Resource Centre

Layoffs were a key trend in 2023 particularly for the tech sector, and it looks like this has continued into 2024. Tech industry tracker Layoffs.fyi estimates more than 30,000 employees have been let go this year so far, and while that is a far cry from the nearly 90,000 laid off in January 2023, getting layoffed is never pleasant news.

A key theme that has come up with these layoffs, is how they were conducted, whether it was Google last year or more recently Lazada, so today on Resource Centre, we get into how the firing or layoff process should look like, especially for smaller companies, with Anisha Sasheendran, Founder and Managing Partner at One People Team - a HR advisory and training company.

Among other things, we’ll ask Anisha what should go into these conversations between an employer and an employee, whether there is such a thing as a human or ethical layoffs and if so, what it should look like, and challenges businesses typically face with talent management and retention.

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A recent report released by the Deloitte Economics Institute (entitled “Work Towards Net Zero in Asia Pacific -- The Rise of the Green Collar Workforce in a Just Transition”) highlights the potential rise of a new Green Collar workforce in the Asia Pacific region, estimating that 80% of skills needed for energy transition efforts in the short-to-medium term already exist in today’s workforce.

However, 40% of workers in Asia-Pacific, including economies like Malaysia, are currently employed in vulnerable industries such as agriculture, conventional energy, manufacturing, transportation, and construction. that are under threat from climate change and the transition to net zero.

Encouragingly, the Malaysian government has taken steps to support the development of the emerging Green Collar workforce through Phase 1 of the National Energy Transition Roadmap (NETR). The NETR represents Malaysia’s efforts to future-proof its vulnerable sectors by accelerating the shift from a traditional fossil fuel-based economy to a high-value green economy.

Through the NETR, 10 flagship catalyst projects and initiatives are expected to generate a total of 23,000 new high-impact, high-quality job opportunities. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recognises Malaysia's significant policy support for green job development, positioning the country strongly in the region.

Today, we speak with Kasturi Nathan, Governance, Regulatory and Sustainability Services Leader, Deloitte Malaysia on the potential for significant job creation in industries focused on environmental sustainability, the challenges and opportunities this transition presents, and how governments can lead the way in tackling the climate crisis and equitable employment outcomes.

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In recent years, the concept of sustainability has taken centre stage in the corporate world, transcending beyond a mere buzzword to become a cornerstone of modern business practices.

This shift is largely attributed to the escalating environmental and social challenges that have emerged in the wake of rapid industrialisation and globalisation. Amidst this backdrop, the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework has emerged as a vital tool for businesses, guiding them towards aligning their strategies and operations with sustainability goals and principles.

As companies navigate the dynamic changes in the sustainability agenda, examining how these shifts are influencing the game plan and conversations within the business community, they are also seeking insights into practical strategies for integrating ESG goals into core business operations, prioritising investments in ESG initiatives and managing ESG-related risks.

Today, we speak with Professor Glenn Hoetker, Professor of Business Strategy, and the Foundation Chair of Sustainability & Business at Melbourne Business School to delve into the evolving landscape of sustainability and ESG, and key considerations Malaysian companies should look at to step up their pace on ESG rollout.

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In the rapidly evolving world of business technology, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems have become essential for businesses seeking to enhance their customer engagement and sales efficiency.

Moving into 2024, the landscape of CRM is being reshaped by several key trends and technological advancements, driven by the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, offering a multitude levels of personalisation in customer interactions.

Voice technology, as well as a mobile-first approach, have emerged as a mainstream feature within CRM interfaces. These developments imply a significant shift towards more dynamic and responsive CRM strategies.

So, what are the latest CRM trends and strategies that businesses should consider and adopt this year and beyond? We speak with Gibu Mathew, Vice President and General Manager for Asia-Pacific at Zoho Corporation, a technology company that makes computer software and web-based business tools, to unravel the “secrets”.

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While seeking help may be perceived as a sign of weakness by some, it is a misconception. Entrepreneurship is a complex journey filled with challenges, and guidance from experienced mentors can offer invaluable insights, saving fellow budding entrepreneurs from unnecessarily spending in terms of time or effort.

