The Breakfast Grille

Southeast Asia’s real estate markets have long been seen as a growth story. But in a world of higher interest rates, shifting supply chains, and rising geopolitical tensions, that narrative is being tested. Michael Glancy, Managing Director for Southeast Asia at the international real estate advisory JLL, shares his insights.

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Systech Bhd has undergone a major shift following its acquisition of Wilstech Sdn Bhd, driving strong revenue growth and a new push into AI and GPU-as-a-Service, and with a new man at the helm. That person is Dr Wilson Low, the founder of Wilstech and now the MD for Systech. He discusses his ambitions and plans to turn Systech into a profitable business again.

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Japan already sells more adult diapers than baby diapers, a stark harbinger for a rapidly aging Malaysia. By 2040, the national support ratio is projected to collapse to just five working adults for every senior, signaling a fiscal crisis unless longevity is reframed as a frontier marketplace.

Michael Hodin, CEO of the Global Coalition on Aging (GCOA), joins the Breakfast Grille to discuss the $22 trillion Silver Economy. We explore why he believes the next 30 years of global growth will be driven not by the youth, but by a demographic that holds the lion’s share of disposable income. Is it time for a corporate "Aging Strategy" that goes far beyond bathroom grab bars.

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World Book Day was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) dedicated to promoting reading, literacy, and the joy of books worldwide. This year it is being celebrated under the shadow of several high profile and inexplicable book bans and seizures. While Malaysia boasts a literacy rate of over 94% and the government estimates that the average number of books read rose from two a year in 2005 to 24 in 2023, many issues remain to make reading books a popular way of experiencing the world.

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The New START Treaty between the U.S. and Russia expired in February 2026, marking the end of the last, major nuclear arms control agreement. Alarm bells went off with the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres noting that “for the first time in more than half a century, we face a world without any binding limits on the strategic nuclear arsenals.” So how do we re-institutionalise restraints in an age of re-emergent Great Power rivalry?

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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What happens when Malaysian unicorn Carsome stops chasing "growth at all costs" and starts chasing the bottom line? After raising over $800 million and hitting a peak revenue of RM5.6 billion (pertaining to Carsome Sdn Bhd), the regional automotive e-commerce platform made a surprising move: it got smaller to get fitter.

Group CEO Eric Cheng joins the Breakfast Grille to explain the revenue contraction, how financing now contributes up to 30% of their profit margin, and why their recent $30 million raise isn't a lifeline, but a tech-heavy bridge to Greater China.

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What happens when Malaysian unicorn Carsome stops chasing "growth at all costs" and starts chasing the bottom line? After raising over $800 million and hitting a peak revenue of RM5.6 billion (pertaining to Carsome Sdn Bhd), the regional automotive e-commerce platform made a surprising move: it got smaller to get fitter.

Group CEO Eric Cheng joins the Breakfast Grille to explain the revenue contraction, how financing now contributes up to 30% of their profit margin, and why their recent $30 million raise isn't a lifeline, but a tech-heavy bridge to Greater China.

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The European Union and ASEAN will mark 50 years of diplomatic ties next year - but the pathway to the anniversary is fraught with geopolitical and economic uncertainties. How might the current Middle East energy crisis shape the trajectory of EU-ASEAN economic relations in the months to come? We discuss this with Chris Humphrey, Executive Director of the EU-ASEAN Business Council.

Image Credits: Shutterstock

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Few companies endure for more than a century. So, as Royal Selangor, one of Malaysia’s oldest and most recognisable brands, turns 141, we ask if a heritage, craft-driven business model can still scale in today’s economy. Dato' Yong Yoon Li, Royal Selangor's MD shares his thoughts on leading this family business now into its fourth generation and into the future.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

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With Whitman’s move on the LEAP market, a fundamental question emerges: Can you scale a 'trust-based' business without losing its soul to shareholder pressure?

After 25 years of organic growth, Whitman Holdings’ public listing signals a shift from dividend payouts to expansion mode, potentially driven by an M&A appetite to consolidate Malaysia’s fragmented retirement advisory market.

Founder and Managing Director Yap Ming Hui also discusses the firm’s quest for vertical integration via a traditional portfolio management license, rejecting pure robo-advisory in favor of human-led expertise, and his aspirations for an "Expert AI" agent designed to clone his 25 years of proprietary wisdom.

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