In January 2023, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, several dozen Asia-focused CEOs and senior executives of the world’s largest companies gathered for a private dinner.

The executives had commanded operations employing tens of thousands of people, with their supply chains spanning dozens of cities from Shanghai to London and Abu Dhabi.

They had invested heavily in, and also reaped the benefits of China’s rise over the past two decades.

But yet for the first time in memory, the mood was different. The conversation didn’t centre around growth targets or market expansion, but instead, it was about whether their China strategies worked at all.

It was about how China is navigating geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, the ongoing housing market downturn and rapid technological change.

And with that comes the big question. “What’s the next China?” How should companies diversify or hedge against China?

Well, according to the host of that private dinner, Joe Ngai, Chairman, McKinsey Greater China, the next China, is still China.

He details why in his new book “The Next China is still China”, co-written with Nick Leung, McKinsey Global Institute Director and Senior Partner in Hong Kong.

In this “In the Community” Special episode of Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian sat down with Joe Ngai, Chairman, McKinsey Greater China for more. They also discussed how companies can redesign their strategies to sell to China going forward.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital transformation has become one of the defining priorities for organisations over the past decade.

What began as a push to digitalise customer touchpoints has since evolved into a broader effort to rethink business models, modernise legacy technology, strengthen cybersecurity and more recently, harness the power of artificial intelligence to improve productivity and create new sources of growth.

And today, we’re going to revisit a company whose role in digital transformation has never been more important.

Set up by global investment firm Temasek in 2021, our guest Temus works with government agencies and public institutions to enhance digital services, improve citizen experiences and drive national-scale transformation in line with Singapore’s Smart Nation vision to create a more connected, intelligent and efficient society.

For instance, Temus teamed up with the Singapore Department of Statistics to design and deliver the SingStat Mobile App to enable fast access to official statistics. It also worked with a national education authority to reimagine Special Education experiences for students, parents, and staff alike through comprehensive service design.

On the private sector front, the company works with businesses to innovate, scale and thrive amid the ever-changing business environment, by helping them adopt what it calls human-centered digital solutions that drive real business outcomes.

And more things are brewing for Temus than before. In October 2025, the firm inked three new strategic collaborations with the Infocomm Media Development Authority in Singapore, as well as with insuretech player Peak3 and third-party AI assurance provider Resaro to accelerate AI transformation across Singapore.

Fast forward to May 2026, it’s also launched an AI Foundry to expand Singapore’s AI talent base and strengthen production-grade AI delivery for enterprises.

But what should we know about the moves by Temus to position itself as a transformation partner of choice for both the public and private sectors in Singapore? How will AI augment its growth trajectory?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Sng Ren Yeong, CEO, Temus.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When you unwrap your favourite chocolate bar from one of your favourite brands, do you know who actually makes the chocolate?

You’d be surprised to find out that it may not be the company whose name appears on the wrapper.

In fact, some of the world’s biggest confectionery brands like Nestle, Mondelez and Hershey rely on specialist manufacturers, or so-called white label producers, who’re often working quietly behind the scenes.

Our guest for today is one of the largest – Barry Callebaut. The company’s roots can be traced back to over a century ago in 1911, when Octaaf Callebaut, the grandson of a brewer in the small Belgian town of Wiez secretly worked on his first chocolate recipe.

His secrets of chocolate making would go on to be passed from one generation to another, who learned the craft from their predecessors who still make chocolate with all of their senses.

Fast forward to today, Barry Callebaut is a world leading provider of high quality chocolate experiences across the full spectrum of chocolate, cocoa, cacao coatings and non-cocoa alternatives, and is involved from the sourcing and processing of cocoa beans to the crafting of premium chocolates, fillings and decorations.

With over 60 production facilities worldwide, Barry Callebaut serves the entire food industry from large-scale food manufacturers to artisanal and professional users such as chocolatiers, pastry chefs and restaurants.

Barry Callebaut is a company that we want to zoom in on given how it is a gauge of global chocolate demand following a period of record cocoa prices. That’s particularly so with concerns surrounding a strong El Nino weather pattern in the coming months.

To this end, the firm had in July 2026 reported that third quarter sales volumes rose for the first time in two years, and also forecast a smaller full-year volume decline than earlier expected.

So what’s bolstering demand and how does the firm intend to mitigate headwinds from seasonal weather patterns? What are the longer term consumption trends that will support Barry Callebaut’s business looking ahead?

Speaking of the longer term, the firm also opened its Callebaut Global Innovation Center in Singapore to accelerate innovation and transformation across the chocolate and cocoa industry.

But what is the strategic role played by its operations in Singapore and how important will the new innovation center be in positioning the firm for future growth?

On Under the Radar, finance presenter Chua Tian Tian posed these questions to Vamsi Mohan Thati, President of AMEA (Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa) at Barry Callebaut Group.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.