Breakfast with Ryan Huang, Emaad Akhtar and Audrey Siek

Singapore's Smart Nation initiative has been the envy of the world, aiming to create a digital paradise for its citizens. A recent Adobe report confirms this progress, placing Singapore in the top 3 for utilising technology in government services. But hold on – the report also revealed some hidden hiccups, particularly in digital equity and website performance. To untangle this web of findings and chart a course for a truly inclusive digital future, we speak with Simon Dale, Vice President of Asia at Adobe, to shed light on Singapore's digital government journey. Presented by Audrey Siek This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Healthtech, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town.

Farmers in India are contending with the impact of climate change every day as their crops are often subject to weather conditions, which are evolving as climate change becomes more deeply entrenched. Every year, about 30% of agricultural produce is wasted before it leaves the farms. And did you know this food waste contributes to greenhouse gases? On this episode of Climate Connections, Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder of S4S Technologies, who has seen how deeply intertwined challenges of food waste, rural poverty and gender inequality are, shares the journey she embarked on together with five other university friends, to help smallholder female farmers preserve and market surplus produce. Feature produced and edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Voiced by: Emaad Akhtar Photo credits: The Earthshot Prize Music credits: pixabay & its talented community of contributors

The FOMC maintained the target range for the fed funds rate at 5.25% - 5.50% at the conclusion of the June meeting, while continuing to stress that rate cuts will remain elusive until policymakers have gained sufficient confidence that inflation is on a path to return towards the 2% target, despite today's cooler-than-expected CPI. Fed Chair Jerome Powell says it’s too soon to tell if Fed policy is ‘sufficiently restrictive’ and that the recent strong jobs data might be slightly “overstated,” indicating that benchmark revisions could be on the way. Nadine Terman, CEO & CIO, Solstein Capital shares her insights on the latest Fed direction and where markets are headed. Presented by: Audrey Siek Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)  Graphics credits: iStock

Millions grapple with shaky hands, making everyday tasks a battle. Dr Faii Ong, Founder & CEO, GyroGear joins us in this health-tech feature on Mind Your Business, as we explore its groundbreaking health tech solutions designed to empower one with a steadier grip on life. We look into their innovations that restore independence and dignity, one hand tremor at a time. Presented by Audrey Siek This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Health-tech, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town.

Singapore employers are now turning to Tiktok to try to attract Gen Z and younger workers! From smaller companies like ice cream shops to even big firms like Singtel, more recruiters say they find lots of social media savvy hires on the platform; so these companies consider it a great channel to engage talent. Plus, those looking for jobs have also turned to the app to upload video CVs, and they've worked for many!  Audrey shares more data on how social media has become a hotbed for those looking for new gigs. Presented by Audrey Siek Produced & Edited by Audrey Siek Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

Have you recently volunteered your time or donated money to a good cause?  The volunteering rate in Singapore increased from 22 per cent in 2021 to 30 per cent in 2023, while the donation rate held steady at 62 per cent. According to the latest study by National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), the “robust recovery” in the volunteering rate is likely due to the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, as it recovered to pre-pandemic levels. However, median donation and hours volunteered on average per year decreased from S$200 and 12 hours in 2021 to S$100 and 9.43 hours in 2023, respectively.  NVPC also noted a growing trend in micro-giving or giving in other forms - suggesting an increasing openness to embracing a broadened view of giving.  On this episode of Morning Shot, Dr Mark Stanford, Deputy Director of Knowledge and Insights, National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre shares more. Presented by: Audrey Siek Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: Singapore International Foundation

Mitul Kotecha, Head of Asia FX and Rates Strategy, Barclays discusses how investors should position themselves around India and the wider emerging markets, as uncertainty rises following the surprisingly narrow win by the ruling party. He also looks ahead to the FOMC meeting to analyze what has been priced in. Produced/Presented: Ryan Huang

Is 18 months old too young to be an eco-warrior? Singapore's KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse is shattering the stereotype, integrating sustainability into their curriculum from the very beginning! We speak with Benjamin Busse, Chief Executive Officer, Babilou Family Singapore - which operates the eco-friendly preschool that is not just about education; it’s about instilling a deep sense of environmental stewardship from the earliest years. Find out how their KiddiWinkie Schoolhouse is setting new standards in sustainable preschool education, earning accolades like the BCA Green Mark Platinum 2023 award. Presented by Audrey Siek This podcast is produced and edited by Anthea Ng (nganthea@sph.com.sg) She produces Mind Your Business, Biz-How-To and Breakfast Special segments on the Breakfast Show. Do contact her for topics: C-Suite, SME, Startups, Health-tech, Sustainability, Property, Intergenerational Family Business, Industry Outlook, Fintech and trending businesses in town.

When you're on vacation, busy taking in the sites and carrying lots of bags, a small distraction can really cost you.   While it can happen anywhere, research has shown that Italy, France and Spain are some of the most popular countries where people are most likely to be pickpocketed. These pickpockets can be so skilled you won't even know your items are missing. This ranges from wallets, to passports and even watches and jewelry that are on your person! Audrey and Ryan talk about tips on how to protect yourself on your next trip, and where you should be most aware that someone might be targeting you. Presented by Audrey Siek & Ryan Huang Produced & Edited by Audrey Siek Music and photo credits: Pixabay & its talented community of contributors 

By mid-2025, a newly built satellite by Nanyang Technological University will be ready to take-off to space! It’ll be Singapore’s first satellite to fly close to the Earth - carrying novel technologies and capturing high-quality pictures. Going by the name Extremely Low Earth Imaging Technology Explorer - or Elite - it’s set to soar just 250 kilometres above the globe - an altitude that's a relatively unexplored part of space with a harsher environment for machines since they are surrounded by highly reactive gases and atmospheric friction. On this episode of Morning Shot, Lim Wee Seng, Executive Director at the NTU Satellite Research Centre shares his insights on why this space is so important and what opportunities lie ahead for Singapore in the space race. Presented by: Audrey Siek Produced & Edited by: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg) Photo credits: NTU