In the US, DEI programmes are being dismantled. But what if walking away from inclusion means walking away from your next big customer segment?

Sudesh Thevasenabathy, Head of Inclusion for Asia and Global Lead of Inclusive Business at Manulife, makes the business case for designing around the customers everyone else overlooks.

We get into why unintentional exclusion is hard to spot in the business world, and what it took to design insurance policies for people living with HIV, people with disabilities, and women navigating menopause across 11 Asian markets, including how he convinced leadership to back an unproven market.

In the US, DEI programmes are being dismantled. But what if walking away from inclusion means walking away from your next big customer segment?Sudesh Thevasenabathy, Head of Inclusion for Asia and Global Lead of Inclusive Business at Manulife, makes the business case for designing around the customers everyone else overlooks.We get into why unintentional exclusion is hard to spot in the business world, and what it took to design insurance policies for people living with HIV, people with disabilities, and women navigating menopause across 11 Asian markets, including how he convinced leadership to back an unproven market.

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Helping you navigate the ever-changing universe of business, from headlines to the bottom line

Enterprise Explores

The Business Case for the Customers You Overlook

SMEs get most of the attention when we talk about Malaysia's economy, but sitting above them is a group of companies that often gets overlooked: mid-tier firms. These companies contribute to economic growth and are often pushing into new markets, but without the grants and incentives given to SMEs, and without the scale of the big conglomerates. With the government looking to reduce the country's fiscal deficit, is there a case for backing mid-tier firms in Budget 2027? And as these companies weigh Malaysia against other ASEAN markets for their regional base, what will it take to keep them here?

Fung Mei Lin, Tax Partner and Private Leader at PwC Malaysia, joins us to discuss.

We get into:


The overlooked middle: What role mid-tier companies actually play in Malaysia's growth story, and the opportunities and challenges they face as they expand.


The case for incentives: Whether the government should offer more tax incentives to Malaysian-owned mid-tier companies


Staying competitive regionally: How to keep these companies based in Malaysia. 


Keeping talent here: What it would take to help Malaysian mid-tier companies attract, develop, and retain the talent needed to build regional businesses from home.


Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

SMEs get most of the attention when we talk about Malaysia's economy, but sitting above them is a group of companies that often gets overlooked: mid-tier firms. These companies contribute to economic growth and are often pushing into new markets, but without the grants and incentives given to SMEs, and without the scale of the big conglomerates. With the government looking to reduce the country's fiscal deficit, is there a case for backing mid-tier firms in Budget 2027? And as these companies weigh Malaysia against other ASEAN markets for their regional base, what will it take to keep them here?Fung Mei Lin, Tax Partner and Private Leader at PwC Malaysia, joins us to discuss.We get into:<ul><li>The overlooked middle: What role mid-tier companies actually play in Malaysia's growth story, and the opportunities and challenges they face as they expand.</li><li>The case for incentives: Whether the government should offer more tax incentives to Malaysian-owned mid-tier companies</li><li>Staying competitive regionally: How to keep these companies based in Malaysia.&nbsp;</li><li>Keeping talent here: What it would take to help Malaysian mid-tier companies attract, develop, and retain the talent needed to build regional businesses from home.</li></ul> Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Budget 2027: Can It Back Malaysia's Mid-Tier Firms?

Budget 2027 will be tabled in Parliament on October 9, with the government has already highlighted the need to build more competitive home-grown businesses, with a focus on financing, technology, talent, and helping Malaysian companies enter regional and global markets.

We get into:


The startup and SME Budget 2027 wish list: What should be in the budget to address the data centre buildup and boost the startup and tech SME sector in the country.


The gaps holding Malaysia back: Where Malaysian startups and SMEs are still falling short of scaling regionally, and why those gaps need addressing now to avoid missed opportunities.


The real problem with financing: Why the issue often isn't a shortage of grants or loans, but the way that money is actually structured and accessed.


Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Budget 2027 will be tabled in Parliament on October 9, with the government has already highlighted the need to build more competitive home-grown businesses, with a focus on financing, technology, talent, and helping Malaysian companies enter regional and global markets.We get into:<ul><li>The startup and SME Budget 2027 wish list: What should be in the budget to address the data centre buildup and boost the startup and tech SME sector in the country.</li><li>The gaps holding Malaysia back: Where Malaysian startups and SMEs are still falling short of scaling regionally, and why those gaps need addressing now to avoid missed opportunities.</li><li>The real problem with financing: Why the issue often isn't a shortage of grants or loans, but the way that money is actually structured and accessed.</li></ul> Brought to you by Mah Sing. Reinvent Spaces. Enhance Life.

Budget 2027's Startup and SME Wish List

Malaysia's Parliament has put a number on the country's mental health crisis: RM25.3 billion in projected economic burden by 2030 without interventions. Yet unlike physical safety at work, mental health in Malaysian workplaces is still governed almost entirely by voluntary guidelines.

Anita Abu Bakar, President and Founder of MIASA Malaysia, and Azran Osman-Rani, CEO and Co-founder of Naluri, discuss what this means for employers.

We get into:


The real cost: What the RM25.3 billion figure does not capture.


Small business, bigger gap: How this issue looks different for Malaysia's roughly 900,000 SMEs, most of which don't have a dedicated HR function.


What's coming: What the Health Ministry's new workplace mental health policy, due by September or October, needs to include to actually work, and what employers can start doing now.

This episode airs in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, marked globally on October 10.

Malaysia's Parliament has put a number on the country's mental health crisis: RM25.3 billion in projected economic burden by 2030 without interventions. Yet unlike physical safety at work, mental health in Malaysian workplaces is still governed almost entirely by voluntary guidelines.Anita Abu Bakar, President and Founder of MIASA Malaysia, and Azran Osman-Rani, CEO and Co-founder of Naluri, discuss what this means for employers.We get into:<ul><li>The real cost: What the RM25.3 billion figure does not capture.</li><li>Small business, bigger gap: How this issue looks different for Malaysia's roughly 900,000 SMEs, most of which don't have a dedicated HR function.</li><li>What's coming: What the Health Ministry's new workplace mental health policy, due by September or October, needs to include to actually work, and what employers can start doing now.</li></ul>This episode airs in conjunction with World Mental Health Day, marked globally on October 10.

The Business Case for the Customers You Overlook

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