Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

We’re going to talk Mexican today as we speak to the master franchisee of one of the world’s fastest growing fast food chains, Guzman Y Gomez, here in Singapore.  While the brand sells Mexican food, it was actually founded by two New Yorkers who were in Australia back in 2006!  The duo were missing Mexican cuisine they grew up with in the US, and hence decided to build a restaurant business by marrying fast food and Mexican food.  Fast forward to today, Guzman Y Gomez now has a presence across four markets, Singapore, Japan, Australia and the US, wrapping 450 to 500 burritos every hour and using 1.9 million kilograms of avocados a year in Australia alone.  In particular, Singapore was the first international market that Guzman Y Gomez expanded into. It was done through a master franchisee. The country now boasts 15 Guzman outlets and one Guzman Grab kitchen.  But what are the opportunities here in Singapore? And how will Guzman Y Gomez’s master franchisee here support the firm’s wider ambitions to open over 40 restaurants globally each year?  Meanwhile, Guzman Y Gomez has recently taken its plans to go public on the Australian Stock Exchange off the shelves amid the current economic environment.  But what will such major moves at a corporate level influence its franchisees like the master franchisee here in Singapore? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Josh Bell, Master Franchisee and General Manager, Guzman Y Gomez Singapore.

Singapore has recently been abuzz with a certain pop star (Taylor Swift). With more and more international performers flying into our city, how is the island living up to its full entertainment potential? What draws these performers to specific venues and what does a “dream concert venue” look like for both entertainment artists and attendees, now and in the future? Ng Sim Lim, Vice President, Sales (Venues), Constellar tells us more.

From an alleged ‘spy’ in Malaysia to Indonesia’s new capital Nusantara to Thailand moving closer to legalising same-sex marriage.  Adib Zalkapli, Independent Political Analyst gives us an analysis of those headlines and more. 

As the dust settles on Joseph Schooling's retirement announcement, we explore the legacy he leaves behind. How pivotal was his parents support in his successes? Will the lows of a drug scandal tarnish the highs of being Singapore's first and only Olympic champion? And will we ever see another Schooling? Former Singapore fencer Nicholas Fang weighs in. READ MORE: https://www.straitstimes.com/sport/letter-to-my-baby-joseph Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore stocks opened weaker today following overnight losses on Wall Street, as Tesla and healthcare stocks weighed on the indexes. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.7 per cent to 3,224.2 points after 61.3 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Dyna-Mac, after the offshore oil and gas contractor today said it secured several contracts that bring its total net order book to a record S$896 million, with project deliveries stretching until 2026.  Elsewhere from TSMC halting some chipmaking machinery amid the biggest earthquake to hit Taiwan in 25 years to US Federal Reserve officials’ comments on interest rates, more corporate and international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Poh, Head of Investment and ESG Strategies, South Asia, Amundi.

More state-owned buildings in Singapore will be converted to co-living spaces, to meet the rising demand for such housing here. With that said, the Champions Way Residences heritage property at 26 Evans Road will soon have a new name and a new purpose. It will be called “The Initial Sama”, a co-living space managed by Cover Projects, a hospitality management company that was recently awarded the tender by the Singapore Land Authority. Lim Keong Wee, Co-Founder and Director of Cover Projectsshares more. 

Singapore stocks traded muted this morning, tracking the US market’s subdued performance.  In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) was flat, rising just 0.02 point to 3,234.91 points after 80.6 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Isetan Singapore. It’s the hot stock of the day after news of Japan’s Isetan Mitsukoshi proposing to privatise mainboard-listed firm.  Elsewhere from shares of China’s Xiaomi surging as much as 16 per cent on the back of its electric vehicle launch last week, to Australian shares hitting an all-time high, more corporate and international news remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian unpacked the developments with Kurt Mayell, Head of CMC Markets, Singapore.

Cybersecurity has been a big theme for companies over the last few years, especially with the rise in AI and prevalence of hybrid work. But how ready are Singapore companies when it comes to this front? What more can Singapore companies do in their fight against cyber criminals?  Peter Molloy, Managing Director, Security, APJC, Cisco explains. 

Giving used tech-devices a new lease of life while reducing the amount of e-waste that ends up in landfills. That’s what we are going to talk about today.  Founded in 2019, Reebelo is one of the world’s leading marketplaces for refurbished tech devices and lifestyle products like smartphones, laptops and PCs as well as smartwatches.  It enables consumers to save up to 70 per cent on their favourite brands. With a presence in major markets like Singapore, Hong Kong, San Francisco and Melbourne, the firm said in March last year that its gross merchandise value grew 12 times over the past two years, with global sales tripling in the year prior.  Apparently, the US was said to be a bright spot, making up a whopping 25 per cent of overall sales.  But what were the reasons behind the strong growth, and how far can that be attributed to global inflationary pressures and consumers tightening their purse strings?  What does it say about Reebelo’s ability to survive during periods of recession?  Meanwhile, data from Statista suggested the re-commerce market to have generated sales of US$139.6 billion in 2020, and expects this figure to grow to US$275.8 billion by 2028.  What does the doubling of market size in the US mean for Reeblo and how does the size of the market compare against Asia Pacific? What will be the key drivers of growth here in Asia then? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Hari Vijayarajan, CEO APAC, Reebelo.

Former Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou is visiting China to help build social and cultural links on a trip that might include a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping despite heightened tensions. What will Ma achieve during his visit to China? Is this a chance to 'promote peace' as tensions fester between Beijing and Taiwan? Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs weighs in.