HerVantage

The Institute for Capital Market Research Malaysia (ICMR) is an initiative by the Securities Commission Malaysia. It is funded by the Capital Market Development Fund (CMDF) as an independent think tank, dedicated toward conducting research projects and thematic studies related to overall capital market development.Aligned with the Securities Commission’s Capital Market Master Plans, ICMR through its mandate, promotes the development of an inclusive, resilient and sustainable Malaysian capital market which benefits the overall economy. Leading the charge is Director Datin Azleen Osman Rani.Photo credit: LinkedIn | Datin Azleen Osman RaniSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bursa Carbon Exchange (BCX), Malaysia’s voluntary carbon market (VCM) exchange, is part of the nation’s commitment towards achieving net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as early as 2050. BCX is a spot exchange that facilitates the trading of high-quality carbon credits via standardised carbon contracts. Corporates may purchase these credits to offset their carbon footprint while the sale of carbon credits, in return, will help to finance and drive the development of domestic GHG emission reduction and removal solutions and projects. We speak to Dr Chen Wei-nee, Head of Carbon Exchange, Bursa Malaysia Berhad.Photo credit: LinkedIn | Dr. Wei-nee ChenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Origo Eco, co-founded by Seau Yeen Su, specialises in transforming agricultural waste and by-products into compostable disposable items. The company champions a true double circular economy concept, where waste is revitalised and transformed into high-value compostable products. These products, after their lifespan, seamlessly return to the earth, leaving no trace behind, epitomising sustainable innovation and environmental responsibility.Photo Credits: origoeco.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Abundant Ventures started its life as a social enterprise in September 2020 in the midst of the pandemic. They have evolved from gifting seedlings to urban community gardens to engaging with urban smallholder farmers. To date, they have rescued 12,000 kgs of food, prevented 30,000 kgs of greenhouse gas emissions, accumulated close to 2,000 volunteer hours and donated close to 15,000 seedlings and seeds. I’m here with co-founder Elene Kee.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC) is the country's largest exhibition centre with one million square feet of gross exhibition space and triple volume exhibition halls. The entire combined exhibition halls are able to accommodate up to 47,700 visitors in theatre style seating and 28,300 guests in the banquet arrangement at any one time. MITEC is the first component and flagship of KL Metropolis. The global MICE market was valued at USD 876.42 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual Growth rate (CAGR) of 7.5% from 2023 to 2030. Leading MITEC is Mala Dorasamy, the CEO.Image Credit: LinkedIn | Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rachel Gray is a British Artist who specialises in wildlife portraiture. Rachel has always been drawn to animals and art from a very young age. Her admiration and love of animals has led her to wildlife conservation, and she is committed to using her work to raise awareness of endangered species from around the globe. With this goal in mind, Rachel has worked with charities such as the WWF and has collaborated with the British High Commission, COP26 “Together for Our Planet” (2021), Namibian High Commission and Expo 2020 Dubai.Image Credit: https://www.rgportraits.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An ageing population is defined as one in which those aged 65 years and above make up at least 15 percent of the total population. According to a statement by Malaysia’s Chief Statistician in July 2019, the 15 percent threshold would be crossed in 2030. So how ready are we for the silver tsunami? Oretha’s Senior Concierge Malaysia was designed to provide a personalised non-medical support system to seniors who want to live independently. In today’s evolving world, many families are moving abroad either for businesses or future prospects. Those on local soil here live in a fast paced environment and are unable to provide the care needed for their parents. Oretha Herrera, Founder talks about what goes into minding the elderly.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Green Queen Media was founded by serial social entrepreneur and eco activist, Sonalie Figueiras in 2011. Based in Hong Kong with a global outlook and an international audience, Green Queen is an award-winning impact media platform advocating for social & environmental change, a leading sustainability news outlet in the Asian region, and a global reference for the alternative protein industry.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The infertility rate in Malaysia is estimated at around 10-15% in couples of reproductive age (14-45). It is important to realise that infertility is common. The World Health Organization (WHO) has classified infertility as a disease that needs attention as early as possible. Irene Kwan, the Chief Executive Officer of TMC Fertility & Women's Specialist Centre (TMC Fertility) speaks about the options available.