General

Microsoft will be letting some of its employees back into the office next week, which is Stage Four of its 6-step Hybrid Workplace plan. The software giant considers working from home part-time as standard for its employees, and is looking into new ways of using technology to bridge the gap between remote work and traditional offices.

IBM, one of the first tech companies to invest in Cyberjaya, has announced it is shutting down its Global Delivery Centre in the city after seven years.

Online shopping has risen strongly during the pandemic, but this has also meant a big increase in the number of items being sent back because they don't fit, or aren't as expected. A number of tech firms are helping retailers deal with these higher returns levels.

The world is getting busier and more stressful, particularly in the corporate world. There are many ways and techniques on how professionals can cope with it. Social intelligence and civility are the new essential skills for professionals to approach in a hectic workplace. We speak with Geeva Samynathan of Ectaa.com to discuss the importance of SI in the workplace, how to measure civility and how to build better teams for a more enjoyable working environment. 

If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that flexibility and learning how to go with the flow are key skills in business and in life. For Tiffany Yow, taking The Flow Studio’s yoga and pilates classes online were key to keeping this fitness business afloat - she discusses how the company handled the pivot, their adherence to going above and beyond SOPs, and her dreams for the future.

Stashaway hit an AUM of $1 billion much faster than US-based roboadvisor pioneers Wealthfront and Betterment. While impressive, this won't mean much if it can't turn a profit.

Roshan Kanesan speaks to Stashaway CEO and Co-Founder Michele Ferrario to discuss the path to profitability, whether they can mirror Betterment and Wealthfront growth rates (which now have around $21 billion in AUM), IPO plans, possible partnerships, what competitors keep Michele up at night, and more.

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Michele Photo Credit: Stasahaway

Datuk Shamsuddin Bardan, Executive Director of the Malaysian Employers Federation discusses the challenges employers face in meeting the deadline to screen all foreign workers, and also vaccination plans.

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Chinese tech companies such as Tencent and Alibaba flourished under China’s “light-touch” regulatory regime to become the giants they are today. However the regulatory environment appears to be changing, following the crackdown on Alibaba beginning in November of last year, and other big tech players are bracing themselves for greater scrutiny over uncompetitive practices. We discuss the motivations and implications of China’s antitrust enforcement with legal expert Dr. Angela Zhang, author of the book, “Chinese Antitrust Exceptionalism: How the Rise of China Will Challenge Global Regulation”.

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Reports of a second fatal accident at the SUKE Highway construction site over the weekend have raised questions over construction safety standards in the country. Investigations are still ongoing into the causes of the incident, but ultimately why doe these accidents keep happening? Who is accountable? We speak to Mohamad Aliasman Morshidi, Vice President, Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health to find out.

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Oil rally ends, cryptos in doubt, and US Treasury auctions implication on Bond yields this week. The Morning Run gets into this with Jeffrey Halley, Senior Market Analyst with OANDA, and also dive into Jeff's thoughts about Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen's first joint testimony before a U.S House committee.