For Christopher Nolan, it was never enough for audiences to simply watch The Odyssey. He wanted us to experience it.

And for that, the Oscar-winning filmmaker turned to IMAX. 

Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic became the first ever theatrical release shot entirely with IMAX 70mm film cameras, with IMAX developing a next generation film camera to make that happen. 

The bet paid off. The Odyssey generated a record-breaking US$52 million from IMAX screens alone, with IMAX accounting for a massive 20% share of the film’s global debut. 

With the traction generated from The Odyssey, IMAX Corporation recorded its highest grossing summer ever in early September, with US$728 million in worldwide receipts for the period between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends. 

That’s a whopping 73% increase from its previous record set in 2023. And comes despite the fact that there are just slightly more than 1,800 IMAX screens worldwide.

But there is more to IMAX than just projector screens. The New York Stock Exchange listed company prides itself as a global leader in entertainment technology spanning the entire ecosystem of filmmaking, from proprietary cameras to post-production technology and even projection and sound systems. 

It makes money through the sale or lease of IMAX systems and by having a share of box office receipts from studios for the remastering and distribution of films across its networks.

Increasingly, the company is also positioning itself as a global distribution platform for premium entertainment through partnerships with streaming platforms like Amazon, Apple and Netflix.

But with growing appetite for the IMAX experience, how fast can the company install enough systems to meet that demand? How far can the company expand before premium becomes commonplace?

Also – can IMAX turn the blockbuster moment it received from the success of The Odyssey into something structurally bigger for the business?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Giovanni Dolci, Global Chief Commercial Officer at IMAX Corporation.

For Christopher Nolan, it was never enough for audiences to simply watch The Odyssey. He wanted us to experience it.
And for that, the Oscar-winning filmmaker turned to IMAX.&nbsp;
Nolan&rsquo;s adaptation of Homer&rsquo;s ancient Greek epic became the first ever theatrical release shot entirely with IMAX 70mm film cameras, with IMAX developing a next generation film camera to make that happen.&nbsp;
The bet paid off. The Odyssey generated a record-breaking US$52 million from IMAX screens alone, with IMAX accounting for a massive 20% share of the film&rsquo;s global debut.&nbsp;
With the traction generated from The Odyssey, IMAX Corporation recorded its highest grossing summer ever in early September, with US$728 million in worldwide receipts for the period between the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.&nbsp;
That&rsquo;s a whopping 73% increase from its previous record set in 2023. And comes despite the fact that there are just slightly more than 1,800 IMAX screens worldwide.
But there is more to IMAX than just projector screens. The New York Stock Exchange listed company prides itself as a global leader in entertainment technology spanning the entire ecosystem of filmmaking, from proprietary cameras to post-production technology and even projection and sound systems.&nbsp;
It makes money through the sale or lease of IMAX systems and by having a share of box office receipts from studios for the remastering and distribution of films across its networks.
Increasingly, the company is also positioning itself as a global distribution platform for premium entertainment through partnerships with streaming platforms like Amazon, Apple and Netflix.
But with growing appetite for the IMAX experience, how fast can the company install enough systems to meet that demand? How far can the company expand before premium becomes commonplace?
Also &ndash; can IMAX turn the blockbuster moment it received from the success of The Odyssey into something structurally bigger for the business?
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Giovanni Dolci, Global Chief Commercial Officer at IMAX Corporation.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) Can IMAX turn its success from The Odyssey into something structurally bigger for the company? Its Chief Commercial Officer sheds light on the matter.

This time, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian reports from Hong Kong, where Chinese e-commerce giant Taobao announced one of its most significant strategic shifts for its overseas business in recent years to focus on the quality and distinctiveness of products listed on its platforms.

To support the shift, Taobao embarked on a comprehensive upgrade to its cross border shopping experience, with expanded direct access worldwide to curated stores and products from China.

Taobao also noted that the new strategy is backed by substantial investments in the region, adding that it spent over RMB 100 million on marketing efforts alone in Singapore for this year’s single’s day campaign period. 

But how exactly does the new direction prepare Taobao for its next phase of growth in both Asia Pacific and Singapore, where e-commerce competition is intensifying of late? 

