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Under The Radar

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.
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15 Jan 2025 · 25m 18s
Under the Radar: Neptune Robotics on tackling biofouling on ship hulls and its expansion into Singapore
Cleaning barnacles and algae off the hulls of some of the world’s largest liners – that’s the work of our guest for today.  Founded in 2018, Neptune Robotics is a pioneer in AI-powered robotics and uses robots to reduce biofouling or an accumulation of microorganisms, algae, plants and animals on ship hulls. For context, removing biofouling and hull cleaning is important for the maritime industry because it helps ships reduce drag and consequently fuel consumption. It could also result in the transfer of invasive aquatic species to different parts of the world as the vessel travels.  The process can be done by traditional divers. But in the case of Neptune Robotics, the firm is able to use its proprietary robots called Magneto to do so.  The firm is also said to have raised the industry standard by countering currents of 1 knot to 4 knots to allow for 24-hour cleaning a day in anchorages, instead of the 4 hours a day of traditional cleaning by divers.  Neptune Robotics started commercial operations in 2020 and has seen its cleaning services expanded to 60 ports in Asia and endorsed by some of the world’s largest liners, shipowners and operators.  The firm has also reportedly received US$17.25 million in series A investments in 2022 and is currently backed by Sequoia China, the venture capital giant behind Apple, Whatsapp and Shein. Why are we speaking to Neptune Robotics you might ask? Well, the firm had in November 2024 expanded to Singapore, bringing its service coverage to over 55 per cent of the international merchant vessels’ stops. The expansion in Singapore would allow the firm to support shipowners and operators along China-Singapore shipping routes.  But really how important is Singapore as a market for the firm? Also – what are the longer term opportunities for the firm as the maritime industry seeks to address the issue of biofouling to push ahead on their decarbonisation agenda?  On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Elizabeth Chan, Co-founder & CEO of Neptune Robotics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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13 Jan 2025 · 29m 37s
Under the Radar: What should we know about data analytics software firm Qlik’s Asia business and its recent moves to expand in the region?
Converting complex data landscapes into actionable insights that can drive strategic business outcomes.  That’s the work of our guest for today, Qlik. Founded in 1993, Qlik is a software company that focuses on data integration, analytics and artificial intelligence, providing enterprise grade artificial intelligence and machine learning powered solutions that work with diverse data sources.  The firm serves over 40,000 global customers including some of the brands that we interact with on a day-to-day basis.  Take for instance, Dominos Pizza. In this scenario, Qlik built a comprehensive data tracker to streamline Dominos Pizza’s 85,000 data sources into a single view of its customers and global operations. Another example would be how Qlik worked with Urban Outfitters to reduce the time taken to complete store level reporting from hours to minutes. But who does Qlik work with right here in Asia? What should we know about its business and the opportunities present in the region? Meanwhile, Qlik is also an interesting company to look at right now because it is expanding through both organic and inorganic means.  It had in November 2024 announced the launch of a new cloud region in Mumbai to enhance its global cloud infrastructure and meet growing demand for local data storage and advanced AI capabilities. But what are the opportunities in India and how far would a deeper presence in India benefit regional ASEAN markets?  The firm had also in May 2023 acquired data management vendor Talend, but how has it integrated the firm into its business, and how has the acquisition benefitted Qlik more than one year down the road? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Chong Yang Chan, Managing Director, ASEAN & Greater China Region, Qlik.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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9 Jan 2025 · 28m 15s
Under the Radar: How does Temasek’s Azalea Investment Management assess the outlook for private markets in 2025?
