Under The Radar

It’s all about the pharmaceutical industry today as we check in on one of our earlier guests on “Under the Radar” to find out what’s next for them.  Known as MSD everywhere outside of the US and Canada, our guest aims to harness the power of leading-edge science to improve lives globally, and has been on the path of doing so for over 130 years, through the development of medicines and vaccines.  The firm’s businesses span across three big categories, namely pharmaceuticals, vaccines and animal health, generating US$60.1 billion in worldwide revenue in 2023. It set up shop in Asia Pacific over 60 years ago, and now has a footprint in 12 regional markets such as Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and more.  Back home, MSD set up its APAC headquarters as well as a Technology Centre here in Singapore. It also recently celebrated its 30 years in the country.  Back home, MSD set up its APAC headquarters as well as a Technology Centre here in Singapore. It also recently celebrated its 30 years in the country.  But why are we speaking to MSD you might ask? Well, MSD’s venture unit is reportedly said to be planning to spend US$38 million across Europe and Asia in the three years from June 2024 to double down on its presence in the two key markets.  But what kind of target firms is the firm looking for? What technologies does MSD want to build along with entrepreneurs in the two identified regions? How will MSD’s Singapore’s technology centre support this? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Abdullahi Sheriff, Managing Director, MSD Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei and Julie Olszewski, Executive Director and Communications and Change Management Lead, Chief Technology Office at MSD.

You would have heard of the old proverb that goes “all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.  So – we’re going to talk all about play, and in particular about the future of play with our guest today, Toys “R” Us Asia.  Headquartered in Hong Kong, Toys “R” Us Asia operates around 460 stores across Asia, with an aim to fuel imagination and inspire the next generation through the power of toys and play.  That means providing toys and experiences for both children and also what it terms as “kidults”. What is key to note, though, is that Toys”R” Us is independent from the other Toys “R” Us companies we see in the rest of the world. For Toys “R” Us Asia specifically, its footprint spans across Mainland China, Japan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand and Brunei. The firm also licences over 90 additional stores in the Philippines and Macau. Now, Toys “R” Us Asia  is an interesting company to look at because of how drastically the toy industry has changed globally in recent years.  According to a report by market research firm Circana out in June 2024, consumers aged 18 and above spent US$1.5 billion in toy-related purchases from January through April. The numbers meant that the adults outstripped the three-to five-year-old consumer group as the most important demographic age group for the toy industry.  But what opportunities does this present for toy retailers like Toys “R” Us Asia? And what will this mean in terms of store layouts, and products to bring on the shelves? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Leo Tsoi, CEO and Board Member at Toys“R”Us Asia.

Today we’re going to catch up with one of our earlier guests who is said to operate a global technology powerhouse with a revenue of US$57 billion.  You might have guessed it by now, yes we’re speaking to electronics maker and IT services provider Lenovo.  To recap, the firm delivers a portfolio of PCs and tablets, monitors, accessories, smart home and collaboration solutions, as well as smart infrastructure data centre solutions around the world.  It has since 1995 shipped over half a billion PCs, and makes three devices every second.  More recently, Lenovo Group had in August revealed that net income grew 38 per cent to US$243 million in the three months ended June, beating estimates amid growing demand for computer hardware and data centres and as companies double down on artificial intelligence spending.  But how does the firm assess demand for its latest performance? How far will generative AI give the recovering computing industry a shot in the arm? Speaking of generative AI, Lenovo had in September 2024 unveiled its latest advancements at Lenovo Innovation World 2024 in Berlin, where it launched a series of artificial intelligence PC devices powered by processors from Intel, Advanced Micro Devices and Qualcomm. But how would the firm assess its relationship with the semiconductor makers and big tech firms, and how does the company assess its market position in the PC and technology space in the AI Era? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Amar Babu, President, Lenovo Asia Pacific.

Calling once, calling twice and SOLD!  Today’s conversation takes us through the ins and outs of an auctioneer auctioning – no not rare art pieces or jewellery, but bottles of whisky.  Founded in 2015 by two brothers, our guest Whisky Hammer is a family run whisky auction service based in North East Scotland.  The firm said it hosts monthly auctions dedicated to whisky and other fine spirits, attracting over 200,000 buyers and sellers from every corner of the globe.  At these auctions, Whisky Hammer said it auctioned off a wide range of whiskies, both bottles and casks. The company also noted that it achieved the world record for the highest value cask ever sold at auction.  Whisky Hammer is an interesting company to look at because it is apparently backed by private equity investors over in Hong Kong. According to online website Drinks International, the firm and its sister company Still Spirit had in 2021 sold a 49 per cent stake to Hong Kong’s whisky investment group Rare Whisky Holdings.  But how far has Rare Whisky Holdings’ involvement in the firm helped it tap further growth or changed its direction for the future? Ownership structure aside, it is also worthwhile to look at Whisky auctioneers with whisky increasingly seen as a form of alternative investment. Broadly speaking, whisky prices are falling right now. In Knight Frank’s 2024 Wealth Report out in March this year,its Luxury Investment Index fell 1 per cent over the year pulled down by falling values in Whisky. But what will this mean for supply and demand of whisky bottles and casks, and what will this mean for auctioneers like Whiskey Hammer? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Daniel Milne, Managing Director of Whisky Hammer.

Capital management is on the table today as we explore what the current macroeconomic environment means for boutique asset management firms here in Asia.  Founded in 2017, our guest for today is Paragon Capital Management Singapore, an asset management firm overseeing assets exceeding S$1 billion.  With a Capital Markets Services Licence granted by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the company delivers bespoke investment solutions and wealth management services to accredited investors.  These include portfolio management, fund management, private equity and corporate advisory, investment advisory as well as family succession advisory. In particular, the firm runs three open-ended public market funds and two close-ended private markets funds, as well as an early stage VC fund to tap opportunities across asset classes.  But why are we talking to Paragon Capital Management you might ask? Well, the firm had in June announced that it established an office in Hong Kong to cater to clients in North Asia. But what are the opportunities within North Asia and why did the firm choose to enter Hong Kong at this time? Meanwhile, Paragon Capital Management had in June 2024 formed a consortium with real estate fractional investment platform RealVantage for a real estate focused private equity fund called the Global Real Estate Alternative & Tactical or (GREAT) Fund.  The fund has a US$50 million target fund size and wrapped up its first close in May this year. But what should we know about the partnership and how does exposure to real estate better position Paragon Capital Management for the future? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Paul Lee, CEO & CIO, Paragon Capital Management Singapore Private Limited.

It’s almost time for dinner, but today’s conversation might just get you reaching out for that bag of chocolates or snacks right before meal time.  That’s because we’re speaking to one of the largest players in the global snacking industry today – Mondelez International.  Mondelez International is a relatively young company founded in 2012, but its history goes way back. The company emerged when the then-Kraft Foods was split into two companies to separate its North American grocery business with the remaining of the company.  The North American grocery was called Kraft Foods Group, while the remainder of Kraft Foods was renamed into Mondelez International in October 2012, with a focus on snacks and confectionery.  Mondelez International holds some of the most iconic snack brands that we know today, including iconic US$1 billion dollar global brands such as Oreo, Toblerone and Cadbury, as well as other well-known local jewels such as 7Days and Alpen Gold.  As for the money – its  2023 net revenues came in at approximately US$36 billion.  But what was the rationale behind the spinoff? How would the firm assess the success of the spinoff of Kraft Foods Group and the rebranding into Mondelez international thus far?  Meanwhile, Mondelez International had in July this year missed expectations for second quarter revenue as consumers tighten their purse strings amid high inflation. But how would the firm assess its most recent performance? Which are the key markets and categories driving growth and what are the opportunities ahead? Speaking of markets, Mondelez International is reportedly said to expand its presence in China by introducing a wider range of cake-related products. It also said in May 2024 that it will invest over US$5 million in a Regional Biscuit and Baked Snacks Lab and Innovation Kitchen in Singapore. But what can we expect on both fronts? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Tomás Centeno, Vice President of Strategy and Commercial Excellence, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa (AMEA), Mondelēz International.

Today we’re going to talk about a blue chip company listed on the SGX that will definitely ring a bell with our audience, especially those tracking the Straits Times Index.   Headquartered in Singapore, our guest CapitaLand Investment is a global real asset manager with a strong Asia foothold.  If you recall, the company successfully de-merged from the development business of CapitaLand Limited some time back. It then listed on the SGX-Securities Trading Limited on 20 September 2021, creating one of Asia’s leading listed global real asset managers.  The firm looks at a diversified range of real estate asset classes including retail, office, lodging, industrial, logistics, business parks, wellness, self-storage and even data centres. That’s across core markets within Southeast Asia as well as in China and India. As of the end of June 2024, the firm had S$134 billion worth of assets under management, as well as S$100 billion of funds under management held via six listed real estate investment trusts and business trusts, as well as a suite of private real asset vehicles that invest in thematic and tactical strategies. In Southeast Asia, CapitaLand Invest manages three funds including the S$1 billion CapitaLand SEA Logistics Fund as well as the firm’s inaugural wellness and healthcare-related real estate fund called the CapitaLand Wellness Fund. But what will the firm’s focus areas within the region be going forward?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Patricia Goh, Chief Executive Officer, Southeast Asia Investment, CapitaLand Investment. 