In this “On the Go” Special episode of Under the Radar, Tian Tian seeks to answer the question by speaking to Ye Tian, General Manager, Taobao & Tmall Overseas and Cora Cai, Country Head, Taobao Singapore.

This time, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian reports from Hong Kong, where Chinese e-commerce giant Taobao announced one of its most significant strategic shifts for its overseas business in recent years to focus on the quality and distinctiveness of products listed on its platforms.
To support the shift, Taobao embarked on a comprehensive upgrade to its cross border shopping experience, with expanded direct access worldwide to curated stores and products from China.
Taobao also noted that the new strategy is backed by substantial investments in the region, adding that it spent over RMB 100 million on marketing efforts alone in Singapore for this year&rsquo;s single&rsquo;s day campaign period.&nbsp;
But how exactly does the new direction prepare Taobao for its next phase of growth in both Asia Pacific and Singapore, where e-commerce competition is intensifying of late?&nbsp;
In this &ldquo;On the Go&rdquo; Special episode of Under the Radar, Tian Tian seeks to answer the question by speaking to Ye Tian, General Manager, Taobao &amp; Tmall Overseas and Cora Cai, Country Head, Taobao Singapore.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) On the Go from Hong Kong — what should we know about Taobao’s new strategic direction in its overseas business?

Artificial intelligence is shaking up the enterprise technology landscape and for software giant SAP, the stakes are particularly high. 

After all, the German company spent over half a century building software solutions that connect core business processes from finance, supply chain management, manufacturing, human resources to even analytics in a single, integrated environment. 

These solutions were optimised for humans to track operations, manage finances and conduct scenario testing across departments and silos.

But what will happen to the enterprise software firm when the ones taking charge of these business processes are no longer humans, but AI agents?

Well, it’ll have to build an ecosystem for catering to the needs of autonomous enterprises.

In May 2026, the firm launched the SAP Business Platform that teaches AI agents how to use and work through its enterprise software based on the context of its customers’ workflows.

Besides teaching agents how to use its software, SAP also introduced the SAP Autonomous Suite, which enables SAP’s existing business applications with AI agents capable of running processes from start-to-finish.

Finally, it also launched the Joule Work, a new user experience that redefines how people work with enterprise software. 

For instance, instead of navigating multiple applications and screens to search for data or to conduct scenario testing, users can interact with Joule, who will then find out the right combination of workflows, data and even seek the help of AI agents. 

But can SAP turn decades of enterprise data, workflows and customer relationships into an advantage to supercharge its growth in the AI era? And where does Asia Pacific fit into its next phase of growth?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Verena Siow, Regional President, Asia Pacific, SAP.

Artificial intelligence is shaking up the enterprise technology landscape and for software giant SAP, the stakes are particularly high.&nbsp;
After all, the German company spent over half a century building software solutions that connect core business processes from finance, supply chain management, manufacturing, human resources to even analytics in a single, integrated environment.&nbsp;
These solutions were optimised for humans to track operations, manage finances and conduct scenario testing across departments and silos.
But what will happen to the enterprise software firm when the ones taking charge of these business processes are no longer humans, but AI agents?
Well, it&rsquo;ll have to build an ecosystem for catering to the needs of autonomous enterprises.
In May 2026, the firm launched the SAP Business Platform that teaches AI agents how to use and work through its enterprise software based on the context of its customers&rsquo; workflows.
Besides teaching agents how to use its software, SAP also introduced the SAP Autonomous Suite, which enables SAP&rsquo;s existing business applications with AI agents capable of running processes from start-to-finish.
Finally, it also launched the Joule Work, a new user experience that redefines how people work with enterprise software.&nbsp;
For instance, instead of navigating multiple applications and screens to search for data or to conduct scenario testing, users can interact with Joule, who will then find out the right combination of workflows, data and even seek the help of AI agents.&nbsp;
But can SAP turn decades of enterprise data, workflows and customer relationships into an advantage to supercharge its growth in the AI era? And where does Asia Pacific fit into its next phase of growth?
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Verena Siow, Regional President, Asia Pacific, SAP.