It’s a deep dive into the private equity landscape as we speak to an investment firm that’s indirectly owned by Temasek Holdings.  Set up in 2015, our guest Azalea Investment Management defines itself as being in the business of PE investments, with a focus on the development and innovation of new investment platforms and products.  The firm said its goal is to bring private assets to a wider investor base through a phased approach, while educating the investing public at the same time. Azalea Investment Management achieves this through two investment programmes or platforms, (1) the Altrium programme as well as the (2) Astrea Platform.  Under the Altrium programme, accredited investors can co-invest with Azalea and access strong performing private equity fund managers globally, but with lower barriers to entry.  The Astrea Platform, on the other hand, is a series of investment products developed based on diversified portfolios of PE funds. The platform is said to target long-term minded investors including Singapore retail investors looking to co-invest in private equity with the asset managers.  But why are we speaking to Azalea Investment Management you might ask? Well the firm had closed a number of funds of late. In July 2024, the firm’s Astrea 8 PE bonds closed 2.8 times subscribed at over S$1 billion, with bonds distributed to diversified investors across institutions such as endowments, pensions and insurance companies as well as accredited investors. More recently, it had in October closed two funds at over US$480 million as a whole, higher than the US$400 million target for both funds combined.   But how does the firm assess the outlook for private markets in 2025 and what is next for its product line up?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Chue En Yaw, Chief Investment Officer, Azalea Investment Management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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7 Jan 2025 · 25m 24s
Under the Radar: How is Bain & Company helping firms manage their key priorities entering into 2025, and how does the consulting giant define its role in the age of AI? Its Chairman for Southeast Asia sheds light on the matter.
We’re going to start the year by looking at a global consultancy firm that helps the world’s most ambitious change makers define the future.  Founded in 1973, our guest Bain & Company works with clients from across 65 cities to solve industry-defining challenges in strategy, marketing, organisation, operations, digital transformation, corporate finance and even more.  The firm said it serves over 64 per cent of the Global 500, private equity funds representing 75 per cent of global equity capital, as well as leading nonprofits and startups.  It prides itself on working with an insurgent mindset, delivering integrated solutions and providing a uniquely collaborative culture. But how does the firm break down such flowery phrases into standardised service offerings that can be replicated for different clients?  At the same time, Bain & Company also boasts an interdisciplinary capability called Future Sensing, which helps interpret signals within a host of emerging trends to provide insights for firms to navigate turbulence, maximise opportunities and reduce risks. It also identified key priorities for CEOs to monitor in today’s volatile and uncertain environment. Some of these priorities include (1) Understanding the power and peril of artificial intelligence, (2) Rehumanising work, and (3) Waving goodbye to the invisible hand.  But how is Bain & Company helping its clients manage these priorities and how much money is in it for the consulting giant to double down on its work in these areas? Meanwhile, Bain & Company also appeared to be big on generative AI, having found that the market for AI products and services could reach up to US$990 billion by 2027.  It had in October announced an expanded partnership with OpenAI to accelerate transformative impact in the world’s top companies. But what should we know about the partnership, and how will generative AI augment the role played by traditional consulting firms? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Edmund Lin, Chairman of Southeast Asia, Bain & Company.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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18 Dec 2024 · 29m 56s
Under the Radar: Making sense of Ray-Ban maker Essilor Luxottica’s focus on wearable technology with Meta, its acquisition of Supreme and more
What comes to mind when you hear Top Gun and Tom Cruise? What about aviator shades and Ray-Ban? Whether you’re flying, driving or even walking to your next meeting, we aim to entice you to put on your sunny shades as you turn into this conversation as we speak to the parent company of Ray-Ban, EssilorLuxottica.  Speaking of EssilorLuxottica, the company was formed in 2018 by the combination of Italian frame manufacturer and luxury eyewear specialist Luxottica, as well as French optical lens producer Essilor in a deal worth 46 billion euros.  Fast forward to the present, EssilorLuxottica prides itself as a global leader in design, manufacture and distribution of lenses, frames and sunglasses, with over two centuries of experience behind the company. Its eyewear brands include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Costa, Vogue Eyewear and more.  EssilorLuxottica is an interesting company to look at for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most important reason is its long term partnership with Meta to develop smart eyewear technologies.  To this end, EssilorLuxottica had in April 2024 launched its second generation smart glasses with Meta, where users can engage in video calls with WhatApp and Messenger to share their views with others in real time. EssilorLuxottica also confirmed Meta’s interest to buy a stake in the company in July. But what are the opportunities when it comes down to wearable technology? Meanwhile, EssilorLuxottica agreed to purchase Supreme for US$1.5 billion to move into the streetwear segment. It also bought a 5 per cent stake in camera maker Nikon Corporation – but where do these developments fit in the bigger picture for the eyewear maker? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Alessio Smiderle, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), APAC & Greater China, EssilorLuxottica.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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16 Dec 2024 · 24m 18s
Under the Radar: How is CDG ENGIE navigating complexities in its quest to expand regionally?
