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Discussing and debating the topic of Going Digital, the 6th session of Live & Inspire – Business Insights, brought to you by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), Multimedia Development Corporation (MDEC) and ACCA Malaysia, encouraged audience members and viewers to find solutions towards implementing digitalization in their business and everyday lives. The series ended its roll last week with a focus on an entirely new way of doing business using digital technology but still based on the core values that prevail with the good people behind Live & Inspire.

As a special treat for viewers and audience members, the guest speaker for the final session of Live & inspire: Business Insights was none other than Datuk Badlisham Ghazali, Chief Executive Officer of MDEC. Datuk Badlisham brought more than 20 years of experience to the speaker’s chair as he spoke on implementing digital technology, services and solutions to suit organizational as well as individual needs.

During the Q&A session, Datuk Badlisham provided candid yet refreshing answers on his professional body of work. Aside from continuous encouragement towards broadening the usage of ICT solutions throughout the country, he also shared his personal and professional vision of ensuring that everyone receives and enjoys access to online services and ICT education. In addition, he strongly advocated more Malaysians to get into start-ups and start producing digital content, not just for the domestic market but for export purposes as well. In fact, MDEC together with the Government provides many channels of access towards funds for interested technoprenuers to start their own businesses, with support from MDEC.

How do organizations develop, retain & nurture talent?

The October 2011 installment of Live & Inspire – Business Insights introduced Alfian Abu Talib, the new Chief Executive Officer of Telekom Malaysia Info Media (TMIM) speaking to a live audience on the art of Nurturing Talent. The truly knowledgeable session saw one of the youngest CEOs in the country having a frank, no holds barred discussion with members of the audience about building, managing and appreciating talent in today’s competitive business environment.

Alfian was the 5th speaker to be introduced by the Live & Inspire team since the session began in June 2011. He carries 14 years of experience in strategy, market planning and operational improvements, especially in small and medium business operations. During his years of working within the specialization of SME operations, he has developed an eye towards viewing, understanding and transforming the SME segment.

Armed with a Masters in Marketing Management from New York University and a Bachelors in Electronics Engineering from King’s College London, Alfian started his career in 1998 as a Marketing Engineer for Exxon Chemical Ltd. Subsequently, he played a key role in the implementation of the Malaysian Government’s e-procurement system via a similar career with Commerce Dot Com Sdn Bhd. In 2005 he joined a local Malaysian engineering SME outfit, Aerosystems Tactical Sdn Bhd, and lead the company’s business development division.

In 2009, Alfian was head-hunted by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and kick-started his career with the Government-Linked Company (GLC) as the Assistant General Manager for Business Strategy within the SME division. In 2010, he was promoted to General Manager for Business Strategy, Channel Programme Management within the same division and has recently resumed a new position as Chief Executive Officer of TM Info-Media Sdn Bhd (or commonly known as TM Yellow Pages).

The 5^th installment of Live & Inspire: Business Insights with Alfian touched not only on the how-tos in nurturing talent, but also discussions on what exactly constituted talent, the way through which talent could be expressed, approaches towards managing talent and much more. Alfian peppered his talk with interesting celebrity pop trivia, engaging audience members to guess the quotes flashed on screen to the right celebrity, causing audience members to gasp when the (mostly unexpected!) celebrity was revealed.

The subsequent Q&A session then became a lively affair as audience members asked, debated and discussed opinion points on talent and talent management, spurred on by some fantastic prizes by Starbucks and Borders Malaysia.

The 5th session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights also had the pleasure of not just one, but two acoustic performances during the live session. The young performers kept the audience on their toes throughout the performances, which were held at the beginning and at the end of the night. Another surprise for audience members came in the form of FREE Starbucks vouchers that were given to EVERYONE at the end of the session.

Live & Inspire – Business Insights, brought to you by Telekom Malaysia Berhad and ACCA Malaysia, is a 6-part series held monthly to introduce dynamic personalities from different business genres and the way they do what they do, differently. Each month, 1 – 2 speakers from a variety of different businesses are introduced to the audience in an intimate setting, allowing for closer communication, connection, interactivity and conversation about how he or she does business.

