Aceson Chen

Had the pleasure of sharing my thoughts on sustainability with Eric Lian and Eric Soh some time back. Sustainability is perhaps all too often a concept that struggles to resonate with businesses, especially if the environmental impacts that can be directly attributed to the business are not immediately apparent. Beyond going green however, sustainability is also about ensuring the long-term growth of a business. It is not simply about pivoting your operations to reduce your carbon footprint, it entails an entire suite of other considerations as well - driving long-term business growth, identifying new growth engines, corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and many more. The caveat as always, is that context is important and any perspective must be layered with the realities of the business. The balance between long term planning and addressing short term needs, while delicate and perhaps ever oscillating, is nevertheless a balance that must be maintained and not shunted aside. Don't we all wish for simply a yes/no sometimes! Shoutout also to Reginald Koh of The Financial Coconut for his skillful ability to draw out such a broad spectrum of perspectives from 3 individuals in very different industries. My appreciation also to UOB for the opportunity! If you'd like to, our latest sustainability report can be found at: https://lnkd.in/gwd5gzc7

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What projects do KBTG people do? Well, let season two tell you more about it ✨ To mark the first episode of the season, we follow P’Mic, our Vice Chairman, on his business trip overseas. Where could it be? Come with us to find out. #KBTG #BeyondBanking #OneKBTG

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My mentor once said that success is like navigating a maze; it requires trial, error, and a lot of guesswork. At the time, I remember thinking, “Really?” Growing up in risk-averse Singapore, we’re always taught to study hard, get good grades, and secure a stable, high-paying job. But life isn’t as straightforward as that. ✨ That advice stayed with me, and over the last two decades, I’ve come to realize just how true it is. Success isn’t always about taking the safest route — it’s about embracing uncertainty and the growth that comes with it. The question isn’t just, “What happens if I take this risk?” but “What happens if I never do?” 💡 As a young professional, I decided to heed my mentor’s advice and step into the unknown. It wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t always smooth, but those risks brought me to where I am today. Now, as I help my team navigate their own challenges, I find myself passing on this same advice: true growth comes from taking chances. Through mentorship, I’ve learned three important lessons: 🌟Mentorship helps you see beyond your comfort zone: Having someone push you to take risks helps unlock potential you didn’t even realize you had. 🌟It provides invaluable perspectives: A mentor doesn’t just guide you through challenges — they offer insights that broaden your view, allowing you to approach decisions with more clarity and confidence. 🌟It fosters mutual growth: Mentoring others is just as rewarding as being mentored. By helping someone else grow, you deepen your own understanding and develop new perspectives. Mentorship is a two-way street. Whether you seek a mentor or become one, the exchange of knowledge and growth is invaluable. The biggest reward lies in taking the leap, trusting in the process, and growing together. 🚀 #MentorshipMatters #Leadership #GrowthMindset #RiskAndReward #Empowerment #PersonalDevelopment #finexisadvisory

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The linked article was written by a RMG entrepreneur having experience of long 40 years. He mentioned, in RMG, approximate increase in operational costs in the last five years: Labour (which represents around 65-70% of a factory cost) has doubled. Utility costs have risen by about 50% and just gas has gone up by 150%. Increasing customer requirements of compliance, marketing, design and developments, and others have added another 1-2% on expenditure. But most significantly, customers have transferred their cost of finance by introducing deferred payments (up to 90 days in some cases) which has added about 8-9% in extra cost to the supplying companies. All these have equated into an increase of about 60-75% increase in operational costs of garment factories in Bangladesh in the last few years. At the same time capex investments, which many factories have had to do to keep up with never-ending customer compliance requirements, have gone up by a whopping 65%.In the same period, customers have reduced their price by about 20%. To offset some of this entrepreneurs had an exchange rate benefit of about 38% (but this was mostly since last year or so) and we have had a 10-15% increase in efficiency.

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A friend spoke with me. He joined a startup company a few years ago. The company has an ambitious winning aspiration. It aims to be the top 3 player in its industry within 3 years from its formation. But three years on, it has not made much progress with any meaningful outcomes. After some discussion, we noted that while the company has a business strategy, it does not have a clear strategy and plan for execution. When we look at the Chinese character 势(meaning trend or momentum, pronounced as shi), it contains two words: 执(meaning execution, pronounced as zhi) and 力 (meaning strength, pronounced as li). That means that to gain traction and results, having a winning aspiration is not enough. Ability to execute well is key (执行力). Strategy without effective execution is a mirage. Execution without strategy is a hobby. And strategy plus execution without purpose is a like a straw man without soul. Good weekend everyone. 「实践是检验真理的唯一标准。」～邓小平 有谋无勇，海市蜃楼 有勇无谋，纯属虚构 执行有力，无往不利 执行无力，白费力气 #transformation #strategy #execution

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Invest in Your Future with Our Stable Unit Trust: Earn Passive Income with Confidence Are you looking to grow your wealth steadily while minimizing risks? Our Unit Trust investment might be just what you need! Why Choose Our Unit Trust? 🌟 Stable Returns: Our expertly managed unit trust is designed to provide you with consistent and stable returns, making it an ideal choice for those who seek long-term financial security. 💰 Passive Income: Enjoy the benefits of passive income with our unit trust. Whether you’re saving for retirement, a dream vacation, or simply want to grow your savings, our investment strategy helps you generate income effortlessly. 📉 Lower Risk, Greater Peace of Mind: We focus on well-diversified, high-quality assets that are less volatile, ensuring that your investment is protected even in uncertain market conditions. 🔍 Professional Management: Our team of experienced fund managers continuously monitors the market and adjusts the portfolio to maximize returns while keeping risk under control. You can trust that your money is in capable hands. 📈 Flexible Investment: Start with an amount that fits your budget and watch your wealth grow over time. Our unit trust is perfect for both new and seasoned investors looking for a reliable investment vehicle. Start Building Your Future Today! Don’t let your money sit idle. With our unit trust, you can achieve your financial goals with ease and confidence. Invest now and secure a stable, passive income stream for years to come. 👉 [Contact Me] to learn more and how to get started!