Under the Radar: How is SAP catering for Autonomous Enterprises enabled by AI agents? Its President for APAC explains.

Earlier in June, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian headed down to Miami, USA, to catch Match 71 of the FIFA World Cup and to see how global technology solutions provider Lenovo helped its organiser run the tournament seamlessly behind the scenes.

But the FIFA World Cup is not the only sporting event featuring the firm’s technology. 

Lenovo is also powering Formula 1 races with solutions from workstations to even a Track-side Event Technical Centre that processes between 350,000 and 400,000 timing transponder passing events over a race weekend.

At the Singapore Grand Prix 2026, Tian Tian sat down with Sumir Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer of Asia Pacific at Lenovo, and Amie Smith, Head of IT Systems and Support at Formula 1, to dive into the technologies turbocharging the motorsport event, before seeing everything coming together in an F1 practice race. 

Earlier in June, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian headed down to Miami, USA, to catch Match 71 of the FIFA World Cup and to see how global technology solutions provider Lenovo helped its organiser run the tournament seamlessly behind the scenes.
But the FIFA World Cup is not the only sporting event featuring the firm&rsquo;s technology.&nbsp;
Lenovo is also powering Formula 1 races with solutions from workstations to even a Track-side Event Technical Centre that processes between 350,000 and 400,000 timing transponder passing events over a race weekend.
At the Singapore Grand Prix 2026, Tian Tian sat down with Sumir Bhatia, Chief Commercial Officer of Asia Pacific at Lenovo, and Amie Smith, Head of IT Systems and Support at Formula 1, to dive into the technologies turbocharging the motorsport event, before seeing everything coming together in an F1 practice race.&nbsp;

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) On the Go from the Singapore Grand Prix 2026 – How are Lenovo’s technologies turbocharging the Formula 1 races? Executives from Lenovo and F1 explain.

Incorporated in 1993 and subsequently listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1997, Samudera Shipping Line is a shipping company primarily engaged in transporting containerised and non-containerised cargo through its Container Shipping, Bulk and Tanker, as well as Agency and Logistics Business Segments. 

Instead of competing with the world’s largest shipping companies by size, Samudera Shipping builds its strategy around finding niches. 

The maritime logistics player focuses on offering feeder services between its “hub” port in Singapore and other “spoke” ports in Asia, with its vessels plying trade routes between ports in Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Far East and the Middle East.

But beyond building its own niche, Samudera Shipping also values flexibility for its vessels, with the company owning only about one-third of its fleet. The rest are split between short-term and long-term charters. 

That flexibility is proving to be important in today’s ever uncertain world, with the Middle East conflict disrupting major shipping routes and pushing freight and insurance costs higher.

For one thing, the firm moved all of its vessels out of the Gulf region when the war in the Middle East broke out in February 2026.

The firm is also big on diversification, having recently expanded its footprint to Europe and South America. It had also in May 2026 launched a new weekly container service that directly connects Japan and South Korea. 

So, how effective has it been for Samudera Shipping to build its niche in providing feeder services? How far can Samudera Shipping continue to expand globally without sacrificing the flexibility that has defined its strategy?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Bani Mulia, Executive Director and Group CEO, Samudera Shipping.

Incorporated in 1993 and subsequently listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1997, Samudera Shipping Line is a shipping company primarily engaged in transporting containerised and non-containerised cargo through its Container Shipping, Bulk and Tanker, as well as Agency and Logistics Business Segments.&nbsp;
Instead of competing with the world&rsquo;s largest shipping companies by size, Samudera Shipping builds its strategy around finding niches.&nbsp;
The maritime logistics player focuses on offering feeder services between its &ldquo;hub&rdquo; port in Singapore and other &ldquo;spoke&rdquo; ports in Asia, with its vessels plying trade routes between ports in Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Far East and the Middle East.
But beyond building its own niche, Samudera Shipping also values flexibility for its vessels, with the company owning only about one-third of its fleet. The rest are split between short-term and long-term charters.&nbsp;
That flexibility is proving to be important in today&rsquo;s ever uncertain world, with the Middle East conflict disrupting major shipping routes and pushing freight and insurance costs higher.
For one thing, the firm moved all of its vessels out of the Gulf region when the war in the Middle East broke out in February 2026.
The firm is also big on diversification, having recently expanded its footprint to Europe and South America. It had also in May 2026 launched a new weekly container service that directly connects Japan and South Korea.&nbsp;
So, how effective has it been for Samudera Shipping to build its niche in providing feeder services? How far can Samudera Shipping continue to expand globally without sacrificing the flexibility that has defined its strategy?
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Bani Mulia, Executive Director and Group CEO, Samudera Shipping.

