Your Way Home with Hongbin Jeong

Today we’re going to talk about a medical issue that up to 60 per cent of children will have by the age of six.  And that is a condition called Otitis Media, also known as OME or ‘Glue Ear’. According to HealthHub SG, glue ear refers to the collection of fluid in the middle ear which frequently occurs after an upper respiratory tract infection.  While the issue resolves by itself in most cases, the process can take up to three months. In fact, ‘Glue Ear’ is the number one cause of a child’s hearing loss, visits to doctors and surgeries. But not everyone can get access to such surgery, as the procedure can be too expensive. The hospitals that perform them are also too far away from people located in remote areas.  It is said that 120 million surgeries are needed a year while only 18 million get the surgery at the moment.  And that is the gap that our guest NousQ aims to fill.  Founded in July 2021, NousQ is a medtech firm that focuses on the R&D, manufacturing and commercialisation of innovations that bravely and sustainably disrupts healthcare delivery to serve large unmet needs.  Its flagship product, CLiKX, is the world’s first handheld, robotic, and automated surgical applicator that inserts a ear tube onto the eardrum to treat glue ears.  The process takes just one second, without the need for an operating theatre. It also reduces costs and risks by four times.  But how does NousQ intend to commercialise its CLiKX product to ensure affordability? What is needed to build up a distribution network that penetrates deep into remote areas with high prevalence of the Glue Ear condition? Also – how does the firm balance generating impact versus the revenue and profits? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to  Dr Lynne Lim, Founder and CEO, NousQ.

Our guest has found her passion through her desserts and culinary food home business After taking a break from 10 years of teaching art at the end of 2019 when Covid hit, she decided to start her first IG account for a bit of escapism. And she ended up liking to tinker and play with food so she started posting experiments, and eventually started receiving more DMs if she was catering or selling her goods. Teri Tan, Creative, Teri’s shares her journey combining art and food into one. 

NUS Business School has recently released a book, entitled "Happiness and Wellbeing in Singapore — Beyond Economic Prosperity", which reveals the degree of Singaporeans’ satisfaction with life and various life domains and affective aspects of wellbeing.  The book draws on findings from the 2022 Quality of Life (QOL) survey which examines the perceptions and views of 1,905 Singapore citizens from the ages of 21 years old and older.  So why are we less happy and satisfied with overall quality of life? Siok Kuan Tambyah, Associate Professor, NUS Business School shares more with us on the findings from the study.  Download a complimentary soft copy here, Happiness and Wellbeing in Singapore | Beyond Economic Prosperity | Si (taylorfrancis.com 

S Iswaran has resigned as Transport Minister and a member of the People's Action Party (PAP).He has been charged with 27 offences yesterday, two of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, one of obstructing justice and 24 of obtaining a valuable thing as a public servant. So what happens next? Will it be hard to replace him at West Coast GRC?  Dr Felix Tan, Independent Political Observer shares his analysis. 

Singapore stocks were pulled into positive territory today, following overnight gains in global equity markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index (STI) rose 0.6 per cent to 3,159.68 points after 34 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have GuocoLand, as the property developer was part of a consortium that emerged as the sole bidder for a white site in Marina South.  Elsewhere from CitiGroup's layoffs to a delay in the opening of TSMC’s second factory in Arizona, to Google’s US$1 billion data centre investment in the UK, and a possible IPO by Reddit, more international headlines are in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway team unpacked some of the key headlines for the day.

Today we’re going to deep dive into an all-time favourite – S-Reits that is!  Our guest is the Lendlease Global Commercial Trust Management, the manager of Lendlease Global Commercial Trust Management or Lendlease Reit. Listed on the Singapore Exchange in 2019, Lendlease Reit was established with the principal investment strategy of investing in a diversified portfolio of stabilised income producing real assets used primarily for retail and office purposes.  Its portfolio properties comprise leasehold properties in Singapore including Jem, 313@somerset as well as a freehold interest in Sky Complex in Milan, Italy.  The buildings have a total net lettable area of about 2.1 million square feet, with an appraised value of S$3.65 billion as at the end of June 2023.  But what is the capitalisation rate (or the ratio between the net operating income to market value of its properties) of these properties with the global economy reeling from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and with working from home becoming a trend of the future?  And with interest rates remaining at elevated levels, how does Lendlease Reit assess its gearing right now? What is the outlook ahead with the US Federal Reserve set to cut interest rates as early as in the second quarter of the year? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Kelvin Chow, CEO, Lendlease Global Commercial Trust Management.

With AS Roma becoming the SIXTH club to sack Mourinho, questions are being raised about Jose’s credentials. Where to from here for the once self-proclaimed 'Special One'? International management? Saudi Pro League?  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 global markets as investors’ hope for rate cuts dwindles. In early trade, Straits Times Index (STI) headed down 0.3 per cent to 3,133.02 points, after 35.2 million securities changed hands in the broader market. In terms of companies to watch, we have Thomson Medical Group. The healthcare services provider was granted three months, until 10 April, to restore its public float, which dropped below 10 per cent in September.  Meanwhile, from more on economic growth projections for major economies within Asia to Charles Schwab’s CEO flagging his most challenging time at the bank since the bursting of the Internet bubble in year 2000, more international headlines are in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian dived into the details with David Chow, Director, Azure Capital.

We have slightly more than three weeks until Chinese New Year and that means it is also time to indulge in snacks like your pineapple tarts and even bakkwa or barbecued meat! We’re bringing up Bak Kwa because our guest for today is barbecued pork jerky maker Bee Cheng Hiang.  Just to take you down memory lane, the firm started in Singapore in 1933, where an enterprising street hawker peddled the streets of Chinatown selling freshly barbecued meat.  Fast forward to today, Bee Cheng Hiang has grown to 367 retail outlets across 11 territories such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam. The company said it remains as the market leader in Singapore’s barbecued meat industry.  Why are we talking about Bak Kwa? Well, the Bak Kwa business is an interesting one to watch, because it is a seasonal business where demand peaks during Chinese New Year. Prices also go up during this period as Bak Kwa makers try to take in revenue to smoothen their financials for the rest of the year.  But how does demand look like for Bak Kwa makers throughout the year? What do industry players do in the lull period after Chinese New Year? And how do firms like Bee Cheng Hiang determine the sweet spot to price their barbecued meat to maximise profits? How far are players diversifying their revenue streams to ensure sustainable revenue flows throughout the year? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jessica Wong, Assistant Manager, Bee Cheng Hiang.

Lionel Messi pipped Erling Haaland to clinch the FIFA BEST men's player of the year award, with the final decision falling to national team captains the world over. So who did Singapore skipper Hariss Harun root for? And is Messi deserving of the award if it's meant to EXCLUDE the 2022 World Cup triumph? Tune in to find out! Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg