Under The Radar

Do you know that Singapore actually builds electric motorbikes? Yes you’ve heard it right.  While such bikes are not on the roads of Singapore, they are exported to other Southeast Asian markets such as Indonesia.  Our guest for today is one of these electric motorbike manufacturers. Founded in 2019, Ion Mobility is a Singapore-based startup that aims to tap the growing appetite for electric vehicles in Southeast Asia.  The firm launched its M1-S electric scooter in Jakarta in November last year and closed its US$18.7 million Series A round in February this year.  More notably, it also brought in the world’s leading two and three-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company as one of its strategic investors, to further its growth in the electric two wheeler space within Singapore and Indonesia.  So what is Ion Mobility’s growth trajectory like in the near future with this partnership?  Meanwhile, how is the firm working with authorities and agencies within Singapore to open up new business models and develop other products that can be sold within the country? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to James Chan, CEO of Ion Mobility and Lee Pak Sing, Assistant Chief Executive for Trade and Connectivity, EnterpriseSG.

Today we’re going to bring you an inside look into one of the oldest bakeries in Singapore.  Make a guess – you might have just passed by one of their outlets today!  Back in 1926, Polar Puffs and Cakes, or the then Polar Cafe opened its first outlet on 51 High Street, where it was known for its Curry Puffs, ice-cream and chilled beverages.  The cafe was more notably the go-to place for politicians, lawyers and businessmen due to its strategic location near the trading harbour. Among them – prominent Hokkien businessman Lim Bo Seng, according to the firm.  Fast forward to the present, Polar has moved away from the cafe business by adopting a takeaway model. That started in 1996 when the company signed a supply partnership with Exxonmobil to turnaround the slowing cafe business.  And such partnerships have become an integral part of the business. Currently, Polar operates over 190 locations in Singapore. 165 are part of partnerships with businesses, while 30 of them sell directly to consumers in malls. So how does the firm navigate its relationship with such partners, and what are some of Polar’s plans for the future? On Under the Radar, The Evening Runway’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Francis Looi, CEO, Polar Puffs & Cakes.

It is probably time that you’re thinking about dinner on a Friday afternoon, and on that note – how about a warm hearty bowl of noodles to kickstart your weekend? Our guest for today is one of the largest manufacturers of fresh noodles in Singapore.  Founded in 1996 as a noodle supplier, Leong Guan has since opened its own noodle manufacturing factory in 2006 and currently provides not only noodles, but also other food products such as tofu and dumpling skins. It has also been targeting overseas markets by adopting technology to improve the shelf life of its products or to develop new products that can be exported.  More notably, the firm was also introduced to an in-market buyer through EnterpriseSG to further expand their footprint into the US. But what should we know about Leong Guan’s foray into the West?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Kevin Lim, Head of Strategy & Insights, Leong Guan Food Manufacturer.

Pencils are a much needed tool as we get through our work day, and today we’re going to bring you an inside look into a pencil manufacturer that has been around for over 250 (262) years! Bingo if you’ve guessed Faber Castell. Founded all the way back in 1761, Faber- Castell is one of the oldest industrial companies in the world, and has been owned by the same family for – get this – nine generations! The firm is headquartered in the German state of Bavaria. It is currently present in over 120 countries with its own production sites in ten countries, and sales companies in 22 countries.  More notably, Faber Castell sells over two billion pencils and coloured pencils each year even in face of digitalisation – so what is its secret sauce in achieving that sales volume? Meanwhile, the firm has moved beyond stationery into decorative cosmetic products as well. But what was the rationale behind the move to diversify, and what does this mean for Faber Castell’s stationery business?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Andrew Woon, Managing Director,  Faber-Castell Malaysia, Indochina and East Asiafor more.

The accounting and professional services industry is back in focus today.  Founded in 1904, our guest is the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants or ACCA. This is a global body for professional accountants with over 200,000 fully qualified members and 500,000 students worldwide.   While widely known as an association or educational body, ACCA essentially operates like a business with a turnover of over 200 million British pounds for the year ended March 2023. It generates revenues through membership fees, courses and certification, but which is the most important revenue stream for the association? Meanwhile, the number of accounting degree students at universities in Singapore has reportedly dropped over 10 percent over the past five years, despite rising demand for accounting professionals.   So what does the talent shortage mean for ACCA in terms of potential future revenue? Also – how does the rising demand for accounting professionals provide ACCA an opportunity to get more people into the accounting profession and reverse the decline? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed the questions to Daniel Leung, Country Manager, ACCA Singapore.