Under the Radar: How does Samudera Shipping expand while retaining flexibility and its niche in serving intra-Asia feeder routes? Its CEO explains.

What comes to mind when you think of the phrase “flamed-grilled” burgers, or even to “have it your way”? 

For over seven decades, Burger King built its identity around its freshly flame-grilled burgers and the iconic Whopper. But behind that familiar bite, is a giant food empire altogether. 

The brand is part of Restaurant Brands International, a company formed in 2014 following the merger of Burger King and coffee chain Tim Hortons. 

Today, the Toronto headquartered company owns four of the world’s most prominent fast food chains, namely Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.

It is more notably one of the world’s largest quick service restaurant companies with nearly US$49 billion in annual system-wide sales generated across over 33,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories. 

Restaurant Brands International is a company to look at not just because of the sheer scale of its operations, but also because of its recent efforts to rejuvenate APAC business in the past three years. 

In late October 2022, Restaurant Brands International’s subsidiary PLK Apac appointed Fei Siong Group to run the Popeyes fried chicken chain in Singapore after working with Malaysian restaurant operator Revenue Valley for over a decade. 

The firm also launched the Popeye’s brand in Indonesia and South Korea that same year, and announced a nationwide expansion in China the following year. Then came the year 2023, where its coffee brand Tim Hortons entered the Singapore market, and made a plan to open over 150 outlets in South Korea in five years. 

But perhaps what’s even more exciting was a move by Restaurant Brands International to buy Burger King China back from Turkish restaurant franchise operator TFI and global private equity firm Cartesian in 2025. 

Later that year, the company announced a joint venture with Chinese alternative asset manager CPE to reimagine the next phase of growth for Burger King, with the aim to expand the burger chain’s footprint from roughly 1,250 outlets to over 4,000 by 2035. 

So why is the firm aggressively expanding in Asia right now? 

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Daphne Kuah, Chief Commercial Officer, Restaurant Brands International APAC.

What comes to mind when you think of the phrase &ldquo;flamed-grilled&rdquo; burgers, or even to &ldquo;have it your way&rdquo;?&nbsp;
For over seven decades, Burger King built its identity around its freshly flame-grilled burgers and the iconic Whopper. But behind that familiar bite, is a giant food empire altogether.&nbsp;
The brand is part of Restaurant Brands International, a company formed in 2014 following the merger of Burger King and coffee chain Tim Hortons.&nbsp;
Today, the Toronto headquartered company owns four of the world&rsquo;s most prominent fast food chains, namely Burger King, Tim Hortons, Popeyes and Firehouse Subs.
It is more notably one of the world&rsquo;s largest quick service restaurant companies with nearly US$49 billion in annual system-wide sales generated across over 33,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories.&nbsp;
Restaurant Brands International is a company to look at not just because of the sheer scale of its operations, but also because of its recent efforts to rejuvenate APAC business in the past three years.&nbsp;
In late October 2022, Restaurant Brands International&rsquo;s subsidiary PLK Apac appointed Fei Siong Group to run the Popeyes fried chicken chain in Singapore after working with Malaysian restaurant operator Revenue Valley for over a decade.&nbsp;
The firm also launched the Popeye&rsquo;s brand in Indonesia and South Korea that same year, and announced a nationwide expansion in China the following year. Then came the year 2023, where its coffee brand Tim Hortons entered the Singapore market, and made a plan to open over 150 outlets in South Korea in five years.&nbsp;
But perhaps what&rsquo;s even more exciting was a move by Restaurant Brands International to buy Burger King China back from Turkish restaurant franchise operator TFI and global private equity firm Cartesian in 2025.&nbsp;
Later that year, the company announced a joint venture with Chinese alternative asset manager CPE to reimagine the next phase of growth for Burger King, with the aim to expand the burger chain&rsquo;s footprint from roughly 1,250 outlets to over 4,000 by 2035.&nbsp;
So why is the firm aggressively expanding in Asia right now?&nbsp;
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Daphne Kuah, Chief Commercial Officer, Restaurant Brands International APAC.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) Why is Burger King, Popeyes and Tim Hortons’ parent Restaurant Brands International expanding aggressively in APAC right now?

