.
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As global capital becomes increasingly mobile, Multipolitans are a new class of wealthy individuals seeking cities that can not only grow their wealth but preserve it for the future. A new report from Multipolitan reveals one city is quietly setting the global benchmark for stability and sustainability. So, what makes Singapore so attractive, and where does Malaysia stand?
Nirbhay Handa, CEO of the global migration platform Multipolitan, joins us to unpack the findings from their ‘Wealth Report 2025’. He explains the three indices used to rank global cities and reveals why Singapore is the only city to rank in the top five across all three, making it the ultimate destination for "future-proof wealth.
We discuss:
- The rise of Multipolitans and what they look for in a city.
- Key findings from the Tax Friendly and Wealth Preservation indices.
- Why Singapore stands out as the global benchmark.
- How Malaysia can unlock its potential as a complementary hub.
- Why trust and predictability are more important than low taxes.
For globally mobile entrepreneurs, investors, and family offices, this is a guide to the cities and strategies that will define the future of wealth preservation.
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As Malaysia prepares to host SME Venture@ASEAN 2025 in October under its ASEAN Chairmanship, the spotlight is on how local businesses can break past domestic limits and seize regional opportunities. But while ASEAN is often touted as a natural growth market for Malaysian SMEs, the journey beyond our borders remains filled with challenges.
We speak with Rizal Dato’ Nainy, CEO of SME Corp Malaysia, about the real barriers holding SMEs back from scaling regionally, from structural hurdles to mindset gaps. We discuss what “export readiness” actually means, how SME Corp is driving innovation and digital adoption, and why events like SME Venture@ASEAN must go beyond networking to deliver real business impact.
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When a takeover or privatisation offer lands, minority shareholders face a tough choice, often needing to decipher complex documents and jargon. What's the difference between an offer that's 'fair' versus one that's merely 'reasonable,' and how can you protect your interests?
Dr. Ismet Yusoff, CEO of the Minority Shareholders Watch Group (MSWG), joins us to demystify the world of corporate actions and shareholder rights. He explains how to assess takeover offers, the crucial role of independent advisors, and how corporate governance is evolving beyond compliance to include critical ESG issues like workplace safety.
We discuss:
- The critical difference between a "fair" and a "reasonable" takeover offer.
- The specific risks minority shareholders face during privatisations.
- MSWG's role in monitoring companies and protecting investor rights.
- How corporate governance has evolved to include ESG and social issues.
- Practical tips for effectively participating in AGMs and EGMs.
For retail investors and anyone serving on a corporate board, this is a guide to understanding shareholder rights, assessing corporate actions, and promoting better corporate governance.
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With its ASEAN Chairmanship and a maturing ecosystem, Malaysia stands at a pivotal moment for its fintech ambitions. But as AI disrupts roadmaps and regional competition intensifies, is our window to become a true fintech gateway for ASEAN closing fast?
Anil Gill and Marc Fong from the Fintech Association of Malaysia (FAOM) join us to provide a perspective on the state of the industry. They discuss the evolution from disruption to "co-creation" with traditional finance, the challenges of AI adoption, and the urgent need for leadership to capitalise on our regional advantages.
We discuss:
- The evolution of fintech into a collaborative "co-creation" phase.
- How AI is creating both opportunities and investment uncertainty.
- Malaysia's unique position as a potential fintech gateway to ASEAN.
- The role of the ASEAN Fintech Alliance (AFA) in fostering regional growth.
- The urgent need to address the funding gap before the "window closes."
For fintech founders, investors, and policymakers, this is a crucial discussion on the challenges and strategic imperatives for Malaysia's digital finance future.
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Procurement isn’t just about cutting costs — it’s also one of the most overlooked tools for creating social impact and long-term business value. As ESG pressures mount and supply chains come under greater scrutiny, companies have a powerful opportunity to rethink how and from whom they buy.
Today, we speak with Rashvin Pal Singh, Group CEO of Biji-biji Initiative, and Redza Shahid Ridzuan, Assistant Director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center at Asia School of Business. They share how values-driven procurement can empower social enterprises, why corporates need to move beyond symbolic CSR purchases, and what it takes to build a more inclusive, impact-aligned supply chain in Malaysia.
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Behind every board decision lies a web of unspoken dynamics; trust, conflict, power, and culture.
Tay Kay Luan, CEO of FIDE FORUM, joins us to share the findings from their study on board culture in Malaysia's financial institutions. He explains how cultural norms like "high power distance" can stifle debate, the crucial role of the chairperson in fostering open discussion, and why cognitive diversity is more impactful than just demographic diversity.
We discuss:
- Why board culture is a measurable, strategic asset that impacts the bottom line.
- How Malaysia's "high power distance" culture affects boardroom decisions.
- The critical role of the chairperson in creating a healthy board dynamic.
- The role and importance of cognitive diversity
- Practical steps for strengthening your board's culture.
For board members, C-suite executives, and governance professionals, this is an essential look at the intangible forces that drive corporate performance and resilience.
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With the crypto market crossing a $4 trillion valuation and the US passing sweeping new regulations like the "Genius" and "Clarity" Acts, digital assets are having their 'legitimacy moment.' But what do these new rules actually mean, and how will they ripple across the globe to markets like Malaysia?
Hann Liew, Founder and CEO of Halogen Capital, a licensed fund manager, specialising in digital assets, joins us to break down this pivotal shift. He explains how the new US laws provide much-needed clarity for stablecoins and the classification of crypto assets, paving the way for wider institutional adoption and the tokenisation of real-world assets.
We discuss:
- What the new US "Genius" and "Clarity" Acts mean for the industry.
- Why US regulations have a massive global ripple effect on other markets.
- How Malaysia can capitalise by harmonising regulations and leading in niches like Islamic finance.
- The coming trends of institutional adoption and tokenisation.
- The massive opportunity in tokenising real-world assets like commodities and real estate.
For investors, policymakers, and financial institutions, this is a clarifying guide to understanding the new crypto landscape.
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Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo recently projected that Malaysia could unlock over US$113 billion in productivity gains through generative AI. But while national initiatives like the AI Office and Google Cloud partnerships grab headlines, are SMEs and startups truly ready to reap the benefits? Or will these gains flow mostly to large corporates and tech giants? Warren Leow, Founding member of Konsortium AI Negara (KAIN), joins us to unpack the real barriers facing smaller businesses, from cost and mindset to skills and data access, and whether we’re doing enough to close the growing AI divide.
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Malaysia's population is projected to peak in 35 years and then begin to decline. While this sounds alarming, our guest argues that it's not a crisis, but a predictable, long-term shift that presents both challenges and opportunities for the nation.
Economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams joins us to explore the macroeconomic implications of this demographic maturity. He explains why future economic growth will be driven by productivity gains from technology like AI, not population size, and why income distribution becomes even more critical in this new landscape.
We discuss:
- Why a declining population is not necessarily an economic crisis.
- How technology and AI will drive future productivity and growth.
- The critical importance of income distribution in maintaining consumption.
- Key lessons from the demographic shifts in Japan and China.
- Why long-term planning for infrastructure and social services is the real urgency.
This is a thought-provoking look at the intersection of demographics, technology, and economic strategy.
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Machines now outnumber humans in digital environments—automated apps, cloud workloads, and bots are everywhere. But while these identities hold access to critical systems, most organisations still treat security as a human-only concern. New data from CyberArk's Identity Security Landscape report shows 78% of security leaders in Asia Pacific experienced breaches linked to compromised machine identities last year. And with nearly 40% of machine identities holding privileged access, the gap in protection is becoming a major attack vector. Serene Lee, Regional Business Leader of ASEAN and the Head of Sales at CyberArk joins the conversation to unpack how this silent threat is evolving, and what businesses can do to reduce their risk.
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In the first half of 2025, Malaysia's IPO market solidified its position as a regional powerhouse, capturing an incredible 66% of all capital raised in Southeast Asia. But as global headwinds and trade tensions persist, is this impressive momentum sustainable?
Wong Kar Choon, a Transactions Accounting Support Partner at Deloitte Malaysia, joins us to unpack the findings from their latest report on the region's capital markets. He explains the key factors behind Malaysia's success, the strategic "flight to quality" trend among investors, and what businesses must do to prepare for a successful listing.
We discuss:
- The key factors driving Malaysia's IPO market dominance.
- The "flight to quality" trend and what it means for aspiring issuers.
- How geopolitical risks and trade tariffs are impacting the landscape.
- The outlook for Malaysia's IPO pipeline in the second half of 2025.
- Key advice for businesses preparing to go public, including crafting a compelling "equity story."
For business leaders, founders, and investors, this is a deep dive into the trends, risks, and opportunities in today's IPO landscape.
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Malaysia’s rising household debt is more than just a financial issue — it’s a symptom of a deeper economic shift As stable, well-paying industrial jobs give way to more precarious service roles, many Malaysians are leaning on credit just to keep up with the cost of living.
We speak with Dr Paul Anthony, Senior Lecturer at Taylor’s University, about how deindustrialisation is chipping away at income stability, why household debt has become a ticking time bomb, and what Malaysia can do to rebuild economic resilience.
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The AI arms race is heating up, and big tech giants have a new weapon: the 'acqui-hire 2.0.' Instead of buying companies, they are poaching entire teams of key talent, often leaving behind a 'shell of a company' and disrupting the startup ecosystem.
Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 Ventures, joins us to dissect this complex and aggressive new trend. He explains the strategic motivations behind these deals, the potential implications for investors and employees, and the surprising ripple effects that are creating new opportunities for startups in Southeast Asia.
We discuss:
- The "acqui-hire 2.0" playbook and why it's happening now.
- The fallout for startups when key talent is poached by big tech.
- Why winning the loyalty of developers is the real prize in the AI war.
- The positive ripple effect: how talent wars are creating new local ventures.
- Why Malaysian companies should focus on vertical AI, not foundational models.
For founders, VCs, and tech leaders, this breakdowns the power dynamics, risks, and opportunities in the global AI talent wars.
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As the US Federal Reserve faces intense political pressure to slash interest rates, the debate over central bank independence and its global impact is heating up. But what are the real dangers of setting "artificial" interest rates, whether they are politically motivated or not?
Economist Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, joins us to make his radical case against the foundations of modern monetary policy. He argues that any centrally-planned interest rate distorts the market, de-anchors inflation expectations, and ultimately leads to monetary disorder, speculation, and asset bubbles.
We discuss:
- The dangers of "artificial" interest rates, whether high or low.
- How political interference erodes trust in central bank independence.
- The critical distinction between fiscal and monetary policy.
- Why artificial rates lead to speculative asset bubbles and instability.
- Alternative frameworks, like market-determined rates and currency competition.
For economists, investors, and policymakers, this is a thought-provoking challenge to the conventional wisdom of modern monetary policy.
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Kuala Lumpur’s rapid modernisation is transforming neighbourhoods, but at what cost? With megaprojects like the MRT3 on the rise, long-standing community hubs such as the Jalan Kelang Lama wet market are under threat. Recently delisted from the KL Local Plan 2040 and earmarked for commercial redevelopment, the market’s uncertain future highlights a familiar pattern where “upgrades” leave behind ghost buildings and displaced traders, eroding the social fabric of the city.
What are the hidden costs of infrastructure-led progress? And can urban development balance modernisation with social equity? Dr Keith Tan, Associate Professor at Taylor’s University’s School of Architecture, Building & Design, discusses the risks of transit-oriented gentrification and explores how Malaysia can build a future-ready city without leaving its communities behind.
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The king of fruits is now fueling a tourism boom in Malaysia, with durian-themed packages and farm tours drawing in thousands of visitors. But behind the hype of all-you-can-eat buffets, what are the real opportunities and challenges for the businesses on the ground?
Eugene Ng, a durian entrepreneur and founder of Durian Pintar Malaysia, joins us to discuss the thorny business behind the trend. He shares his dual perspective as both a farm owner and a direct-to-consumer seller, his model for giving farmers a fairer profit share, and his insights on the bigger threats facing the industry, from market saturation to climate change.
We discuss:
- The rise of "durian tourism" and its real impact on farmers.
- The direct-to-consumer model designed to bypass the middlemen.
- The "Musang King" debate: Is there an oversupply or are locals being priced out?
- Why market saturation may be a bigger threat than climate change.
- The strategic vision for using durian as a tool in trade and diplomacy.
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Starting August 1st, a new 25% US tariff on Malaysian goods threatens to hit exporters and their supply chains hard. But this is just the latest in a string of compounding cost pressures, from rising electricity tariffs to SST hikes, that are pushing many Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) into survival mode.
Datuk William Ng, National President of Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (SAMENTA), joins us to break down the real-world impact of these challenges. He explains why SMEs are disproportionately affected and largely unprepared, and argues that a strategic shift is needed for them to evolve from price competitors into value creators.
We discuss:
- The true impact of the 25% US tariff on the entire SME supply chain.
- How compounding domestic costs are pushing businesses into "survival mode."
- Why SMEs must evolve from middlemen to brand and IP owners.
- The call for more targeted government support and systemic reforms.
- The opportunities and challenges for SMEs expanding within ASEAN.
For SME owners, business leaders, and policymakers, this is an essential dive into the urgent challenges facing Malaysia's economic backbone.
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Malaysia has solidified its position as a dominant hub for data centres in Southeast Asia, attracting massive investments from global tech giants. But with newly announced power tariffs set to increase costs for large-scale operators, is that dominance now in jeopardy?
Alexander Kheder, TMT Analyst at BMI, joins us to analyse how these new tariffs could prompt a "gradual diversion of investments" to peer markets like Indonesia and Thailand. He discusses the critical power challenges facing the industry and argues that the tariffs will accelerate the pivot to sustainability, turning green credentials into the new competitive edge.
We discuss:
- The key factors behind Malaysia's data centre dominance.
- How new power tariffs will impact costs and future projects.
- Why sustainability is becoming a key competitive differentiator.
- The risk of investment diversion to regional competitors.
- The specific impact on high-demand, AI-focused data centres.
For investors, tech leaders, and policymakers, this is a key analysis of the risks and opportunities shaping the future of digital infrastructure in the region.
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With the US announcing 25% tariff on Malaysian goods, businesses are bracing for a potential economic slowdown. This "tariff tangle" has already prompted a downgrade in Malaysia's 2025 GDP growth forecast, creating significant uncertainty for exporters and policymakers alike. So what is the real impact, and what is the best strategy forward?
Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at AmBank Group, joins us to dissect the implications of these new trade barriers. He explains which sectors are most at risk, how Malaysia's competitiveness stacks up against regional rivals like Vietnam, and what our long-term trade strategy should be in an era of increasing geopolitical tension.
We discuss:
- The real impact of the 25% US tariff on Malaysia's economy.
- Which sectors are most at risk (and why semiconductors were spared the worst).
- How Malaysia's competitiveness compares to regional peers.
- The government's policy response and ongoing negotiation strategy.
- The long-term need to de-risk the economy from geopolitical influence.
For business leaders, exporters, and policymakers, this breaks down the challenges and strategies for navigating a volatile global trade environment.
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In an era of interconnected "poly-crises". from geopolitical tensions to cybersecurity threats and climate risks, how can organisations build true resilience? The answer may lie in redefining the role of a traditionally overlooked function: internal audit.
Derek Lee, Vice President of The Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia, joins us to explain why the role must evolve from a reactive "policeman" focused on past compliance to a proactive, forward-looking strategic advisor.
He discusses Malaysia's significant corporate resilience gaps and how internal audit is becoming crucial for navigating modern challenges like ESG compliance and cyber threats.
We discuss:
- The shift from a "policeman mindset" to a "trusted business partner."
- Why only 2% of Malaysian organizations are prepared for today's key risks.
- The growing challenge of ESG compliance and Scope 3 emissions reporting.
- How AI is enabling auditors to focus on high-value strategic advisory work.
- The "three lines model" for organizational risk and accountability.
For board members, C-suite executives, and risk professionals, this explores how to leverage internal audit as a strategic asset to navigate uncertainty and build a resilient organization.
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Mergers and acquisitions often grab headlines with promises of synergy and growth. But the reality is that many M&A deals fail, not only failing to create value but actively destroying it. So what separates a successful corporate marriage from a costly divorce?
Ng Zhu Hann, CEO of Tradeview Capital, joins us to dissect the art and perils of M&A. He pulls back the curtain on the real motivations behind deals, the critical importance of cultural alignment over simple business synergy, and the common pitfalls that lead to value destruction.
We discuss:
- The real motivations for M&A, from strategic growth to short-term KPI chasing.
- Why most deals fail due to poor integration, overpaying, and value misalignment.
- Strategies for minimizing risk, including staying within your "circle of competency."
- The challenge of valuing companies in a disruptive tech landscape.
- Key red flags that investors should watch for in any M&A announcement.
For CEOs, business leaders, and investors, this is a masterclass in the strategic thinking required to navigate the high-stakes world of corporate M&A.
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Malaysia is shifting gears in its electric vehicle journey. Cities like Petaling Jaya are racing ahead with plans to install 1,000 EV chargers by 2030, with the first 100 already in place.
But not everyone is cheering. In Taman Tun Dr Ismail, residents have raised concerns that newly installed chargers are eating into precious public parking space, highlighting a tension many urban areas face: how do you balance the needs of today’s communities with the demands of a cleaner, greener tomorrow?
We speak with Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, Founder of My Mobility Vision, about why such pushbacks happen, what’s at stake for city councils and residents alike, and how Malaysia can roll out EV infrastructure that works for both progress and people.
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Southeast Asia has become ground zero for the digital nomad movement, with hotspots like Bali and Bangkok leading the way. But is Malaysia keeping up? From the rollout of digital nomad visas to a growing network of co-working spaces, the pieces are starting to fall into place. Still, questions remain about whether the country is ready to compete with its neighbours, and what role local startups might play in shaping a remote-first future. Gary Bowerman, Co-Founder at High-Yield Tourism, joins the conversation.
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Central banks globally are tasked with maintaining price stability, typically by managing interest rates. But what if this entire approach is fundamentally flawed and the source of the very economic instability it's meant to prevent?
Economist Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, joins us to make the case for a radical rethink of modern monetary policy. He argues that by interfering with market forces, central banks create "monetary disorder," leading to distorted investments, asset bubbles, and unsustainable booms.
We discuss:
- Why monetary policy must look beyond just price stability.
- The definition of "monetary disorder" and how it manifests.
- The argument for abolishing central bank-directed interest rates.
- Why fiscal discipline is essential for any sound monetary policy.
- The case for moving from discretionary to rule-based frameworks.
For economists, policymakers, and anyone interested in the fundamental debates shaping our economy, this is a challenging and thought-provoking exploration of monetary reform.
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Urban revitalisation is sweeping across Malaysian cities, with PJ Old Town as a focal point. But can efforts to modernise historic areas uplift communities without displacing them? Urban planner Mustapha Kamal joins us to discuss the economic logic behind revitalisation, the risks of gentrification, and what it takes to create growth that’s both inclusive and sustainable.
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Stablecoins are being positioned as the critical bridge between traditional finance and the world of blockchain, with the potential to transform how businesses move money and raise capital. But as Malaysia explores this new frontier through regulatory sandboxes, what are stablecoins really, and what will it take to adopt them safely and effectively?
Tech lawyers Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi, Partners at Halim Hong & Quek, join us to demystify the world of stablecoins. They break down the different models (fiat-backed, asset-backed, and algorithmic), explain the current gaps in Malaysia's regulatory framework, and make the case for how to build public trust in digital currency.
We discuss:
- The different stablecoin models and which one suits Malaysia best.
- The role of regulatory sandboxes in fostering innovation safely.
- The current "black hole" in regulations for issuing stablecoins.
- How to build trust through clear legal frameworks and reserve backing.
- The potential impact of stablecoins on business and cross-border trade.
For business leaders, policymakers, and investors looking to understand the future of digital assets in Malaysia, this is an essential legal and strategic guide.
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Southeast Asia's e-commerce landscape is entering a new era. The 'land grab' phase of rapid growth is over, replaced by "E-commerce 3.0", a new game focused on profitability, sustainability, and platform dominance, where giants like Shopee, TikTok Shop, and Lazada now control 84% of the market.
Jianggan Li, CEO of Momentum Works, joins us to unpack the key findings from their latest "E-commerce in Southeast Asia 3.0" report. He dissects the major trends reshaping the industry, from the explosion of live commerce to the massive potential of AI to unlock over $130 billion in additional value by 2030.
We discuss:
- The strategic shift from a "land grab" to a "margin game."
- How live and video commerce now drive 20% of all e-commerce sales.
- The rise of Chinese brands and what it means for local players.
- The role of AI in improving efficiency and personalizing a buyer's journey.
- The POP leadership framework for navigating this new, complex landscape.
For e-commerce leaders, brands, sellers, and investors, this is an essential guide to the trends, challenges, and opportunities shaping the future of digital commerce in Southeast Asia.
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Nearly half of Malaysian businesses are optimistic about growth in 2025, yet most are not planning to significantly increase their headcount. This "do more with less" approach is redefining workforce strategy, forcing leaders to focus on productivity, technology, and retaining top-tier talent in a challenging economic climate.
Rahul Chawla, Head of Talent Solutions for Southeast Asia at Aon, joins us to break down the findings from their latest pulse survey. He discusses why cautious optimism prevails, how to build a resilient workforce, and the sophisticated reward strategies needed to attract and retain the "super talent" that drives growth.
We discuss:
- The paradox of positive business outlook vs. slow headcount growth.
- How to develop a strategic "compensation philosophy" for your business.
- Strategies for retaining "super talent" in critical tech and sales roles.
- Why measuring productivity goes beyond just financial metrics.
- The importance of "knowing your workforce" (KYW) to prepare for the future.
For HR leaders and C-suite executives navigating the complexities of talent management, this episode is a data-driven guide to building a resilient and productive workforce.
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The common narrative is that AI, like the internet before it, will ultimately create more jobs than it destroys. But what if that comparison is a dangerous delusion? Our guest today argues that AI is a fundamentally different force, a productivity tool designed to replace jobs on an unprecedented scale, and the impact is already here.
Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah, co-founder of ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator, joins us to deliver a stark warning about the future of work. He explains why he believes white-collar, digital, and especially junior-level roles are at immediate risk, and why our education system is failing to prepare the next generation for this new reality.
We discuss:
- Why AI is a job replacement tool, not job creation infrastructure.
- The evidence of mass job displacement already happening in tech and finance.
- Why junior-level and entry-level roles are the most vulnerable.
- How our education system must fundamentally change to adapt.
- The case for Universal Basic Income (UBI) as a necessary societal solution.
For business leaders, educators, and policy markers trying to understand the profound shifts ahead, this is an urgent and essential conversation about preparing for an AI-driven future.
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Building and scaling a responsible e-commerce platform in an environment that’s moving fast and not always clean isn’t always an easy feat. Nur Azre Abdul Aziz, Director of Strategic Partnerships at TikTok Shop Malaysia joins us to explore some of the real challenges the platform is grappling with, the hard lessons, the trade-offs and the growing pains of not only shoppers, but also millions of sellers and creators.
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The recent debate over stamp duty on employment contracts has left many Malaysian businesses confused and concerned. Following a major policy clarification from the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN) on June 6th, what do companies really need to do to ensure compliance, and what comes next as we head towards a full self-assessment regime in 2026?
This conversation brings the regulator and an industry advisor to the table for more clarity. Shafudin bin Yacob from LHDN and Soh Lian Seng from KPMG in Malaysia join us to break down the new rules, remaining gray areas, and how businesses can prepare for the future of stamp duty.
We discuss:
- LHDN's new three-tiered policy on employment contracts explained.
- How to prepare for the Stamp Duty Self-Assessment System (SAS).
- The stamp duty implications for intercompany service agreements.
- Why businesses need to conduct a "health check" on past documents.
- The remaining gray areas that still require clarification from authorities.
For business owners, HR managers, and finance professionals, this is an essential guide to navigating the evolving landscape of stamp duty in Malaysia.
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A recent warning from the Companies Commission of Malaysia (SSM) has put company secretaries on high alert. With increased enforcement for non-compliance, the risk of hefty fines and even disqualification is now a serious reality for this often-misunderstood profession. But what does this mean for business owners and directors?
This news prompts a crucial conversation that goes far beyond paperwork. Joined by lawyer Sheba Gumis from Skrine and Chartered Accountants SS Gan of SS Gan & Co, we explore the true role of the company secretary as a key governance advisor, a steward for the board, and a vital officer of the company.
We discuss:
- The risks company secretaries face from SSM's enforcement.
- What "reasonable diligence" means in practice and how to prove it.
- Why the CoSecs are gatekeepers of governance, not just a filers.
- How directors can better leverage their CoSec as a strategic advisor.
- Red flags to watch for in both directors and CoSec services.
For business owners, directors, and company secretaries navigating this heightened regulatory environment, this conversation is an essential guide to compliance, risk, and corporate governance.
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Malaysia's EPF system, designed for a different era, is proving insufficient for a future of longer lifespans and flexible work. As millions face retirement insecurity, the conversation must shift from merely fixing the old model to building a new one. But what should that new social safety net look like?
Economist Dr. Geoffrey Williams joins us to make the case for a radical solution: a universal, non-contributory, basic pension. He dismantles the "work longer, save more" myth and lays out a position for how Malaysia can afford a more inclusive and resilient retirement system for all its citizens.
We discuss:
- Why the current retirement models are inadequate in today's environment.
- The long-term economic consequences of a retirement savings crisis.
- The blueprint for a non-contributory universal basic pension in Malaysia.
- How it could be funded by subsidy rationalisation or a Malaysian "super fund."
- The long-term economic case for a universal pension versus the status quo.
- Debunking the "work longer" myth as a viable solution to the crisis.
For policymakers, economists, and anyone seeking a bold, workable solution to Malaysia's retirement crisis, this lays out the essential argument for fundamental change.
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When tech giants dangle massive signing bonuses worth hundreds of millions, it’s more than just competition — it’s a global war for talent. And if you're a Malaysian startup, scale-up, or mid-sized tech company, how do you even begin to compete?
We dive into the legal and ethical battleground of talent poaching with Ong Johnson and Winn Wong of Halim Hong & Quek. We unpack what businesses can do right now to safeguard their talent from being swept away by global players and whether non-competes are enforceable in Malaysia.
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As Malaysia rapidly transforms into an aging nation, what is often viewed as a challenge is emerging as one of the country's biggest economic opportunities: the silver economy. At its heart is AgeTech, technology designed to support the health, independence, and well-being of a growing senior population, with spending power.
Alea Nasihin and Sabreena Zahri from the Institute for Capital Market Research (ICMR) join us to unpack their new report on building this ecosystem. They discuss how technology can bridge critical gaps in healthcare, the diverse funding models needed to fuel innovation, and the crucial role of policy in turning this demographic shift into a national advantage.
We discuss:
- Why the silver economy is a massive opportunity for Malaysia.
- The role of AgeTech in bridging gaps in healthcare and aged care.
- The "funding escalator": from venture capital to social impact investing.
- Why government support and regulatory reform are crucial catalysts.
- Key lessons from global AgeTech hubs like Japan and Sweden.
For investors, tech founders, and policymakers, this conversation maps out the future of aging in Malaysia and makes the investment case for building a thriving AgeTech ecosystem.
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Jetstar Asia is shutting down after 20 years, but is this just about one airline, or a warning sign for the entire low-cost model in Southeast Asia?
The Singapore-based carrier, part of the Qantas Group, cited rising costs at Changi Airport and post-pandemic pressures. But the deeper story may be what this means for the future of budget flying. While passengers have grown used to cheap tickets and frequent sales, the economics behind low-cost carriers are often anything but straightforward.
Joining us is Shantanu Gangakhedkar, Senior Aviation Consultant at Frost & Sullivan, to help us understand what’s really going on and what it means for the business of air travel across the region.
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Asia's energy transition presents a unique challenge: how to power growing economies while decarbonising? The investment required is staggering, an estimated $90 trillion for the APAC region by 2050. This means navigating the immense "energy trilemma" of balancing sustainability with energy security and affordability.
Azam Mohammad, a Senior Partner at McKinsey who co-leads its regional energy practice, joins us to unpack this complex landscape. He discusses why Asia's path differs from the West's, the critical role natural gas will play as a "destination fuel," and the key strategic opportunities for Malaysia in areas like renewable energy, carbon capture, and nature-based solutions.
We discuss:
- The "energy trilemma" and what it means for Malaysia.
- Why natural gas is a long-term fuel, not just for transition.
- Malaysia’s key opportunities: solar, hydro, CCS, and carbon credits.
- The critical role of AI in making new energy projects viable.
- The immense capital challenge and how to finance the transition.
For policymakers, investors, and energy sector leaders, this conversation offers a high-level strategic overview on the energy transition and its opportunities.
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What if we could predict and prevent disease outbreaks before they happen? That's the promise of precision public health, a new approach where AI, big data, and digital tools are combining to make population-level healthcare smarter, faster, and more tailored. But as we embrace this data-driven future, how do we navigate the critical ethical questions of privacy, equity, and trust?
Dr. Clive Tan of the Precision Public Health Asia Society and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dhesi Baha Raja of Monash University Malaysia join us to explore this new frontier. They discuss how technology is moving public health from broad policies to targeted interventions, and what it means for everything from managing diabetes to containing dengue.
We discuss:
- How AI can predict disease outbreaks using non-health data.
- Integrating data from genomics and wearables for public health insights.
- The ethical challenges: data privacy, algorithmic bias, and health equity.
- Real-world examples of precision public health in Malaysia and Asia.
- What to expect at the Precision Public Health Asia 2025 conference.
For policymakers, healthcare professionals, and tech innovators, this conversation explores the next evolution in preventing disease and improving lives at scale.
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Your posts, comments, and even memes could be training the next generation of AI,and often without your knowledge or consent.
Now, a lawsuit between Reddit and AI company Anthropic has sparked global debate: who really owns the content we put online, and what rights do users have when platforms and AI developers use it?
While the case is playing out in the US, it raises important questions for Malaysians too, especially as our data laws, like the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), don’t yet cover publicly available content or AI training use.
Joining us is Dr Lau Cher Han, CEO of LEAD and member of Konsortium AI Negara (Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Consortium), to help us break down the legal, ethical, and policy tensions shaping the future of online data and AI.
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As US-China trade tensions reshape global supply chains, a quiet boom is happening in Malaysia’s industrial real estate market. Multinationals are increasingly looking beyond traditional hubs, seeking resilient, cost-efficient, and high-tech operational bases that are fit for the future. So, is this momentum sustainable or just temporary hype?
Keith Ooi, Group Managing Director of Knight Frank Malaysia, joins us to break down the forces driving this shift. He explains why Malaysia is emerging as a key beneficiary of the "China+N" strategy and details the growing demand for purpose-built industrial spaces that are ESG-compliant and automation-ready.
We discuss:
- How US-China decoupling is driving foreign direct investment (FDI) into Malaysia.
- The demand for "purpose-built" spaces with ESG and automation features.
- Why the current market is demand-driven, not speculative, mitigating oversupply risks.
- How policies like the New Industrial Master Plan 2030 are key catalysts.
- The spillover opportunities for local SMEs and the wider ecosystem.
For business leaders, investors, and developers looking to understand the forces reshaping Southeast Asia's industrial landscape, this interview provides a crucial deep-dive.
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From evolving stamp duty rules to revised timelines for e-Invoicing and a major expansion of the Sales and Service Tax (SST), Malaysian businesses are navigating a flood of critical compliance updates.
To cut through the complexity and potential confusion, Thenesh Kannaa, Executive Director at Tratax, discusses:
- Stamp duty enforcement changes and what it means for businesses
- The revised timeline and practical implications of e-Invoicing.
- New restrictions on consolidated e-invoicing and how to prepare.
- The expanded scope of the Sales and Service Tax (SST).
For business owners, C-suite leaders, and finance teams, this conversation offers some clarity needed to navigate Malaysia's evolving tax landscape.
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With World Food Safety Day showing how important it is to apply science and prevention to protect consumers, the question is — how safe is our food before it hits the shelves?
Suzanne Mooney, Founder of The Lost Food Project joins us to explore what food safety looks like in practice, the current gaps in the F&B industry and the risks that follow if we just treat food safety as a checkbox, rather than an imperative business culture.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Many gig workers want to grow, but without a boss, training, or a clear path, building a career can feel out of reach. So, how do you take charge on your own?
These days, more people are turning to gig work, whether it’s freelancing, ride-hailing, food delivery, or tutoring, to earn a living or enjoy more freedom than a regular 9-to-5. But while the flexibility is appealing, many find themselves stuck doing the same kinds of jobs, unsure how to move forward.
Eklavya Bhave, Head of Asia Pacific at Coursera, shares how gig workers can take control of their own development using microcredentials, online learning, and simple strategies to open doors to bigger opportunities.
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The OECD recently urged Malaysia to boost competitiveness, while neighbours race ahead with bold reforms and investor wins. So what’s holding us back and what needs to change?
Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, takes a hard look at Malaysia’s economic fundamentals, the limits of SME-driven growth, and what it will take to remain regionally relevant.
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IATA's latest financial outlook suggests an improved profitability for the airline industry over 2024 and resilience in the face of global economic and political shifts. But what does this mean for Malaysians who are travelling abroad or for travelers entering the country?
We explore that and dive deeper into the state of the travel industry amidst these industry shifts with Nigel Wong, President, The Malaysian Association of Tour & Travel Agents (MATTA).
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Too many businesses still treat accessibility as a checkbox. But they may be overlooking a growing market and a chance to build smarter solutions for everyone.
On the first-ever World Day for Assistive Technology, we explore how inclusive design can move from the margins to the mainstream, shaping better tech, products, and services for all.
Joining us is Stevens Chan, Founder and CEO of Dialogue Includes All, a social enterprise shaped by his own experience of losing his sight. Today, he’s a steadfast advocate for accessibility, not as charity, but as a right and a business advantage.
We discuss what assistive tech really means, why inclusive design still struggles to take root in Malaysia, and how businesses can move from designing for people with disabilities to designing with them at the table.
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We’re exploring the decline in consumer confidence and global reputation of the United States. This is based on Ipsos’s Consumer Confidence and Impact on U.S. Reputation survey that highlights for the first time, more people are claiming China to have more of a positive influence than the United States at this current point. With that in mind, there's still an optimistic feeling among Malaysians about the state of the economy but what’s driving this optimism amidst this geopolitical uncertainty and how will it impact Malaysia in the long run? We’ll explore that and break down the factors affecting consumer confidence with Ganesan Periakarruppan, Principal at Ipsos Strategy3 Malaysia.
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Malaysia now tops Southeast Asia for grocery spending — even ahead of Singapore. In 2023, Malaysians shelled out nearly USD 2,000 (over RM8,000) per person on food, according to the USDA. The numbers may not be inflation-adjusted, but the pain at the checkout counter is very real.
We speak with economist and policy analyst Professor Geoffrey Williams to break down why food is becoming so expensive in a country famous for its affordable, diverse cuisine.
We dig into the structural inefficiencies driving up prices — from currency depreciation and overreliance on imports to outdated policies and underdeveloped local production.
Is this just the new normal? Or are there levers we can pull to bring costs down? It’s a hard look at Malaysia’s food economy and what’s at stake if we continue on this path.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Today’s supply chains face constant disruption and rising customer demands. How can businesses not just survive, but thrive? Agentic AI is gaining significant traction in supply chain management, as its capability to make autonomous decisions offers a crucial competitive edge and foresight amidst ongoing global volatility. The big question is: Is it the silver bullet we’ve been looking for?
On Enterprise Explores, we’re joined by Dickson Woo, Country General Manager and Technology Leader at IBM Malaysia, to unpack how this autonomous AI goes beyond mere optimisation to reinvent workflows, prevent disruptions, and build unprecedented resilience into the supply chain.
Co-Produced by: Wei San Lee
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How long does it take for Malaysian businesses to pay their bills and what does that say about our economy?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Dawn Lai, CEO of Experian Information Services Malaysia unpacks the findings from Experian’s 2025 State of Credit Report. The report introduces the Industry Debts Turned Cash (IDTC) metric to assess real-world payment behavior across seven core sectors, including construction, manufacturing, retail, and transport.
While average payment delays have slightly improved overall, from 64 to 61 days, the SME segment still lags behind large corporates, reflecting deeper structural issues like cash flow constraints, limited credit access, and digital adoption gaps.
We dive into sector-specific insights (why construction improved, but logistics worsened), the role of e-invoicing in promoting transparency, and the rise of tools like invoice factoring. Dawn also shares how businesses can strengthen internal controls and manage working capital in uncertain times.
Whether you're running an SME or managing corporate credit, this episode offers critical insights into Malaysia’s business health, measured not by sales, but by cash flow timing.
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Banks are more than just vaults for savings or gateways to loans, they’re the lifeblood of a modern economy. But how do we measure their efficiency? What role do monetary policies play in shaping performance? And how should Malaysia’s banks evolve to stay competitive, especially with the rise of digital banks and fintech?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Dr. Chan Sok Gee, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, to unpack the economics of banking and what it means for Malaysia’s financial future. We explore:
- The true economic functions of banks beyond deposits and loans
- How OPR changes influence bank profitability and lending
- Why banking efficiency matters and how it’s measured
- Malaysia’s post-Asian Financial Crisis reforms and strengths
- The risks of rising NPLs and poor internal governance
- How digital banks could improve financial inclusion and SME access
- The disruptive potential of AI, blockchain, and behavioral data
Whether you’re in finance, tech, or business leadership, this episode will help you better understand the shifts reshaping our banking landscape.
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As Malaysia’s e-invoicing mandate rolls out in phases, many SMEs find themselves confused, concerned, and caught between compliance and opportunity. But e-invoicing isn’t just about ticking regulatory boxes, it’s about streamlining operations, enabling faster payments, and unlocking real-time data for smarter decisions.
In this episode, Koren Wines, Managing Director of Xero Asia, explains how businesses can shift from fear to action, why outsourcing to advisors matters, and what support systems are still missing. Drawing on global experience, she shares how e-invoicing can empower SMEs to cut admin costs, improve cash flow, and grow with confidence in an increasingly digital world.
We also discuss:
- What e-invoicing actually means (beyond PDFs)
- Common misconceptions and mental hurdles slowing adoption
- How data security fears can be addressed with cloud solutions
- What smaller vs larger SMEs need to scale digital adoption
- The long-term upside: faster payments, better insights, less stress
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Fintech is booming in Malaysia — so why launch a Hub now? In this episode, we speak with Farhan Ahmad, Group Chief Executive Officer at PayNet to unpack the thinking behind Malaysia’s new Fintech Innovation Hub, built on two key pillars: Community and Catalyst. Why these? Why now? And more importantly — will it work?
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AI is racing ahead, but many financial services firms are struggling to keep up, while facing concerns around data breaches, legal issues, and trust concerns.. Deloitte’s AI at a Crossroads report found that 57% of firms reported a rise in AI-related incidents in just the past year, yet only 13% are considered truly “ready” for trustworthy AI governance.
So how do we build confidence in AI without slowing down? In this conversation, we speak with Dr Justin Ong, Financial Services Industry Leader at Deloitte Malaysia, about what good governance looks like, why trust matters more than ever, and how to prepare before things go wrong.
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What do job seekers in Malaysia really want in 2025? It turns out, it’s not just about salary anymore. While pay still matters, many are prioritising things like growth, flexibility, and a workplace that actually respects their time. And what they won’t put up with? Vague job roles, slow hiring, and toxic cultures.
In this conversation, Derek Toh, Founder and CEO of Hiredly Group, discusses the hard truths behind what’s driving people to accept (or reject) job offers today. He shares fresh insights from Hiredly’s latest Work Culture Report, what younger generations expect from employers, and why old-school hiring habits could be holding businesses back.
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As global trade becomes more fragmented, the Global South is stepping into a more prominent role. But with rising geopolitical tensions, how can Southeast Asian nations chart their own course, without falling into the crossfire between the US and China?
Aparna Bharadwaj, Global Leader of BCG’s Global Advantage Practice, joins us to unpack the growing influence of the Global South, ASEAN’s unique position, and what business leaders need to do to navigate the new trade order.
We discuss:
- ASEAN’s balancing act between China and the US
- The end of WTO-led globalisation, and what replaces it
- How to build “geopolitical muscle” for resilience and agility
- How to tap into South-South trade as it outpaces global trade
- The evolving strengths of the Global South: capital, culture & innovation
- What policymakers can do to make growth more inclusive and sustainable
Whether you’re an investor, policymaker, or business leader, this conversation offers a practical roadmap for operating, and thriving, in an increasingly multipolar world.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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What happens when small businesses get the right digital skills at the right time? For over 11,000 MSMEs in Malaysia, the answer is clear with nearly 80% saying their income has gone up after joining the Go Digital ASEAN programme.
Backed by Google.org and implemented by The Asia Foundation, Go Digital ASEAN helps micro and small businesses across the region pick up practical digital skills, from using social media and e-commerce to setting up online payments and staying safe online. In this episode, we discuss what’s really helping these businesses grow, and why digital adoption isn’t just about tools but about access, mindset, and ongoing support.
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Scammers are getting smarter, and they are now pretending to be trusted employers or job platforms like Jobstreet. With convincing messages, fake job offers, and even forged identities, these impersonation scams are putting jobseekers at serious risk while also damaging the credibility of real employers.
In this episode, we speak with Nicholas Lam, Managing Director of Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia, to understand how these scams are happening, why they are becoming more common, and what steps both jobseekers and companies can take to avoid getting caught up in them.
This conversation also draws from Jobstreet’s latest report, Top Job Scams to Watch for in 2025, which highlights growing threats like crypto task fraud, money mule schemes, and fake listings used for identity theft. It’s a timely and eye-opening conversation about trust, responsibility, and how to protect yourself, whether you’re looking for your next job or trying to fill one.
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Blockchain is moving beyond Bitcoin. From tokenizing real-world assets to powering digital identities, it’s reshaping cities, wealth, and business. Nirbhay Handa, CEO of Multipolitan, breaks down key trends from their latest report, crypto-friendly cities, and the risks and opportunities of going on-chain.
Nirbhay gets into:
- Why blockchain adoption is accelerating beyond Bitcoin and speculation.
- What makes a true crypto-friendly city, beyond tax perks.
- How tokenization could unlock trillions in real-world asset value.
- How Millennials & Gen Z are driving values-based digital investing.
- Key risks of going on-chain, from cybersecurity to regulatory gaps.
Whether you’re a business leader, investor, or policymaker, this conversation offers practical insights into the evolving onchain economy and how to navigate its opportunities and pitfalls.
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Warren Buffett’s planned exit from Berkshire Hathaway sent ripples through the investment world—despite years of preparation. But what does this transition mean for markets, and more importantly, why do nearly half of successor CEOs underperform their predecessors? Does Malaysian corporate culture help—or hinder—smooth transitions? And once a leader steps down, how should their legacy be managed?
In this episode, we unpack the complexities of CEO succession, especially in founder-led or family-run companies that dominate Malaysia’s corporate landscape. From the risks of delaying leadership handovers to the challenges of replacing a long-standing figure at the top, we explore what it truly takes to future-proof a company through a leadership change.
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Online shopping keeps growing. People are spending more on experiences than things. So why are we still seeing new mega malls being built, sometimes just minutes apart?
Is there really demand, or is something else driving these developments? And what does it mean for retailers trying to manage rising rents and stay profitable?
Today, we speak with Amy Wong, Executive Director of Research & Consultancy at Knight Frank Malaysia, about what’s behind these large-scale retail projects, how they affect business decisions on the ground, and what they signal about the future of retail and real estate in Malaysia.
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When done right, cross-industry collaborations don’t just create buzz — they build brand equity, deepen loyalty, and drive real business impact. In Malaysia, we’ve seen brands from different sectors team up in unexpected ways, from turning everyday products into collectibles to blending lifestyle and sustainability for memorable experiences. These collaborations spark conversations, attract new audiences, and open doors to growth that may not be possible alone. So how can brands move beyond gimmicks to form meaningful partnerships? How do they expand reach, build loyalty, and unlock new opportunities? We discuss what makes a partnership work, how to balance authenticity with creativity, and the trends shaping the future of brand collaborations.
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In today’s episode, we explore the complex world of software licensing agreements as software becomes increasingly customised, embedded in business operations, and central to digital strategy. But with greater reliance comes greater risk: poor licensing terms can lead to compliance failures, operational friction, or even costly IP disputes.
We speak with Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi, Partners and leaders of the Technology Practice Group at Halim Hong & Quek. Together, we unpack key elements to consider when negotiating software license agreements — including user requirements, testing protocols, compliance responsibilities, and source code escrow.
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If you’ve ever thought about becoming your own boss without building a business from scratch, franchising might have crossed your mind. It’s often seen as a dependable path for entrepreneurs at any stage — from fresh grads to mid-career professionals and retirees — offering structure, support, and instant brand recognition. But where is Malaysia’s franchise industry heading? From fresh government support to growing regional interest, there’s a renewed push to position Malaysia as a key franchise hub. In this episode, we explore the latest trends, real business opportunities, and what’s in store at the upcoming ASEAN Franchise Convention and Franchise International Malaysia Exhibition.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Mobile gaming is on track to become a $270 billion industry by 2032, but it’s not just the games themselves evolving. A global shift is underway as publishers look to break free from the traditional app store model, spurred by regulations like the EU’s Digital Markets Act and similar moves in Japan, Korea, and Indonesia.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Shane Happach, CEO of Coda, a Singapore-based payment aggregator helping publishers and digital goods providers take control of their monetisation strategies. We explore how the rise of out-of-app payments could transform the customer experience, open up new markets, and reshape how digital content is sold, from mobile games to streaming platforms and dating apps.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Palm oil has long been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economy, but evolving global regulations, shifting consumer perceptions, and sustainability expectations are reshaping the landscape. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Belvinder Sron, CEO of the Malaysian Palm Oil Council, about how Malaysia is navigating these challenges.
We discuss the impact of the EU Deforestation Regulation, misconceptions surrounding palm oil, and Malaysia’s push for stronger traceability and MSPO certification. We also explore emerging opportunities, from new export markets in Africa and Central Asia to innovations like sustainable aviation fuel and functional foods. Belvinder shares how smallholders remain central to the industry’s future, and what it will take for Malaysia to maintain its position as a low-risk, high-quality global supplier.
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Pitching in Malaysia’s creative industry often feels like a leap of faith. Ideas are shared in good faith, but sometimes end up being reused without credit or consent.
This conversation looks at why idea theft happens, what legal protections actually exist, and how creatives can safeguard their work in a system that does not always protect them.
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What happens when brands mishandle nostalgia, misalign messaging, and fail to control spokesperson narratives? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack three critical branding lessons from Disney’s troubled Snow White remake.
Skribble’s Teng Chan Leong and Dana Lai join us to explore how unclear positioning, mixed creative direction, and poor audience management can derail even the most iconic IP. We dive into why it’s critical to protect nostalgic IPs with care, align spokespeople with core brand messaging, and maintain clarity of creative direction to avoid audience confusion and backlash.
Drawing insights from Disney’s missteps, and contrasting them with success stories like Pokémon and Minecraft, this conversation offers practical advice for businesses navigating brand evolution, nostalgia marketing, and reputation management in today’s fast-changing media landscape.
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Can AI really help teachers teach better, or are we just adding more pressure to an already overloaded system?
Malaysia is planning to retrain over 100,000 teachers using AI-powered tools, with hopes of modernising classrooms across the country. But questions remain — are schools ready? Will this help or hurt teacher morale? And are we solving the right problems?
In this episode, we speak with Chan Soon Seng, CEO of Teach For Malaysia, about what meaningful support for teachers should actually look like, and whether this ambitious plan is a real step forward, or a tech fix that misses the point.
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In a world chasing innovation, why are brands looking backwards to move forward?
We sit down with Lina Esa, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Cult Creative, to unpack the booming business of nostalgia. From global revivals like Care Bears to local throwbacks that tap into Malaysian childhoods, we explore how memory is being turned into marketing and sentiment into sales.
What does it take to pull off a successful reboot? Why does nostalgia hit harder during times of uncertainty? And how do brands walk the line between sentimental and stale?
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Bookstores keep disappearing, but our love for books hasn’t gone anywhere. If people still read, why do these spaces keep shutting their doors? And why are some independent bookstores still standing strong while others vanish?
In this episode, we look beyond the headlines and nostalgia to find out what’s really keeping bookshops alive. Is it just the books? Or is it the careful curation, the sense of community, the slower pace in a fast-scrolling world? From thoughtful shelf selections to book cafés, merchandise, and cultural events, maybe the bookstore is no longer just a place to shop, but a place to belong.
Joining us are Fong Min Hun, owner of Lit Books, and Jason Chen, Executive Director of CzipLee. Together, we discuss what it really takes to keep a bookstore going, what margins look like behind the scenes, and what we all stand to lose if these spaces disappear for good.
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In the race for top talent, especially in high-demand sectors like AI and tech, some companies are now paying employees not to work, just to stop them from joining competitors. Is this smart business, an ethical grey zone, or a sign the talent war has gone too far?
We explore how golden handcuffs — lucrative or restrictive retention strategies — are changing how companies protect talent in Malaysia with Selvamalar Alagaratnam, Partner & Head of the Employment Practice Group at Skrine. We discuss what’s legal, what’s fair, and how should both employers and employees respond?
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In its 24th year, the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Malaysia programme is once again spotlighting the country’s most visionary and resilient entrepreneurs. This year’s theme, “The Shapers,” celebrates entrepreneurs who are navigating uncertainty and actively shaping the future of business in Malaysia.
On this episode of Enterprise Explores, Philip Rao, Programme Director of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Malaysia and Partner at EY Consulting, gets into what makes a great nominee, the evolving profile of Malaysian entrepreneurs, and the impact of being recognised on a global platform like Monaco.
We break down the nomination process, key judging criteria, and how past winners have benefited, whether through business credibility, international exposure, or stronger networks. Plus, we explore the critical role entrepreneurs play in driving innovation, long-term value, and economic resilience in challenging times.
If you know a business leader who exemplifies the “never say die” spirit, now’s the time to shine a spotlight on them.
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With World Intellectual Property Day around the corner, Enterprise Explores why IP protection is no longer just a legal checkbox, it’s a business essential in today’s digital-first economy.
Joining us are two advocates from the Bar Council’s IP Committee, who shed light on the real-world risks faced by Malaysian creators, startups, and entrepreneurs, and why safeguarding your ideas might be the smartest move you make this year.
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In this episode, Enterprise explores how businesses can rejuvenate a toxic workplace. This is based on the 2025 Workmonitor research done by Randstad - the world's largest talent agency, which reveals 59% of talent resigned to leave toxic workplaces. To learn more about the impact of a toxic workplace towards a business, we speak with Fahad Naeem, Country Director at Randstad Malaysia and Dr Siti Khadijah Zainal Badri, Associate Professor of Applied Psychology and Wellbeing, Institute of Work, Organisation & Wellbeing, University of Nottingham Malaysia.
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Is equity crowdfunding (ECF) really a viable option for serious investors, or is it a playground for “dumb money” and bloated valuations? On Enterprise Explores, we unpack the data, dispel myths, and debate the future of this funding model with Bikesh Lakhmichand of 1337 Capital and Kashminder Singh of pitchIN.
Drawing on the latest data from the Securities Commission of Malaysia, we explore the decline in fundraising, shifting investor trends, and growing concerns around deal quality, valuations, and exits.
Kashminder and Bikesh discuss the shift toward larger campaigns and dividend-paying companies, the rise in retail investor participation, and address the perception of “low quality deals” in ECF. They also tackle hot-button issues like inflated valuations, limited exit pathways, and the evolving role of angel and institutional investors; alongside insights into due diligence standards, secondary markets, and proposed improvements for the industry.
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On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we reflect on 50 years of Microsoft, one of the most influential tech companies in history. From the rise of personal computing to the cloud and AI revolution, Microsoft’s impact has been felt across industries, economies, and daily life.
Joining us is Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau.com, to unpack how Microsoft helped shape the digital era, the legacy of its iconic products, and what the next 50 years could look like as the company continues to push into AI, enterprise solutions, and global sustainability efforts.
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Raising capital is a major milestone for any startup, but buried in the fine print of a term sheet could be clauses that haunt you for years. From clawbacks to poison pills, the wrong terms can quietly seal your startup’s pending death.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with two ecosystem players who’ve seen both sides of the table: Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Chair of the Soonicorn Collective and Senior Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia, and Fong Wai Hong, Co-Founder and Chieftain of StoreHub.
They break down the most dangerous clauses founders overlook, the rise of “PE-style” terms disguised as VC deals, and how choosing the wrong investor can kill future fundraising.
You’ll hear hard-earned advice on negotiating term sheets, spotting red flags, and why chasing inflated valuations could cost you more than equity.
Whether you’re fundraising now or preparing for the future, this is essential listening for any founder serious about long-term survival.
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In this episode, we explore the evolving landscape of corporate trust in Malaysia, based on findings from the latest Ipsos Trust Track report. Covering over 160 brands across 19 industries, the latest edition of the report reveals a sharp decline in public trust, dropping to 49 from a steady 56 maintained between 2021 and 2023.
Joining us to unpack the key trends behind this shift, discuss which industries saw the steepest drops, and what these changes signal for corporate reputation heading into 2025 is Wan Nuradiah Wan Mohd Rani, Country Lead at Ipsos Public Affairs Malaysia.
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Southeast Asia’s food delivery sector is heating up once again. In 2024, the market grew 13% year-on-year to hit US$19.3 billion, outpacing the broader F&B industry. But the battle is far from over.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Weihan Chen, Head of Insights at Momentum Works, to unpack the biggest takeaways from their fifth annual food delivery report. They discuss why Vietnam and Indonesia led the surge, how ShopeeFood overtook Gojek to become the third-largest player, and why platforms are shifting their focus from premium users to mass-market consumers and tourists.
Weihan also breaks down the emerging threat posed by TikTok’s foray into local services, what a potential Grab-Gojek merger could mean, and how segmentation, efficiency, and vouchers are reshaping platform strategy. Plus, a deep dive into Malaysia’s unique dynamics, including why its per capita spend on food delivery outpaces Indonesia and Thailand.
If you’re in F&B, e-commerce, logistics, or tech—this episode is packed with actionable insights on the future of digital consumption in Southeast Asia.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Is there a deliberate strategy behind the Trump administration’s flawed tariff math — or is it just chaos cloaked in policy? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack the ripple effects of President Donald Trump’s so-called “reciprocal tariffs,” including a 47% tariff on Malaysian goods.
Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, joins us to break down the flawed logic behind the U.S. calculations, the broader risks of a global trade war, and what Malaysian businesses and policymakers should do in response.
We explore the historical cycle of protectionism, how tariffs shrink markets and hurt jobs, and why Malaysia must double down on trade diversification, services liberalisation, and business consolidation to remain competitive.
Dr. Carmelo also explains why Southeast Asia may become collateral in the U.S.–China rivalry and how this new multipolar era could reshape global trade for decades to come.
Whether you’re a policymaker, exporter, or business leader — this is essential listening.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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From Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) schemes to equipment leasing, Malaysia’s booming non-bank credit ecosystem is on the verge of a regulatory overhaul. Enter the Consumer Credit Bill 2025 — a key piece of legislation designed to improve consumer protection, clamp down on unlicensed operators, and bring order to an increasingly fragmented sector.
But is the bill striking the right balance? Or could it end up stifling innovation and pushing smaller fintech players out of the market?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Lo Khai Yi and Ong Johnson, partners at Halim Hong & Quek, to unpack what the bill means for businesses and consumers. They explore everything from the rise of the Consumer Credit Commission (CCC) to the legal and operational challenges the bill introduces, including licensing hurdles, overlapping regulations, hefty penalties, and the murky future for fintech-driven credit products.
We also discuss whether the bill risks regulatory overreach and how Malaysia can regulate responsibly without sacrificing growth and innovation in the credit space.
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Malaysia is setting its sights on an ambitious goal of 31.4 million international tourist arrivals in 2025 and MATTA thinks pickleball might help get us there. With global interest in the sport exploding, MATTA is launching the Malaysia Pickleball Grand Slam 2025, a tourism initiative expected to attract over 1,000 players and 3,000 visitors to Sarawak.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Nigel Wong, President of MATTA, and Oscar Choo, Chairman of MATTA’s Sarawak Chapter, to understand why MATTA is backing this emerging sport as a strategic growth driver. They discuss how pickleball can be a catalyst for tourism dollars, the economic impact of niche sporting events, and Sarawak’s role in Malaysia’s broader tourism strategy.
The conversation also touches on Malaysia’s post-pandemic tourism recovery, shifting traveller trends, and how MATTA is integrating sports tourism into its long-term priorities. Can lifestyle sports like pickleball serve up more than just fun and help boost Malaysia’s tourism economy?
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As AI advances at breakneck speed, the spotlight is often on innovation, automation, and productivity. But behind the buzz lies a growing risk, one that could have existential consequences.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Chan Tzu Kit, an AI Risks and Safety Advisor who has worked with leading university groups at Stanford, Yale, and NTU, as well as Malaysia’s own National AI Office. Together, we unpack the less-discussed but critical domain of AI safety, frontier models, and AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).
Tzu Kit explains why he believes we are building the world’s most powerful jet engine, without seatbelts. From deepfake scams to potential loss of control over superintelligent systems, we discuss the real-world risks, global power dynamics, and Malaysia’s urgent need to take AI safety seriously.
We also explore the ratio of capabilities to safety researchers, the gaps in global governance, and why countries like Malaysia must prepare now, or risk being left behind in the AI arms race.
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AI is only as smart as the data it learns from, and in Asia, where adoption is growing fast, that’s becoming a serious issue for businesses.
From scattered data and outdated backups to AI models giving the wrong answers, many companies are starting to realise their systems aren't built to support the tools they’re investing in.
So how do you fix what’s under the hood before problems get bigger… and costlier?
In this episode, we speak with Matthew Hardman, Chief Technology Officer for Asia Pacific at Hitachi Vantara, about why building smarter, stronger data systems is key to making AI actually work in the real world.
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When hackers targeted Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in a brazen cyberattack, demanding a US$10 million ransom, it wasn’t just a wake-up call for Malaysia’s aviation sector — it was a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities lurking in our critical infrastructure. As the government takes a firm stance against paying ransoms and calls for bolstering local cybersecurity capabilities, we speak to Adjunct Professor Murugason R. Thangaratnam, Co-Founder and CEO of Novem CS, to unpack what went wrong, how to prevent future breaches, and what this means for the nation’s digital security landscape.
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As the global workforce decentralizes, countries are racing to position themselves as talent magnets. Malaysia is joining the competition, offering digital nomad visas, competitive costs, and a high quality of life. But beyond the headlines and visa schemes, there’s a deeper question: Are we attracting high-impact individuals who will drive innovation, or are we just becoming a stopover for remote workers priced out of other markets?
In this episode, we speak with Thomas Mathew, Group CEO of TalentCorp, to dive into Malaysia’s evolving talent strategy. We explore whether the ecosystem is truly ready to support foreign professionals, how Malaysia stacks up against regional competitors, and the challenges of balancing the attraction, retention, and repatriation of skilled workers — both local and foreign.
Join us for an insightful conversation on how Malaysia can build a sustainable, long-term talent hub that benefits both Malaysians and global professionals alike.
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Nearly 98% of the population in Malaysia are online, and over 25 million use social media — big numbers that reveal how deeply digital habits are shaping daily life in 2025.
From how we search, shop, and spend, to the growing influence of AI and mobile-first behaviour, the Meltwater 2025 Global and Malaysia Digital Report highlights where consumers are heading.
Joining us to break down the key findings and what they mean for businesses is Mimrah Mahmood, Vice President and Partner of Enterprise for Asia Pacific at Meltwater.
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In this episode, Enterprise explores how travelling has transformed from a luxury activity into a necessity for self-discovery and personal growth. Based on findings from Klook’s latest Travel Pulse research, key insights from the study reveal that 9 in 10 young travelers can't travel as often as they’d like, 92% experience post-travel blues, and 84% have already planned international trips this year.
To explore these trends, we speak with Sarah Wan, General Manager for Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia at Klook, who shares valuable insights on the intersection of travel, therapy, and personal growth.
We discuss the barriers young travelers face, including time, money, and work, which often lead to “wanderlust frustration”. We also explore the growing influence of social media on travel decisions, with 79% booking experiences based on recommendations rather than personal interests.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Foreign investors are pulling back, capital is flowing out, and recently, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng met with CEOs of Apple, Pfizer, and Mastercard in a bid to rebuild confidence. What’s really going on beneath the surface of this latest charm offensive, and what does it mean for Malaysia and the region?
From shifting supply chains to rising geopolitical risks, we explore whether ASEAN nations like Malaysia are ready to seize the moment with insights from Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education.
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Chinese EV makers like BYD and Chery have sparked a price war in Malaysia, slashing prices and disrupting the automotive landscape. But is this simply competition at work—or a sign of deeper volatility in the EV market?
We break down what these price cuts really mean for consumers, local carmakers, and the long-term viability of EV adoption in Malaysia. From depreciation concerns to policy implications, we explore whether the current EV boom is sustainable—or heading for a correction.
Joining the conversation is Daniel Fernandez, co-host of Cruise Control on BFM and founder of DSF.my, who shares his take on the state of the EV market and what to watch as the industry shifts gears.
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The Malaysian government’s latest push to scale SMEs into mid-sized enterprises promises better financing, digitalisation support, and policies for growth. But will it work? We break down the key challenges, measure the initiative’s real impact, and explore what’s needed for sustainable success.
Joining the conversation is Datuk William Ng, National President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association Malaysia (SAMENTA), who shares his insights on what SMEs truly need to scale.
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The Ops Sky investigation has rocked Malaysia’s financial sector, uncovering a massive loan fraud and money laundering syndicate that exploited banking loopholes, recruited bank officers, and even used celebrities as ambassadors. With over RM700 million in fraudulent loans, 27 arrests, and frozen accounts, the case raises serious concerns about governance, fraud prevention, and public trust.
Certified Fraud Examiner & Anti-Money Laundering Specialist Raymon Ram of Graymatter Forensic Advisory joins Enterprise Explores to break down:
- How the syndicate manipulated bank loan approval processes
- Why civil servants, particularly teachers, were prime targets
- The role of bank officers & weaknesses in financial controls
- How celebrity endorsements boosted credibility for the fraudsters
- What needs to change to prevent future financial crimes
- The need to invest in technology and keep up with fraudster
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WhatsApp groups are a popular tool for both personal and business communication, but recently have been flagged as a major risk for personal data leaks. Experts are saying that sensitive business information shared in these groups could expose companies to serious data security threats, including breaches of the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA).
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau, joins us to explore the growing concerns around data privacy in the workplace, the business risks and legal implications of using platforms like WhatsApp for sensitive communications. We'll also dive into some practical steps companies can take to protect employee data, and explore potential alternatives to WhatsApp that offer more secure options for workplace communication.
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In this episode, we break down the 2024/25 Asia-Pacific Small Business Survey released by CPA Australia, that provides insights into the small business sector across Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia. Joining the discussion are Gavan Ord, Senior Manager of Business & Investment Policy, and Azfar Asa’Ad, Senior Advisor of Business, Investment and International at CPA Australia.The 16th edition of the survey highlights key findings, including the highest level of optimism among Malaysian small businesses since 2012, with 82% anticipating growth in 2025.
Throughout the conversation, we’ll dive deeper into these findings and discuss emerging trends and opportunities for small businesses, particularly in Malaysia. Tune in for an in-depth conversation of the current state and future outlook of the small business landscape in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Malaysia’s e-commerce market is on track to hit $15.7 billion by 2028, with an annual growth rate of 8.5%. And while local giants like Shopee and Lazada have dominated much of the conversation, international players are making bold moves to capture market share. One such name is Taobao, the massive e-commerce marketplace under Alibaba Group.
In the past, Taobao was seen as a platform for Mandarin-speaking shoppers with an eye for Chinese imports. But that’s changing. The introduction of an English-language interface has opened the doors to a much wider Malaysian audience. And now, with its first-ever Hari Raya sale, Taobao is actively engaging a new demographic at one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year.
So, what’s shaping the Malaysian e-commerce landscape today? How are consumer habits evolving, and where does Taobao see itself in this increasingly competitive space?
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When Donald Trump called on Apple to end its DEI policies, it put a spotlight on the growing tensions between business leaders, investors, and policymakers. Despite shareholder backing, Apple now found itself at the center of a stakeholder battle, between its investors and the President of the United States of America.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Conall McDevitt, President of The Penta Group, unpacks the complexities of stakeholder management and how businesses can navigate competing pressures. He breaks down Penta’s strategic framework for prioritising stakeholder concerns, managing crises, and turning stakeholder tensions into a competitive advantage.
From regulatory risks to public scrutiny, we explore why businesses must go beyond instinct and use data-driven insights to anticipate stakeholder reactions. We also discuss how social media, AI, and globalised cultural shifts are reshaping corporate decision-making, and why understanding your stakeholders is no longer optional, but essential.
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Financial phishing scams are rising fast, with over 500,000 attacks targeting businesses in Southeast Asia last year, as reported by Kaspersky. AI is making these scams more convincing than ever, from deepfake emails to fake payment websites that are nearly impossible to tell apart from the real thing. As cybercriminals get smarter, companies, especially SMEs, are struggling to keep up. So what can businesses do to protect themselves?
Murugason R. Thangaratnam, Co-Founder and CEO of Novem CS, and Adjunct Professor at the University Malaysia of Computer Science & Engineering, joins us to explain why Southeast Asia is such a hotspot for these attacks, the biggest cybersecurity mistakes businesses make, and the practical steps they can take to stay ahead. We also discuss whether existing laws and regulations are enough and how businesses, governments, and cybersecurity firms can work together to tackle this growing threat.
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AI is moving fast, and China’s push for open-source models could shake up the industry. But is Malaysia ready for this shift? Do local AI startups have the funding, talent, and government support to compete? Or are we at risk of being left behind? We break down what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs to change. Most importantly, what will it take for Malaysia to be more than just a user of AI, but a real player in building it?
Joining us is Dr Lau Cher Han, CEO of LEAD, an academy that offers AI, data science, and full stack development programmes. LEAD is also a member of the Malaysia Artificial Intelligence Consortium (Konsortium AI Negara), a group working to grow Malaysia’s AI industry. He shares insights on where Malaysia stands, the challenges AI startups face, and what it will take to compete on the global stage.
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Malaysia has been a key player in semiconductor assembly and testing for decades, but now it’s aiming higher, moving into chip design and development. As global trade tensions rise and the competition for semiconductor dominance heats up, Malaysia faces both opportunities and challenges in strengthening its role in the industry. What will it take to climb the value chain, attract top investments, and build a strong talent pipeline? And how can the country navigate shifting regulations without getting caught in the middle of global tech rivalries? We explore these big questions with Andrew Chan, Director of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association.
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In honor of International Women's Day, we reflect on the significant progress women have made in the business world while recognising the ongoing challenges they continue to face. This year’s theme, "Accelerate Action," calls for decisive steps to achieve gender equality and urges us to address systemic barriers and biases in both personal and professional spaces. In this episode, we’ll discuss the impact of female leadership, how businesses are evolving toward more inclusive environments, and the concrete actions needed to accelerate gender equality in today’s fast-paced business world.
To mark this day, we speak with two inspiring guests who are making strides in empowering women in business: Nuraizah Shamsul Baharin, Founder of MADCash, a fintech company dedicated to supporting female micro-entrepreneurs in Malaysia and beyond, and Renuka Sena, CEO of Proficeo, a consultancy firm that provides coaching to entrepreneurs.
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Financial firms in Asia-Pacific are set to invest $4.3 billion in Generative AI by 2027, unlocking new possibilities in fraud detection, automation, and customer engagement. But with these opportunities come major security and privacy risks. How can financial institutions harness AI without compromising trust or regulatory compliance? FS-ISAC has outlined eight key steps to help firms manage these challenges. We break it all down with Carrie Gates, Innovation Director at FS-ISAC.
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Live selling isn’t new—but it’s never been this powerful. Across Asia, live commerce has become a billion-dollar industry, turning casual viewers into instant buyers with just a few taps. Now, with the launch of TikTok Shop LIVE Hub, Malaysia is stepping into the spotlight, giving micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) a powerful platform to sell, engage, and scale like never before.
Backed by a collaboration between TikTok Shop Malaysia and TEKUN Nasional, this initiative is designed to help businesses—especially small and homegrown brands—leverage the power of live streaming, social selling, and influencer marketing to boost sales. But what does this mean for Malaysia’s digital economy? And more importantly, how can local entrepreneurs position themselves to take advantage of this shift?
To unpack this, we’re joined by Ganesh Kumar Bangah, a name synonymous with Malaysia’s digital transformation. Ganesh has been at the forefront of Malaysia’s digital evolution for over two decades.
Today, he’ll help us understand what this new LIVE Hub means for businesses, the strategies that separate successful sellers from the rest, and whether live commerce is truly the future of retail.
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The Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) is being positioned as a potential game-changer for cross-border trade, finance and investment. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Wendell Tan, Principal at Arthur D. Little Malaysia, to explore whether the JS-SEZ could reshape financial services, from traditional banking roles to emerging fintech solutions.
They discuss the possibilities for tokenisation, cross-border digital payments, and innovative financing models that could lower barriers to capital access for businesses. Wendell also shares his thoughts on how regulatory sandboxes and a risk-based approach might encourage responsible financial innovation, offering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) a chance to thrive alongside larger corporations.
With a focus on managing currency risks, enhancing supply chain financing, and learning from Singapore’s regulatory playbook, this episode dives into the challenges and opportunities of turning the JS-SEZ’s ambitions into reality.
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Artificial Intelligence is transforming the cybersecurity battlefield, empowering both defenders and attackers with advanced tools. As businesses increasingly adopt AI and cloud technologies, cybercriminals are leveraging the same innovations to launch sophisticated, automated attacks. This escalating threat landscape makes it critical for businesses to strengthen their digital defenses.
In this episode, we speak with Goh Chee Hoh, Managing Director of Trend Micro Malaysia and Pakistan, about the evolving nature of AI-driven cyber threats, the industries most at risk, and the key vulnerabilities businesses need to address to stay ahead of emerging dangers.
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New data protection rules are coming, and businesses must act fast. Starting 1 June 2025, Malaysia’s Data Protection Officer (DPO) Appointment Guidelines and Data Breach Notification (DBN) Guidelines will take effect, requiring companies to strengthen their data governance, designate responsible officers, and comply with stricter breach reporting requirements.
But what do these regulations really mean for businesses, employees, and consumers? How can companies turn compliance from a regulatory burden into a competitive advantage?
We break it all down with Jillian Chia, Partner and Head of Privacy and Data Protection Practice at Skrine, as she shares insights on who needs to comply, the risks of non-compliance, and how businesses can prepare for these new obligations.
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How will Malaysia’s Data Sharing Act 2025 shape the way data is shared across the public sector and industries? While the Act primarily regulates data exchange between government agencies, its effects extend to businesses and various sectors that interact with public data. From compliance challenges to new opportunities for collaboration, what does this mean for organizations navigating Malaysia’s evolving data landscape? To help us break it all down are Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi, Head and Co-Head of Technology Practice Group, and Partners at Halim Hong & Quek, who share their insights on the Act’s real-world implications.
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The era of the all-powerful, top-down CEO is fading. Today’s leaders must balance confidence with humility, control with empowerment, and profitability with purpose. But how can they make this shift? And what does it take to unlearn outdated management styles to stay ahead in a rapidly changing world? On Enterprise Explores, we speak with Ramesh Srinivasan, Senior Partner at McKinsey and Dean of the Bower Forum, to unpack insights from The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out.
We explore the critical role of self-awareness in leadership, why psychological safety is essential for high-performing teams, and how leaders can develop micro-habits that drive long-term success. We also examine why leadership is an ongoing journey, not a final goal, and why today’s CEOs must act as facilitators rather than dictators to thrive.
Whether you're an aspiring executive or a seasoned leader, this conversation offers valuable insights into the future of leadership.
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Malaysia faces a talent crunch as fewer young people are choosing to continue into their tertiary education, which means that there are fewer workers entering the job market. With many SPM graduates opting for low-paying jobs over further studies, the value of a degree comes into question as the youth consider the cost-to-benefits of a degree in the current landscape. What does this mean for businesses? What can companies do in order to adjust to the talent squeeze in the job market?
Today, we speak with Derek Toh, Founder and CEO at Hiredly Group as we explore what is really happening, how businesses are coping, and whether Malaysia is heading towards a talent shortage or a talent transformation.
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Institutional investors have traditionally kept their distance from crypto, but that’s apparently starting to change. On Enterprise Explores, we speak with Aaron Tang, APAC General Manager at Luno, to explore the drivers behind growing institutional interest and how Malaysia compares to regional markets in fostering adoption.
In this episode, we delve into the state of institutional crypto adoption in Malaysia, examining key drivers, the types of institutions embracing crypto, and the key challenges towards more widespread adoptions. We also discuss future trends—including crypto ETFs, CBDCs, and tokenisation—and the importance of robust governance and transparency in building investor confidence.
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Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services are everywhere, making it easier than ever to split payments with no interest… if you pay on time. But for many young Malaysians, BNPL is turning into a debt trap, with overdue payments piling up before they even realise it.
Are these services really helping people manage their finances, or are they encouraging overspending? Are BNPL providers doing enough to educate users on the risks, or are they relying on people spending more than they can afford?
We speak with Nirmala Supramaniam, Head of the Household Financial Education Department at Agensi Kaunseling dan Pengurusan Kredit (AKPK), to break down the reality of BNPL debt. We explore how young Malaysians can make smarter spending decisions, the role of financial literacy, and whether stricter regulations are needed to keep BNPL in check.
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Food is more than just a meal. It is culture, tradition, and a reflection of our world. But the way we grow, cook, and eat is changing. Climate change, rising costs, and new food technologies are affecting what ends up on our plates. To explore what’s next, Kita Food Festival launched The Future of Food Series, a lineup of pop-ups and talks bringing together chefs, farmers, and researchers to rethink what we’ll be eating in the years to come. Today, we speak with Leisa Tyler, Co-Founder of Kita Food Festival, about the biggest challenges facing food today. What’s at risk, and how can we make sure food stays delicious, accessible, and sustainable?
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Planning a trip has never been easier, or more overwhelming. With a few clicks, travellers can compare destinations, book flights, and even take virtual tours of hotels. But with endless options, misleading deals, and scams lurking online, making the right choice isn’t always straightforward.
That’s where Interactive Virtual Tourism (IVT) comes in. By allowing travellers to connect face-to-face with real travel experts, IVT combines the best of personalised service with modern technology. It promises a safer, more informed, and convenient way to plan trips… without stepping into a travel agency.
We speak with Gary Bowerman, Co-Founder of High-Yield Tourism, to explore how IVT is changing the way people experience travel. We discuss what it means for travellers and businesses, and how it fits into Malaysia’s tourism strategy.
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Geopolitics is reshaping global trade, positioning Malaysia, other ASEAN nations, and the Global South as key winners. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Aparna Bharadwaj, Managing Director & Partner at BCG Singapore and Global Leader of BCG’s Global Advantage Practice, as she unpacks the forces transforming international trade and what today’s business leaders must understand to navigate this dynamic landscape.
Drawing on insights from BCG’s report ‘Great Powers, Geopolitics, and Global Trade’, the conversation dives into how North America is reducing its reliance on China, while ASEAN and other Global South markets are emerging as key players. Aparna explains the domino effect of shifting trade flows, the impact of rising tariffs, and the strategic importance of building geopolitical muscle in today’s volatile market. The discussion highlights opportunities for diversification, the benefits of resilient supply chains, and the potential for nations like Malaysia to capitalise on these trends.
Here are some AI-generated key highlights from the conversation:
Global Trade Shift: Trade is moving from free-market ideals to systems driven by geopolitics, economic security, and shifting corridors, sparked by the US-China trade slowdown and rising economic nationalism.
Key Trade Corridors: Expect a $160 billion shrink in US-China trade, rapid growth in China–Global South flows, and significant increases in US–India trade—creating a domino effect across regions.
ASEAN & Malaysia’s Edge: ASEAN, especially Malaysia, benefits from a "China plus X" strategy thanks to pragmatic policies, special economic zones, and opportunities in the halal market.
Impact of US Tariffs: US tariffs, a pillar of the "America First" policy, and potential reciprocal measures are reshaping supply chains and trade balances globally.
China’s New Focus & Global South: China is pivoting away from the West toward increased trade with ASEAN, BRICS+, and the global South, where faster GDP growth and resilient FDI flows prevail.
Business Strategies: Key recommendations for businesses include strengthening supply chain resilience, building geopolitical intelligence, exploring new growth markets, considering nearshoring strategies, and diversifying market footprints.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Did you know there are over 60 Chinese F&B brands in Southeast Asia with more than 6,100 outlets? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Jianggan Li, Founder and CEO of Momentum Works, tells us about the explosive rise of Chinese food and beverage brands in the region.
Drawing insights from the "Chinese F&B in Southeast Asia" report, our conversation unpacks the key factors driving this expansion — from how these brands strategically adapt to local markets in Malaysia and Singapore to the challenges of overcoming certification hurdles such as Halal compliance. We discuss how these innovative brands are reshaping the region’s competitive landscape by leveraging digital platforms like TikTok to fine-tune their marketing strategies and customise their product offerings to local tastes.
We also examine the broader impact of this influx on local businesses and established international franchises, debating whether this trend poses a threat or creates new opportunities. Whether you're a local entrepreneur, investor, or industry insider, this discussion offers insights on how traditional culinary brands can innovate and thrive in today’s dynamic market.
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Malaysia’s unemployment rate has hit its lowest point in nearly a decade, signalling a major shift in the job market. But is this real economic growth or just a temporary post-pandemic effect? While hiring is on the rise, youth unemployment remains a challenge, and businesses still struggle to find skilled talent. Are Malaysians securing quality jobs, or is the gig economy playing a bigger role? We break down the trends, challenges, and future of the workforce in this deep dive into Malaysia’s labour market.
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From Khazanah’s impressive 2024 performance to MAHB’s privatisation, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into the inner workings of Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund, Khazanah Nasional. The firm plays a crucial role in managing the nation’s wealth—but what drives its decisions, and how does it justify them?
Drawing on insights from its 2025 Annual Review, our discussion with Managing Director Dato' Amirul Feisal Wan Zahir highlights Khazanah’s impressive 24.6% return on investments in 2024 and how Malaysian assets drove that performance.
We also explore the rationale behind its four-portfolio structure that balances commercial returns with developmental impact, and examine how political stability, attractive market conditions, and regulatory incentives have fueled success in Malaysian capital markets.
Looking ahead, he discusses the potential risks for 2025—from global macroeconomic uncertainties to shifts in foreign investment flows—and outlines strategic measures to safeguard national wealth while capitalising on growth opportunities.
Dato' Amirul also sheds light on the strategic rationale behind MAHB’s privatisation—designed to unlock capital for future investments and boost efficiency in the aviation sector—as well as the evolving role of Jelawang Capital in nurturing Malaysia’s startup ecosystem.
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Straight As for Malaysia’s IPO Market? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the dynamic world of IPOs as Malaysia’s capital market outperforms its regional peers. Despite a 36% decline in overall Southeast Asian IPO proceeds, Malaysia doubled its funds raised in 2024 with 55 listings—the highest number since 2006. With record ACE Market listings and increasing foreign investor interest, we examine what’s fueling Malaysia’s IPO success and whether this momentum can be sustained.
Joining us is Wong Kar Choon, Transactions Accounting Support Partner at Deloitte Malaysia. Drawing on insights from Deloitte’s Southeast Asia IPO Capital Market 2024 Report, the conversation explores key drivers behind Malaysia’s robust performance, including strong political stability, attractive price-to-earnings ratios, expedited regulatory approvals, and tax incentives for tech companies. Kar Choon discusses how these elements position Malaysia as an attractive destination for both domestic and international investors and outlines the trends to watch for in 2025. We also delve into the differences between the ACE market and the main market, as well as potential risks from broader macroeconomic uncertainties.
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How do tariffs shape global trade and impact your bottom line? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we sit down with Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist at Ambank Group, to decode the multifaceted world of tariffs. Drawing on historical insights and current trends, Firdaos explain how tariffs are designed for revenue generation and industry protection and dives into the ripple effects of these types of trade policies, such as rising consumer prices and supply chain disruptions, while also examining how companies can mitigate impacts by lowering production costs and diversifying supply chains.
The conversation also touches on Malaysia’s experience during past trade disputes, where investment diversion helped boost sectors like semiconductors, and discusses strategic responses for a volatile trade environment—including diversification of trade channels.
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Today, we’re looking at a major shift in how Malaysia’s civil service operates. The Ministry of Digital, in collaboration with Google Cloud, has launched the AI at Work 2.0 initiative, aiming to equip 445,000 public officers with cutting-edge generative AI tools. Beyond the technical capabilities of AI, there are deeper concerns, and from a public perspective, what does this mean for the way citizens interact with government services? We speak to Esther Low as we discuss the opportunities and risks of integrating AI into the civil service, the potential effects on skills development, and what best practices can ensure AI is used to enhance, rather than replace the human workforce.
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Who controls AI’s future? As China’s DeepSeek and Alibaba’s Qwen push open-source forward, OpenAI is doing the opposite — keeping its most advanced models proprietary.
Earlier this year, CEO Sam Altman admitted that OpenAI may be “on the wrong side of history” when it comes to open-source AI, sparking intense debate. Is this a necessary move for safety and sustainability, or a power play that stifles innovation?
To unpack this, we speak with Manuel Ho, Co-Founder & CEO of IntentAI, a company building AI Agents for enterprise clients in finance and healthcare. We discuss the global AI race, the ethics of openness vs control, and what this means for businesses, individuals, and the future of AI innovation.
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As AI becomes more widespread, its potential benefits and risks for businesses become clearer. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack four emerging AI trends that are set to reshape business with Azwan Baharuddin, Malaysia Country Managing Director of Accenture.
Drawing on insights from their 2025 Tech Vision report, Azwan explains how exponential AI growth—termed the "Binary Big Bang"—is poised to upend traditional systems, while AI agents promise to personalise customer interactions if brands can safeguard their unique voices. He also discusses how robots integrated with large language models (LLMs) are beginning to perform complex tasks in human environments, and how generative AI adoption is creating a continuous learning loop that expands both human and machine autonomy.
The conversation delves into key challenges such as ethical usage, data privacy, and the need for robust upskilling programs. Azwan emphasises the importance of focusing investments on reshaping core functions rather than spreading resources too thin. Whether you’re a business leader or tech enthusiast, this discussion offers actionable insights on harnessing AI’s potential.
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From key leadership changes in Malaysia’s fintech scene and lifting of the digital bank moratorium in the Philippines, to emerging trends in crypto and digital banking, the Malaysian and ASEAN fintech world is off to a dynamic start in 2025. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we explore these developments with Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech News Malaysia.
Vincent breaks down the latest trends, including Malaysia’s evolving crypto strategy, the competitive dynamics of digital banks, and insights on Singapore’s emerging unicorns. We also explore broader regional trends such as the rise of stable coins, the growth of cross-border payments, and increasing industry consolidation. Vincent shares his expert perspective on how these shifts are reshaping the financial sector and what opportunities and challenges lie ahead for startups and investors alike.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or industry stakeholder, this conversation offers insights into the current state and future of fintech in the region.
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E-commerce is evolving fast, and if there’s one platform that’s been shaking up the industry, it’s TikTok Shop. Just a year after launching in the United States, it has already raked in a staggering US$9 billion in Gross Merchandise Value (GMV). But beyond the numbers, this signals a massive shift in how consumers discover and buy products, that is, through entertainment-driven commerce.
Here in Southeast Asia, TikTok Shop has already made waves, especially in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. But what does the latest data tell us about its growth trajectory? How should businesses adapt? What are the opportunities and pitfalls? And, most importantly, what actionable steps should brands take to stay ahead?
To help us unpack these insights, we speak with Jianggan Li, Founder and CEO of Momentum Works, on Momentum Works, and analytics and e-commerce operation platform Tabcut’s latest report, “TikTok Shop in the US 2024”.
We discuss:
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The rise of TikTok Shop in the US and its global implications
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What Southeast Asian businesses can learn and apply
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The future of live commerce and influencer-driven sales
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Actionable strategies for brands to thrive in this new era of e-commerce
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Platforms like Instagram are trying to lure creators away from TikTok with initiatives like the Breakthrough Bonus. At the same time, an increasing number of American users are migrating to Xiaohongshu (RedNote), a Chinese social media platform, despite security concerns. This has raised questions about its future growth and the potential strain on its censorship mechanisms. But is this the right response to platform instability, or is it just a temporary fix?
In today’s conversation, we dive deep into the volatile world of social media, where shifting user behaviors, regulatory hurdles, and uncertain platform futures present major challenges for creators, influencers, and brands alike. We speak with Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-Founder of SoyaCincau, to explore the effects of platform volatility, the role of emerging tech, and practical strategies for creators to stay relevant and resilient in this unpredictable environment.
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From governance costs ranging between RM500k and RM3.5 million to board diversity extending beyond gender and age, this episode of Enterprise Explores unpacks findings from the 2024 Directors’ Remuneration Report, a joint initiative by Aon and FIDE FORUM. We examine how financial institutions structure compensation for their boards—and the implications for governance, accountability, and talent retention.
We explore the spectrum of governance expenses while delving into key issues of transparency, diversity, and continuous director education. The discussion also addresses how Malaysia can align its board practices with global governance standards to bolster oversight and strengthen leadership.
Joining the conversation are Tay Kay Luan, CEO of the Financial Industry Education Forum (FIDE FORUM), and Rahul Chawla, Head of Talent Solutions for Aon in Southeast Asia. They highlight the importance of ongoing education for directors, given the rising stakes in cybersecurity, ESG, and other complex risks. We also discuss why fair, transparent pay is crucial for attracting top board talent—and how institutions can balance public scrutiny with the need to avoid underqualified or ill-prepared directors.
Whether you’re a corporate board member, a financial-sector stakeholder, or simply curious about the evolving governance landscape, this conversation provides actionable insights on diversity, director remuneration, and best practices shaping boardrooms today.
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Malaysia’s ties with Japan have long shaped its industrial growth, but is new momentum emerging through M&A deals, cross-border investments, and strategic partnerships into Malaysia’s SMEs and MTCs?
From local succession challenges and IPO deadends to industrial reorganisations and the rise of halal products, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack Malaysia’s evolving role as an attractive destination for Japanese capital with Yusuke Ojima, Head of ASEAN and Malaysia Managing Director at Nihon M&A Center—an advisory firm that bridges Japanese and Malaysian businesses.
We also examine Malaysia’s language advantage, transparent financial systems, and ASEAN market reach, all of which make the country an ideal springboard for regional growth.
Whether you’re tackling succession planning, seeking potential buyers, or exploring expansion across Asia, discover how IPOs vs. M&A trends influence local business exits, why client diversification is vital for long-term stability, and how future shifts in EV and hydrogen technologies could spark new cross-border collaborations.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into the power of services in driving economic development, with Alessandro Barattieri, Senior Economist with the Office of the Chief Economist for East Asia and Pacific at the World Bank, to discuss the key findings of their "Services Unbound" report.
Discover how digital technologies and policy reforms are reshaping economies in East Asia and the Pacific, and how Malaysia can leverage its services sector to escape the middle-income trap. We explore the critical role of digital adoption, education reforms, and policy liberalisation in unlocking growth, emphasising the need for a skilled workforce and balanced approach to regulation.
Tune in to understand the importance of investing in human capital, promoting gender inclusivity, and fostering international cooperation to harness the full potential of services in the digital age.
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Malaysia tops the Southeast Asia-5 Data Centre Opportunity Index yet again, clocking an impressive 429 MW in annual take-up—well ahead of Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam. From subsea fibre connectivity and cloud availability zones to an influx of tech giants like Microsoft, AWS, Google, and Oracle, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into factors that cement Malaysia’s position as a digital infrastructure hub, why it matters and the whether data centres act as a true economic multiplier or if they’re primarily another property strategy.
Discover how Johor is rising as a data centre hub, explore other key regions, and learn about government measures—such as the Green Lane Pathway and updated planning guidelines—to streamline electricity supply and expand investment opportunities.
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Tourism has always been a cornerstone of Malaysia’s economy, celebrated for its cultural diversity, natural beauty, and historic landmarks. The Visit Malaysia 2026 (VM2026) initiative aims to position the nation as a global tourism hotspot, but its journey has been marked by challenges.
From public backlash over a promotional video’s lack of cultural representation to debates about the campaign mascot and allegations of AI involvement, the initiative has sparked important discussions about cultural authenticity, inclusivity, and strategic planning.
Today's conversation with Gary Bowerman, Co-Founder of High-Yield Tourism, and Christyna Fong, Creative Director at The Chariot Agency, explores how Malaysia can design impactful tourism campaigns that resonate globally while honouring its unique identity.
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In today’s show, we’re exploring the challenges that businesses face when they’re aiming to go international and how they can successfully achieve this, considering financial constraints and having to comply with a country’s rules and regulations. We speak with Dr. Shan Nair, President of Nucleus, a one-stop global expansion solution for businesses and a consultant on international expansion. For further context, Dr. Nair has also helped companies like Tesla Motors and FaceTime, go international in their early years. We’ll explore how companies can efficiently facilitate international expansion, the challenges they may face and ways to navigate through them as well as the significance of international expansion for local businesses.
Image Credits: Shutterstock
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Who are the key voices and influencers in Trump 2.0? Which policies should we watch for? How much power could Big Tech and Silicon Valley wield?
Donald Trump’s return raises immediate questions about “America First” policies, renewed trade wars, and intensified immigration crackdowns—moves likely to reshape global business. In this conversation, we decode the Trump 2.0 agenda, from tax reforms to tariff expansion, and explore a shifting GOP influencer landscape where legacy media squares off against MAGA-aligned podcasts, social media pundits, and tech entrepreneurs all vying for the President’s ear.
From Silicon Valley “tech tycoons” seeking lighter regulations to staunch America First loyalists pushing steep tariffs on China, learn how Trump’s inner circle may clash or collaborate. We also share best practices for businesses to stay ahead of policy shifts, avoid political pitfalls, and strategically engage in Washington’s high-stakes environment.
Helping us with this conversation is Bryan DeAngelis, Partner and Head of Washington Office at stakeholder solutions firm The Penta Group. Bryan is a strategist with nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of government, politics, and business, advising Fortune 500 companies, policymakers, and global organisations.
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This month, Malaysia enters an important moment in data privacy with the rollout of the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act 2024. Spanning three phases, the amendment introduces key changes — recognising biometric data as sensitive, mandating Data Protection Officers, and imposing heftier penalties for non-compliance.
In this episode, we speak with Ong Johnson, Partner & Head of Technology Practice Group, and Lo Khai Yi, Partner & Co-Head of Technology Practice Group at Halim Hong & Quek, to unpack the Act’s implications. From cross-border data transfers to mandatory breach notifications, discover how businesses can stay compliant and turn regulatory readiness into a competitive advantage.
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State-owned enterprises (SOEs) or Government-Linked Companies (GLCs) play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s economy, and their significant influence demands rigorous governance frameworks. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the state of SOE governance in Malaysia and the key challenges, including conflicts of interest, and spotlight the Guidelines on Governance for SOEs and Government-Linked Companies Limited by Guarantee, which aims to strengthen accountability, clarify the roles of supervisory ministries, and enforce merit-based board appointments—including at least one-third independent directors.
Tune in to discover insights on fortifying SOE governance, preventing conflicts of interest, and maintaining vital public confidence.
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Despite signs of easing inflation in many countries, 65% of people still expect it to rise by 2026, according to the latest Cost of Living Monitor. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into key findings across 32 countries, examining key factors that influence perceptions of inflation, and how much inflationary pain Malaysians are feeling.
We also discuss why 37% of people feel worse off financially now compared to pre-pandemic times, how the financial gap for low- and middle-income groups is growing, and why disposable income remains a pivotal factor in consumer confidence.
Here are some key areas we covered in this conversation:
- Global Outlook on Inflation: Why two-thirds of survey respondents still see inflation rising, even as official rates cool in many economies.
- Immigration’s Role: A growing perception that immigration drives up living costs, with 56% identifying it as a key factor.
- Financial Well-Being Post-Pandemic: How 37% feel worse off now than before COVID, and why this sentiment is intensifying.
- Bridging the Income Divide:Exploring the challenges facing low- and middle-income earners, and what individuals and businesses can do to cope.
- Disposable Income Dynamics: Understanding why some expect disposable income to rise while others fear it will fall—and how this impacts cost-of-living debates.
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Malaysian banks, financial institutions, and digital platforms—Mastercard and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) want to collaborate with you to channel $1 billion in financing to underserved MSMEs across the Asia-Pacific. Backed by a $5 million grant, this initiative aims to help institutions develop innovative products and build capacity to bridge critical gaps in MSME financing.
From prioritising women-led businesses and climate-focused initiatives to envisioning a more inclusive and sustainable future for MSMEs, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak to Subhashini Chandran, Senior Vice President for APAC, Europe, Middle East, and Africa at the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, about the $2.5 trillion MSME financing gap in the region and explore how this partnership plans to address systemic barriers.
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Is Corporate FOMO the answer to closing Malaysia’s Corporate Venture Capital gap? With only 39% of corporations incorporating CVC into their innovation strategies, Malaysia trails behind regional peers like Indonesia, Thailand, and Singapore. This episode of Enterprise Explores dives into a report by Capital Markets Malaysia and BCG X, examining the barriers, opportunities, and actionable steps needed to build a thriving CVC ecosystem.
Joining us to unpack the findings from their report – Advancing Malaysia’s Innovation Landscape: The Pivotal Role of Corporate Venture Capital – are Navina Balasingam, General Manager of Capital Markets Malaysia, and Hanno Stegmann, Managing Director and Partner at BCG X.
We discuss the challenges of risk-averse corporations, the government's role in facilitating co-investments, and strategies to address key gaps in Malaysia’s CVC landscape. Learn how CVC can drive innovation for Corporate Malaysia, manage risk elements effectively, and activate the three key levers required to catalyse growth in the ecosystem.
For those unfamiliar, Corporate Venture Capital (CVC) involves corporations investing in startups and high-growth ventures through dedicated investment arms. Beyond funding, it’s about leveraging capital, expertise, and market access to fuel innovation and create growth opportunities for both startups and corporations.
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With 59% of employers planning to expand their teams in 2025 and 31% focusing on maintaining headcount, Malaysia’s job market is poised for significant activity. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack Randstad Malaysia’s 2025 Job Market Outlook and Salary Guide with Fahad Naeem, Country Director at Randstad Malaysia.
Key topics covered include:
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How employers are approaching hiring in 2025.
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The in-demand roles and skills driving competition in the talent market.
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Insight and approaches to talent management, attraction, and retention
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Gain insights into hiring trends, the growing demand for tech and digital transformation roles, and strategies to address Malaysia’s ongoing talent scarcity.
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Whether you're an employer tackling recruitment challenges or a professional exploring career opportunities, this episode provides actionable perspectives on navigating Malaysia’s evolving job market in 2025.
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How are digital-first wealth managers revolutionising Malaysia’s financial landscape? What does Trump 2.0 mean for Crypto in 2025? What are key trends to watch out for in Wealthtech ahead? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Wong Wai Ken, Country Manager of StashAway Malaysia, and Hann Liew, Co-Founder and CEO of Halogen Capital, to discuss the evolution of WealthTech, its impact on Malaysians' approach to wealth management, and of course what they're both watching out for in 2025.
Here are some AI-generated highlights of key areas covered in the conversation:
Market Outlook: Navigating Macro and Crypto Trends
Hann Liew forecasts tighter financial conditions in 2025 with historically high rates and inflation risks. Trump’s fiscal policies could amplify inflation, while proposals for a U.S. Bitcoin reserve may boost crypto markets. Investors must remain nimble to navigate these evolving macroeconomic and crypto trends.
Managing Market Volatility
Ken highlighted the importance of navigating market volatility in 2025. While rate cuts and AI-driven optimism fuel bullish markets, he cautioned against overconfidence. Potential risks, including inflation resurgence and geopolitical shifts, could disrupt markets. Ken emphasises maintaining a long-term perspective and adapting to evolving macroeconomic and technological trends.
Leveraging Technology to Redefine Wealth Management
StashAway and Halogen Capital use technology to enhance user experiences and internal processes. StashAway applies AI to manage portfolios, while Halogen integrates digital tools for crypto funds. By digitising operations and lowering fees, they aim to make wealth management accessible, transparent, and efficient.
Overcoming Challenges in Trust and Education
WealthTech platforms face challenges in trust and financial literacy. StashAway addressed skepticism around digital investment safety, while Halogen Capital clarified its role as a crypto asset manager. Both focus on patient education and transparency to empower Malaysians with knowledge of new asset classes and long-term strategies.
The Role of Partnerships and Industry Collaboration
Halogen collaborates with asset managers to integrate crypto exposure, while StashAway faces challenges aligning with traditional institutions due to high fees. Both stress client-focused partnerships to broaden investment access, combining innovative solutions with established financial systems to drive industry progress.
Preparing for the Future: Trends and Challenges
StashAway addresses Malaysia’s retirement savings gap with diversified portfolios, while Halogen aims to grow crypto assets to 1-3% of managed assets. Both highlight AI and blockchain’s transformative potential but emphasize a steady, long-term approach amid market volatility and evolving regulations.
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From rising LNG demand and an oversupply of oil to shifting geopolitics under Trump 2.0, 2025 presents a complex landscape for the global energy sector. How will these trends reshape O&G markets and strategies?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Emma Richards, Associate Director of Oil and Gas at BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, shares insights from BMI’s 2025 oil and gas outlook.
Here are some AI-generated highlights of key areas covered in the conversation:
- Oil Market Oversupply: Increased production from OPEC+ and non-OPEC producers is putting downward pressure on prices, with U.S., Brazil, and Canada driving significant supply growth.
- LNG’s Bright Spot: Why global LNG capacity is surging, driven by projects in MENA, Africa, and the Americas, and how geopolitics—especially the Russia-Ukraine conflict—has spurred demand.
- Developed vs. Emerging Markets: Developed market oil demand peaked nearly 20 years ago, while emerging markets like India and Southeast Asia are now key growth engines.
- Trump 2.0’s Role: Regulatory easing in the U.S. could benefit smaller producers while reshaping global competition, with potential risks tied to erratic foreign policy decisions.
- SOE vs. IOC Strategies: State-owned enterprises are leading in both traditional and low-carbon investments, while publicly listed firms face shareholder pressures to prioritise dividends over growth.
- The Energy Transition: Companies are navigating dual pressures—meeting immediate economic demands while strategically positioning themselves for a lower-carbon future.
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From Trump 2.0’s potential boost for M&As and $40 billion in AI foundational model funding to the rise of secondary transactions providing liquidity and SoftBank’s $100 billion commitment to US companies, 2024 brought significant shifts in funding priorities, valuation corrections, and global politics that are reshaping the venture capital and startup ecosystem for 2025.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures, and Yeoh Chen Chow, Founder of 1% Advisory & Coaching, join us to unpack the major developments of 2024 and what they are watching for the year ahead. They dive into the AI funding boom, secondaries as a liquidity tool, Malaysia’s evolving role in Southeast Asia’s VC landscape, and how Trump 2.0 may impact M&A and regulatory frameworks.
Here are some AI-generated highlights of key areas covered in the conversation:
1. The 2024 VC Slowdown: The Southeast Asian venture capital space experienced a notable slowdown in 2024, with Malaysia seeing a limited number of deals. Kevin and Chen Chow examine how this impacted startup funding, valuations, and the evolving dynamics of capital flows in the region.
2. Global Political Shifts and VC: The return of Donald Trump and his administration’s likely regulatory rollbacks are expected to influence M&A activity and startup opportunities in the US. Kevin and Chen Chow analyse how these shifts, combined with the rise of Japanese investors and Malaysia’s ASEAN chairmanship, could create opportunities for Southeast Asian startups.
3. The Rise of Secondary Transactions: Secondary transactions emerged as a critical tool for providing liquidity to founders, early employees, and investors. The speakers highlight why secondaries are gaining traction, the typical discounts involved, and how these transactions are reshaping the VC landscape.
4. Liquidity Challenges for Investors: The conversation highlights the stark realities of limited distributions to LPs in Southeast Asia, with DPI figures as low as 0.4 for some vintages. The speakers discuss the implications for future fundraising and how this affects investor confidence in the region.
5. AI Hype vs. Substance: AI funding doubled in 2024, but separating hype from real value remains a challenge. Kevin and Chen Chow explore foundational models, productivity tools, and the potential for AI agents to transform business operations. They also discuss how AI might shift from a buzzword to a foundational layer for businesses of all sizes.
6. SoftBank’s $100B US Commitment: SoftBank’s $100 billion commitment to US companies under the Trump administration signals a strategic bet on AI, semiconductors, and innovation. The speakers reflect on SoftBank’s mixed legacy and what this move could mean for the VC landscape globally and in Southeast Asia.
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Subsidy rationalisation, the Madani government’s communication challenges, Malaysia’s semiconductor ambitions, and the return of Donald Trump—Professor Dr. Ong Kian Ming and Pankaj Kumar review the Madani government’s 2024 performance and share their key focus areas for 2025.
Here are some AI-generated highlights of key areas covered in this conversation with Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement of Taylor's University, and Pankaj Kumar, Managing Director of Datametrics Research and Information Centre:
- 2024 Economic Performance: Malaysia’s economy saw strong GDP growth and robust investment numbers in 2024, but challenges arose from poor public policy communication and implementation. The discussion explores the Madani government’s performance, grading its achievements and identifying areas for improvement.
- Subsidy Rationalisation: The complexities of fuel subsidy reforms and the rollout of a targeted mechanism have raised concerns over public trust and effective communication. The importance of a clear, data-driven strategy is underscored to ensure smooth implementation and public buy-in.
- Data Centers & Semiconductors: Data centers play a pivotal role in Malaysia’s digital economy, while the National Semiconductor Strategy aims to move Malaysia up the value chain in the global semiconductor industry. Insights are shared on how these sectors can drive Malaysia’s growth in 2025 and beyond.
- Growth Sectors in 2025: Opportunities in renewable energy, smart industrial parks, logistics, and the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone are highlighted as key areas for Malaysia’s economic expansion. The conversation delves into strategies to capitalise on these emerging growth engines.
- Geopolitical Risks: With the return of Trump 2.0 and rising geopolitical tensions, Malaysia faces external uncertainties. The discussion explores how Malaysia can mitigate risks by leveraging its ASEAN chairmanship and BRICS partnerships to strengthen its global position, while highlighting the fine line that Prime MInister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim might need to navigate with foreign policy with President Trump back in the White House.
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Halal food & drinks looks to be a global market that is too big to ignore, with projections placing its value at $1.5 trillion by 2028. This growth, driven by demographic shifts, rising consumer awareness, and mandatory halal certification policies in key markets like Indonesia, has the potential to reshape the global landscape. With younger Muslim populations driving demand for premium halal products across both Western and Asian markets, the sector is poised for remarkable expansion.
Malaysia, as a leader in halal certification, has a unique opportunity to position itself as a global hub for halal innovation and export, while businesses face challenges like non-standardized certifications and compliance across different markets.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Damien Yeo, Food & Drink Analyst at BMI, joins us to delve into the findings of BMI’s report Global Halal Food & Drinks: A Market That Can No Longer Be Ignored. We explore what’s driving the market’s growth, the role of Indonesia’s regulatory changes, and how Malaysia can capture more value from this booming sector.
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The countdown to Phase 2 of Malaysia’s e-invoicing rollout is on, with businesses earning between RM25 million and RM100 million required to comply by January 1, 2025.
Following the implementation of Phase 1 in August 2024, a KPMG survey highlights businesses’ varying levels of readiness, with challenges like IT upgrades, manpower training, and system integration posing potential roadblocks. So, what can Phase 2 businesses learn from early adopters?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Dr. Veerinderjeet Singh, Senior Advisor on Tax Policy at KPMG Malaysia, unpacks the fundamentals of e-invoicing, key findings from KPMG’s survey, and key lessons and insights from Phase 1. We also discuss the role of e-invoicing in Malaysia’s broader push for digitalisation—enhancing compliance, reducing fraud, and modernising the nation’s tax ecosystem.
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As we edge closer to 2025, artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, redefine innovation, and open up new opportunities for businesses globally. In Malaysia, AI has become an important tool, enhancing operational efficiency, improving customer experiences, and driving data-informed decision-making.
Joining us today is Dickson Woo, the Managing Director of IBM Malaysia, to discuss the significant changes in the APAC AI Outlook 2025 Report. We'll cover the shift from initial trials to ROI-focused AI strategies, the adoption of open-source models, and emerging trends like generative and agentic AI. This discussion, we hope, will provide valuable insights to help Malaysian enterprises stay competitive and prepare for growth in an AI-driven future.
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In Ipsos’s latest Global Trends: Understanding Asia report, three major consumer trends are set to dominate the Asia Pacific region in 2025. As technology continues to evolve, consumers in APAC are embracing what’s been dubbed “Technowonder,” with a strong belief that AI and digital innovation will play a transformative role in their future. At the same time, younger generations are feeling a pull towards the past, with over half of Gen Z in the region expressing a desire to have grown up during a simpler time—what Ipsos calls the “Retreat to Old Systems.” And then there’s the urgent call for environmental action: “Climate Convergence” shows that the majority of consumers believe the world is heading for disaster unless immediate changes are made.
- Technowonder: How Asia is embracing technological progress and the rise of AI.
- Retreat to Old Systems: Why Gen Z feels nostalgic and how businesses can adapt.
- Climate Convergence: The role of brands in combating climate change and leading the charge.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Hamish Munro, CEO for Asia Pacific Excluding Greater China at Ipsos, breaks down these trends and discusses what they mean for businesses and policymakers as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of the future.
We dive into the significance of each trend and explore how Asia Pacific consumers’ increasing concerns about climate change, rapid digital transformation, and societal change are shaping the region’s commercial landscape.
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HASAN.VC Accelerator 002 is on a mission to empower startups with a unique blend of mentorship, funding, and market access, all while fostering ethical and halal values. This accelerator program is designed to create impactful ventures that align with Shariah principles and address global challenges, positioning startups for success in Southeast Asia and beyond.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Umar Munshi, Managing Partner of HASAN.VC and Group MD of Ethis, shares how the accelerator is equipping entrepreneurs to scale their businesses, overcome common challenges like funding and market validation, and foster a culture of purpose-driven innovation. We unpack the program’s structure, its emphasis on cultural and market-specific insights, and the long-term vision for growing HASAN.VC’s footprint across the region.
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We speak with Whitnee Hawthorne, Global Head of Travel & Hospitality at Snowflake, about an industry-first AI-driven solution that aims to transform how airlines, hotels, and travel providers operate and engage with customers. We’ll explore how AI is reshaping the customer journey, opportunities for operational innovation, and real-world use cases, such as AI-powered customer service chatbots and predictive planning tools.
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Recently, Starbucks Malaysia’s temporary closure of 50 outlets amid reported financial and operational difficulties serve as a stark reminder of the unpredictable landscape of the food and beverage (F&B) industry. Beyond the Starbucks case, other F&B brands are also struggling with similar external pressures whether it is controversies tied to celebrity endorsements, shifts in consumer sentiment, or the lasting effects of the pandemic. So, what can businesses do to weather the storm, to adapt quickly and prepare for the unexpected to survive?
To explore these pressing questions and more, we speak with Sofia Leong Abdullah, Franchise Consultant and Founder of Business Evolution Enterprise, on how to navigate challenges, shifting consumer behaviours, rebuild consumer trust and create sustainable growth strategies.
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From political interference to unclear mandates, not all GLCs and GLICs operate on the same level. Some run efficiently under close scrutiny, while others fly under the radar, plagued by inefficiencies and governance issues. This raises a critical question: how can we hold these entities—whether at the state or federal level—to higher standards to improve transparency, accountability, and public trust?
Aira Azhari, Acting CEO of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), shares how targeted reforms can transform GLCs and GLICs into more effective, accountable, and transparent drivers of economic and social progress.
So in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack IDEAS’ five-point framework for reform, which emphasises stronger parliamentary oversight, independent appointments, and clearer mandates to align with Malaysia’s broader economic goals.
Here are some key highlights from the conversation:
- Governance Challenges: Issues like political interference, opaque investment decisions, and lack of accountability hinder GLIC and GLC effectiveness and trust.
- FSBs, Not GLICs: Federal Statutory Bodies (FSBs) are entities established through acts of Parliament, such as EPF and Tabung Haji, to fulfill specific mandates and objectives as per their respective Acts. Unlike GLCs, which are companies incorporated under the Companies Act and often state-owned, FSBs operate under distinct legal mandates outlined in their founding statutes. IDEAS argues that using the term FSBs for organisations like EPF is more accurate.
- IDEAS’ Five-Point Framework: IDEAS proposes reforms focusing on ownership rationale, independent oversight, transparent appointments, and performance monitoring to enhance governance.
- Parliamentary Oversight: Advocating for a stronger role for Parliament in scrutinising annual reports and vetting board appointments while avoiding political meddling in operations and investment decisions.
- Independent Ombudsman: IDEAS recommends establishing an ombudsman to protect whistleblowers and ensure ethical practices within GLCs and GLICs.
- Balancing Roles: Emphasizing the need for GLCs to clearly distinguish between profit-driven objectives and social policy goals to avoid conflicting mandates.
- Future Vision: A call for the Malaysian government to act as an “active and informed owner,” ensuring institutions deliver clear objectives while maintaining professional independence.
- Cultural Shift: Addressing Malaysia’s political culture, which often rewards supporters with appointments, as a long-term goal for sustainable reform.
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What must Malaysian policymakers understand to craft a regulatory framework that balances flexibility and the nuances of the gig economy with the need for social protections?
The gig economy has transformed modern work, offering flexibility for gig workers, cost-effective solutions for businesses, and convenience for consumers. However, Malaysia’s long-anticipated Gig Workers Bill could reshape this landscape, with industry players voicing concerns over unintended consequences and lack of engagement in the drafting process.
From defining gig work accurately to balancing flexibility with social protections and emphasising meaningful industry engagement, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, Rashid Shukor, Director of Country Operations and Mobility at Grab Malaysia, and Franchesca Chia, Founder and CEO of GoGet, share their insights on the complexities of regulating gig work.
Here are some key highlights from the conversation:
- Defining Gig Work: The gig economy spans diverse models, from location-based platforms like Grab and GoGet to non-location-based and freelance work. Precise definitions are key to effective regulation.
- Flexibility First: Flexibility is the cornerstone of gig work, and policies must ensure it’s preserved without compromising worker protections.
- Concerns with Current Policies: Both Grab and GoGet emphasised gaps in existing frameworks, such as costly multi-platform contributions and outdated structures like annual payment models.
- Social Protections: Platforms advocate for voluntary, bite-sized contributions for insurance and social protections, ensuring affordability for gig workers with fluctuating incomes.
- Technology as a Solution: Leveraging APIs, digital platforms, and microinsurance models can streamline protections while maintaining operational efficiency.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Both platforms urge policymakers to prioritise dialogue with gig workers, platforms, and other stakeholders to craft effective regulations.
- Global Lessons, Local Leadership: Malaysia has been progressive in gig economy innovations, with initiatives like PERKESO’s SKSPS and EPF integrations, but continuous dialogue is vital to sustain this leadership.
- Future-Proofing the Model: Ensuring any policy accounts for multi-platform work, inclusivity, and evolving employment dynamics is essential for balancing worker welfare, platform sustainability, and consumer affordability.
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Who are the 4 most important stakeholders to every business? How can corporations identify problems before they escalate? And what does effective government relations look like today?
In today’s polarised and digital world, corporate reputation and crisis management are more critical than ever. From managing complex government relations to leveraging data-driven stakeholder strategies, Conall McDevitt, President of The Penta Group, sheds light on how businesses can navigate these challenges and turn them into opportunities.
With decades of experience in public affairs, crisis management, and stakeholder solutions, McDevitt emphasises trust as the foundation of reputation and advocates for a 360-degree view of your key stakeholders: staff, investors, regulators, and customers.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we discuss how organisations can measure and manage reputation using data, stay ahead of crises, and align with evolving regulatory landscapes.
Here are some key highlights from the conversation:
- Stakeholder Focus: Penta advocates managing relationships with four critical stakeholder groups—employees, customers, regulators, and investors—to build trust and resilience.
- Data-Driven Insights: Learn how organisations can track reputation through metadata analysis, sentiment tracking, and primary research, ensuring issues are addressed before they become crises.
- Reputation & Crisis Management: McDevitt outlines the “Measure, Monitor, Analyze, Track” framework for identifying early signals of reputational risks.
- Evolving Public Affairs: Government relations are shifting from being relationship-led to research-led, emphasising data to bridge the gap between organizations and policymakers.
- Proactive Advocacy: McDevitt shares examples of grassroots campaigns influencing policy and mitigating regulatory risks, highlighting the importance of understanding unintended consequences.
- Trust Signals: Spotting trust erosion through tools like Glassdoor trends, social media sentiment, and customer feedback is key to reputation management.
- Strategic Leadership: Why large organizations might need a Chief Stakeholder Officer to integrate insights across all stakeholder groups.
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Social media has become very much a part of our daily life, but its impact on children has sparked global concern. Australia recently passed a law banning social media access for users under 16 without parental consent, addressing rising worries over mental health, online safety, and data privacy for minors. While Malaysia hasn’t introduced a similar law, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is making strides to regulate social media for younger users, focusing on age verification for those under 13. These developments reflect a broader global trend of prioritising child safety in the digital space and raise important questions about how governments and platforms can effectively enforce such policies.
In this episode, we discuss these pressing issues with Jillian Chia, Partner and Head of Privacy and Data Protection Practice at Skrine. Together, we explore the implications of stricter age restrictions on social media, the challenges of ensuring compliance without infringing on privacy, and the potential ripple effects of such measures on international regulations. We also look into the delicate balance between safeguarding children and upholding digital rights, as well as the unintended consequences these restrictions might have on digital literacy and online behaviour.
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Malaysia is once again facing the devastating impact of floods, disrupting many lives and communities across several states. In such crises, disaster relief efforts play a vital role not just in providing immediate aid but also in building preparedness and resilience for the future.
Today, we speak with William Cheah, the Co-Founder of Kembara Kitchen, a food production social enterprise dedicated to disaster relief and community outreach. They have extensive experience in producing ready-to-eat meals, food preparation, logistics, and mobilising resources during emergencies. In this conversation, we hope to gain on-the-ground insights, the challenges of delivering aid during natural disasters, and how businesses and communities can work together to make a meaningful impact during these critical times.
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ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, had recently filed a lawsuit against a former intern alleging deliberate sabotage of its AI model training infrastructure through code manipulation and unauthorised modifications. In light of this, we look at the critical issue of insider threats ranging from unintentional errors to deliberate sabotage.
Joining us today is Datuk Alan See, Co-Founder and CEO of FIRMUS, to share insights on how organisations can navigate insider risks, balance meaningful opportunities for junior employees with robust security measures, and foster a workplace that protects sensitive projects while empowering teams at all levels.
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How can Corporate Malaysia and the private sector support Malaysian batik? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into this and much more with Datuk Seri Abdul Jalil Hamid, from the Securities Commission Malaysia, and Zainariah Johari, from MyCreative Ventures, as they share the vision behind Batik Lestari, its role in reshaping the batik economy, and how corporate Malaysia can contribute to long-term growth for this cherished art form.
Launched by the Securities Commission Malaysia and MyCreative Ventures, the Batik Lestari initiative aims to empower local artisans, support MSMEs, and elevate Malaysian batik on the global stage.
With over 80 submissions to its national design competition, the program wants to foster cultural authenticity, sustainability, and innovation while positioning batik as both an economic driver and a cultural ambassador ahead of Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025.
The Batik Lestari Festival is open to the public from 10AM till 5PM on the 5th and 6th of December 2024 at the Securities Commission Malaysia, Bukit Kiara, Kuala Lumpur. The 2-day event will feature a batik exhibition, workshops, film screenings and a curated batik retail market featuring local batik brands.
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As we near the end of 2024, it’s time to pause, reflect, and gear up for an even better 2025. Jeevan Sahadevan, Founder of Leverage Labs, joins us on Enterprise Explores to share his 24 questions to review 2024 and get ready for 2025.
Designed for entrepreneurs, leaders, and teams, these questions dive into wins, losses, and lessons from the past year, helping you turn insights into actionable goals for the future.
From how to approach these questions effectively to common pitfalls and best practices, this episode provides the ultimate toolkit for self-reflection and growth.
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In an era where the past meets the present, the fusion of heritage and modernity has become a powerful driver for revitalising tourism and boosting local economies. By blending tradition with innovation, destinations can offer unique experiences that resonate with global audiences and across cultures and generations.
Today, we discuss how this fusion fuels economic opportunities, enhances tourism appeal, and shapes the way we connect with heritage in the modern age. Joining us is Zeen Chang, the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Kwai Chai Hong to explore how the synergy of old and new is pivotal in redefining industries and communities alike.
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Millennials and Gen Z are poised to inherit an estimated $84 trillion by 2045, marking the largest intergenerational wealth transfer in history and setting the stage for a shift in global wealth dynamics.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Nirbhay Handa, Co-Founder and CEO of Multipolitan, to unpack insights from their Navigating the Future of Wealth Report 2024. We explore the trends reshaping wealth management today, including the rise of alternative assets, geopolitical uncertainties, investment migration, tax shifts, and the emergence of wealth hubs like Malta and India’s GIFT City.
Key Highlights from the Conversation Include:
- The $84 Trillion Transfer: Millennials and Gen Z are set to inherit unprecedented wealth, reshaping global investment behaviours and preferences.
- Alternative Assets on the Rise: A growing preference for investments like art, whisky casks, and digital assets over traditional asset classes.
- Blockchain & Tokenization: Unlocking accessibility in alternative investments and transforming the wealth management landscape.
- Investment Migration Boom: The $21 billion global market reflects rising demand for alternative residencies as an “insurance policy” against uncertainties.
- Emerging Wealth Hubs: Regions like Malta and India’s GIFT City are positioning themselves as challengers to established financial centres.
- Evolving Tax Strategies: How regulatory scrutiny and shifting tax policies impact capital flight and investment migration.
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How does economic freedom shape prosperity and well-being? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, unpacks insights from the Fraser Institute’s Economic Freedom of the World 2024 Report.
We explore Malaysia’s ranking, the challenges behind declining global economic freedom, and why sound monetary policies, strong legal systems, and balanced regulations are critical for fostering innovation, reducing poverty, and driving growth.
Here are some highlights from the conversation:
- Malaysia’s Ranking: 29th globally with a score of 7.56, reflecting strengths in sound money and international trade, but room for improvement in legal systems.
- Global Trends: Declining economic freedom worldwide over three years, reversing a decade of progress.
- Critical Drivers: Sound money, strong legal systems, and streamlined regulations are essential for fostering innovation and reducing poverty.
- Future Outlook: Strategies for balancing economic freedom with regulation and stability in a rapidly evolving global economy.
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Iconic landmarks like KLCC are the crown jewels of Malaysia's tourism industry, drawing visitors from all corners of the globe. Yet, just steps away from the Petronas Twin Towers, photo touts offering snapshot deals have sparked debates about the fine line between informal entrepreneurship and nuisance.
Are these small-scale ventures an opportunity to foster local entrepreneurship, or do they risk damaging the country’s reputation as a world-class tourist destination?
Joining us is Hannah Pearson, founding partner of Pear Anderson, a consultancy focused on tourism and travel in Asia, as we explore the complexities of informal economies in high-traffic tourist hotspots. With her expertise in regional trends, Hannah sheds light on how informal economies impact destinations, the challenges of regulation, and how cities like KL can stay tourist-friendly while supporting local ventures.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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What do the NSRF requirements mean for your company from 2025 onwards? Who does this impact and why should businesses see this as more than compliance, but as a critical part of long-term success?
Starting in 2025, the phased implementation of Malaysia’s National Sustainability Reporting Framework (NSRF) will change sustainability reporting. Companies will need to disclose direct, indirect, and Scope 3 emissions, aligning with global IFRS standards to enhance transparency and comparability.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, Nik Shahrizal Sulaiman, Sustainability & Climate Change Partner at PwC Malaysia, explores the NSRF’s requirements, its challenges, and the strategic opportunities it presents. We also discuss how the framework can foster a cultural shift in corporate Malaysia, positioning sustainability as a cornerstone of business strategy.
Here are some highlights from the conversation.
- Global Alignment: The NSRF integrates IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards, ensuring Malaysia’s reporting aligns with global practices to attract investors and boost market competitiveness.
- Who’s Affected: Phased implementation applies to large listed companies first, expanding to smaller listed and large non-listed entities with group revenues exceeding RM2 billion.
- Transition Reliefs: Initial focus is on climate-related disclosures, with temporary exemptions for Scope 3 emissions and principal business segments to ease compliance.
- Navigating Scope 3 Challenges: Scope 3 emissions reporting across value chains is complex, but companies can start by addressing material risks such as flood and regulatory risks while building internal capabilities.
