Money Matters with Hongbin Jeong and Chua Tian Tian

The VC investment landscape is back with focus as we speak to the venture arm of one of Japan’s largest consumer credit companies, Credit Saison.  Called Saison Capital, the corporate venture arm invests in Pre-Seed to Series B companies with a focus on Southeast Asia and India.  While the firm is sector agnostic, it likes to work with founders that are building platforms or ecosystems that have the potential to distribute financial services to the underbanked.  Question is, what expertise does Saison Capital want to provide to startups and how does that influence the companies it invests in? Meanwhile, data from Pitch Book showed venture capital funding globally almost halved in the first six months of 2023, despite the earlier artificial intelligence frenzy. Are VCs running out of dry powder or are they just merely not investing? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Qin En Looi, Partner, Saison Capital.

We all know her name, Angela Lee. We all know her craft, mixed martial arts. But beyond the guts, glory, fame and fortune lies a battle with overcoming the inner demons - fuelled by the pressure of having to live in the public eye. In this tell-all interview Angela opens up on her suicide attempt in 2017, her younger sister Victoria taking her own life and setting up Fightstory - a non-profit organisation founded by Angela, dedicated to speaking one’s truth, inspiring hope, and building a community for those struggling with mental health.  FIND OUT MORE: https://fightstory.org/ Got a story to tell? Get in touch with us! edanker@sph.com.sg | raushan@sph.com.sg

Did you know that it's possible to get a Private Pilot's License to fly on your own in Singapore?  If you are an aviation enthusiast who is passionate about taking to the skies but do not wish to pursue it as a career, flying as a hobby is an option. Faris Iskandar Samat, Co Founder, Aeroviation explains how his aviation academy is making controlling an aircraft accessible to individuals from all walks of life.

We are living in the era of polycrisis. As a result, people are becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability and demanding it in all aspects, including product packaging. According to The Global Paper & Packaging Report by Bain & Company, 2022 saw increasing demands, prices, and profits for the paper & packaging sector with production costs continuing to rise while demand started slipping in 2023. So does this mean that the paper and packaging business is facing a crisis?  Ilkka Leppavuori, Partner and Head of Global Forest Products, Paper & Packaging practice, Bain & Company shares his views. 

From Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim delivering his first address before the UN General Assembly last week and to what it takes to be the among the richest in Malaysia.  Hafidzi Razali, Senior Analyst, BowerGroupAsia gives us an analysis of those headlines and more. 

Singapore stocks opened weaker today following overnight losses in global markets. In early trade, the Straits Times Index headed down 0.6 per cent to 3,196.82 points after 72.4 million securities changed hands in the broader market In terms of companies to watch today, we have Boustead Singapore. Its real estate unit Boustead Projects was directed by the Singapore Exchange Regulation to delist with an exit offer that is “fair and reasonable”. Elsewhere, from more on China’s central bank’s comments to implement monetary policy in a “precise and forceful” manner to support its economy, to Evergrande’s billion chairman under police control, and movements to the US S&P 500 index, more international headlines remain in focus. On Market View, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Jeremy Tan, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Tiger Fund Management for more. 

The last three years have seen a massive upswing in luxury watch sales with the global market expected to be worth $32 billion by 2027. And new consumer segments, including young people, women and consumers outside of the US and Europe — the two largest watch markets for most of the 20th century — are leading the charge. So, when is a good time to start investing in a high-end timepiece? And what brands are worth investing in?  We find out from Jarod Ng, Co-Founder, Watch Capital.

Looking for a good deal when it comes to satisfying your western food cravings? Wild Olives is a western food stall located in Pasir Ris Central Hawker Center. Shawnrick Hu gives us his review on the food stall and what to order there. 

Companies and law firms have spent decades trying to get computers to do legal work with decreasing levels of human intervention, investing huge amounts of time and money in a problem nobody was sure could ever really be solved. With AI coming into the picture in recent times, will it hurt the function of legal advice? What will the worth of the lawyer of the future be like moving forward?  John Quinn, Founding Partner, Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP shares his views. 

From Beijing's attempts to strengthen ties with other countries like South Korea and Syria to senior Nomura official Charles Wang Zhonghe barred from leaving mainland China.  Dr. Oh Ei Sun, Senior Fellow, Singapore Institute of International Affairs gives us an analysis of those headlines and more.