The Covid-19 pandemic has compelled companies to speed up digital adoption because employees cannot access their workplaces as easily. Noelle Lim speaks to Bill Taylor-Mountford, VP of Blue Prism in ASEAN and Korea, on why and how Malaysian companies can make the leap in digital transformation, and much-needed changes at the top leadership level using South Korea as a benchmark.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can gyms like Fitness First, Celebrity Fitness, and FIRE Fitness not just survive the pandemic, but thrive?

Roshan Kanesan speaks with Simon Flint of Evolution Wellness, the owner of these franchises amongst others, about the impact of the pandemic to revenue and membership, the game plan to navigate the challenging environment going forward, how they're tapping into technology and digital resources, possible deals and acquisitions, as well as what a possible exit plan could look like.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2021 is Malaysia's most expansionary budget in history with three main objectives to help the country overcome the crisis brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic. But do the initiatives meet the objectives and does it offer new ideas? Tai Lai Kok, Executive Director & Head of Tax at KPMG, and Tricia Yeoh, CEO of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), dissect the details of Budget 2021.

Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Budget 2021 is Malaysia's most expansionary budget in history with three main objectives to help the country overcome the crisis brought upon by the Covid-19 pandemic. But do the initiatives meet the objectives and does it offer new ideas? Tai Lai Kok, Executive Director & Head of Tax at KPMG, and Tricia Yeoh, CEO of the Institute of Democracy and Economic Affairs (IDEAS), dissect the details of Budget 2021.

Image Credit: Abdul Razak Latif / Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Covid-19 casting a dark shadow on the economy with rising unemployment and slowing growth, much is riding on this expansionary Budget. But what should the government focus on considering the narrow fiscal space, and how do we ensure growth and prosperity for all?

Dr Muhammad Khalid, chief economist at DM Analytics, and Richard Record, lead economist of the World Bank, weigh in on this.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A company that is benefiting from China's dual circulation strategy is JF Technology, a testing solution and equipment manufacturer that is partnering with Huawei to set up a testing facility in China. Dillon Atma Singh, the CEO of JF, discusses how it will protect its interest, other opportunities in China, the importance of having 5G infrastructure in Malaysia to attract foreign direct investments into advanced manufacturing, and when JF will move out of the ACE market.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Americans head to the polls today, in what's been touted as the election of the century. Amid a bitterly polarized electorate, an ongoing healthcare crisis and an economic crunch caused by the pandemic, how will US voters decide? We discuss the prospects for both candidates and the likelihood of a contested election with Kathryn Dunn Tenpas, Senior Fellow at the Miller Center, University of Virginia.

Image Credit: chrisdorney / Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a world of big data and algorithms where statistics become increasingly important, Tim Harford, author of “How to Make the World Add Up: Ten Rules for Thinking Differently About Numbers,” simplifies this very technical subject and reiterates the importance of numbers in this world. He also explains why polls can still be wrong despite the science behind it while defending the use of statistics despite the potential of its misuse by governments.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Covid-19 has accelerated change in many respects, from the adoption of digital technologies to shifts in consumer behaviour. However, set against the backdrop of geopolitical tensions, a rising China and an increasingly divided US, the pandemic has also acted as a catalyst for power shifts within the Asian region. The 2020 edition of the Asia Power Index, produced by the Lowy Institute, aims to chart that shift, by looking both at hard power and soft power developments of 26 nation-states over the past year. We speak to the team behind the index, Hervé Lemahieu and Alyssa Leng of the Asia Power and Diplomacy Program at the Lowy Institute, for insight into this Covid-driven race to the bottom. Explore the full index here.

Image Credit: Shutterstock

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peaceable and wealthy Sweden has been a notable divergent from its European peers in handling Covid-19 and refugee immigration, two seismic events with economic and social ramifications that experts have said are (and continue to be) more serious than Wall Street's crash in 1929 and the Spanish Flu of 1905.

Not surprisingly, there have been consequences for the small Nordic nation of a mere 10 million. His Excellency Dag Juhlin-Dannfelt, Sweden's Ambassador to Malaysia, discusses.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.