Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup gets underway today in New Zealand and Australia, and amidst the race to be crowned kings of the world is a Singaporean. Taqi Jahari, a professional referee from Singapore, will be part of a team of 19 that will operate the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system at the ninth edition of the tournament . And he joins us to tell us all about the preparations, challenges and excitement ahead of the Women’s World Cup. Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Hotel and travel emerged as a particularly attractive target for web attacks in Asia Pacific and Japan especially due to huge amount of digital transactions, involving large amounts of money, in the industry. To combat these attacks involving the use of sophisticated techniques to bypass defenses, the defense strategies must continue to evolve to keep up. We speak to Reuben Koh, Security Technology and Strategy Director, Akamai more about this.

Did you know that Singapore has been home to many foreign banks in the 1800s?  In fact our guest for today is one of them. Having opened its first branch in Singapore in 1877, HSBC Singapore is a qualifying full bank serving the international needs of individual, corporate and institutional clients.  It provides retail banking, wealth management, commercial investment, private banking, insurance as well as securities and capital market services.  Fast forward to today, HSBC Singapore has close to 4,000 employees and serves as an international wealth and regional wholesale hub, while being a sandbox for digital innovation experiments for the Group.  The bank is now carving out a bigger role for Singapore as a regional hub as it expands in Asia, with the city receiving funds from a US$6 billion (S$8.1 billion) investment earmarked to drive its Asian growth between 2021 and 2026. But what can we expect on this front? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter sat down with Kee Joo Wong, CEO, HSBC Singapore for more. He is also the first Singaporean CEO of HSBC Singapore. 

With Russia halts participation in Ukraine grain deal, what strategies will the UN employ to cope with this change? Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently called early elections for July 23. Will the election have any impact on Spain’s EU presidency? Finally, the European Commission has to find a plan B as US economist Fiona Scott Morton, has decided not to accept the offer to fill one of the Commission's top posts. We speak to  Professor Cedomir Nestorovic, Professor of Geopolitics, ESSEC Business School, Asia-Pacific more about these headlines.

Do you have a gym membership? Well if you do, you're one of the many in Singapore flocking to these venues in pursuit of your fitness goals. Why the sudden boom in this market, and why are more gyms cropping up in our heartlands? Richardo Chua, franchise owner of Body Fit Training, is on hand to tell us more! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Singapore stocks opened stronger today after global markets rallied overnight. In early trade, the Straits Times Index added 0.6 per cent after 46 million securities changed hands in the broader market.  In terms of companies to watch, we have Sakae. The mainboard-listed restaurant operator today said its executive chairman Douglas Foo entered into a sale and purchase agreement with Makara Capital to sell a 20 per cent stake in the company for S$26.5 million.  Meanwhile, from China possibly becoming the luxury industry’s next sore spot to Hong Kong’s talent war and the latest US earnings from the likes of Morgan Stanley, Bank of America and Charles Schwab, more international news continue to make the headlines today. On Market View, the Drive Time team dived into the details with Thomas Rupf, CIO Asia & Head of Trading Execution, VP Bank Ltd Singapore Branch. 

A hybrid work culture has become much more popular among businesses due to the many benefits of working from home. However, the value of being in person must not be ignored as things such as creating a lively working environment, looking at body language, make employers work more meaningful. We speak to Erwin Chong, Group Head of Corporate Real Estate Strategy & Administration, DBS more about this.

From Thailand’s PM hopeful Pita Limjaroenrat losing the first round of vote to become the country’s PM to Thailand's Constitutional Court suspending reformist Mr Pita while it hears a case that could see him disqualified as an MP. We speak to Associate Professor Antonio Leopold Rappa, Head, Security Studies Programme, School of Business, SUSS more about these headlines.

Digitalization can help businesses improve profitability and gain a competitive advantages. Effectively implementing this type of technology requires constant regulation of data and having clear goals. Success comes from understanding the people involved, the process to be followed, and available tools within the organization. This is apparent in the accountancy sector. We speak to Alan Chang, Business Owner, Singapore Corporate Services more about this.

Earlier we told you about the world’s largest mining company BHP. Today we are going to take you closer to home by looking into the operations of a Singapore-grown minerals and resource company.  With a global footprint spanning across countries in Southeast Asia and West Africa, TOP International Holding is an integrated producer of bauxite – or a mineral used to produce aluminium – and offers end-to-end service that includes exploration, mining, marketing, trading logistics and delivery. The company has grown much since its inception in 2014, with over 250 employees in five countries.  It is also emphasising on diversification, having expanded its trading portfolio to include commodities such as iron ore, copper cathode, sand and coal.  Question is – to what extent has that helped the firm navigate the shifting of global supply chains amid the pandemic? Also – what is TOP International Holding’s growth trajectory like in the near term? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Victor Tan, CEO, TOP International Holding.