Under The Radar

Money FM 89.3

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.

  1. Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) How is Temasek encouraging long term investors to put money into the green transition? Its Vice Chairman of Sustainability explains.

    12H AGO

    Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) How is Temasek encouraging long term investors to put money into the green transition? Its Vice Chairman of Sustainability explains.

    This time, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian got up bright and early to head down to global investor Temasek’s corporate headquarters located at The Atrium@Orchard to find out more about the key happenings at Ecosperity Week 2026. Organised by Temasek, Ecosperity is the firm’s key platform for sustainability and advocacy.  Themed ‘Asia’s Race Towards 2030: Powered by Innovation, Driven by Intent’, the event, which took place earlier this week, brought together leaders across government, business, finance and civil society to explore practical, scalable innovations, policies and partnerships that can help translate the region’s 2030 climate ambitions into real-world impact.  So where does Temasek see capital moving and how is it encouraging long term-investors to put money into the energy transition through a systems approach across renewables, infrastructure and other climate technologies?  How does Temasek see what makes a green project investable and how does it align the interests of innovators, policymakers and investors to get deals done?  And in terms of execution, how can policymakers and the business community come together to structure deals in such a way to de-risk projects while unlocking capital? Tian Tian posed these questions to Steve Howard, Vice Chairman, Sustainability, Temasek. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min
  2. Under the Radar: What are the key opportunities for asset performance management solutions firm Evercomm as Southeast Asian economies walk the tightrope between industrial growth and net-zero ambitions?

    4D AGO

    Under the Radar: What are the key opportunities for asset performance management solutions firm Evercomm as Southeast Asian economies walk the tightrope between industrial growth and net-zero ambitions?

    Helping companies build resilience, unlock growth opportunities and navigate evolving regulations landscape across issues surrounding carbon, waste and energy – that’s what we’re going to talk about today. Founded in 2013, our guest Evercomm is a Singapore-based engineering and technology company that aims to assist enterprises in optimising resource efficiency, managing climate risk scenarios and meeting international compliance standards to ensure long-term operational and financial sustainability.  This is done through the use of the firm’s advanced planning and simulation tools that provide precision-driven carbon, energy and waste reduction strategies that are customised for different company’s needs and operations.  The company said its strategic partners include CTBC Bank, Mitsubishi Electric as well as Shell Energy. Its solutions are also used in projects involving the Punggol Digital District and the Jurong Port. But why are such asset performance management solutions provided by Evercomm Singapore critical to enterprises, particularly those in the energy intensive sector?  What are the key opportunities for the firm particularly in Southeast Asia where emerging economies walk the tightrope between industrial growth and net-zero ambitions? On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Ted Chen, Co-founder, CEO and Chief Product Architect, Evercomm.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    17 min
  3. Under the Radar: How is Elite UK Reit making itself more appealing to the investing community? Its CEO tells us more.

    APR 27

    Under the Radar: How is Elite UK Reit making itself more appealing to the investing community? Its CEO tells us more.

    We’ll revisit the real estate sector today by looking at a REIT that is solely focused on the UK market.  Founded in 2020 and listed on the Singapore Exchange, Elite UK Reit aims to provide unitholders with what it calls a secure income stream from public sector tenants such as the UK Department for Work and Pensions.  The Reit’s portfolio spans across 148 properties which are mostly freehold or virtually freehold in places within town centres, near amenities or transportation nodes.  More notably, the Manager of the Reit said it is also tapping on sectors that exhibit strong growth potential in the UK, say purpose-built student accommodation and built-to-rent residential assets.  On the whole, the manager said the Reit has what it describes as a “long and diversified lease expiry profile and prudent capital management”, and is positioned for sustainable stability and growth from government-leased properties and the living sector.  All in, Elite UK Reit posted a distribution per unit of £0.0149 (1.49 British pence) for the second half of the 2025 financial year ended Dec 31. That’s around 1.4 per cent higher than the DPU seen in H2 2024. The figure also represented a payout ratio of 95 per cent.  Elite UK Reit is a counter that we want to talk about given how the firm is on the charm offensive to appeal to the investing community.  For one thing, the Reit had in February 2026 signed new lease agreements with the UK Government for properties occupied by the Department for Work and Pensions, a move that has helped it improve its Weighted Average Lease Expiry (or WALE) to 7.2 years from 2.4 years. The Reit’s manager said this is one of the longest WALE duration among Singapore Reits.  Beyond that, the Reit is also actively repositioning some of its properties including one in Peel Park, Blackpool. Its manager said the Reit has secured planning consent to develop a data centre building on the roughly 20-acre plot. So how will the moves augment the firm’s growth trajectory while increasing income stability? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Joshua Liaw, CEO, Elite UK Reit. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    31 min
  4. Under the Radar: What are the key opportunities and barriers of growth for biofuel providers? CEO of Hong Kong-based EcoCeres spills the beans.

    APR 13

    Under the Radar: What are the key opportunities and barriers of growth for biofuel providers? CEO of Hong Kong-based EcoCeres spills the beans.

    Today we turn our attention to look at renewable energy as companies around the world look to decarbonise and reduce their consumption of traditional fossil fuels.  Founded in 2008 with a mission to address the challenges of climate change, our guest for today is pure-play renewable fuel producer EcoCeres.  Backed by international investors Bain Capital and Kerogen Capital, the company transforms sustainable feedstocks into advanced biofuels and renewable products such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).  The firm says its solutions turn 100% waste-based biomass into renewable fuels, renewable chemicals and materials resulting in up to 90% reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions.  So far, EcoCeres said some of its customers include Cathay Pacific and HSBC, and that it holds 20% of the global SAF market in the years 2022 to 2023. EcoCeres is a company that we want to speak to given the rise in adoption of biofuels around the world to cut greenhouse gas emissions.  For one thing, the International Air Transport Association (or IATA) had estimated that Sustainable Aviation Fuel could contribute around 65% of the reduction of emissions needed by the aviation industry to reach net zero carbon dioxide emissions by the middle of this century (or 2050 that is). So what opportunities does this present for EcoCeres looking ahead? What are the barriers to producing enough biofuels for consumption, and which markets will be key to the growth of the biofuels industry?  Speaking of markets, EcoCeres opened Malaysia’s first commercial-scale sustainable aviation production facility in January 2026. But what were the reasons behind the move, and which are the other markets of interest to the firm?  Meanwhile, media reports out in December 2025 and January 2026 noted that EcoCeres was eyeing a potential Hong Kong IPO that could raise about US$1 billion.  But what was the rationale behind the move and how would the company use the proceeds, if it turns out to be true?  On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Matti Lievonen, CEO, EcoCeres. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    28 min
  5. Under the Radar: How is Stripe tapping on the increased adoption of agentic commerce and stablecoins for growth in APAC? Its Chief Revenue Officer for APJ Region sheds light on the matter.

    MAR 30

    Under the Radar: How is Stripe tapping on the increased adoption of agentic commerce and stablecoins for growth in APAC? Its Chief Revenue Officer for APJ Region sheds light on the matter.

    Today we’re going to revisit a guest whose mission is to increase the GDP of not a country, but the internet.  If it rings a bell, yes, we are indeed talking about Stripe, the payments processing company whose aim is to build the economic infrastructure for the internet.  For starters, the San Francisco and Dublin headquartered firm assists customers from the world’s largest enterprises to budding startups in accepting payments, growing their revenue and tapping new business opportunities.  More specifically, its service offerings cut across functions such as pricing, billing, checkouts, payment links, revenue recognition to invoicing and marketplace solutions.  We are speaking to Stripe once again because a lot has happened since our last interview with the company in 2024.  Per the firm’s latest annual letter, Stripe reached a valuation of a whopping US$159 billion as of 2026, climbing up from US$106.7 billion achieved in September 2025. So what are the key drivers of growth bolstering the numbers? Also – how is the firm preparing for a world enabled by artificial intelligence, with technologies such as agentic commerce set to shake up the online shopping landscape? Meanwhile, Stripe is also big on stablecoins, having in February 2025 acquired stablecoin orchestration platform Bridge for US$1.1 billion. But how has the firm tapped on the speed and cost advantages of stablecoins in its business thus far? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Stripe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min
  6. Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) What is Airbus’ assessment of its order backlog, and what are the trends supporting growth in APAC? Its President for the region spills the beans.