The 6th session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights is scheduled for the xxth of November 2011. To find out more about the business personalities who’ll be appearing on the series or how you can participate during the sessions, visit www.liveandinspire.com.

Putting the art back into the business of cars

The September 2011 installment of Live & Inspire – Business Insights saw Gerard Khouri or Gerry of the Bufori Motor Company speaking about the art of driving one’s dreams into action. The truly inspiring session saw the founder of one of the most unique and exclusive car companies in the world engage with an active audience on idea creation and transformation into a successful product.

Gerry is the founder and managing director of the Bufori Motor Company, an organization that has turned the process of car manufacturing and modeling into an art form of beauty, contour and precision. In fact, a little known fact is the knowledge that a Bufori car actually accelerates in price as the car gets older, compared to other car models that decrease in value over time. This marks the symbol of the Bufori as not just a transportation model but also a work of art.

During his intimate and engaging session with an eager audience at Starbucks, Bangsar Village 2, Gerry shared his stories and anecdotes of how he first got involved in building beautiful cars from scratch. From his first hand-crafted car, Gerry gleaned the potential needs in building cars customized for its owners and started the Bufori Car Company. Among the first cars he made were cars studded with jewels, cars with coffee machines installed within and much more. Today, Gerry and his team in Malaysia along with international masters, crafts 300 cars per year for customers all around the world. In fact, another little-known fact is that no two Bufori cars are alike, as each car is designed according to its owner’s specifications and preferences.

The 4^th installment of Live & Inspire: Business Insights with Gerry touched not only on creativity and innovation, but also discussed on ways to spur ideas, continuously create, innovate and improve, honing the art of listening to what customers really want and at the end of the day, believing in your own capabilities and staying focused.

The subsequent Q&A session then became a lively affair as audience members asked, debated and discussed concepts of ideation, creation and innovation, spurred on by some fantastic prizes by Starbucks and the Bufori Motor Company, including a personal tour of the Bufori factory by Gerry himself and a weekend drive in a Bufori. In addition, several audience members were also brave enough to discuss their own plans for product creation. In addition, many keen members of the audience also stayed on after the session ended to bounce ideas off with Gerry and his team, as well as fellow audience members.

He began speaking and everyone went silent, in rapt attention. And for a good reason! As the CEO of Air Asia X took to the stage, participants at the 3^rd session of Live & Inspire’s Business Insights series had an open and enthralling glimpse of the dynamism behind the man who steered Air Asia-X to become one of the most profitable airlines in the region. The live series, sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) and ACCA Malaysia saw a full house thronged crowed gathered, yet again for a fun-filled evening of interaction, discussion, networking and fun.

The platform featured Azran Osman, Chief Executive Officer of Air Asia-X who took on the topic ‘Innovating & Breaking the Mould’. As the man took stage, we learned that he played a lead and crucial role in the start-up team that developed the business plan, raised capital, secured relevant licenses and approvals, acquired aircraft and launched AirAsia X’s historic inaugural flight to the Gold Coast, Australia in November 2007.

Prior to his appointment, Azran’s portfolio included a position as Senior Director of Business Development for Astro All Asia Networks plc as well as an Associate Partner of McKinsey & Company, where he co-led its Southeast Asia Corporate Finance & Strategy practice.

Azran holds a Masters degree in Management Science and a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, both from Stanford University. He is a Fellow of CPA Australia. He is a prolific international speaker and was invited as one of the Young Leaders at the 2010 World Islamic Economic Forum and represented Malaysia as one of Asia Society’s 2009 Asia 21 Delegates. He is also a member of the Young Presidents Organisation (YPO).

Azran continued re-introducing the concept of change and transformation from his unique perspective, articulating and relating his insights to everyday issues affecting Malaysians. He believed that dynamism happens even within a static environment, comparing his current reality to the airline industry prior to this.

He galvanized participants by regaling them with anecdotes and stories of how they first began, from the search for funding to continually challenging themselves with the question of “What do customers really want?” He went on to explain the reasons behind their decision to offer low-cost long haul flights in an industry that fiercely protected profitable airline routes. The participants saw him share passionately about the strength of self-belief and self-achievement in making the impossible possible by breaking into a tough, closed and competitive airline industry. He gave examples of organizational change and culture at Air Asia X, the dynamic team behind the brand, the horizontal and open structure of a fluid organization that has in short, become a Malaysian, Asian and global success story.

The Q&A session had participants picking his brain on work and other personal insights. At the end of the Q&A session, there were excellent prizes given out to participants, courtesy of Starbucks Malaysia & Borders Bookstores Malaysia.

Live & Inspire – Business Insights is a 6-part series held monthly to introduce dynamic personalities from different business genres and the way they do what they do, differently. Each month, 1 – 2 speakers from a variety of different businesses are introduced to the audience in an intimate setting, allowing for closer communication, connection, interactivity and conversation about how he or she does business.

The 3rd session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights ended on a high with an interesting and enjoyable performance by Sheryl Chong and Eunice of Broadway Academy.

The 4th session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights is scheduled for the 15th of September 2011. To find out more about the business personalities who’ll be appearing on the series or how you can participate during the sessions, visit www.liveandinspire.com/series

The huge, standing-room only crowd at Starbucks, Bangsar Village 2 last Thursday marked the fourth season of Live & Inspire Series, this time around themed – Business Insights. Sponsored by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM) snd ACCA Malaysia, the first in a 6-part series saw a full house gathered for a fun-filled evening of learning and networking.

Live & Inspire – Business Insights is a 6-part series held monthly to featuring corporate business leaders from different fields sharing insights on strategies and ideas that are driving factors in building an organization. Every month, these individuals gather in a casual “unconferenced-over-coffee” session, allowing intimate communication, interactivity and conversation on the subject matter of the day’s theme.

The first session of Live & Inspire – Business Insights kicked off with one of THE most media-savvy men in Malaysia, Prashant Kumar. Prashant is the CEO of Mediabrands Malaysia, the umbrella company of UM, Initiative, Reprise and Rally, all renowned media companies in their own right within Malaysia dealing with mainstream media, social media, marketing and all things that makes consumers tick.  Prashant has been involved in media for many years and is well known as a brand rejuvenator, creator and media specialist.

In his conversation with the audience, Prashant spoke about the “how to” in building brands that are able to reach larger audiences and consumers. In addition, he also presented some very interesting examples, one of them being TM’s “Everyone Connects” social networking campaign that brought together youths from all over the country, online and culminated in a huge sing-along session at Bukit Bintang in 2010. He especially emphasized the use of social media in getting the audience to talk about a brand in a positive manner.

In the subsequent Q&A session, the audience then engaged Prashant in conversation, especially in regards to how social media can be harnessed effectively for small businesses, Business to Business (B2B) organizations and the challenge of creating content suitable for use in digital and social media. In addition, Prashant also cautioned the audience that social media campaigns tended to end much faster as compared to normal mainstream media campaigns, given the extremely high turnover of information online. At the end of the Q&A session, members of the audience had a chance to win some excellent prizes, courtesy of Starbucks Malaysia & Borders Bookstores Malaysia.

Aside from the speaker segment, the first session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights began with an introduction to Friends to Mankind and its business network offshoot, MY3EN. Friends to Mankind is an international non-profit foundation that works with individuals, corporations and humanitarian organizations towards the betterment of humanity. MY3EN is a business network that connects business people to assist them  in building, expanding and empowering each other’s business through partnerships, social commitment and other forms of collaboration that in turn, enriches humanity as a whole. For more information on Friends to Mankind, check out friendstomankind.org and to find out how you can be a partner with My3EN, visit my3en.com.

The first evening of Live & Inspire: Business Insights wrapped up on an acoustic high, with a rousing yet intimate performance by Su & The Boys – The Next Chapter.

The 2^nd session of Live & Inspire: Business Insights is scheduled for the 14^th of July 2011.

It’s the Month of Comics Malaysia 2011! Check it out at the National Library of Malaysia from 8 to 31st of May. There will be PeKOMIK Awards giveaway, panel forum, talks and sharing sessions, even demos. The forum will be conducted with prominent panelists consisting of Tn Haji Zainal Buang Hussein, Aadi Salman, Chee dan Yazid at Audtorium PNM on the 28 of May. For more information, check out www.pekomik.blogspot.com

by Aishy Vimal

I am 14 years old and this is my typical day. I wake up at 6am in my single bed with a comfy pillow and warm blanket. By 7am I’m out of the house with a full stomach and fresh school uniform. I’m in school by 8am. It usually takes forty-five minutes to get to school but I’m not complaining because I’m in a fully air-conditioned car with the radio tuned  on to my favourite morning show.

It’s 12.30pm – lunchtime! My friends and I run down to the cafeteria and buy some rice and chicken to eat. It’s 3pm and school is over and all of us go in our cars and head back home. I’m in dance class by 5pm, where I have been learning ballet, tap and modern dance since I was five. Then it’s back home for some homework, TV, Facebook of course, and bed.

But this is not a typical day for hundreds of adolescent girls in many areas of the world.

Here’s one story: She’s 14, and her life starts at 4am. She has to make four trips to collect just 2 litres of water, sometimes walking up to 6km. Now, that she’s finished getting water, she walks 4km to school. She drinks water to keep away the hunger after school and starts walking home in the searing heat. Back home, she makes more trips for water to wash the clothes, clean the house and then to help her mother in the small garden. if the crops don’t grow properly, they don’t eat. It’s as simple as that.

Now her mum is too tired to cook dinner as she is not well and hasn’t been well for a while now. She prepares dinner over an open fire – boiled rice and some beans. It takes a long time to cook the dinner as she has to keep the fire going as well. She’s falling asleep over the fire and is so hungry she finishes her food in no time at all. She goes to bed still hungry but there’s no food to look forward to till dinner tomorrow.

Two whole different stories but two similar people. The only thing that’s different is that one girl is living in poverty and the other one is what I think of as a normal life. I never knew all these things were happening to girls my age.  The fact that they don’t have food to eat makes me feel grateful for all that I have. This gratitude is what made me decide to do something about it. I decided to do something which would get people to know and understand what is happening to adolescent girls.

It all started when I was doing research for my geography class. We were learning about different charitable organizations and I found the Girl Effect website (www.girleffect.org). The video immediately got me hooked. Right after I watched the video I decided that I wanted to do something for the group. I was very attracted to the Girl Effect as it’s about girls my age and I just can’t imagine that someone just like me is living such a difficult life just because of the circumstances they are born into. Everyone should be given opportunities to live their best life.

Here are some facts about how things are now – one person in eight is a girl or young woman age 10–24. With the right assistance, with education, with skill training, health benefits, she can break the cycle of poverty and she deserves the chance.

Statistics show that when you help a girl, that many more lives will benefit: her brothers, sisters, parents, her village, her community and it goes on. Unfortunately when a girl turns 12, she is treated as an adult and has to work to help support the family, in families who have no other choice she is most often married off. One moment she is a child, and the next she is bearing a child while she is still a child herself.

• A girl with seven or more years of education will marry four years later and have 2.2 fewer children, the population’s HIV rate goes down and malnutrition decreases by 43%

• When 10 percent more girls go to secondary school, the country’s economy grows by 3 percent.

• When an educated girl earns income she reinvests 90 percent in her family, compared to 35 percent for a boy.

Yet 99.4% of international aid money, is not directed to her. This means less than two cents of every international development dollar is directed to her.

This is when I decided to do something to bring awareness – there are 600 million adolescent girls – can you imagine if they were all given a chance, if every girl was given a chance – WOW!

So I thought, let see what I can do – I can organize a flash mob. I talked to my mum and my sister; Apshy and we thought yes! A flash mob is when a group of people assemble suddenly in a public place to perform an unusual act or a choreographed dance for a brief time, then disperse, often for the purposes of entertainment or satire. I decided to take this a step further and use the flash mob to create awareness.

I also chose to do a flash mob as I’ve been dancing since I was five, I love anything to do with dance. I figured this would be fun and lots of people would want to take part in it because it would be easy as well. In addition, each time I talk about the flash mob, I talk about Girl Effect. I talk about girls who need help and so many people have now come to know what is happening and that we need to help these girls. I have talked to so many people, and I know these people have talked to more people and every time I speak on tv or in a press interview, more and more people have come to know about what the facts are and I truly believe that there will be a ripple effect. There will be people who can do much more than me who will do something bigger and I am glad that I started them thinking.

I think everyone just has to do what they can, from where they are and this will create an amazing ripple effect all over the world. I’m doing something because I believe everyone is the same and everyone should get a chance and opportunities. You should too.

Now you might be wondering what you can do to help?

Firstly, you can join me! Come dance with us! Show that you want to help these girls! Secondly talk about this. Tell your friends, family and neighbors about what’s happening to these girls. By just telling one person, the news spreads. And most probably 2 in 3 people will do something to help these girls.

Finally you can donate. Donate money to these girls. Help them, you can choose your project and help these girls be who they should be. If just one person donates at least $10, you can help one girl start a small business. Then she can expand her business and help her family and her entire community.

My site – www.facebook.com/girleffect.flashmob
My youtube channel – http://www.youtube.com/user/aishyvimal
Online fundraiser – www.globalgiving.org – Search for Aishy Vimal under fundraiser

Flash mob Dates – JOIN US OR SUPPORT US!
17^th April – 4pm – Pavillion Shopping Mall, (outside at the fountain area)
20^th April – 7.45 pm – 1Utama (Lower ground, New Wing)
23^rd April – 3pm – Bangsar Village 2 (concourse area)

Sutra Dance Theatre proudly presents Parvathy Baul in Songs Of The Soul. It’s an interesting performance by the truly amazing Baul who owns an emotional inspirational voice that is bound to engage anyone who listens to her. For more information about this event, contact Sutra Foundation at +603 4021 1092 or visit www.sutrafoundation.org.my

SUTRA FOUNDATION presents Odissi Stirred, a program designed to give the audience a broad-based points of embarkation in the appreciation of the evolution of present day Odissi which has become one of the most dynamic of the Indian classical dance styles. In this program, one encounters tribal and folk elements of music and dance which had originally fed the newly reconstructed classical Odissi repertoire, now regarded as sacrosanct. One is given a glimpse of the power and versatility of this re-constructed Indian classical style to transcend national barriers in its trans-cultural journey to inspire works with universal themes.

Featuring Sharmini Tiruchelvam as the Narrator, artistic direction by Ramli Ibrahim and beautiful costumes by Dato’ Bernard Chandran, Odissi Stirred features works from contemporary Odissi choreographers such as  Sharmila Biswas (Kolkata), Madhavi Mudgal (New Delhi) and Ramli Ibrahim and Guna (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia). Each choreography draws upon and is inspired by the Odissi tradition —while one choreography takes us back to its roots from its folk and rural tradition of games and drums, another moves us beyond to the experimental, creating new works with compelling images and messages.

Dates : 6, 7, 8 & 1 0 April 2011 (Wed–Sun)
Gala Nite : 7 April 2011 (Thurs)
Time : 8pm
Venue : The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Sentul Park, Off Jalan Ipoh, 51100 Kuala Lumpur
Ticket Price : RM33 ⁄ RM53
Box Office Tel : 603 4047 9000

For more information, email sutradancetheatre@yahoo.com or check out their website at www.sutrafoundation.org.my