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FIN Roadshow for FCL Finance and Control Division (FCL), KBank arranged the FIN Roadshow for FCL. The event featured a presentation by K Wealth Next Gen team members on “A Better Financial Life with Next Gen”, which focused on personal financial planning for a secure retirement and encouraged employees to take the financial health check “Check FIN” on LINE KONNECT+ for Life. The purpose of the FIN Roadshow was to raise awareness about personal finance among KBank employees and boost morale through financial wellness, as part of the Well-being FITS program, which is a component of K-FITS^3. The K-FITS^3 comprises Performance FITS, Skill FITS and Well-being FITS, aimed at creating a performance-driven organization powered by staff potential. #KasikornCareer #UnleashYourFullPotential #KBank #PossibilityToMakeAnImpact

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🚀 Paving the Way for Greater Access to Financing for MSMEs in Malaysia! At Funding Societies | Modalku Group, we’ve always believed in empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with access to financing solutions that fuel their growth and resilience. In this spirit, I’m thrilled to celebrate the launch of our latest digital guarantee products in collaboration with CGC Digital! 🎉 This milestone brings us one step closer to bridging financing gaps for underserved businesses by leveraging digital innovation and fintech. Our journey with CGC continues to be an inspiring one. Their commitment to enabling financing for MSMEs aligns with our mission of serving the unbanked and underbanked segments. It’s also exciting to see how this ecosystem is evolving with recent collaborations like the MoU between Securities Commission Malaysia and CGC Malaysia CGC Digital, which highlights the shared goal of facilitating MSME and mid-tier company access to capital market financing. Here at Funding Societies, we are proud to support the initiatives by rolling out a series of guarantee products with CGC to enable better access to financing for MSMEs. As the leading SME digital financing platform in Malaysia & Southeast Asia, we are proud to contribute to this transformative wave. Together, with forward-thinking partners like CGC Digital, we’re making financing simpler, faster, and more accessible for businesses that need it most. Here’s to many more breakthroughs as we continue to build a more inclusive financial landscape for Malaysia’s MSMEs! 🌟 #FundingSocieties #EmpoweringMSMEs #Fintech #CGC #DigitalGuarantees #FinancialInclusion #Innovation

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ISKANDAR PUTERI (Nov 27): Forest City's Special Financial Zone (SFZ) will prioritise two key sectors: banking and financial services, alongside logistics services, global service centres, and transfer services. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi stated that services for the first sector will be provided in Pulau Satu, Forest City, while the second sector will be developed in the mainland area of the city. "Forest City benefits from the unique advantage of being a duty-free island within the SFZ. It includes two areas — Pulau Satu and the mainland area — each offering conditional incentives tailored to specific sectors," he said. Onn Hafiz made these remarks in response to a question from Fauziah Misri (Barisan Nasional-Penawar) regarding the status and development of the SFZ at the Johor State Legislative Assembly meeting in Kota Iskandar on Wednesday. Onn Hafiz, who also serves as the Machap assemblyman, highlighted nine incentives for Pulau Satu, including a concessional corporate tax rate of between 0% and 5%, compared with the current rate of 24%. Additionally, Pulau Satu will be the first location in the country to offer a 0% tax rate for family offices for 20 years. For the mainland area, he outlined two key incentives: a 100% investment tax allowance for five years, reducing statutory income by up to 100% for the logistics service sector; and a 5% tax rate for up to 20 years for global service centres and transfer services. Onn Hafiz also noted that several local and international financial institutions, as well as logistics industry players, had expressed interest in investing in the SFZ. The state government is fully committed to supporting the SFZ initiative, as it will significantly benefit Johor's economic growth and provide high-income job opportunities for the people," he said. In response to a question from Chiong Sen Sern (Pakatan Harapan-Bukit Batu) regarding measures to prevent counterfeit products from entering the SFZ's logistics sector, Onn Hafiz outlined several strategies. These include the establishment of a new customs complex in Forest City, equipped with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence-based baggage scanning machines and a facial recognition system. On Aug 25, 2023, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim announced the formation of the SFZ in Forest City, along with several incentives designed to stimulate economic activity in Johor and its surrounding areas.

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In recent times, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong have faced significant challenges, exacerbated by the ongoing macro challenges and a slow economic recovery. We understand that many SMEs are struggling with cash flow issues, rising costs, and uncertainty in the market. At DBS Bank Hong Kong, we are committed to supporting our SME customers during these tough times. We have been actively working closely with our clients to provide tailored solutions that address their unique needs. This includes offering loan restructuring options, which help businesses manage their debts more effectively and maintain liquidity. Our bad debt ratio remains stable, and we have not seen a material jump in defaults. This stability reflects our proactive approach in supporting our clients and assessing risks. Our efforts to support SMEs are not new; we have been alongside our customers throughout the difficulties posed since Covid-19 pandemic. We understand the critical role that SMEs play in the economy, and we are dedicated to ensuring they have the resources they need to navigate these challenges. As the economy continues to recover, we remain focused on lending our support and resources to help our SME clients thrive. Together, we can overcome these hurdles and build a more resilient future. Thanks HKEJ for the mention!

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