It’s all about how an apparel maker is redefining that pair of jeans you’re wearing today. 

Finance presenter Chua Tian Tian was away for the past week attending “Levi’s Women Experience FOR EVERY ORIGINAL” series of pop-up events in Tokyo and Seoul. 

The pop-up experiences aim to celebrate the women who continue to redefine originality today, and is part of Levi’s ongoing efforts to drive growth among female shoppers, a demographic it sees great promise in. 

And at the heart of the campaign is the company’s global brand ambassador ROSE from K-pop girl group Blackpink, whose authenticity, creativity and self-expression Levi said embody the spirit of a modern female Original.

ROSE made a special appearance at the pop-up in Tokyo prior to its opening.

And in this “On the Go” Special episode of Under the Radar, Tian Tian shares what happened at the pop-ups she visited, including one with a media photo call with ROSE.

She also spoke with Kenny Mitchell, Chief Marketing Officer; Gianluca Flore, Chief Commercial Officer; and Vicky Skelton, Managing Director for East Asia Pacific at Levi Strauss & Co.  on how the firm is internalising consumer trends across markets, and utilising cultural moments, brand ambassadors, pop-culture as well as its heritage to capture the hearts of the next generation of female denim wearers.

It&rsquo;s all about how an apparel maker is redefining that pair of jeans you&rsquo;re wearing today.&nbsp;
Finance presenter Chua Tian Tian was away for the past week attending &ldquo;Levi&rsquo;s Women Experience FOR EVERY ORIGINAL&rdquo; series of pop-up events in Tokyo and Seoul.&nbsp;
The pop-up experiences aim to celebrate the women who continue to redefine originality today, and is part of Levi&rsquo;s ongoing efforts to drive growth among female shoppers, a demographic it sees great promise in.&nbsp;
And at the heart of the campaign is the company&rsquo;s global brand ambassador ROSE from K-pop girl group Blackpink, whose authenticity, creativity and self-expression Levi said embody the spirit of a modern female Original.
ROSE made a special appearance at the pop-up in Tokyo prior to its opening.
And in this &ldquo;On the Go&rdquo; Special episode of Under the Radar, Tian Tian shares what happened at the pop-ups she visited, including one with a media photo call with ROSE.
She also spoke with Kenny Mitchell, Chief Marketing Officer; Gianluca Flore, Chief Commercial Officer; and Vicky Skelton, Managing Director for East Asia Pacific at Levi Strauss &amp; Co. &nbsp;on how the firm is internalising consumer trends across markets, and utilising cultural moments, brand ambassadors, pop-culture as well as its heritage to capture the hearts of the next generation of female denim wearers.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) On the Go in Tokyo and Seoul — How is Levi’s capturing the hearts of its next generation consumers through its pop-ups featuring K-pop icon ROSE? It’s CMO and CCO explain.

Today we’re going to take you through a company that spent over a century building some of Asia’s most recognisable commercial properties, from the skyscrapers in Marina Bay Singapore to those in Hong Kong’s Central financial district and even the West Bund in Shanghai.

With its origins dating back to 1889 in Hong Kong, our guest for today Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group. 

The company, owned by Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine Matheson, has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda.

The firm develops, owns and manages premium and ultra-premium mixed-used real estate in Asian gateway cities, ranging from Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products with assets under management coming in at over US$50 billion.

Hongkong Land is a company that we want to speak to given how it is now embarking on what’s perhaps one of the biggest strategic changes in its history. 

Instead of growing primarily by owning and developing properties on its own, Hongkong Land now wants to focus on investing in ultra-premium commercial properties in Asia’s gateway cities while recycling capital from assets that no longer fit into its strategy. All while bringing in third-party capital to recycle assets and fund growth.