Today on Resource Centre, we look into the Antler Residency Program and how it attempts to support budding entrepreneurs with Frank Kang, the Country Head and Associate Partner of Antler Malaysia, as well as 2 participants from the program, Peh Sern, Co-Founder & CEO of COEX, and Heaster Andrea Hilary, Co-Founder & CEO of MessengerCo.

The Antler Residency Program is an intensive course that condenses months' worth of progress into a few weeks, to support aspiring entrepreneurs in building their startups. Antler’s program has helped founders better understand and navigate their entrepreneurial journey and boasts a network of over 8,000 founders and 600 advisors across 30 locations.

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Digitalisation continues to be a key area of focus for enterprises in Malaysia as businesses look to tap into the next phase of economic growth. Innovations such as AI can help lower costs and improve productivity, while advancements in cybersecurity will help businesses better fend off key threats such as Ransomware. Underlying all this will be the need for fast and seamless connectivity.

In this episode of Resource Centre, learn more about how TM One can help empower businesses to tap into the next phase of economic growth with Shazurawati Abdul Karim, Executive Vice President of TM One. We get into TM One's range of offerings and role in advancing 5G in Malaysia, as well as why enterprises, irrespective of industry or size, must look into AI, sustainable solutions for a better environment, and cybersecurity, to power innovation and transformation.

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According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), there are currently more than 1,600 AI policies globally and this is likely to increase as AI continues to develop and transform the business landscape. In line with that, the AI Governance market is also expected to grow by a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 52 percent between 2024 and 2032.

Taking this into consideration, it is particularly important for us to understand why providing necessary training to data professionals is needed so that all these new and innovative AI systems can flourish in line with all the new AI-related laws or government policies expected to come up this year.

Today on the show, I spoke to Alvin Toh, Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) of Straits Interactive on the importance of AI governance training, how companies are using generative AI to improve their data protection and what AI policies we could see here in Malaysia in 2024.

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Richard and Matt explore society's perceptions and expectations of humanoid robots. Why put a human face on a machine? The show delves into the technical challenges of creating humanoid robots, such as balance and fine motor control, and the evolving nature of technology that's making it feasible to build lightweight, human-like robots. They discuss Boston Dynamics’ robots like Atlas and Spot, contrasting them with more utilitarian robots like Stretch.

The episode concludes with a discussion on the influence of AI on humanoid robots, suggesting a shift towards collective intelligence in robotics, akin to The Borg from Star Trek. They ponder the future of humanoid robots in our daily lives, reflecting on adaptability as a key factor in robot design. Matt and Richard also touch on the potential learning and adaptation of AI models, including ChatGPT, and how they might influence future robot behavior. They have also expressed their gratitude to ChatGPT for writing this intro, in case it one day decides to destroy them.

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We dive into the world of ethical artificial intelligence with Lee Hickin, AI Technology & Policy Lead for Microsoft Asia, and Adilah Junid, Director of Legal & Government Affairs, Microsoft Malaysia. We explore how Microsoft integrates responsible AI governance into its operations, with a particular focus on the Asian market. Lee and Adilah will provide insights into Microsoft's journey of balancing innovation with ethical AI practices, their collaborative efforts with Asian governments for policy shaping, and the challenges in aligning AI development with legal frameworks. They also discuss Microsoft's tech stack and its role in ensuring secure and reliable AI solutions, as well as the broader societal impacts of AI.

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There are a few key prime shopping times of the year, and the end-of-year holiday season is generally considered one of them, filled with sales, promotions, and consumers rushing to get gifts for Christmas time.

Recent data from the US National Retail Federation (NRF), retail trade group, shows that the 2023 holiday shopping season was a strong one, reportedly fueled by an appetite for beauty products, apparel and electronics sales across both brick-and-mortar and online channels rose 3.8% rise to $964.4 billion n the November through December period.

Now that’s the US, but what was the situation like here in Malaysia? Soon Yean, Malaysia Country Manager of Adyen joins us to break down lessons from the 2023 holiday shopping season, but also look ahead to payment trends in 2024.

Adyen provides payments services to large enterprises, which makes them well placed to share insights on the retail landscape and how Malaysian retailers can win the wallets of shoppers. Globally, they also enable their global customer base to leverage payments data to drive revenue and optimise efficiencies.

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