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the Berkeley Economic Review in 2021, 1.3 billion tons of food goes uneaten globally every year. Of that amount, 10 million pounds of cosmetically imperfect waste is thrown away.Besides the obvious tragedy of food being misused while millions go hungry every day, that phenomenon has a major impact on the global climate. According to the UN, if food waste was a country, it would be the third-largest global emitter of greenhouse gases. Redistributing ugly food may be a step forward. Hailey Yong of The Unusual Greens or TUG have turned this ugly produce into sellable and marketable food in the market, namely gelato!Photo credit: LinkedIn | Hailey YongSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ripe Labs started in 2016 to bring theories to life. They researched farming in 3 conditions: Tropical, Temperate and Mountainous. Results from these experiments were unlike anything they’ve seen before; Leafy Vegetables grew 50% faster with an astounding 58% higher yield. Strawberries grew 30% faster while basil, coriander, and mint flourished in their lab. It all used 90% less water. I’m here with co-founder Catherine Mak who is also the Director of Alpha Geckos, a creative and branding agency.Photo Credits: LinkedIn | Catherine MakSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since it was established in 2015, KUMPUL has been building the startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem in more than 30 cities in Indonesia. Their goal is for entrepreneurs to have equal distribution of access; access to quality education and programmes for startup and business growth, access to the right mentors, access to market, access to funding and opportunities. We hear from with CEO and Co-Founder Faye WongsoSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What started only in 2020 has in a few years resulted in ex-lawyer Wong Ling Yah turning her podcast series “So This is My Why” into quite a phenomenon. Some of her guests include Former US Congressman Barney Frank to Nick Bernstein, the producer for The Late, Late Night Show with James Corden. Now it’s my turn to ask her why.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tiffany Pham is the founder of Mogul, a global diversity recruitment company, backed by investors SoftBank Group and the Hearst Corporation. An entrepreneur, TV and film personality and author, she has been named one of Forbes "30 Under 30" in Media, Business Insider "30 Most Important Women Under 30" in Technology, Entrepreneur Magazine’s "100 Most Powerful Women and Inc. Magazine’s "Top 100 Female Founders. She is also the author of the Wall Street Journal Bestselling book, You Are a Mogul and Girl Mogul and she’s coming to Malaysia.Image Credit: onmogul.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s Malaysia Day this weekend where Sabah, Sarawak and Malaya became Malaysia so it’s only apt that we celebrate someone from Sarawak in this week’s HerVantage. We’re here with Siti Sulaiman, Shell Country Chair and Senior Vice President Upstream, Malaysia and the first woman Country Chair, appointed at the beginning of 2023.Image credit: Shell Malaysia WebsiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to the World Health Organization, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability.Suicide is the fourth leading cause of deaths among 15-29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions. Making strides is Dr Neerja Birla, founder and chairperson of the Aditya Birla Education Trust.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A recognized leader in the social impact space and a champion for moral leadership, Jacqueline Novogratz is the Founder and CEO of Acumen, a global community that fights poverty and builds dignity by investing in companies and change makers using both philanthropy-backed pioneer investing and for-profit impact funds. Jacqueline’s two decades of work with Acumen have impacted nearly 443 million people across Africa, Latin America, South Asia, and the United States. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sustainability in construction holds the utmost significance due to its profound implications for the environment, society, and the economy. It is essential to tackle the challenges associated with energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and resource depletion in order to address climate change effectively, foster resource efficiency, and develop healthier and more resilient communities. Through innovative urban planning, Lendlease aspires to create spaces that optimise resource utilisation, encourage biodiversity and increase the resiliency of the built environment. It is also committed to creating A$250 million (close to RM800mil) of social value that refers to the positive impact made on people and society as a result of their mitigation efforts by 2025 through shared value partnerships.I’m here today with Lendlease’s Sustainability Director, Dr Yasmin Rashid to find out more.Photo Credits: LinkedIn | Yasmin RasyidSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2006, The Truly Loving Company or TLC became the first social enterprise in Malaysia to use a corporate profit model to develop, manufacture and market the TLC brand of household cleaning products to the public. For close to 20 years, they have raised millions for various charities. We speak once again with CEO and Founder Julia Chong.Photo credits: The Truly Loving Company websiteSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(ISC)² took a new approach to surveying the cybersecurity workforce, including those IT professionals who spend at least a quarter of their time on security tasks. This new look at the workforce revealed that the percentage of women in cybersecurity is roughly 24%. Another study by Frank Recruitment analysed data from FTSE 100 ranked companies over four years between 2018 and 2022, which showed that just over a quarter (27%) of CIO positions last year were held by women. How and why women are still challenged to meet the 30%, let’s get some insights from our guest this morning.Dr. Carrine Teoh holds an array of roles in the cybersecurity and tech field. She is recognised as one of the ASEAN Top 30 Women in Cybersecurity and serves as Vice President of the ASEAN CIO Association. Additionally, she provides strategic leadership as the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) for Bond Holdings.