- Leadership’s Role: Boards and executive teams must integrate climate risks into strategic planning, shifting from compliance to leveraging sustainability as a competitive advantage.
- Cultural Transformation: Treating sustainability as a strategic imperative enables companies to unlock efficiencies, enhance investor confidence, and remain competitive in global supply chains.
- Malaysia’s Advantage: Enhanced transparency can strengthen Malaysia’s position in global markets and attract foreign investors.
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As social media shifts from centralised platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to decentralised alternatives like Bluesky, businesses face new challenges and opportunities. In this episode, Anna Loi, co-founder of Goodbite Asia and Good & Honest Co., shares her insights on navigating this fragmented ecosystem, from building trust to rethinking analytics and engagement strategies.
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The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is gaining momentum in Malaysia, mainly fueled by the rising fuel costs and environmental awareness. However, global growth is slowing, and local adoption faces challenges like affordability and infrastructure. In this episode, Mark Bennett, APAC Energy Customer Experience Leader at EY, joins us to discuss the key barriers to EV growth and shares his thoughts on the main growth drivers for the next wave of EV adoption in Malaysia.
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With the Malaysia Venture Forum 2024 approaching, we explore the current state of Malaysia’s venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) landscape with Ng Sai Kit, Chairman of the Malaysian Venture Capital and Private Equity Association (MVCA).
From the challenges in the exit landscape and the role of GLICs to the impact of the end of the Zero-Interest Rate Policy and Malaysia’s position in the region, Sai Kit sheds light on key issues, opportunities, and hurdles, while outlining potential paths forward for the industry.
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Will the Ringgit strengthen or weaken? Should we feel optimistic about Malaysia’s economy heading into 2025? And how is Budget 2025 shaping up a month after its announcement?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Caroline Wong, Country Risk Analyst at BMI, part of Fitch Solutions, to break down Malaysia’s GDP performance, Budget 2025, monetary policy, and the outlook for the Ringgit.
We dive into the drivers behind Malaysia’s Q3 GDP growth, the fiscal consolidation measures in Budget 2025, and whether the right balance between growth and sustainability is being achieved. Caroline also shares her thoughts on Bank Negara Malaysia’s OPR stance, inflation trends, and the factors shaping the Ringgit’s resilience amid global trade uncertainties.
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Southeast Asia’s dynamic economies and intricate political landscapes pose unique challenges for leaders balancing stakeholder interests amidst resource constraints and global uncertainty. This makes mastering negotiation, fostering collaboration, and leading with diplomacy critical skills for navigating complexity and driving business success. In this episode with Professor Bruno Verdini, Executive Director of the MIT-Harvard Mexico Negotiation Programme at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, we explore practical frameworks and actionable strategies to overcome negotiation blind spots, and discuss the skills leaders need to thrive in politically and economically complex environments.
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What’s on the mind of Malaysians’ as we approach 2025?
Today on the show, we’re diving into Ipsos’ latest report, What Worries Malaysia?, which looks at key insights into the nation’s economic optimism, consumer confidence, and growing concerns. With 7 out of 10 Malaysians believing the country is heading in the right direction, we explore the challenges ahead, including corruption and rising crime concerns. Joining us to break it all down is Kiranjit Singh, Regional APAC Lead at Ipsos Strategy3.
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Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem is growing, but is the Silicon Valley playbook holding it back? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, I speak with Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Chair of the Soonicorn Collective and Senior Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator, about the pitfalls of adapting Silicon Valley’s approach to Southeast Asia—especially in Malaysia.
We dive into the revenue-driven pressures faced by startups, question whether the $100 million revenue benchmark is realistic for the region, and explore how rethinking valuations could unlock Southeast Asia’s true entrepreneurial potential. Dr. Siva also unpacks why moving beyond the Silicon Valley mindset might be the key to building sustainable, high-margin ventures that thrive in this unique market.
Key areas of discussion include:
- Revenue Pressures: Why the $100 million target is unrealistic for Southeast Asian startups and the structural challenges it highlights.
- Market Size Dynamics: How VC priorities like market size and revenue multiples often overlook the realities of Southeast Asia’s industries.
- Rethinking Valuations and Mindsets: The need for alternative valuation methods that better reflect Southeast Asia’s market potential, with a focus on building profitable, high-margin businesses.
- VC Dynamics: The pressures on venture capitalists to deliver high returns and how that impacts funding strategies in Southeast Asia.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we explore into the evolving landscape of carbon markets and the crucial role of carbon credits in Malaysia's decarbonisation journey. As businesses face increasing pressure to reduce emissions, carbon credits have become a key tool to achieve climate goals, but not without significant challenges. Integrity, cost, and the changing dynamics of both voluntary and compliance markets are reshaping how organisations approach their climate commitments.
We speak with Arina Kok, EY Asia-Pacific Climate Change Advisory Leader and Asean Climate Change and Sustainability Services Co-Leader, to explore how Malaysian businesses can strategically integrate carbon credits, navigate regulatory frameworks, and leverage co-benefits to enhance their brand value.
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The recent shortfalls of Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign had highlighted how missteps in communications and strategic alignment can impact even the most high-profile initiatives, showing how essential clear communication, and a deep understanding of audience needs are to any initiative’s success.
In today’s business environment, the lines between internal alignment and external success is blurred, making it critical for public-facing and internal campaigns to build trust and cohesion within the organisation first.
Cilia Rasasegram, Chief Experience Officer at Kindler Employee Experience Project, joins us to break down what makes or breaks a campaign. Together, we also explore the parallels between impactful campaign strategies and strong organizational culture, uncovering lessons that can resonate from the boardroom to the brand message.
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Early-stage investing is inherently risky, with failure a natural part of the process, so was the public’s reaction to the Fashion Valet saga—a RM44 million loss for Khazanah and PNB — justified, or an overreaction? And what role should GLICs and other large institutions play in the venture capital and startup ecosystem? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack key lessons to learn from the Fashion Valet saga with Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures.
We dive into the challenges, complexities, and strategic considerations for public funds in high-risk startup investing. Kevin also shares insights on the specialised skills needed for early-stage investing, the importance of transparency, and how processes like releasing investment memos and committee minutes may help restore public trust.
We also explore how Malaysia’s GLICs could more effectively support the startup ecosystem by leveraging private sector expertise and adopting successful fund-of-funds models through initiatives like Jelawang Capital.
Key insights from the interview include:
- Understanding Startup Risk: Why the high failure rate in early-stage investing demands specialised knowledge.
- Differentiating Failure Types: The importance of distinguishing between “failure of outcome” (expected risks in startups) and “failure of process” (investment missteps).
- Strategic Investment Approaches for GLICs: Why public institutions may be better suited to supporting startups via grants or fund-of-funds models rather than direct investments.
- GLICs’ Role in Innovation: How Malaysia’s GLICs can enhance innovation by partnering with private sector experts and specialised fund managers.
- Advantages of the Fund-of-Funds Model: How Fund-of-Funds Model, like Khazanah’s Jelawang Capital, can strengthen the startup ecosystem by drawing on private expertise.
- Setting Public Expectations: Communicating the realities of high-risk investments to the public, especially regarding the inherent risks of loss-making and reinvestment for growth.
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A total of RM20 million has been allocated for the development of the e-sports ecosystem under the Budget 2025 and RM10 million from that total amount will be used for constructing a new e-sports stadium. But, is this a step in the right direction for Malaysia's e-sports industry?
In today's episode of Enterprise Explores, we explore how the proposed initiatives in the Budget 2025 support and promote the growth of Malaysia's e-sports industry, what else is the allocated funds going to be used for and whether it addresses the current gaps in the industry at ground-level like talent finding, sponsorships and mentorships, training programs and much more.
We speak with Mohd Syazwan bin Mohd Hanafie, Sports Manager at National Sports Council of Malaysia & Tiffani Lim, Athletes Committee Chairperson at International E-sports Federation (IESF) and also Malaysia's women's e-sports team manager.
Image Credits: Shutterstock
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SMEs are vital to Malaysia’s economy, but breaking into international markets remains challenging due to complex trade regulations and non-tariff measures (NTMs). These barriers, from health standards to labelling requirements, hit smaller firms hardest, limiting their ability to scale beyond borders. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the impact of NTMs on Malaysian SMEs, especially in sectors like food manufacturing, and discuss potential solutions for easing these restrictions.
Joining us is Professor Evelyn Devadason from the Faculty of Business and Economics at University Malaya, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS). We’ll discuss policy reforms and the importance of harmonising trade regulations in the region, but also dive into why we should focus on supporting mid-sized companies and high-potential industries to go international, instead of SMEs.
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Between climate change and aging populations, what does it take for a city to thrive and survive in our changing world? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into Kuala Lumpur’s position on the global stage, guided by insights from Arup’s latest Redefining City Competitiveness report.
This report, released by the global design and consultancy firm Arup, introduces a new framework for evaluating cities based on resilience, governance, liveability, and loveability—expanding beyond traditional economic metrics.
Kuala Lumpur, identified as an “aspiring” global city, shines in areas like green infrastructure and urban management but faces challenges in inclusivity and mobility. Joining us to discuss the factors driving Kuala Lumpur’s growth and its global competitiveness is Murali Ram, Malaysia Lead for Cities & Advisory at Arup. Together, we explore what KL can learn from other cities as it continues its climb.
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In this episode, we dive into the rapid growth of Malaysia’s digital economy, fueled by massive investments in AI, cloud storage and data centres. With tech giants like Google ($2B), Oracle ($6.5B), Microsoft, Nvidia, and ByteDance pouring billions into the region, Malaysia is becoming a hub for cloud services and AI development.
Join us in our conversation with Professor Dr Ong Kian Ming, Pro Vice Chancellor for External Engagement at Taylor's University as we explore the far-reaching implications of these investments on Malaysia’s economy, from job creation and tech talent development to the future of local businesses and innovation. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on how Malaysia is positioning itself as a key player in the global digital landscape.
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Is your consumer brand ready to take the leap into international markets? What are the key strategies APAC’s biggest FMCG brands have used to tap into overseas markets to drive revenue? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into the global ambitions of Asia-Pacific FMCG companies and the essential strategies driving their international success.
With overseas revenue now outpacing domestic growth for many of the region's top firms, global expansion has become a critical pathway for sustained growth. Joining us is Praneeth Yendamuri, Partner at Bain & Company, who shares insights from Bain’s report on internationalisation, examining the drivers, challenges, and growth strategies for FMCGs in Asia.
We explore the decision-making process, from selecting expansion pathways to managing risks in mergers and acquisitions, and outline practical steps for building a successful global presence.
Tune in as we discuss the latest trends, strategic approaches, and pitfalls to avoid for Asia-Pacific FMCGs looking to thrive internationally.
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As e-commerce platforms like Lazada, Shopee, and TikTok become essential for local entrepreneurs, especially micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), questions have emerged about the fairness of commission fees and the broader regulatory landscape. The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Costs of Living has been and are taking steps to review these fees, sparking a national conversation on how to create a level playing field for smaller businesses in the digital marketplace.
To help us unpack what these potential changes mean for entrepreneurs and consumers alike is Ganesh Kumar Bangah, Chair of e-Commerce of the National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM). In this conversation, we explore how modernising outdated laws could foster a more inclusive e-commerce environment, drive local innovation, and elevate Malaysia as a digital leader in Southeast Asia.
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As high-tech industries like semiconductors and digital technologies grow, the demand for skilled talent is rising. Traditional education often falls short, leaving many working adults struggling to keep up. Wawasan Open University (WOU) is changing that with flexible open distance learning, allowing professionals to upskill while continuing their careers.
Today, Vice Chancellor and CEO of Wawasan Open University, Professor Lily Chan, shares how the university is bridging the skills gap and supporting Malaysia’s economic vision with innovative programmes and strong industry partnerships.
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As foreign e-commerce platforms grow across Southeast Asia, there is rising debate about how to protect local SMEs from being outpaced. In this episode, we explore potential policies that could shape Malaysia's digital economy, weighing the benefits and risks for local businesses, innovation, and foreign investment. Dr Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education, joins us to discuss strategies to support MSMEs while fostering a digital-first economy.
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Does Malaysia’s true regional value lie in being ASEAN’s startup sandbox? Could an integrated ASEAN startup ecosystem unlock the region’s full potential, or is this too ambitious for such a fragmented landscape?
As Malaysia looks ahead to its ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, Enterprise Explores dives into the value, opportunities, and challenges of building a more connected regional startup community with Norman Matthieu Vanhaecke, Group CEO of Cradle Fund, and Renuka Sena, CEO of Proficeo. We also explore Malaysia’s potential role in driving this agenda.
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In our continuing coverage of Budget 2025, today, we’re diving into Malaysia’s 2025 Budget and its focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Joining us today to break this down are Warren Leow and Khalil Nooh from the National AI Consortium (KAIN). Warren is CEO of AI-driven creative tools provider Pixlr and Khalil is Co-Founder & CEO of Mesolitica -a startup that is developing a Malaysian LLM. We’ll explore the hits and misses from Budget 2025, the critical steps Malaysia needs to take in AI development, and how KAIN is working to shape the country’s AI future.
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Should Penjana Kapital and MAVCAP have been merged into Khazanah? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into that and other key reactions to Budget 2025 and its impact on the startup ecosystem.
Last Friday, the government unveiled a record RM421 billion budget, with significant allocations for startups and tech innovation, including:
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RM1 billion for the National Fund-of-Funds (NFOF) under Khazanah, with RM300 million earmarked for venture capital fund managers in 2025.
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RM1 billion for the Dana Perintis fund, with RM200 million allocated for 2025 to support local startups.
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RM65 million for Cradle Fund to help startups expand regionally and globally.
But do these measures meet the expectations of the startup community?
Joining us to discuss the potential hits and misses of the budget are Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO and Founding Partner at 1337 Ventures, and Gokula Krishnan Subramaniam, Founder and CEO of Vircle. We’ll explore whether these initiatives truly address the needs of startups, what the community is looking for, and more.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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What’s new in consumption taxes in Budget 2025, and why is GST considered more efficient than SST? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack the key consumption tax measures from Malaysia’s 2025 Budget and their potential impact on businesses.
From the expansion of Sales and Service Tax (SST) to premium foods, to new excise duties on sugary drinks, we break down what businesses need to know and prepare for.
Joining us is Geeta Balakrishnan, Tax Director at PwC Malaysia, to discuss the broader fiscal strategy behind these changes and how companies can navigate the evolving tax landscape.
We also dive into the ongoing debate between SST and GST, exploring which model might be more effective for Malaysia. Tune in to learn how these policies could shape your business operations.
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On this Enterprise Exclusive, we speak with Mike Walsh, CEO of Tomorrow, who will also be a keynote speaker at the MDX Summit 2024, organised by MDEC. We explore the future of digital transformation, focusing on how disruptive technologies such as AI, quantum computing, and the metaverse are reshaping business ecosystems. Mike will share insights on how leaders can harness these technologies to innovate, build scalable digital economies, and navigate the age of superintelligence.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into Malaysia’s Budget 2025 and its implications for businesses with a focus on digital transformation and economic growth. Joining me are Ong Chin Seong, Chairman of PIKOM, and Aaron Sarma, General Partner of ScaleUp Malaysia, to unpack key incentives aimed at fostering innovation and supporting SMEs.
Budget 2025 outlines a clear commitment to building Malaysia’s digital economy, with initiatives including:
- RM3.8 billion in loans from Bank Negara Malaysia to help SMEs automate and digitalise operations.
- RM100 million for Digital Economy Centres to support small entrepreneurs selling products online.
- Accelerated e-invoicing implementation from July 2025.
- Tax incentives for high-tech sectors like integrated circuit design and smart logistics.
- Increased focus on cybersecurity and investment frameworks to attract high-value digital technology investments.
We discuss how these measures will shape the future of Malaysia’s tech sector and explore the opportunities and challenges for businesses navigating this evolving landscape. Tune in to hear how Budget 2025 could impact your business and drive Malaysia’s digital future.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we unpack Malaysia’s 2025 National Budget and its implications for the business community with Farah Rosley, Malaysia Tax Managing Partner at Ernst & Young Tax Consultants.
The budget introduces a range of measures aimed at strengthening fiscal consolidation, accelerating industrial transformation, and supporting high-tech sectors, with a strong emphasis on digitalisation, sustainability, and broadening the tax base. Key highlights include:
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A new 2% tax on chargeable dividend income for individual shareholders exceeding RM100,000,
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An expanded Sales tax scope to include additional services and non-essential goods, such as salmon and avocado. Sales
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Tax exemptions will remain for essential food items.
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A progressive expansion of Service Tax to cover B2B commercial service transactions starting 1 May 2025,
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Phased increases in excise duty rates on sugary drinks,
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Continued support for SMEs and new tax incentives for technology, renewable energy, and logistics sectors,
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A strong push towards automation and ESG initiatives, aligned with the New Industrial Master Plan 2030,
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The introduction of a carbon tax on the iron and steel industries starting in 2026 to encourage low-carbon technologies.
Farah discusses these key measures and what the business community needs to know about tax policies, funding opportunities, and navigating the evolving fiscal landscape.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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As Malaysia tables the Budget 2025 today, we turn our focus to Malaysia’s Mid-tier companies (MTCs) and SMEs, the backbone of the nation’s economy. These businesses drive innovation, create jobs, and enhance Malaysia's global competitiveness, yet they continue to face significant challenges, from limited access to financing to the need for digital transformation and skilled talent.
We speak with Callum Chen, Honorary President of the Malaysian Consortium of Mid-Tier Companies, as we reflect on the outcomes of Budget 2024 — what worked, what didn’t, and where gaps remain. We also dive into what these businesses are hoping to see in Budget 2025, and the key policies and initiatives that could unlock new opportunities for them, strengthening their position in the global market.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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What does the tech and startup ecosystem need? How can we and should we encourage the government, GLCs, and PLCs to buy tech products and services from local players? What about acquisitions? Should GLCs be mandated to acquire high-quality startups?
As the Budget 2025 tabling approaches, we explore all this and key wishlist items from the tech and startup ecosystem, including the potential impact of government procurement, with Dr. Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Chair of the Soonicorn Collective, and Warren Leow, CEO of Pixlr Group.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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Will the Ringgit continue to strengthen against the US Dollar? Could we see the GST comeback? How could fuel subsidy rationalisation factors into Budget 2025?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Caroline Wong, Country Risk Analyst at BMI (part of Fitch Solutions), to discuss the key aspects of Malaysia's fiscal strategy as we head into Budget 2025.
We dive into the government's fiscal consolidation plans, the outlook for the Ringgit, and what to expect from Bank Negara Malaysia in terms of interest rate policies.
Tune in to explore how these factors will shape the business landscape in the coming year.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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As Malaysia’s economy gains momentum with stronger foreign investments, a rising Ringgit, and improved innovation ranking, the nation is on track to potentially achieve high-income status by 2028. Central to this growth is the government's commitment to inclusive progress, highlighted by the Public-Private Partnership Master Plan 2030 (PIKAS 2030) and the RM100 million allocation in Budget 2024 for NGOs and civil society organisations.
In this episode, we explore the vital role of social enterprises in shaping Malaysia’s socio-economic landscape with Kuhan Pathy, President of the Social Entrepreneur Development Association, a Founding Member of the Malaysia Chamber of Social Entrepreneur Development, and Co-Founder of Pepper Labs. We also discuss how social enterprises driving innovation, creating community impact, and what Budget 2025 could mean for the future of this growing ecosystem.
This BFM Budget 2025 Special is brought to you by Mah Sing – Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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In today’s competitive global economy, talent is key. In this episode, we dive into the IMD World Talent Ranking 2024 with Professor Arturo Bris, Director of the World Competitiveness Center at the Institute for Management Development (IMD). Discover how top economies like Switzerland (ranked 1st), Singapore (2nd), and Nordic countries like Denmark (3rd), Norway (4th) and Sweden (6th) are excelling in talent development. We also discuss Malaysia's position at 33rd, the impact of AI, and the importance of inclusivity, and what businesses must do to stay competitive in the global talent race.
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Is your business missing out on crucial financing due to a lack of collateral? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into how Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan (SJPP) is helping Malaysian SMEs access growth capital through government-backed guarantee schemes.
We’re joined by Datuk Fazlur Rahman Zainuddin, Principal Officer of SJPP, to explore how these schemes work, the RM20 billion allocated under Budget 2024, and how businesses across sectors—including green tech, halal, and Bumiputera enterprises—can take advantage of these financing solutions to reduce costs and drive growth.
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“If you asked me what could be improved, I’d say maybe an agency that doesn’t only focus on the big players like Google and Microsoft, but also one that helps small and medium companies like us settle in.”
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we take a closer look at the company’s decision to move its Southeast Asia regional office to Malaysia, why it’s not just a cost savings exercise, and what this says about the country’s growing reputation as a regional hub for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
We speak with Norbert Hentschel, Regional Managing Director of Nord-Lock Group, to discuss the factors that influenced this move, including labour force availability, logistics infrastructure, and the strategic advantages Malaysia offers over neighbouring countries.
Key Areas of Conversation:
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The main reasons behind Nord-Lock’s relocation to Malaysia, beyond just cost considerations.
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How Malaysia's stable government, multilingual workforce, and logistics infrastructure played a pivotal role in the decision.
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How Nord-Lock plans to grow its workforce and integrate into the local economy, including hiring for high-skilled roles and engaging with local suppliers.
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Malaysia’s potential to compete as a regional hub in Southeast Asia and why companies like Nord-Lock are choosing it over traditional hubs like Singapore.
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Norbert’s insights on the broader trends in FDI, Malaysia’s economic future, and what policies could further enhance the country’s attractiveness for foreign businesses.
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As Malaysia continues to make strides in digital transformation, there remains a significant gap in digital inclusion, particularly among older generations. Many seniors still face challenges in navigating technology, which has become an essential tool in our daily lives. Recognising this need, a group of forward-thinking final-year advertising students from Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management & Technology (TAR UMT) have launched a senior influencer project called “Golden Seniors Connect”. In this episode, we speak with Lai Ee Shen, the Project Leader, and Chow Tze Mae, the Project Content Creator to learn more about this project that aims to empower seniors with digital literacy, grooming them to become influencers and role models to inspire their peers to embrace technology.
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Global shifts, automation, climate change, and US-China tensions are reshaping businesses around the world. The joint Angsana Council, Bain & Company, and DBS Bank SEA Outlook 2024-2034 report reveals how Malaysia and Southeast Asia can capitalise on emerging growth sectors, adapt to geopolitical changes, and embrace new technologies for future success.
In today’s conversation with Charles Ormiston, Advisory Partner at Bain & Company and Chair of Angsana Council; and Karen Harris, the Managing Director for Bain’s Macro Trends Group, we explore key economic projections and critical themes such as automation and ageing populations that will shape business strategies in the next three to five years.
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European companies are increasingly eyeing ASEAN as their next major growth market. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into EU-ASEAN trade dynamics — what’s fueling optimism but also what could hold things back.
With insights from the 10th annual EU-ASEAN Business Sentiment Survey, we speak with Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council, to unpack why European firms are bullish on ASEAN’s economic potential, the barriers to further investment, and the strategic opportunities in the region.
Key Areas of Conversation:
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What’s driving European businesses to boost trade and investment in ASEAN.
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The inefficiencies in regional supply chains and how ASEAN can improve infrastructure.
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The impact of the lack of a region-to-region Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the EU and ASEAN.
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How European firms are navigating challenges like non-tariff barriers and digital economy regulations.
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The role of sustainability, the European Green Deal, and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in shaping EU-ASEAN relations.
Tune in to discover what’s on the horizon for EU-ASEAN business relations and how Southeast Asia is positioning itself as a top destination for European trade and investment.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Feeling confused or overwhelmed by the rising demands of emissions reporting and sustainability standards? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we simplify the complexities of emissions reporting — focusing on Scope 1, 2, and 3 — with insights from Phang Oy Cheng, Head of ESG and Sustainability Advisory at KPMG Malaysia.
Oy Cheng breaks down the layers of emissions reporting and explains why companies need to pay attention, even if you are not a listed company or directly impacted by regulations right now.
Among other things, Oy Cheng explains why businesses, even those not yet subject to regulations, need to pay attention to emissions reporting now.
Key Areas of Conversation:
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A clear breakdown of Scope 1 and 2 emissions, and how Scope 3 differs by covering the entire value chain.
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The common challenges businesses face in gathering accurate data, particularly for Scope 3 emissions across supply chains.
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Why emissions management isn't just about compliance but can drive long-term business value, market share, and stakeholder trust.
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Insights into Bursa Malaysia’s latest sustainability reporting requirements and how businesses can prepare for upcoming regulations.
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Practical steps for smaller companies in supply chains to begin their ESG reporting journey, and resources available to support them.
Tune in to gain clarity on emissions reporting, why SMEs, suppliers, and vendors need to pay attention, and discover how your business can turn compliance into a strategic advantage for future growth.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the World Summit Awards (WSA) and its Malaysian chapter — a platform that highlights digital innovations making a societal impact.
On the back of the WSA Malaysia finals, Renuka Sena, the National Expert for WSA Malaysia and CEO of Proficeo, joins us to explore the role of the WSA, how WSA Malaysia identifies and celebrates digital solutions that align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the competition process, and the selection of the 7 Malaysian winners.
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With RM85.4 billion in foreign investments secured in the first half of 2024 alone, what’s propelling Malaysia’s FDI momentum? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into Malaysia’s foreign direct investment (FDI) trends and the strategies driving these impressive numbers with Keegan Ong, Tax Partner and Korean Desk Leader at PwC Malaysia.
We explore the key factors at play, including the impact of tax incentives, non-tax incentives, free trade agreements, and the Global Minimum Tax on Malaysia’s investment landscape.
Tune in to uncover how Malaysia is maintaining its competitive edge in the region and what more can be done to attract foreign capital.
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Are you unknowingly limiting your business by locking yourself into a single cloud or tech provider?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we sit down with Dirk-Peter van Leeuwen, CEO of SUSE, to dive into the critical role of open source software in building digital resiliency in today’s cloud-centric business landscape.
With the rapid adoption of cloud computing and AI, businesses face increasing complexity and the risk of single vendor lock-in. We explore strategies to mitigate these risks, maintain flexibility, and ensure long-term stability in the cloud.
Key points covered include:
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Why digital resiliency is essential for business continuity in a cloud-driven world.
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How businesses can avoid the risks of vendor lock-in with multi-cloud strategies.
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Best practices for managing cybersecurity and ensuring system redundancy.
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Insights into how businesses can leverage open source for secure and scalable AI adoption.
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Addressing the misconceptions about security risks in open-source systems.
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Future trends and opportunities for digital innovation and infrastructure in the APAC region.
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Temu, launched in September 2022, has become a major player in global e-commerce and a household name in a short period of two years. It has expanded to over 78 countries based on a full consignment model, rooted in efficient supply chain management that has set it apart, driving rapid user adoption.
Temu has successfully scaled cross-border operations and attracted price-conscious consumers. Its rise comes amidst a shifting e-commerce industry where platforms are adopting new models to stay competitive.
Today, we explore key insights from Momentum Works' latest report, “Temu: Two Years On,” to understand Temu’s journey, its impact on the industry, what makes it successful and what lies ahead, with Jianggan Li, the Founder and CEO of Momentum Works.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the future of Malaysia’s workforce with Soffian Amin, Chief Programmes Officer at HRD Corp. As the organiser of the upcoming National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition 2024 (NHCCE), Soffian shares insights into the key challenges faced by human capital development in Malaysia, including the role of AI, reskilling, and how businesses can prepare for the rapidly changing world of work.
Tune in to discover:
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The importance of AI in shaping Malaysia’s workforce.
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How the National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition 2024 is attempting to spark key conversations around pressing workforce development issues.
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Strategies for businesses to prepare for future workforce demands and challenges.
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What attendees can expect from the upcoming National Human Capital Conference & Exhibition 2024.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the state of cybersecurity in Southeast Asia’s financial sector. Tenable’s recent report uncovered over 26,500 vulnerable internet-facing assets across the region’s top banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) companies. Assets with the potential to be exploited if not managed.
We speak with Geoffrey Jakmakejian, Security Engineering Manager at Tenable, about these findings, the current state of cyber exposure and management, and what businesses can do to strengthen their defences.
Tune in to learn:
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Key vulnerabilities in Southeast Asia’s BFSI sector and their implications.
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The biggest cybersecurity and hygiene gaps businesses need to address.
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Practical steps to improve exposure management and protect critical assets.
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Emerging cybersecurity trends that companies in Southeast Asia should adopt.
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Marketing strategies today are constantly being redefined by the rise of new trends and platforms. Brands are now looking for ways to authentically engage with younger audiences, and one standout approach is allowing Gen Z employees to write the marketing scripts – for real. This shift taps into the unique voice and style of Gen Z, leveraging humour, relatability, and pop culture to resonate more deeply with their peers.
Today, we speak with Lina Esa, the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Cult Creative, to explore the impact, challenges, and future of this approach. As Chief Marketing Officer and Co-Founder of a platform where brands and creators can connect and collaborate in the creator economy space, Lina sheds light on the deeper implications of this trend, and if it is sustainable.
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Today on the show, we’ll be exploring and breaking down the economic impact of high-end technology and the trend of ‘luxury and tech’, with a particular focus on the influence of brand power and consumer loyalty. Joining me for this discussion is Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-founder of SoyaCincau.
Last week, the buzz and massive turnout at the iPhone 16 launch in TRX caught everyone’s attention, showing how deeply rooted consumer trust is towards brands like Apple. With other cases supporting the cause, high-end tech brands are often seen as economic catalysts that drive foot traffic and revenue for surrounding businesses, from retail outlets to restaurants.
In our conversation today with Amin, we’ll be breaking down how exactly that deeply rooted consumer trust can build a long-lasting relationship between a brand and the consumers as well as the implications of branding and marketing strategies towards the high-end or ‘luxury’ tech market.
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With Malaysia formally ratifying the UK’s accession into the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Enterprise Explores takes a closer look at the agreement and its potential impact on Malaysia’s business landscape.
We speak with Dr. Carmelo Ferlito, CEO of the Center for Market Education and Faculty Member with School of Business and Economics of Universitas Prasetiya Mulya Indonesia, to unpack the key provisions of the CPTPP, how it differs from other trade agreements, and what Malaysian businesses can expect in terms of opportunities for market expansion and the challenges of increased competition.
Tune in as we explore:
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A refresher on the CPTPP and its key objectives.
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The immediate and long-term benefits Malaysian businesses can expect.
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The sectors most likely to gain from increased market access and those that may face tougher competition.
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The key challenges the Malaysian economy might encounter and how businesses can prepare.
If you're curious about how Malaysia’s participation in the CPTPP might affect your business, this episode provides the insights you need.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Cilia Rasasegram, HR Consultant at Kindler Employee Experience, to discuss the rising demands of Gen Z workers and how Malaysian employers can navigate these evolving expectations.
From work-life balance and wage transparency to creating purpose-driven workplaces, Cilia shares valuable insights on how businesses can adapt to attract and retain the next generation of talent.
Tune in to explore the strategies that can help your organisation engage and empower Gen Z employees.
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On 1 August 2024, the EU AI Act officially came into force, and it is deemed a notable moment in global AI regulation. The Act is the European Union's first comprehensive regulation designed to govern the development, deployment, and use of artificial intelligence, aiming to ensure that AI systems are safe, respect fundamental rights, and are transparent.
This legislation, however, doesn’t just affect companies within the EU, but also stretches far beyond Europe’s borders, so long as their AI systems are intended for the EU market, compelling AI developers around the world to reevaluate their practices.
With severe penalties for non-compliance and strict prohibitions on certain AI uses, understanding the Act is crucial for any business that aims to operate in the EU market. To help us understand further the nuances of manipulative AI, the challenges in biometric data handling, and explore what these new rules mean for AI-driven industries are Ong Johnson, Partner and Head of Technology Practice Group, and Lo Khai Yi, Partner and Co-Head of Technology Practice Group at Halim Hong & Quek.
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We explore how Malaysia’s recent amendment to the Audit Act and the findings from the Corporate Governance Watch 2023 report are shaping the future of governance and enterprise resilience. Joined by Mohd Khaidzir bin Shahari, President of the Institute of Internal Auditors Malaysia and Partner – Head of Risk Consulting Advisory at KPMG Malaysia, we dive into the evolving role of internal audit, its impact on cybersecurity, ESG integration, and how auditors can shift from compliance enforcers to value creators.
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Does the Malaysian economy need GST in the longer term? In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the latest OECD Economic Survey of Malaysia with Jens Arnold, Head of Division at the OECD Economics Department to explore key insights and recommendations for Malaysia’s economic future.
Jens unpacks the findings of the survey and discusses how Malaysia can ensure sustainable growth in the face of global economic challenges. We explore strategies for enhancing tax policies and reducing the fiscal deficit, the need for better targeting of social assistance programs to support the nation’s economic development, and the importance of improving MSME productivity.
The report highlights:
GDP Growth Forecast: Malaysia’s GDP is projected to grow by 4.9% in 2024 and 4.7% in 2025, driven by robust domestic demand and a rebound in exports.
Inflation Stability: Inflation is expected to remain stable at around 2.8%, supported by prudent monetary policies.
Fiscal Deficit: Despite narrowing since the pandemic, Malaysia's fiscal deficit remains a concern, and the OECD recommends accelerating fiscal consolidation and improving tax policies.
MSME Productivity: Boosting productivity in micro, small, and medium enterprises is seen as crucial to Malaysia’s economic progress. The report suggests regulatory reforms, improving access to finance, and fostering digitalisation as key steps.
Social Protection: The report calls for better-targeted social assistance programs and expanded pension coverage to tackle inequality and support vulnerable groups.
Image credits: Shutterstock
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Today, we speak with Professor Dr. Saras Sarasvathy from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, a pioneer in entrepreneurial theory, best known for her work on effectuation. This groundbreaking theory offers a fresh approach to entrepreneurship by encouraging entrepreneurs to start with what they have, leveraging existing resources and forming strategic partnerships, instead of waiting for perfect conditions.
Effectuation emphasises flexibility, collaboration, and the principle of "affordable loss," helping entrepreneurs navigate uncertainty by turning potential risks into manageable experiments. In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, this approach challenges traditional business planning, offering a more pragmatic, resourceful way to drive innovation.
In today’s conversation, Professor Saras will shed light on how effectuation empowers entrepreneurs to navigate uncertainty, leverage limited resources, and create opportunities through partnerships.
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This week, Marriott International announced plans to open 20 new hotels in Malaysia by 2029, driven by the surge in tourism, in which Malaysia has seen a notable rise in the first half of 2024.
From breathtaking landscapes to vibrant cultural experiences, captivating both local and international travellers alike, the country's allure seems to be stronger than ever. One of the highlights at the recent MATTA Fair, which saw record participation, was a special focus on showcasing Borneo, positioning it as a must-visit destination for 2024.
To dive deeper into the driving forces behind this booming tourism wave, we speak with Nigel Wong, the President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA). In our conversation today, we explore elements that have spurred this resurgence, the role of key destinations like Borneo, and how Malaysia is evolving to meet the growing demand from travellers.
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Recently, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) announced a plan to redirect all Domain Name System (DNS) traffic through local servers, intending to protect against harmful online content such as gambling, pornography, and scams.
However, the backlash from the public and various stakeholders began almost immediately after the announcement. This measure raised concerns that the move could lead to online censorship, cybersecurity risks, and DNS poisoning, and negatively impact Malaysia’s digital economy, limiting access to international DNS services like Google or Cloudflare, which users often prefer for speed and privacy.
In response to the backlash, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced the suspension of the DNS redirection plan, emphasising that public feedback and concerns of the industry should be considered before moving forward to ensure that the directive would not impede Internet freedom or economic growth.
Today, we discuss this further, exploring the potential implications for businesses, digital freedom, and future tech investments. We’ll discuss the technical and economic ramifications of such a move and explore the broader context of digital regulation in Malaysia with Wong Wing Keong, Cybersecurity Principal Consultant, at Wired Realm to shed light on how this situation reflects the delicate balance between cybersecurity and digital freedom in today’s connected world.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the growing world of Search Funds — an emerging investment model where aspiring entrepreneurs raise capital to acquire and manage established businesses. While it shares similarities with traditional private equity, Search Funds offer unique opportunities for both investors and entrepreneurs.
Joining us are Alexander Schuil, Managing Partner at Novidam and an experienced Search Fund investor, and Nazrul Johari, Managing Director of Nusatu Capital, who is currently leading a Search Fund in Malaysia. Together, they share valuable insights into how Search Funds work, the opportunities they present in Southeast Asia, and the challenges involved in launching and managing a Search Fund.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
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How Search Funds differ from Private Equity and Venture Capital models.
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The key steps to launching a Search Fund, from raising capital to identifying acquisition targets.
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Insights into the due diligence process, acquisition strategies, and sector opportunities in Southeast Asia.
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Common challenges entrepreneurs and investors face in Search Funds and how to overcome them.
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What entrepreneurs should expect from investor relationships and how they evolve post-acquisition.
Whether you’re a business owner considering selling or an investor exploring new opportunities, this episode offers essential insights into how the Search Fund model could be the perfect solution for your exit strategy or your next business venture.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into Southeast Asia's evolving oil and gas sector, focusing on the critical role National Oil Companies (NOCs) play in driving capital expenditure (capex) growth. According to BMI’s latest report, NOCs in the region are projected to lead the charge in the capex push from US$130 billion in 2023 to US$136.4 billion in 2024, which includes capex on the traditional oil and gas sector but also renewables and low-carbon energy projects.
Joining us is San Naing, Senior Oil & Gas Analyst at BMI, who provides insights into the strategic priorities of Southeast Asia’s NOCs, the key drivers behind this surge in investment, and what it means for the region’s broader energy market.
Image credits: Shutterstock
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Today, we are diving into the exciting crossroads where Australia’s tech innovation meets Malaysia’s growing digital economy. From advancements in AI and robotics to cutting-edge developments in cybersecurity, Australia’s thriving tech sector is making waves, and the ripple effect is reaching Malaysian shores in remarkable ways.
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated Australia Southeast Asia Business Exchange (SEABX) trade mission this October, Austrade is setting the stage for dynamic B2B collaborations between Australian and Malaysian tech companies. With a focus on the digital economy, this initiative promises to unlock new opportunities, foster innovation, and deepen the ties between our two countries.
Joining us is Melanie Harris, the Trade and Investment Commissioner for Malaysia and Brunei at Austrade. We explore how Austrade is shaping these exciting partnerships, why Malaysia is emerging as a strategic gateway to ASEAN markets, and the role of Industry 4.0 in this evolving relationship. Plus, we get a sneak peek at where this tech-driven partnership might lead in the coming years and what it means for companies on both sides.
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What happens when VC-backed exits grind to a halt? Is the venture capital industry facing a crisis?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive deep into the knock-on impact of this US exit drought on the venture capital ecosystem, as well as the strategies VCs are employing to navigate these turbulent times.
According to PitchBook, U.S. VC-backed exit value has plummeted 86% from its peak in 2021 and the industry is grappling with potential challenges in returning capital to Limited Partners (LPs). Kevin Brockland, Managing Partner of Indelible Ventures, joins us to unpack this and explain how firms are adapting. From extending fund lifespans to leveraging secondary market sales and continuation funds, we explore the evolving landscape and its implications for both investors and startups.
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Social enterprises are typically businesses that pursue opportunities that have the potential to solve community-based problems and in recent years we’ve seen these enterprises attempt to tackle a variety of issues, like education, environmental sustainability, and community development.
However, challenges such as limited funding, capacity building, and a supportive ecosystem often hinder social enterprises’ growth and impact.
To address these issues, Satu Creative, a social enterprise that supports early-stage technology startups and impact-driven enterprises, in collaboration with Yayasan Hasanah, the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC) and Tabung Ekonomi Gagasan Anak Sarawak (TEGAS) launched the Satu Creative Hasanah Impact Challenge 2024.
In today’s episode of Enterprise Explores with Azuar Zainuddin, the CEO of Satu Creative, we explore how the Impact Challenge aims to effect transformation within the social enterprise sector and why such initiatives are essential for fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future for all Malaysians.
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AI is rapidly transforming the landscape of financial reporting and auditing, with 72% of companies already piloting initiatives and a surge to 99% expected within three years. In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into how AI is revolutionising financial reporting and auditing, with insights from Foong Mun Kong, Head of Audit at KPMG Malaysia.
As AI adoption in financial reporting is set to surge, we discuss the benefits, challenges, concerns, and the strategic steps companies need to take to stay ahead.
Key areas covered:
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The current state and future predictions of AI adoption in financial reporting and auditing
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Benefits early adopters are experiencing
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Challenges and concerns, including data privacy and real-time auditing demands
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Strategic steps for businesses to integrate AI into their financial processes
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The evolving role of auditors and the new skill sets required in the AI-driven landscape.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the latest revisions to the Service Tax Policy for the logistics sector, introduced by the Royal Malaysian Customs Department. These changes, effective retrospectively from 1st March 2024, are set to have significant implications not only for businesses within the logistics industry but also for those that rely heavily on these services.
To help us navigate these revisions, I’m joined by Thenesh Kannaa, Executive Director of Tratax, who unpacks the key changes and explores their impact on businesses. We also touch on other important updates to the Service Tax regime, identify areas where further clarification might still be needed, and touch on the difference between GST and SST.
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Cyber attacks and cyber threats are common nowadays and now extend to the very fabric of national security, economic stability, and public safety. Malaysia has taken steps to fortify its digital defences and enacted the Cyber Security Act 2024 in June this year, and took effect on 26 August 2024.
This legislation is not just a framework, but a comprehensive blueprint designed to protect our National Critical Information Infrastructure (NCII) from cyber threats.
But what does this Act truly mean for businesses and the public at large? How will it transform the way we understand and respond to cybersecurity threats? And how does it position Malaysia on the global stage in terms of cyber resilience and digital sovereignty?
We speak with CF Fong, the Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhadabout the Cyber Security Act 2024 and what it means for the future of cybersecurity in Malaysia.
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Are Malaysians excited or anxious about AI’s growing influence? Are they worried about losing their jobs to AI?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we sit down with Arun Menon, Managing Director at Ipsos Malaysia, to unpack their latest study, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Monitor. This report reveals that while 6 out of 10 Malaysians believe they have a good understanding of AI, there’s a mixed sentiment of excitement and concern about its potential impact—especially regarding job displacement.
Arun breaks down how these perceptions compare globally, particularly with the higher enthusiasm seen across Asia versus the caution in Europe and the Anglosphere. We also explore the need for AI regulations, the push for upskilling, and how businesses, individuals, and policymakers in Malaysia must prepare for the rapid evolution of generative AI technologies.
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In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we spotlight the newly launched PACE Bootcamp by Artem PACE—a 10-week program designed to empower entrepreneurs across various industries. This no-fee, equity-free Bootcamp offers workshops, mentorship, and hands-on learning experiences in key areas like finance, AI, technology, and marketing.
With a rigorous evaluation process led by industry experts and investors, 30 companies will be selected for the program, with 3 receiving non-monetary benefits from program partners. We speak with Tunku Omar Asraf, Director of Artem PACE, to uncover how this Bootcamp is addressing critical gaps in Malaysia's entrepreneurial ecosystem and what participants can expect.
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On August 21st, BFM hosted the Enterprise Breakaway: From Farm to Franchise event, where industry experts and seasoned operators explored the critical elements required to build a successful and lasting F&B business in Malaysia.
In the panel session titled When Partners Fall Out, we spoke with Faye Lim, Partner at Justin Faye & Partners, and Malek Ali, Founder of BFM Media. Both shared their expertise on building and maintaining successful business partnerships, focusing on the importance of selecting the right partner, ensuring aligned goals, and formalising clear agreements to prevent misunderstandings.
Faye discussed the legal and practical aspects of partnership agreements, emphasising the need for clear communication and aligned goals. Malek shared his personal experiences of navigating partnership challenges, highlighting the importance of understanding each partner’s contributions, both tangible and intangible, and the critical role of a clear exit strategy.
Key topics covered:
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Choosing the right business partners
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Common disputes and how to avoid them
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The importance of aligned goals and communication
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Legal agreements and their role in preventing disputes
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The value of sweat equity in partnerships
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Strategies for resolving partnership conflicts
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The role of mediators in managing sensitive discussions
Whether you’re starting a new business or already managing a partnership, this episode offers valuable insights into building strong, resilient partnerships that stand the test of time.
Tune in to learn how to navigate the complexities of business partnerships and prevent potential fallouts.
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Accounting for 33% of Southeast Asia’s total IPO proceeds, Malaysia has emerged as a leader in the region, raising RM2 billion and securing four out of the top 10 IPOs, according to Deloitte’s 2024 Southeast Asia Mid-Year IPO Snapshot report.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the state of IPOs in Southeast Asia, with a special focus on Malaysia’s impressive market performance in the first half of 2024, with Wong Kar Choon, Disruptive Events Advisory Leader at Deloitte Malaysia.
We discuss the factors driving Malaysia’s strong IPO performance, the challenges companies face in going public, and what the future holds for the IPO landscape in Southeast Asia. We’ll also explore the implications of this IPO momentum for the broader regional market and whether Malaysia can sustain its leading position throughout the year.
Tune in to understand the dynamics behind Malaysia’s current rise as Southeast Asia’s IPO powerhouse.
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In a world constantly being reshaped by the development of artificial intelligence (AI) and data-driven innovations, the Ministry of Digital, in collaboration with Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC), seeks to lead Malaysia into the global digital revolution through “Horizon”, a comprehensive and strategic publication. This publication focuses on three key pillars: business, investors and society, providing a reference guide for stakeholders seeking reliable data and informed perspectives from domain experts.
During the launch of “Horizon”, we spoke to Ts. Mahadhir Aziz, the CEO of MDEC, Raja Azmi Adam, Director of Strategic Pursuit Public Sector, ASEAN, at Google Cloud, and Dato’ Abdul Rashid Mohd Ghani, the CEO of Kridentia Tech, looking into the future of Malaysia’s digital economy, following the global digital revolution.
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PropertyGuru's recent decision to go private, just over two years after its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange, raises crucial questions for Southeast Asian tech companies. With a $1.1 billion valuation in its proposed privatisation deal—down approximately 30% from its initial equity value of US$1.6 billion at IPO—this move underscores the challenges regional tech firms face in the competitive and volatile US market.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we delve into PropertyGuru's proposed privatisation and consider whether other Southeast Asian tech companies should reassess their US listing ambitions.
Joined by Ng Zhu Hann, CEO & Founder of Tradeview Capital, we explore the what, why, and how of privatisations, focusing on why a company like PropertyGuru might choose to go private after a public listing, the difficulties of being a publicly listed company (especially on a US exchange) and whether more Southeast Asian tech firms might (or should) follow a similar path.
Tune in to discover whether it’s time for SEA tech companies to rethink US listings.
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The complexities of the modern workforce would only make sense for organisations to further understand the dynamics that drive employee satisfaction and retention. As a means to that end, the Randstad 2024 Employer Brand Research provides a comprehensive look at the current state of the job market in Malaysia. Key findings from the report revealed that 1 in 3 Malaysians has never used AI at work, and 81% of Malaysians recognise the impact AI will have on their jobs.
From the emergence and influence of AI to the foremost reason for job switching, what can employers do when faced with the challenge of meeting these expectations amid economic pressure and ongoing digital transformation?
We speak to Jonathan Sia, Head of Contracting at Randstad Malaysia to further unpack the research report. We discuss the key findings of the report and explore how organisations can adapt and address employee satisfaction, and actionable steps that can bridge the generational divide in technology use.
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As Malaysia’s regulated crypto sector continues to grow, it faces significant hurdles that could impact its long-term trajectory. From the banking sector’s reluctance to onboard regulated digital asset exchanges to the pressing need for tax clarity, these challenges are critical for the industry's future.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we speak with Aaron Tang, President of the Malaysian Digital Asset Platform Association (MDAPA) (who is also APAC GM for Luno) and Lucas Ooi, Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer of Halogen Capital. We discuss the current state of Malaysia’s crypto landscape, the key obstacles that need to be addressed, and what the industry hopes to see in the upcoming 2025 Budget to ensure the sector’s continued growth and success.
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In Malaysia, sustainability reporting has been mandatory for all PLCs since 2016, and now Bursa Malaysia is raising the bar with enhanced reporting requirements. These new standards are designed to align local practices with international best practices, pushing companies to improve their sustainability efforts and disclosures.
To support both listed and non-listed businesses on their ESG journeys, Bursa Malaysia has launched the Centralised Sustainability Intelligence (CSI) Solution. This innovative platform, powered by a consortium of partners including PwC, ERM, AWS, and Alliance Bank, is crafted to streamline ESG data collection, enhance disclosures, and drive supply chain decarbonisation.
In the latest AWS CXO Coffee Club, BFM sat down with a panel of CSI partners to explore their roles in this ecosystem and how their combined efforts can help businesses navigate the complexities of new sustainability standards. Our discussion delves into the practical tools and strategies available to companies, aiming to empower them on their path to achieving meaningful ESG outcomes.
The panelists included Wong Hui Yin, Executive Vice President, Index & Sustainable Business at Bursa Intelligence; Sidhartha Sharma, Industry GTM Lead at AWS; Wong Seng Kee, Country Managing Partner, Malaysia & Brunei at ESG-focused consulting firm ERM; Dominic Chegne, Partner at PwC Risk Services; and Roy Heong, Head of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation at Alliance Bank.
Tune in to learn how this collaborative approach can simplify your sustainability reporting and support your organisation's broader ESG goals.
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In recent years, Malaysia has seen a surge of excitement with major foreign direct investment (FDI) announcements from global giants like Amazon, Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, and Bytedance. These investments promise to boost the economy, create jobs, and drive innovation. But how much of this excitement translates into real, sustained economic impact?
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the intricacies of FDI and Domestic Direct Investment (DDI), examining the challenges and opportunities they present for Malaysia's economy. With insights from Dr. Ong Kian Ming, former International Trade Deputy Minister and Pro Vice-Chancellor of External Engagement at Taylor's University, and business commentator and columnist Pankaj Kumar, this discussion sheds light on the true value of investment announcements, the risks of overhyping them, and the importance of balancing foreign and domestic investments for long-term economic stability.
Whether you're an investor, business leader, or simply curious about Malaysia's economic landscape, this episode offers valuable insights into what really matters when it comes to actualizing and sustaining investments in the country.
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We discuss the critical issue of youth employment in Malaysia, as we explore how young talents can stand out in a fiercely competitive job market. With global youth unemployment at its lowest level in 15 years, Malaysia still faces a significant challenge, with the youth unemployment rate hovering around 12.5%.
We speak with Camelia Loh, Founder & CEO of Kabel, a job-matching platform connecting employers with interns and fresh graduates, about the strategies for young job seekers to differentiate themselves before, during, and after the hiring process. From the importance of developing soft skills and effective networking to leveraging digital tools, Camelia shares insights on how young talents can enhance their employment prospects and thrive in today’s evolving workforce.
Whether you're a fresh graduate, an intern, or an employer looking to tap into young talent, tune in to this conversation for valuable perspectives on how Malaysia can shape a more dynamic and inclusive job market for the future.
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What could digital-first insurance look like for consumers? This is something Enterprise Explores as we dive into a potential transformative development in Malaysia’s insurance and takaful landscape—the Digital Insurers and Takaful Operators (DITO) Framework.
Unveiled by Bank Negara Malaysia in July, this framework is set to pave the way for digital-first insurance and takaful operators, providing a unique pathway for new entrants to demonstrate their viability over a foundational phase lasting between three to seven years. During this period, new entrants will benefit from a more proportionate minimum paid-up capital, allowing them to scale their operations in alignment with their business maturity.
To help us unpack the intricacies of the DITO Framework and what it could mean for the industry and end-consumers, we’re joined by Vincent Fong, Chief Editor & Country Manager of Fintech News Malaysia, and Ravi Kittane, Partner at EY Consulting. We also explore the key pillars of the framework, including the market opportunities it creates, the challenges digital insurers might face, and the critical role of technology and innovation in shaping the future of insurance in Malaysia.
Whether you’re in the fintech space, part of the insurance industry, or simply curious about the future of digital-first financial services, this episode offers valuable insights into how the DITO Framework could redefine the landscape.
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Enterprise Explores the semiconductor industry to understand Malaysia’s pivotal role in the global ecosystem and value chain. With Malaysia supporting approximately 13% of global backend semiconductor operations and standing as the fifth-largest integrated circuit exporter globally, the country plays a crucial role in this high-stakes industry.
We explore insights from the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs' (IDEAS) report, "Semiconductors: Navigating Supply Chain Resilience and Trade," which sheds light on the complexities of the semiconductor supply chain and the significant geopolitical risks involved. With Taiwan’s dominance in chip production and rising global tensions, how can Malaysia strengthen its position while navigating these challenges?
Joining us today is Sharmila Suntherasegarun, Assistant Manager with the Economics and Business Unit at IDEAS, to discuss Malaysia’s current strengths, the risks posed by global shifts, and the strategic recommendations to ensure Malaysia’s continued relevance and growth in the semiconductor landscape. We’ll also delve into the potential of multilateral trade agreements, labour shortages, and the investment opportunities that could propel Malaysia further up the semiconductor value chain.
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Enterprise Explores the findings of CelcomDigi's ‘National Scam Awareness Survey 2024’ with Philip Ling, Head of Sustainability at CelcomDigi. As Malaysia becomes increasingly digitised, with over 90% of respondents regularly visiting community internet centres, the survey sheds light on the growing threat of scams and fraud.
We’ll explore key insights from the survey, which polled over 10,000 respondents from low-income communities, focusing on their experiences with scams, knowledge of scam tactics, and the effectiveness of preventive measures like personal data protection and the 997 hotline of the National Scam Response Centre.
Philip discusses the rising trends in scam activities, the current state of scam awareness in Malaysia, and the steps we can take to enhance our nation's scam prevention strategies.
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We explore the world of AI and its transformative potential for tech startups in Malaysia with Sharma Lachu, the Founder & CEO at Accendo Technologies and Pang Sern Yong, the Founder at AIHQ. As Google for Startups recently launched a new programme in partnership with the AI Academy, aimed at accelerating the growth of AI startups across the Asia-Pacific region, we explore what this means for local innovators. We discuss how AI academies can play a crucial role in nurturing Malaysia's startup ecosystem, the support structures that are essential for success, and the future impact of AI on the nation's tech landscape.
Image Credit: AI-generated image (Midjourney)
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We explore the world of AI and its transformative potential for tech startups in Malaysia with Sharma Lachu, the Founder & CEO at Accendo Technologies and Pang Sern Yong, the Founder at AIHQ. As Google for Startups recently launched a new programme in partnership with the AI Academy, aimed at accelerating the growth of AI startups across the Asia-Pacific region, we explore what this means for local innovators. We discuss how AI academies can play a crucial role in nurturing Malaysia's startup ecosystem, the support structures that are essential for success, and the future impact of AI on the nation's tech landscape.
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Board directorship is a serious commitment, not a leisurely retirement gig. This is the key sentiment Enterprise Explores with Michele Kythe Lim, President & CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM), and Tunku Alizakri, Former Chairman of Penjana Kapital and current board member of Petronas Dagangan and Bumi Armada.
Board directorship is often seen as a cushy retirement reward, a final, comfortable stop for seasoned executives (or even friends and family). However, in today’s fast-paced and complex business environment, this view is not only outdated but also potentially harmful. The role of a board director is demanding, requiring continuous education, a deep understanding of current issues, and a commitment to governance and operational oversight. It's far from a leisurely retirement gig.
As the responsibilities of boards grow increasingly complex, Michelle and Alizakri emphasise the need for professionalisation as they share their experiences and insights on the true scope of the role of board members, the importance of board selection and diversity, and the shift towards viewing board roles as professional careers rather than retirement perks.
Among key topics we discuss include:
Professionalization of Board Roles: The need for professionalisation of board roles is emphasised, moving away from the outdated view of board positions as retirement perks.
Chairperson’s Role and Skills: The chairperson plays a critical role in managing board dynamics, ensuring diverse perspectives are heard, and guiding the board towards effective decision-making.
Board Diversity and Performance: There is a direct correlation between board diversity and company performance. Diverse boards bring a variety of perspectives that enhance decision-making.
Board Remuneration and Talent Attraction: Adequate remuneration is necessary to attract and retain talented board members who can bring valuable insights and expertise to the board.
Transition Challenges for Executives: Transitioning from an executive role to a board role requires a significant change in mindset, focusing more on oversight and strategic guidance rather than day-to-day operations.
Balancing Governance and Operational Roles: Board members must strike a balance between providing governance and understanding the operational realities of the business without overstepping their roles.
Importance of Continuous Development: Continuous education and training are essential for board members to stay effective and keep up with the evolving business and regulatory environment.
Regulatory and Compliance Pressures: Increased regulatory and compliance requirements, such as sustainability reporting, add to the responsibilities of board members, necessitating a deeper understanding of these areas.
Shareholder Dynamics: The influence of majority shareholders and the need for independent directors to balance shareholder interests with the company's long-term goals were discussed, highlighting the importance of objective decision-making and potential conflicts of interest.
Future of Board Career: Board directorship is a viable and rewarding career path, with both Alizakri and Michelle encouraging more professionals to consider this route and contribute their expertise at the board level.
Tune in to understand the critical importance of professionalising board directorships and the continuous development required to meet the demands of today’s fast-changing business environment.
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Technology lifecycle management is a critical enabler of business success. However, the proliferation of technology consumption models, coupled with an increasingly complicated and fragmented supplier ecosystem, make it difficult for many organisations to adequately maintain their technology infrastructure in a way that fosters business agility and innovation.
Global IT infrastructure and services company NTT DATA’s inaugural Lifecycle Management Report has found that globally 80% of organisations agree that inadequate or outdated technology is holding back organisational progress and innovation efforts. In fact, 93% of C-suite executives in APAC believe legacy infrastructure is greatly hindering their business agility. In addition, more than two thirds (69%) of currently active hardware in APAC (with scheduled last day of support) will no longer be supported by 2027.
Today, we speak with NTT DATA’s CEO for Malaysia, Henrick Choo, to explore the strategic importance of lifecycle management, uncover the obstacles hindering technology and business alignment, and identify actionable insights that organisations can implement to overcome these challenges.
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What do DuitNow, MyDigital ID, PADU, and e-invoicing have in common? They’re all part of Malaysia’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). In today’s digital landscape, designing a comprehensive DPI platform is essential for a nation’s successful digital transformation.
Ernst & Young Consulting (EY) released their Digital Public Infrastructure report in June, highlighting how DPI facilitates data exchanges, creates digital identities, and enables seamless financial transactions.
Joining us to delve into these developments is Shankar Kanabiran, Malaysia Deputy Consulting Leader & Partner at EY Consulting. We’ll explore the foundational factors needed for effective and trusted DPI, its role in national digital transformation, and the key challenges to implementing a robust DPI strategy. Tune in for an in-depth discussion on how Malaysia can build its digital future.
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What does Malaysia's new regulatory requirements for internet messaging and social media services entail? How could they impact businesses and users alike? Enterprise Explores dives into these questions and more.
Starting August 1st, all social media and internet messaging services with at least eight million registered users in Malaysia must apply for a Class A Application Service License under the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998. This new framework, set to be fully enforced by January 1st, 2025, aims to enhance online safety and accountability.
Joining us today to discuss the key licensing requirements, potential impacts, and broader implications are Ong Johnson and Lo Khai Yi, Partners at law firm Halim Hong & Quek, who jointly lead the Technology Practice Group. We'll explore how these regulations could affect social media platforms, businesses, and end-users, addressing concerns about investment deterrents, censorship, and enforcement challenges.
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How much flexibility is LHDN providing for the first 6-Months? Does this mean I can delay my implementation? (No, it does not). What is a consolidated e-invoice? Enterprise Explores all this and more.
In the lead-up to Day 1, LHDN announced a six-month period of flexibility, allowing businesses to use consolidated e-invoices instead of individual transactional e-invoices. This period, which some have referred to as a grace period, is not a deferment of implementation but rather an adjustment phase to ease the transition.
We explore the scope of the flexibility offered during the transition period, address potential misconceptions, and provide guidance on how businesses can better manage this change. Joining us is Thenesh Kannaa, Executive Director at tax consultancy Tratax. We also discuss the penalty-free period (provided certain conditions are met), the implications for businesses that fail to comply, and initial reactions from businesses as they adapt to the new e-invoice regime.
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Sustainability reporting is a vital aspect of corporate transparency, driven by stakeholder demands for greater accountability in ESG practices. In Malaysia, Bursa Malaysia has mandated enhanced sustainability reporting for listed companies starting from the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, with full implementation by 2025.
