Issue 43
Retail Prodigy Group
Through its NIKE, TOMS and Timbuk2 brands, Australia’s Retail Prodigy Group is creating an engaging and seamless customer experience across multiple channels, a must in the modern retail world.
Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (PNMB)
The Futureproof PrinterPNMB has been a Malaysian mainstay since 1888, the organisation now turning to digital solutions and private investment as ways to diversify from its traditional printing base Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek ValmikiAsia, it is widely believed, is the home of printing.As early as the second century CE, the Chinese were said to have discovered how to print, the likes of paper and ink relatively well-established materials by this time.The modern, mass-producing printing presses arrived much later thanks to German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg, whose 15th century invention revolutionised the way in which information was printed, chiefly through a mechanised process as opposed to assembly by hand.The breakthrough kickstarted an industrialisation of printing which continues to serve as a crucial form of information distribution to this very day, even in what is a relentlessly digitising world.In Malaysia, an organisation synonymous with printing for the last 130-plus years is Percetakan Nasional Malaysia Berhad (PNMB).Starting out as an official government operation, PNMB’s printed documents were vital to disseminate information, gazetted laws and regulations, official books, manuals and standard operating procedures, the now part-private company responsible for the security and integrity of these documents.But times do and have changed.“Digitisation is not a choice but a necessity to survive,” comments Mohamad Bin Abdullah, PNMB’s present day Managing Director. “As horses were replaced by cars, printed products are being replaced by digital products, the movement of newspapers online being a prime example.“However, print will always be needed but at a smaller scale and volume into a more premium product of aesthetic value – repurposed into the opposite of what…
Mun Shung & Partners
Putting People FirstHaving arrived in Malaysia on a mission to prove a concept in 2011, Melvin Lim has enjoyed a remarkable growth story with Mun Shung & Partners, the architecture firm built on a passion to transform communities Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Ryan Gray Opportunities in this region, especially in Malaysia, are vast! Having worked in the country for the last seven years, the expansion of both private and commercial activity I have seen has produced a huge amount of opportunity in the country.“The growth rate and the maturity within the construction industry creates fantastic prospects for companies like ours, albeit a huge amount of competition at the same time. However, this is healthy and keeps you on your toes, forcing you to constantly seek better ways to improve products and services.“Even in our building industry there is still much room to evolve into, not only as brick and mortar investment, but contents and user experience which is now more important than ever. And that, I would suggest, means a vastly vibrant future awaits.”Melvin Lim is, rightly, a stout optimist when it comes to Malaysia’s construction scene.A key contributor to an economy that is growing consistently at well over five percent a year, the sector’s advancement is reflective of the country’s journey towards becoming a high-income nation, a feat which is expected to be realised as early as 2024.Melvin is Founder and Design Director of architecture firm Mun Shung & Partners, the Asian branch of UK-based Barton Willmore known as BWLim International until 2018.Established in 2012 after he arrived back in his home country from London, even…
Lintasarta
Indonesia’s One-stop ICT Solution ProviderAble to offer everything from broadband and cloud to telco and e-health solutions, Lintasarta is playing a leading role in the country’s rapid digitalisation Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Vivek ValmikiIndonesia – the world’s fourth most populous nation, 10th largest economy in purchasing power terms and undoubted success story since the Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s.Consistently recording GDP growth of more than five percent a year, the archipelago of more than 17,500 islands is something of a regional powerhouse, its per capita income rising from $823 in 2000 to almost $4,000 in 2018, progress which has led to poverty rates being cut by more than half since the turn of the millenium.A key driver of this ongoing development? Rapid digitalisation of consumers’ everyday lives and commercial endeavours across numerous industries.“Technology in Indonesia has been enjoying an interesting and significant growth journey,” says Business Director at business information and communications solutions specialist Lintasarta Alfi Asman.“For example, the IT services market is predicted to expand by around 19 percent in 2020, and we expect it will continue for the next couple of years,” he adds.Asman is right to be excited about the nation’s digital prospects.Research by Google-Temasek suggests that Indonesia’s digital economy will surpass $100 billion in 2025, accounting for nearly half of the entire Southeast Asian region’s market value, a trend which the Business Director has witnessed first-hand since he joined Lintasarta.Asman identified the company as an early pioneer in the country’s digital development, a major factor in his decision to make the move in 1990.“When I joined, Lintasarta was a transformative IT company also…
Innovative Agro Industry
Inspiring Agrarian IndependenceInnovative Agro Industry continues to drive developments across a wide variety of agricultural endeavours, providing PNG producers with vital commercialisation opportunities and employment to many other locals Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Matthew Selby Papua New Guinea should be a self-sustaining agrarian producer.The country is blessed with naturally conducive conditions for farming a wide variety of crops – a warm and rainy climate, rich soil and abundant water resources – but despite these favourable factors it relies on imports to feed its people.Among the top imported products, along with vehicles, fuel and heavy machinery, are meat and rice, basic dietary staples which consumers are paying inflated prices for due to a lack of commercial home production.For Ilan Weiss, Chairman & Executive Director of Innovative Agro Industry (IAI), the opportunity to narrow this deficit and help PNG to get back on (or discover) its farming feet was too good to turn down.“The primary reason to engage in agriculture here are the Papua New Guineans,” he says. “You can try and engage a Papua New Guinean on any subject on any matter and they may be interested or not, just like anyone else, but you mention agriculture to them, and their eyes light up.“The reason for this is that they have been doing agriculture for far longer than Europeans – it is something that is dear to their hearts. Papua New Guineans have been farming for thousands of years but that does not deter an acceptance of innovation. You find good farmers almost everywhere in the country.”IAI is a subsidiary of LR Group, a leading project development organisation active in Africa, Europe,…
Gas & Oil Pakistan Ltd
GO is embodying Pakistan’s innovative spirit, advancing and expanding its O&G offering at rapid pace in order to better serve its beloved, growing network of local customers.
