Enterprise Explores

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Inspire Inclusion”, which aims to encourage us to foster a more inclusive world for women by sharing compassion, valuing women’s inclusion, and promoting a sense of belonging and empowerment.Inspiring us on this episode of Enterprise Explores is Professor Jenny George, Dean of Melbourne Business School and Co-Dean of the University of Melbourne's Faculty of Business and Economics, where she shares some of the best practices businesses can take to invest in women, and in equipping them to lead and accelerate progress.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enterprise Explores the origins and mission of Slush’D and how it has made its way to Malaysia in the form of the KL Slush'D Anti-Conference with Stella Korpikuusi, Expansion Lead at Slush and Damon Grow, Co-Founder of KL Slush'D.Slush’D is a highly regarded annual startup event in Helsinki, Finland, that is organised by Slush, a not-for-profit organisation in Finland run by students and recent graduates, that brings together the most relevant people in the startup ecosystem from around the globe in order to connect founders with what and whom they need while being able to build a new, inclusive, and more purposeful culture of entrepreneurship.Slush’D has grown its presence by partnering with local partners across the world to stage other Slush’D events, and it has now made its way to KL - happening on March 7th, at Kwai Chai Hong from 3.30PM to 10PM.On this episode, we learn more about the original Slush’D event and break down how it has made its journey across Europe to Africa and Asia and now here in Kuala Lumpur, why the KL event is happening as an Anti-Conference, and explore what the audience and attendees can gain from this event to expand their startup ventures.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enterprise Explores 42Geeks, the 3rd venture of PJ boy Chok Ooi, and the mission of his new business. We also explore his journey of building multiple Silicon Valley startups, and the lessons and mistakes he learnt along the way, including rookie mistakes from his first exit.Chok’s Silicon Valley journey took flight after being laid off by Goldman Sachs during the Global Financial Crisis when Sam Altman (yes that Sam Altman) hired him at Loopt back in 2008. Today he is building 42Geeks, an organization with a mission to foster cross-border tech collaborations & investments through the global Geeks Tour, and they were in town last week as they toured Southeast Asia, specifically Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and now the BFM Studio.Between then and 42Geeks, Chok started and built Agility.io, a global product design and software development company that works with 300+ startups and Fortune 500 companies to design and build game-changing technology and solutions, and also Kenzie Academy, an online tech and coding school headquartered in Indianapolis, which was later acquired by Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) in March 2021.Prior to Agility.io and Kenzie, Chok was CTO at SF-based Azap Mobile, Senior Software Engineer at Loopt (acquired by GreenDot), and Lead Engineer at Selerity (acquired by Dealogic). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia (ICDM) recently concluded a comprehensive survey across Southeast Asia in collaboration with its eight partners under the ASEAN national institute of directors (IOD) Network.The findings highlight key priorities, challenges, and forward-looking strategies for boards to sharpen their foresight as they navigate economic uncertainties, talent management, and sustainable practices. With a focus on growth, resilience, and effective governance, ASEAN boards are poised to shape the future of corporate leadership and sustainability.In this episode on Enterprise Explores, Michele Kythe Lim, President & CEO at Institute of Corporate Directors Malaysia, sheds light on the ICDM 2024 ASEAN Board Trends Report.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Enterprise Explores and breaks down the latest SST developments and how it will impact businesses in the lead up to implementation tomorrow (March 1st) with Ng Sue Lynn, Head of Indirect Tax at KPMG.In a surprise move, the service tax will now be imposed on maintenance and repair (M&R) services and on top of that it stated that it would be effective Monday, the 26th of February, which led to some confusion around the actual start date for the changes and updates to the SST and its increase.On top of that there’s been some concern over how broad the term ‘Maintenance and Repair’ is and we also explore changes around how the service tax will be applied to the logistics industry, which has now been brought into the Service Tax fold for the first time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The informal employment landscape in Malaysia represents a significant and dynamic component of the labour market, reflecting both the economy's adaptability and the challenges facing its workforce.These workers often face precarious conditions, including low wages, limited access to benefits, and vulnerability to economic shocks, which calls for policymakers to strike a balance between promoting formalisation and ensuring the well-being of these workers.The World Bank report on "Informal Employment in Malaysia", indicates that approximately 21% of the workforce is engaged in informal work. The report identifies key challenges and policy goals related to retirement savings, protection against health and injury risks, and the need