In a series of moves to better align the firm with its new strategy, Hongkong Land stopped investing in its build-to-sell segment while recycling capital from the business into new, high-quality integrated commercial property opportunities to drive long-term value creation.

More importantly, the firm launched its inaugural private real estate fund called the Singapore Central Private Real Estate Fund or the SCPREF. The fund had an initial portfolio assets under management of S$8.2 billion and seeks to focus on ultra-premium integrated commercial properties in Singapore. 

But what was the one reason that led to the strategy shift right now? Is the firm simply reshaping its portfolio or do the moves fundamentally change the economics of the business?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Michael Smith, Group Chief Executive, Hongkong Land Holdings.

Today we&rsquo;re going to take you through a company that spent over a century building some of Asia&rsquo;s most recognisable commercial properties, from the skyscrapers in Marina Bay Singapore to those in Hong Kong&rsquo;s Central financial district and even the West Bund in Shanghai.
With its origins dating back to 1889 in Hong Kong, our guest for today Hongkong Land is a major listed property development, investment and management group.&nbsp;
The company, owned by Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine Matheson, has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listings in Singapore and Bermuda.
The firm develops, owns and manages premium and ultra-premium mixed-used real estate in Asian gateway cities, ranging from Grade A office, luxury retail, residential and hospitality products with assets under management coming in at over US$50 billion.
Hongkong Land is a company that we want to speak to given how it is now embarking on what&rsquo;s perhaps one of the biggest strategic changes in its history.&nbsp;
Instead of growing primarily by owning and developing properties on its own, Hongkong Land now wants to focus on investing in ultra-premium commercial properties in Asia&rsquo;s gateway cities while recycling capital from assets that no longer fit into its strategy. All while bringing in third-party capital to recycle assets and fund growth.
In a series of moves to better align the firm with its new strategy, Hongkong Land stopped investing in its build-to-sell segment while recycling capital from the business into new, high-quality integrated commercial property opportunities to drive long-term value creation.
More importantly, the firm launched its inaugural private real estate fund called the Singapore Central Private Real Estate Fund or the SCPREF. The fund had an initial portfolio assets under management of S$8.2 billion and seeks to focus on ultra-premium integrated commercial properties in Singapore.&nbsp;
But what was the one reason that led to the strategy shift right now? Is the firm simply reshaping its portfolio or do the moves fundamentally change the economics of the business?
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Michael Smith, Group Chief Executive, Hongkong Land Holdings.

Under the Radar: What should we know about Hongkong Land’s strategic shift besides capital recycling efforts? Its CEO tells us all.

In this “On the Go” Special episode of Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian hit the factory floor of a company that is turning 100 years old in 2026!

Bingo if you’ve guessed Polar Puffs & Cakes! Then called the Polar Cafe, the firm opened the doors of its first outlet on 51 High Street in 1926, serving up curry puffs, ice-cream and chilled beverages.

The cafe soon became the go-to-place for politicians, lawyers and businessmen due to its strategic location near the trading harbour. And among them, according to the firm, is prominent Hokkien businessman Lim Bo Seng. 

Today, Polar Puffs & Cakes adopts mostly a takeaway concept and boasts a network of 37 stores and cafes across Singapore, with six more outlets set to open their doors in 2026 and 2027.   

The company also made its first step to expand abroad by opening a new store in Gurney Plaza, Penang in 2025. 

But how is Polar Puffs & Cakes spicing up the business looking into its next 100 years of operations? Tian Tian headed down to the firm’s factory in Woodlands Link, where she spoke with Chan Kok Yew, Executive Chairman of Polar Puffs & Cakes for more.