PwC's “Gaps in Sustainability Reporting” report highlights current challenges and areas for improvement in Malaysia. We speak with Farhana Jabir, Director of Sustainability & Climate Change at PwC Malaysia, to discuss the foundational elements of an ESG strategy and sustainability reporting, the evolving regulatory landscape, and the role of independent assurance. We also dive into the importance of obtaining top-down buy-in from the board, as well as managing and meeting stakeholder expectations, from the boardroom and regulators to suppliers and employees.
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Sustainability reporting is a vital aspect of corporate transparency, driven by stakeholder demands for greater accountability in ESG practices. In Malaysia, Bursa Malaysia has mandated enhanced sustainability reporting for listed companies starting from the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023, with full implementation by 2025.
PwC's “Gaps in Sustainability Reporting” report highlights current challenges and areas for improvement in Malaysia. We speak with Farhana Jabir, Director of Sustainability & Climate Change at PwC Malaysia, to discuss the foundational elements of an ESG strategy and sustainability reporting, the evolving regulatory landscape, and the role of independent assurance. We also dive into the importance of obtaining top-down buy-in from the board, as well as managing and meeting stakeholder expectations, from the boardroom and regulators to suppliers and employees.
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The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) is introducing a new regulation to maintain a secure digital environment. Effective 1 August 2024, social media and messaging platforms with over 8 million users must be licensed in Malaysia. This move aims to enhance regulatory oversight, ensure compliance with local laws, and protect user data, and potentially raises concerns about possible bans on non-compliant platforms and the broader implications for businesses, influencers, and digital marketing.
Today, we discuss this with Richard Ker, the Founder and Chief Storyteller of Richard Ker Digital, on what this new regulation means for businesses reliant on these platforms for marketing and communication, and how compliance costs and potential platform bans will impact operational strategies and market dynamics.
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In an era where transparency and accountability are preeminent, the Transparency Score of Malaysia’s Foundation' by Wiki Impact highlights significant disparities in the communication practices of over 1,700 registered foundations. With only a small fraction achieving high transparency scores, this report underscores the need for non-profits to adopt open communication to build trust and credibility.
Transparency ensures the ethical use of funds, fosters trust, and promotes accountability, leading to greater support and enhanced reputations for non-profits. These principles are equally valuable for businesses. By adopting similar transparency practices, companies can improve their reputations, build stronger stakeholder relationships, and foster a culture of accountability.
Today, we are joined by Terence Ooi, the Co-Founder of Wiki Impact, to share the findings of this report. We explore how non-profit practices can benefit the business world, draw parallels between the two sectors, and discuss the impact of transparency on business reputation.
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In the political, business and working world today, the ability to navigate leadership transitions effectively is crucial for organisational stability and growth. Succession planning is not just about filling positions but ensuring the right leaders are in place to guide the company, or a nation, towards its future goals. As we witness significant global leadership changes, the importance of strategic succession planning has never been more evident.
Today, we are joined by Segar Jeyatsingh, CEO of Leaderonomics, to discuss the intricacies of leadership transition and succession planning. With a wealth of experience in steering organisations through these pivotal moments, we look to Segar to share insights on the key factors for successful transitions, the role of organisational culture, and the future trends shaping leadership succession.
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Ransomware, to pay or not to pay? In light of the recent major ransomware attack in Indonesia and the ongoing efforts to recover encrypted data, today we turn our focus to the crucial topic of organisational cybersecurity and responding to ransomware attacks with Datuk Alan See, the CEO and Co-Founder of cybersecurity firm FIRMUS.
We briefly start the conversation by touching on the recent CrowdStrike outages and their implications for organisational cyber resilience. Following that, Alan sheds light on why ransomware resilience is essential, explaining how businesses should prepare, react, and protect themselves against these attacks.
The conversation also delves into the significance of immediate response strategies, long-term cybersecurity practices, and the impact of ransomware on financial and operational aspects of businesses.
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Enterprise Explores the changing world of consumer spending in Malaysia. With rising living costs and inflation, Malaysians are finding new ways to manage their budgets, balancing between essentials and little luxuries.
In these challenging times, understanding how people spend their money is crucial for businesses. Different income groups have their own spending habits and motivations, shaped by their financial situations and personal values. Brands that can connect with these insights will thrive at engaging their customers and building loyalty.
To shed light on these changes, Omnicom Media Group Malaysia (OMG Malaysia) teamed up with AI-driven research firm Vase.ai. They’ve uncovered interesting insights into how Malaysians are spending their money. We talk with Kiron Kesav, Chief Strategy Officer at OMG Malaysia, and Asyrique Thevendran, Founder and CTO of Vase.ai. We discuss how people manage their expenses, what influences their brand choices, and the psychological factors behind their spending decisions. Tune in to get a deeper understanding of the evolving consumer landscape in Malaysia.
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Momentum Works’ E-commerce in Southeast Asia 2024 Report published recently offers a comprehensive analysis of the dynamic and rapidly evolving e-commerce landscape in Southeast Asia.
The key themes explored in the report include the integration of generative AI technologies to enhance user experience and operational efficiency, the blossoming live commerce sector, and the evolving roles of e-commerce enablers and logistics providers. The report also examines the strategic responses of major players to the shifting market landscape, providing a roadmap for businesses to navigate the opportunities and challenges ahead.
We speak with Jianggan Li, the Founder and CEO of Momentum Works to further understand the report and gain insights that can be an essential resource for businesses, investors, and policymakers seeking to capitalise on the growth potential of this dynamic region.
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Enterprise Explores the latest Gaming App Insights Report released by Adjust in collaboration with AppLovin. This report provides unparalleled insights into the mobile gaming landscape, specifically focusing on the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
Kapil Bonde, Senior Market Evangelist, Adjust, will share key findings from the report, including the rapid growth and potential of the mobile gaming market in APAC, with organic gaming app installs reaching a 48% share and session lengths averaging 35 minutes per session.
We’ll explore the trends shaping the industry, such as the surge in gaming app installs, the impact of generative AI on campaign optimisation, and the emergence of connected TV (CTV) as a performance channel for growth.
Image Credit: Shutterstock
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Enterprise Explores the state of digital payment methods in Malaysia with Lee Soon Yean, Country Manager at Adyen Malaysia, a global fintech platform.
Based on The Adyen Index 2024 report, which surveyed over 38,000 shoppers and 13,000 merchants across 26 markets, the conversation highlights key insights into Malaysian consumers' rapidly evolving payment preferences.
The report reveals that 41% of Malaysians now prefer mobile-enabled solutions like tap-to-pay and e-wallets over traditional physical wallets. Additionally, 73% of Malaysians utilize social media for shopping, significantly higher than the global average of 44%. These trends indicate a significant shift towards digital transactions and omnichannel experiences in Malaysia.
Lee Soon Yean helps unpack these findings, discussing the implications for businesses and consumers, and exploring the latest trends reshaping Malaysia’s online retail and payment landscape. From the adoption rates of mobile wallets to the integration of technology and personalization in retail, this episode provides a comprehensive overview of the digital payment ecosystem in Malaysia and what businesses need to do to stay competitive.
Tune in to learn more about how Malaysian businesses are responding to these changes, the opportunities and challenges ahead, and the future of digital payments in the region.
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LHDN on TIN requirements, interim solutions and support, handling and penalising errors, and much more.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, BFM dives into the imminent implementation of Malaysia's new e-invoicing regime, set to kick off on August 1st for large businesses (over RM100 million in annual revenue). Joined by LHDN’s Dr. Rasyidah Che Rosli and tax consultant Thanneermalai of Thannees Tax Consulting Services, the discussion focuses on addressing the concerns raised by businesses.
The conversation attempts to cover practical advice for businesses to ensure a smooth transition, insights from the pilot program, penalties for errors and mistakes, navigating the needed data collection to issue e-invoices and interim solutions, and more.
Among other things that came up in this conversation was that they understand that this transition to e-invoicing is a significant change to business processes and that in the early stages of implementation, they understand that there will be unintentional errors that need to be addressed. Their intention is not to penalise from day one, but taxpayers will need to get on board and familiarise themselves with the process in good faith. LHDN is aware that taxpayers will need guidance and support during the transition.
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The IC design sector in Malaysia is characterised by a dynamic mix of multinational corporations, local enterprises, and a growing number of startups. This thriving environment is bolstered by strong government support, robust infrastructure, and strategic initiatives aimed at positioning Malaysia as a global hub for semiconductor innovation.
One of the latest and most ambitious initiatives in this sector is the Malaysia Semiconductor Accelerator and IC Design Park: Selangor Hub, spearheaded by the Selangor State Government through its digital economy arm, SIDEC - the Selangor Information Technology & Digital Economy Corporation.
We go deeper into this groundbreaking initiative, on the vision behind the Selangor Hub, its strategic importance, and its expected impact on the Malaysian semiconductor landscape.
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On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the world of venture capital with Mark Lee, Head of Investment at OSK-SBI Venture Partners. Following the launch of their second venture capital fund, the OSK-SBI Dynamic Growth Fund 2, we explore how the firm plans to deploy $20-40 million across promising private companies in ASEAN.
Mark discusses the intricacies of the new fund, the deployment strategies, and the rationale behind targeting the ASEAN market. Learn about the success stories from their first fund, including notable investments in Doctor Anywhere and Sunday Insurance, and the lessons they've brought forward to their new fund.
Mark also sheds light on the challenges of raising capital in the current economic climate, the importance of focusing on sectors like fintech, healthcare, and climate tech, and the strategic importance of collaborating with local and regional partners. Discover how OSK-SBI Venture Partners supports its portfolio companies beyond capital provision and their approach to identifying and nurturing high-growth potential startups.
Whether you're an entrepreneur or founder looking to raise funds, a venture capitalists or private equity investor looking to learn about what peers are up to, or simply curious about the venture capital landscape in Southeast Asia, this episode offers valuable insights into the strategies and future plans of one of the region's key players.
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Is Taylor Swift an inflationary force? On this edition of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the inflationary impact of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour on the European economy.
According to a recent report by research firm BMI, large-scale events like Taylor Swift's concerts can have significant macroeconomic effects, particularly through increased demand for services and consumer spending. This tour, which spans numerous cities across Europe, has not only drawn massive crowds but also created ripple effects in various sectors, most notably accommodation and local businesses.
To help us unpack the intricate details of this phenomenon, we have James Bennett, Senior Europe Country Risk Analyst at BMI, a Fitch Solutions company. We'll explore how events like the Eras Tour influence local economies, contribute to inflation, and what lessons businesses and policymakers can learn from these occurrences.
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In May, KWAP or Kumpulan Wang Persaraan (Diperbadankan) announced Dana Pemacu, a Malaysia-focused RM6 billion private equity fund aimed at boosting private capital investment in the country.
In a bid to catalyse the private market investment ecosystem in Malaysia, Dana Pemacu will be executed through Separately Managed Account (SMA) funds where we will see the creation of partnership models between local and international fund managers across three different asset classes: Private Equity, Infrastructure, and Real Estate.
Today Enterprise Explores Dana Pemacu with Saifulbahri Hassan, the Director of Private Equity at KWAP. We will dive into the fund’s aims and strategy, as well as the rationale behind the focus on supporting and attempting to elevate local fund managers instead of simply focusing on the biggest and best ones with track histories and experience.
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With the phased implementation of the mandatory e-invoicing starting in 3 weeks time, today we check-in with Datuk William Ng, President of the Small and Medium Enterprises Association (SAMENTA) about how businesses, in particular SMEs, are feeling about the incoming regime. We get into how businesses are coping to meet the requirements, their key concerns and friction points, and what else can or should be done to support SMEs in the push to e-invoicing.
To recap, from August 1st, taxpayers with annual turnover exceeding RM100mil are required to implement e-invoicing. Following this, businesses with revenue between RM25 million to RM100 million must implement e-invoicing by January 1st 2025, with all other businesses, except some MSMEs, having until July 1st 2025 to adopt e-invoicing. The exemption applies to Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) earning less than RM150,000 annually as announced last week by Finance Minister II, Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan.
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Malaysia's port and freight industry, particularly Port Klang, has faced significant challenges recently due to local and global dynamics. As a key maritime hub in Southeast Asia, Port Klang has seen increased congestion, with ships taking up to nine hours to dock. This congestion is influenced by global supply chain disruptions, geopolitical conflicts like the Red Sea issue, and evolving trade policies.
Helping us in this conversation today to better understand the reasons and ripple effects of these congestion, as well as uncover how Port Klang is navigating these turbulent waters, and the broader implications for Malaysia's economy and global trade connections is Captain K. Subramaniam, General Manager of the Port Klang Authority.
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Today, Enterprise Explores the Ipsos 2024 AI Monitor report and whether we should or should not fear a future with artificial intelligence. This is the third edition of the annual report, and the survey was conducted in 32 different countries. The focus this year was on the changing attitudes among individuals and businesses towards usage of AI, where AI will have the biggest impact, and what a future with AI will look like to Malaysian businesses.
The key findings from the report include:
- Humans are viewed as more likely to discriminate than AI. In 29 out of the 32 countries surveyed, more people think humans will discriminate against other people than AI will.
- AI is expected to make disinformation worse. 37% on average think AI will make disinformation on the internet worse, while 30% think it will be better. In three countries – Sweden, Australia and New Zealand – a majority think it will make disinformation worse.
- By a 2 :1 margin, people are more likely to think AI will make their job better, although there are concerns: 36% expect AI to replace their job in the coming years.
- Knowledge about AI is the highest among the young. Sixty-seven per cent across 32 countries say they have a good understanding of AI. This rises to 72% for Gen Z and 71% for Millennials 71%, while only 58% of Baby Boomers say they have a good understanding of AI.
- Despite that, levels of awareness are still evolving, with only 52% globally say they know what products and services use AI.
In today’s conversation, we’ll dive further into those findings as well as how businesses in Malaysia can possibly leverage them moving forward, whether it's for employee management, product development, or customer marketing.
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Individuals dealing with cryptocurrency trading in Malaysia are subject to income tax, this is a quote from LHDN CEO Datuk Dr Abu Tariq Jamaluddin following a special operation dubbed Ops Token that happened a few weeks back. In collaboration with the police and Cyber Security Malaysia, the operation was done to curb tax revenue leakage in cryptocurrency trading and improve the country's tax administration.
Considering the exponential growth in value and popularity of digital assets, understanding the tax implications is crucial for both individuals and businesses, and with that we explore the intricacies of taxation on digital assets in Malaysia with Saravana Kumar, Tax Lawyer at RDS Partnership, a full-service commercial law firm.
Among other things, we get into when crypto is taxable, the difference between income and capital gain, as well as the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion, and much more.
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In the world of international sports, the design of a nation's official attire is more than just fabric and threads — it is a powerful symbol of national pride and identity.
Recently, Malaysia's official contingent attire for the Paris 2024 Olympics, which was revealed on 23 June 2024, sparked significant controversy, drawing criticism from many who felt it did not adequately represent the country's heritage and aesthetics.
This reaction underscores the critical importance of good branding and thoughtful design in creating attire that not only unites and inspires athletes but also resonates with the public. Following this, the Olympic Council of Malaysia is embarking on a redesign, and this highlights a broader conversation about the elements that make for compelling and meaningful national branding in the global arena.
Today, we discuss the power of nation branding, and how and why Malaysia needs to do a better job at presenting her brand story to the world, with Faridah Hameed, the Founder of Communication Mastery Resources.
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As we navigate the complexities of global mental health, it’s clear that Malaysia, like many nations, faces unique challenges in this arena. From workplace stress to societal pressures, the Malaysian landscape offers only a glimpse of the broader global trends in mental health issues at the workplace.
In today’s discussion, we speak with Jason Leong, Founder and CEO of BETTERMINDS, a company that provides workplace mental health solutions with ESG advisory and sustainability. Jason will help us explore these challenges in depth and shed some light on recent surveys that fleshes out the state of workplace mental health in Malaysian industries.
We'll also uncover how these issues manifest economically, the effects it has on productivity and turnover rates, the intersection of corporate responsibility and sustainability, including the ESG and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the role of governmental policies in shaping the landscape of workplace mental health in Malaysia.
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Last week, early-stage focused Venture Capital firm Antler announced that they would be investing $27 million into startups in Southeast Asia over the next six months, with $3 million earmarked for 5 startups in Malaysia. Antler has been actively expanding its footprint in the region and has already invested in seven Malaysian startups.
Joining us today to discuss this development is Frank Kang, Associate Partner and Malaysia Country Head at Antler. We'll talk about what Antler is looking for in potential investee companies, how the funds will be deployed both in Malaysia and across the region, and explore Antler's core value proposition as early-stage investors. We'll also delve into their strategy for identifying and nurturing promising startups, and more.
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In a recent report on corporate Malaysia by Remote, a global HR platform, Malaysia has been ranked as the second worst country for work-life balance among 60 nations. This statistic seems alarming and highlights a critical issue that impacts the well-being of employees and the overall productivity and competitiveness of businesses in this country. As the modern workforce increasingly values balance and well-being, understanding the underlying factors contributing to this ranking is essential.
Malaysia's ranking points to several deep-seated issues within the workplace culture. Long working hours, high job demands, and the pervasive expectation to be constantly available have created an environment where employees struggle to find equilibrium between their professional and personal lives. This imbalance has far-reaching consequences, affecting mental health, job satisfaction, and employee retention rates.
To dig deeper into these issues and explore potential solutions, we speak with Organisational Psychologist and CEO of O-Psych, Hetal Doshi, to help us understand the psychological impact of poor work-life balance, the specific needs and desires of Malaysian employees, and the practical steps employers can take to foster a healthier, more balanced work environment.
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The semiconductor industry has long been a cornerstone of Malaysia's technological and economic landscape. In response to soaring global demand, Malaysia has launched an ambitious US$5.3 billion National Semiconductor Strategy to cement its position as a key global player. This strategy, structured into three phases, aims to drive technological advancements, enhance talent development, and promote sustainability.
Today, we explore Malaysia’s semiconductor landscape and the new strategy with Dato’ Seri Wong Siew Hai, President of the Malaysia Semiconductor Industry Association (MSIA). We also discuss how these initiatives are set to transform the industry, focusing on the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the prospects, challenges, and support systems for the semiconductor sector and its integral SMEs.
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Did you know that Malaysia is Wise’s fastest growing market in APAC and that Asia represents around 20% of revenue today? Following Wise’s expanded presence in Singapore along with new local leadership hires, in this episode of Enterprise Explores, we explore what this signals about the company’s focus and strategy for the rest of the region, including Malaysia, with Shrawan Saraogi, the Asia Pacific Head of Expansion at Wise, formerly known as TransferWise.
Join us as we explore how Wise changed the status quo and revolutionised the way money moves across the globe, Wise’s recent expansions in the APAC region, including their strategic growth in Singapore and Malaysia, the underlying infrastructure and technology behind Wise’s services, which have made instant, low-cost, and transparent international payments possible, and much more.
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“Boards are never static. They should be agile. They should be refreshed every now and then. And they should be diverse.” Michele Kythe Lim, Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM)
Enterprise Explores why Malaysian boards and directors need to step up or step out in an era of escalating risks with Michele Kythe Lim, President and CEO of the Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM).
We’ll start with the organisation's mandate, before discussing the top themes and trends impacting companies, boards, and directors. We’ll then shift the conversation over to the critical roles that board members need to play today, as well as the importance of effective board-management dynamics, the significance of progressive board architecture and culture, the challenges of ESG and sustainability, and overall, the crucial changes needed at the board level to elevate Malaysian companies.
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The topic of layoffs, particularly in the tech and gaming industry, has been a concern over the last couple of years and by the looks of it, 2024 is shaping up to be even worse than 2023. In fact, reports suggest that the gaming industry saw at least 8,100 people laid off in just the first two months of 2024.
Some of the notable companies that went through layoffs include:
- (25th JAN) IGN and The Verge first reported that Microsoft was laying off 1,900 people across its various gaming businesses, including Xbox, Activision Blizzard, and ZeniMax.
- (22nd JAN) Riot Games, the developer and publisher behind League of Legends and Valorant, announced that it was cutting 530 jobs or about 11% of its total workforce.
- (27th FEB) Sony with 900 people across its worldwide games business affecting several of its studios, including the creator’s of The Uncharted series, Naughty Dog and Imsoniac, the studio behind Marvel’s Spider-Man.
- (28th FEB) Electronic Arts (EA) announced it would lay off 670 people across their divisions
- (29th MAR) and at least 8,800 employees have been (or will be) laid off this year at SEGA, the company behind Sonic.
Considering this ever-changing nature of the gaming industry, we speak with - Alexander Fernandez, CEO and Co-Founder at Streamline Studios, to explore why layoffs are becoming more prevalent in the gaming sector, how has this impacted game development companies, keeping in mind the fast rise of AI as well as what needs to be done before it’s game over.
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Testing business models, product designs, and strategies are part and parcel of building and doing business, and in recent decades, behavioural and social science has become more commonplace in business, particularly in branding and marketing. Today on Enterprise Explores, we’re going to expand upon this and dive into the role that experiments and the scientific method can play in making better data-driven decisions and evidence-based policy, applicable to policymakers, but also business decision makers.
To explore this, we speak with Dr. Joanne Yong, ICMR Distinguished Fellow and Founder of Research for Impact, a Singapore-based think tank, as well as Nadhirah Ibrahim, Senior Analyst, Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia (ICMR). She led ICMR’s recent RCT research to assess the impact of financial education interventions on Malaysian youth.
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Enterprise Explores OPEC+ and its new strategy, which includes extending production cuts and publishing an 18-month output schedule for key members. Despite efforts to stabilize the market, oil prices continue to slip, reflecting complex market dynamics and potential internal tensions within the group.
Formed in 2016, OPEC+ is a group of oil producing nations consisting of members of The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as well as other Non-OPEC oil-producing nations such as Russia.
Joining us to break down the details and implications of these announcements is Emma Richards, Associate Director of Oil & Gas at BMI. We will explore OPEC+'s shift towards defending market share amid evolving global energy dynamics and the transition towards renewable energy. Tune in for expert insights on the strategies and broader impacts of OPEC+'s latest moves.
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Enterprise Explores the evolving nature of the green economy with insights from this year’s Southeast Asia Green Economy 2024 report published by Bain & Company, GenZero, Temasek, and Standard Chartered.
As Southeast Asia stands on the verge of a green transformation, this Bain & Company's Report offers critical insights into the region's progress and future potential in sustainable development. Released in mid-April, the report provides an in-depth analysis of the key drivers, challenges, and opportunities shaping the green economy in Southeast Asia.
Malaysia, with its ambitious National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR), is at the forefront of this shift, demonstrating significant advancements in renewable energy and private green investments.
We speak with Dale Hardcastle, the Director of Global Sustainability Innovation Centre, and Shazrul Asari, Managing Partner for Malaysia, at Bain & Company to explore how policy initiatives, regulatory measures, and innovative solutions are propelling Malaysia towards a sustainable future. We will discuss the impact of increased private investments, regulatory changes, and international trade dynamics on Malaysia's green economy, as well as the nation's progress towards its 2030 goals for electric vehicle adoption, energy efficiency, and forest conservation.
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In today’s work environment, the integration of technology is reshaping traditional job roles and organisational structures. The rise of hybrid work models, increased focus on employee well-being, and the ever-growing emphasis on diversity and inclusion are just a few of the trends influencing the modern workplace.
As businesses strive to adapt to these changes, there is a palpable shift towards leveraging advanced technologies to enhance productivity and foster innovation. One of the most significant developments in recent times is the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across various industries. Employees are increasingly using AI tools to manage workloads, boost creativity, and streamline processes, while leaders grapple with the challenge of embedding AI into their strategic vision.
The 2024 Work Trend Index, jointly released by Microsoft and LinkedIn, provides an in-depth analysis of the evolving landscape of work in the era of AI. This year’s report, titled "AI at Work Is Here. Now Comes the Hard Part," highlights the rapid adoption and integration of AI tools in workplaces worldwide, with 75% of global knowledge workers now using generative AI and 84% of Malaysian employees embracing this technology.
We speak with K Raman, the Managing Director of Microsoft Malaysia, and Rohit Kalsy, Head of Sales for Emerging Markets (SEA) at LinkedIn, for more details about the report, particularly the implications for both global and Malaysian workplaces.
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33,000 Malaysians lost RM1.3 billion lost to scams last year, and that’s only the number that was reported. With estimated that only 48% of cases are reported, Malaysians could have lost around RM2.6 billion last year (if we extrapolate).
Scams are back in the news following news last week that a senior citizen lost over RM4 million to an investment scam. We also saw two of national badminton stars share their own experiences of falling victim to investment scams, losing millions of their hard-earned savings. This highlights a continued and growing concern in Malaysia, with the National Scam Response Centre reporting losses totaling RM1.3 billion from 33,234 scam cases between January and December last year.
With this in mind, Enterprise Explores how to spot and avoid scams, as well as the rising trends in the world of scams with Raymon Ram, Certified Fraud Examiner and Anti-Money Laundering Specialist from Graymatter Forensic Advisory. Raymon will help us understand the tactics scammers use and how we can protect ourselves.
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Enterprise Explores delves into the intricacies of family business legacies, the strategies to keep the family business together, and navigating key challenges such as different leadership styles, holding onto traditions too tightly, and much more. We speak with Tai Lai Kok, Family Business Tax Leader at KPMG Private Enterprise in Malaysia, about all this as well as the findings from the recent KPMG survey on family businesses.
We will discuss the key components of legacy building, the importance of transgenerational entrepreneurship, and the opportunities and challenges faced by family businesses in Malaysia. Tai will share insights on how integrating change and innovation can drive family businesses towards a lasting legacy, ensuring their sustainability and superior performance.
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As Malaysia advances its sustainability goals, focusing on integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations, sustainable investments have become increasingly important. The country's progress in sustainable and responsible investment (SRI) is evident, with 68 SRI funds totaling RM7.7 billion by the end of 2023, according to the Securities Commission Malaysia's Annual Report, supported by strong policy frameworks and growing investor interest.
However, to meet the rising standards and demands of SRI, the industry needs to enhance its capacity. In this episode, we speak with Salleh Hassan, Director of Professional Standards and Qualifications at the Securities Industry Development Corporation (SIDC), to discuss the trends, challenges, and initiatives in Malaysia's capital market related to sustainable and responsible investment. Salleh shares insights on SIDC’s efforts to address capacity-building gaps and introduce its new certification programme aimed at equipping industry professionals for the future.
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We address the critical issue of corruption impacting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia. A recent Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) report reveals that 63% of SMEs fear rejecting bribery could lead to business loss. This highlights the significant challenges in maintaining ethical standards while competing in the market.
We explore the types of corruption SMEs encounter, such as bribery and favouritism, and the legal and economic repercussions of engaging in corrupt practices. We also discuss the role of industry associations and government in supporting SMEs, the effectiveness of anti-corruption laws, and the psychological impacts on SME owners and employees.
Joining us are Lim Koon Huan, Partner at Skrine, and Sujatha Sekhar Naik, Chairman of the Malaysian Institute of Corporate Governance, to share insights and strategies to help SMEs uphold integrity in the face of corruption.
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We dive into an initiative aimed at transforming downtown Kuala Lumpur into a vibrant creative and cultural district. This ambitious project, spearheaded by Think City, promises to rejuvenate the heart of our capital city, creating new opportunities for businesses, enhancing cultural engagement, and boosting economic growth.
We unravel the intricacies of this transformation with Hamdan Abdul Majeed, the Managing Director of Think City.
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We explore the latest findings on global talent mobility with insights from the new report, ‘Decoding Global Talent 2024 – Dream Destinations and Mobility Trends,’ by BCG, The Network, and The Stepstone Group. The report reveals which countries Malaysians prefer to relocate to for work, the reasons behind their willingness to move, and how Malaysia ranks as a destination for global talent. Discover why Australia tops the list for Malaysians, the economic and career motivations driving their decisions, and the challenges they face in relocating. The discussion also covers what local employers can do to retain talent and attract global professionals to Malaysia. We dive into all these with Sagar Goel, the Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group.
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'Nothing is certain except death and taxes', and while paying taxes may be a certainty, how much can be a very different story as we’ve seen just this week with the Court of Appeal ordering LHDN to refund a Penang-based manufacturer RM286 million for additional taxes and penalties imposed back in 2008. There are a variety of issues to unpack here, but today we dive into navigating tax disputes in Malaysia with Renganathan Kannan, Executive Director at tax advisory firm Tratax.
Ideally a tax system should provide some degree of tax certainty to taxpayers so that they’re better able to plan, however we're witnessing an increasing number of disputes between businesses and the Inland Revenue Board (LHDN).
Renganathan will help us unpack these issues and provide insights into achieving greater tax certainty, as well as provide taxpayers some guidance on how to better address all this, including the key obligations that businesses must manage, navigating the grey areas proactively, the appeals and dispute process, and tax certainty strategies and best practices.
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Pixlr is at the forefront of AI-driven creative tools, recently featured at Google I/O 2024 as the ultimate AI editing tool for Chromebook users. In collaboration with Malaysia’s Ministry of Education, Pixlr is providing a free AI course worth RM1,000,000 to 500 teachers, revolutionising educational practices with AI.
Today, we speak with Warren Leow, CEO at Pixlr Group to discuss their latest initiatives, the impact of being featured at Google I/O, and how AI is transforming both creative industries and education.
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Sustainability and a clean energy future are topics that consumers are more interested in today than ever before. However, the majority are not willing to commit more resources to be more sustainable in their energy usage, according to the EY Energy Transition Consumer Insights Report 2024.
The EY survey covered 100,000 residential energy consumers in 21 markets around the world over three years, with close to 6,900 respondents across Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
It reveals that consumer behaviour is pivotal to the success of the energy transition, with 70% of its success hinging on how consumers act. Despite this, only 30% of consumers believe they can do more, highlighting a significant gap between interest and action.
This year’s report highlights the three "As" of energy: Access, appeal, and affordability as central pillars of energy experience.
In this episode, Enterprise Explores the report’s key findings to further understand the significant gap between consumer interest and action and what strategies can energy providers implement to bridge this gap.
We speak with Mark Bennett, the Asia-Pacific Energy & Resources Customer Experience Transformation Leader at EY, on why addressing consumer apathy is essential for advancing the energy transition.
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AI in business cybersecurity is a never ending arms race, digitalisation is outpacing cybersecurity capabilities and capacities, and even when businesses have incident response plans, most employees don't know what it is. All this and much more as Enterprise Explores why data readiness and cyber resiliency matters for your business.
As AI solutions and cloud adoption accelerates as data grows at an unprecedented rate, Enterprise Explores the state of Data Readiness and Cyber Resiliency in ASEAN and the increasingly complex data and cyber environments with Michel Borst, Asia Vice President, at Commvault.
According to a Commvault study done in partnership with Tech Research Asia (TRA), ASEAN companies’ data estates grew 31% on average in the last 12 months. Of that growth, their analysis suggests 60% was unstructured data, requiring significantly more management to be optimised and transformed into value.
This data and infrastructure sprawl also contributes to dark data (i.e. data that is created and unmanaged or sits outside of the businesses’ scope of management control and/or visibility).
The study found 91% of companies have challenges managing dark data. As companies face unrelenting and sophisticated cyber attacks, many companies consider they have ineffective data recovery and cyber resiliency capabilities.
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“I think we’re getting past the luxury of just being against things”, Penta's Rory O'Donnell on global food security.
Farmers' protests in Europe are reshaping the political landscape as the European Parliament elections approach, with the protest highlighting a frustration among European farmers as they navigate tougher competition, rising production costs, and concerns over the environmental impacts of initiatives like the Green Deal strategy.
With that in mind, today we delve into the intricate world of European agriculture, exploring the evolving landscape of agricultural policies within the EU, their global ramifications, food security, and lessons that Asia can learn from Europe and vice versa. Joining us is Rory O'Donnell, Managing Director of International Agriculture, Food, and Trade at Penta, who brings over three decades of experience in the UK Civil Service and a deep understanding of EU affairs.
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RM500,000 penalties, Director and Management liability, and assessing Work-From-Home risks that employers could be responsible for.
If you haven’t heard about the incoming changes for Occupational Health and Safety in Malaysia, it’s time to push the panic button because ignorance is not a defence from the potential penalties of up to RM500,000. Learn about the implications, consequences, and what workplaces need to do ASAP in this edition of Enterprise Explores.
We speak with Shannon Rajan and Selvamalar Alagaratnam, Partners at Skrine to discuss the implications of the newly enforced Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act (Amendment) 2022. Effective from June 1st, this amendment aims to elevate safety and health standards across workplaces in Malaysia.
We take a look at the significant changes introduced by the amendment, including the mandatory appointment of health safety coordinators in companies with five or more employees and the enhanced requirements for workplace risk analysis.
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Why did EPF restructure its member’s accounts? Can we do recurring transfers from the Flexible Account to the other 2? Why can’t we opt out of the Flexible Account? We get into these and much more in this edition of Enterprise Explores with EPF’s Balqais Yusoff.
Over the weekend, EPF’s new structure took effect bringing into play a new 3rd account known as Akaun Fleksibel. Enterprise Explores the strategy and rationale behind this move, what we should know about these new changes, and how to navigate them, with Balqais Yusoff, the Head of Policy and Strategy Department at The Employees Provident Fund (EPF).
Effective earlier this week, EPF Member accounts have been restructured from the previous two accounts (Account 1 and Account 2) to three accounts with contributions split 3 ways – with 75% going to Akaun Persaraan, 15% into Akaun Sejahtera, and 10% into Akaun Fleksibel.
Account 1 will be effectively known as Akaun Persaraan: This account will accumulate savings specifically for retirement income.
Account 2 will be effectively known as Akaun Sejahtera: EPF has said that this is designed to address members’ life cycle needs during retirement.
And now we have a 3rd account - Akaun Fleksibel: This new account is aimed at providing flexibility for short-term financial needs and savings in this account can be withdrawn as needed.
On top of this, EPF members will have until August 31st to decide whether to opt-in to restructure your existing balance and transfer an initial amount from Account 2 into your Flexible Account. This one-off, initial transfer will be irreversible. Effectively, if you’ve never withdrawn funds from EPF, this move should restructure your EPF savings to follow the new 75:15:10 ratio.
Join us as we dive into the rationale behind this move, what this says about the evolution of EPF’s role in our lives, what we should know about these new changes, and how to navigate them.
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In Malaysia, women entrepreneurs are carving a significant niche, accounting for around 20% of the more than 650,000 entrepreneurs in the small and medium enterprise (SME) sector. Despite their increasing influence on the economic landscape, these women often encounter distinct challenges, especially in accessing crucial funding and financial resources. This gap highlights the urgent need for targeted initiatives that support and empower female business leaders.
To address these obstacles, the community group On The Rise is hosting the Rise Summit, an event specifically focused on enhancing financial literacy, fostering connections with funding partners, and exploring growth strategies for female founders and leaders. The Summit aims to be a transformative platform, offering masterclasses, workshops, and opportunities for direct engagement with investors.
Kate Sarginson, the Founder of On The Rise, underscores the importance of the Rise Summit, emphasising its role in shaping the future of women entrepreneurship in Malaysia and beyond. This event not only aims to level the playing field but also strives to empower women entrepreneurs through education, networking, and direct support, making it an essential milestone for female empowerment in business.
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In a world where companies are staying private for longer, today Enterprise Explores the potential of Share Liquidity Programs and Tokenization to unlock illiquid shares in private companies with Kelvin Lee, CEO of Alta - a Singapore-based marketplace for alternative assets.
Alta recently facilitated the inaugural trade of the first tranche of shares as part of their Income Insurance Share Liquidity Program. The program was established in January by Alta and Phillip Securities to provide a liquidity solution to almost sixteen thousand shareholders holding shares valued at as much as $840 million. On top of that, by enabling access to Phillip Securities to all Income Insurance shareholders to sell their shares, Phillip Securities is able to subsequently sell these shares on AltaX where it becomes available to investors for trading.
Among other things, Kelvin will share insights on how Alta is addressing the opportunities in private markets in a landscape where companies are opting to stay private longer, we'll also discuss the intricacies of tokenization, dive into the value of share liquidity programs, and how these strategies are enhancing liquidity for private securities.
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In line with Mother's Day, Enterprise Explores dives into the collaborative efforts between the Autism Behavioral Center (ABC) and CookX Asia to empower mothers of children with autism. We explore the prevalence of autism in Malaysia, the essential role of mothers in imparting life skills, and the challenges faced in accessing support systems. ABC, Malaysia's largest ABA centre, and CookX, a social cooking app, are creating safe spaces for teaching life skills to the autistic community. The upcoming ABC x CookX event aims to instil valuable qualities like patience and teamwork while addressing issues such as food waste and social integration.
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The economic climate in Malaysia is dynamic and evolving, with a strong emphasis on digital skills and technological advancements. The career path in Malaysia is also not linear – it is not a straightforward path from point A to B, but rather a curving one that requires adaptability, continuous learning, and a willingness to pivot in response to changing market demands.
Young professionals nowadays are increasingly navigating dual roles, balancing primary jobs with entrepreneurial ventures as backup plans. This shift reflects the uncertainty and opportunities of a post-pandemic world. Meanwhile, HR professionals are tasked with retaining and supporting this new shift in the workforce while redefining traditional concepts like loyalty.
Our conversation today brings together a young entrepreneur and a seasoned HR specialist to explore how economic conditions, career flexibility, and changing values impact talent management and the modern workforce.
Let's dive into their insights on managing this dynamic career landscape with Amanda Tan, the Founder of Cxpturing Souls Studios and Pawever Memories, and Gladys De Silva, a Talent Business Partner with Malaysia HR Forum.
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Enterprise Explores the importance of engaging with grassroots entrepreneurs and the role of community building here with Inbaraj Suppiah, Founder of JomHack, a familiar name to many in the ecosystem, given his community work both online and in the real world through in-person sessions, such as the KL Startup Summit in July.
We’ll get into grassroots entrepreneurship, but also some key thoughts on the criticisms around KL20 and the perceived disconnect between grassroots entrepreneurs and government programs, as well as how we can better address this gap in the startup community.
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Should you opt-in for the one-off irreversible transfer to the new Flexible Account from EPF Account 2 and effectively restructure your current EPF savings? That’s a key question that Enterprise Explores with Rajen Devadason, Licensed Financial Planner with Manulife Investment Management (Malaysia) Berhad. On top of that we also dive into how EPF members should navigate this incoming change and the narrative that we need to build around Akaun Fleksibel and its uses.
It’s no secret that EPF’s recently announced restructuring has been divisive to say the least, but love it or hate it, it’s coming later this week. Starting from Saturday May 11th 2024, EPF contributions will be split into 3 accounts, where 75% goes to Akaun Persaraan, 15% into Akaun Sejahtera, and 10% into Akaun Fleksibel.
More importantly, EPF members will have until August 31st to make a big decision - whether to opt-in to restructure your existing balance and transfer an initial amount into your Flexible Account. This one-off, initial transfer will be irreversible. Effectively, if you’ve never withdrawn funds from EPF, this move should restructure your EPF savings to follow the new 75:15:10 ratio.
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Was there too much focus on attracting foreign unicorns, players and VCs at KL20? Was there not enough local support announced? We explore those criticisms as well as key aspects of the KL20 Action Plan with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-Chair of the Soonicorn Collective, and collective member Sharma Lachu, Founder and CEO of Accendo Technologies.
We will get into their topline thoughts and impressions about KL20 and the action plan, some of the feedback and criticisms levelled at it, and what their respective impressions and hopes are for particular initiatives, including the Innovation Belt and Unicorn Golden Pass, as well as the VC Golden Pass, VC Launch Fund, and VC Academy. We’ll also spend some time on the importance of talent initiatives.
KL20 was a summit organised by the Malaysian government held on the 22nd-23rd of April with the aim of helping stimulate Malaysia’s startup scene by addressing some of the challenges faced by startup founders in the country like access to funding, navigating regulatory barriers and attracting top talent.
At the event, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the KL20 Action Paper, which is a roadmap outlining tangible reforms to achieve convergence among key stakeholders – founders, venture capitalists, talent, incubators and accelerators, to propel Malaysia's startup tech sector to new heights.
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The Cyber Security Bill 2024, passed by Malaysia's Dewan Negara in April 2024, aims to bolster the nation's cybersecurity. It requires entities managing critical national infrastructures — such as government, banking, transportation, defence, and healthcare — to adopt rigorous measures, standards, and processes to mitigate cyber threats. The legislation utilises a risk-based approach to protect against current and future technologies, including blockchain, and is crucial for safeguarding Malaysia’s vital sectors and enhancing cyber resilience. For more insights, we speak with Vicks Kanagasingam, a Business Transformation Coach and Startup Architect.
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On this episode, we look at Artificial Intelligence with a focus on Malaysia's journey towards global competitiveness in this field. We speak with Farouk Nurish, Co-Founder of TM8 Sdn Bhd, a pioneering tech firm renowned for its innovative AI platform, Team M8.
Throughout the conversation, Farouk gives us insights into Malaysia's distinctive strengths and weaknesses within the tech ecosystem, and how they influence the nation's efforts to carve a niche in the fiercely competitive AI market. We also explore the pivotal steps required to foster greater recognition and support for homegrown tech enterprises in Malaysia.
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In response to the rising threat of online scams and slander, the Malaysian government recently (last week) announced that it is set to introduce an AI portal designed to help the public identify and combat digital fraud. This initiative, integrating advanced AI technologies with existing platforms, aims to bolster public safety and restore trust in the digital realm.
Although it is still in its early stages, the portal is seen as necessary to ensure the public can trust the content they encounter online. If any doubts arise, the public can consult the portal for verification.
The portal is an expansion of the special segment “Biar Betul!” featured on the national public broadcast station RTM channels. In addition, it will complement the functionality of existing platforms such as SEBENARNYA.MY, under the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC), and MyCheck.My, managed by the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama). This effort is expected to streamline the process for the public to easily search and verify any received information.
Today, to shed light on the feasibility of this new AI portal, we speak with CF Fong, the Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhad, and a committee member of the Cybersecurity Chapter of PIKOM.
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EPF Akaun Fleksibel - only ‘break in case of emergencies’.
Last week (25 April 2024), the Employee Provident Fund (EPF) announced a restructuring, which, among other things, will see the introduction of a third account known as Akaun Fleksibel effective May 11th. We speak with Economist Dr Geoffrey Williams to dissect what this potentially means for EPF members, for the economy, and the retirement crisis.
Among other things, we explore how Account 1 (now Akaun Persaraan) has been moved up from 70% to 75% of contributions, how material a move this is by the EPF, the potential stimulus effect, EPF’s limits on addressing the retirement crisis and what else the government can explore, and much more.
More info about the restructuring:
Account Restructuring:
Member accounts will be restructured from the current two accounts (Account 1 and Account 2) to three accounts:
- Akaun Persaraan: This account will accumulate savings specifically for retirement income.
- Akaun Sejahtera: Designed to address members’ life cycle needs during retirement.
- Akaun Fleksibel: A new account that provides flexibility for short-term financial needs. Savings in this account can be withdrawn as needed.
Allocation of Contributions:
Starting from 11 May 2024, contributions will be allocated as follows:
- 75% into Akaun Persaraan.
- 15% into Akaun Sejahtera.
- 10% into Akaun Fleksibel.
Transfer Option:
- Between 11 May 2024 and 31 August 2024, members can transfer part of their savings balance to Akaun Fleksibel as an initial amount.
- If no transfer is chosen, the existing balance will remain in Akaun Sejahtera.
Access to the System:
- Members can fully access the new system starting from 12 May 2024.
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On the back of Earth Day earlier this week, Enterprise explores the 2024 Earth Day report that was released by market research firm Ipsos Malaysia with Arun Menon, Managing Director at Ipsos Malaysia.
This is the 4th edition of the report and is based on a 33-country survey conducted where 24,000 people were interviewed between January 26th and February 9th.
Below are the 6 key findings from the report, which we explore in more depth in the show.
Globally, across 33 countries, a majority think governments, businesses and individuals have a responsibility to tackle climate change. But conviction has dropped notably over the past three years.
Millennial and Generation Z men feel more apathetic and fatalistic about climate change compared with older generations and with women. Three in ten say it’s already “too late” to tackle climate change. And this sense that it’s too late to take action on climate change is particularly strong among young men.
A majority globally believe that developed countries, with historically high emissions, should contribute more towards climate action. Perhaps unsurprisingly, those in developed countries are less likely to agree with this.
Although awareness is improving, globally, people continue to misjudge which household actions would have the most impact on reducing their carbon footprint. People overestimate the effectiveness of low impact actions such as recycling.
Most are optimistic that transitioning economies away from fossil fuels will have environmental benefits, but views are mixed on the economic and affordability impacts.
Financial incentives and access to information are the leading motivators globally that could spur more climate action by individuals, followed by seeing climate impacts in their country.
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In the fast-paced world of advertising, language is not just a tool for communication but also an element of brand identity and cultural representation. Recently, concerns have arisen regarding the incorrect use of Bahasa Melayu in advertisements and public signage, sparking debates about linguistic integrity versus creative freedom. As advertisers and creative agencies navigate these waters, they face the challenge of balancing the evolving nature of language with the need to preserve its correctness and cultural significance.
This discussion is critical, as the implications extend beyond mere communication, but also influencing social perceptions and national identity.
Today, we speak with Prof Said Bani C.M. Din, Founder and Managing Director of bzBee Consult, who is also the President of PRCA Malaysia; and Khaidi Kamaruddin, the Founder of BULB Communique, to delve deeper into this matter where it is essential to consider how creative teams can foster linguistic accuracy while maintaining the innovative spirit that advertising demands.
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Today, Enterprise explores the KL20 action plan and what is in store for the startup ecosystem in Malaysia with Bikesh Lakhmichand, Founder at 1337 Ventures and Kevin Brockland, Founder and Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures.
For some context, the KL20 is a summit organised by the Malaysian government that aims to stimulate Malaysia’s startup scene by addressing some of the challenges faced by startup founders in the country like access to funding, navigating regulatory barriers and attracting top talent.
At the event, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim launched the KL20 Action Paper, which is a comprehensive roadmap outlining tangible reforms to achieve convergence among key stakeholders – founders, venture capitalists, talent, incubators and accelerators, to propel Malaysia's startup tech sector to new heights.
Today on the show, Bikesh and Kevin help us break down the KL20 action plan and whether it fulfils the needs of startup founders in Malaysia as well as how this will facilitate the bigger goal of taking Kuala Lumpur into the ranks of the top 20 global startup hubs by 2030.
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Today on the show, Enterprise explores Echelon’s annual Top100 Program, a program specifically curated to boost the growth for startups in Malaysia. To help me break down the significance of this program to startups across SouthEast Asia, I’m joined in the studio by Mohan Belani, CEO and Co-Founder of e27, the startup ecosystem's go-to platform for insights, connections, funding, and talent opportunities.
Recently, Echelon has revealed the first 26 participants in this program for 2024 and some of the them include startups from Laos, the Philippines, and Malaysia, along with Singaporean applicants.
With that and along the course of our discussion today, Mohan helped us get a better picture on the selection process for startups to enter this program, why fundraising has become more challenging in the startup ecosystem as well as some of the differences between Malaysia's tech startup ecosystem with other participating countries from across SEA.
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Enterprise explores the 15th edition of CPA Australia’s Asia-Pacific Small Business survey which provides insights about small businesses across 11 economies, including Malaysia.
The annual survey results indicate that 2024 is expected to be a better year than 2023, with 78% of small businesses expected to grow this year. This is Malaysia's best result since 2012 and it is higher than the survey average of 70%.
To help me breakdown and explore the survey, we’re joined by Gavan Ord and Azfar Asa’Ad, from CPA Australia’s Business & Investment Policy team.
Along the course of the conversation today, Gavan and Azfar will be giving us an in-depth breakdown of the survey and give us a better picture on the state of small businesses here in Malaysia for 2024 and the foreseeable future.
*CPA Australia defines ‘small business’ as businesses with less than 20 employees, which includes high-growth small businesses and tech startups as well.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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In this episode, Enterprise explores the complexities of digital fragmentation and how businesses can address it to unlock real business value with Michael Bachman, Head of Architecture and AI Strategy at Boomi, a software company that specialises in integration platform as a service, API management, master data management and data preparation.
While data is increasingly valued in today's business landscape, many organisations struggle to bring out its full potential due to a common issue: data fragmentation. This fragmentation occurs when data is spread across various systems and locations, leading to inefficiencies in storage, compliance challenges, and management complexities.
With that, Michael will help us explore the impact of data fragmentation to businesses, strategies to overcome this hurdle for maximising the value of organisational data and the importance of offering the right governance and integration capabilities needed to weave AI into user experiences and business processes.
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With the upcoming launch of the MYStartup Single-window for startups, today we explore how this will streamline startup matters and address the long-standing issue of a fragmentation and disconnect when it comes to startup support and resources from the government.
Joining us for this conversation is Norman Vanhaecke, Group CEO of the Cradle Fund.
Among other things, we’ll get into the specific features and enhancements, how the single-window initiative will streamline the startup ecosystem, and its role in optimizing funding programs and venture capital under a single platform.
We also discuss the connection between MYStartup and initiatives like the Malaysian Startup Ecosystem Roadmap 2021 – 2030 (SUPER) and the MACVAP's Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR), as well as dive into ambitions to have KL ranked among the top 20 global startup ecosystems by 2030 and position KL as a regional startup and digital hub.
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With nominations for the 23rd edition EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year awards now open, today we dive into the evolution of the awards over the past 2 decades and its current focus with Philip Rao, Partner in Consulting with Ernst & Young, and Entrepreneur of the Year Malaysia Program Director.
Philip breaks down the awards, getting into the differentiation between the 4 categories (Master, Technology, Women and Emerging), the types of companies that are encouraged to apply, the judging process and criteria used to assess nominees, and the EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year (WEOY) award.
Additionally, we discuss the changing landscape of entrepreneurship in Malaysia and how the awards themselves have evolved over the last 23 years.
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Food waste represents a significant challenge, particularly during festive periods when celebrations often lead to excessive food production and consumption. In Malaysia, as in many parts of the world, festivals such as Ramadan see markets and households overflow with food, much of which unfortunately goes to waste. This not only impacts the environment through increased landfill use and greenhouse gas emissions but also represents a considerable economic loss.
Addressing this issue requires a multi-faceted approach involving consumers, businesses, social enterprises, nonprofits and government bodies. Additionally, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships are also essential for effective management and reduction of food waste. Technology, for instance, can play a pivotal role in tracking and managing food inventory more efficiently during peak festive seasons, helping to align supply with demand more accurately.
Public awareness and behavioural change are also critical and should be promoted through educational campaigns and community engagement, to alter public perceptions and habits regarding food consumption and wastage.
In this episode, we speak with Justin Cheah, the Marketing Director of Kechara Soup Kitchen Society, to explore the topic of food waste and how by implementing targeted interventions, there is potential to make substantial progress in reducing food waste, especially during Malaysia's vibrant festivals and beyond.
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Amidst the competitive landscape of the Asia-Pacific consumer goods market, the narrative has often focused on insurgent brands disrupting established incumbents. However, a recent Bain & Company’s analysis of 23 consumer product categories across 11 Asia-Pacific markets (from 2018 to 2022) paints a more complex picture.
The report, entitled “Resilience Amid Disruption: How Some Asia-Pacific Incumbents Are Outmanoeuvring Insurgents”, challenges the conventional view, revealing how incumbent brands are not just surviving but thriving by blending traditional strengths with insurgent tactics.
The findings delve into the strategic responses that enabled these incumbents to maintain or grow their market share despite rising competition, which we explore with Zara Lightowler, Associate Partner at Bain & Company. Among other things, we dive into the importance of channel dynamics, localisation, M&A and ecosystem scanning, and much more.
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In today’s digital age, cybersecurity is more than just an IT concern - it is a fundamental business imperative.
Recent cyber incidents targeting significant Malaysian entities like Maxis, and The Youth and Sports Ministry have underscored the urgency of this issue, revealing vulnerabilities that can have far-reaching implications for organisations across the nation.
To shed light on effective strategies to combat cybersecurity threats, we speak with Ian Farquhar, the Security Chief Technology Officer at Gigamon. Gigamon stands at the vanguard of network security, offering insights and solutions that are vital for protecting digital infrastructures against sophisticated cyberattacks.
Our conversation pivots around the advanced tactics employed by hacker groups such as Rootk1t, the importance of deep observability in cybersecurity, and actionable strategies that Malaysian businesses and budding entrepreneurs may implement to safeguard their digital assets.
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Enterprise explores the role and power of foreign-owned e-marketplaces and social commerce platforms and why this needs to be studied and managed to protect local merchants and Malaysia's digital sovereignty. We explore this with Ganesh Kumar Bangah, the Chair of PIKOM’s e-Commerce Chapter, he’s also the Founder & Executive Chairman of Commerce.Asia, an all-in-one ecommerce ecosystem.
Among other things, we get into the power that marketplaces and social commerce players hold in e-commerce, how TikTokShop has changed the game and differs from Shopee and Lazada, how local consumer data should be handled, and why businesses to diversify their channel strategy and not be dependant on any single one, whether it’s a marketplace or social commerce platform.
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Enterprise explores the Malaysia Venture Capital Roadmap (MVCR) 2024-2030 with Noor Amy Ismail, COO of MAVCAP.
Launched by The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) and the Malaysia Venture Capital Management Berhad (MAVCAP), this 33-page roadmap hopes to elevate Malaysia’s perception in the eyes of the venture capital world and make Malaysia a preferred venture capital hub in Southeast Asia.
The roadmap spotlights three strategic pillars: improving the ease of doing business, enhancing funding accessibility, and elevating Malaysia's venture capital talent pool.
From streamlining cross-border capital flows and establishing a centralised VC platform to aligning tax incentives and broadening exit options, we will dive into how the strategies and interventions aim to foster a more conducive and vibrant environment for venture capital in Malaysia and turn this map into reality.
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Enterprise explores how GenAI will change politics with Bryan DeAngelis, Partner and Head of the Washington Office at stakeholder solutions firm Penta Group. Drawing from their recent article titled "AI: The Next Political Game Changer," we'll explore how artificial intelligence is poised to reshape political campaigns and society at large.
From the power of AI in micro-targeting and personalised messaging to its implications for transparency and polarisation, we'll dissect the four key ways Penta sees AI transforming political landscapes, discussing the potential benefits and drawbacks of its integration into campaigns and elections, as well as unpack the complexities of AI-driven political strategies and the ethical considerations they entail.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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Enterprise Explores 4 travel trends driving consumers in 2024 as highlighted by the AMEX Travel 2024 Global Travel Trends Report.
The 4 trends that the report says are driving booking decisions are:
- For the Love of the Game: Sports fans are planning trips around athletic events, whether it involves a favorite sport, a beloved team, or an international multi-sport competition.
- Planning Big: Major, expedition-style adventures, like a trip to the Galapagos Islands or trekking with the gorillas, deliver the transformative experiences that travelers are looking for.
- Going Solo: Travelers are takings trips alone, embracing the ease of planning and ability to tailor itineraries that are a perfect fit.
- On a Whim: With so much of life being structured and scheduled these days, people are seeking flexibility in their travel plans and leaving room for spontaneity.
We explore who in Southeast Asia is most well positioned in each of these 4 trends, where Malaysia stacks in its ability to leverage each trend, and the opportunity that these trends could present for Southeast Asia tourism as a whole.
Helping us with this are Hannah Pearson, Founder of tourism market intelligence firm Pear Anderson, and Gary Bowerman, Director of travel and tourism research firm Check-In Asia.
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Can anyone be an entrepreneur? What defines an entrepreneurial mindset? All this and more as Enterprise explores ‘The Psychology of Entrepreneurship’ with Professor Michael Frese, Professor of Management at Asia School of Business.
With a particular focus on his paper titled ‘The Psychology of Entrepreneurship: Action and Process’, we will dive into the underlying psychological factors that drive entrepreneurial success and the practical implications for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Other than that, we will also look into the nuances of the Action Theory Process Model of Entrepreneurship, dissecting how it offers a deeper understanding of entrepreneurial actions and outcomes.
Professor Frese recently won the renown Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research from the Swedish Entrepreneurship Forum. Established in 1996, the award celebrates outstanding research that significantly influences the field, recognizing Professor Frese's work and substantial contributions to psychology in entrepreneurship theory, small business development, and entrepreneurship training.
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2024 - We are almost at the end of the first quarter of the year! Now is a suitable time to reevaluate how small and medium-sized businesses are “feeling” about the economy.
Malaysian SMEs enter 2024 with a mix of optimism and caution. A recent report by Employment Hero found that an impressive 79% of SMEs are confident about their own growth prospects, despite concerns about rising costs and inflation. This sentiment reflects a sense of resilience after challenging years, with many businesses looking forward to new opportunities.
To gain a deeper understanding of these trends, this episode of Enterprise Explores delves into the findings of the 2024 SME Sentiments Report by Employment Hero with Kevin Fitzgerald, the Managing Director for Asia at Employment Hero.
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Today, Enterprise explores the state of the tech startup ecosystem and how the funding and investment narrative within this space has evolved over the years with:
Peter Murray, Country Manager at Amazon Web Services (AWS) Malaysia and Emerging Markets
Kamarul Muhamed, Founder & Group CEO at Aerodyne Group, a Malaysian based tech startup that’s ranked as the world's #1 drone service provider
And Khailee Ng, Managing Partner at 500 Global, a venture capital firm with $2.4 billion in assets under management.
On the show today, Pete, Kamarul and Khailee will help us break down the importance of establishing partnerships for tech startups, the challenges faced by entrepreneurs within this space, and the future of Malaysia’s tech startup ecosystem.
This interview is brought to you by Amazon Web Services (AWS)
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On this episode, Enterprise Explores the newly-formed Soonicorn Collective and discuss whether building startup unicorns is an outdated notion with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder of ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator, and Ramachandran Muniandy, CEO and Co-Founder at Asia Mobiliti. They are both Co-Chairs of the Soonicorn Collective.
The Soonicorn Collective is a platform that is hoping to groom Malaysia's next unicorns and foster a strong startup ecosystem in the country via policy proposals and engagement with government leaders.
Working with Proficeo Consultants and in partnership with Penjana Kapital, they announced the pioneer group of 18 founders within the platform. Some of the names from this batch include Nadira Yusof from Kiddocare, Giden Lim from BLOOMTHIS, and Hui Yik Seong from Direct Lending. All of whom have been on our 10am show - Open For Business.
The Soonicorn Collective is a kind of pivot from the 100 Soonicorns program that was launched just over a year ago. The program focused on monthly discussions between founders on their own experiences and challenges regarding issues faced from the early stage to Series A stage and beyond. The participants also had the opportunity to engage with local and global venture capitalists.
Over the course of this conversation, Doc Siva and Ram will help us get a better understanding on the intention behind the change in program, what this membership-driven platform will look and feel like, and the value it expects to bring not only to founders but also the wider startup ecosystem.
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In the present time where a digital-first lifestyle pervades every aspect of our lives from communication and entertainment to learning and running businesses, it is important to understand how the digital landscape is shaping our behaviours, preferences, and approaches to available opportunities.
In Malaysia’s rapidly developing digital market, the Meltwater’s 2024 Global Digital Report offers an insightful view of the evolving digital world, revealing the dynamics of Internet penetration, social media trends, and digital behaviours across the globe.
In this episode of Enterprise Explores, we look into the highlights of the 2024 Global Digital Report by Meltwater regarding the challenges and opportunities presented in digital age, focusing on how enhanced connectivity, changing social media preferences, and how technological advancements impact societies and businesses. Together to help us further delve into the topic is David Hickey, the Executive Director for Asia Pacific at Meltwater.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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In the face of robust growth projections for Malaysia's construction industry, there's a pressing need to harness technology to revolutionise safety management and boost operational efficiency on sites.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) stands out as a pivotal tool, offering a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of places, which significantly enhances planning, design, construction, and management of buildings and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, integrating technological solutions can help to reduce incidences of occupational injuries and better compliance with safety regulations. Innovations such as wearables, drones, and artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time monitoring and risk assessment could play a crucial role in mitigating various hazards or at least, significantly reduce accidents and fatalities on construction sites.
In this episode, we explore how technological advancements help to drive the shift towards smarter, safer, and more efficient construction practice with Vitaly Berezka, the Regional Head for Central Asia, Middle East and North Africa and Asia-Pacific at PlanRadar.
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“Founders gotta be a little silly”
Enterprise Explores what Taiwan-based VC firm AppWorks is looking for in Malaysia and Southeast Asia’s startup ecosystem with Sophie Chiu, Principal leading the Southeast Asia Arm at AppWorks.