Supporting the electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Singapore and beyond – that’s the agenda of our conversation as we speak to our guest CDG ENGIE.  Founded in 2021, CDG Engie, also known as ComfortDelGro ENGIE, is a joint venture between ComfortDelGro Engineering and ENGIE South East Asia, the regional subsidiary of French multinational utility company ENGIE Group.  The JV focuses on providing end to end solutions for customers in their transition towards sustainable and greener energy. So far, the company prides itself as a leading EV charging operator in Singapore with a network of over 2,700 charge points across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.  But why are we speaking to CDG ENGIE you might ask? Well, the firm is on the charm offensive to expand its network right now, having been awarded the first public EV charger deployment contract to deploy mainly fast EV charging points across 20 sites at primarily HDB commercial complexes in June 2024.  The firm also recently celebrated its third anniversary in October and operationalised its 1000th charge point located in Serangoon on the 16th November. Beyond Singapore, CDG ENGIE is also said to have the largest cross-border roaming network in the region through strategic partnerships with industry players ChargeEV and Gentari.  To this end, a new mobile app has also been launched this year to allow users to plan ahead for road trips and calculate the necessary charging stops based on the specifications of their vehicles.  But what should we know about CDG ENGIE’s expansion plans? How does the firm navigate complexities in regional expansion given the different stages of electric vehicle adoption and infrastructure development?  On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Freddie Chew, General Manager, ComfortDelGro ENGIE.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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12 Dec 2024 · 20m 02s
Under the Radar: Why is Taiwan-based Cathay United Bank expanding in Singapore?
It’s back to the banking industry today as we speak to a Taiwanese bank set up nearly half a century ago.  Established back in 1975, our guest for today is Cathay United Bank, a subsidiary of Cathay Financial Holdings.  Cathay Financial Holdings, for context, is a financial conglomerate with businesses spanning insurance, asset management and brokerage, with its Chairman Tsai Hong-tu having a net worth of US$5.3 billion based on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Back to Cathay United Bank, the bank boasts 165 branches throughout Taiwan, placing it as one of the leading players in the island when it comes down to credit cards in force as well as transaction volumes.  Outside of its home market, Cathay United Bank has a presence in 67 overseas locations across mainland China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia.  But what are we speaking to Cathay United Bank you might ask? Well, the bank is an interesting one to look at because it is now expanding its headcount in Singapore, as their clients double down on their operations and presence in the Southeast Asian region. But what should we know about its expansion plans here? Meanwhile, Cathay United Bank had in May 2024 saw net income increasing 13 per cent on the year to over US$950 million in 2023. But how is its Singapore business faring thus far? Also – what will the focus areas be for the firm’s operations here in Singapore looking ahead? On Under the Radar, Money Matter’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Winfield Wong, CEO, Cathay United Bank (Singapore).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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10 Dec 2024 · 35m 24s
Under the Radar: How does Cloudflare navigate increased competition and lower enterprise spending and what are the opportunities ahead?