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 years ago, Nik Suzila Nik Hassan (Suzy) and Sarahah Kedah (Sara) established a women-led social enterprise that aspires to become the catalyst of textiles, clothing and plastics circular economy in Malaysia, Singapore & Australia. Named Kloth, why did they start, how far they have come and what’s the vision, let’s find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is a perception that investing is a man’s world and that women lack confidence and tend to stay away. However, various studies have proven that women are better investors. According to Bursa Malaysia, 30% of the total trade value in 2021 was made by women investors, and that women’s total trade volume had surged by 194.1% between 2018 and 2021 which is encouraging. Joining us to illuminate the path towards gender equality in investing, and to help level the playing field, is Chuah Sze Phing. Chuah is the Group Chief Sustainability Officer and Head of Group Marketing & Communications at Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, and she'll share her expert insights to demystify this complex issue.Photo credits: LinkedIn|Chuah Sze PhingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The inclusion of women ministers in cabinet is vital in redistributing political power and increasing participation. However, increasing the number of women ministers is insufficient; the type of portfolios also matters. In Malaysia, following the 14th general election, the number of women ministers almost doubled; this increase survived government turn-overs between 2020–2022, and the 15th general election. Maha Balakrishnan, Parliamentary Consultant and Research Fellow for the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network - Asia Headquarters & Sunway University did a paper entitled “The Only Way Is Up: Proportions and Portfolios for Women in Cabinet: 2008-2023”. She joins us today to share the insights of her research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Having amassed over 1 million followers on social media and over 3.8 million streams on Spotify alone, who is this teenager from Malaysia who will be taking over the music world?Photo Credit: Facebook | Belle SisoskiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Salina Salli, is the dynamic founder of Digital Dolphin. With a distinguished background that includes partnering with some of the nation's most prominent telco companies, Sally has charted her unique path in the entrepreneurial landscape.Not only is she a multi-hyphenated leader, but also an inspiring trainer and coach. She shares her intriguing insights on discerning the right time to move on and the experiences of venturing into new industries as a female trailblazer.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the commercial significance of credentials has grown, certificate fraud has become an international issue. Governance of certificate production, validation, maintenance, and storage is equally difficult. CERTIIFY is revolutionising the certification process with its user-friendly and secure platform, powered by blockchain technology to eliminate certification fraud and provide unparalleled trust. A product of Intellware Solutions, we speak with CEO and Founder Norlisa Francis Nordin.Photo Credits: FreepikSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The recent strike by our doctors further highlighted the many challenges faced by the medical practitioners in the field such as bullying and burnout culture. But, as a medical practitioner, are there any other career paths available, other than working as a clinical doctor?Established in 2020, Medic Footprints is driven to help doctors explore other medical professions, clinical and non-clinical, assisting them in their career change, and supporting them every step of the way. They believe that doctors should have the freedom to explore all aspects of healthcare, empowering doctors to attain a good quality of life. We are joined today by the founder of Medic Footprints, Dr Selina ChewSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shi Wen has been a full-time corporate lawyer for more than 12 years, and she founded a non-profit enterprise called SESO in 2020 that aims to combat food waste and food poverty. We discuss all the hats she is wearing, and the challenges that come with them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim May Chee, is the Founder and CEO of COCODry. CocoDry is a blow-dry bar salon in Kuala Lumpur, and within the span of 4 years, it has expanded to three branches with its recent one in KL Platinum Park.Kim talks about spearheading her business expansions and the difficulties of managing people within a company that heavily relies on customer-facing talent.