In this &ldquo;On the Go&rdquo; Special episode of Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian hit the factory floor of a company that is turning 100 years old in 2026!
Bingo if you&rsquo;ve guessed Polar Puffs &amp; Cakes! Then called the Polar Cafe, the firm opened the doors of its first outlet on 51 High Street in 1926, serving up curry puffs, ice-cream and chilled beverages.
The cafe soon became the go-to-place for politicians, lawyers and businessmen due to its strategic location near the trading harbour. And among them, according to the firm, is prominent Hokkien businessman Lim Bo Seng.&nbsp;
Today, Polar Puffs &amp; Cakes adopts mostly a takeaway concept and boasts a network of 37 stores and cafes across Singapore, with six more outlets set to open their doors in 2026 and 2027. &nbsp;&nbsp;
The company also made its first step to expand abroad by opening a new store in Gurney Plaza, Penang in 2025.&nbsp;
But how is Polar Puffs &amp; Cakes spicing up the business looking into its next 100 years of operations? Tian Tian headed down to the firm&rsquo;s factory in Woodlands Link, where she spoke with Chan Kok Yew, Executive Chairman of Polar Puffs &amp; Cakes for more.

Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) How is Polar Puff & Cakes spicing up the business as it celebrates 100 years of operations? Its Executive Chairman spills the curry puff flakes.

For decades, software applications were built around a relatively straightforward premise. Businesses stored information in structured tables, rows and columns neatly organised inside relational databases.

But the internet has changed everything, with modern applications now expected to process vast amounts of structured and unstructured data, scale across millions of users and integrate with hundreds of services.

Not to mention that they’re also increasingly being used to power artificial intelligence. 

What this means is that traditional databases that bound information by parameters in rows and columns are now struggling to keep pace. 

This change has given rise to a new generation of database platforms such as MongoDB that aims to help developers build modern applications faster. 

Instead of storing data in rows and columns, MongoDB stores them like documents, making it easy to model data the same way the application code uses it. This allows developers to change their data model quickly and also handle non-uniform data. 

Today, MongoDB serves over 67,000 customers across almost every industry, and counts about 75 per cent of Fortune 100 firms under its belt. Other notable clients include L’Oreal, Wells Fargo, Cathay Pacific Airways and Novo Nordisk.

The Nasdaq-listed company had also in May 2026 reported better-than-expected first quarter results for fiscal 2027 first quarter. MongoDB also raised its full-year fiscal 2027 guidance for revenue to a range of US$2.92 billion to US$2.96 billion.

But what are the key drivers for the firm at this point in time?

And turning our attention to the Asia Pacific region, how are organisations across the region modernising their application stack? Where is demand coming from and how is MongoDB positioning itself for the next phase of enterprise computing?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Thorsten Walther, Managing Director, CXO Advisory Asia at MongoDB.

For decades, software applications were built around a relatively straightforward premise. Businesses stored information in structured tables, rows and columns neatly organised inside relational databases.
But the internet has changed everything, with modern applications now expected to process vast amounts of structured and unstructured data, scale across millions of users and integrate with hundreds of services.
Not to mention that they&rsquo;re also increasingly being used to power artificial intelligence.&nbsp;
What this means is that traditional databases that bound information by parameters in rows and columns are now struggling to keep pace.&nbsp;
This change has given rise to a new generation of database platforms such as MongoDB that aims to help developers build modern applications faster.&nbsp;
Instead of storing data in rows and columns, MongoDB stores them like documents, making it easy to model data the same way the application code uses it. This allows developers to change their data model quickly and also handle non-uniform data.&nbsp;
Today, MongoDB serves over 67,000 customers across almost every industry, and counts about 75 per cent of Fortune 100 firms under its belt. Other notable clients include L&rsquo;Oreal, Wells Fargo, Cathay Pacific Airways and Novo Nordisk.
The Nasdaq-listed company had also in May 2026 reported better-than-expected first quarter results for fiscal 2027 first quarter. MongoDB also raised its full-year fiscal 2027 guidance for revenue to a range of US$2.92 billion to US$2.96 billion.
But what are the key drivers for the firm at this point in time?
And turning our attention to the Asia Pacific region, how are organisations across the region modernising their application stack? Where is demand coming from and how is MongoDB positioning itself for the next phase of enterprise computing?
On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Thorsten Walther, Managing Director, CXO Advisory Asia at MongoDB.

Under the Radar: How is MongoDB positioning itself for the next phase of enterprise computing?

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

We speak with businesses, industry leaders, venture capitalists and startups on their assessment of the business environment they're in, and what the future holds for them.

Under The Radar

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