    MAR 18

    Under the Radar: (SPECIALS) What is Airbus’ assessment of its order backlog, and what are the trends supporting growth in APAC? Its President for the region spills the beans.

    As the largest aeronautics and space company in Europe, Airbus provides products, services and solutions for the commercial aircraft, helicopter, defence and space sectors.  They range from the commercial aircraft and helicopters that connect people from around the world to military aircraft and satellites that aim to protect citizens and countries. Its 12,000-plus Airbus aircrafts in service collectively serve over 48,000 routes globally, closing the distance between people every day.    In February 2026, the firm reported net orders of 889 commercial aircrafts after cancellations in 2025, higher than the 826 seen in 2024, while the order backlog amounted to a year-end record of 8,754 commercial aircrafts at the end of 2025. But how much of this is contributed by Asia Pacific, and how does the company assess the speed at which it is delivering to customers in the region amid shortages in Pratt & Whitney engines? Also – how does it assess competition from up and coming players in the region, say China’s state-owned planemaker Comac? Meanwhile, Airbus has said that Asia Pacific will need almost 20,000 new aircrafts as it is set to remain as the world’s fastest-growing air travel market.  But what are the key trends supporting the numbers, and how is Airbus working to capture and realise demand from the region? In this “On the Go” Special episode of Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian headed down to the Airbus Campus at Seletar Aerospace Park, where she posed the questions to Anand Stanley, President, Airbus Asia-Pacific. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min
  7. Under the Radar: How is Wegovy and Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk navigating the next battleground for anti-obesity medication with its GLP-1 oral pills, and how far is it diversifying beyond metabolic health to manage long-term risks?

    MAR 16

    Under the Radar: How is Wegovy and Ozempic maker Novo Nordisk navigating the next battleground for anti-obesity medication with its GLP-1 oral pills, and how far is it diversifying beyond metabolic health to manage long-term risks?

    Today we’re going to take you through the company behind the GLP-1 drugs Wegovy and Ozempic that are used to treat obesity and diabetes.  Founded in 1923 and headquartered just outside Copenhagen in Denmark, Novo Nordisk prides itself as a global healthcare company that aims to drive change to defeat serious chronic disease and build on its heritage in diabetes.  The Danish drugmaker said it seeks to do so by pioneering scientific breakthroughs, expanding access to its medicines and working to prevent and ultimately cure the diseases it treats.  Fast forward to today, Novo Nordisk’s global footprint spans across 170 countries, with production facilities in 13 of them, and 10 research and development centres in key markets China, Denmark, India, the UK and the US.  Novo Nordisk is a company to watch because of its breakthrough GLP-1 injectable medications for diabetes and obesity care in recent years. But what are the key drivers of growth for the firm right now? Meanwhile, concerns surrounding competition against other industry peers such as Eli Lilly continue to weigh on investors’ minds as they mull what the next battleground for the big pharmaceutical players will be.  That’s especially so with the expiry of the firm’s patents in key markets nearing. But it seems like oral pills are the next chapter for pharmaceutical firms targeting the obesity market, with Novo Nordisk rolling out its first GLP-1 pill for weight loss in the US earlier in January. With Goldman Sachs in 2025 forecasting the daily oral pills will capture about a quarter of the anti-obesity medication market by 2030, how will Novo Nordisk’s oral GLP-1 medications augment its growth trajectory? On Under the Radar, Money Matters’ finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Jay Thyagarajan, Senior Vice President, Region APAC, Novo Nordisk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    34 min

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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.

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