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The global FMCG market size was valued at $11,490.9 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach $18,939.4 billion by 2031, registering a compound annual growth rate of 5.1% from 2022 to 2031. Wellsen, a professional hair salon brand, owned, manufactured, and distributed by WeGlobe, was founded in 1993 by Seng San Bing together with Hung Shun Neng. 30 years on, it is now led by Seng Sin Mon, Seng’s daughter. Previously, Wellsen solely focused on manufacturing and distributing to the professional salon industry, WeGlobe was established and now holds two other brands; LadyFirst focusing on personal care and Genkikuma focusing on baby care products.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The lockdowns during the pandemic has highlighted an often overlooked issue within our society which is mental health. Fortunately, with the efforts taken by corporates and citizens alike, more and more people are open to seek assistance as the awareness of the importance in preserving a positive mentality spreads far and wide. ECHO Malaysia (Everyone Can Help Out) was established just in the past 6 months with the aim to educate and redefine the norm surrounding mental health in Malaysia through their workshops and counselling. Photo Credits: FreepikSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crystal Lim-Lange is a leadership and talent development expert, writer and educator and has been recognised as a “LinkedIn Top Voice.” She also co-authored the bestseller "Deep Human" and writes for Channel NewsAsia as an expert contributor on human capital.She is also a founder of Forest Wolf, a talent development consultancy that combines thought leadership in psychology with experience in large-scale systems change.Photo Credits: LinkedIn | Crystal Lim-LangeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amanda Cua is an entrepreneur based in the Philippines and started her own newsletter startup two years ago when she was 19 years old. Having more than 12,000 subscribers now, how did she manage to do this all by herself? How did she talk to venture capitalists to get funding for her startup? What drove her towards tech? The 21-year-old entrepreneur tells us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to 2021’s data, women who are working in tech have reached 35%. But as this number increases, are there still biases and challenges that women face in science, tech and innovation? How can we encourage more women to participate in science and tech? We ask Dzuleira Abu Bakar, CEO of MRANTI her opinion, and get the lowdown on what it would take to turn half of the population towards tech.Photo Credits: Twitter | MRANTISee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

IP refers to any creative work, such as inventions, designs, logos, or software, that you own or have the rights to use. It may seem initially daunting or time consuming, but protecting your IP is well worth the time and effort . If you don't protect your IP properly, you might lose control over it, face legal disputes, or miss out on potential revenue. Biruntha helps us navigate through the complex world of Intellectual property rights.Photo Credits: LinkedIn | Biruntha MooruthiSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you didn’t know, a lecturer from the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Aerospace Engineering, Dr. Norilmi Amilia Ismail has been selected out of 100 women as the sole Malaysian to participate as a mentor in the Space4Women programme, a project under the purview of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA).UNOOSA was established with the aim of offering educational and career opportunities regarding outer space and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to women all over the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Women still are underrepresented in science. According to UN data, women are typically given smaller research grants than their male counterparts. Does Malaysia reflect the same situation? Jessica Ooi Sui Ying is a PhD candidate at The University of Nottingham Malaysia. Her project now revolves around developing a device to detect ovarian cancer. She shares her experience as a former pharmacist and a researcher in Malaysia. Photo Credits: Freepik See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dr Mastura Rosly was a psychiatrist at the Ministry of Health, and she served at the Ministry for 14 years cumulatively across various roles. She is now at Mind Matters Specialist Clinic, a private clinic for psychiatric and psychological services. We discuss the challenges faced as a psychiatrist at MOH, and why companies should prioritise employee wellbeing. Photo Credits: Freepik | DCStudioSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

According to an article by TheEdgeMarket, Malaysia’s inflation rate increased by 4% in November 2022 year-by-year and understandably, people are looking into different methods of strengthening their financial assets; the popular one being investing. Financial illiteracy is arguably the main reason some people avoid indulging in it all together. But according to Nadia Ismadi, that is not the case. She believes we are actually thinking ahead. The bigger fundamental problem is the absence of funds to invest with in the first place, and that is the issue Nadia and her team are tackling with their product, POD.POD is a savings app designed to help users save money, track their everyday expenditure and guide them towards managing their finances. Photo Credits: Freepik | awesomecontentSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Cult Creative is a platform that concentrates on developing a place where creatives may present their work, network with other creatives, and find employment. With the help of the professional networking app Cult Creative, passionate creatives can easily discover jobs, connect with others, and show off their work.We speak to Shermaine Wong, the co-founder and CEO of Cult Creative.Photo Credits: Facebook | Cult CreativeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