Ever clicked into an online website only to see a pop-up that writes “verify you are human”? If you’ve scrutinised the pop-up, chances are, you might find a logo at the side that says “Cloudflare”.  And if you have found the logo – then bingo – you’ve already been introduced to our guest for today.  Founded in 2009, Cloudflare is a leading connectivity cloud company listed on the New York Stock Exchange. While it offers security solutions like popups to verify human users, its business spans way beyond that.  The firm said it empowers users to make their employees, applications and networks faster and more secure everywhere while reducing complexity and cost. That’s through its suite of cloud-native products and developer tools for companies to develop and accelerate their businesses.  Cloudflare had in November 2024 forecasted fourth quarter revenue of between US$451 million and US$452 million, lower than the analysts’ average estimate of US$455.7 million based on data compiled by LSEG.  The expectations came amid intensifying competition among cloud and cybersecurity players and as enterprises dial back on expenditures as they look to an uncertain global economy.  But how does the firm assess its current operating environment and what does the road ahead look like for it? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Ben Munroe, Vice-President of Marketing, Asia Pacific at Cloudflare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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6 Dec 2024 · 25m 47s
Under the Radar: What is Web 3.0 mobility and where does TADA and ONiON Mobility fit in MVL’s bigger business?
You might have heard of the global ride hailing service called TADA, which was launched back in 2018, but how much do you know about its parent company MVL?  Well, this is an interesting one, because its parent MVL is actually an incentive-based blockchain mobility ecosystem, more so than a transport app maker.   Its consumer facing businesses include the ride hailing service TADA, as well as ONiON Mobility, an electric vehicle manufacturing and battery charging infrastructure brand best known for its electric tuk-tuks in Cambodia Behind the action, MVL also has other business verticals including a decentralised physical mobility infrastructure network that collects mobility data as well as a crypto wallet called Clutch.  The mechanics of the business may be complicated, but MVL said it can be better understood as a player providing Web 3.0 mobility. But what is Web 3.0 mobility exactly? And how does MVL see Tada and ONiON mobility’s roles in its blockchain ecosystem?  Aside from the mechanics, MVL is also a company to zoom in on because it is seeing some developments of late relating to Tada and ONiON mobility specifically.  For one thing, Tada had said in August 2024 that it will expand into Hong Kong as authorities there plan to regulate private ride-hailing services. But what were the reasons behind entering Hong Kong, and what are the key drivers of growth for the business?  Where will it expand into next, say Vietnam, after fellow industry player Gojek exited the country after six years? And on ONiON mobility had in May 2022 launched a US$20 million electric motorcycle and three-wheeler assembly plant in Cambodia. But what’s next for the firm on this front? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Sean Kim, Chief Executive Officer at TADA Mobility and Chief Operating Officer at MVL.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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4 Dec 2024 · 34m 43s
Under the Radar: Why is Jebsen & Jessen expanding through M&As in Southeast Asia? Its Chairman spills the beans.
On our show today is a global family enterprise that could be dated back to a trading partnership formed in Hong Kong back in 1895.  That’s right. Now headquartered in Singapore, our guest Jebsen and Jessen Group has evolved into a diversified industrial conglomerate specialising in engineering, mining and distribution activities through Southeast Asia and beyond. These days, Jebsen & Jessen’s business can be split into seven units, namely: Cable Technology, Industrial Garnet, Ingredients, Life Sciences, Mobility, Industry & Beverage, as well as Packaging and Technology.  The company has a turnover of S$1 billion. Its 3,000-man strong workforce spans across its operating entities in 12 countries. That includes 13 manufacturing facilities.  But why are we talking to Jebsen & Jessen you might ask? Well, we are speaking to Jebsen & Jessen because the firm had said in May 2023 that it was and still is actively in search of acquisition targets particularly in the specialty chemicals and rigid packaging businesses. The firm said then that it is on the lookout for targets in Southeast Asian markets such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. But what was the rationale behind expanding inorganically? What are the opportunities here in Southeast Asia?  And more importantly, how does Jebsen & Jessen intend to create synergies given the diversified nature of a conglomerate? How will it ensure efficiency and reduce overlaps in its business operations as it embarks on more mergers and acquisitions for growth?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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