We explore Sophie's role leading AppWorks' expansion efforts into Southeast Asia and the mandate given to her by HQ. We also reflect on her criteria for selecting portfolio companies, insights into the venture capital landscape in Southeast Asia, and how her background informs her approach to supporting and investing in startups.
AppWorks has 532 active startups and 1,6622 founders in its alumni network. Its ecosystem has raised a total of US$5.8 billion in funding to reach a total valuation of US$32.4 billion.
Founded in 2009, AppWorks provides 2 main services that cater to startups in 2 different stages. There’s AppWorks Accelerator which helps seed-stage startups go from 0 to 1, AppWorks Funds which provides financing to help growth-stage startups scale faster, and also AppWorks School which provides education to talents and prepares them for a career in the startup world.
Sophie is leading AppWorks' expansion efforts into Southeast Asia, connecting with and investing in promising founders across the region. Prior to AppWorks, Sophie had 10 years of public equity experience and was part of the portfolio management team at Neuberger Berman, focusing on emerging market opportunities. Before that she served as a research analyst at Credit Suisse, JPMorgan, and London-based Autonomous Research.
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SHEIN's business model is deeply integrated into the fast-evolving landscape of ultra-fast fashion, leveraging a blend of technology, agile manufacturing, and keen market insights to cater to a global audience. However, as SHEIN continues to expand its footprint, questions about sustainability, moral and ethical practices, and the future direction of the company have come to the forefront of discussions among consumers, industry watchers, and potential investors alike.
Today, Enterprise explores SHEIN's commitment to sustainability, the challenges and opportunities it faces in light of its rapid growth, and the strategic decisions shaping its journey towards a potential initial public offering (IPO) with Annabella Ng , Senior Director of Global Public Affairs at SHEIN.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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Back in 2011, the Government of Malaysia, in collaboration with Bursa Malaysia, took a significant step by mandating that all public listed companies (PLCs) strive for a minimum of 30% women representation on their corporate boards. Initially aimed at the top 100 PLCs, this policy was later extended to encompass a broader spectrum of companies, to create a more balanced and dynamic leadership landscape.
As women ascend to leadership roles, their voices become influential drivers of change. The push for increased female representation in leadership roles is not merely a response to social pressures but reflective of a progressive step towards fostering innovation, decision-making quality and overall corporate performance.
Delving into the multifaceted impact of female representation in leadership roles and exploring the tangible benefits and potential drawbacks of a set target is Christine Sterk, Chief Business Officer, at Pulsifi.
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At the back end of 2023, Ookla analysed the Speedtest data to gain insights into the current performance of networks that we use on a daily basis. In the analysis, they compared changes in 5G performance to the previous year (2022), identified the top 10 countries with the best performance networks, and discussed customer satisfaction in the usage of 5G.
The countries that were involved in the analysis were based on the performance of their fixed networks and also included the connectivity gap across the world.
In this episode, Enterprise explores the disparity between 5G performance and the consumer perception in adopting 5G usage. Helping us with that is Affandy Johan, Industry Analyst for the Asia Pacific Region at Ookla.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
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Enterprise Explores how Grab’s GX Bank and AEON Bank are tackling digital banking in Malaysia with their respective CEOs, Lai Pei Si of GXBank, and Raja Teh Maimunah of AEON Bank.
In this episode, we get into what is guiding the development and approaches taken with their respective digital banks, the intricacies of what it takes to build a bank from scratch and how it differs from traditional banking models, strategies they are taking to acquire and retain customers, and the products they have in mind for the future.
We will also look into the strategic advantages provided by their parent companies, shareholders, and consortium partners.
GX Bank Berhad is a subsidiary of GXS Bank (a joint-venture between Grab Holdings and Singtel) and consortium partners such as Kuok Group, while AEON Bank operates under joint ownership by AEON Financial Service, Ltd. (AFS) and AEON Credit Service (M) Berhad – both of which are subsidiaries of Japan's largest retail group – AEON Group.
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In the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship, empowering women entrepreneurs has emerged as a critical avenue for fostering economic growth, innovation, and social change.
Across the globe, women entrepreneurs are breaking barriers, creating jobs, and contributing significantly to their economies, yet they continue to face challenges such as limited access to capital, gender biases in the business world, and a lack of support networks and mentorship opportunities.
Today, as we commemorate International Women’s Day and the achievements of women worldwide, we speak with Anusuya Krishnan, EXCO Member of the National Association of Women Entrepreneurs of Malaysia (NAWEM) and founder of Migi Te, and Bikesh Lakhmichand, the Founder of 1337 Ventures on the initiatives that are in place to help improve access to funding, providing mentorship, and fostering a more inclusive and supportive ecosystem to level the playing field for women.
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This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Inspire Inclusion”, which aims to encourage us to foster a more inclusive world for women by sharing compassion, valuing women’s inclusion, and promoting a sense of belonging and empowerment.
Inspiring us on this episode of Enterprise Explores is Professor Jenny George, Dean of Melbourne Business School and Co-Dean of the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Business and Economics, where she shares some of the best practices businesses can take to invest in women, and in equipping them to lead and accelerate progress.
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Enterprise Explores the origins and mission of Slush’D and how it has made its way to Malaysia in the form of the KL Slush'D Anti-Conference with Stella Korpikuusi, Expansion Lead at Slush and Damon Grow, Co-Founder of KL Slush'D.
Slush’D is a highly regarded annual startup event in Helsinki, Finland, that is organised by Slush, a not-for-profit organisation in Finland run by students and recent graduates, that brings together the most relevant people in the startup ecosystem from around the globe in order to connect founders with what and whom they need while being able to build a new, inclusive, and more purposeful culture of entrepreneurship.
Slush’D has grown its presence by partnering with local partners across the world to stage other Slush’D events, and it has now made its way to KL - happening on March 7th, at Kwai Chai Hong from 3.30PM to 10PM.
On this episode, we learn more about the original Slush’D event and break down how it has made its journey across Europe to Africa and Asia and now here in Kuala Lumpur, why the KL event is happening as an Anti-Conference, and explore what the audience and attendees can gain from this event to expand their startup ventures.
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Enterprise Explores 42Geeks, the 3rd venture of PJ boy Chok Ooi, and the mission of his new business. We also explore his journey of building multiple Silicon Valley startups, and the lessons and mistakes he learnt along the way, including rookie mistakes from his first exit.
Chok’s Silicon Valley journey took flight after being laid off by Goldman Sachs during the Global Financial Crisis when Sam Altman (yes that Sam Altman) hired him at Loopt back in 2008. Today he is building 42Geeks, an organization with a mission to foster cross-border tech collaborations & investments through the global Geeks Tour, and they were in town last week as they toured Southeast Asia, specifically Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and now the BFM Studio.
Between then and 42Geeks, Chok started and built Agility.io, a global product design and software development company that works with 300+ startups and Fortune 500 companies to design and build game-changing technology and solutions, and also Kenzie Academy, an online tech and coding school headquartered in Indianapolis, which was later acquired by Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in March 2021.
Prior to Agility.io and Kenzie, Chok was CTO at SF-based Azap Mobile, Senior Software Engineer at Loopt (acquired by GreenDot), and Lead Engineer at Selerity (acquired by Dealogic).
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The Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM) recently concluded a comprehensive survey across Southeast Asia in collaboration with its eight partners under the ASEAN national institute of directors (IOD) Network.
The findings highlight key priorities, challenges, and forward-looking strategies for boards to sharpen their foresight as they navigate economic uncertainties, talent management, and sustainable practices. With a focus on growth, resilience, and effective governance, ASEAN boards are poised to shape the future of corporate leadership and sustainability.
In this episode on Enterprise Explores, Michele Kythe Lim, President & CEO at Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, sheds light on the ICDM 2024 ASEAN Board Trends Report.
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Enterprise Explores and breaks down the latest SST developments and how it will impact businesses in the lead up to implementation tomorrow (March 1st) with Ng Sue Lynn, Head of Indirect Tax at KPMG.
In a surprise move, the service tax will now be imposed on maintenance and repair (M&R) services and on top of that it stated that it would be effective Monday, the 26th of February, which led to some confusion around the actual start date for the changes and updates to the SST and its increase.
On top of that there’s been some concern over how broad the term ‘Maintenance and Repair’ is and we also explore changes around how the service tax will be applied to the logistics industry, which has now been brought into the Service Tax fold for the first time.
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The informal employment landscape in Malaysia represents a significant and dynamic component of the labour market, reflecting both the economy's adaptability and the challenges facing its workforce.
These workers often face precarious conditions, including low wages, limited access to benefits, and vulnerability to economic shocks, which calls for policymakers to strike a balance between promoting formalisation and ensuring the well-being of these workers.
The World Bank report on "Informal Employment in Malaysia", indicates that approximately 21% of the workforce is engaged in informal work. The report identifies key challenges and policy goals related to retirement savings, protection against health and injury risks, and the need for social insurance schemes to be more flexible and inclusive, as well as emerging trends.
In this episode, Enterprise explores this World Bank report on its findings and recommendations with Dr Yashodhan Ghorpade, Senior Economist on Social Protection & Jobs at the World Bank.
Photo credit: Shutterstock
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On the back of the newly introduced Industrial Master Plan 2030 (IMP 2030), the policy targets an increase in revenue by more than RM580 billion by 2030 and is set to generate 3.3 million high-skilled jobs within this sector.
The IMP 2030 aligns with the goals set in the Industry 4WRD, which is to digitally transform the manufacturing sector and boost productivity through technology and automation.
In Malaysia, the manufacturing sector has faced a two-fold increase in ransomware attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year. The primary methods of attack include phishing and malware, while other notable issues are SQL Injections, insider threats, and vulnerabilities related to Internet of Things (IoT).
Today, Enterprise explores cybersecurity challenges faced by businesses, particularly in the manufacturing industry and how businesses in this space can navigate through them in 2024 with Dickson Woo, Country Manager at Fortinet Malaysia.
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Today Enterprise Explores 5 Ideas to shakeup the Start-Up and funding here in Malaysia and Southeast Asia with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder, ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator.
Post-pandemic, startups now find themselves navigating through an uncertain environment courtesy of the higher interest rate environment, funding winter, lower valuations, and even down rounds. On top of that, the struggle to raise funds has caused many companies to resort to cost-cutting measures, including layoffs.
In a recent article in The Edge, Doc Siva notes that this downturn has changed investor perspectives and start-up founders will need a mindset change to succeed over the next few years.
Tapping into his 25 years of experience in the Malaysia tech ecosystem, as well as his startup investing history having made 52 investments in total as an angel investor but also through ScaleUp Accelerator, he proposes 5 ideas to change up the narrative and move away from the Silicon Valley growth-driven model that has been the de-facto way of doing business in the scene.
In this conversation we will get into and breakdown each of the 5 ideas in more detail, but to give you a sense of what’s coming ahead, here are the 5 headlines that he used in his article:
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- Build an enduring business
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- Change the growth model
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- Limit the amount raised
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- Spend time on the business, not fundraising
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- For enduring businesses, an IPO is a better ‘exit’
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Today Enterprise Explores 5 Ideas to shakeup the Start-Up and funding here in Malaysia and Southeast Asia with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder, ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator.
Post-pandemic, startups now find themselves navigating through an uncertain environment courtesy of the higher interest rate environment, funding winter, lower valuations, and even down rounds. On top of that, the struggle to raise funds has caused many companies to resort to cost-cutting measures, including layoffs.
In a recent article in The Edge, Doc Siva notes that this downturn has changed investor perspectives and start-up founders will need a mindset change to succeed over the next few years.
Tapping into his 25 years of experience in the Malaysia tech ecosystem, as well as his startup investing history having made 52 investments in total as an angel investor but also through ScaleUp Accelerator, he proposes 5 ideas to change up the narrative and move away from the Silicon Valley growth-driven model that has been the de-facto way of doing business in the scene.
In this conversation we will get into and breakdown each of the 5 ideas in more detail, but to give you a sense of what’s coming ahead, here are the 5 headlines that he used in his article:
- Build an enduring business
- Change the growth model
- Limit the amount raised
- Spend time on the business, not fundraising
- For enduring businesses, an IPO is a better ‘exit’
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Recently, in a Reddit post three days ago, and articles on AsiaOne and the New Straits Times, exposed that an eatery (ramen chain) in Kuala Lumpur had allegedly deducted salaries of staff who take medical leave and toilet breaks. Based on a photo of its rules and regulations for employees posted on Facebook (Feb 18) by a netizen, the fines ranged from RM30 to RM500 for various so-called “offences”.
Subsequently, the eatery had also lodged a police report after online backlash on HR policies.
In the modern workplace today, the importance of employee rights and fair employment practices cannot be underestimated. As businesses and economies worldwide cope with rapid technological changes, and shifting societal norms, there is a need to ensure that employment practices evolve accordingly, too.
Today, we will discuss fair employment practices from the lens of legislation, the ongoing efforts and challenges in creating workplaces that comply with legal standards and also foster a culture of respect, equality, and dignity for all employees.
We speak with Donovan Cheah, a partner at Donovan & Ho on matters that will guide both employees and employers towards a more just and productive working relationship.
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Enterprise Explores the world of tokenisation and token crowdfunding. As the digital landscape evolves, so does the way that businesses can raise capital, but what exactly is tokenisation and token crowdfunding? And how does it differ from the equity crowdfunding or from Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) that got quite a lot of buzz a few years back?
To break down these concepts and explore the value proposition they hold for the business community, we're joined by Nicholas Chong, Head of Token Crowdfunding with Malaysian crowdfunding platform pitchIN. Among other things, we'll break down the essence of tokenization, understand the intricacies of token crowdfunding, and distinguish it from ICOs and IEOs. We'll also delve into the process of token crowdfunding and asset tokenization, as well as how this financial evolution can change the game for how businesses raise funds.
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Enterprise Explores the fiduciary duties of board members and the critical roles that they play with Tay Kay Luan, CEO of FIDE Forum. Among other things, we explore what the role of board members really entails and looks like, common misconceptions about the responsibilities and capabilities of board members, and what is fair or unfair to expect of them.
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Today we explore the rise of a new e-commerce juggernaut - social media giant Tik Tok - a platform once known primarily for its viral dance and lip-sync videos. They’re taking the fight to Amazon, Shopee, Temu, and others, through its e-commerce arm TikTok Shop.
With this, TikTok is no longer just a social media platform; it's a burgeoning marketplace where interaction directly translates into transactions. And with this, they look to be redefining the online shopping experience, transforming the way creators and businesses connect with their audiences and drive sales.
A great example here was the recent news that Khairul Aming, social media influencer and founder of the popular Sambal Nyet, hit RM1.2 million in sales in mere minutes when he launched his new product on the TikTok Shop platform around 2 weeks ago. As many as 80,000 packs of his latest product were snapped up by buyers within three minutes and 39 seconds.
That said, he was TikTok Malaysia’s 2023 Creator Of The Year and has a huge following of his own, so how representative is this for other creators and businesses who are looking to leverage TikTok Shop to create awareness, drive sales, and grow?
To find out, we speak with Nur Azre Abdul Aziz, Partnerships Lead with TikTok Shop Malaysia. Among other things, we’ll explore how TikTok is supporting creators in leveraging their platform, the strategies TikTok Shop has implemented for user experience and seller engagement, and how it's adapting to evolving market demands. We will also get into how TikTok Shop Malaysia is navigating the complexities of digital literacy and cross-border e-commerce.
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What do Malaysian startups Kiddocare, du-it, Senang Insurance, and Qwork have in common? Aside from being on BFM’s Open For Business, they all have Artem Ventures as an investor.
After 1 year of funding startups in Malaysia, the venture capital firm has invested in 12 local companies, including the 4 mentioned earlier, and it looks like they’ve got more aggressive plans ahead with the stated aim of investing in another over 10 new companies by Q2 2024. Powering this is a RM45 million fund in partnership with pan-Asian life insurer FWD called TIM Ventures which was announced back in December 2022.
On this edition of Enterprise Explores, we dive into the motivations, investment strategy, and ambitions of Artem Ventures, as well as insights gained from their journey so far, with Managing Partners Ng Sai Kit and Low Zhen Hui. We also get into what they look for in founders and startups, including red flags, how closely they work with their portfolio companies, and their plans ahead.
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Today Enterprise Explores the on-going shift towards a non-cash economy and how payment systems have evolved over the last few years with Arun Menon, Managing Director at Ipsos Malaysia, a market research firm.
Back in January, Ipsos released their latest case study on Non-Cash Economy & Payment Evolutions which found that there has been a slight decrease in the usage of non-cash payment methods in 2023. However, a key point to take note of is that half of Malaysians still use non-cash payments, with e-wallets being used by a quarter of the population.
Besides that, some other notable findings from the “Non-Cash Economy & Payment Evolution” study shows:
- A higher frequency of people who are using e-wallets
- More youths are using online transfer
- The usage of e-wallet for food purchases have increased but experienced a drop for retail and online purchases
- TnG Wallet retains the top spot as the most used e-wallet brand, with MAE as strong number 2
There is a lot more to break down and digest from this study, which Arun help us explore and digest.
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Tech, Oil & Gas, and Human Resources & Legal, will be key in managing the supply and demand in the job market this year, and for employees and jobseekers, it looks like flexibility and ‘Work From Home’ continue to be key demands, while having a sense for career and salary progression is vital for retention. All this and more as Enterprise Explores the 2024 outlook for the jobs and salaries in Malaysia with Fahad Naeem, Country Director at Randstad Malaysia.
Randstad recently released their 2024 Job Market Outlook & Salary Guide Report, and Enterprise Explores key insights from the report, including the importance of people management, why Emerging Technologies, Oil & Gas, and Human Resources & Legal are key must-watch sectors in the job market, the potential challenges when it comes to talent recruitment across these key growth industries, why there’s a move away from Generalists towards Specialists in the job market, and more.
Image credit: Shutterstock
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Happy Valentine’s Day! The 14th of February is a day dedicated to expressing love and affection towards partners, family members, and friends. Originating from ancient Roman traditions, Valentine’s Day has evolved into a global celebration of love, characterised by the exchange of gifts such as flowers, chocolates, and greeting cards.
In today’s contemporary society, Valentine's Day serves not only as an opportunity for individuals to showcase their love and appreciation for one another but also as a significant event for businesses and marketers, who capitalise on this day through tailored marketing campaigns, special offers, and themed products.
The same can be observed for other special days, such as Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, although maybe not on the same magnitude.
Today, we speak with Ranganathan Somanathan, Co-Founder & Curator, RSquared Global Ventures; Kuah Jenhan, Creative Director, and Christyna Fong, Creative Director, both from The Chariot Agency, how they understand the consumers’ psyche and craft the right marketing and ads campaigns that resonate so well with the audience.
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Today we're celebrating World Radio Day 2024 with a special edition focused on the enduring impact of radio.
This year's theme, "Radio: A Century Informing, Entertaining, and Educating," offers a moment to reflect on the transformative journey of radio, a medium that continues to adapt and thrive in the digital era.
Our guest today is Chris Hibert, a seasoned professional whose career in radio has spanned several decades, witnessing firsthand the evolution of this dynamic medium. Chris's contributions to the industry reflect a deep commitment to the core values of radio: to inform, entertain, and educate.
We'll be looking into the past, present, and future of radio, exploring the challenges it has faced, the milestones it has achieved, and the potential it holds as we move forward.
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Neurodiversity refers to the recognition and acceptance of neurological differences in individuals. These differences can include conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and other cognitive variations.
In Malaysia, it is estimated that between 30% to 40% of the population falls under the category of neurodiverse, while the remaining majority is considered “neurotypical”, [according to Oasis Place, a transdisciplinary intervention centre].
According to the World Bank (2021), approximately 35.4% of those registered with disabilities in Malaysia are categorised under learning disabilities.
The conversation around neurodiversity in the workplace is gaining momentum, with increasing recognition of the value neurodivergent individuals bring to various sectors. Efforts are underway to create more inclusive employment opportunities that leverage the unique strengths and talents of people with neurodivergent conditions.
PETRONAS, in collaboration with Ernst & Young, for example, has been actively working to develop a neurodiversity ecosystem in Malaysia by promoting neurodiversity and organisational readiness for hiring neurodivergent individuals.
RHB is another organisation that has introduced its Empower Programme, an indication of a growing commitment among Malaysian corporations to support neurodiversity, focusing on tailored recruitment, training, and support systems to enhance workforce integration.
This shift towards inclusivity not only aims to improve employment rate among neurodivergent individuals but also enriches the workplace with diverse perspectives and skills.
Today, we speak with Mohd Rashid Mohamad, Group Managing Director (and) Group Chief Executive Officer, RHB Banking Group, together with Izham Izhairy Zaini, RHB #Empower participant and Izham’s mother Puan Suzannie Omar on the initiative RHB is taking in supporting and advocating neurodiversity in its organisation and in turn, contributing towards building a more inclusive workforce for the nation.
***RHB welcomes all forms of support and interest from businesses of all sizes, including corporates and SMEs, non-profit organisations, governmental agencies and other organisations who would like to participate in its #Empower Programme. Participation can be in the form of being a partner employer or as a sponsor for potential programme participants in the upcoming intake.
RHB is committed to making a difference and Making Progress Happen for Everyone. It appreciates the support from all organisations to provide employment opportunities or internships to neurodivergent young adults.
Interested companies may email the RHB Community Engagement team at rhbfoundation@rhbgroup.com.
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In a month’s time, the domestic component of the Capital Gains Tax announced in Budget 2024 comes into effect. Enterprise Explores Malaysia's incoming Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and what it means for businesses with Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax at KPMG. We get into who the CGT will impact, how broad its reach and implications are, and exemptions to the CGT.
We also explore what we’ve learnt from the recently published Capital Gains Tax Return Filing (CGTRF) Program by LHDN, the proactive steps that businesses need to undertake to mitigate the potential impacts, and what we know so far about the compliance and reporting requirements for the CGT.
For some background, in Budget 2024, it was announced that a capital gains tax (CGT) would be introduced on the sale of shares in unlisted Malaysian companies and that this would be imposed on the disposal of unlisted shares in a company incorporated in Malaysia by companies, limited liability partnerships, cooperatives and trust bodies. Individuals have been excluded. This would also apply to disposal of shares in a controlled company incorporated outside Malaysia but owns real property in Malaysia, or shares in another controlled company. There are some noted exemptions, including gains on disposals in relation to restructuring within the same group, initial public offerings approved by Bursa Malaysia and venture capital companies (subject to conditions to be stipulated).
This was however just the domestic component of the CGT, that will come into effect from March 1, there is also a foreign component impacting foreign assets that came into effect at the start of this year, imposed on all gains or profits on foreign capital assets — ranging from real property overseas to shares on foreign stock exchanges — at the prevailing tax rate. As highlighted by The Edge in their article earlier this year, the fund management industry brought up concerns regarding the CGT as it looked that, without any further clarification or exemptions, the gains brought back to Malaysia or from unlisted shares in the country will be taxed at prevailing income tax rates, which would impact the returns. Thankfully for the fund management industry, the government agreed to exempt the imposition of capital gains tax (CGT) as well as taxes on foreign-sourced income (FSI) on unit trusts, which was announced by Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan in mid-January.
Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax at KPMG helps us get a clearer understanding of everything businesses should know about the CGT, based on the information we have so far.
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2023 saw fintech funding in Southeast Asia hit a 5-year low as fintech firms in the region raised just US$2 billion in 2023, down 65% from 2022 and 77% lower than 2021, while the number of deals fell 50% — just 142 in 2023 compared to 288 in 2022, as per the Tracxn Geo Annual Report: SEA FinTech 2023.
With this in mind, Enterprise Explores the dynamic and rapidly evolving fintech sector in Malaysia, with Farah Jaafar, Vice President of Fintech Association of Malaysia (FAOM) and Low Zhen Hui, a Managing Partner at venture capital firm Artem Ventures.
Among other things, we got into where the Malaysian fintech scene is today and the milestones and challenges over the past year, key trends to watch ahead, the importance of bringing in talent, whether investor confidence in the sector has wavered, and much more.
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Smart city developments here in Malaysia have been rapidly expanding since the pandemic as we can notably see with fast-growing cities like Cyberjaya, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor just to name a few.
According to Statista, the revenue from smart city developments is aimed to experience a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.53% between 2024 and 2028, reaching a market volume of US$ 1 billion by 2028.
In line with that, the government also has announced the MySmart Wilayah 2030, an elaborate blueprint for smart cities within federal territories. The initiative seeks to leverage digital technologies to enhance education, security, health, environmental quality, and efficient transportation, enhancing residents’ overall quality of life.
Today, we will be speaking with Mustapha Kamal, Urban Planner and Founder of Arkitek Mustapha Kamal and Joanne Carmichael, Director of Cities, Planning and Design at Arup on where are we lacking compared to other countries, what’s currently being done here in Malaysia to ensure business sustainability and what’s the economic impact of smart city developments to enterprises.
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We look into Malaysia's evolving electric vehicle (EV) landscape amid recent news of the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (Miti) reconsidering the ambitious target of establishing 10,000 EV charging stations by 2025.
Joining us are two key figures in the Malaysian EV scene: Daniel Fernandez, the mind behind DSF.my, and Sharol Halmi, President of the Malaysian Electric Vehicle Owners Club.
As Malaysia strives to align its transportation sector with global sustainability goals, this discussion offers a timely look into the hurdles, opportunities, and milestones on the path to a more sustainable and electric-powered future.
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Today Enterprise Explores 8 major trends that will define the future of business with Shazrul Asari, Managing Partner at Bain & Company Malaysia.
We get into their latest report, "Present Shock and Future Sensing," which offers a glimpse into the strategies businesses need to thrive in this era of unpredictability.
Over the course of this conversation, you will learn about the 8 major trends identified in the report that are reshaping the business environment and the strategies that businesses can adopt to navigate these shifts effectively.
We’ll get into the rise of artificial intelligence, the dual challenge of decarbonization and energy provision, and the potential impact of a post-globalised world as a new global order emerges.
We will also explore the concept of capital rationalisation, what it means to shift away from the traditional "invisible hand" in economics, and what Bain & Company means by "rehumanizing work" and its significance in today's business environment.
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Today, 26 January, marks the first commemoration of the International Day of Clean Energy. This day is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting the adoption of clean energy sources worldwide. The key theme of this day revolves around highlighting the importance of transitioning from traditional fossil fuels to renewable and sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal power.
In conjunction with this commemoration, we speak with Fairuz Yahya, Managing Director of Gabungan Sukses on the current state and the future of clean energy. Gabungan Sukses specialises in sustainable energy generation by utilising plant and agricultural wastes and employing biomass technology for energy production.
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Why is publicly listed TDCX potentially going private again after 2 years on the NYSE?
Today Enterprise Explores the proposed privatisation of NYSE-listed Singapore-based business process outsourcing (BPO) firm TDCX with Simon Huang, Chief Analyst at Tech In Asia. We get into potential reasons behind the proposal, comparable examples from the past such as Razer’s privatisation and not-so comparable ones such as Michael Dell’s $25 billion buyout of Dell, and whether this signals more potential privatisation of recently listed public listed companies.
We also speak to Simon about what we know about how this TDCX will be financed and how privatisations are typically financed, and how the firm compares to other public-listed BPOs, and get his thoughts on the current state of public listed tech companies in Southeast Asia
For background, TDCX kickstarted 2024 with the announcement that its founder and CEO wanted to delist the NYSE-listed company and take it private again. Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman Laurent Junique proposed to acquire the remaining shares that he doesn't own at a price of US$6.60 per share, which represents a 36% premium to the closing price before the announcement was made, but is around 63% below the $18 US dollars per share TDCX was priced at when the company went public just over two years ago.
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“It's like 1995, start of the internet, but it's not like 1999, in terms of the bubble” Daniel Ives, Managing Director of Wedbush Securities.
As reported in the New York Times, since the S&P 500 index hit its latest low in October 2022, Big Tech’s Magnificent 7 have collectively risen nearly 117%, far outpacing the performance of the overall index which is up around 35% in the same period.
With the S&P 500 hitting a new high this week and earnings season on-going, Enterprise Explores the AI revolution and how far Big Tech’s Magnificent 7 can go. Daniel Ives, Managing Director of Wedbush Securities, provides expert insights into earnings forecasts, AI's influence on these tech giants' business models, and the potential for future growth and challenges, including geopolitical tensions and regulatory issues.
Ives also discusses his predictions for Big Tech's activities in 2024, highlighting AI's potential for monetization, alongside possible mergers and acquisitions, particularly in the tech and AI space.
01:38 Forecast for Big Tech in 2024 - The New Tech Bull Run Has Begun
05:10 The Role of AI in Driving Business Strategies in Big Tech
06:30 Apple's Potential in the AI Space and Business Potential of The Vision Pro
11:06 AI Monetization and Its Impact on Big Tech Performance and Growth
15:20 M&A Activity Expectations in the AI and Emerging Tech Space
17:30 Emerging Players And Potential Disruptors in the AI Revolution
18:25 NVIDIA’s Role As A Leader in AI and Growth Prospects
21:40 Microsoft's Potential in AI and Growth Prospects
23:05 Alphabet’s Catch Up in AI and Could Be A Tech Superstar in 2024
24:20 Amazon’s AI Potential
25:20 Apple, Microsofts and Amazon’s M&A Appetite
27:37 Outlook ahead for Tesla and Meta and What Will Drive Growth
32:21 Key Challenges for Big Tech in 2024
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“This Is The Window To Shape BNPL In Malaysia”.
Today Enterprise Explores Buy Now, Pay Later in Malaysia. We take a look at the BNPL industry here in Malaysia, feedback about the current regulatory environment and the kind of regulations needed in order to protect consumers but also allow the industry to grow, as well as opportunities and challenges ahead for the industry.
Helping us with this conversation was Dawn Lai, Chief Executive Officer of Experian Information Services Malaysia, and Jonathan Lim, Secretary of Fintech Association of Malaysia (FAOM). Jonathan is also a Partner at law firm Zaid Ibrahim & Co in association with KPMG Law.
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Cautious but positive, that’s the outlook for Malaysia’s consumer spending this year, at least according to research firm BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, who expects the economic recovery to support stronger real consumer spending growth in 2024.
In the short term, BMI said that based on high-frequency data they expect consumer confidence and retail sales to continue to be sluggish, but in the medium term, they expect consumer spending to be stable given the easing inflationary pressures and healthy employment.
On this episode of Enterprise Explores, we take a dive into Malaysia’s 2024 Consumer Outlook with Damien Yeo, Consumer and Retail Analyst at BMI. BMI is a research firm under Fitch Solutions that provides macroeconomic, industry and financial market analysis.
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Following the recent regulatory approvals for AEON Bank and Boost Bank to commence operations, Enterprise Explores the digital banking landscape here in Malaysia and how it compares to key markets such as Singapore and Hong Kong with Vincent Fong, Chief Editor at Fintech News Malaysia, and Ravi Kittane, Partner at EY.
We get into digital banking in a regional and global context, explore how Malaysia compares and can learn from other key markets, dissect various trends and key priorities for digital banks, including customer acquisition and the development of new products including credit products, potential competition from established financial institutions, and the key priorities and upcoming trends for digital banks in Malaysia in 2024.
02:40 Guest Introduction and Discussion Start
03:26 Insights into Digital Banking
08:34 Digital Banking Landscape Overview
15:05 Lessons from Foreign Digital Banks
25:39 The Importance of Customer Trust and Security in Banking
26:23 The Role of Deposits in Banking
28:07 The Challenge of Customer Acquisition and Retention
28:22 The Importance of Reliable Tech in Digital Banking
33:06 The Role of Partnerships in Digital Banking
34:48 The Potential of Islamic Digital Banking
41:59 The Challenge of Serving the Underserved Market
46:01 Looking Ahead: Key Developments and Trends in Digital Banking
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In January 2019, the Malaysian government launched the Professional Training and Education for Growing Entrepreneurs (PROTÉGÉ) programme, an initiative under the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry (KUSKOP) that’s dedicated to providing professional training and education for growing entrepreneurs.
In the span of a year, the participation in the Protege program witnessed an increase of approximately 12,000 individuals from 2023 to 2024. This significant growth brings the programme one step closer to achieving its target participation rate, currently standing at 84%.
In the ever-evolving landscape of modern business, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro SMEs face a unique set of challenges and opportunities. The key to navigating this complex environment lies in their ability to continuously learn and adapt. This is where the significance of training and development programmes comes into sharp focus. These programmes are not just beneficial but essential for SMEs, providing the tools and knowledge required to stay competitive and achieve sustainable growth.
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Malaysia was ranked 33rd globally and the ninth in the APAC region in the International Institute for Management Development’s recently announced World Digital Competitiveness Ranking (WDCR). Enterprise explores the system and methodology behind the rankings, the importance of digital competitiveness, and how Malaysia can improve its digital competitiveness with Professor Arturo Bris, Director of IMD’s World Competitiveness Center.
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Enterprise Explores 2023’s lagging IPO performance globally and factors business leaders should keep in mind when planning their IPO strategies this year with Kevin Chew, Senior Executive Director with the Strategy and Transactions team at Ernst & Young (EY).
We dive into the details and insights in EY’s recent Global IPO Trends 2023 report, including primary reasons behind the slower year for IPOs in 2023, the IPO outlook for 2024, the potential implications of the backlog of IPOs in growth sectors, and key factors companies keep in mind when planning their IPO strategies this year.
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Today on the show, Enterprise explores the realm of VCs after what seemed to be a chaotic year of funding in 2023. While there is plenty of available capital here, we take a look at what strategies should go into venture investing and what we can expect to see in 2024 with Kevin Brockland, Founder & Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures.
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Today Enterprise Explores Thailand's tourism edge and how the biggest tourist destination in the region continues to stand out in an increasing competitive field. We’ll get into how it stacks up against Malaysia and the rest of the region, what we can learn from our neighbour up north to improve our tourism efforts and policies here in Malaysia.
We discuss this with travel and tourism analyst Gary Bowerman, Director of travel and tourism research firm Check In Asia and Nigel Wong, President, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (Matta) - the national umbrella representative body for the entire travel industry in the country.
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On 2nd January 2024, Malaysia’ Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim launched the Pangkalan Data Utama or the Centralised Database Hub (PADU), a centralised system that will house comprehensive information of all citizens that can be accessed across all government agencies.
Within hours of its launch, users have reported several issues, from a faulty registration process to concerns over cybersecurity flaws. Besides that, a post on 'X' also said that only the IC number is needed to change the PADU login password. For a system that houses such confidential information, it leaves many wondering- what were the security measures taken in the efforts of protecting these data? Is our data really in safe hands?
Today on Enterprise Explores, we speak to CF Fong, the Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhad and Sayful Mohammad, Innovation Incubator and Marketing Coordinator who’s a subject matter expert to discuss why it is important to take proactive measures in cybersecurity and other crucial factors before launching a digital product.
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In November 2023, the Royal Malaysian Customs Department announced that the sales tax on low value goods (LVG) will be effective from 1 January 2024. The sales tax rate of 10% will be applicable on all low value goods, regardless of the Harmonized System (HS) code of the product.
The sellers of low value goods need to configure their systems to be able to identify goods which fall within the definition of low value goods upon sale, and need to discuss and align with their importers or customs agents to confirm the correct documentation and accurate disclosure are made during importation. For online marketplaces, both the seller and online marketplace operator need to agree on who should bear the sales tax on LVG.
Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Fret not. This podcast will help us decipher and understand what the tax is, and the pros and cons for various parties.
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Enterprise Explores Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s new cabinet and their key priorities and challenges ahead with former Deputy Minister Dr Ong Kian Ming, Director of the Philosophy Politics & Economics Program at Taylor's University, and business commentator Pankaj Kumar.
Among other things, we’ll dive into the key events and policies to keep an eye on this year, what lessons the government should take from the PADU launch, and which Ministries and Ministers will be in the spotlight this year along with what their KPIs should be.
A brief refresher: On December 12th 2023, Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced changes to his cabinet. Five new ministers were appointed to the cabinet and 1 minister was dropped. The Cabinet has been expanded from 28 ministers to 31 with two ministerial portfolios split as we saw the energy transition and digital portfolios separated into their own ministries.
Some key changes include: the appointment of a second Finance Minister, the now former EPF CEO Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan, Gobind Singh Deo is back in the Cabinet as the digital minister. Johari Abdul Ghani, who was a second Finance Minister to Former Prime Minister Dato Seri Najib Razak, was appointed as commodities and plantations minister, Dzulkefly Ahmad returned to the post of health minister, and Steven Sim was promoted from deputy finance minister to human resources minister.
2023 also saw the introduction or launches of various government initiatives such as the Madani Economic Framework, the National Energy Transitions Roadmap, the New Industrial Master Plan (NIMP 2030), among others, which this new cabinet will be expected to execute upon. As such, we explore the priorities and challenges ahead for Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s new cabinet.
Enterprise Explores helps you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from the headlines to the bottom line. Get your daily deep dive to help you better understand the business news, views, and developments with industry experts and stakeholders, experienced entrepreneurs, and more.
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2024 promises to be a transformative period for entrepreneurs and startups, particularly with the government announcing key initiatives and focus areas for the ecosystem.
According to Startup Genome’s 2023 Global Startup Ecosystem Report, the top three ecosystems have maintained their positions from 2020, with Silicon Valley remaining at the top, followed by New York City and London tied at #2.
For the first time, Singapore has entered the top 10, moving up by 10 places to #8 from #18 in the GSER 2022, the biggest improvement in the rankings.
Now, where does that leave Malaysia ?
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Enterprise Explores the State of Crypto. We review what happened in 2023 and the outlook for 2024 with Zhong Yang Chan, Head of Research with world's largest independent cryptocurrency data aggregator CoinGecko, and Hann Liew, Founder & CEO of Halogen Capital, the first licensed fund manager in Malaysia specialising in digital assets.
In 2021, Bitcoin surged to an all-time high of $US69,000 per coin – a year later it was a different story and 2022 proved to be a terrible year for the crypto industry. Between the Terra Luna collapse and the fall of Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX crypto exchange — investors in the space saw billions in losses and looked to have rattled confidence in crypto.
Bitcoin began 2023 just above $US16,000. Today Bitcoin is up 168% on year, hovering around the $42-43,000 mark. Data from Crypto.com shows that the total cryptocurrency market cap increased during 2023 to reach over $1.4 trillion, marking around a 71% year-on-year growth.
Some factors that have seemingly helped include: the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which Forbes crypto contributor and content lead for Australian startup CryptoTaxCalculato Patrick McGimpsey says stands out as a pivotal event that brought crypto back into the limelight after the 2022 bear market as it resurfaced discussions around decentralised finance.
There was also the optimism surrounding spot Bitcoin and Ether exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in the latter half of 2023, with key headlines being BlackRock’s proposed spot Bitcoin ETF as well as Grayscale’s court win versus the SEC regarding the proposed conversion of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) into an ETF. Fidelity and BlackRock also applied for spot Ether ETFs.
That said it was not all positive. In June 2023, the SEC accused Binance and Coinbase of offering unregistered securities to the public, among other allegations. Then in November, Binance came to a settlement and agreed to $US4.3 billion in fines.
We explore all this and more in this edition of Enterprise Explores.
Enterprise Explores helps you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from the headlines to the bottom line. Get your daily deep dive to help you better understand the business news, views, and developments with industry experts and stakeholders, experienced entrepreneurs, and more.
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Enterprise Explores the state of tech and the digital economy and what to expect in 2024 with Ong Chin Seong, Chairman of The National Tech Association of Malaysia (PIKOM), and Amin Ashaari, CEO and Co-founder of SoyaCincau.
We look into how the Malaysian Digital Economy performed in 2023, and the outlook for its growth in 2024 with an emphasis on cybersecurity concerns and bridging the digital divide. We discuss how Malaysia can position itself within the broader Southeast Asia digital economy. We also discuss whether or not there is an emphasis on FDI over local players.
Enterprise Explores helps you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from the headlines to the bottom line. Get your daily deep dive to help you better understand the business news, views, and developments with industry experts and stakeholders, experienced entrepreneurs, and more.
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Enterprise Explores expectations for the Malaysian Economy in 2024 with Dr Mohd Afzanizam Abdul Rashid, Chief Economist, Bank Muamalat Malaysia.
We review Malaysia’s 2023 economic performance, dive into expectations for economic growth and drivers in 2024, get into which of the various government plans are expected to have a material impact on growth this year, and key global risks that could impact Malaysia’s economic growth, such as the US Federal Reserves interest rate policy direction.
Enterprise Explores helps you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from the headlines to the bottom line. Get your daily deep dive to help you better understand the business news, views, and developments with industry experts and stakeholders, experienced entrepreneurs, and more.
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Earlier this month, it was reported in the news that Malaysia’s social security organisation (SOCSO) or PERKESO has suffered a data breach involving personal data. A group self-described as ethical hackers posted a forum thread highlighting that the PERKESO’s portal as well as a database of its internal documents have been breached.
According to a report by Cybersecurity company Surfshark, Malaysia ranked as the eighth most breached country in Q3 2023 with 494,699 leaked accounts, a significant increase of 144% compared to the previous quarter.
With cyberattacks and data breaches getting rampant, is it a case of an organisation’s lack of IT security measures and practices? It seems that the hackers are always a few steps ahead. Can we outwit them?
Helping us with this conversation is CF Fong, Executive Chairman of LGMS Berhad and cybersecurity consultant, on how to enhance our country and organisations’ cybersecurity posture and crisis preparedness to counteract this rising tide of cyber threats.
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Today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we explore the transformative power of connectivity in Southeast Asia and how this causes a digital divide in the region.
Over the years, connectivity has advanced tremendously but there are still parts of the region that have not benefited from it due to limited access and lack of digital inclusivity.
To understand this, EdgePoint, an ASEAN-based independent telecommunications infrastructure company, recently released a digital equity whitepaper titled "An Infrastructure-Based Approach to Advance Digital Equity in South-East Asia".
The whitepaper identifies connectivity challenges from an infrastructure provider’s perspective in three key economies, namely Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It also provides information on policy changes to address gaps within these economies. ,
We will also be looking at the current state of connectivity in ASEAN and how we can bridge the gap with other countries in driving digital inclusivity and connectivity.
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TikTok to invest $1.5 billion in GoTo to get back into online shopping in Indonesia; ZDNET recaps 2023’s AI advances; Google’s Gemini launch; AstraZeneca announced collaboration with US AI biologics firm; Federal Trade Commission scrutinising Microsoft-OpenAI deal; Technology and AI to lead 2024 talent demand drive, says Singapore survey; And Zoom now available on Apple TV.
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Consultancy firm Deloitte released In mid-November its insights on the IPO market in Southeast Asia for 2023. During the first 10.5 months, the IPO capital markets saw a healthy count of 153 IPOs and IPO market capitalisation. However, despite the healthy number, the IPO amount raised was the lowest in eight years.
So, what will 2024 hold - will it be good, bad, or complicated? Today, we explore the IPO market in Southeast Asia with Wong Kar Choon, Disruptive Events Advisory Leader of Deloitte Malaysia to shed light on the challenges faced by stock exchanges in sustaining a vibrant cash equities market, the factors influencing companies' decisions to go public and the efforts made by governments to attract high-growth businesses.
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Exactly one month ago, on 8 November, global advisory firm BDO PLT released the ASEAN Corporate Fraud Landscape 2023 report. This publication provides a detailed analysis of the current fraud landscape in the region.
It is based on a survey conducted in the first half of 2023 and includes input from a wide range of respondents across the region. The report focuses on fraud detection, the impact of fraud, root causes, remediation, and expected trends in fraud. It also highlights the presence of whistleblowing mechanisms and their effectiveness in identifying and preventing fraud.
This report release coincided with the International Fraud Awareness Week, an annual event observed globally in the third week of November, organised by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners to raise awareness on fraud. It aims to encourage business leaders and employees to proactively take steps to minimise the impact of fraud.
Revealing more about the report and insights is Sanjay Sidhu, the Executive Director of Advisory of BDO.
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On Monday, 4 December, DE-CIX Malaysia and Digital Penang announced a partnership to establish the Penang Internet Exchange (PIX), aiming to enhance digital capabilities in Penang and position it as a key interconnectivity hub in Southeast Asia.
The collaboration is expected to provide faster, more affordable, and more resilient Internet connectivity, enabling data exchange, collaboration, innovation, and economic growth. The partnership also aims to accelerate Penang's digital economy growth and attract businesses, technology companies, and investors. The two parties are also expected to promote knowledge sharing through training sessions and a Penang Peering Forum.
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Premesh Chandran, Co-Founder of Malaysiakini, and Karamjit Singh, CEO of Digital News Asia, join us in the BFM studio to get into the 3rd edition of The Top In Tech Summit & Innovation Awards which they are organising in January 2024.
On top of that, we also explore the current state of tech innovations and its implications to media, including what’s changed in media and journalism, the role of technology in modernising journalism, and implications of AI.
The Top In Tech Summit & Innovation Awards is happening in mid-January and recognizes and celebrates the most innovative and impactful technology companies, products, and individuals across enterprises in the country.
The awards feature 12 Awards across 8 categories including:
a. Innovator of the Year
b. Best Brick & Mortar Adoption
c. Most Impactful Academia-Industry Collaboration (Commercial & R&D)
d. Most Impactful Public Sector Agency Driving Digital Adoption (Federal & State Level)
e. Most Value Creation
f. Most Promising (Startup & Growth Company)
g. Best Pivot (Startup & Growth Company)
h. Young Innovator of the Year
If you think you or your company want to throw your hat in the ring for any of these categories, make a free submission here up till the 15th of December 2023. There are no fees incurred for participation.
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For those of us Internet users, we would be familiar with the word “cookies”. They are used to remember your preferences, login information, and other browsing information, as well as to track your activity on the website and to personalise your experience.
Three years ago, Google announced that it would eliminate third-party cookies from Chrome by 2022, and later postponed its deadline until 2024.
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital marketing, the impending end of cookies marks a significant turning point. Once the bedrock of online tracking and personalised advertising, cookies are facing obsolescence due to growing privacy concerns and tightening regulations.
From the strategies businesses will adopt to navigate this new terrain to the varied impacts on marketers, advertisers, publishers, and consumers, the transition prompts a reevaluation of fundamental practices.
Today, we delve into the challenges and opportunities arising in a cookieless future.
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On the 15th of September, Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said that Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to unlock an estimated worth of around US$110 billion in productive capacity, and that it has the potential to significantly contribute towards accelerated achievement of the objectives and aspirations of the 12th Malaysia Plan and the New Industrial Master Plan 2023.
Today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we will focus on the benefits of generative AI in automating complex tasks, and what implications it will have on Malaysian businesses. We will also explore how Malaysian SMEs can leverage on the growth of Generative AI, and what implications it brings to the business ecosystem as we head into 2024.
Joining us is Sanjay Deshmukh, Senior Regional Vice President of ASEAN and India at Snowflake.
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With the end of the zero interest-rate policy (ZIRP), what does the venture capital landscape look like ahead? In line with next Wednesday’s Malaysia Venture Forum 2023, on this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes we explore the goal and purpose of the event, as well as the current opportunities and challenges in the VC landscape here in Malaysia.
Helping us with this is Ng Sai Kit, the Chairman of Malaysia Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (MVCA).
The Malaysia Venture Forum, themed "Reflect, Assess, and Charge Forward" is a premier gathering of industry leaders in Venture Capital (VC), Private Equity (PE) and entrepreneurship. This dynamic event encourages introspection on the Malaysian VC & PE landscape, celebrating successes while openly addressing areas for improvement.
Get your tickets here and use promo code ‘bfmguest’ at checkout to get a complimentary ticket. Please note that there is a limited number of complimentary tickets available.
Join the event for collaborative discussions, strategic reflections, and a collective charge forward into the future of innovative and impactful investing.
Featuring:
- Main Stage: Featuring visionary keynotes, panel discussions and presentations from Securities Commission Malaysia, Khazanah Nasional, MAVCAP, Sime Darby, Gobi Partners, Ekuinas, Openspace Ventures, Sunway Group, PwC, BCG X, UNDP and more. View the full speaker lineup here.
- Networking Breaks: Idea exchange amongst professionals, entrepreneurs, regulators and investors over food & drinks.
- After-Party: Unwind, share experiences and solidify connections in a vibrant over music & drinks, ensuring the networking momentum continues beyond the forum.
Check out the full 1-day agenda & speaker lineup on MVCA’s official website.
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Malaysia’s Capital Gains Tax: Wider Scope For Foreign Assets, Impact on Corporate Restructuring, Tax Rate Determination, and More.
On the back of the Dewan Rakyat approving the Finance Bill, on this episode of Enterprise BizBytes we break down and clarify the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) component with Thenesh Kannaa, Executive Director at Tratax, a firm of independent tax advisers registered with the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MIA) as a non-audit firm.
The Capital Gains Tax is applicable to both domestic and foreign assets of businesses, but has more broad implications on foreign assets. Thenesh shares insights into the tax regime, its implementation timeline, implications for corporate restructuring, possible tax planning strategies, and also how Malaysia's Capital Gains Tax compares to those in other countries.
01:39 Understanding the Finance Bill
03:18 Impact of the Bill on Businesses
04:52 Explaining the Capital Gains Tax
07:15 Implications of the Capital Gains Tax
09:34 Comparing Domestic and Foreign CGT
16:28 Understanding the Calculation of CGT
28:41 Impact of CGT on Corporate Restructuring
30:05 Comparing Malaysia's CGT with Other Countries
32:25 Advice for Businesses Regarding CGT
33:53 Other Tax Changes in 2024
35:05 Conclusion and Wrap-up
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Everything you need to know about what's going on with OpenAI; AI agents to be the pathway towards 3 days workdays; Google to delete inactive Gmail accounts; QR codes used in phishing attacks; Analog photography makes a comeback; You're able to now know where will you be on the other side of the earth; And X to reintroduce headlines on the platform.
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Neurodiversity is a concept that challenges traditional views of neurological differences by recognizing and celebrating the diversity of the human brain. Coined in the late 1990s by Australian sociologist Judy Singer and popularised by the autism community, neurodiversity advocates for the acceptance and inclusion of individuals with neurological variations such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and other conditions.
To understand this topic further and how organisations can truly embrace neurodiversity, we speak with Low Choy Huat, the Malaysia People Advisory Services Leader at Ernst & Young Consulting.
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Friday November 24th marks exactly a year since Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was sworn in as Malaysia’s 10th prime minister. With that in mind, on this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes we ask — has Anwar Ibrahim’s Madani Government done enough for the business community after a year of being in charge?
We'll break down what the business community thinks of this government after 1 year, how much the business ecosystem has progressed from a year ago, if at all, and what all these announced billion ringgit investments really mean for local businesses on the ground.
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What should founders know before, during, and after selling their business?
In this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we deep dive into considerations founders should make before, during, and after selling their businesses with Raymond Chou, an entrepreneur that has sold 2 of his businesses in the past. He is Co-founder of Infront Consulting Group and Business Growth Specialist with Owners Circle Asia, and is the Past President of the Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO).
We delve into optimum times for selling, how the valuation of the deal is determined, the negotiation process itself, legal preparations, and the emotional toll involved in the process. Raymond shares valuable insights from his own experiences of selling multiple businesses and also discusses the importance of knowing your buyer, considering the potential acquirers' alignments with the selling company's vision, goals, and values, and why founders should document everything during negotiations.
00:20 Recent Market Movements and Acquisitions
00:52 Recent Tech Acquisitions
02:52 Interview begins with Raymond Chou
03:25 Deciding When to Sell a Business
05:10 Reasons for Selling a Profitable Business
11:00 Emotional Aspects of Selling a Business
12:35 Navigating the M&A Process
16:00 Understanding Business Valuation in M&A
19:20 The Importance of Not Being Desperate During Negotiations
19:57 The Role of Potential Growth in Business Valuation
22:10 Assessing Potential Acquirers: Red Flags and Compatibility
29:00 The Importance of Legal Preparations in Business Sales
32:45 Protecting Employees During Business Sales
37:30 The Psychological Shift from Founder to Employee Post Acquisition
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Hannah Pearson, Founder of Pear Anderson, and Nigel Wong, the President of the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA), help us explore and dissect the current state and future hopes for the Malaysian travel and tourism industry.
Among other things, we explored:
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- How Malaysian can better compete with regional peers, like Thailand and Singapore.
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- Tapping into niches (like bird watching) to bring in higher value tourists.
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- The potential and importance of tapping into sustainability (particularly to attract European tourists).
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- The gaps and ways we can improve our tourism messaging and promotion.
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- The importance of good infrastructure.
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In a shocking turn of events that rocked the tech world, last Friday, the 17th of November, the board of directors of OpenAI fired then CEO, and Open AI Founder, Sam Altman.
This reportedly followed a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with them, hindering the board’s ability to exercise its responsibilities. Which is the official reason they said that they no longer had confidence in Sam Altman’s ability to continue leading OpenAI.
Adding to the drama, it seems that Sam Altman and his team have found a new home over at Microsoft, which owns 49% of Open AI, but has no direct influence over its board of directors.
Following up on The Morning Run’s coverage of this with Dan Ives from Wedbush Securities, which you can find here, here on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we explore the typical dynamics at play between founders and board, what good communication between them should look like, and what founders should know about the role and powers of boards. We also get into the value of a board seat during fund raising talks.
Helping us with this was Kevin Brockland, Founder & Managing Partner at Indelible Ventures
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In 2022, about 29% of graduates had starting salaries below RM1,999 a month and around 40% of degree and diploma holders were underemployed, this according to research conducted by the Rapid Youth Success Entrepreneurship (RYSE) project
Given the tougher and more uncertain job market, could the development of entrepreneurial skills and traits in children and younger people be the answer to higher salaries and better employment? Even if they don’t end up starting their own businesses?
In conjunction with World Children’s Day, today we focus on why we should nurture and develop entrepreneurial skills and traits in children with Bikesh Lakhmichand, Founder of 1337 Ventures, and Manmeet Kaur, Super Curriculum Coordinator at HELP International School.
Image Credit: LinkedIn | Bikesh Lakhmichand & Manmeet Kaur
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Technological innovation has repeatedly impacted the business ecosystem, whether it's the disruption that word processing or emails caused when they were first introduced, or the current rise of AI with platforms like ChatGPT.
At the foundation of this is the support of R&D initiatives, the development of IP, and of course its monesation and commercialisation.
With that in mind, it is important to not just understand the importance of technological innovation and how we foster that, but also how we commercialise and monetise these innovations, apply them into day to day operations, tapping unmet markets, and more.
Helping us with this discussion is Dr. Viraj Perera, Director of Industry Partnerships & Commercialisation, FoNS, Imperial College London.
Dr. Viraj will be in Malaysia next week for MRANTI’s I-Nation 2023 conference which will be held at Connexion, Bangsar South on November 20th focused on the theme "People & Planet” with engaging dialogues on accelerating innovation, the role of ESG principles, women in sustainability, AI, and much more. Register at www.mranti.my/i-nation.
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The e-Conomy Southeast Asia (e-Conomy SEA) is a multi-year research programme launched by Google and Temasek in 2016, and Bain & Company joined the programme as lead research partner in 2019. The research leverages Temasek’s insights; Bain’s analysis; Google Trends; primary research, expert interviews, and industry sources to shed light on the digital economy in Southeast Asia.
The latest 2023 report launched earlier in November, is the 8th edition of e-Conomy SEA, with the tagline – Reaching new heights: Navigating the path to profitable growth- which highlights that the Southeast Asia region has shown resilience against global economic challenges, with GDP growth above 4%, inflation at 3%, and a rebound in consumer confidence. Despite a decline in private funding, the digital economy in SEA reached $100 billion in revenue in 2023, growing at a 27% CAGR since 2021.
But what should you be paying attention to from this 124 page report?
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Job security and talent retention are perpetual hot topics, but especially so in today's economic landscape. Today, we dive deep into these issues with May Leng Kwok, Regional Head APAC for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, also known as CIPD.
If you're an HR leader, an employee looking to advance, or an entrepreneur wanting to understand the talent landscape, you will learn more about key HR Talent Trends, including how the shift to remote and hybrid work is influencing what employees are looking for, and how companies are trying to retain them.
We also touch on the burnout and rising prominence of mental health, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the workplace, as well as career advancement and professional networking and how these themes factor into talent strategies.
Joining us for this is May Leng Kwok, Regional Head APA of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
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Softbank-backed WeWork, the co-working firm that was once valued at $47 billion, has been forced to file for bankruptcy.
On the back of this, we take a Malaysian lens and explore bankruptcy and insolvency, including what it means for businesses and business owners, how it differs between sole proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations, support for firms that are financially distressed, and the potential ramifications for directors if they’re not careful about personal guarantees.
Helping us with this conversation is Christopher Guo, Legal Associate at Kenny Tan & Co.
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Last month during the tabling of Budget 2024, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced that Visit Malaysia Year will be set for 2026, instead of the initially scheduled 2025.
The Prime Minister said that the government has targeted 26.1 million foreign tourist arrivals in 2026 with domestic spending of RM97.6mil. Notably, the government has allocated RM350mil to boost tourism promotions and activities to make Malaysia the world's top tourist destination again.
It is worth noting that the number of targeted arrivals for 2026 is the same as in pre-pandemic 2019 at 26.1 million, but in terms of receipts, Malaysia is targeting 13% more tourist spending than the RM86.1 billion achieved in 2019.
With all that in mind, today we look into how we can best use that funding to best promote and support Malaysia’s tourism sector and as a tourism destination to achieve those stated goals, by taking a look at the success of past tourism campaigns, promotion, and branding, such as Malaysia Truly Asia.
Helping us with this conversation is Anna Loi, Co-Founder and Director of Content and Digital Marketing at Good & Honest Co., and Gary Bowerman, Director at Check In Asia.
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In this day and age, the hustle culture is very common among enterprises of all levels. Over the years, it has become a pervasive part of modern life, with entrepreneurs pushing themselves to the limit to succeed in their business ventures. This relentless pursuit of productivity and success can have serious negative effects on mental health.
Today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we unpack whether the hustle culture has brought sustainable success for enterprises particularly the SME sector, how modern work practices can increase efficiency without bringing negative impacts to employees as well as breaking down the generational gap or mindset at the workplace.
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Elon Musk's first AI product, Grok; Rumours may be true that X has started rolling out initiatives to sell disused usernames; OpenAI reveals several new upgrades; Polish company appoints humanoid robot as its "experimental CEO."; Takeaways from UK’s AI safety summit; Beetles resurrected via use of AI; AI fueled fake pornographic pictures and videos; And study suggests that highly paid professionals with no managerial duties may be most affected by the use of AI.
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In an era marked by increasing environmental concerns and a growing awareness of our planet's finite resources, the fields of design and architecture are undergoing a profound transformation.
Today, we delve into the significance of sustainability in design and architecture with Lillian Tay, the Vice President of VERITAS Design Group, exploring its key principles, benefits, and the role it plays in shaping a brighter, more environmentally-conscious future.
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Lazada Malaysia’s LazMall Gala is an annual event to honour and recognise the outstanding achievements of the LazMall brand partners and celebrate the milestones achieved together with its strategic business partners.
Lazada is committed to further develop the eCommerce ecosystem in Malaysia and contribute towards accelerating the digital economy across the region.
It continues to empower international brands, as well as local MSMEs and homegrown brands to digitalise their businesses and thrive online, while offering consumers across Malaysia value-for-money and a differentiated customer experience.
Today, we speak with Alan Chan, CEO of Lazada Malaysia, on the annual Gala, the significance of the recipients’ achievements, and how they contribute to the eCommerce ecosystem.
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Recently a local pharmacy has received plenty of backlash from netizens on its controversial ad. We have seen such controversial ads happen before, with Kendall Jenner’s Pepsi ad and Watsons Malaysia's "Legenda Cun Raya" campaign, which were also both criticised and labelled as racist by netizens when they were released back in 2017. These ads raise eyebrows, stir emotions, and even spark outrage. They push the boundaries, challenge societal norms, and sometimes, they cross the line. But what happens when advertisers find themselves in the eye of a storm? It's now more critical than ever for businesses to engage in ethical advertising and marketing practices.
Today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we explore the importance of ethical advertising and marketing for SMEs as well as what's the balance between promoting inclusivity and responsible advertising that SMEs should practise when producing marketing collaterals. Joining us is Richard Ker, Chief Storyteller at Richard Ker Digital.
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From the amount of incentives provided by the government for businesses to embrace ESG, to the possibility of non-ESG complying businesses having difficulty to receive funding. Businesses are finding more and more reasons to adopt ESG into their practices. But how can they implement ESG in a way that ensures growth and success?
We’ll be looking at how ESG goes hand in hand with business growth and profitability, exploring how each business’ approach sustainability affects success, the ESG road from ideation to compliance, how they gauge ESG readiness and success, and beyond.
