Let's Talk, Singapore

Back in January, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) issued the new Technology Risk Management Guidelines, which were heavily updated and refreshed from the previous guidelines that were issued in 2013. Stephen McNulty, President, Asia Pacific, and Japan, Micro Focus shares how the new MAS guidelines post-SolarWind breach can impact the finance sector's bid to transform and how tech vendors can learn from it to navigate future partnerships. 

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Tan Dawn Wei, China Bureau Chief, The Straits Times gives her analysis of the National People’s Congress (NPC) session, China's global lead in unwinding its pandemic-driven economic stimulus efforts, and the slowing inoculating situation in China. 

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Just recently, Foursquare has rebranded to better represent its position as a B2B software service following a period of “growing pains”. Aditi Kohli, Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Foursquare shares more about the significance of rebranding Foursquare and how their expansion into B2B and SaaS with its proprietary location technology is benefiting them. 

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Udhay Furtado, Co-Head of Asia Equity Capital Markets, Citi, discusses why SPACs are gaining in popularity, plus factors that companies and investors should consider before getting involved.

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Straits Times’ US Bureau Chief, Nirmal Ghosh gives an analysis of the first ‘quad’ meeting among top leaders of the United States, Japan, India and Australia, the impeachment of Andrew Cuomo, hostility and infighting between Texas’s Republican and Democratic leaders, and more. 

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Just like most Singapore supermarket operators, Prime Group’s sales jumped by 15 to 25 percent as people stockpiled groceries and necessities at the peak of the pandemic last year. But despite the sales jump, the company found itself being put through “a series of maximum-stress tests”, such as ensuring the safety of its frontline staff with the surges in short-term demand creating a huge pressure on its supermarket operations. Tan Yong Shao, Chief Executive, Prime Group International shares Prime Group’s experience going through the Covid-19 pandemic and some of the key differences between Prime Supermarket and Mahota Commune. 

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The impact of Covid-19 on businesses was discussed extensively at the recently concluded hybrid AmChams of Asia Pacific Business Summit 2021. At the summit, Asia Pacific’s diversity and its ability to adapt and innovate in response to challenges were highlighted as a key strength as businesses gear up for a post-pandemic world. Dr Hsien Hsien Lei, Chief Executive Officer, AmCham Singapore shares some of the key takeaways from this year’s summit and if the relationship between US businesses and Singapore can continue to thrive in a post Covid-19 world. 

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CNBC's Emily Tan discusses what to look out for in this week's FOMC meeting, US & China economic indicators as well as how the US-Sino talks in Alaska will play out.

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Synopsis: The Invisible Asia Podcast is a special edition series in which The Straits Times casts the spotlight on people and communities living in the shadows of their societies where they exist largely unseen and unheard of. Do follow all nine episodes of Invisible Asia over the next two months on The Straits Times podcast channel on Apple podcasts, Spotify or Google podcasts.

The Straits Times' China correspondent Danson Cheong explores the hardships that short-term labourer Wei Xiaoqiang faces daily. Xiaoqiang is one among China’s 290 million rural migrants who have moved to the big cities to seek a better life.

But a lack of skills has kept such migrants out of most employment opportunities, forcing them into an endless cycle of grabbing whatever temporary jobs are hawked their way, at places such as the Majuqiao labour market in the outskirts of Beijing. Our series' narrator is Tan Jia Ning:

1. Xiaoqiang on what it's like to have to find a new job each day and struggle to keep up to earn his wages (2:27) 
2. He yearns for a better life, doing something different, but his dreams still seem far out of reach to him (3:44) 
3. Why China's rural migrants are stuck at the bottom of the "food chain" (4:51) 
4. With short-term labour romanticised for the "gig worker lifestyle", Xiaoqiang says it's in fact 'an incredibly lonely life' (6:52) 
5. Challenges mounting for such workers in China, and what the government has done to alleviate the problem (7:38) 

Read Danson Cheong's story here: https://str.sg/Jj9a

Produced by: Tan Jia Ning, Magdalene Fung, Ernest Luis & Adam Azlee

Edited by: Adam Azlee

Discover ST's Invisible Asia podcast series:

Channel: https://str.sg/wuZn

Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/wu3s

Spotify: https://str.sg/wuJH

SPH Awedio app: https://www.awedio.sg/

Website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

Feedback to: [email protected]

Invisible Asia Videos: https://str.sg/wuTU

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Follow more ST podcast channels:

All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7

ST Podcasts website: http://str.sg/stpodcasts

The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/4Vwsa

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Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section:

The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB

Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX

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Chou Chong, Director, Leanne Capital shares his investment approach as the sector rotation away from growth names gets into full swing amid another round of stimulus from Washington.

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