Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

From co-founding a volunteer-run initiative to spearheading sustainability strategies at a global non-profit, our guest in this episode of Mind Your Business, has now taken the reins of her family’s precision engineering business and is championing for real change. Kia Jiehui, Business Development Manager, Ichi Seikishares what opened her mind from a 2019 speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to how she is integrating sustainability into the company's operations today, and how she is embracing circular economy practices to engaging stakeholders, industry players and employees in the journey.  Presented by Ryan Huang. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech

A recent report by climate data group Net Zero Tracker found that most corporate net-zero pledges globally lack detailed plans, regular reporting, as well as clear conditions on the use of carbon offsetting.  Professor John Wiseman, climate and energy transition specialist and Senior Research Fellow of the Melbourne Climate Futures at University of Melbourne weighs in on the challenges behind a smooth and just green transition. Presented by: Ryan Huang This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)  Highlights: (00:00) Introduction  (01:15) Why is there a disparity between corporate net zero pledges - what they're promising versus actual plans and regular reporting? Why is there this disconnect? (02:42) John, could describe how bad or prevalent you think this situation is, and maybe some examples challenges you've observed, by stakeholders on both sides of the fence when it comes to finding that solution - that equitable solution? (04:37) It does sound like it's quite common sense to go green, and to make big promises to go greener, to go for net-zero. So, when we look at some of the challenges you've just outlined, how much is due to, within the company -politics playing out, different business divisions having different priorities, and a bit of friction between profitability versus going green, and maybe just a lack of know how - how much of that is coming to play here? (06:15) Now, looking at this situation, and linking it back to that global call to phase out coal we've been getting quite a lot. How is this playing out in Australia, where we've got, of course, Australia being a big exporter of coal, you've got China using quite a bit of fossil fuels as well. How much of a situation is this, where you've got corporates in Australia also going through this disconnect, when it comes to having to deal with the global call for phasing out coal? (08:20) This has been the target for many governments as well. So, when it comes to reaching that goal of net-zero, do you think it's more effective to have more carrots or more sticks, taxes versus incentives? (10:31) So, this brings the question - the jobs at stake, because a lot of these jobs, in especially emerging countries could be gone if people just press on. And the question then is, how do you do this in a just way to transition from that phase to where you want to be, without having to disrupt their lives and livelihoods?

David Keller, CMT, President & Chief Strategist at Sierra Alpha Research, who’s also Chief Market Strategist, StockCharts.com weighs in on the pullback in US growth stocks, low volatility, outlook on outperformers, as well as the relative performance of Consumer Discretionary versus Consumer Staples. Presented by: Sean Cheong This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) 

Plug in as we ignite the spark of innovation in ASEAN's battery and electric vehicle landscape. Dr Chiam Sing Yang,Technical Director, Singapore Battery Consortium, shares more about the MOU signed at the first-ever ASEAN Battery and Electric Vehicle Technology Conference, as well as the driving forces behind the region’s electrifying future. Presented by Ryan Huang. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech

In this episode of Mind Your Business, we have a second-generation leader in the furniture industry who is revolutionizing design and manufacturing with her sustainable woodworking business.  Discover how she pushes the boundaries of design, harnesses innovative manufacturing techniques, and sources eco-friendly materials to create furniture that not only enhances living spaces but also minimizes environmental impact. Emily Sim, Founder and Director, Panelogue & Co-founder, SuperStructure & Executive Member, Singapore Furniture Industries Council. Presented by Ryan Huang. This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech

Faiz Nagutha, Asean Economist, Bank of America Securities, discusses who are the biggest winners from the China +1 strategy being favored by companies looking to diversify their supply chains. He also looks at what extent China's slower than expected growth this year will weigh on Asean economies.

From healthcare systems to labour policies, an ageing population can totally change the way a society works.  Coming on the back of Japan's 'last-chance' efforts to curb population decline, as touted by Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida - Gretchen Donehower, Demographer from the Center on the Economics and Demography of Aging at the University of California, Berkeley weighs in on the challenges behind dealing with an ageing population, with Japan's case in focus, and whether that can be turned into an economic advantage.  Presented by: Ryan Huang This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) 

Matt Taylor, Senior Director, FTI Consulting, discusses why US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to China over the weekend is being seen as a positive sign for relations, as well as the central banks in action this week watch out for. 

Geraldine Tan, Founder of My NoNNa's - a social enterprise which not just hires people with special needs, but also provides training for employers who are interested in employing differently-abled persons - shares insights on what's driving her, and what factors employers should consider when hiring people with special needs. Presented by: Lynlee Foo & Ryan Huang This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)

The space race has always been one that involved big players like the US and China. But just recently, one Singaporean team placed third in an international rocket-building competition. One of its team members, Tyrohnn Hira, a year-2 NTU undergraduate from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Simon Gwozdz , CEO of rocket and space launch company Equatorial Space, which helped with hardware selection and launch procedures - weighed in on the challenges and where our little red dot is faring on this front. Presented by: Lynlee Foo This podcast is produced and edited by Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)