Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

From producing abalones to distributing FMCG products and to offering consultation services, our guest for today Oceanus has its wings spread across business pillars such as food production, innovation and distribution. 

The aim here is to leverage what it calls cross-pillar synergies for exponential growth to boost financial performance. But having a diversified portfolio of businesses hasn’t always been the case for Oceanus. 

It was once an abalone hatchery operator struggling with a lack of internal controls and corporate governance framework. 

At one point in 2014, the SGX mainboard-listed company was on the brink of being wound out after losing its entire abalone farm to bad weather, causing it to default on S$94 million in debt. 

That was when chief executive Peter Koh was roped in to manage the firm. Changes were made to Oceanus’ business model, and over the years, the firm repaid its dues and restructured its business to include new streams of revenue.

The company also exited the Singapore Exchange watchlist in September 2021 after six years. 

But what is Oceanus’ secret sauce to turning the business around? And from inking deals in Uzbekistan and Hainan – what is Oceanus doing to position itself for its next bound of growth?

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian spoke with Peter Koh, Executive Director and Group CEO, Oceanus for more.

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Aesthetic medicine allows people to alter their features but there are different standards of beauty in different cultures. There is a recent shift towards a preference for 'natural beauty' in Asian society. In achieving this goal, the doctors must guide their patients when helping them undergo this process.

We speak to Dr Harvey Ho Han Loong, Aesthetic Doctor, Skinscape Clinic more about this.

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Singapore stocks opened slightly higher today amid a mixed performance among index counters. That’s after the global markets closed mostly in positive territory on Friday.

In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was up 0.1 per cent to 3,281.14 points, after 68.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. 

In terms of companies to watch for today, we have Cromwell European Real Estate Investment Trust after its  portfolio valuation for the half year ended June 2023 fell a further 1.6 per cent to about 2.3 billion euros (S$3.4 billion). 

Elsewhere from India’s GDP growth expectations to China central bank selling cash deposits at record low rates, and Alibaba not selling any part of its stake in Ant Group’s share buyback, more international headlines are in focus. 

Not to mention the blue chip Dow closing higher for the 10th straight day, its longest rally in about 6 years. 

On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked the developments with David Kuo, Co-founder, The Smart Investor.

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PSG have been accused of "moral harassment" after leaving Kylian Mbappe out of their pre-season tour of Asia, and the French footballers' union said it could take legal action. The club's all-time leading goalscorer has told his employers that he will not extend his contract, which has 12 months left. So could they cash-in by selling him to Real Madrid? Elliott and Raushan discuss.

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Ticket scalping can negatively affect both the reputation of the brand and satisfaction of consumers. There is software to deter scalpers, who themselves are using technology to get tickets before anyone else to resell for a profit margin. But this software must continue to be developed to keep this threat in check.

We speak to George Lee, Senior Vice President, Asia Pacific & Japan, Imperva more about this.

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China's warm welcome for former National Security Adviser and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger could be a reminder of how US-China relations can and should be.

We also speak about Pvt. Travis King, the American soldier who ran across the border into North Korea, Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to Tonga, New Zealand and Australia, and updates on former US President Donald Trump’s legal troubles.

Trisha Craig, Vice President (Engagement) and Senior Lecturer of Social Sciences (Sociology and Political Science), Yale-NUS College helps us elaborate on these headlines.

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Today we’re going to look at the oldest form of lending, which dates back to the Ancient Greek and Roman Empires. Make a guess – it was also found in China during the Spring and Autumn Period or between 770 to 476 BCE. 

Bingo if you’ve guessed pawn shops! Pawnshops first made their way to modern Singapore back in 1872.There were 25 pawnshops dotted across Singapore from 1920 to 1929, and they generated monthly turnover of over $2 million. 

So as you can imagine business was thriving, before the Great Depression in 1929 and World War II dealt a blow to the industry.

90 years after the Great Depression, we’ve got the COVID-19 pandemic and the War in Ukraine.  But what do such economic uncertainties mean for pawnbrokers in terms of new loans, redemption and interest income?

Let’s pose the question to our guest for today. Founded in 1988, ValueMax provides pawnbroking and secured money lending services, as well as the retail and trading of jewellery and gold. 

The SGX-listed company has 42 pawnbroking and retail outlets across Singapore as well as 21 other outlets in Malaysia operated through its associated company. 

On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Yeah Lee Ching, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Director, ValueMax for more.

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Novelship has joined forces with American rapper-actor Snoop Dogg to offer consumers in South-east Asia greater accessibility to cult sneaker brands and expand its range of collectibles. With the sneaker market projected to become a US$6 billion global business by 2025, Novelship plans to stay ahead of the curve and capitalise on this growth by expanding their userbase in the region, and forming more partnerships with distributors and brands.

We speak to Richard Xia, Co-Founder and CEO, Novelship more about this.

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Singapore shares started trading a touch lower today following mixed trading sessions in the US and Europe.

In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was down 0.1 per cent at 3,271.21 points as 57.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. 

In terms of companies to watch today, we have Yangzijiang Financial after the investment manager’s maritime private equity fund invested in two chemical and product tanker projects for US$32.1 million. 

Meanwhile, from Sabana Reit going ahead with its ordinary resolution to internalise the Reit’s management function, to China announcing steps to boost car sales and Elon Musk getting poorer by billions of dollars overnight, more international and corporate headlines remain in focus.

On Market View, the Drive Time team unpacked the developments with Benjamin Goh, Head of Research and Investor Education, SIAS.

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With Manchester United have completing the signing of goalkeeper Andre Onana from Inter Milan, Erik ten Hag now has his second acquisition of the summer following the earlier arrival of Mason Mount. How important is a change between the sticks in the Dutchman's rebuild of the red devils? We hear from Rio Ferdinand, Danny Murphy - and discuss what else is to come ahead of the brand new season.

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