Laptops, computers and phones – they are among the items that have shrunk in size over time as consumers demand items that are smaller, more portable and perhaps cheaper.  But besides our daily consumer goods, did you know that even satellites are getting smaller too?  Not only are satellites getting smaller, they also need to fly closer to the Earth to collect better quality data to power industries such as maritime, aviation and even banking.  To do so, satellite companies now need smaller, low power and efficient, engines, and that’s exactly what our guest for today does. Founded in 2018, Aliena is a spin-off from the Nanyang Technological University that creates propulsion engines to allow satellites to fly closer to the Earth.  Question is – why do satellites need to fly closer to the Earth in the first place and to what extent has this got to do with the cost of satellite deployment? Meanwhile, the firm’s propulsion engines hitched a ride on a SpaceX Falcon9 rocket last year. Its engines were deployed this year as well in a separate space mission. But what can we expect from the firm next? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed the questions to Dr Mark Lim, Co-founder and CEO, Aliena.

Can you imagine that the Moon may support a population of 1,000 with over 10,000 people visiting each year by 2040?  How about having the moon support industries such as construction, energy, steel procurement, communications, transportation, and even tourism and medicine? It may seem a little out of reach at this point in time, but that is the belief of our guest for today ispace.  Founded in 2010, ispace is a global lunar resource development company that specialises in designing and building lunar landers and rovers. It was also the first space startup to go public via an IPO in Japan this year. The firm aims to extend the sphere of human life into space by providing high-frequency, low-costs transportation services to the moon.  In particular, ispace US was part of a team awarded a contract to land on the far side of the Moon by 2025. Aside from transportation, ispace was also tasked by various space agencies to collect lunar regolith and extract water on the Moon.  So far, the firm has more than 200 employees worldwide, with offices in Japan, Luxembourg and the US. But what is the value of space exploration, and to what extent does Singapore have a role in this emerging lunar economy?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Jenna Tiwana, Senior Business Development and Strategy Advisor,  ispace inc for more.

This conversation is set to pique your interest if you’re a grocery shopper or a foodie. On that note, have you ever read the back of a food label packaging and wonder what exactly is this ingredient called the chicken extract that is packed with umami flavour?  Or have you opened a bag of barbecue flavoured chips and wonder what’s behind that rich and smoky flavour?  Or perhaps – what are milk proteins and milk protein concentrates and how do they make the food and drinks we consume more nutritious?  With over five decades of history, Kerry Taste and Nutrition is an Ireland headquartered food company offering taste and nutrition solutions for some of the world’s best known FMCG and pharmaceutical brands.  The firm currently has over 22,000 employees and over 150 innovation and manufacturing centres in over 30 countries. But what is the role of Kerry’s presence in Singapore in its wider portfolio? Meanwhile, Kerry Taste and Nutrition recently reported its half year results where both sales volumes and pricing went up at the same time. How was this achieved given how its clients or FMCG players are struggling with balancing price increases and falling demand amid high inflation? On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to  John Cahalane, President and CEO for Kerry Taste and Nutrition Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa.

The adoption of digital solutions within the construction industry is at the heart of our conversation today.  Founded in 2014, our guest Novade develops cloud and mobile applications for construction companies to use in work sites. The applications streamline work processes such as quality control, safety inspections and workforce management and reduce the paperwork needed in construction projects.  Novade currently operates in over 20 countries with a user base of over 150,000 people. Some of its customers include big names such as Samsung C&T, CapitaLand and Lendlease. The company is reportedly seeing growing demand for its services as the industry increasingly recognises the importance of digitalisation.  Looking ahead, Novade wants to expand its footprint in APAC by first tackling top developers in APAC before moving down the value chain to acquire SME clients. But how efficient is this strategy for the firm financially?  It also set its sights in Africa to tap the continent’s rapid urbanisation, especially in Ghana, Ivory Coast and South Africa – but what are the opportunities exactly?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Denis Branthonne, CEO and Co-Founder, Novade.

Acquiring talent in the fast growing consumer market of ASEAN – that’s what we are going to talk about in this segment today.  With over 5,100 branches across 60 countries around the world, our guest is leading workforce solutions company Adecco.  The Switzerland-based firm provides a comprehensive range of workforce solutions and consulting services which includes junior to mid-level talent acquisition, temporary staffing, outsourcing, as well as jobs training and reskilling. The Fortune 500 company connects over 700,000 people with job opportunities that make the most out of their skills every given day.  Closer to home, Adecco has a strong presence in major markets within the ASEAN region, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. Take Singapore for instance, the Fortune 500 company established its presence in 1985 and currently helps over 1,400 people in new careers each year.  With ASEAN as a trade bloc being one of the top 5 economies in the world, what will this mean in terms of staffing needs and what growth opportunities does this present for Adecco?  How is the firm upskilling workers to navigate structural changes in major ASEAN economies? And how do such structural changes increase the value of a recruitment firm like Adecco?  On Under the Radar, Drive Time’s finance presenter posed these questions to Betul Genc, SVP and Head of ASEAN, Adecco.