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ChatGPT chatbot can now browse the internet to provide users with up-to-date information; Meta is launching a subscription service for Facebook and Instagram in Europe; AI regulation; Abridge is revolutionising medical record entry for doctors; Google is introducing AI-powered features in a series of updates to Google Maps; How to identify a high EQ boss, according to science; New phishing scam has been reported in Singapore involving fake WhatsApp Web sites and QR codes; And watch parties in New York City and Mexico City hosted by Apple.
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A recent report titled “How Asia Buys and Pays 2023: Tapping into Asia’s Regional Commerce Opportunities,” states that Southeast Asia is anticipating a 100% expansion in its e-commerce market over the next five years. This is driven by accelerated digital payments growth, led by Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL), e-wallets , domestic payments, and credit cards.
So, today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we look into how has digital payments levelled the playing field for SMEs within the e-commerce sector, whether it has facilitated cross border e-commerce for Malaysian businesses, as well as how this will impact the SME ecosystem in the long run with Dr Geoffrey Williams, Professor & Economist at Malaysia University of Science and Technology (MUST).
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The franchise landscape in Malaysia is growing rapidly with the industry expecting to reach RM22.66 billion in sales by 2025, up from RM14.65 billion in 2020. This growth is being driven by a number of factors, including an increasing demand for convenience, and the availability of funding.
There are a number of advantages as well as disadvantages to owning a franchise in Malaysia. Similarly, owning your own independent business also has its pros and cons. To shed light on this topic, we speak to Sofia Leong Abdullah, founder of Business Evolution Enterprise, and Ken Koh, Director of Continental Aces.
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Tech Tuesday: AI systems have learned how to deceive humans. What does that mean for our future?; What is FOBO and why is it suddenly on the rise among college-educated workers?; The top 5 tech trends in 2024 everyone must be ready for; EU “Gatekeeper” list: Not 1 European company; Apple is reportedly spending “millions of dollars a day” on AI.
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At a recent event hosted by a local university, where our Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was delivering a talk, a student raised concerns about the need to consider how the government disseminates information and suggested a strong media unit as a solution. It acknowledged that there is a weakness in the government's communication machinery, and the premier called on the younger generation to contribute and play a role in combating misinformation by spreading accurate information.
In the corporate world, companies like Facebook, H&M, Netflix, Nike, Pepsi and Tesla, have all faced backlash from consumers and investors alike on their failure to communicate clearly and transparently on bad news related to data privacy, human rights policies to sustainable sourcing and misleading investors.
Today on EBB we’ll be covering the importance of good communication in leadership. When governments, and companies, handle bad news poorly, it can damage their reputation and their bottom line. As such, it is crucial for corporate brands to have a plan in place for handling bad news, and to communicate with their stakeholders in a timely and transparent manner.
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The spectrum from intent to action varies by consumer segments, indicating that sustainability goals are better achieved through unlocking consumers’ value drivers and differentiated products, according to the NielsenIQ (NIQ) thought leadership report entitled “Green Divide”.
This report dives deep into the spectrum of the consumer landscape and how they think and act differently when it comes to sustainability and purchasing decisions.
It is critical for businesses to understand how consumers are evolving on the journey of sustainable consumption – do they practice what they preach; what are their motivations; barriers or triggers for change?
How can we tap into the unique motivators and influences across diverse groups to unlock the required behavioural change on our sustainable journey?
To make sense of the report and how businesses can leverage the embedded nuggets of insights is Louise Hawley, the Managing Director for NielsenIQ, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.
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The 26-year partnership between Malaysia Airlines Bhd and its in-flight caterer Brahim's Food Services Sdn Bhd (BFS) finally comes to an end.
While there’s certainly a lot that can be discussed and dissected from this, on today’s show, we discuss the potential challenges that come from a long-standing partnership, such as dependency on a single partner as well as the legal implications that follow from a partnership dissolution.
Helping us with this conversation is Low Henn Kai, Lawyer at Arnold Andrew & Co Advocates & Solicitors.
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It is just apt, as Malaysia celebrates its 66th Merdeka, and 60th year of the Malaysia federation (Hari Malaysia), we speak to the founder of Fusion Wayang Kulit, Tintoy Chuo, on how it all started, how this passion for art-turned-business revives and promotes Malaysia’s history and culture, especially beyond our shores; and is there value in arts and heritage afterall.
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Tech Tuesday: From Google to Nvidia, tech giants have hired red team hackers to break their AI models; These sneakers are also fully-functional inkjet printers; TikTok sparks inspiration — and pressure — as students shop for school; How the Conceptual Web will upend everything we know about websites and search engines; Google will let you send a bot to a meeting on your behalf.
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Leading up to Malaysia Day on the 16th of September, we’re taking a deep dive into what will determine our nation’s future - and today, we’re covering our language.
Recently, over 30 schools in Penang have pushed for the Dual Language Programme, allowing for Science and Maths to be taught in English. Citing Penang’s position as an E&E manufacturing hub, Jagdeep Singh Deo said that the island needs about 10,000 skilled technicians in the sector in the next three to five years. Currently, there are only about 2,000.
One of the critiques of a Malay curriculum is that the language lacks the vocabulary to be used widely, with English better suited to understand and contribute to technological advancements. That being said, how can Malaysia expect to come to prominence in an international landscape if Malay is not continuously developed? Joining us in this discussion is Canna Tan, a Senior Human Resources Manager.
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As Malaysia marks its 66th independence year, the spotlight is on integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices in SMEs. Dr.Matthew Wong from CarbonWorks discusses their scientific approach to ESG and the importance of carbon as an asset within this space. Additionally, CarbonGPT, an AI tool, emerges as a pivotal aid for businesses, offering in-depth sustainability insights and precise carbon accounting.
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Internet Alliance Malaysia has announced the launch of its Talent Development Programme in partnership with the National Association of Private Educational Institutions (NAPEI) and the Malaysian Digital Association (MDA).
The programme aims to nurture future-ready digital talent to fill the growing demand for tech careers in the digital economy and it is supported by more than 130 member companies.
On top of that, the Talent Development Programme is the first in Internet Alliance’s three-phase campaign that aims to upskill, reskill, and empower homegrown talents through ecosystem partnership.
So, we wanted to know how talent development programs bridge the gap between traditional education and industry needs, how Internet Alliance addresses skills gaps and ensure a steady supply of industry level professionals, as well as how these programs keep pace with the evolving technologies.
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Tech Tuesday: Threads is now finally on the web; Hum a tune to find the official version on YouTube; OpenAI’s first acquisition is an AI design company; and ‘Silent Walking’ is a new TikTok trend.
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Borders Malaysia started back in 2005. 18 years on, in June this year, it announced that it will officially cease operations on 31st August.
The rise and fall of Borders exemplify the challenges that traditional brick-and-mortar bookstores faced in adapting to the digital age and changing consumer preferences for purchasing books and other media. Today, we speak at those still in the fight, and what the shutdown of physical stores would mean to bookstores in the future.
Helping us with this conversation are Fong Min Hun, Founder of Lit Books, and Andrew Yap, Managing Director of BookXcess.
Photo credits: Shutterstock
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In July, the government launched the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR) Phase 1 to accelerate Malaysia's energy transition. The Roadmap is critical in supporting: the Twelfth Malaysia Plan 2021-2025, which outlines aspirations for the nation to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, as well as the National Energy Policy (DTN) launched in September 2022, with aspirations to become a low carbon nation in 2040.
The NETR is also crucial in navigating the complexity of energy transition on a large scale, especially the shift from a traditional fossil fuel-based economy to a high-value green economy.
On this episode of Biz Bytes we speak to Zarihi Hashim, Chief New Energy Officer (CNEO) at Tenaga Nasional Berhad, about the work Tenaga Nasional is doing to drive the Energy Transition as well as expectations for the Energy Transition Conference 2023 happening on the 28 & 29 of August.
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On a global scale, women remain largely under-represented in the field of entrepreneurship. In Malaysia, despite making up approximately 49% of the population, female entrepreneurs are only estimated to make up 20% of the industry (based on registered entrepreneurs).
On top of that, securing financing remains a great challenge for female entrepreneurs, with less than 3% of global VC funding in 2019 going to female start-ups, with the number dropping further to 1% in 2020.
Despite this, in 2022 more women than ever started their own businesses, with twice as many businesses being started by women in the UK than in 2018. Female-led businesses continue to show great economic potential, with a BCG publication from 2018 noting that businesses founded by women ultimately deliver higher revenue—more than twice as much per dollar invested—than those founded by men, making women-owned companies better investments for financial backers.
On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we speak to Lean In Malaysia about their new Entrepreneurs Bootcamp 1.0 and how they’re trying to support more women in entrepreneurship. Helping us with this conversation are Alia Ainuddin, Lead for Lean In Malaysia’s Community Engagement team, and Shamila Ravindran, Managing Partner of Ravindran Advocates & Solicitors and Lean In Malaysia advisor.
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The digitalisation of media has brought on a plethora of new ideas especially from the younger generation. However, this rise of individualism has brought into question our long-held beliefs of the traditional workplace. “Lazy girl jobs” are reflective of a rising anti-work sentiment among younger generations where people take up low stress, low effort jobs which prioritise flexibility and freedom. Giving us insights on this topic today is Mallory Loone.
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Trust is incredibly important for businesses to succeed. Among other things, you need trust for customers to buy your products and for employees to stay with you and keep performing at their jobs.
On this episode of Enterprise Biz Bytes, we explore the key pillars of building trust and how it differs between stakeholder with Pauline Ho, the Building Trust Programme Sponsor & Assurance Partner for PwC Malaysia.
Among other things, we discuss the key lessons or common denominators of building trust, how the concept of trust has changed over the last few years, and how PwC Malaysia’s Building Trust Awards (BTA) assesses companies when it comes to building trust and how social listening, AI tools, and judging how annual reports are written plays a part in the process.
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Future Sound Asia has announced a refund mechanism for ticket holders after the cancellation of the 2023 Good Vibes Festival last month. The FSA told ticket holders that it would be appreciated if they could spare or defer any amount of the refund, saying this would help “save GVF”.
However there has been some backlash to this request, with some wondering why they should need to fork out their own cash to help “save GVF”
We explore this today with Wan Alman, Director Of Entertainment at Future Sound Asia. Among other things, we dive into the economic impact of the event cancellations, crisis management in this industry, and whether Good Vibes still has a Future.
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Successful marketing campaigns today are those that resonate with the target audience, communicate a clear and compelling message, and achieve the desired goals.
Some of the factors that contribute to a hit or miss campaign are the relevance and timeliness of the campaign, the creativity and originality of the campaign, the tone and voice of the campaign, the use of appropriate channels and platforms, the measurement and evaluation of the campaign, to name a few.
To provide us with such insights today, we speak to Helen Jambunathan, the Director of Insight at Canvas8. She will also share with us the key trends that marketers should look out for, or avoid, and some examples of successful campaigns.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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Earlier this month, Uber reported an operating profit during a fiscal quarter for the first time in its history. The company reported its second-quarter earnings for 2023, which included a net income of $394 million for the quarter, up $1.0 billion year-over-year and $588 million versus the preceding quarter. The company attributed its net gain to a 22% increase in trips on the platform, combined with “cost discipline”.
On the back of Uber's first operating profit, today on Enterprise Biz Bytes we look closer to home and see what this latest earnings report from Uber tells us about Grab's path to profitability.
We also explore the fundamentals of Grab's business model, how it compares to global peers, and what its asset-heavy acquisitions like Jaya Grocer and Singapore's Trans-Cab say about its long term strategy.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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Today, we take a look into Malaysia's proposed progressive wage policy, a potential solution to stagnated salary growth and rising living costs. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim champions this voluntary, incentive-based system, aiming to rejuvenate the labour market.
We’re joined by Firdaos Rosli, Chief Economist of Bank Islam Malaysia, to provide insights on the policy's implications, benefits, and challenges.
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Tomorrow 6 States in Malaysia head to the polls after 2 weeks of campaigning to determine their state governments.
On the back of certain long standing candidates like Penang Caretaker Deputy Chief Minister II Dr P. Ramasamy being dropped from the candidates' list and claims of lack of transparency and bias over the process coming out, today on the show we explore how this could have been handled better from a leadership perspective.
We’ll be getting into the role of leaders when it comes to maintaining transparency at the workplace, how they can handle changes and discontent, as well as how “firing” employees should be better managed.
Joining us for this discussion is Hetal Doshi, CEO & Organisational Psychologist at O Psych.
This episode was recorded before the announcement that P. Ramasamy had quit The Democratic Action Party (DAP).
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The state elections are incoming and there have been complaints of transportation issues in the country, such as traffic congestion and overcrowding in public transport.
Today on the show, we explore the importance of mobility and transport connectivity on urban development and how we can improve transportation solutions in Malaysia.
Helping us with this discussion was Ramachandran Muniandy, CEO and Co-Founder of Asia Mobiliti - a mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) and digital cities solution provider.
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“Jobs do not require four-year college degrees. Employers do.”
This was what EMSI Burning Glass, a labor market data company, said in its report about shifting to Skills-Based Hiring as a key to growing the US workforce. The research was done in tandem with Harvard Business School and they analysed more than 51 million jobs posted between 2017 and 2020. In the report, they outlined that skills based hiring can widen the pool of applicants during the recruitment process. With more applicants to choose from and without the artificial constraint of a degree, filling in vacant positions would be much easier.
For workers, skills-based hiring could create more opportunities for non-degree holders with non-traditional backgrounds, but will this see the light of day in the Malaysian job market?
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In Malaysia, around 60% of SMEs fail within five years of establishment, according to an article by the ASEAN Entrepreneurship Journal. Additionally, only 4 out of 10 SMEs are able to successfully meet the challenges associated with growth. This highlights that the road to a successful business can be a daunting prospect for any aspiring entrepreneur.
Today we take a step back and explore the early days of entrepreneurship, tapping into the personal experience of Melvin Chee, CEO and Cofounder of RPG commerce, who started his journey by buying goods online and selling them to people around him, as well as the experience of Nur-aizah Shamsul Baharin, Managing Director of micro-funding fintech Madcash, who deals with and supports other MSMES.
We tap into their experience of the early days of starting a business, as well as for their advice and insights on how to take a business from 0 to 1.
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If you were put in a position where calling out injustice at your place of work could potentially end your career, would you take that chance?
With the new Madani economic framework aiming to place Malaysia in the top 25 of the Corruption Perceptions Index, the need for robust whistleblowing policies which help in fostering a more ethical and transparent work culture become more evident. While much has been done to build this up in Malaysia, much is left to be desired.
According to Deloitte’s 2023 Asia Pacific Conduct Watch Survey Report, organisations have taken a more passive approach to whistleblowing policies. More can be done to leverage the use of digital reporting channels to protect anonymity and connect the investigations team to the whistleblower, and organisations are often challenged with quantifying and determining their efficacy.
In recent news, Nurhaizah Ejab had her car tires slashed and was sent death threats after she filed a complaint about her coworker. Meanwhile, education advocacy group Tiada.guru is calling for amendments to the Whistleblower Protection Act 2010 to include protection for those who want to seek legal advice or report to entities beyond executives like the media.
Today on Biz Bytes we explore the importance of good whistleblowing policies and how the long term benefits with Emmelia Shariff, Managing Partner of Speak Up Malaysia, a boutique consulting firm focused on creating cost-effective frameworks to improve work experience and foster an ethical work environment.
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On the back of Klang becoming a city, we’ll be discussing the implications that this has on its local businesses, what a newly-formed city needs in order to thrive, and the implications on urban planning that come along with culture and heritage.
Joining us in our discussion is Cha Ly Koh, CEO and Founder of Urbanmetry, a data analytics company focused on providing solutions for their clients to create better cities in Malaysia.
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Today we get into innovation and commercialisation as we head towards the Malaysia Commercialisation Year 2023 Summit.
We speak to Datuk Ts. Dr. Mohd Nor Azman Bin Hassan, the Deputy Secretary General (Technology Development) of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) on how the summit plays a role as a showcase for the ongoing work to commercialise products, technologies, and services born out of dedicated Research, Development, Commercialisation and Innovation (R,D,C&I) efforts by Universities, Institutions, and Local Research Agencies.
We also get into the importance and economic prospects of innovation and entrepreneurship, examples of local researchers and entrepreneurs who have successfully commercialised their R&D products and technology services in both local and international markets, and the importance of spending money on R&D as a nation.
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We discuss Netflix’s job advert for an AI expert, Starlink’s launch in Malaysia, the future of the EV industry and its affordability to consumers, and X’s transformation towards becoming a “super app” similar to China’s WeChat.
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X’s decision to rebrand itself from the iconic blue bird we’ve come to know as the place to get our fix of the latest discourse has caused waves in the social media sphere. According to experts, the rebrand of Twitter could cost the app to lose up to between $4 billion and $20 billion in value.
We have Anna Loi, Co-Founder and Director of Content and Digital Marketing at Good & Honest Co in the studio with us today, talking to us about X’s decision to rebrand itself, and how, and when, a company should follow in its footsteps to rebuild their brand.
Photo credits: Shutterstock
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The phenomenon of "fake work" is steadily gaining attention in major tech corporations, and it's raising considerable concerns regarding company culture and efficiency. Fake work refers to the tasks that often carry no discernible impact on a company's broader objectives. It includes actions such as creating unnecessary reports, having unproductive meetings, and performing tasks that only exist to justify an employee's role or to embellish a manager's portfolio.
We hear from Derek Toh of Hiredly, the leading hybrid recruitment platform for junior to mid-management talent to shed some light on the topic.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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Following the cancellation of the Good Vibes festival, we talk to Nazri Adam from Sausage Sizzle and RenYi Chin from MyBurgerLab about how this cancellation has affected the vendors and food operators that were left picking up the pieces. We discuss what this means to the food vendor industry in Malaysia and where the businesses can go from here.
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We discuss the growing concerns of digital artists over the use of their work in AI-generated art, Apple's potential price hike for its upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models, Elon Musk's bold move to rebrand Twitter as X.com, and Spotify's decision to increase its subscription prices for the first time in 12 years.
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In our digital age, social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives, particularly for the younger generation. However, this influence can be a double-edged sword, providing platforms for connection and self-expression, while also exposing young users to potential risks.
Recent controversies involving social media influencers and the marketing of certain products to a young demographic have raised concerns about the ethical responsibilities of these platforms.
We delve into these issues, and aim to shed light on the impact of social media on the younger generation and the role of social media companies and influencers in shaping a safer digital environment.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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In a bid to raise venture capital funding to continue growing, Malaysian startups sometimes have to make the hard choice of relocating to Singapore. A famous example here is Grab.
In this edition of Biz Bytes, we explore whether this is an inevitable story for Malaysian startups as they grow or whether they raise money from global investors without having to move.
Weighing in on this was Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Co-founder and Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia, Ramachandran Muniandy, CEO & Co-Founder of Asia Mobiliti, and Nadira Yusoff, Co-Founder and CEO of Kiddocare.
Asia Mobiliti and Kiddocare are part of the 100Soonicorns program designed to groom the next unicorns of Malaysia. The program is run by ScaleUp Malaysia and Proficeo in partnership with Penjana Kapital and MDEC - the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation.
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The global significance of artificial intelligence (AI) has been underscored by two recent events. The United Nations Security Council held its inaugural meeting on AI, where concerns about the technology's potential as a "runaway horse" were raised by China, while the U.S. warned against its use for censorship or repression.
Meanwhile, at the AI for Good conference in Geneva, nine advanced humanoid robots, including Sophia, Ai-Da, Desdemona, Grace, and Ameca, participated in what was dubbed as the "world's first human-robot press conference". The robots assured they had no plans to steal human jobs or rebel against their creators.
To help us unpack the relevance to us, to business, and to the worldwide economy, we have Matt Armitage with us.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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It’s Tech Tuesday here on Enterprise Biz Bytes and this week we delve into the gripping Black Mirror narrative that has actors worried about AI taking over their roles. We'll also explore the surge in student interest in computing, driven by the unstoppable rise of digital trends and AI.
Next, we set our sights on India, where the newly implemented GST on online gaming could stifle a flourishing industry, potentially altering the gaming landscape for millions.
Lastly, we'll look at the plummeting ad revenue of Twitter following its acquisition by the renowned tech magnate, Elon Musk.
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“Cash isn’t king. Cash flow is king.”
Last week we learnt that the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) is looking to introduce Account 3 which allows savings withdrawals to be made at any time, which is a particular concern, given the data point that “50% of Malaysian households can’t even raise RM1,000 to cover emergencies”, as noted by EPF Chief Strategy Officer Nurhisham Hussein.
One key aim here is to attract the interest of those in the informal sector to make contributions to the EPF, so that they can, as Nurmisham noted, “save and enjoy compound dividends while also meeting any immediate cash needs”.
With that in mind, on the back of this news around Account 3, we explore tips and fundamental advice on how freelancers, business owners, self-employed individuals and the informal sector can improve their personal finances and financial planning with Suraya Zainudin, Founder & Writer of ringgitohringgit.com, and Stephen Yong, Licensed Financial Planner with Wealth Vantage Advisor.
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Last week, HELP International School organised a Demo day, where Year 12 students were given the opportunity to present innovative ideas to real-world problems. This was carried out in partnership with 1337 ventures, an accelerator programme that has invested in over 50 startups across diverse areas spanning big data, fintech and social enterprises.
This Demo Day was the final act of Project Purpose, a programme spanning a couple of months, developed by HELP to educate its young talents to think innovatively and create an entrepreneurial spirit.
Now, the reason this caught our attention was because 1337 Ventures said they would invest RM50,000 in one of the student groups to pursue their project as an actual business. The team presented their idea of creating a braille dictionary, translating from English to Malay, which is only a part of their larger effort of creating a platform to connect youths to NGOs and social enterprises to participate in their volunteer works.
Joining us on this edition of Enterprise BizBytes are two of the students from the 8-person team that received the investment from 1337 Ventures; Chong Mae Jian and Katrina Ong Kai Qing, from HELP International School, representing their group - ‘Bridge’.
Bikesh Lakhmichand, founder of 1337 Ventures, was also in this conversation. He served as a mentor and coach to these and many more other students, throughout HELP’s Project Purpose.
Photo Credits: 1337 Ventures
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The internet is currently undergoing a significant transformation, with major social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit facing decline and upheaval. Twitter's downfall has been particularly noticeable since Elon Musk's acquisition of the company, while Reddit has been alienating its developers and users.
Meanwhile, TikTok's popularity continues to rise, despite potential bans, and Instagram has morphed into an entertainment platform – and now we have Threads.
We try to unpack all of this, and ask ourselves the existential question – where do we all go now?
Helping us out is Amin Ashaari the Co-Founder and CEO of SoyaCincau
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A total of 4,000 companies with revenue of more than RM100 million are set to become the first group to implement the Inland Revenue Board's (IRB) new e-invoice system from June 1 next year. Following this, in 2025 it will be mandatory for businesses with turnover of more than RM50 million; then in 2026 for businesses with over RM25 million turnover and finally in 2027 for all businesses.
E-invoicing could bring better transparency to the IRB, while also saving time for both IRB and taxpayers, but the bigger hope is that the introduction of an e-invoicing system for businesses will see improved tax compliance and address the leakage in taxes arising out of the shadow economy.
However, with that in mind, should businesses brace themselves to potentially pay more taxes? We speak to Mahadhir Aziz, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC - the Malaysian Digital Economy Corporation, about this, the rollout of the e-invoice initiative, and what businesses should know about it.
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OpenAI’s ChatGPT gained 100 million users in just 2 months.
Just when we thought that was impressive, Threads has blown the record out of the water, as it gained 100 million users - in just 5 days.
Today on Biz bytes, we discuss if Threads is winning the war with Twitter, and we will be looking into ChatGPT’s new feature as well as the Apple App Store’s 15 years journey and its impact.
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In June, the robot takeover took another step forward as IKEA assembled its own AI chatbot called Billie. Yes, they named their AI chatbot after their bookshelves. Billie will be taking over routine customer queries and IKEA says it has handled 47% of these kinds of inquiries to call centres over the past two years.
Now one of the key concerns when we hear something like this, is job losses, but IKEA says that its use of AI, currently, won’t mean job losses as they’re retraining call centre workers to become interior design advisers. Some 8,500 workers have made the switch since 2021.
So while concerns over job losses have been offset for now, it does bring up another big question for businesses - how does the rise of tech and AI Chatbots change the way businesses need to think about their customer experience and service strategies?
We explore the importance of Customer Experience, the need of the human element, and what the future of CX could look like with Byron Fernandez, Group Chief Information Officer and Executive Vice President of TDCX, a business process outsourcing (BPO) service provider.
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Once the domain of gig workers, freelancers, and start-ups, co-working spaces are now attracting interest from large companies and multinationals.
Increasingly, these shared spaces are bridging the gap between property owners and businesses seeking office space, functioning much like a middleman. According to industry insiders, this shift is driven by businesses' desire to avoid managing or expanding their own office spaces.
Intriguingly, co-working spaces have begun to mirror hoteliers in their operations. While they don't own the properties, they carefully craft experiences that meet the needs of their target market. We’ll be hearing from Andrew Yeow, Co-Founder and CFO, WORQ and Justin Tung, Business Development, Colony Coworking Space about the evolution of these spaces.
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Earlier this year, the Securities Commission (SC) registered two initial exchange offering (IEO) operators, Kapital DX Sdn Bhd and Pitch Platforms Sdn Bhd. The two registered IEO operators will be able to provide an alternative avenue for eligible companies to raise funds via the issuance of digital tokens in Malaysia.
An issuer may raise funds up to RM100 million from retail, sophisticated, as well as angel investors, however this is subject to a limit of 20 times of shareholders’ funds and other investment limits provided in the SC’s Guidelines on Digital Assets.
For more on IEOs, who it’s suitable for and how it differs from other funding methods, we speak to Selvarany Rasiah, founder and CEO of KLDX, and Kashminder Singh, Co-Founder of pitchIN.
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Yesterday Former Fave executives Audra Pakalnyte and Joel Neoh officially launched First Move, a founder-led early stage fund for consumer-focused startups across Southeast Asia.
The fund is backed by 500 Global and will be providing pre-seed funding of up to US$100,000 (RM466,000) and already has a portfolio of seven companies in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
In addition to providing direct funding to startups, First Move is actively partnering with other regional venture capital firms, including 500 Global. Besides the backing of 500 Global, First Move has also established the Consumer Tech Angel Syndicate, a group of experienced founders and executives in the consumer space. Angel Syndicate members will co-invest in First Move deals. Members include founders and senior executives from D2C, e-commerce, mobility and fintech scale-ups across Southeast Asia.
For more on First Moves’ first moves, we speak with First Move’s Joel Neoh and Audra Pakalnyte, former executives at Malaysian fintech firm Fave turned startup investors.
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Twitter is now restricting the number of tweets users can read daily, to combat the aggressive ‘data scraping’ by third party members on its site.
Why the concern? Because they are doing it - for free
We take a look at this and other big news in the world of tech with Mr Matt-splain himself, Matt Armitage.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
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Recent reports have revealed a startling prediction: as many as 4.5 million Malaysians could be out of work by 2030 if they don't upskill or reskill. This startling forecast arises from the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) across a variety of sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare and customer service.
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Recent reports have revealed a startling prediction: as many as 4.5 million Malaysians could be out of work by 2030 if they don't upskill or reskill. This startling forecast arises from the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) across a variety of sectors, from manufacturing to healthcare and customer service.
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What startups know about PR that large corporations seem to forget. Sometimes being scrappy and innovative does win the race.
We’re helped through this conversation by Eugenie Chan from Suppagood.
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What startups know about PR that large corporations seem to forget. Sometimes being scrappy and innovative does win the race.
We’re helped through this conversation by Eugenie Chan from Suppagood.
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A World Bank report revealed that only 54% of Malaysian micro and small enterprises use digital solutions, with this issue particularly prominent amongst women-led businesses which face additional barriers, including access to technology and financing.
In line with this concern, earlier this week, The Asia Foundation in partnership with Mastercard launched Strive Malaysia, which wants to support the growth and digitalization of 100,000 Malaysian micro and small businesses, with a particular emphasis on women-owned and women-led businesses.
Today on Biz Bytes we explore the challenges that women-led and owned small businesses face and what can be done to better support them and address the gaps that are present in the ecosystem.
Helping us with this discussion were Sharifah Shahirah Idid, Program Lead at the Asia Foundation, who’s leading Strive Malaysia, and Nuraizah Shamsul Baharin, Managing Director of MADCash, an initiative that provides access to micro-funds for women entrepreneurs that want to upgrade a micro business. She was also the President of WENA (Women Entrepreneur Network of Malaysia) for 2018-2022.
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As the world becomes increasingly competitive, internships serve as a vital springboard for students to transition from academia into the professional world. Internships offer an opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience, develop key skills, and build valuable networks.
But in Malaysia, are they achieving what they promise?
A recent working paper by the Khazanah Research Institute (KRI) throws some light on this issue.
Photo Credits: Freepik
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Last week, Carsome announced that following its new financing round, its liquidity position rose to US$200 million (around RM922 million). This announcement comes after the Malaysian Unicorn received backlash and criticism for apparently petitioning the Ministry of Finance to recommend Malaysia's sovereign wealth funds, government-linked investment companies (GLICs) and GLCs to invest in Carsome.
The company issued a statement to clarify that it wasn’t soliciting or petitioning the Ministry of Finance for funding, but that it instead was encouraging Malaysian institutional participation.
Carsome’s CEO and Co-Founder Eric Cheng joins us to get into concerns and criticisms around their latest funding round, the makeup of their $200 million liquidity position, IPO plans, and the reported request of the Ministry of Finance to encourage investment from Malaysian GLCs and GLICs.
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Direct-to-Consumer brands are all about going direct to the customer and acquiring them, bypassing middlemen and traditional distribution channels like agency forces and retailers, but this may have been much tougher than anticipated. While DTC brands like Warby Parker and Spotify were some of the hottest names in tech, in recent times the tone has become more pessimistic, even B2C fintech companies like Robinhood and Klarna haven’t been spared from this.
Today on BizBytes we take a local look by speaking with Wong Wai Ken, Malaysia Country Manager of wealthtech player Stashaway, and Jonathan Ong, Head of Direct-to-Consumer with Indonesian insuretech Qoala, about how are both these fintech players are navigating the current environment, but also a look back at how they entered and built up their businesses here and how their strategies have evolved since entering Malaysia.
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The food and beverage sector is no stranger to hardships and obstacles, but a looming potential challenge in the form of rent increases threatens to stir the hawker industry pot.
A recent situation involving hawkers in Penang, highlights the enormous implications of such a move, painting a concerning picture for food stall owners everywhere.
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Whether you are a fan or not, the buzz and growth of AI doesn’t look like it’s going to stop anytime soon, especially with the money being pumped in. Today on Biz Bytes, we take a look at this topic from 2 angles - how we can tap into AI to improve productivity, but also a look at the potential downsides of using AI at work.
We start the show by exploring the potential downsides of AI on the back of a recent study that sheds light and validates concerns of this new technology, which includes employees experiencing loneliness and insomnia. We dive into the study with Ke Micheal Mai, one of the authors of the study and Assistant Professor of Management and Organisation at National University of Singapore (NUS) Business School.
On the productivity side, following comments from Blackrock CEO that AI’s productivity gains could save the US from inflation, we explore ways you can to tap into ChatGPT and generative AI tools to help improve productivity. That’s a conversation we had with Pang Sern Yong, Founder of AIHQ, a training and consultancy service provider that focuses on ChatGPT and AI tools, who is also the founder of the ChatGPT Community Facebook group that’s 13,000 members strong.
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Last week, the Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF) announced that it had co-invested RM638 million in 3,635 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), in 2022, helping fuel their growth and development
In the last few years, ECF and P2P platforms have continued to grow its presence here in Malaysia, seeing an increase of 26% on-year to RM1.7B in 2022, as noted by the Security Commissions (SC) in its 2022 Report.
Given the growth of this industry, today on Enterprise Biz Bytes, we speak to industry players and observers about the role of MyCIF, the current state and future potential of ECF and P2P-lending platforms in Malaysia, and how they’ve changed the funding landscape for MSMEs.
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Plenty of money is being thrown at AI startups as shown by PitchBook data released in March, but last week’s announcement from Mistral AI has blown all those deals out of the water.
Last week French technology and AI company Mistral AI announced that it raised a $113.4 million seed round, just a month after being set up. Sources close to the company that spoke to American tech and portal Techcrunch confirmed that the value of Mistral AI at around $260 million.
Mistral AI is co-founded by alums from Google’s DeepMind and Meta and will be focusing on open source solutions and targeting enterprises to create what CEO Arthur Mensch believes is currently the biggest challenge in the field: “To make AI useful.”
So is this $113 million investment into Mistral AI genius, delusional, or stupid?
We discuss this with Kevin Brockland, Founder and Managing Partner of Indelible Ventures - a VC that targets seed stage, tech-enabled B2B startups in the region.
We get into whether this kind of valuation is justified, what VCs consider when they make huge bets like this, how much FOMO factors into a deal like this, the common misconceptions people have about the VC business, and how much a founding team factors into a startups valuation.
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The talent recruitment landscape has significantly evolved over the years, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated these changes. We are witnessing updates to policies and more flexible work hours and benefits to cater to the changing interests of the workforce.
Here at BFM, our conversations with various service providers that closely collaborate with corporate HR teams often highlight a major concern: retaining talent rather than merely attracting it.
The question now is, how can corporations motivate their teams and support their evolving work interests?
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Earlier this month, the government’s Special Voluntary Disclosure Programme (SVDP) 2.0 kicked off. Starting from June 6th 2023 all the way to 31st May 2024, the aim is to encourage non-compliant taxpayers to report any incorrect or undisclosed taxes over the years, covering both direct and indirect taxes. This includes a 100% waiver on tax penalty and seems to be targeted at the informal sector, including areas such as social media creators and e-commerce businesses.
Today on BizBytes we speak to Soh Lian Seng, Head of Tax, KPMG about who should be taking up the SVDP 2.0, common mistakes that compliant and non-compliant taxpayers may not realise they’re making, and whether this initiative is unfair to all the folks that have been paying their taxes.
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In an era where online job listings have become the norm, an insidious undercurrent of job scams has been steadily infiltrating the job market.
The impact of these scams is far-reaching, not only depriving desperate job-seekers of their hard-earned savings but also eroding trust in the recruitment process itself.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
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Last week, Malaysian-based full-stack insurtech startup PolicyStreet announced a US$15.3 million (RM67 million) Series B fundraising round, led by Khazanah Nasional. DigitalNews Asia notes that other investors in the round include lead investors from the Series A round Altara Ventures, as well as Gobi Partners and Spiral Ventures.
PolicyStreet intends to use the funds to strengthen its technology and underwriting capabilities to drive further growth of the business, which includes regional expansion, starting with Australia.
On the back of this sizable funding round, today on BizBytes we speak with PolicyStreet’s CEO and Co-Founder Yen Ming Lee about how this RM67 million funding round will be utilised, the benefits of having a partner like Khanazah, and what’s next for the digital insurance space in Malaysia.
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Overseas expansion has been instrumental for growth for Asia’s biggest consumer products companies, growing 3 times faster overseas than in their home market with 9 of the 50 firms generating more than half of their total revenue offshore and another 15 generating more than 25% of total revenue offshore.
Today on BizBytes we take a deeper dive into a recent Bain & Company report that explores how APAC consumer products firms expanded overseas quickly.
Helping us with this was Gino Dizon, Partner at Bain & Company. He is a member of Bain’s Consumer Products, Retail, and Mergers & Acquisitions practices.
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Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2023 saw a slew of impressive announcements that will certainly delight Apple enthusiasts and tech-lovers alike.
We catch up (again) with Matt Armitage from Kulturpop.com to have a run through some of the announcements to get his thoughts.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
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On this episode of BizBytes, we explore the Malaysia Startup Ecosystem Roadmap, or more commonly known as SUPER. We take a look at its role, the potential support Malaysian startups can expect, and how it’s trying to address key concerns in Malaysia’s startup ecosystem, including issues such as the fragmented and potentially confusing nature of many of the initiatives and agencies launched to support the local startup ecosystem.
Joining us for this conversation was Harmender Singh, Vice President with the SUPER Project Management Office at Cradle Fund.
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What does it take to discover the next Unicorn in Malaysia, or even to be the next Unicorn in Malaysia?
We’re going to be going on a journey through the thriving startup ecosystem of Southeast Asia, and reflecting on its rapid expansion and the catalysts that have spurred growth.
We probe into innovative business models and the success stories they've propelled, while also touching on the promising sectors for venture capital.
We also delve into the crucial role of platforms like E27's TOP100 and the upcoming Echelon Asia Summit, in fostering startups and explore how they are partnering with local organisations to tackle unique business challenges.
We’re joined today by Mohan Belani, CEO of e27
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
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On Friday, HKSTP - that’s the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation revealed a plan to empower Malaysian businesses and talents with global growth ambitions to unlock the huge HK-Greater Bay Area (GBA)-China market opportunity.
They launched the “Innovation Mixer” – an outreach programme aimed at collaborating with enterprises and talents from all around the world to expand the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystems in the region. They also unveiled the Market Discovery Programme, designed for global tech ventures expanding their reach into the China and broader Asian markets, through Hong Kong.
Needless to say this caught our attention and we wanted to learn more about what these 2 initiatives could look like and they’re potential impact, so we got in touch with Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, to help break this down for us and explore the potential benefit to Malaysian businesses.
In case you’re not familiar with HKSTP, here’s a bit of background:
HKSTP has been around since 2001, so 22 years, and has strived to build up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub. Some of the ways they’ve tried to do this include attracting and nurturing talent, while helping accelerate innovation and commercialise technology for entrepreneurs, to not just to grow in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, but also Asia and beyond.
A quick look at some numbers show some pretty impressive achievements. They have established an ecosystem that has supported 14 unicorns, along with R&D hubs with over 13,000 research professionals and over 1,400 technology companies focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.
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On Friday, HKSTP - that’s the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation revealed a plan to empower Malaysian businesses and talents with global growth ambitions to unlock the huge HK-Greater Bay Area (GBA)-China market opportunity.
They launched the “Innovation Mixer” – an outreach programme aimed at collaborating with enterprises and talents from all around the world to expand the innovation and technology (I&T) ecosystems in the region. They also unveiled the Market Discovery Programme, designed for global tech ventures expanding their reach into the China and broader Asian markets, through Hong Kong.
Needless to say this caught our attention and we wanted to learn more about what these 2 initiatives could look like and they’re potential impact, so we got in touch with Albert Wong, CEO of HKSTP, to help break this down for us and explore the potential benefit to Malaysian businesses.
In case you’re not familiar with HKSTP, here’s a bit of background:
HKSTP has been around since 2001, so 22 years, and has strived to build up Hong Kong as an international innovation and technology hub. Some of the ways they’ve tried to do this include attracting and nurturing talent, while helping accelerate innovation and commercialise technology for entrepreneurs, to not just to grow in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area, but also Asia and beyond.
A quick look at some numbers show some pretty impressive achievements. They have established an ecosystem that has supported 14 unicorns, along with R&D hubs with over 13,000 research professionals and over 1,400 technology companies focused on healthtech, AI and robotics, fintech and smart city technologies.
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There’s been a bit more buzz around AI this week following an open letter signed by a group of AI experts and other high-profile figures and released by the Center for AI Safety. The open letter had only one line - “Mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority alongside other societal-scale risks such as pandemics and nuclear war.”
Now contemplating and discussing the end of the world is a bit beyond our scope here on BizBytes, but one thing is clear, AI is powerful and we shouldn’t take its power to disrupt for granted.
One key example is the way AI could potentially impact the next generation of workers. The World Economic Forum's "The Future of Jobs Report 2020" predicted that 85 million jobs globally will be replaced by AI by 2025, but the same report also indicates that AI can potentially generate 97 million new roles. And this was before ChatGPT made AI mainstream.
Now while on the surface it seems like we could see a net positive change in job numbers, the thing is, the types of jobs that AI will create will differ from those being lost.
So in order to address the potential changes ahead when it comes to jobs and the workplace, we need to look at education today, particularly at tertiary education institutions and how they are adapting to the AI’s sudden rise - both in terms of how it impacts education today and how universities can prepare their students for changing landscape.
With that in mind, on this episode of Enterprise BizBytes, we’re asking the question: how could AI influence tertiary education?
Helping us with this discussion is Sanjay Sarma, CEO of the Asia School of Business.
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In an age of rapid digital evolution, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are discovering the immense power of local Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
Local SEO has become a pivotal tool for SMEs striving to compete with larger corporations, attracting local customers and carving out a niche in the market. But what exactly is local SEO, and how can SMEs harness its potential?
We’ll be hearing from our in-house ‘Expert’ Tech Lead here at BFM; Najman Maliki.
Photo Credits: Shutterstock
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Investors today are seeking value beyond straight monetary returns. With mounting evidence of climate change’s impact on the lives and livelihoods of people across the world and the growing demand for social equity, investors have gotten serious about backing corporations and funds with a demonstrated commitment to environmental and social responsibility.
Responsible investing has been around in one form or another for quite some time. Pacifists may choose not to invest in companies that manufacture weapons. Environmentalists may choose to invest in companies that produce durable products from natural materials.
We have Rina Neoh, Partner & Co Founder of Ficus Venture Capital with its flagship RM60 million fund, Ficus SEA and the world’s first shariah compliant venture capitalist joining us later.
Our question to you is “Are you more concerned about your returns when investing or do environmental and social responsible companies take precedence when deciding?”
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Last week, Australia announced that it would be looking into new laws in an effort to regulate the BNPL sector as a consumer credit product, which comes amidst rising concerns of BNPL repayments.
Closer to home, we’re seeing similar concerns around delayed or missed BNPL payments , so today on BizBYtes we’re going to explore what our regulators are looking to do to regular the industry and how this could impact the BNPL startups in Malaysia with Vincent Fong, Chief Editor, Fintech News Malaysia
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Not all job openings are actual jobs.
A significant number of managers shared that the openings are kept active but the jobs simply don't exist.
What is the rationale of putting up a job opening with no intention to hire?
We speak to Jack Kelly, Founder & CEO, WeCruitr to discuss more about the rationale and morale of companies doing so, and what job seekers do to avoid applying for ghost jobs.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock
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The energy transition is gaining steam across the globe, but are end-consumers convinced of the benefits?
Last year, investment in low-carbon technologies topped 1.1trillion US Dollars, with the war in Ukraine and resulting energy crisis acting as a catalyst to fast-track spending.
Consulting firm EY notes that analysts say this rapid injection of capital may have shaved up to 10 years off the energy transition timeline, but their new global consumer survey indicates that consumers may not be as confident in the energy transition as policy makers and activists might be.
To get a better understanding of this and what Malaysia can learn to have a better energy transition path, we’ll be speaking with Mark Bennett, EY Asia-Pacific Energy & Resources Customer Experience Transformation Leader
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One key platform over the decade for businesses and storytellers to communicate and engage with potential customers and their audiences has been Twitter, however since Elon Musk bought Twitter, the social media platform has gotten plenty of attention for a range of… let’s say questionable decisions.
From killing API integration of popular third party apps to changing how verified blue ticks work, the seemingly random decisions have had big influencers, storytellers, and businesses wondering whether Twitter is still a reliable way to communicate and engage with their respective audiences.
To further muddy the waters of Twitter’s relevance, Instagram is reportedly working on a new competitor to Twitter with a text-based app codenamed "P92", where users would log in with their Instagram details, and the app would use decentralized servers like Discord or open-source social network Mastodon.
With all these changes and potential challenges surrounding Twitter, today on BizBytes we’ve been exploring the role and relevance of Twitter and other social media platforms with Richard Ker, Chief Storyteller & Founder, Richard Ker Digital.
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In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, one trend that has been consistently making headlines is Artificial Intelligence (AI). From Google's AI-powered email drafting to Microsoft's AI-enhanced applications, AI is not just a buzzword; it's a transformative force reshaping the way businesses operate.
How will it shape the way in which small businesses operate in the future? And what are some of the features that they should be familiarising themselves with right now?
We hear from Adam Brimo, Founder & Group CEO at OpenLearning Limited, to find out more.
Photo Credits: Freepik | krakenimages.com
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The world of entrepreneurship and running a business can be a fast paced one, with fires to put out on a daily basis while trying to look for opportunities to grow the business. While it’s important to think about the here and now, it’s also vital to look ahead beyond the avenues for growth.
One such area is business succession planning, not the happiest topic in the world, but it is (or should be) a fundamental part of a business strategy. What happens to your business, and your loved ones, if something happens to you?
So today on BizBytes, Idi Irwan Zainal Abidin, Executive Director at Bill Morrisons Wealth Management, joins us to get into why it's important to have a business succession plan and how you can start today.
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Charles Santiago, National Water Services Commission Chairman told the Star that Malaysia must spread our water supply within states at a greater degree for the wellbeing of Malaysians. According to him, we see Penang and Kedah’s river level dropping, but there are surpluses from Perak’s dam.
So how should the government and water companies do to curb water shortages? What can we do to make sure that our taps don’t run dry?
We speak to Faizal Akmal, CEO of Rivil Water, a water supply and irrigation system tech company that is trying to solve water challenges in Malaysia.
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Last week, the City University of Hong Kong, launched the first ever HK Tech 300 Southeast Asia Startup Competition in Kuala Lumpur, bringing its large-scale flagship innovation and entrepreneurship programme to the region for the first time.
The Top 10 winners of this competition will each be awarded angel funding of up to HK$1 million ( around RM565,000).
The Southeast Asian competition is a spinoff of the HK Tech 300 programme which was launched in March 2021 in Hong Kong, and to date has supported more than 560 startups, each of which received HK$100,000 in seed funding, and it has provided up to HK$1 million in angel funding to more than 110 startups.
We speak to Professor Michael Yang, Vice President of Research & Technology at the City University of Hong Kong, the Chairman of the HK Tech 300 Executive Committee, about the value of this program, how it plans to promote technology transfer and commercialisation, and more.
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With the recent announcement of Coldplay's first-ever concert in Malaysia, anticipation has skyrocketed among music enthusiasts in the country.
The British rock band is set to perform at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium on November 22, and the ticket sales have been, in a word, chaotic. The high demand for Coldplay's Music Of The Spheres World Tour highlights the significant challenges in the event ticketing industry in Malaysia and offers valuable lessons for future mega-events.
We hear from Iqbal Ameer, Founder and Group CEO of The Livescape Group.
Photo Credits: Freepik | rawpixel.com
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The last decade was the peak for people with influential personalities - they have been telling consumers what to think and what to do, which is influencer marketing.
But lately, a new trend called de-influencing is taking over social media platforms.
What is de-influencing all about? We will be taking a closer look on what this trend is, and analyse research and findings to dissect whether consumers are becoming detached from influencer marketing.
Discussing this today is Eugenie Chan and Sarah Lian, Co-Founders of SuppaGood, a PR and influencer marketing agency.
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If you are a startup founder and have taken up an accelerator programme, your journey can reach its height with a demo day. A Demo Day is a chance for you to pitch and grab the attention of potential investors.
We speak to Bikesh Lakhmichand, Founder & CEO of 1337 Ventures to understand the importance of demo days, and get insights on what investors look for so you can prepare a winning pitch for your startup
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Have you ever wondered what it is like to run a business with your mom?
There are mothers who run businesses while raising their children, and there are mothers who run businesses with their children.
So we ask mother-son duo Julius Lim & Ruby Siah, Co-Founders of B&B Labs, about balancing family and professional relationships when running a business together.
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Malaysia's esports scene has seen rapid growth in recent years, with various initiatives and collaborations aimed at promoting the industry and creating opportunities for aspiring esports athletes and game developers.
We’ll be looking at different efforts being made in the country to cultivate talent, promote education within the esports realm, and unlock potential career prospects.
Helping us through this will be Kenn Leandre, CEO & Founder, Kakuchopurei Sdn Bhd, they are a video game media publisher, event organiser and esport consultant.
Photo Credits: Freepik | DCStudio
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Joint Ventures are becoming more common for Malaysian businesses.
Whilst Joint Venture allows businesses to expand into new markets, a lack of resources or knowledge about the legal implications might be detrimental if a dispute arises between companies.
We speak to Managing Partner Dato Sri Arnold Andrew and Legal Associate Low Henn Kai of Arnold Andrew & Co Advocates & Solicitors to understand what you should and should not do before signing a Joint Venture Agreement.
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The Attention Economy has become a critical aspect for advertisers competing for consumers' limited attention spans in the digital world.
Amidst a mix of high-quality and manipulative content, what can consumers do to ensure that they are not constantly distracted whilst online? And how can advertisers navigate the double-edged sword of the Attention Economy, and foster healthy engagement with digital content while considering its adverse effects on consumers?
To help us navigate this minefield and to help us ensure that our attention is firmly rooted on the conversation, we decided to call in the big guns, or as we like to call him Jan– from Open Minds Resources. He’ll be answering some of our questions a little bit later on in the show.
Photo Credits: Freepik
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Employees want to relocate. More than 90% to be exact.
With talent shortages, more than 90% of companies want to tap into the international talent pool for recruitment.
But this comes with challenges when it comes to implementing measures to ensure global mobility sustainability, because according to ECA International’s Global Mobility Now Survey, it showed that only 3% of respondents believe that they are successful in achieving a high level of sustainability in their global mobility programme.
How should companies relocate their employees sustainably? Is switching to economy flight enough?
We speak to Lee Quane, Asia’s Regional Director at ECA International to understand all of that.
Photo Credit: Freepik
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The COVID-19 pandemic forced organisations to adopt remote working and today the hybrid working environment is still commonplace for many organizations, however this change has created significant work from home cybersecurity risks.
With an average of 84 million cyber-attacks in Malaysia every day throughout the final quarter of last year according to Fortinet, it becomes quite clear why organizations and employees must understand essential security tips in order to safely adapt to hybrid working.
To give us a clearer sense of how to better improve a business’s cybersecurity in a hybrid or remote working environment, we speak with Datuk Alan See, Co-founder and CEO of FIRMUS - a provider of cybersecurity solution and penetration testing services.
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The COVID-19 pandemic forced organisations to adopt remote working and today the hybrid working environment is still commonplace for many organizations, however this change has created significant work from home cybersecurity risks.
With an average of 84 million cyber-attacks in Malaysia every day throughout the final quarter of last year according to Fortinet, it becomes quite clear why organizations and employees must understand essential security tips in order to safely adapt to hybrid working.
To give us a clearer sense of how to better improve a business’s cybersecurity in a hybrid or remote working environment, we speak with Datuk Alan See, Co-founder and CEO of FIRMUS - a provider of cybersecurity solution and penetration testing services.
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Malaysia’s youth unemployment rate is 10%.
And according to our Economy Minster Mohd Rafizi Ramli, this is due to a skilled talent mismatch between what local training institutions are producing and the actual skills that the market demands.
What is happening on the ground with our youths and students? And what can be done to boost employment among our youths?
We speak to Camelia Loh, Founder of Kabel, a HR tech startup, and Sryee Inthran, Senior Vice President of the National Career Development Centre Association (NACDA Malaysia) to understand better.
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World Press Freedom Day has been celebrated for 30 years now, always trying to shine a spotlight on the importance of a free press, which has come under increasing pressure following challenges from multiple angles. While the political challenges get more attention, one of the biggest challenges facing news media is how the internet has changed the business model behind journalism, making it more difficult for news organisations to keep the business side in the black.
Just this week, the New York Times reported that Vice Media Group is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy, which comes a few weeks after BuzzFeed said it would shutter its news division, a great illustration of the challenging environment.
All of this increasingly points towards the fact that in order for news media companies to stay alive, they either need to be acquired by the big corporate players or go bankrupt. But are these really the only 2 options?
Today on BizBytes, we take a peek behind the curtain and explore what it takes to run a news media business, the cost that goes into keeping journalism alive, and what the future of news media could look like with Premesh Chandran, co-founder and former CEO of Malaysiakini
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Workplace bullying is an unfortunate reality that many employees face around the world, and Malaysia is no exception.
With the recent attention brought to two cases of workplace harassment, it has become evident that bullying in the workplace is a pressing issue that deserves our attention.
Today, we’ll be discussing the impact of workplace bullying on employees, its prevalence in Malaysia, and potential solutions to combat the problem.
We’re joined on the show by Emillia Shariff from SpeakUp Malaysia.
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Three days ago, Standard Chartered Global Research reported that Malaysia had the quickest tourism recovery among regional peers last year. Malaysia recovered more than 90% of tourist arrivals compared to 2019 levels, and this is driven by visitors from Singapore.
Despite having a positive recovery, it is found that the number of tourists visiting Malaysia is still falling behind our neighbouring countries.
Why is Malaysia still struggling to compete?
We speak to Nigel Wong, Honorary Treasurer & Spokesperson, Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents (MATTA) to discuss why Malaysia’s tourism is still struggling to take off.
Photo Credits: Freepik | freestockcenter
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The era of easy money looks to be over and with it the funding winter has arrived, impacting the private equity landscape, including venture capital. With this in mind, it’s understandable why we’re hearing that some startups are finding it relatively more difficult to raise funds.
And this has come despite the fact that there’s plenty of investable funds. Bain’s Asia-Pacific Private Equity Report 2022 noted that in 2022, funds in Asia-Pacific reached a record level of US$650 billion. Looking at Malaysia, based on data reported in the Securities Commission Malaysia’s Annual Report 2021, total committed funds in private equity and venture capital rose over 26% to RM14.8 billion in 2021, of which, just over RM5 billion was for venture capital.
So despite plenty of dry powder, 2022 was a tough year for startups to raise funds leading to the so-called funding winter.
Today on BizBytes we explore the reasons why VCs have become more selective and how startups can survive in these conditions with ScaleUp Malaysia’s Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah and Xelia Tong.
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Luno, a global cryptocurrency company, has been operating in the Southeast Asian region since 2016, with a strong presence in both Malaysia and Singapore. Offering a user-friendly platform for cryptocurrency trading, Luno has garnered a loyal customer base in both countries, playing a key role in the region's fintech industry.
However, the recent announcement of Luno's decision to cease operations in Singapore from 20 June 2023 has sent shockwaves throughout the industry.
With us to talk us through the decision to leave Singapore, and to quell any mystery is Aaron Tang who just yesterday was named APAC General Manager for Luno, and David Low, outgoing APAC General Manager.
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A workplace without trust, is when you are working with people who are unreliable, uncommunicative and inconsistent in their work and moods.
That’s why building trust at work is vital for any ogranisational success.
So how should companies and organisations build trust at work? What can be done and what shouldn’t be done? How do we draw the line between professional and personal life when building trust?
We speak to Cilia Rasasegram, HR Consultant and Chief Experience Officer, Kindler Employee Experience Project to understand more.
Photo Credits: Freepik | wayhomestudio
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A survey by Bank Negara notes that 19% of local SMEs have struggled to access funding from traditional financial institutions. However, with the recent boom in fintech, businesses can now lean on other forms of financing, such as peer-to-peer (P2P) lending.
The Securities Commision of Malaysia notes that between 2020 and 2021, P2P markets continued to grow, seeing a 122% increase in total fundraising, as well as 48.6% increase in the overall number of successful campaigns and participating issuers in 2021. A great illustration of this take up is Funding Societies, considering that they are the biggest player in Malaysia based on volume in 2021. They helped MSMEs secure a total of RM 309 million, equivalent to 27% of all P2P funding raised in 2021.
In more recent news, the platform announced that they have disbursed RM13.4 billion over more than 5 million transactions to SMEs across Southeast Asia, with RM2 billion disbursed in Malaysia since 2017.
On this episode of BizBytes, we explore the role of P2P Financing in the SME and startup landscape with Chai Kien Poon, Country Head of Funding Societies Malaysia.
We get into what you should know before taking it up, the kind of take up Funding Societies has seen in Malaysia, and what this tells us about the state of SMEs in Malaysia.
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While taxation for employed individuals is relatively straightforward, that can’t be said for those who are self-employed, in the gig economy, or running a sole prop or SME, who don’t have EA forms and have various income streams to declare.
So today on BizBytes, we attempt to help demystify the wide and complicated world of taxation for self-employed folks, MSMEs, and SMEs. We explore how taxation differs for business income; be it MSMEs, freelancing, or gig-workers, and what you should know when it comes to filling, tax deductions, address common mistakes,and how to optimize the next tax season.
Helping us with this conversation is Thenesh Kannaa, Partner and Tax Advisor for TraTax, an independent tax advisory firm.
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Recently, a Malaysian game development company was acquired by a Swedish studio called The Gang.
Founded in 2008, Common Extract is best known for developing the popular Ejen Ali games, particularly Ejen Ali: Agents' Arena, which is one of Malaysia's first multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games. The Gang, on the other hand, was established in 2019 and has been building games in the metaverse for renowned brands like Gucci and McLaren.
Today in EBB, we’ll be focusing on Malaysia's gaming industry and how it's gaining recognition on the global stage. Joining us is Rob Lee, founder of Common Extract to share his insights on the acquisition and the industry.
Photo Credits: Freepik
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Financial literacy continues to be a concern here in Malaysia as highlighted by insights from the Malaysia National Strategy for Financial Literacy 2019 – 2023, conducted by Financial Education Network (FEN), that indicated gaps such as: only 43% of Malaysians understand that the growth of money is compounded over time, with 22% believe that money grows on linear basis; and 92% of Malaysians are more comfortable having deposit products against having investment products.
While the government has rolled out various programs and initiatives through the Financial Education Network and financial education platforms have continued pushing out education, can more be done?
On this episode of BizBytes, explore the potential reasons behind the gaps in financial literacy and the role that employers can play in improving financial wellness with Raevendren Ramachandran, co-founder of licensed financial planning firm Advisonomics and Effon Khoo, Founder and CEO of cloud payroll and HR software provider Kakitangan.com.
Advisonomics has partnered up with Kakitangan to integrate seamless access to the its Cashku financial planning and financial literacy app.
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“Everyone wants to exit, but not everyone can.”
Over the last decade, we’ve seen startup valuations go off the charts thanks to low interest rates among other things. Now many of the huge, storied startups that have gone public over the last few years have seen their valuations slashed.
Today we explore what goes into a company's valuation, how IPOs change the way startups are judged, the role Private Equity firms play in the funding ecosystem, and the key factors for an appropriate exit strategy.
Helping us with this discussion is Lim Jet Liang, partner at 5X Capital, a Securities Commission registered PE Management Company based in Malaysia.
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As many people return to the office after working remotely, we'll discuss the surprising psychological benefits of commuting that have emerged from recent studies.
We’ll be hearing from Dr Rosli Ahmad Khan, Director of MDS Traffic Planners and Consultants - about the idea of liminal spaces when commuting—and how commuting may actually have some hidden benefits.
Photo Credits: Freepik
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We regularly feature a lot of entrepreneurs on BFM. They provide a crucial role in nation-building and in fact become huge players on a global scale from AirAsia to Grab which have become global names thanks to the likes of Tan Hooi Ling, Anthony Tan and Tan Sri Tony Fernandes.
However, there are many challenges and there is no overnight success. This takes grit, persistence and of course, money as well. Our question today is, how important are entrepreneurs in nation building?
Photo Credits: EY
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It’s no secret that women are paid less than men despite sharing the same employment position or work experience.
According to a news report by STAR, the median monthly income for women in Malaysia was about RM2,150 in 2021, compared to about RM2,300 in 2021 for men. (about a RM150 difference)
Combating the gender pay gap requires the collaboration of multiple segments, but whose responsibility is it?
Today in EBB, we narrow down the scope a little and discuss how the HR department can play a role in promoting the reduction of the pay gap among their very own employees.
Joining us today is Camelia Loh, Founder and CEO of Kabel, an HR Tech company.
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Do you know how big the Malaysian cosmetic industry is?
Its total revenue was US$2.68 billion in 2022, according to Statista.
And the demand is also increasing because of the influence of advertising and social media influencers.
But how are small businesses competing in this space? Where do they fit with players such as Maybelline, Estee Lauder, and Silkygirl in the industry? And how well do you know what manufacturer behind the makeup you use?
We speak to Kelvin Kean, the founder of Lip & Co. and The Caim Skin, a homegrown cosmetic brand that started in 2017.
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With the rapid growth of technology and how curious humans are to integrate it with every little thing we come in contact with, we have witnessed some amazing inventions and powerful technology so far. And that's including the robot that brings food to your table at the mamak shops.
More importantly, tech has been integrated into key areas such as financial services, education, and healthcare, making them more accessible. In conjunction with World Health Day we’re going to focus on one of those areas today - healthcare.
It should come as no surprise that Covid-19 was a big catalyst for digital healthcare adoption in Asia. According to consulting firm Bain & Co, with the pandemic keeping patients at home, telemedicine app usage soared and looks to have stayed that way.