Imagine a productivity super app for businesses to digitalise operations from HQ to storefront, streamline communications, and achieve operational efficiency – all in one place. That’s Lark for you.  Initially developed by Chinese social media giant ByteDance in 2016 for internal use, Lark started as a platform that aims to combine business processes and collaborative documents in a single platform to transform workplace collaboration.  The platform was later spun off in 2019 to become a subsidiary of ByteDance, providing tools for project management, video conferencing, chat, documentation, and automation to help enterprises simplify their workflows. The firm serves some of the fastest growing companies from over 125 countries, ranging from Pop Mart, Atome, Xiaomi, Aeon Mall and even hotpot chain Haidilao, and is widely seen as a close competitor of Slack.  But how does Lark define its positioning within the industry and the geographical markets it wants to double down on?  Also, a technode article in December 2021 had said that Lark was aiming to achieve US$1 billion in global revenue from the five years counting from 2021. Three years later, an Yicai Global report said in March 2024 that Lark is reportedly launching a downsizing initiative and a new round of organisational adjustments. But what were the reasons behind the move and how far is the Lark still in line with the earlier targets it had set out to achieve? What will be the key drivers of growth for the firm? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Mark Dembitz, General Manager of APAC, Lark.

Today we’re going to talk about the journey a Japanese thermometer manufacturer took to transform itself into a medtech player and increasingly a medical solutions provider.  Founded in 1921 to address a stoppage of thermometer imports to Japan amid World War I, our guest Terumo is now a global leader in medical equipment with a footprint in over 160 countries and regions.  Its range of products has also broadened over the century, and now extends beyond thermometers to include vascular intervention, cardio-surgical solutions, cell therapy technology and even diabetes care and peritoneal dialysis treatments.  Why are we speaking to Terumo you might ask? Well, Terumo is an interesting company to look at because of just how fast society is changing in recent years, and how societal changes are creating new and more complex healthcare challenges for medtech players.  These include the increased prevalence of chronic diseases amid an ageing population, the drive to improve healthcare efficiency through digital technologies and the need to balance advancing healthcare versus cost effectiveness.  All that means the firm needs to rethink its positioning strategy and value proposition to remain relevant amid the evolving external environment. To do so, Temuro had in December 2021 came up with a 5-year innovation strategy called GS26, in which the company plans to reposition itself from a device maker to a solutions provider.  But what were some of the business decisions made in line with the strategy in the three years since 2021, particularly within Asia, and how would the firm assess its success in implementing the strategy? Meanwhile, Terumo had in August this year launched a new corporate venture fund called Temuro Ventures to invest in early stage companies. But how far will this help Temuro further innovate and meet ever changing healthcare needs?  On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Probir Das  Group Executive Officer, Terumo Corporation/ Chairman, Terumo Asia Holdings, Vice Chairman of APACMed Board of Directors.

If you’ve been to the newly revamped Changi Airport Terminal 2, you’ve would’ve noticed this landmark feature located at the heart of the departure hall.  Does an immersive digital waterfall ring a bell? Called The Wonderfall, the 14-metre tall digital waterfall is a piece of digital art and is said to be the result of a highly creative and technical challenge.  The LED wall, for one thing, is made up of close to 900 flat and flexi-curve tiles, which blends seamlessly with the vertical green wall and the facade of the airport terminal. Along with piano music and sounds of the waterfall rush, the Wonderfall was quite the spectacle.  But ever wondered who are the ones behind such digital entertainment experiences combining video, lighting, sounds and special effects? Well, that’s exactly who we’re going to talk to for today. Founded in 2001, our guest Moment Factory is a multimedia entertainment studio that specialises in the conception and production of immersive environments for its customers in public spaces. The Montreal-headquartered firm has a geographical presence in major cities such as Paris, Tokyo, New York and Singapore. It serves some of the world’s largest companies such as Microsoft, Billie Eilish, Changi Airport, the NFL, Madonna, the City of Barcelona, Sony and cruise operator Royal Caribbean, and is behind some of the most notable installations like Las Vegas Sphere.  But how would the firm define its value proposition given such a diverse customer base? Meanwhile, Grand View Research estimates the global immersive entertainment market to grow at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2024 to 2030 to reach US$426.77 billion by 2030. But where does digital immersive experience fit within the market, and what will be the key drivers of growth for Moment Factory? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Danny Tan, Singapore-based Managing Producer, Moment Factory.