for social insurance schemes to be more flexible and inclusive, as well as emerging trends.In this episode, Enterprise explores this World Bank report on its findings and recommendations with Dr Yashodhan Ghorpade, Senior Economist on Social Protection & Jobs at the World Bank.Photo credit: ShutterstockSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the back of the newly introduced Industrial Master Plan 2030 (IMP 2030), the policy targets an increase in revenue by more than RM580 billion by 2030 and is set to generate 3.3 million high-skilled jobs within this sector.The IMP 2030 aligns with the goals set in the Industry 4WRD, which is to digitally transform the manufacturing sector and boost productivity through technology and automation.In Malaysia, the manufacturing sector has faced a two-fold increase in ransomware attacks in 2023 compared to the previous year. The primary methods of attack include phishing and malware, while other notable issues are SQL Injections, insider threats, and vulnerabilities related to Internet of Things (IoT).Today, Enterprise explores cybersecurity challenges faced by businesses, particularly in the manufacturing industry and how businesses in this space can navigate through them in 2024 with Dickson Woo, Country Manager at Fortinet Malaysia.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Enterprise Explores 5 Ideas to shakeup the Start-Up and funding here in Malaysia and Southeast Asia with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder, ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator.Post-pandemic, startups now find themselves navigating through an uncertain environment courtesy of the higher interest rate environment, funding winter, lower valuations, and even down rounds. On top of that, the struggle to raise funds has caused many companies to resort to cost-cutting measures, including layoffs.In a recent article in The Edge, Doc Siva notes that this downturn has changed investor perspectives and start-up founders will need a mindset change to succeed over the next few years.Tapping into his 25 years of experience in the Malaysia tech ecosystem, as well as his startup investing history having made 52 investments in total as an angel investor but also through ScaleUp Accelerator, he proposes 5 ideas to change up the narrative and move away from the Silicon Valley growth-driven model that has been the de-facto way of doing business in the scene.In this conversation we will get into and breakdown each of the 5 ideas in more detail, but to give you a sense of what’s coming ahead, here are the 5 headlines that he used in his article:Build an enduring businessChange the growth modelLimit the amount raisedSpend time on the business, not fundraisingFor enduring businesses, an IPO is a better ‘exit’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Enterprise Explores 5 Ideas to shakeup the Start-Up and funding here in Malaysia and Southeast Asia with Dr Sivapalan Vivekarajah, Senior Partner & Co-Founder, ScaleUp Malaysia Accelerator.Post-pandemic, startups now find themselves navigating through an uncertain environment courtesy of the higher interest rate environment, funding winter, lower valuations, and even down rounds. On top of that, the struggle to raise funds has caused many companies to resort to cost-cutting measures, including layoffs.In a recent article in The Edge, Doc Siva notes that this downturn has changed investor perspectives and start-up founders will need a mindset change to succeed over the next few years.Tapping into his 25 years of experience in the Malaysia tech ecosystem, as well as his startup investing history having made 52 investments in total as an angel investor but also through ScaleUp Accelerator, he proposes 5 ideas to change up the narrative and move away from the Silicon Valley growth-driven model that has been the de-facto way of doing business in the scene.In this conversation we will get into and breakdown each of the 5 ideas in more detail, but to give you a sense of what’s coming ahead, here are the 5 headlines that he used in his article: 1. Build an enduring business2. Change the growth model 3. Limit the amount raised4. Spend time on the business, not fundraising5. For enduring businesses, an IPO is a better ‘exit’See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Recently, in a Reddit post three days ago, and articles on AsiaOne and the New Straits Times, exposed that an eatery (ramen chain) in Kuala Lumpur had allegedly deducted salaries of staff who take medical leave and toilet breaks. Based on a photo of its rules and regulations for employees posted on Facebook (Feb 18) by a netizen, the fines ranged from RM30 to RM500 for various so-called “offences”.Subsequently, the eatery had also lodged a police report after online backlash on HR policies.In the modern workplace today, the importance of employee rights and fair employment practices cannot be underestimated. As businesses and economies worldwide cope with rapid technological changes, and shifting societal norms, there is a need to ensure that employment practices evolve accordingly, too.Today, we will discuss fair employment practices from the lens of legislation, the ongoing efforts and challenges in creating workplaces that comply with legal standards and also foster a culture of respect, equality, and dignity for all employees.We speak with Donovan Cheah, a partner at Donovan & Ho on matters that will guide both employees and employers towards a more just and productive working relationship.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.