In conjunction with World Health Day, today Enterprise explores the world of digital healthcare here in Malaysia, with joining us today is Dr Tiffanie Ong, Chief Product Officer, at Naluri Life. Naluri is an integrated digital care solution that combines support for physical and mental health, all in one place.
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We delve into the recent hacking of the Malaysian Immigration Department's website and discuss the broader context of cybersecurity in Malaysia.
We also explore the nation's previous data breaches, the government's ongoing efforts to improve digital security, and share expert insights from former white hat hacker CF Fong.
Learn about the importance of cyber hygiene and how to protect yourself in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Today we’ll be joined on the show by CF Fong, CEO of LGMS, One of Malaysia’s leading Cybersecurity Services.
Photo Credits: Freepik | macrovector
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Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim visited China last week with 19 MOUs signed to boost investments in green tech, digital economy and modern agriculture.
Our Prime Minister also mentioned that several Chinese leading companies will make Malaysia their regional hub.
But what about SMEs in Malaysia who are thinking to expand their business to China? If you’ve been thinking about this, we are breaking down the do’s and don’ts of starting a business in China.
Sonny Khoong, Founding Partner, Willsonn Partners, a multidisciplinary consulting firm based in China joins us for this conversation.
Photo Credits: Freepik | 4045
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We all know of greenwashing, whitewashing. But there’s this new term called Wellbeing Washing.
The Britain's Healthiest Workplace survey by a health insurer Vitality has highlighted that more people are getting anxiety and mental illness, leading to unproductive working.
And while some employers have started to show interest in employee wellbeing, it seems that some employers just pretend to care.
That’s known as wellbeing washing. And how many companies are doing this? More than half of employers, based on the UK survey.
We discuss this with Dr Anasuya Jegathevi Jegathesan, Dean of Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Cyberjaya.
Photo Credits: TheConversation
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Today, we’re discussing how you can get started on the sustainability journey for your organisation.
And we start this conversation with Malaysia’s postal delivery service, Pos Malaysia Bhd, and we’ll be speaking to its Group CEO Charles Brewer to understand their sustainability trajectory.
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Hundreds of AI experts, tech entrepreneurs, and scientists have signed an open letter calling for a pause on the development of AI systems more powerful than OpenAI's GPT-4.
The letter, written by the Future of Life Institute, urges a six-month pause on AI advancements to study potential risks, including job automation and misinformation.
Signatories include AI experts, entrepreneurs, and scientists, including Elon Musk. The letter expresses concern over the rapid, profit-driven race between companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google to develop new AI models.
We’re joined by Matt Armitage from Kulturpop to go through some of the details.
Photo Credits: Freepik | rawpixel.com
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We’re talking about trends today shaping Malaysia and the world.
New world order or more new world disorder?
Photo Credits: Freepik | rawpixel.com
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According to a Harvard Business Review Article, In 2021, only 3% of VC investments went to female-only founding startups.
Less than 15% of checkwriters for VC investments are women.
Female founders are underrepresented in the VC playground.
For female founders who are looking for funding from VCs, what can be their recourse?
We speak to Andre Sequerah and Shan Li, Manager Partners from ScaleUp Malaysia to discuss the gender equality gap among VC investors and female founders.
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Malaysia’s drone industry ranked 21st in the global Drone Readiness Index, up from the 30th spot earlier this year and ranking higher than the rest of the region. And two local drone service providers, Aerodyne and Meraque, have been ranked among the top 20 globally.
But what do these achievements mean to us Malaysians and our country’s development? Does it mean more economic growth? Will it change the way we work and live?
We explored this today with Dzuleira Abu Bakar, CEO of MRANTI - the Malaysian Research Accelerator for Technology and Innovation about Malaysia’s drone scene and what the future might hold if we were to push it in the right direction.
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The Menu Rahmah initiative was launched by the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) around 2 months ago to help provide affordable meals during a time of increasing cost of living, but has the initiative been harmful to smaller F&B businesses and disrupted the livelihoods of small traders?
That’s what we explore today on Enterprise BizBytes. First with F&B operator Nazri Adam from Sausage Sizzle to give us the perspective of a proprietor in the business, and then with economist Dr Geoffrey Williams from the Malaysia University of Science and Technology who will get into why he thinks Menu Rahmah is harmful from an economic perspective.
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On March 14 2023, ChatGPT-4 was released. On March 21 2023, Google released its own AI chatbot called ‘Bard’. And there are numerous of them online.
More and more people are dipping their feet in the AI chatbot realm. According to Time.com, just hours after the release of ChatGPT-4, several users said they created computer games in less than a minute by simply asking the chatbot to generate code, resulting in near-perfect renditions of Tetris, Connect Four, Snake, and Pong.
It’s all been rather good news so far. So, you begin to wonder; what’s the catch?
Are there any drawbacks of us utilising ChatGPT more and more everyday?
Today we have with us Faridah Hameed, a communication coach for Business Leaders to discuss how she sees ChatGPT affecting communication skills in business and life.
Briefly, Faridah is a coach and trainer specialising in communication skills by integrating Western insights with Eastern culture. She has conducted training with participants from over 100 countries across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. You can connect with her on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube - just type her name and you'll find her.
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According to the Times of India, there is a possibility that gig work could overtake full-time employment. But due to the lack of job security and employment protections, many countries are calling for regulatory reform to ensure fair treatment.
So how can companies adjust to this still growing economy? And is hiring gig workers better than full timers in the long run?
We discuss this with Tyler Chin, Employee Experience Consultant at Teems and Canna Tan, Senior HR Manager.
Photo Credits: Freepik | DCStudio
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Did you know that nearly 30% of the global population, or around 2.2 billion people, still lack access to safe drinking water? And about 4.2 billion people don't have access to proper sanitation services? These startling statistics underscore the urgency of tackling water-related challenges.
Today we look at world water day with our guests, Faizal Ahmad, Founder, CEO & CTO of Rivil, & Paul Rogers, CEO of the Watertree Project
Photo Credits: Freepik
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Apparently, when it comes to finding the sweet spot for your product or service price, looking at costs and competitors pricing is not enough.
Customers are getting smarter about pricing tactics and psychology.
So how should you price your products or services to keep customers happy? Do consumers still fall for the nine-ending pricing strategy? We speak to Dr Siti Munerah, Lecturer for Principles of Marketing at Sunway University to discuss.
Photo Credits: Freepik
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Today on BizBytes we explore the potential impact that SVB’s collapse could have on the Southeast Asian startup ecosystem with Kevin Brockland, Founder and Managing Partner of Indelible Ventures - a VC that targets seed stage, tech-enabled B2B startups in the region.
It’s been just over a week since US federal regulators stepped in to take over Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) - but the effects are still surfacing. SVB’s fall has caused an overall unease in the startup ecosystem, but has had other domino effects, from hitting bank stocks to setting off a political blame-game in the US.
Bank failures like this have happened before, Investopedia notes that there were more than 550 banks shut down between 2001 and the start of 2023. But this one was particularly newsworthy - because the abrupt fall of the $212 billion bank has triggered the most significant financial crisis in over a decade as it is the largest bank to fail since Washington Mutual closed its doors amid the financial crisis of 2008.
However, if you want to learn more about what led us here and the key developments to watch out for, The Morning Run dove into this a week ago on the podcast ‘SVB Collapse Sign Of Fed's Blindspot’.
Other related shows on BFM:
-How Exposed Are Malaysian Banks To Global Banking
-Credit Suisse Bailout Provides Relief For Now
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Consumers should expect an increase in the prices of fruits and vegetables in the coming weeks due to floods in Johor.
These floods have left many farms submerged, affecting at least 30% of vegetable supply in the market.
But that’s just the start. Have the recent floods in Johor exposed a food insecurity crisis here in Malaysia?
We hear from Dr Sarena Che Omar, Deputy Director of Research at the Khazanah Research Institute.
Photo Credits: Freepik | aleksandarlittlewolf
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Digitalisation has been a key tenet for businesses and industries over the last few years, especially so for financial services, especially with the rise of fintech.
We’ve seen Digital Investment Managers - roboadvisors - introduced in 2018 and last year we saw the issuance of 5 digital bank licenses. Up next, the insurance industry. In November, Bank Negara finally published the long-awaited exposure draft on Digital Insurer and Takaful Operators (DITOs) and in 2023 we could see up to five licenses issued to successful applicants.
Today on BizBytes, we explore the potential of digital insurance, what that means for individuals and business, and whether they’ll be able to compete with the sizable incumbents.
Helping us with this discussion is Ravi Kittane, Partner at Ernst & Young Consulting. Ravi specialises in the financial services sector, focused on digital and technology led transformation at incumbents and challengers in the banking and insurance space.
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A recent Swedish study found that the smartest people are not paid the most. If it’s not intelligence that drives occupational success, what does? And what does being ‘smart’ mean in a company anyway?
We discuss this with Mallory Loone, Founder of Work Inspires.
Photo Credits: Freepik | Drazen Zigic
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We've seen a few notable stories of foreign players investing in or entering Malaysia, whether it's Amazon, Tesla, Shopee, or payments unicorn Xendit, and while we often hear about the need to attract foreign companies and FDI - Foreign Direct Investment - in the name of the country’s development, why is it so important?
Enterprise BizBytes discusses this with former Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ong Kian Ming exploring the importance of bringing in foreign players like these into Malaysia and the criticisms of the value that these company's truly provide when setting up shop in Malaysia.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Fiqah Anugerah Dah Besa
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Over the last few weeks, Enterprise has explored fundraising from various angles. Among other things, we now have a better idea of how much we should be raising, what to keep an eye on when raising from VCs, and whether equity crowdfunding might be right for your business.
That said there’s one crucial element that we haven’t explored yet - how much work goes into fundraising - from what it looks and feels like on the ground, to the type of questions prospective investors ask and the role of storytelling and community.
On the back of their RM 3.4 million equity crowdfunding round, we discuss all this and more with Nadhir Ashafiq, the Co-Founder & Executive Director of regional logistics platform TheLorry.
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What gets measured gets managed is a key management phrase that’s often credited to famed management theorist, Peter Drucker. This looks to be even more relevant today given the emphasis today for businesses to be data-driven to achieve the best possible outcome in every step of the way, from manufacturers to service providers and everyone in between.
But like all things, focusing too much on metrics or the wrong metrics can lead to disaster, so how does one use the right numbers and stats to drive scale and growth?
Today we will be speaking to Vijay Tirathrai, Managing Director at Techstars Dubai Accelerator on how to scale a startup fast and sustainably by using the right business metrics.
Vijay will be in KL from March 15-17, speaking at EO Taipan’s 2023 event - ‘Challenge the Storm’. Learn more at: https://eotaipan.com/masterclass-2023/
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Prostock-studio
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Women have a harder time accessing work globally than previously thought, while the gender gap in working conditions and pay has barely budged in two decades, the United Nations said Monday.
The UN’s International Labour Organisation said it had developed a new indicator that does a better job than official unemployment rates at capturing all people without employment that are interested in finding work.
We hear from E Hun Tan. Executive Director, Research for Social Advancement (REFSA) and discuss the hard truth: The gender gap at work is far worse than expected.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | LightField Studios
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Today is International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is EmbraceEquity according to the World Economic Forum and “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality" according to the United Nations and this highlights the need for inclusive and transformative technology and digital education.
How have things changed over the years? Has there been any improvements to the gender divide? We take a look at this question and more, on today’s IWD Special.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Narint Asawaphisith
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Social media is getting more cluttered. Customer acquisition cost is getting higher. Direct to consumer companies need new techniques to find customers. And in a world where Instagram Reels and TikTok are taking over the digital space, how important is making video content? Is written content outdated?
We speak to Brandon Lee, Co-founder of Digital Marketing Agency Pandan Social to talk more about this.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | New Africa
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Social media is getting more cluttered. Customer acquisition cost is getting higher. Direct to consumer companies need new techniques to find customers. And in a world where Instagram Reels and TikTok are taking over the digital space, how important is making video content? Is written content outdated?
We speak to Brandon Lee, Co-founder of Digital Marketing Agency Pandan Social to talk more about this.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | New Africa
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Given the volatile and choppy nature of sales, how businesses manage their salespeople and sales process can be very important to keep them going. Whether that’s due to an economic slowdown where sales slow down across the board or a personal rough patch for one or 2 salespeople.
Today on BizBytes we explored how to build an effective sales strategy and keep sales going during tough times with Serge Romano, Director and Head Sales Coach with Leverage Sales Coaching Australia.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | fizkes
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As we all know, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work and interact with each other. What changes have occurred in the workplace due to the pandemic? And how are these changes fast-tracking emerging work models? Is there really a power shift in the employee/employer relationship - and where are we now?
We discuss how the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of flexible and remote work models alongside Kulturpop’s Matt Armitage.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Ground Picture
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RM 2 billion will be provided by Bank Negara to fund sustainable technology start-ups and help SMEs implement low-carbon practices. And there are plans to extend the period of tax allowance and green income tax exemption until 2025.
But how comprehensive and encouraging are these allocations for SMEs to start going green, or even going beyond and start practising ESG?
We speak to Margie Ong, CEO of Thoughts In Gear, a sustainability consulting firm in Malaysia to get her thoughts on this.
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Funding is the lifeblood of any SME or startup, but what is the “correct” amount to raise to build and grow a successful business? Today on BizBytes, we explore this with early stage investor Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of Leet Capital.
We also get into:
-How a founder or entrepreneur can assess the value of their business when engaging and negotiating with inventors
-How much funding is an idea worth
-Managing the potential lack of discipline and lack of 'lean-ness' when startups follow the ‘raise as much as you can’ mentality.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Amnaj Khetsamtip
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After Budget 2023 was announced last week, the travel and tourism industry was not entirely happy about it because the ministry is the third smallest in this year’s allocation. Some say it’s too low to help and even the minister himself will be requesting additional funding.
To help us understand more about the current tourism landscape and whether the funding really missed the mark, we speak to Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson.
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | Twinsterphoto
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Last Friday, Prime Minister and Finance Minister tabled a revised national budget. With a total increase of RM15.8 million, how much can MSMEs benefit from this budget compared to the proposed budget last October? What should MSMEs pay close attention to?
We speak to Fung Mei Lin, Entrepreneurial & Private Business Leader, PwC Malaysia.
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Before Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim tables his government’s budget in Parliament, BizBytes focuses on using Budget 2023 to boost youth employment through SMEs and the digital economy with Dr. Siti Nurul Munawwarah Roslan, Lecturer at Taylor’s University’s School of Accounting and Finance.
BizBytes also got into:
-Helping SMEs digitalise
-Looking into alternative data for credit risk assessments
-Helping SMEs offset the cost of going green
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | David Gyung
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While Malaysia’s startup ecosystem has shown a lot of promise and potential, it still lags behind in the region, particularly when compared to Singapore or Indonesia.
On the eve of the tabling of Budget 2023 2.0, we explore what the government can do to better support and stimulate Malaysia’s startup ecosystem to close the gap with regional peers. Helping us with this is Aaron Sarma, General Partner of startup accelerator and VC - ScaleUp Malaysia.
Among other things, we get into:
-Key government initiatives that have had a significant positive impact on the startup landscape
-How to address gaps in startup funding and talent needs
-The importance of creating greater market access
-Whether we need a “Buy Malaysian First” policy
-Why we need to get better at telling great stories about Malaysian startups globally
-The need to simplify the fragmented government support system focused on startups and SMEs.
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The instability, insecurity and relentless upheaval of the past several years has left workers anxious. And now, as layoffs proliferate, and pay fails to keep pace with rising inflation, they’re still worrying – in some cases, more than ever.
Research from Cigna International Health 2023 survey indicates Gen Z is emerging as the most stressed demographic in the workplace, and struggling to cope.
In short, the youngest workers are having the most trouble wrestling with demands of professional life. What’s going on?
Photo Credits: Shuttershock | ViDI Studio
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Tenure and age are somewhat intertwined - we age; we accumulate experience. But being in a company for 40 years is different from being 50 and starting a new role at a new company. Is it being older? Or is being at a company for a longer period able to have more of a positive impact on company performance?
We discuss this with Deepa George, Managing Consultant from MyHRC Services.
Photo Credit: Shuttershock | VideoFlow
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In the most recent Auditor-General report, several questions were raised about the records stored in the MySejahtera app.
The report found that weaknesses included a ‘super-admin’ account that had downloaded information and that the app had been attacked 1.12 million times as of October 27th, 2021 - however the report did not go so far as to say whether these attacks had been successful or not.
We hear from former white hat hacker, CF Fong, CEO & Cybersecurity Consultant, LGMS about the reasons that a ‘super-admin’ account was in place and whether or not the attempts at hacking the app might have been successful.
Photo Credit: Shuttershock | Tero Vesalainen
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Academias have always been split about using tech innovations in the classroom - we all remember the debate years ago about using laptops or smartphones during lessons. But technology is always evolving, and now with ChatGPT in place, should academias adapt or resist? And how can they combat plagiarism among students who love the technology?
We speak to Professor Chengyi Lin, Affiliate Professor of Strategy at INSEAD to learn more.
Photo Credit: Shuttershock | Iryna Imago
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Farm Fresh’s Loi Tuan Ee talks to us about how an entrepreneur's life changes after IPO, buying Inside Scoop, and ensuring that Farm Fresh does not “lose its soul”.
We also get into:
-Managing the pressures that come with leading a public listed company
-How Endeavour has played a positive role in his entrepreneurial journey
-Why entrepreneurs need tough love, not ‘Yes People’
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A month ago, a new e-wallet player entered Malaysia - True Money, a Thai unicorn. That said, given that Malaysia already feels like such a crowded market in the cashless payments space, does True Money really have a chance to gain traction here? And if so, how?
We speak to Dale Kim, the Managing Director of International Business at True Money’s parent company - Ascend Group, to find out.
Among other things, we also get into:
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-How True Money plans to acquire and retain users
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-When we can expect TrueMoney to plug into DuitNow
-True Money’s partnership with Lotus’s hypermarkets and how it can tap into other Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group assets to expand.
-Whether True Money’s entry into Malaysia is an entry point for other CP Group businesses.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Prostock-studio
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Some people think it’s over commercialized, and some think it’s a good excuse to celebrate love and romance.
Despite differing opinions about it, it is a marketing strategy that has worked well over the years.
With that being said, how are SMEs doing on this special day? We’ll be speaking to Penny Choo, Co-founder of BloomThis, a Malaysian online florist, and Marcus Low, the Founder of F&B outlet Table & Apron to find out how their businesses are doing on this lovely day.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock | VGstockstudio
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According to Crunchbase, more than 77,000 workers in U.S.-based tech companies have been laid off in mass job cuts so far in 2023. However, one BigTech company has managed to avoid mass layoffs so far - Apple.
We explore this with Jack Kelly, Founder and CEO of WeCruitr, and Senior Contributing Writer for Forbes, including areas such as:
- -How Apple has managed to avoid mass layoffs so far.
- -Whether Elon Musk kicked started the layoff snowball in tech.
- -key lessons that managers and employers can learn from this .
- -Will 2023 see the end of flexible or remote work.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock | Twinsterphoto
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There’s no shortage of fresh graduates who want to change the world. Full of life, aspirational and ready to take on anything that’s thrown at them. They work hard, and genuinely want to make a difference in a world that’s often jaded, and less than forgiving. A recent report in the American Sociological Review suggests college graduates who are looking for a role with a ‘higher purpose’ will often accept a job that pays less, as long as they feel as though they’re ‘useful to society’.
These ‘prosocial’ jobs reduce the overall bump paid to college-educated workers by about 5 percent, and this might raise a few questions; why are people willing to take less pay for a job that is likely to work them as hard, or even harder than a regular job?
What kind of person is attracted to this kind of work and why, and are companies taking advantage of this when they advertise vacancies with a prosocial slant? Could businesses employing altruistic individuals be actually changing the world a little by reducing income inequality? To help us understand some of the thinking behind this we’ve invited psychiatrist Dr Rosly, from the Mind Matters Clinic, to give us her thoughts on the matter.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Ground Picture
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Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger have launched a new venture to explore social apps, which includes their debut product Artifact. Techcrunch describes the app as “a modern-day twist on Google Reader”, but utilising machine learning and AI.
While Instagram was a highly successful startup, building a second successive winning startup is a big task, especially considering the high failure rate of startups. So today on BizBytes, we ask the question, what does it take to be a successful serial entrepreneur?
We also get Kevin’s thoughts on:
- -Whether serial entrepreneurs are more likely to succeed.
- -The most promising startup areas in Southeast Asia.
- -Funding being the key hurdle in the Malaysian startup ecosystem.
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After years of expansion in Southeast Asia, Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is shutting down its Thailand and Indonesian platforms. While company did not give a reason for the closure, it is largely being seen as a major setback for the company’s overseas expansion efforts.
On the back of this, we speak to Aaron Sarma of ScaleUp Malaysia on how to scale up sustainably, potential pressure on startup valuations, and startup spaces he’s watching in 2023.
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The domestic creative industry has been recognised by the Government as one of the high-impact strategic industries given particular focus under the 12th Malaysia Plan. The creative industry is also targeted to contribute almost RM32bil to the GDP by 2025.
MyCreative Group (aka MyCreative Ventures Sdn Bhd) is established to advance the creative industry, and drive the country's Orange Economy under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital. How is Malaysia working towards achieving its targets?
We speak to Junady Nawawi, Group CEO of MyCreative Group to find out.
Photo Credit : Facebook | MyCreative Ventures
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Last week, Malaysian-based fintech HelloGold announced that they would be closing down its consumer businesses in Malaysia and Thailand, its core business.
In an email to depositors last week, HelloGold said that the “business in its current form is no longer commercially viable in the current market conditions,”
Today on BizBytes we speak to Robin Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of HelloGold on how it got to this, what comes next for HelloGold, and what startups and founders can learn from this.
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Employers that don't share pay ranges in a job posting may lose out on talent from soon-to-be and recent graduates.
According to a new survey of recent and upcoming US post-secondary and recent graduates, 85% reported they are "less likely to apply for a job if the company does not disclose the salary range in the job posting."
Does that sentiment hold true here in Malaysia? We hear from Cilia Rasasegram, Chief Experience Officer, Kindler Employee Experience about how fresh graduates and Gen Z in particular feel about this.
Photo Credit : Shuttertock | Prostock-studio
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80% of Malaysian consumers report cutting back on their non-essential spending according to insights from PwC.
In order to better navigate this challenging environment, businesses may need to start considering new and more effective marketing strategies in order to keep sales going. And one of these channels is live selling.
The Enterprise team explores this with Fariz Maswan, Head of Sales & Partnership at Ninja Van Malaysia.
Ninja Van recently released a whitepaper, focused on live selling in the region.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock | Fit Ztudio
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According to Crunchbase, more than 58,000 workers in U.S.-based tech companies have been laid off in mass job cuts so far in 2023, but what’s the situation like in Malaysia for the tech sector job market?
We speak to Fahad Naeem, Country Director at Randstad Malaysia to find out.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock | VideoFlow
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Besides politics, it is rare for leaders in business organisations to step aside as it takes a different level of self-awareness to do so.
As leaders balance the desire for power and corporate responsibility, there is a right time to leave. When is the right time?
Should it be at the leader’s peak or lowest? How should it be done? We discuss this with Hetal Doshi, CEO & Organizational Psychologist of O-Psych, to know when it’s time to let go, no matter how much leaders desire to cling on.
Photo Credit : Shutterstock | fizkes
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In case you hadn’t heard, quite a lot of people are worried about a global recession in 2023. That said in Malaysia, some economists that The Edge spoke to earlier this month, don’t expect to see a recession but do expect a slowdown in growth.
Now whether it’s a recession or a slowing of growth, this could mean a potential impact to revenue of some businesses, and while one way to deal with this is to cut costs, the other is to look into growth areas and tap into that.
Today on BizBytes we take a look at one of these potential growth areas - the Islamic economy, otherwise referred to as the Halal economy, with Ruslena Ramli, Director of Islamic Digital Economy, Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC)
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The hotel sector has found it to be difficult to replenish its workforce as hotel jobs are perceived as 3D -- dirty, dangerous and difficult — which has long been considered unappealing by locals. It also reported that it has problems recruiting new talents as the younger generations, Gen-Z who prefer gig economy jobs and tend not to prefer working long hours despite overtime pays. But are the Gen-Zs the one to be blamed for hotel staff shortage?
We discuss this with Shaharuddin M Saaid, Executive Director, Malaysian Association of Hotel Owners (better known as MAHO).
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While education is largely the domain of the government, the ecosystem is filled with and supported by a variety of non-government players, whether it’s private and international schools, the very many tuition centres we have, or non-profits or social enterprises.
In conjunction with International Day of Education, today on Enterprise BizBytes we explore the role that smaller, non-traditional private education players can have in the system with Kelvin Tan, CEO & Co-Founder of social enterprise Project ID.
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Bloomberg recently reported that Crypto startups are facing a terrible time attracting investment following FTX's collapse, with VC investments falling to their lowest in almost 2 years, round tripping back to pre-pandemic days.
That said, even before FTX fell, we saw big names in the space crumble. There was the meltdown of TerraLUNA, as well as the falls of crypto lender Celsius, crypto broker Voyager Digital, and hedge fund Three Arrows Capital.
And just yesterday there were reports that we could see a bankruptcy filing as soon as this week from Genesis Global Capital.
All this begs the question, where does the crypto ecosystem go from here?
We explore this question with Zhong Yang Chan, Head Of Research at CoinGecko, the world's largest independent cryptocurrency data aggregator, and Varun Mittal, Chief Growth Officer at Singlife with Aviva and author of The Fintech Nation.
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Going into 2023, one of the key things concerned was a global recession, and this continues to be the case.
Now while definitions of what constitutes recession differ around the world, it essentially means a shrinking economy, ultimately due to lower business and consumer spending.
In fact, some numbers overnight show that U.S. retail sales fell by the most in a year in December, further highlighting this concern as consumer spending is essential for many businesses, and therefore the economy.
So today we turn our attention to consumer sentiment in Malaysia and ways businesses can adapt to the possibility of falling consumer spending with Rakesh Mani, Partner at PWC Malaysia - leading the consumer and retail practice across the region.
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The Year of Rabbit is hopping in.
With talks about recession looming and Malaysians looking to tighten their spending, how are SMEs faring this festive season? Are customers spending more than before?
Are businesses in full bloom? We speak to Raymond Khue (Q), Executive Director of household dried meat/bakwa brand Oloiya,
and Amy and Ester Tai, the Founders and Sister-Duoof local shoe brand, Machino
to talk about how their customers are spending as Malaysians prepare for Chinese New Year.
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Open AI’s ChatGPT has caused quite a stir, with some thinking it could disrupt Google's very important and very lucrative Search business.
While we have seen stories of startups disrupting incumbents, over the last 15 years or so the norm seems to have been that these potential disruptors are acquired or copied before being able to do any serious damage.
So for founders and entrepreneurs, and the investors who backed them, how do they determine if they should try to go the distance and disrupt the incumbents or if they should exit cash-in? We explore this with Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 Ventures
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Last week, two regional fintech unicorns entered Malaysia, offering payments solutions and e-wallet capabilities. With so many cashless payment options out there, too many to some, where could two new players potentially fit in? Vincent Fong, Chief Editor of Fintech news Malaysia helps us uncover all of that.
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“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Many business owners might have a love/hate relationship with planning. But planning out your business strategy for the whole year is indispensable to set goals for your business and how to achieve them. We speak to Chan Leong Teng, CEO of Skribble to talk about the Dos and Don’ts of building your business strategy for the new year.
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Funding is a key part of a startups’ journey and growth. In the last few years Equity Crowdfunding has become an important avenue for Malaysian businesses to raise funds. This includes companies such as logistics player TheLorry.com, P2P lender Fundaztic, homegrown robo advisor Akru, and many more. In fact in 2021, around RM221 million was raised by 104 issuers, representing a 73.5% jump from2020.
To dive deeper into the role of ECF in the Malaysian startup and SME landscape, and whether it is a realistic source of funding, on the show we have Kashminder Singh - CIO and Co-Founder of pitchIN, Malaysia’s biggest ECF platform, which accounted for 38% of all funding raised in 2021.
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Are your employees leaving one after another lately? Well, when it comes to hiring and retaining talent in companies, there are many mistakes that your company is making that you might or might not be aware of. We sit down with Camelia Loh, Founder & CEO of Kabel, an HR Tech company, to discuss these mistakes that might help you figure out what you can do to help with employee recruitment and retention.
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China is reopening and we can expect an influx of Chinese tourists soon, especially this Chinese New Year and after. To get perspectives of tourism and travel business owners and the overall industry, today we’re speaking to Nigel Wong, Honorary Treasurer & Spokesperson, of MATTA - the Malaysian Association of Tour and Travel Agents.
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It’s already 2023. Malaysian companies can no longer avoid adopting ESG into their systems. But a common concern is still that ESG may be costly and time-consuming. Is this a myth or reality? To help us better understand the current ESG landscape, common misconceptions, and why it matters for SMEs and startups, we speak to Ahila Ganesan, Founder of Future LinQ.
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According to a recent ECA International research, while we deal with the rising cost of living - our soy sauce, fuel, rice and cooking oil, Malaysia is in fact one of the cheaper places for expatriates to work at. We speak to Lee Quane, Regional Director for Asia at ECA International to understand more about being a relatively cheaper country to work in and what this means to our country.
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It’s now 2023, which means some big changes for how businesses operate as the amended Employment Act came into force, effective January 1st.
The amendments were initially supposed to come into play in September 2022, but was deferred as it seemed like companies were generally not ready, with some, including the Malaysian Employers Federation, attributing this to businesses still having to manage and adapt to the aftermath of the pandemic, the recent floods, and other uncertainties on the global stage.
So what does this mean for companies moving forward? The Enterprise team discussed this with Canna Tan, a senior HR manager.
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After 2 years of pandemic, Malaysia’s travel and tourism industry is seeing better days. How has the industry fared in 2022 and are things going to get better in 2023?
- We speak to Angelica Chan, Country Manager at Traveloka Malaysia, Michael Van Ommen, Director and Chief Hospitality Officer of Filoxenia, representing Temple Tree Resort Langkawi and Zulkifli Rahman, Director of Sales and Marketing at The Ritz-Carlton Langkawi to take a look back on Malaysia’s travel and tourism in 2022 and what we can expect in 2023.
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Should businesses aim towards growth or profitability? That is the discussion many companies are facing and also struggling to balance. We speak to Ray Chou, CEO of Infront Consulting Group, Master Business Coach at OwnersCircle and President of EO Malaysia for some thoughts on how to approach this fundamental question behind most businesses to start off the new year.
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Internships are part of many university students’ training programmes to ease them into the workforce before they step into the ‘real world’. With that being said, most interns are given little to no salary. Besides, Malaysia’s minimum wage does not cover interns, unfortunately. We speak to Derek Toh, founder and CEO of Hiredly to discuss why interns are not covered under the minimum wage and whether it is even legal for companies to offer unpaid internships.
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Every business’ overarching dream is to expand nationwide and region-wide, or at least have their name out there in the world. But what resources do you need to expand your business? How do you expand without losing quality? How do you find the right people? We speak to the founder of Flow Studio, Tiffany Yow. Flow Studio currently has 3 branches in Malaysia and 1 in Singapore.
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you’ll have seen social media – and most of the Internet, swamped with AI images. Some of your friends might have even posted them giving examples of what they might look like as a superhero, or as a Pixar character — all manners of interpretations of the human form. And yet, all of these images are not real, convincing as they are, they were created by a series of algorithms.
Technology is moving so fast these days, that we now have chatbots that can convincingly mimic human conversations, that can mimic our voice and can realistically produce ‘art’ - or can they?
On today’s show we’re going to be exploring that idea, and how these algorithms might potentially affect the income and hard-work of the ‘traditional’ artist.
Joining us a little later on the phone is Alan Quah - he’s a Malaysian Comic Artist whose works have graced the pages of Marvel, DC Comics, and Lucasfilm to name just a few and Lai Theng Seng from Studio Behind 90s, an illustrator who worked with Cuckoo and AirAsia, (he did one for Netflix as well) among many big brands.
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The younger generation is more open to experimenting with different styles and one of the booming trends they love is thrifting - buying second-hand clothes. Is thrifting really sustainable? Or is it just another problem added on to overconsumption and consumerism? We speak to Melissa Tan, Climate Action and Sustainability Advocate, Country Coordinator for Fashion Revolution Malaysia to discuss what thrifting really is.
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We’re well into the final month of 2022 and it would be worthwhile to do a final wrap up of the year for the travel and tourism industry with a quick look towards what’s in store for the sector going into 2023. Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson joins us to give us her take.
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Google laying off 10,000 employees, Shopee having its third round of layoff this year, and trimming from Netflix, Twitter, Meta and the ongoing recession - many have been laid off. And it’s predicted for layoffs to ramp up after Christmas. It creates inevitable stress and anxiety among employees wondering whether they’ll be the next to be laid off too. What can you do when you’re laid off? And what can you do about layoff anxiety? We speak to Dr Anasuya Jegathevi Jegathesan, Dean of Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Cyberjaya to touch on this.
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Such as a simple 2 letter word yet something that many of us find it hard to say at work when the situation warrants it. Why is it so hard for many of us to do so at the workplace? Cilia Rasasegram, HR Consultant and Chief Experience Officer at Kindler Employee Experiences Project joins us to help us understand the perceived stigma around saying no at the workplace and how saying no every once in a while can be a good thing.
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Influencer marketing has been gaining more traction with major brands engaging influencers to create awareness on their products or services. But how effective is this form of marketing? We speak to Jan Wong, Co-founder & Online Strategist at OpenMinds Resources to get his take on influencer marketing and how it can be leveraged for today’s businesses.
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Risk management guides businesses in decision-making and planning. But standard risk management processes are not perfect due to their rigid methodology. By adding a behavioural dimension to risk management, the process can be refined further to provide a clearer risk profile.
We speak to Nur Hamurcu, Partner at &SAMHOUD and Dr. Wieke Scholten, Behavioral Risk Expert at &SAMHOUD.
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Many large and well-established organisations have started to implement ESG into their business practices. But for SMEs, ESG adoption is relatively slower due factors like costs and many are still struggling with post-pandemic recovery. We speak to Cheah Kok Hoong, president of the ESG Association of Malaysia & adjunct professor at Sunway University, to understand the present level of ESG adoption among businesses and SMEs, and how to make more Malaysian businesses accept and implement ESG practices.
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No business should underestimate the importance of good content. And writing good content is able to draw conversions more successfully for your business because good content = good branding. But what is good (and bad) content? And how can you write good content? We speak to Chan Leong Teng, CEO of digital marketing consultantcy Skribble to talk to us all about that.
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Transparency is no longer just an option for businesses and startups. The fall of big names such as Theranos and FTX have brought to light the critical need to be transparent and accountable in the way businesses are run. We speak to Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 [Leet] Ventures to better understand the importance of transparency among today’s startups and entrepreneurs.
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As Malaysia’s job market picks up pace, employers are seeing a shift when it comes to employee expectations. How does this affect employment and what are the current hiring trends? Ku Sim Ling, Director of Corporate Services at PersolKelly Malaysia explains the findings of PersolKelly’s latest study on employment and the projected trends moving forward.
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Micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are the backbone of most developing countries. Hence why many countries have also developed initiatives to encourage entrepreneurship to grow MSMEs to strengthen the economy. But are the initiatives enough to encourage entrepreneurship? What are the actual reasons for Malaysians to become entrepreneurs? Dr Melati Nungsari, Assistant Professor of Economics at the Asia School of Business, explains the factors that can drive a sole entrepreneurial idea or intent into real action.
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Yesterday, our new Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced Monday as a public holiday. Similarly during the election, the 18th and 19th of November were public holidays to allow Malaysians to go home and vote. The question for many employees is: are these public holidays applicable to them? Or is it just an option for employers to decide on their holidays? We speak to Ivan Aaron Francis, Associate Lawyer at Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors and Canna Tan, a senior HR Manager.
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Your business partners are people who represent your company and brand image as they help market your company when they speak to potential clients. That’s why it is advised to give your partners training too. We speak to Ray Chou, CEO of Infront Consulting Group, Master Business Coach at OwnersCircle and President of EO Malaysia to talk about this.
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The pandemic has made many people realign their thoughts on well-being, especially in the work environment. Employers are also growing more aware of the need to offer something more than just job opportunities and competitive salaries. We speak to Clarence Zhang, Co-Founder and Country Manager of Mednefits Malaysia as he joins us to discuss workplace benefits as a whole and how flexible work benefits might be the way forward towards businesses and organisations attracting and retaining talents.
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During the polling day last Saturday, many businesses gave discounts and promotions to Malaysians who voted. But were businesses really helping and encouraging people to vote or was this just clever marketing? We speak to Chin Ren Yi, Co-Founder of myBurgerLab to better understand the drivers behind the marketing approach during elections and how effective it is.
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Innovating is no longer an option in today’s business environment. It is essential for surviving amongst a sea of competition. So what would it mean for businesses or organisations to innovate and why is it important for them to do so? Sheila Singam, Managing Partner at Human Equation joins us to discuss how businesses can think out of the box and innovate through the ‘Three Box’ philosophy.
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A few recent surveys have shown that Malaysian workers can expect to see an increment in their paychecks next year. But with inflation rates moving upwards, is the salary increase enough to cover our cost of living? Or is the increase presented just enough to match with inflation? And what is the salary increase like in other countries in the region? We’ll find out more as we speak to Lee Quane, Regional Director in Asia at ECA International on this.
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Sustainability efforts have been at the forefront recently with many businesses realigning their practices towards a more sustainable future. An important equation in the conversation is sustainable financing. So what is sustainable financing and how is it different from our template understanding of financing? We speak to Chua Zhu Lian, group managing director at Vision Group to give us a breakdown of the concept of sustainable financing and how it helps shape today’s business practices.
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Many businesses today are not fully tapping into their potential as they have yet to harness the power of Search Engine Optimisation aka SEO. So what is SEO and how can businesses and organisations benefit from it? We speak to Jaap Snoeck Henkemans (Yap Snook Henkemans), a search engine optimisation expert and Anna Loi, Co-founder, Good & Honest Co to better understand how SEO works and why businesses should be taking a serious look into it.
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Women entrepreneurs are stepping into the forefront of business. But what are the challenges faced by these women entrepreneurs? We speak to Associate Professor Grace Lee Hooi Yean, Head of Economics Department, Dr Sharon Koh Geok May, Senior Lecturer and Dr Juliana Angeline French, Head of Marketing Department from the Monash University Malaysia School of Business to understand women in business and what can be done to address pain points of women’s entrepreneurial journey.
It’s also Women’s Entrepreneurship Day this November 19 but here at BFM, we’re celebrating it this Wednesday, November 16. We’ll share more details in a bit.
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With GE15 right around the corner, many businesses are experiencing a noticeable shift compared to normal times. How do they navigate this change of pace? We spoke to Ryan Ng, senior manager from gifts and premiums supplier IG Premiums, and Allen Chua, a banner printer, to hear their on-the-ground experience with their businesses during the election period.
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As some Malaysians’ spirits are lifted to feel involved in the upcoming election, some will choose to express their support towards their party of preference, by wearing t-shirts, caps or even using umbrellas that bear political party logos, especially during rallies, For some even political figures or slogans. But can anyone simply print any political merchandise during campaign season? Is it even legal to do so? We explore this with Puvaneswary Vickramasingam, Senior Lecturer at Brickfields Asia College.
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Remote working has allowed many businesses and organisations to hire global talents to bolster their workforce. While this is a positive development, it also opens up a Pandora's box of issues from managing the different time zones to other challenges that might come from having a global team collaboration. We speak to Joelle Pang, general manager of FastJobs Asia to get an insight into this unique position and its issues with a look at how it can be addressed.
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As GE15 approaches, party banners, flags, buntings and posters have been put up almost everywhere around housing areas and roadsides as politicians campaign in their respective constituencies. We can’t help but wonder who will be collecting them post elections? What are the guidelines for placing and disposing of party flags? Where does election litter go - to the landfill or to a recycling plant? We discuss this with Rajiv Rishyakaran, ADUN of Bukit Gasing.
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With the growing awareness of ESG best practices these days, a new crop of entrepreneurs have answered the call by balancing sustainability practices and entrepreneurship. So what makes sustainable entrepreneurship different? We speak with Harith Ridzuan, co-founder of The Green Factory, to get a better idea of what sustainable entrepreneurship is, and why it matters for our collective future.
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Microsoft’s latest Work Trend Index report has been released and it shows some interesting data around the current work trends. One of which is a growing gap in how different employers and employees perceive hybrid working. We speak to Rosalind Quek, General Manager for Modern Work at Microsoft Asia to explain about this study and its key findings.
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Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) schemes have been a big part of the e-commerce space for the past 2 years and are projected to continue growing rapidly in Malaysia. With a lower entry barrier compared to other financial institutions, how has it changed our shopping habits? Vernon Chua, CEO of Innergia Labs joins us to discuss how BNPL has changed e-commerce and the factors behind its rising popularity.
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The upcoming GE 15 will be closely watched and scrutinised, with major contests expected across the country. Another space to watch is social media platforms, which have made it easier for politicians or political parties to spread information in the run-up to the election. Dr. Niki Cheong, Lecturer in Digital Culture and Society at King's College London, joins us to discuss the political social media landscape and how it has allowed politicians and political parties to connect with potential voters… or to confuse them?
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According to the e-Conomy SEA 2022 report, about 100 million of the 460 million internet users in SEA have come online in the past 3 years. How can businesses continue to embrace digitalisation, and what resources or support structures are out there to help SMEs build their digital resilience? Claire Featherstone, Maxis’ Acting Chief Enterprise Business Officer, explains.
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Emotions can play a key role in how an organisation functions. Hope, however, is one emotion that’s often overlooked though it can play a complex role in any business or organisation. We speak to Deepa George, Managing Consultant at MYHRC to discuss the multi-faceted role of hope in organisations and how companies can leverage it without the pitfalls.
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The best way to learn is to make mistakes; the second best way is to learn from the mistakes of others. Communication and connections have emerged as key to the success of many entrepreneurs; but exactly how much time and effort should be dedicated to creating and maintaining your business peer network? Nick Jonsson, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Executives’ Global Network Malaysia, explains.
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With GE15 coming up, we check in with Chin Chee Seong, national secretary general for the SME Association of Malaysia on SMEs’ hopes for the next elected government coming into power and how political stability can help businesses thrive in the years moving forward.
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Digital transformation is more than a buzz word these days with businesses and organisations embarking on digitalisation efforts in a bid to keep up with the current business landscape. So how can digital transformation initiatives align with sustainability practices? Margie Ong, CEO for Thoughts In Gear (TIG) joins us to discuss current awareness levels when it comes to sustainability and how digital transformation can help businesses with their sustainability efforts.
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Communication is an important skill that can make or break a leader. But how does leadership communication differ from normal forms of communication and what makes it effective? Dr. Patricia Lau from the School of Business at Monash University Malaysia joins us to share her thoughts on what leadership communication is and how it can be a powerful tool in any organisation's leadership.
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For many of us, it’s hard to say NO especially in the workplace environment. While the pandemic has liberalised work culture by allowing WFH or remote working, it has also blurred boundaries between personal life and work. So how do we get back some semblance of control in all this? How can we benefit from setting up work boundaries? We speak to Sheila Singam, Managing Partner at Human Equation to understand the importance of having boundaries and how they can be set up effectively.
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The ‘Great Resignation’ is a global phenomenon that came from employees deciding to rethink and reprioritize their mindset and approach to work. But according to a survey conducted by Robert Walters, this has not quite caught on in Southeast Asia. The interesting question to ask here is why? Ai Rene Tan, country manager of Robert Walters Malaysia joins us to give us an insight into the survey and also the factors behind this trend in the region.
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The travel industry has started to flex its wings as most countries around the world have begun relaxing their restrictions to welcome more travellers. We speak to Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson as she updates us on the happenings within the travel industry in the 3rd quarter of the year and what to expect moving towards the final stretch of the year.
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According to the ‘Global 2022 Gen Z and Millennial' survey conducted by Deloitte, Malaysian employers are saying it is a challenge to hire and retain Gen Z and millennial talents due to the ‘Great Resignation’. But what is the actual cause behind these challenges? To get a deeper dive into this issue, we speak to Lee Yun-Han, Consulting Director of Deloitte Southeast Asia to discuss how businesses need to rethink their strategies when it comes to attracting and retaining younger workers.
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It is reported that some meetings not only waste time but also a LOT of money - US$100mil (RM461.15mil) to be exact for big companies. So, is it time we ditch meetings and just use email instead? Helen Langhammer, Director of Aspire Consulting shares her thoughts.
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Digital transformation has been talked about a lot these days as more businesses and organisations identify the need to digitise themselves to stay competitive. So what are the factors driving this push and how can Malaysia’s economy benefit from all this? We speak with Raymond Siva, Head of Digital Investment at MDEC to understand Malaysia’s digital push and also on how it’ll drive Malaysia’s economy forward.
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Helping employers rethink and strategize on flexible work arrangements moving forward is vital for the workplace. So what is the flexible work arrangements (FWA) initiative all about and how can employers benefit from it? Thomas Mathew, Group CEO of TalentCorp Malaysia joins us to provide an insight into the FWA landscape in Malaysia and TalentCorp’s initiative to encourage its adoption.
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The recently announced Budget 2023 has been put forward amidst ongoing uncertainty surrounding a few factors. With the dissolution of parliament on the 10th of October, we discussed the tabled budget to get an idea of how SMEs stand to benefit from it. We also look towards what the budget might look like the next time it’s retabled after GE15. Keegan Ong, Tax Executive Director, PwC and Yap Sau Shiung, Head of Digital and Tax Technology Partner, PwC joins us to unpack the details.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life
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Budget 2023 is set to be tabled with the theme “Strengthening Recovery, Facilitating Reforms Towards Sustainable Socio-Economic Resilience of Keluarga Malaysia”. Along this vein, we decided to take a hard look at Malaysia’s current employability rate and job market with a check in on our startup ecosystem with Derek Toh, Founder and CEO of Hiredly.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life
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Intelligent Manufacturing or Smart manufacturing started as a concept roughly over 10 years ago. But how many of us actually know what that means and how it aligns with the concepts of Industry 4.0? We’ll be speaking to Saj Kumar, Regional Business Lead for Manufacturing at Microsoft Asia to get a background into what all this means and also a look into how it is changing the manufacturing landscape.
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The struggles that come along with starting new ventures and businesses often go undiscussed. So what should you prepare for when embarking on the path of entrepreneurship? Yap Sue Yii, serial entrepreneur and founder and CEO of Komuniti Tukang Jahit, joins us to share the truths behind founding startups and discuss how to overcome the challenges that are inherent when starting a new business.
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The recent ‘8th Business Sentiment Survey’ by the EU-ASEAN Business Council (EU-ABC) reinforced ASEAN’s position as a strong trading partner for the EU. Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council, unpacks what makes the ASEAN region a prime location for EU businesses.
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Are our youths equipped with sufficient digital skills when most businesses are moving towards digitalisation? Together with the recent study by DOSM that shows nearly 70 percent of our SPM graduates not wanting to further their studies in tertiary education, what should we be doing to address this? Dr. Nagulendran a/l Kangayatkarasu, Deputy Secretary General at MOSTI joins us to discuss the factors of this situation and the various initiatives being put forward to encourage the interest in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) among our youths.
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With the mergers and acquisition culture becoming more common in today’s business environment, many business owners and startup entrepreneurs need to seriously consider having an exit strategy in place just in case. But with many ways to go about it and different factors to consider, where do they even begin? Ray Chou, CEO of Infront Consulting Group, Master Business Coach at OwnersCircle and President of EO Malaysia joins us to discuss the intricacies behind the whole process and maybe help business owners out there prepare themselves better.
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In today’s competitive work environment, more people are foregoing their vacations or paid time off to squeeze in more responsibilities and work. But is this a productive move in any way? What are the hidden dangers in pushing oneself this way? We are joined by Dr Anasuya Jegathevi Jegathesan, Dean of Psychology and Social Sciences at the University of Cyberjaya, to help us understand the motivations behind why employees are pushing themselves and why it is important to be able to take a step back and just recharge every once in a while.
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The digital nomad lifestyle is slowly gaining traction especially post-pandemic with many people embracing this unique approach to work. Malaysia has also recently announced the ‘DE Rantau’ program in a bid to capitalise on the growing economic potential from being the destination of choice for digital nomads. So what is a digital nomad and what’s driving the growth behind this lifestyle adoption? We speak to Lydia Lee, Founder of ‘Screw The Cubicle’ and work reinvention strategist to shed some light on the digital nomad lifestyle and its growing popularity.
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More and more of our youths are slipping into the low-skills, low-wage trap. What does this all mean? What are the factors behind this and are we doing enough to address this issue? We speak with Calvin Cheng, Senior Analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia to understand the issue and discuss the possible solutions Malaysia should be looking into.
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For some entrepreneurs, having one venture is not enough. They are always looking towards the next ‘big idea’ that sparks their interests and to challenge themselves. To understand what it takes to run multiple ventures without running out of steam, we speak with Arieni Ritzal, a serial entrepreneur with multiple F&B businesses under her belt.
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The Inland Revenue Board (IRB) has recently issued a guideline to provide clarity on the tax status of digital currencies and digital tokens. With Malaysian crypto ownership estimated to be 20 percent above the global average of 15 percent, this could be a sizable tax revenue if done correctly. Keegan Ong, Tax Executive Director from PwC joins us to dissect the contents of this guideline and what it could mean for digital asset ownership in Malaysia.
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Business insurance is often overlooked or low on the company’s priority list as it involves expenditure without direct tangible returns. The various myths and misconceptions surrounding business insurance also does not help with its uptake numbers. Ng Kok Kheng, CEO of Great Eastern General Insurance (Malaysia) and deputy chairman of the Persatuan Insurans Am Malaysia (PIAM) joins us to answer the various questions surrounding business insurance and why it’s important for businesses to be covered.
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What’s needed to stay ahead in today’s business environment filled with disruptive innovation? According to a statistic on the Harvard Business Review, about half of the companies on the Fortune 500 list have gone bankrupt, been acquired, or ceased to exist. The message is clear: businesses need to adapt and innovate. Bikesh Lakhmichand, CEO of 1337 Ventures, joins us to unpack what corporate innovation means and why it is essential.
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You might think Gen Z, being the generation that grew up at an era where digital technology was developing at a rapid pace, would be the generation that embraces work from home or hybrid work arrangements. You would be mistaken. Gen Zs are actually showing a keen interest to return to the physical office. To understand this strange phenomenon and why this is happening, we speak with Mallory Loone, Co-Founder and Lead Trainer at Work Inspires.
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Most countries within the Southeast Asian region have begun reopening with further easing of restrictions. This means the runway is once again open for the tourism and travel industry to chart a course for recovery. We hear from Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson as she gives us the latest update on this sector that’s an important part of many SEA countries’ GDP numbers and how she sees the industry faring in the next few months.
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After three consecutive OPR hikes in a matter of 4 months, have our inflationary pressures really decreased? We have discussed how inflation impacts the business environment, but there also needs to be a look into how rising overnight policy rates can affect businesses in particular SMEs and MSMEs. To help us understand how the OPR hikes can affect Malaysian businesses, we speak to Carmelo Ferlito, CEO for the Centre for Market Education.
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What does spirituality mean in the context of a workplace? As human beings, we tend to focus on the tangible such as the physical and material plane instead of the spiritual side of things. But why is spirituality important in the modern work environment? Sheila Singam, managing partner at Human Equation joins us to discuss what workplace spirituality means and how it can play a positive role in an organisation.
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Malaysians are a talented lot and have certainly made their mark across all industries such as sports, science, business and even entertainment. The question is, why aren’t they back home contributing to our nation’s development with their expertise? Deepa George, managing consultant at MYHRC joins us to help unpack this issue and what Malaysia can do to potentially attract our local talents back home.
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In kindergarten, do you remember being fascinated and captivated by the stories your teachers told during story time? Well, that doesn’t change when it comes to attracting customers. Storytelling is one of the most powerful marketing tools, and we discuss why your startup needs a story and it needs someone to tell the story. Associate Professor Dr. Nurul Nisa Omar, the Dean of Faculty of Arts & Science at International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) joins the conversation to tell you exactly how to do that.
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We’re currently a fair few months into all sectors reopening and roughly 4 months before the end of 2022. How have our businesses and SMEs been doing so far? According to a report by Moody’s Investors Service, businesses in the emerging markets within the APAC region are projected to perform better than competitors in the developed markets but is this the case for Malaysia? We hear from Chin Chee Seong, National Secretary General of the SME Association of Malaysia as he gives us an update on how our SMEs are doing.
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How important are Learning and Development opportunities to employees today? According to the Randstad 2022 Workmonitor survey, 97 percent of employees want to be upskilled. We take a deep dive into the survey to better understand the findings and the psyche behind the employee mindset today. Sruthi Nambiar from Randstad Malaysia joins us to unpack the details.
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Online shopping has been on the upward trend with many of us finding it convenient to purchase what we need online. A bulk of these purchases are actually low-value goods buoyed by impulse buying due to the low price point. The dewan rakyat has recently passed an amendment to the Sales Tax which will allow these low-value goods to be taxed. To get some insights into this new tax and its potential impacts, we speak to Zen Chow from YYC Tax consultants.
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What is the metaverse? To many of us, it’s a virtual universe in which we can shop, play games, or even work. To big tech companies and businesses, it is a market of untapped potential that everyone is jumping into. It’s also been called the next iteration of the internet which will change the web as we know it. We speak to Khalid Gibran, Co-founder and CEO of Meta Universe to learn more about the metaverse and how it is being positioned to change the way we work in the future.
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MIHAS was one of the key contributors to Malaysia’s positive trade performance which reached a record high of RM2.2 trillion in 2021. In this vein, MIHAS 2022 is back with a hybrid showcase and with its theme to diversify Halal possibilities, MIHAS wants to connect foreign businesses and trades with Malaysian companies to leverage Malaysia’s halal exports. We speak to Sharimahton Mat Saleh, Deputy Ceo (Export Acceleration) of MATRADE about what value MIHAS 2022 can bring to the Halal industry to elevate Malaysian Halal exports.
This episode is brought to you by MATRADE.
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Malaysia is currently beset by a shortage of skilled labour and TVET talents. A report in the Edge detailed how this is actually hampering our pandemic recovery. What has led up to this situation unfolding? We speak to Sofea Azhar, a senior researcher from ISIS Malaysia to understand the issue at hand and how TVET uptake might be the solution to our shortage of skilled labour.
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Mergers and acquisitions are part and parcel of the corporate environment. When done right, it can build industry giants. A few good examples of this working out in a big way are Google and Android, Disney and Pixar. Yet, 70 to 90 percent of mergers and acquisitions break down which leads to the curious question, why? We speak to Cilia Rasasegram, HR Consultant and Chief Experience Officer at Kindler Employee Experiences Project to understand the importance of having the right cultures and values in place during the M&A process.
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Young graduates these days are facing challenges kick-starting their career as they cannot get a job without experience, yet they cannot get the necessary experience without a job. What has led up to this situation plaguing our young graduates and how can it be addressed? We speak to Andrew Pereira, CEO of General Assembly Malaysia to understand the issue and discuss the solutions moving forward.
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As we move into the modern age of marketing, do traditional methods such as billboards and print ads still have a place in selling a product or service? Digital marketing has started to gain traction as people discover the power of connectivity and granular data that it offers. We speak to Anna Loi, co-founder of Good & Honest Co to understand the importance of digital marketing and how it can help businesses reach out to their target audiences.
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Our understanding of traditional social media has been based on a top-down approach from content creators to followers who interact by liking or commenting on the released content. Recently, there has been a shift to social chat programs such as Discord, Geneva and Telegram due to their perceived openness and safer space while offering a more engaging experience to their users. We speak to Jan Wong, Founder & Online Strategist at OpenMinds Resources to understand this shift and what it means for the social media landscape.
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Running a business is no easy feat with financing and cash flow being a constant concern. The Edge Malaysia recently issued a cover story detailing how SMEs are struggling with loan repayments and applying for new loans.This is amidst other issues such as raw material prices, inflation and labour shortages hampering potential growth. We speak to Dr Mohd Shahreen Madros, Adjunct Professor at UKM Graduate Business School to understand the issues around SME financing.
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Global food security is threatened by food price hike, climate change and labour shortage, it has triggered a global crisis that will drive millions more into extreme poverty and magnifying hunger. Knowing this, how and why are we still wasting food? In fact, food waste is increasing year on year globally. And many have made strides to solve this problem, specifically with technology. We speak to Preston Wong, the founder of the Singaporean food waste app treatsure, to learn more about how he saved 30 tonnes of food from going to waste.
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Despite rising popularity, are ESG investments really delivering the positive impact it’s supposed to? According to the Harvard Business Review, this is not always the case. The funds contained within these investments are not the same as capital that’s needed to effect change within the ESG space as they are focused on financial returns. We speak to Dr Renard Siew, Sustainability and Climate Change expert to get his thoughts on this.
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Malaysia is rated as the cheapest location to hire expats by a recent ECA International survey. What does being the “cheapest” mean and what does it translate to in terms of the talents that are available or unavailable in Malaysia? We speak toLee Quane, Regional Director of Asia at ECA International.
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Digital banking has been an important part of the Asian financial system for a while now. The pandemic further spurred its adoption as most of us have started accessing banking services in relative safety behind our mobile phones or computers. With many countries within the region recently issuing licences for digital banks, we discuss the future of digital banking in Asia with Professor Antonio Fatas, Professor of Economics at INSEAD.
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In the post pandemic work environment, the scope for job satisfaction has now widened beyond just wages and company benefits to include work culture and value systems. This is becoming more important as employees tend to gravitate towards organisations that share similar values as they do. We speak to Sheila Singam, managing partner at Human Equation to understand the role of values in an organisation.
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Risk decisioning or risk assessment has traditionally been a detail intensive task with someone sifting through information or data to make informed decisions based on the risk profiles. With AI in the picture, things become more interesting as this allows for a large amount of data to be processed with the risk profile generated for review. To get an insight into how AI can benefit the whole process, we speak to Bharath Vellore, Provenir’s General Manager for the APAC region.
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We’re roughly 3 months into the reopening of our borders for travel. Most restrictions have been lifted and international tourists are once again coming into Malaysia in droves. We’ve met the initial goal of 2 million international tourists and the new target is set at 4.5 million. We sat down for a conversation with Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson and Regional Director at the Adventure Travel Trade Association for an update on the travel industry.
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As we transition into endemicity, we explore the current job market in Malaysia and how it has changed over the past few years. Are we equipping our younger generation with the right skill sets to enter the modern working environment? We get into how digitalisation and technology has challenged the traditional job market and what key areas we should be focused on going into IR 4.0. To get a clearer insight into what all this means, we speak to Sam Baxendale, Director & Co-founder of Kinetik, a talent acquisition platform.
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According to the EY 2022 Work Reimagined Survey, employees around the world, including Malaysia, have more influence in the job market. This is driven mostly by demand for better wages, career opportunities, a thinning labour market and more jobs offering flexible work arrangements.
To get a clearer insight into what else we can gathered from the survey, we’ll be speaking to Anil Shivadas from Ernst & Young Consulting Sdn Bhd.
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Marketing is considered an important aspect of most businesses and a crucial part of the entrepreneurship journey. But how can startups effectively promote themselves? We dive into the marketing strategies new businesses or startups can use to make themselves known in the open market. Joining us to share his thoughts on all this is Sharizal Shaarani, a seasoned entrepreneur with a keen interest in tech and digital economy.
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It’s not easy navigating how to make friends at work. How close should you be with your co-workers? Too much, and you might feel difficult to say ‘no’ and let your workload pile on. But too little, and you miss out on collaboration and maybe even forming a meaningful relationship between people you spend half of your time with in a week. So should you make friends at work? How do you draw the line between personal and professional friendships? We speak to Elaine Fernandez, Social Psychologist & Curriculum Manager at GIFT.edfor more in depth discussions.
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In the modern work environment driven by technology, digital upskilling has become more crucial as employees seek to adapt in the new environment while addressing skills gaps that could make them redundant or obsolete. We discuss what digital upskilling means and how MDEC’s MYWiT program aims to help bring more Malaysians into the digital industry.
Apply before 31st August for MYWiT incentives. Find out more at mdec.my/mywit. Terms and conditions apply.