International Women’s Day is a particularly important day that honours the social, economic, and political accomplishments of women all around the world. Mercedes-Benz was one of the first businesses in Germany to voluntarily declare a goal in 2006. They pledged to increase the number of women in senior management positions to 20% globally by the end of 2020. As of 2021 women now account for 22.5% in senior management roles globally. Additionally, three of the eight members of the Mercedes-Benz Group AG's Board of Management are women, making up 37.5% of the board in 2021. Sagree Sardien, President and CEO of Mercedes Benz Malaysia, shares her journey in the industry, visions of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia and the growth of Malaysia’s EV industryPhoto Credits: Mercedes Benz MalaysiaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Queenie Man is the founder and CEO of The Project Futurus. It is a social enterprise in Hong Kong that commits to help with transforming and promoting the future of ageing. The Project Futures has a platform called “Captain Softmeal" as a platform to allow easier dining for elders and patients suffering from dysphagia (swallowing problem). Queenie discusses.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated the government's commitment to protecting the rights of Indonesian migrant workers in Malaysia. How badly are some Malaysian companies or recruitment agencies treating migrant workers? Zenna Law and two co-founders are now running what they claim to be the first ethical foreign labour recruitment agency called Pinkcollar.We explore what she has been doing to tackle the issue of modern slavery in Malaysia.Photo Credits: Facebook | Pinkcollar Employment AgencySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Currently, there are more opportunities to engage in games, more strong female leads in video games, and most crucially, more strong female leads in the gaming industry. Although there has been a noticeable increase in the number of women, it is also obvious that this business is still dominated by men. In addition, the bulk of the more well-known faces in gaming are male. Sophie Azlan, a young female game designer who has only 2 years in the game industry, was inducted into The Game Awards’ Future Class in 2022. We speak to Sophie to hear about her journey and opinion in the game industry.Photo Credit: Shutterstock | Frame Stock FootageSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Founded in 1992, Karen Barnes Dance offered high-quality dancing training in small groups. In Karen Barnes Dance, each student receives an individualised education to ensure that each person is treated with respect. We speak to Karen Barnes, the founder of Karen Barnes Dance to hear about her journey and vision of the ballet industry in Malaysia.Photo Credit : Shutterstock | NK D.LIGHTSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Proper education is important in breaking the poverty cycle and is able to transform lives. But is tertiary education accessible to Malaysian SPM graduates in Malaysia? We speak to Ida Thien, co-founder of Closing the Gap Malaysia and the acting CEO of Tunku Abdul Rahman Foundation as she aims to close the gap towards fair quality university access for all.Photo Credit : Shutterstock | Drazen ZigicSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One fact you need to know about women in science is that women scientists represent just 33.3 percent of researchers globally. Women are leading ground-breaking research across the world but their work rarely gains the recognition it deserves. Why did it happen? We speak to Assistant Professor Dr. Alison Wee Kim Shan, Assistant Professor Dr. Nadiah Abu, and Associate Professor Dr. Mariatulqabtiah Abdul Razak, who won the L’Oreal-UNESCO Fellowship for Women in Science for 2022, to know more about women scientists in Malaysia.Photo Credit : L’Oreal-UNESCO See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voted as the number one Chinese confinement food delivery service in the Klang Valley, Phoenix Signature Kitchen strives to combine old and new traditions and practices. Ng Mun Foong, the founder of Phoenix Signature Kitchen joins us today to share how they give the best care to the mother.Photo Credit : Facebook | Phoenix Signature KitchenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Young people can achieve big things and they should be celebrated. At the age of 22, with a master’s degree in Management, Alicia Tien is the former CEO of QFinity, an accelerator that aims to help international businesses enter the Chinese market. We speak to her to explore more of her achievements and goals.Photo Credit : shutterstock | fizkesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FFF Media is an independent social news network, focused on creating video and graphic content. Ariel Koh, the brainchild of FFF Media shares her views on the future of content creation.Photo Credit : Instagram | riel.talkSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.