DTEC Petroleum Group
DTEC Petroleum Group continues to serve the engineering and construction needs of major petroleum projects in Malaysia and elsewhere in the region and worldwide.
Belait Shipping
From philanthropy and charitable efforts to employee and enterprise empowerment, the local entrepreneurial success story that is Belait Shipping is helping to build a better future for the Darussalam.
Puma Energy Papua New Guinea : Energising Communities in PNG
Empowering SMEs, investing in individuals and infrastructure, and delivering a complete fuel solution to urban and rural communities alike, Puma Energy PNG continues to take great pride in being a local socioeconomic stalwart.
Chip Mong INSEE Corporation
A Cambodian Champion CMIC brings a can-do attitude to Cambodian cement by assisting the country with quality products, community care and a local emphasis. Nicolas George, CEO, explains the motive behind this mandate Writer: Jonathan Dyble / Project Manager: Josh MannFour decades ago, any mention of Cambodia would be met with a solemn response.1980 lay bare the aftermath of the horrific Khmer Rouge regime that had ruthlessly attempted to rewind the clock and turn the country into an agrarian society. In brief, it had left Cambodia in a state of disrepair, brutally claiming the lives of two million people.There is no question that scars from this period remain – the horror of those five years has been well documented as one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century. Yet, gradually and admirably, the country has defied all odds, rising from the ashes to become a laudable emblem of Southeast Asian prosperity.In the past 40 years, Cambodia’s GDP skyrocketed from $716 million to $22 billion. And the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has forecast that this is just the beginning, predicting that similarly monumental strides will continue throughout the next decade and propel Cambodia to upper middle-income status by 2030.“Cambodia is thriving,” states Nicolas George, CEO of Chip Mong INSEE Cement Corporation (CMIC) – a company both capitalising on these economic tailwinds and epitomising the rapid national growth trajectory.“The country is going through an unprecedented period of development that’s leading to a multitude of opportunities and attracting investors across various sectors. This creates a particularly…
Tawap Kamen Investment Group
Empowering PNG TKI Group is helping to pave the way for Papua New Guinea’s resource-led development, backing major projects with exemplary service and unrivalled experience Writer: Jonathan Dyble / Project Manager: Donovan Smith Papau New Guinea is a country worth keeping an eye on.Entangled in the array of islands strewn between the Southeast Asian mainland and Australia, it has a lot in common with its archipelago neighbours of Indonesia and the Philippines. From its sun-kissed sand beaches and untouched forest-cloaked mountains to flamboyant, enthralling local cultures, it resembles something of an earthly paradise.Behind closed doors, however, PNG is taking great strides, its GDP having exploded since the turn of the millennium, now valued at $23.5 billion – up from the $3.5 billion recorded two decades earlier.The driving force behind this astounding growth? A buoyant extractives sector that is only just getting started in the eyes of Tawap Kamen Investment Group (TKI) General Manager Peter Pridgeon.“Even today, PNG is relatively untouched,” he explains. “Mining activities have been widespread here for generations, yes, but with so many developing opportunities and minerals only now being unearthed, it’s a great time to be here working and discovering what’s out there.“The resource sector is giving PNG the opportunity to grow. It’s emerging as a nation by harnessing its natural assets.”Indeed, TKI itself has been a pivotal player in helping to facilitate this economic boom.A local company founded to respond to the labour needs of the local Ok Tedi Mine that can be found at the foot of Mt Fubilan in the country’s Western…
ZTE: Grabbing a Network Slice
Enterprises in their millions are signing up to the power of 5G. According to a study by Qualcomm, by 2035 5G could underpin up to $12.3 trillion worth of goods and services in industries such as retail, healthcare, education, transportation, entertainment and many more, businesses benefitting in numerous ways, from productivity gains and remote working opportunities to rural connectivity and smarter office spaces. Service providers are beginning to reap the benefits in a sizable way. A recent study by Grand View Research estimates that the global 5G services market size will reach $45.7 billion this year and grow at an average annual rate of 32.1 percent between 2021 and 2025. “The most exciting part of 5G is connecting things,” comments Tu Jiashun, Principal Scientist at Chinese telecoms equipment producing giant ZTE. “5G not only creates value for the current telco industry but also opens up opportunities for the digital transformation of other vertical industries, or enterprises. “Meanwhile, the digital transformation for the enterprise will greatly promote the applications of the 5G network and open up a new huge market of system integration. Enterprises will continue to integrate 5G into their service life-cycle process, which greatly increases the production efficiency, speeds up the launch of products or services and reduces operational expenditure and capital expenditure.”However, although the numbers are soaring upwards, some notable challenges remain. One is maximising the use of 5G networks and opening up access to as many enterprises as possible without imposing prohibitive costs and logistic challenges. The sub-optimal use of networks is, according to the GSMA, down to the…
Anytime Fitness Asia : From Fitness to Wellness
Though trends were formerly led by practitioners in fitness, the gym industry is becoming led by the consumer. Rey Bolivar, CEO of Anytime Fitness Asia, talks to us about the next decade of fitness and wellness.
IFAD President Gilbert Houngbo on India’s agrarian development
IFAD President, Gilbert Houngbo, outlines the development of agriculture in India and how to ensure its success.