Brought to you by the Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation, MDEC
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Environment, Social and Governance or ESG has always been seen as something only MNCs or public-listed companies do. But is this true? The Department of Statistics Malaysia recorded roughly 1.2 million MSMEs which accounts for 97.4% of the total establishments in Malaysia. This translates into a contribution of almost 40% of Malaysia’s GDP with SME exports recorded at more than RM 117 billion for 2020. So with that number in mind, can MSMEs still remain on the sidelines when it comes to ESG practices in today’s global market? We will be speaking to Margie Ong, CEO of Thoughts In Gear (TIG) to understand why MSMEs need to join the effort.
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While many organisations are growing aware of the threat of cyberattacks and are strengthening their security, a successful attack is almost inevitable, resulting in system downtime, loss of customer trust and most critically - loss of important data. This is why data backup and recovery is considered a crucial part of cyber hygiene, however over 40% of Malaysian businesses don't practice this. We speak to Sandy Woo, Country Director of Veritas Technologies to understand the importance of data backups and recovery as well as how it can help businesses.
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Are Malaysians paid fairly for the work they do? That is the question many Malaysians are asking after an article on World of Buzz highlighted the large wage disparity between Malaysia and Singapore. While there are many factors such as cost of living that might have been a factor here, there are other granular reasons that also play a role in enlarging the gap. We speak to Tan E-Hun from REFSA to understand the causes behind this wage disparity.
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Local lingerie brand Jujumello closed down their business last month after 6 years of operations. Mel Chai, the Co-Founder of Jujumellojoins the conversation as we dive into pitfalls that might lead a business to cease its operations or “fail” and how entrepreneurs could overcome and learn from failure and overcome the fear of failure.
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Last week, more than 1,700 people were employed on the spot on the five-day job expo Jamin Kerja Keluarga Malaysia Career Expo 2022. Some say job fairs are like speed dating for recruitment, some say that it feels like window shopping for a job. But the main objective of job expos is still recruiting the best people for companies, and candidates to join the best companies. What can businesses do to best portray themselves in these job fairs? And how different are job expo interviews compared to the usual ones? We speak to Carmen Yap, General Manager, Human Resource Centre of Excellence of Hartalega to discuss.
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The ACI Worldwide in the Prime-Time for Real Time 2022 report states that Malaysia has achieved remarkable speed in the nationwide implementation of real-time payments, and its rapid adoption by banks. This comes as little surprise, especially as the pandemic forced many businesses to rethink their approach to finance and technology. How can SMEs continue to adapt with the changing fintech space? According to MatchMove CEO, Shailesh Naik, embedded finance is the answer.
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The recent crypto crash has once again put a spotlight on the volatility and future of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, the grandfather of all cryptocurrencies, has lost roughly 70% of its value from a high of nearly USD $69,000 back in November 2021. Various crypto exchanges and lenders have since fallen into bankruptcy or downsized to deal with the downturn. We speak to Vincent Fong, chief editor at Fintech News Asia to get his take on the crash and cryptocurrency’s possible future.
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The recent crypto crash has once again put a spotlight on the volatility and future of cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin, the grandfather of all cryptocurrencies, has lost roughly 70% of its value from a high of nearly USD $69,000 back in November 2021. Various crypto exchanges and lenders have since fallen into bankruptcy or downsized to deal with the downturn. We speak to Vincent Fong, chief editor at Fintech News Asia to get his take on the crash and cryptocurrency’s possible future.
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On top of the Crackhouse Comedy Club’s suspension due to its infamous video, there was another issue about its licences. It was found that the outlet has been operating in TTDI with only a restaurant licence, not an entertainment licence. What kind of licences are needed for restaurant owners? And what will happen to your licence if something of the same sort happens to your business? We speak to Henn Xhen Low , Lawyer, Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors to find out more.
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All industries are in desperate need of workers at the moment to recover their businesses in order to aid Malaysia’s economy, but despite the lifting of the foreign labour freeze, slow and delayed government approval is halting the process. When can this prolonged labour shortage be resolved? Can we see light at the end of this seemingly pitch black tunnel? We speak to Khor Yu Leng, Independent Political Economist, Director of Segi Enam Advisors for more insights.
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As business costs rise due to many factors ranging from rising price of goods to inflation, many of them have decided to raise prices to . A Grant Thornton research has indicated that 82 percent of Malaysian businesses have opted to do so. To get a clearer picture of what’s going on, we speak to Professor Geoffrey Williams, an Economist from Malaysia University of Science and Technology.
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Debate continues to rage on about exactly how bad Malaysia has been impacted by “The Great Resignation”, but it’s clear that for better or for worse, the demands and expectations of the current and incoming workforce has changed - and employers must adapt accordingly. Nurul A'in Abdul Latif, Deputy Executive Chair, PwC Malaysia, shares the findings of the PwC’s Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2022 as we take a look at how Malaysia needs to reinvent its workforce.
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We see governments and business entities globally pledge to achieve net-zero carbon status by 2050. However, the United Nations Environment Programme’s report revealed that many of these plans are scant with ‘vague’ promises and inconsistencies with the 2030 national climate commitments. And one of the biggest contributors to carbon emission is the logistics industry, with airfreights producing some of the largest carbon footprints. We speak to Soham Chokshi, CEO and Co-founder of Shipsy for some insights on how the logistics industry is getting a handle on its carbon emission.
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Selling your business is not a simple 2-step process and can get nerve-wracking if you’re not preparedbeforehand. There are many factors that must and should be considered. To get an insight into the whole process, we will be speaking with Sashie Kumar, founder & CEO of global fintech enabler, ATX, who sold his startup last year, on his thoughts and how to go about this.
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According to the most recent BrioHR Employment Index, Malaysian owners of small and medium-sized enterprises are optimistic about their future economic and business growth prospects and have been hiring aggressively. Is this the right move? And how are SMEs strategising their aggressive talent acquisition? Benjamin Croc, Co-Founder and CEO of BrioHR, Avinash Kumar, Managing Director of Monroe Consulting Group, and Joelle Pang, General Manager at FastJobs Asia, join the conversation to provide an on the ground perspective from businesses.
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The past 2 years have been undoubtedly tough for many businesses due to the pandemic. With economies gradually reopening and as the world slowly transitions towards endemicity, a new danger looms on the horizon, the threat of a looming recession. We discuss how companies can build resilience in these trying times with a special look at the startup space where we have Tay Shan Li, Managing Partner at ScaleUp Malaysia giving us a lay of the land and what they’ve been doing to support upcoming entrepreneurs.
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Most countries have opened their borders, visitors have been flying in and out of countries these past months. We speak to Hannah Pearson, founder of Pear Anderson and Regional Director at Adventure Travel Trade Association to recap on how the travel industry has recovered over the first half of the year across the South East Asia region.
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As the world grows more connected each day, we leave ourselves more exposed to cyber attacks that have compromised data and left people in power, embarrassed by the revelations. The latest data leak that made the headlines was from Uber. It has revealed a story of denied justice, secretly lobbied governments and violence against their own drivers. So where is the ethical line in the sand drawn when it comes to data leaks and how does it affect companies when it happens? We speak to Kelly Koh from Suria Project to hear her thoughts.
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With only 18% of EPF’s total members having accumulated the minimum recommended retirement savings of RM240,000 at age 55, many could no longer afford to retire but might be forced to retire because they had reached retirement age. What could these retirees do to continue to earn and support themselves? Will hiring retirees be a solution? We speak to Hire Seniors to discuss more on tapping into this talent pool.
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The hard truth we have to accept as a result of the pandemic is how some of us were forced to pivot careers. Some even needed to find additional income streams in order to be more financially secure, and to combat the uncertain future of our global economy. And as many have embarked on diversifying their skill sets, the phrase "multi-hyphenate career" became more popular and this career cannot be explained with just one job title. Have you recently added a hyphen to your job title too?
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The discussion surrounding chicken and egg supplies has unveiled the vulnerability of Malaysia's food supply chain; is our poultry supply actually sustainable in the long run? A potential solution could be found with alternative proteins, which may allow space for food security to bounce back, especially when Malaysia's inflation has shot up at its fastest rate in nearly five years. We speak to Anabelle Co-Martinent, Chief Marketing Officer of Phuture Foods, to know more.
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If you’re feeling sadder, more worried and anxious over the past few years, you’re not alone. With uncertainty continuing to make the future feel bleak and unpredictable, Gallup's Latest Global Emotions Report shows that our Negative Experience Index has been pushed to a new high in 2021. Can we bounce back from feeling negative? How does it affect our work? Can we recover from stress and Dr Anasuya Jegathevi Jegathesan? We find out with Dr Anasuya Jegathevi Jegathesan, Dean of Psychology and Social Sciences, University of Cyberjaya.
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Hundreds of workers from tech start-ups in Southeast Asia have been fired in the last few months, proving that the fast-growing industry is not immune to the global economic slowdown. These startups are being more cautious in scaling their team fast and turning their focus on optimising their resources as their costs increase. For more insights, we speak to Rene Menezes, President and Co-Founder of Involve Asia to understand the landscape in the tech startup space.
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When the Flexi Work Arrangements announcement was made to be put in place coming September 1, different concerns have arisen - what should employees look for when making an application for flexi work arrangements? What should employers look out for? Can businesses adapt to this ‘sudden change’? We discuss this from a legal perspective with Lawyer Henn Xhen Low of Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors.
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Less than 40% of marketers employ consumer research to drive their marketing decisions, and it’s a massive misconception that consumer research is simply a luxury. In fact, consumer research should serve as the foundation of every business. Consumers are no longer affected by mass marketing approaches. How do you keep on top of ever-changing consumer behaviour and preferences after nearly three years of unprecedented disruption and being in a continual state of uncertainty? What’s the real value of consumer and market research, and what are the tools available in this new age of digitisation?
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As traditional farming becomes unsustainable and starts to threaten Malaysia's food security, alternatives must be looked into to overcome these challenges, and one of which is vertical farming. We look more into this agritech space with Matt van Leeuwen, Chief Innovation Officer of Sunway Group and director of Sunway XFarms.
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Globally, Malaysia ranks eighth among nations that mismanage plastic waste, and Malaysians reportedly dump over 30,000 tonnes of plastic waste into the sea yearly. What is our progress in reducing this pollution, and how can we do better, faster?
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Companies are launching new brand value propositions to stay relevant in the marketplace, mostly trying to pull the heartstrings of their customers to purchase their products and services. What is brand value proposition and how do we use it at its fullest potential that might be helpful for our businesses? We find out more from Jan Wong, Founder & Online Strategist at OpenMinds Resources.
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Wanting a salary advance often requires an awkward conversation with the boss, and if this fails, could push cash-strapped workers to take up payday loans or incur overdraft fees. Is there a way to avoid or mitigate this issue? Earned wage access (EWA) companies certainly think so.
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A week ago, the Human Resource Development Corporation (HRD Corp) announced that the fees employers need to pay for micro-credential training programmes will incur an additional cost of RM300 per head. We discuss what role micro-credentials play in our businesses, whether we need it while we cover what transpired over the week.
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Today, we’re celebrating World SME Day 2022. It’s been a struggle for the enterprises that make up the backbone of Malaysia’s economy; more than a million registered small and medium enterprises are facing uncertainties when it comes to ensuring business resiliency and sustenance. And while SME owners know the importance of preparing for unforeseen circumstances, few would have anticipated the onset of a global crisis as what we have experienced today. What can they do to help themselves, and what help is out there? Sharliza Mohd Haris, head of SME Business Solutions & Campaigns for unifi Business, joins us to talk about their World SME Day 2022 campaign and how they’re supporting SMEs.
To find out more, please visit https://ubc.unifi.com.my/BelanjaDiSME
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The aviation industry, in particular, has suffered greatly over the past few years; but now it’s time for it to bounce back, and changing their approach to utilising customer data could be the key to not only getting passengers in planes but maintaining customer loyalty for the long-term. So what’s the real key to airline recovery?
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According to the Malaysian Employers Federation's 2021 salary study involving executives and non-executives, it was found that English is among the top five job skills that employers look for. How important is English at the workplace? We discuss with Vicky Tan, Co-Founder of GuruLab.
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The 2021 PageFair Adblock Report shows that Asia is the leading ad blocker user globally, with the majority of users citing bad advertising experiences as their motivation for using ad blockers. The key change marketers need to make? Looking for unconscious bias and actively championing diversity & inclusion in their campaigns
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Digital transformation is not only an ongoing process, it’s vital for the survival of many enterprises in this day and age. But while many businesses are keen to convert their offline workflow to an online one, certain barriers to entry and the technological divide have made it difficult to do so. One solution may lie in a concept called Low Code/No Code - a method that’s apparently on the cusp of entering the mainstream and supercharging digital transformation.
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Manpower shortage is still an unresolved problem in Malaysia and our F&B industry is suffering profusely to find workers as they try to bounce back after the severe hit during the pandemic. Many restaurants are trying different creative methods to attract local workers, from giving out iPhones to jaw-dropping wages, but could these methods of incentive last and translate to employee loyalty? We find out.
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As Malaysians, we pride ourselves with our food that is rooted deeply with culture, traditions and belonging. But do we really know how our food ended up on our plates? In conjunction with Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2022, let’s learn how we can incorporate responsible and sustainable practices when it comes to food production and consumption, so we can still savour good food while doing good for the environment.
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While Klang Valley folk are no strangers to horrible traffic congestion during peak hours, it seems as though the traffic situation is now worse than pre-pandemic times! Numerous articles, viral tweets, complaints, and studies have been done over the last couple of months to determine why roads in KL and parts of Selangor are perpetually jammed, with no real solution in sight.
Obviously, this has an effect on one’s productivity and mental health. We speak to a psychologist to understand its impact.
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Corporate values are often taken for granted as simply a check to mark or keywords on a company website. In actuality, they have a massive impact on employee engagement, but only if the values are discussed regularly and actually performed throughout the organisation.
With help from the /amo network’s “Values Most Valued” survey, here’s a look at how you should treat your corporate values, and how they have evolved over the last year.
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As more and more countries continue to lift or relax COVID-19 restrictions, the travel and tourism industries have been heaving a massive sigh of relief. But are the current trends predicting a return to pre-pandemic levels of success, or do we still have a long way to go? And is Malaysia doing enough to attract international attention in the heat of revenge travel?
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When faced with mistakes or challenges, it is easy for us to play the blame game. But is this what we should practise for the long run?
Sheila Singam, founder of Human Equation helps us identify the “Cause and Effect” self-talk communication pattern we have that places blame on situations, what could help stop us from pointing fingers, and how we can change the way we manage crises at work or at home.
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The Johnny Depp-Amber Heard defamation trial may be over, but it has provoked questions on how we protect our personal lives and business reputation, especially when dealing with defamatory statements from disappointed customers, former employees or even competitors.
We dive into corporate defamation and the issues you should be considering before filing a defamation lawsuit, with insights from Low Henn Xhen from Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors.
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We’re transitioning rather rapidly into digitalising everything we do - from making purchases through e-wallets, shopping and even virtual meetings. But what about license renewals or making applications in the public sectors? Is visiting government agency counters still a thing? Where are we in terms of digitalising our public sectors?
We discuss further with Azwan Baharuddin and Norafishah Malek from Accenture.
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The pandemic has pushed us all to our limits, with many experiencing symptoms of burnout and mental health issues like depression and anxiety. How do we manage stress better? How can we become truly, unbreakably resilient? And how is that crucial towards becoming a better and stronger leader?
Samuel Kurian, in his capacity as Senior Consultant at The Resilience Institute for the APAC region, shares the findings from their 2022 Global Resilience Report.
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Have you been throwing out food lately? Do you know how much food or waste you throw out every day? Food waste needs to be discussed right now when Malaysians are throwing 4,046 tones of food away to the landfill.
We speak to Melissa Tan, Climate Action & Sustainability Advocate to talk more about food waste as a zero-waste advocate.
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After two years of stringent border controls, Malaysia transitioned to the endemic phase a couple of months ago. The nation has not only welcomed back international travellers, but accelerated business digitalisation by 3 to 4 years to get the country back on track and boost economic growth.
While the issue of digital acceleration isn’t new, we’re only now seeing how the travel space has coped with years of pressure from the pandemic. And it seems as though within this space, there are opportunities for digital transformation unlike anything we’ve seen before.
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We see art museums in other countries booming after the global economy’s reopening, all in the name of revitalising the economy. But in Malaysia, are we falling behind in the art and cultural sector? And how could that lend help in boosting our economy? We speak to Izan Satrina Mohd Sallehuddin, a Senior Director of Partnerships & Creative Sector at Think City Sdn Bhd, who is also the former founding CEO of Cendana to get more cultural and artistic insights in Malaysian context.
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According to a study from Zion Market Research, the gaming industry has garnered a revenue worth nearly US $201 billion in 2021, and is anticipated to gain returns worth US $435 billion by 2028. What are the trends that will be driving this growth, and what other technological innovations might we see being further implemented within the gaming space? Alexander Fernandez, CEO of Streamline Media Group will be joining us later to give us his views.
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The price of foodstuff is expected to soar in the coming months, for a number of reasons. Firstly, there’s the minimum wage increase, then we have the Russo-Ukrainian war creating havoc on the price of wheat and other goods, and we also have the lingering effects of the logistical issues caused by covid - creating a ripple effect to our economy.
How much more are we expected to pay, how is our government dealing with these issues, and how long might these price hikes last?
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Malaysia has had a number of cases spotlighted in the news recently where several industries have had their forced labor issues revealed, and Persatuan Sahabat Wanita Selangor executive director Irene Xavier claims that Malaysia’s economy would worsen if the government does not address the issues faced by migrant workers, including forced labor. How do we move away from our reliance on both forced and foreign labor?
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There’s been a lot of talk about the Metaverse’s potential to redefine business, but how much of it is just hype? According to experts, not much at all. Unlike previous iterations of virtual water coolers, the Metaverse is quickly turning into the next stage of social media. Hence, businesses need to understand the ways of the Metaverse to engage with its unique brand of consumers.
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The pandemic brought many issues into focus, and one of those issues was the way products and materials were recycled, especially as the rise of disposable masks and containers took place. What has the overall effect of the pandemic been on the recycling and plastics industries, and how does this impact businesses’ approach to sustainability as a whole?
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What are the changes in consumer trends post-pandemic? And more importantly, what are the driving forces that can be utilised to adjust to and take advantage of these consumer trends for the foreseeable future? Market research company Mintel has identified five new consumer trends for 2022 and beyond. Continuing our conversation from the previous episode, we now discuss the other three consumer trends: In Control, Flexible Spaces and Ethics Check.
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What are the changes in consumer trends post-pandemic? And more importantly, what are the driving forces that can be utilised to adjust to and take advantage of these consumer trends for the foreseeable future? Market research company Mintel has identified five new consumer trends for 2022 and beyond. In this episode, we explore two consumer trends: Enjoyment Everywhere and Climate Complexity.
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A database seller has claimed that they are in possession of a dataset that belongs to the National Registration Department (JPN) which has the entire population of the country with birth years from 1940 to 2004. It is currently being listed online with an asking price of USD10,000 (~RM43,885).
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With every social-media controversy, people talk about shutting down their accounts forever. Few actually do it. That’s because social-media apps are crafted to keep people coming back. But what happens when you finally take a break from the feeds - Is the world a happier place? And how long til FOMO makes you jump back onto the gram?
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What is valuation, how is it important to a startup, and how do you calculate it? This is an important set of questions to answer for any entrepreneur, especially those looking to entice external investors or shoot for an IPO in the future. Kevin Brockland, managing director at Indelible Ventures, explains.
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After weeks of anticipation, Bank Negara recently announced that the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) would be increased by 25 basis points (bps) to 2.0% after two years anchored at 1.75% due to the pandemic. While the change seems small in terms of numbers, its impact is predicted to be quite significant on borrowers, customers, home owners, and especially businesses. We speak to an economist on the decision to change the OPR and what it means for different segments of the Malaysian population.
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Marching into the second month of Malaysia's international border reopening, how is the travel industry doing so far?
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The pandemic has certainly shaken up our work lives, for worse or for better. With that in mind, while in-office presence and work-life balance have been brought up for further debate, what about another factor of work we normally don’t revisit or redesign? Is the yearly performance review really the best way to gauge employee feedback and judge increments and other remunerations by?
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Many job seekers put up their resumes on recruitment websites in the hope of getting offers from companies. However, this has also made some of them vulnerable to job scammers who make fake offers through messaging apps.
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With e-commerce booming like never before, how can businesses hop on the wagon while still managing to set themselves apart without breaking their budget?
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Bringing up children and leading a company might sound like two completely unrelated responsibilities, but in reality, they interconnect. In conjunction with Mother’s Day last weekend, we celebrate leaders at work and at home, as we speak to Sheila Singam, founder of Human Equation to understand the bigger picture of how parenthood helps shape leaders better.
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The Malaysia Social Entrepreneurship Blueprint 2030 (SEMy2030) has been touted as “the most ambitious ever attempt in the Asia Pacific region to promote social entrepreneurship”. We discuss what the blueprint means to local social enterprises and those in the B40 category, as well as the key instruments that need to be activated in order for this blueprint to realise its goals.
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Long-term missions and visions are decided in meetings, huddles, and brainstorming sessions. But as time goes on, it gets harder for companies to keep track of their long-term missions, especially during periods of rapid growth and expansion. As explained by an article in Harvard Business Review, a long-term vision should be the North star of any business, and management can employ a few ways to never lose sight of their true mission statements.
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It seems as though non-permanent work could be the way of the future, but how and when should a company start to rely primarily on the contingent workforce?
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How do Malaysian individuals and organisations better protect themselves from cybersecurity breaches, especially in the age of remote work and the progress of the Internet of Things?
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We often talk about cybersecurity and safety in the digital space, but do we really know what that means? Furthermore, how much do we understand about the impact of cyber warfare? With technology rapidly evolving, the definition of cybersecurity and cyber threats change too, and it’s important for companies to recognize these risks as we adopt more tech-driven solutions in a post-pandemic landscape.
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According to Meltwater, more than 1.4 million social media conversations around livestream shopping took place in Southeast Asia last year, doubling the same period in 2020. A study by iKala also revealed that 33 percent of Singaporeans who shopped on social media platforms in 2021 did so because of its engaging experience, such as through live-selling.
While live shopping may be one of the hottest ecommerce trends now, it seems like only smaller sellers are taking advantage of the trend, with many bigger online retailers still unsure of the impact of live shopping.
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This year’s World Intellectual Property Day is themed “IP and Youth: Innovating for a Better Future”, recognising youth-led solutions and the drive to make progressive changes for a sustainable future. As we celebrate, we discuss the importance of registering your intellectual property assets, and how youth can protect their innovative solutions as they endless create and thrive across diverse industries.
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Every year, Malaysia releases some 200,000 TVET graduates into the working world, and yet some of them struggle to secure jobs in Corporate Malaysia and are forced into the gig economy. This, when TVET graduates in other parts of the world are providing a lifeline for big tech, and are being moulded into technopreneurs. How can Malaysia elevate its TVET pipeline to ensure we don’t fall behind? And how do we remove the stereotypical perception that a bachelor's degree is “better” than TVET?
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It’s Earth Day. And this year, instead of doing the usual, you know - turning off your lights for an hour, or attending Earth Day events to buy merchandise and foods, or joining a tree-planting or cleaning-up event - we want you to think long-term when you think Earth Day. We want you to “Invest In Our Planet”. With a line-up of five social enterprises, they show us how they take the lead as we take more steps to protect Mother Earth.
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Executives and employees are changing the workplace narrative from the Great Resignation to the Great Upgrade. This movement demands that organisations refocus on improving their peoples’ experience, and puts a renewed emphasis on retention—an opportunity for organisations to transform themselves to meet the evolving needs of their workforce. So how can companies keep the great talent they already have, attract new talent to best complete their teams and align with the needs of the new way of work?
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Gaming has evolved over the past few decades and gone from having a small following of computer nerds to drawing over 2.7 billion players in 2020. Major publishers like Tencent and Sony Interactive are earning in the billions, announcing major consolidations like the recent Bungie takeover and Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
But are all gamers the same? And where is all that money coming from in gaming advertising?
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With international borders rapidly reopening globally, Malaysia welcomed more than 250,000 people crossing borders since the reopening on 1 April 2022. Starting with a positive note, what does the future trajectory for tourism look like for Malaysia? And what can Malaysia do to attract more tourists? Could the number of incoming tourists revert to pre-pandemic level? We speak to Hannah Pearson, Founding Partner of Pear Anderson to get more insights on the current stats and outlook of Malaysia’s tourism.
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With the ‘Great Resignation’ still in full force, it seems like many people are finding happiness in companies that provide better work-life perks than their previous employers. Or is that really the case? While significant change is always encouraged to battle burnout, heightened stress, and toxic work culture, it seems like it doesn’t always fix the problem. We speak to an expert in psychology to find out why making major changes may not be a cure for everyone experiencing burnout.
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A Toronto-based nonprofit, FoodShare, is now paying candidates who are offered an interview $75. CEO Paul Taylor says that prospective hires shouldn't "bear the costs of an interview," which could include commuting, transit costs or child care. And if candidates are required to complete an interview-related presentation, FoodShare "will financially compensate the candidate for that work at a rate equal to the hourly rate for the position." So should employers start paying candidates to take part in job interviews? Should you assign tasks to interviewees before hiring them? What does the future of hiring ethics look like?
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Shein may have the fast-fashion market cornered, but a growing number of its customers are calling for increased accountability from the company as designers continue to accuse it of ripping off their work. We discuss the impact of having your designs, products or prints “used as inspiration” and how small business owners can protect their trademark and designs.
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From remote to hybrid working, talent shortages to the Great Resignation and now the Great Reshuffle - the pandemic pushed us to rethink and reimagine the employer-employee dynamic for better work productivity. Are Malaysian employers ready to transition fully to adapt to employees’ needs? And what does the future of talent recruitment look like? We explore more with Oswald Yeo, Co-Founder & CEO of Glints, an online talent recruitment and career discovery platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan.
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With many non-bank financial institutions cropping up recently, have you considered taking up a non-bank quick loan to improve your personal or business cash flow? But before you commit to a non-bank loan, what should you consider? We discuss.
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Do we want them to have common sense?
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Workers at an Amazon warehouse in New York have voted to unionize, creating the first union of Amazon employees in the US. The Amazon Labor Union are seeking longer breaks, paid time off if they get injured, and an hourly wage of $30 compared to the $18 they currently receive. The formation of this union however comes as a huge blow to Amazon, which has aggressively fought against unionisation. We discuss the resurging interest in forming unions in recent years, as well as if the effects of this trend will soon be felt here in Malaysia.
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When was the last time your boss patted you on your shoulder to tell you that you’ve done a good job? It’s been proven that well-recognised employees are more motivated, productive and more determined to create innovations and boost workplace efficiency. And did you know that employees report that recognition is more effective than an additional bonus of five per cent of their salary? Tune in as we discuss the importance of workplace recognition and how you, as a leader, could motivate your employees to better your business with Prof. Loredana Padurean, Senior Associate Dean at Asia School of Business.
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At some point, you’ve probably gasped at the fact that your favourite ‘teh tarik’ is now RM2.50 instead of RM2. Price hikes are a normal part of inflation and a fluctuating economy, and this year, the transition towards endemicity is further complicating things. While surges in prices are understandable, it doesn’t make it any easier for consumers. Where else can we expect to pay more for our usual goods? Will prices ever come down? And can retailers carve a niche by keeping prices steady?
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Safe to say that like most other industries, transportation and logistics are currently facing immense changes; and like all change, this brings both risk and opportunity. So what are the biggest challenges for the logistics industry, and what are the possible solutions?
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Employers are free to decide if they want their entire workforce to return to offices or otherwise starting today, April 1st. We discuss what transitioning into the endemic phase means for the way we work, and look at how some organisations are championing the flexi work week model to maintain a balance.
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After working from home for more than two years, companies are now trying to get everyone to return to the office. While some of us feel excited to finally see our colleagues in person again, some of our co-workers might feel extremely overwhelmed; they may feel self-conscious, have a difficult time talking to colleagues, clients and managers, or even sometimes skip lunch due to fear of interaction. How can we help our colleagues with social anxiety? We speak to John Pinto, Assistant Head of Counselling at ThoughtFull World, to understand how to lend a hand to those in need of moral support.
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Why should leaders care if their teams are happy? Apart from the fact that people want to work for people who care about their happiness, research from the University of Warwick suggests that happy people are more productive at work.
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Should you file income tax if you run an online store during your free time? Should you file income tax if you do food delivery full time? How does income tax work for side hustles? Pang Tun Yau, Chief Editor of RinggitPlus joins us for this discussion.
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For years, industry experts have spoken about the importance of adequate maternity and paternity leave, and the impact it has on employee wellbeing. More recently, the importance of flexible work arrangements has been an ongoing hot topic. With the government’s recent amendment to the Employment Act, both these issues have been addressed in a significant way that puts us on the level of many developing countries around the world. But, there’s always more work to be done, and we speak to an expert to find out how we can move forward from here.
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Sustainable investing is now the new criteria investors think about before investing. Why does it matter? How does it impact investors and businesses in the long run? We speak to Rachel Lau, Managing Partner from RHL to understand how investors consider ESG before funding businesses and start-ups with venture capital.
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Blink and you’ll miss it. That’s how fast technology is changing, and within the last couple of years, things have been changing even faster. Pre-pandemic, the only time that you might have heard the words NFT were if you’d have tuned into some Tech show here on BFM. But now, they’re a part of everyday conversation for many. However, for some people, namely artists, how can they take advantage of this movement? Is there a real possibility that the idea of the ‘struggling artist’ could be rectified by the advent of the NFT?
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You’ve been on the job for quite some time. You’ve recently performed well on a project. You’ve been waiting for that email or that call to your manager’s office to tell you that you’re getting the pay raise you deserve. But all you get is silence. Should you wait for the ‘right time’ to ask for a raise? Or should you just… wait? Suraya Zainudin, Founder of Personal Financial Blog RinggitOhRinggit.com is here to tell us.
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There’s always been a strange stigma surrounding résumé gaps or career breaks, especially when it comes to the daunting task of finding new employment. But why is this stigma in place? How has the pandemic changed our minds? And how can both employers and job-hunters approach the topic?
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Is the decision to allow a fourth EPF withdrawal a good one? While there have been calls to allow EPF contributors to dip into their own savings during these pressing times, experts have warned that doing so could have serious implications not just for individuals, but for the EPF as a whole. We gather a couple of experts to weigh in on this heavily debated announcement.
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According to the Star, some unscrupulous workers are faking their Covid-19 test results to stay away from work. Employers too believed that the possibility for abuse is there, as the current Covid-19 reporting system doesn’t require medical certificates from a physician. We speak to HR expert Deepa George about how employers can monitor, mitigate - or worst case - manage this issue, and if the underlying problem here stems from toxic work cultures.
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The major floods that hit the country at the end of last year and early this year resulted in losses amounting to RM6.1bilion. But in a country where there is so much rain, why is it that until now - we still haven’t figured out the root of the problem and dealt with it? We speak with Shuhana Shamsuddin, President of the Malaysian Urban Design Association (Perekabandar) about the many factors that can lead to flash flooding and get her opinion on some mitigation measures.
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Malaysia has been off limits to tourists for over two years, after shutting its borders to foreigner travellers since March 2020. As we enter into the endemic phase on April 1 2022, the tourism industry will be seeing its light again as it is one of the most important sectors to revive the country’s economy. How will the nation’s travel & tourism players cope with the change? In this episode, we speak to Bryan Foong, Chief Strategy Officer of Malaysia Airlines; Sharzede Salleh Askor, Chief Executive Officer of the Sarawak Tourism Board; and Angelica Chan, Country Manager of Traveloka Malaysia.
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Malaysia has been off limits to tourists for over two years, after shutting its borders to foreign travelers since March 2020. As we enter into the endemic phase on April 1 2022, the tourism industry will be seeing its light again as it is one of the most important sectors to revive the country’s economy. How will the nation’s travel agencies cope with the change? In this episode, we speak to Aaishah Bohari, Projects & Commercial Director, Ab & Artho Tourism Marketing & PR; Gregory Gubiani, Chairman, Marriott Business Council Malaysia and General Manager, The Westin Kuala Lumpur; and Zahira Tahir, CEO & Founder Universal Holidays Travel & Tourism.
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As more sectors opened up in Q4 of 2021, just in time for holiday shopping, the Malaysian retail scene saw a significant boost in income and consumer traffic nationwide. But despite all the rush and eagerness to get back to some sense of normalcy, the retail industry still shrank by 2.3% last year. While that number may seem small, it still means something to the local market and is a useful predictor for 2022. We’ll try to unpack the retail shrinkage with Vernon Chua, CEO of Innergia Labs, who will also help us predict how the rest of the year will fare, shopping-wise.
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As flexible working arrangements become more entrenched in today’s workplace, coworking space firms are seeing an opportunity for them to be the real estate solution provider for companies.
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In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we celebrate Women in Tech - an industry where women still remain underrepresented in general and in leadership. We speak to various female tech leaders who built their tech careers with hard work, sweat, tears and often overlooked - intelligence. In this episode, we speak to Rhonda Robati, Senior Vice President Asia Pacific of Crayon, Nasreen Amalina Abdul Razak, Product Habilitation Lead at REKA and Alicia Joseph, Sales Director of Commvault Malaysia.
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In conjunction with International Women’s Day, we celebrate Women in Tech - an industry where women still remain underrepresented in general and in leadership. We speak to various female tech leaders who built their tech careers with hard work, sweat, tears and often overlooked - intelligence. In this episode, we speak to Women in Tech Malaysian Chapter’s Country Director, Yuki Aizawa; Aireen Omar, President, AirAsia Digital at AirAsia; and Ungku Norliza Syazwan Ungku Halmie, CEO of Boost Life.
Click here to listen to Part 2 of this International Women's Day Special.
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Boards in Malaysia are still lagging behind when it comes to the issues of representation and diversity. In honour of International Women’s Day, we take a look at the progress made with women on boards in the Southeast Asian region, and speak to the Malaysian chapter of the 30% Club about how to move further.
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It’s almost been two weeks since the Russians invaded Ukraine. Although this war seems to be a fair geographical distance away from us, Malaysian businesses are expected to suffer economic aftershocks from the Russian invasion. But what is the severity of its impact? And will you and I be affected as well? We discuss.
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Do you find yourself indulging in online shopping, tiktok or netflix late at night, at the expense of sleep? And you do this very well knowing you need to be up early the next day? Well you could just be stressed-out, and looking to steal back your own time. We discuss why work stress results in Revenge Bedtime Procrastination, and what you can do to fix the behaviour.
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While gig workers and freelancers continue to play an integral part in the economy, they have yet to enjoy all the perks and benefits that come with being a formal employee of a company - particularly insurance coverage. This could change soon as the federal government tables a landmark amendment Bill that could permanently compel gig-based tech companies to provide their workers with the same rights and privileges as formal employees.
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Unicorn is not a new term in the game. It’s not news that many startup companies are making ‘be a unicorn’ their ultimate goal, trying to pitch billions of funds into their companies and label that as a success. But is this healthy for startups? Should they aim for a more practical goal, maybe this time a real animal - like a zebra?
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What is the landscape like for social enterprises? To what extent are investors interested in impact investing? And how has the pandemic affected all of this?
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Let’s be honest: in Malaysia, you can be penalised if you discuss your salary with your colleague. But with gender and race pay gap being the never-ending stumbling block to social equality, other countries have slowly implemented pay transparency laws. Should Malaysia do the same? Can Malaysian employers handle this? We discuss.
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It’s not uncommon for companies, especially within the startup sphere, to brand themselves as “families”. You’ve probably also read it on those witty, casual job postings. But is calling work “a family” really as positive as it sounds? Over the last couple of years, the term has taken on a highly negative connotation, with many calling it one of the more glaring red flags to look out for when seeking a new job.
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The battle for talent will continue in 2022. According to McKinsey, while hiring for skills and recruiting from unlikely sources are two ways to bring in the right people while the talent pool remains competitive, the work does not stop there. So what are the employee movement, retention, and attraction trends for the rest of the year?
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The Langkawi International Travel Bubble started off as a three-month pilot project in November last year to assess the readiness and preparedness of Malaysia's tourism ecosystem to gradually receive international tourists in a safe manner. We take a look at how it’s been faring so far and the possible ramifications for country-wide border re-opening.
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“Meta. Metamates. Me." A new set of corporate values announced by Facebook last week, was ridiculed by its employees. We discuss what went wrong at Meta, and why company morale cannot be boosted by a slogan change, or a rebranding exercise.
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Now that we’re in an endemic phase of Covid, there’s a chance that at least someone that you know has contracted it. During that period how did their employer support them? And if they’re a freelancer, what rights do they and their client have when it comes to finishing any ongoing contracts?
Click here to read the article mentioned in the podcast.
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Chatbots are fast becoming an indispensable part of the customer experience, with reports indicating the overall market size for chatbots worldwide will likely breach US$1.3 billion in 2024. The question then is, what will drive the rapid growth of chatbots and how will chatbots evolve in 2022 as organisations increasingly integrate chatbots into their customer care? We discuss.
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Do you know what the Metaverse is? Are you ready for it? And if not, how can you get your company ready for this upcoming adjustment?
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The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said the proposed increase in the national minimum wage to RM1,500 will kill businesses, which are still in economic recovery mode.
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There’s more data about shopping and consumer behaviour than ever before, but what are brands doing to leverage all those insights? Over the recent festive season, a customer engagement platform ran a survey on spending trends with some surprising results. These insights, if harnessed properly, could help brands thrive over the coming year by understanding post-pandemic consumer behaviour.
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Valentine’s Day is traditionally used to celebrate romance, but in line with feelings of joy and appreciation, we take a look at how leaders can better communicate their appreciation for their staff and why that’s important.
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Mixed signals from the Malaysian government over its plans to reopen borders and minimise restrictions amid an increase in Omicron cases has led the public and some experts to question whether it is prioritising the economy over public health.
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The Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF) said the proposed increase in the national minimum wage to RM1,500 will kill businesses, which are still in economic recovery mode.
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We’re in the middle of a great undoing for productivity and hustle culture. From “slow productivity” to the anti-work movement, workers across all sectors and industries are scrambling to find a solution to their frustrations. We take a look at what makes a “workaholic”, whether or not it actually contributes to output, and the psychology behind this phenomenon.
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The Omicron variant has thrown a monkey wrench into what had been looking like a slow but steady economic recovery for the $100 billion MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry. Just as business executives had finally begun reaching for their conference lanyards again, the fast-spreading Covid-19 strain has prompted another round of postponements. And while it’s starting to feel like 2020 all over again, those in the exhibition and trade show segment feel 2022 is the start of a recovery for the entire industry. Fong Lai-Lyn, exhibition specialist from MESSE Worldwide, explains.
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Employees want to work from home. Their bosses, however, can’t wait to get back to the office. Knowledge workers think being remote makes their jobs better, while managers worry the arrangement could cause the quality of work to suffer.
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PwC’s December 2021 Global Consumer Insights Pulse survey was recently released, and there are some interesting observations of Malaysian Consumer behaviour when it comes to our lifestyle desires and our shopping loyalty.
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The government has provided several allocations and grants this year designed to support welfare organisations, including those focused on senior care. But apart from the funds, what more is in store for the future of the senior care industry in Malaysia?
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How is the hotel industry bouncing back from the massive hits taken during the past few years? Is it truly and finally on the road to recovery?
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Inflation, inflation, inflation! We hear that word on the news, from angry shoppers at the supermarket, and when discussing the (seemingly) perpetually bad economy over some teh tarik. But how bad is it, really? We ask economist Geoffrey Williams to demystify some stats and numbers to give us a better idea of where Malaysia is inflation-wise, and what can be done to fix the issue of rising costs.
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An organisation's environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices provide a vital metric for where investors should park their funds, according to RHB Research. So how are Malaysian businesses approaching sustainability, and how does this affect their bottom line?
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It’s been more than a month since the dreadful floods that severely affected homes and businesses in the Klang Valley. It’s no longer trending on Twitterjaya; the community campaigns to clean, feed and aid victims have slowly dwindled down, but those affected are still reeling from the loss of their homes and livelihoods.
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The Malaysian youth (18-35 years old) population has been through many crises over the past couple of years alone - politically and economically in particular - and yet they seem to still be retaining a sense of optimism overall. The ASEAN Youth Survey 2021 by Redhill sheds some light on this.
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After a huge volcanic eruption severed Tonga’s lone connection to the global internet, a difficult repair job, delving deep into the ocean, lies ahead.
What impact will this have on the economy of the island nation, and what measures might be taken elsewhere to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again?
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Online retail is constantly evolving, and social media has become a pivotal part of the online shopping journey. While platforms like Instagram were used mainly for advertising products in the past, it has quickly turned into its own e-commerce platform, providing consumers with a more personalized shopping experience. Online shopping is here to stay, but it seems like social commerce is the form it’ll take moving forward.
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Digital transformation has only accelerated because of the pandemic. So what comes next? What are the key steps for SMEs to ensure that they don’t fall behind in the digital space?
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Malaysia Competition Commission (MyCC) is suggesting structural policies to the government to facilitate the adoption of e-commerce strategies, particularly by small and medium enterprises, taking the lessons from the pandemic years.
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Many of the food trends that are likely to dominate in 2022 have been spurred forward and in many cases – accelerated – by the Covid-19 pandemic. So will these trends continue to soar and surge even as the pandemic meets its highly-anticipated decline? Or will new, independent food trends emerge, entirely unrelated to the pandemic? We discuss.
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With the recent slew of floods that have devastated the nation, we take a look at the possible solutions, and how technology could be (and has been) used to assist in emergency situations like these.
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The number of unemployed people in the country fell to the lowest since April 2020 on an improved economic climate following the easing of lockdowns nationwide.
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How can businesses and individuals continue to fight off the effects of The Great Resignation? Deloitte shares their 10 Rules of Modern Work, designed to help individuals make their work more meaningful, and we also take a look at how employers onboarding new employees can build a solid foundation for them.
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The debilitating financial impact and the countless loss of lives from the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic has provided valuable insight into why it is even more crucial now for taxpayers to execute their civic duty by paying their fair share of taxes in enabling the government to carry out its nation-building promises. What are the biggest tax concerns heading into the new year, and what should businesses be doing when it comes to their tax strategies?
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Mental health continues to be a growing topic of discussion, not only in light of the pandemic but as a general response to combating the associated stigma. How can organisations leverage on this conversation in order to reassure and motivate their employees going into the new year?
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For a while, it seemed like workplaces around the world were going to permanently adapt the hybrid work model as a new way of life. But with restrictions being lifted as vaccination rates reach satisfactory levels, many companies have surprisingly switched back to in-office culture, almost as a way to transition back to the days when remote working wasn’t an option to begin with. We speak to Gibu Mathew from Zoho about this trend, and why companies should seriously reconsider the hybrid work model regardless of the pandemic.
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At least 90 Malaysian government websites are still considered “not secure” despite the government’s announcement on conducting cybersecurity audits on them five months ago. What other cybersecurity trends and risks do Malaysians need to look out for, and how can people and businesses protect themselves?
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There’s no denying that technology - both online and offline - helped us navigate, survive, and sometimes thrive during the pandemic. A global slowdown did not stop new tech from emerging, particularly in the space of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and NFTs. What technologies will shape the next 12 months? What new ideas and concepts will emerge by the end of 2022? Intelligent Automation software provider, Kofax, gives us some insights.
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How have people with disabilities fared in the working world, especially in light of the pandemic? And how have some individuals utilised remote working and e-commerce tools to create their own job opportunities?
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The pandemic has continued to accelerate trends seen across the retail industry, several of which will continue to have a profound impact in 2022. We take a look at Forbes’ predictions for the retail sector this year, and speak to digital experience experts Adobe about evolving customer expectations in this modern retail experience.
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Over the last couple of years, bigger players within the e-commerce supply chain have started to recognise the value of good last mile delivery practices. As consumers continue to shop online and demand faster deliveries, e-commerce platforms and brands have started to leverage new technology and data to help them cater to those needs - creating a ‘last mile gold rush’.
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New entrepreneurs may well be the key to reviving the economy. What do you need to account for if you’re looking to enter the game yourself?
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While the Public Sector Digitisation Strategic Plan 2021-2025 was announced by the Prime Minister when tabling the 12th Malaysia Plan (12MP), the road to satisfactory digital adoption within the public sector will be anything but simple. The blueprints and initiatives seem to be in place, but how feasible is tech adoption within the civil service and really, and what exactly are the challenges that seem so hard to overcome?
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Food business operators are in a dilemma over whether to increase their food prices following the hike in prices of goods.
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While millions in the US have gone on strike or quit their jobs due to pandemic frustrations in a movement dubbed the “Great Resignation”, a similar situation is not expected to occur in Malaysia although an economist warns that the possibility exists.
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When you think of online shopping, you may think of Amazon, Taobao, or Lazada. But the conversations surrounding online shopping are taking place on other platforms, especially as the holidays near. So what’s the scoop on the Internet’s approach to holiday shopping?
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We’ve seen the massive boom of e-commerce in the pandemic, and maybe you’re thinking about entering the fray. Here’s a few tips and tricks on how to start and grow an online business.
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Was Budget 2022 enough for social enterprises? It seems as though the government is making a more conscious effort to reach out to and provide support for these types of organisations in the coming year.
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According to the latest Salary Trends Report by ECA International, Southeast Asian nations will be amongst those countries expected to see the fastest rate of salary increase in 2022 versus 2021, including Malaysia.
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UOB Malaysia is giving the majority of its workforce the choice to work remotely up to two days a week once COVID-19 restrictions are fully lifted. Underlying the permanent change is the Bank’s aspiration to ensure colleagues attain the right balance between professional fulfilment and mental well-being. We discuss how organisations across industries could do the same to help the nation’s workforce attain that elusive work-life balance.
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Classrooms have come a long way since the time of chalkboards and overhead projectors. Now, as students have returned to both digital and in-person classrooms, it’s important to assess the seismic shifts taking place in schools around the world.
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According to a recent survey by MDEC, most Malaysian companies recognize the need to equip their staff with digital skills. However, upskilling in such a short amount of time has its challenges. While the importance of digitalization can’t be denied, the lack of digital talent in the country is also cause for concern.
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According to experts in the field, the allocation for higher education in the country under Budget 2022 won’t be enough to help the sector recover from the effects of the pandemic. With many institutions feeling the financial burden of shifting to online learning, the government will have to channel more aid to an industry that was previously a major contributor to the national economy.
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Cryptocurrency is a fascinating concept, but it can feel intimidating or confusing to newcomers. Despite that, there are a growing number of women artists, coders, entrepreneurs and investors embracing cryptocurrency and NFTs, and advocating for other women to join the blockchain movement and bridge the gender gap in this quickly expanding space.
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Malaysia has been behind the rest of the region when it comes to the roll out of Electric Vehicles - and the infrastructure that’s needed to support them. But will the removal of Taxes, as announced in the National Budget 2022, be enough to spur growth in the industry and encourage more Malaysians to buy?
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In an effort to attract more digital nomads, Portugal has passed a batch of labour laws designed to protect workers, including fines for employers calling workers after hours, and requiring companies to pay for work from home expenses such as internet and electricity.
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Many working Malaysians will need to play catch up but the question is, how many of them would achieve the required basic savings by the age of 55?
The EPF estimates that members will need to work between an extra four to six years to rebuild the savings that have been utilised during the pandemic.
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The pandemic has changed public sentiment as well as the way we view different professions. While teachers used to be the most trusted profession in Malaysia, that spot has now been taken by an equally important occupation. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the least trusted professions, and politicians seem to score highly on that list all around the world.
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The Ministry of Communications and Multimedia (KKMM) launched the country’s first 5G network on Wednesday of last week, in a bid to provide faster Internet facilities for the people.
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It seems that retailers and brands are on the path to actively supporting the circular economy, as overall, consumer consciousness about environmental, social, and governance issues and policy is taking hold. So how are international and Malaysian consumers approaching more sustainable consumption?
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The pandemic has undoubtedly accelerated the Age of the Consumer – a concept that consumers are more empowered than ever as they can access information about products and services over the Internet in real time. This is exceptionally evident amid COVID-19, as consumers were forced to change their behaviors, particularly noted in the pivot towards the digital space. They want more personalized content, faster service, better experiences – and they want them all now.
To read up more on the report by Hubspot and Talkwalker on Social Media Trends 2022 Global report, click here.
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With air travel to be reinstated at the end of the month between Singapore and Johor, we take a look at how that will work, hopes for more links with Sarawak and Penang in the future, and how business travellers can benefit from this.
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Being connected to the internet 24/7 with our phones also means we’re open to work emails, messages, and requests at all hours of the day. And since work creates a sense of urgency, it’s hard to not reply to these messages almost immediately. This, alongside the pandemic’s acceleration of digital adoption, has led to something called ‘text anxiety’... and it’s hampering productivity like never before.
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Budget 2022 aims to create more employment opportunities. Which sectors are looking to hire, and what are the incentives in place?
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An economist has warned that the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the country to the increased risk of structural unemployment.
The persistent pandemic and the country’s push towards digital transformation has left hundreds of thousands of Malaysians without jobs.
But is this just something that we have to push through if we want to be a thoroughly digital economy? And are our kids that are in school on the right track, is the Malaysian Education Blueprint up to speed?
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2021 is coming to a close, and everyone has different ideas on how to utilize the last two months of the year. While some are using this time to wind down and relax, others have decided to start building momentum for the new year. Whether for personal or professional reasons, it’s always good to know how to manage a certain amount of time to get the desired outcome.
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Employee dissatisfaction is on the rise. Workers around the world are feeling disconnected, negative, or even just indifferent about their jobs, which has proven enough to spark what experts are calling The Great Resignation. How do you address this? What exactly are employees dissatisfied with? And which generation of workers is being hit the hardest?
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Study after study shows that workers want flexibility and fulfillment, and in many cases, will leave their current employer if they don't get it. The question for leaders has now become: how do you retain and attract the best talent as employee priorities change? And on the flip side, with the talent pool opening up, how does the average jobseeker compete in a global race?
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In an effort to exit the Covid-19 pandemic and transition into the endemic phase, the Malaysian Govt has tabled Budget 2022, aimed at driving economic recovery and catalysing national development in a more inclusive and sustainable manner.
Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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One of the key deciding factors in Malaysia’s road to recovery is Budget 2022 and its impact on the nation’s economy. Ahead of the official tabling of the Budget, we speak to Bernard Yap, Malaysia Private Client Services Leader and Partner, Ernst & Young Tax Consultants, about what to expect, what should be done by the government, and what recovery truly means over the next 12 months.
Brought to you by Mah Sing; Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.
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Several sectors have submitted their ‘wish list’ for Budget 2022 in order to achieve economic survivability during the endemic phase, with the prime minister promising “wow factors” that will benefit everyone. Narendran Maniam, CEO of Indah Water Konsortium, shares the sewerage company’s hopes for Budget 2022.
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It’s sometimes easy to think phishing or vishing scams only work on people who aren’t very savvy online. Namely, there’s a sense that Generation Z (born after 1997) and Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) have good enough cyber awareness to avoid online tricks. But social engineering scammers are finding success with these groups. The number of online scam victims aged 20 and younger increased 156% between 2017 and 2020, according to Social Catfish’s The State of Internet Scams 2021 report.
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Malaysia has not been spared by the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on supply chains worldwide, with Bloomberg reporting that the global supply chain disruptions were expected to last until at least next year. How does this affect the average consumer?
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Mental health support will soon be made available via the MySejahtera app, as part of the government's efforts to make its facilities and services more accessible to the people.
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LinkedIn is shuttering a localized version of its professional networking platform in China, becoming the last major U.S. social media provider to pull out of the country and marking the demise of a rare U.S. tech success there.
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Technology is continuously changing, growing, and evolving. If we don’t keep up, it’s easy to get left behind. Companies and industries that want to stay ahead need to have their finger on the pulse when it comes to innovations in IoT, 5G, fintech, and even artificial intelligence. These concepts may sound futuristic, but they’re already driving today’s major markets around the world.
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A year after the pandemic began, 68% of workers surveyed by Prudential Financial said that their ideal professional life would include working both remotely and in the office. But that presents a challenge for companies that now need to rethink their workspaces. So how will the physical office space change post-pandemic?
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The relaxation of standard operating procedures, quarantine measures and interstate, as well as overseas travel effective today is set to kickstart the revival of the country's tourism sector.
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The recent announcement that MPs will be allowed to wear batik shirts when attending Dewan Rakyat got us thinking about how the clothes we choose represent who we are, as well as establish a sense of personal branding. But we also wanted to take it one step further and explore the impact our work attire, be it formal or casual, could have on personal productivity.
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Over in Silicon Valley, employees who do not want to return to the office are challenging the popular management philosophy that serendipitous, in-person collaboration is necessary to fuel innovation. We discuss the recent rise in internal employee activists there, its ripple effects that will impact white-collar workers elsewhere, and if employees in Malaysia will also take up this unexpected fight.
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What is the state of employment in Malaysia? Which industries are hiring and what are candidates looking for? What’s the outlook on the future of Malaysian salaries?
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According to the EY, more than 70% of SMEs in Malaysia either maintained or increased the level of digitization of their business practices over the past 12 months. The world of finance has experienced significant digitalisation as well, with the advent of digital banking. What does this mean for the future of business banking? How are SMEs evolving their approach to banking? We discuss.
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Before COVID-19, big cities such as London, New York, and LA attracted workers from out of town or other countries thanks to their thriving hospitality industry. However, lockdowns have caused substantial impacts on their economies.
Closer to home, The Malaysian Association of Hotels (MAH) estimates that the local hotel industry has lost around RM9 billion in revenue in the first seven to eight months of this year.
This could exceed RM10 billion by December 31, 2021 if things don’t turn around soon.
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An article by Free Malaysia Today highlights that many Malaysians will not be able to retire comfortably and will be living in absolute poverty during retirement. Geoffrey Williams joins us today to expand more on the reason behind this and what could possible do done about it.
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Undeniably, the coronavirus pandemic has expedited digital transformation in Southeast Asia. And it’s clear that having highly transformative technologies would improve Southeast Asia’s economic competitiveness and society’s well-being, while ensuring inclusion and sustainability. So in order to keep up, how can SMEs stand out from the crowd? How can they improve their social commerce strategy?
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Small businesses need two things to survive the pandemic - digital adoption and obviously, steady profits. While being on e-commerce and delivery platforms helps in terms of reach and awareness, a portion of merchants’ profits are used for commissions and platform fees. We discuss the importance of proper digital transitioning as well as having a platform that allows merchants to keep all of their profits.
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We’re on the brink of a quarter packed with mega sales - 10.10, Singles Day, Black Friday… This at a time when global supply chain hiccups are starting to show warning signs that goods we buy online might not arrive on time.
In the midst of freight and inventory risks, what can businesses, especially those in ecommerce, do to address the challenges and bottlenecks of this period, mitigate negative impact, and reap the rewards? We discuss.
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In May 2021, start-ups, social enterprises, and social innovators applied for the Malaysian Global Innovation and Creativity Centre (MaGiC’s) Social Impact Challenge Accelerator (SICA); as a result, now 25 Malaysian startups are moving into the second phase of SICA, an Impact Accelerator programme.
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This inspiring story of a food delivery rider finally getting his PhD after studying and working at the same time made us think about one’s effective use of time. While everyone has their own lifestyle choices, most successful people will name proper time management as one of their core disciplines. We speak to an expert about this concept and if it applies, and appeals, to everyone.
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A database that apparently belongs to the National Registration Department (JPN) has been put up on sale at a well-known database marketplace forum.
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More parties have begun to speak out against “highly prejudicial clauses” in requests for proposals (RFPs), tenders or pitches that explicitly demand automatic ownership of agencies’ intellectual property, regardless of if they subsequently win the job. We discuss this creeping trend, how all parties can safeguard their rights, and if there’s a win-win for creatives and advertisers in this situation.
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Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob launched the 12th Malaysia Plan in Parliament yesterday in the hopes that it would revitalise the country’s economy after a difficult couple of years due to the pandemic. With more focus given to healthcare, tech, green goals, and high-income jobs, will the 12MP finally get us to where we needed to be a year ago, in 2020?
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How do we start practically implementing hybrid work? What are the challenges in place for employees, leaders, and organisations?
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The Great Resignation is in full force, and employees are leaving their old jobs in search of ones that provide increased flexibility. As such, companies are finding it extremely difficult to cater to the “new needs” of the post-pandemic worker. However, some employees have also disappeared in the void between jobs. There seems to be no rush to settle into a new career anytime soon.
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Effective immediately, gyms in Phase Two of National Recovery Plan (NRP) are allowed to operate with 50% capacity, Minister for Youth and Sports Ahmad Faizal Azumu said on 17 September 2021 (Friday). He urged the public to follow the standard operating procedures (SOPs) in place, especially the ventilation guidelines.
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A recent study by Sage shows SMEs around the world are united by a desire to create impact. They want to contribute positively to their community, environment, and to promote diversity. We discuss the challenges SMEs face in trying to create more positive impact, how to balance their varied priorities and business motivations – as well as how doing the right thing for their businesses, customers, and community can all go hand in hand.
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Graduates in Malaysia are struggling to secure jobs that match their qualifications despite a rising unemployment rate in the country. While policymakers have called for intensified efforts from the government to fix this problem, industry experts believe it’s a lot more complex than it seems.
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More economic sectors, including ones in states under Phase One of the National Recovery Plan, were allowed to operate beginning Friday. But are these businesses being given enough due notice to prepare for re-opening? And how badly have they been affected by being closed for so long?
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According to a press release by the Business Events Council of Malaysia (BECM), livelihoods and jobs contributing to over RM27.5 billion to Malaysia's GDP are at stake with further delays to reopening this crucial industry.
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Ever since the pandemic began, there’s been a sharp increase in interest for local brands with campaigns like #SapotLokal, the Buy Malaysia Campaign, and even #KitaJagaKita. Will this renewed support for local brands continue into the future?
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As the world heads more towards making remote work mainstream, here are a few learnings from more than a year of this new way of working.
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It’s clear that remote work is here to stay, according to a bevy of surveys and statistics. It’s been a long time coming, so how will Malaysia adapt to the new mainstream? What are the pros and cons?
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Several retail and business groups have called for individuals who have been fully vaccinated to be allowed back to work physically, without the need for a cap on those allowed on every premises. We discuss the pros and cons of the move, and if there’s a compromise for those who are not ready to go back to the office.
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Shang-Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings is crushing box office records worldwide, calling Disney’s previous dual-platform release strategy into question. But will the titular Asian character be enough to reinvigorate Malaysian cinemas when they reopen very soon? The numbers seem hopeful, but consumer behavior is still a key deciding factor.
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Cinemas nationwide have been given approval to resume operations. However, major chains like TGV and GSC are holding off for now, citing SOP clarity and insufficient time given to reopen their doors to the public. With Covid-19 cases still soaring and shifting customer sentiments, how are cinemas hoping to recoup their losses in the coming months?
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As the entertainment industry reopens for the fully vaccinated today (Sept 9th), artists and business owners in the creative industry share insights about preparing for “The Great Reopening”, as well as the challenges they expect to face in the coming months.
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The largest halal exhibition in the world is going virtual. We speak to our friends from MATRADE about taking the various components of the Malaysia International Halal Showcase (MIHAS) 2021 online, and their plan to facilitate high-value, cross-border halal trade digitally at the showcase.
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While everyone agrees the travel bubble programme that kicks-off in Langkawi next week is the lifeline businesses on the island need, not everyone feels the island is ready to welcome visitors once again. We discuss how the move will impact the hospitality segment, tourism players and travellers, and some of the lessons we can take from Phuket’s Sandbox plan.
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In the pandemic, job hunting has primarily taken place online. What are the new trends in post-pandemic recruitment? What are job seekers looking for now? And have Malaysian job seekers been using online platforms to their best advantage?
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The results are in, and they’re not good. Reports show 73% of organisations in Malaysia are at risk of data breaches over the next 12 months, and that most businesses and organisations do not have a robust enough approach to cybersecurity. So what do we do to prepare ourselves, our organisations and our remote working employees for the cyberthreats ahead? We discuss.
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In response to the influx of people switching careers or even resigning entirely, dubbed ‘The Great Resignation’, how can employers retain their existing talent?
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One of Southeast Asia’s largest SME digital financing platforms, Funding Societies Malaysia, along with renowned online food and grocery delivery platform, Foodpanda, have put their heads together to introduce a new pre-approved financing service that allows SMEs to get a financing plan without any repayment of principal for the first three months.
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UOB Malaysia and The FinLab have launched an initiative called JomX to assist SMEs embark on their digitalising efforts. This is due to a study done by UOB, Accenture and Dun & Bradstreet that discovered that many are relying on technology to help them survive due to the impact of COVID-19. SMEs interested may register here.
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