/afaqs/media/post_attachments/36b0757441eeaf2b99ff21231b881555e977785e27a3178902b49359dc50074b.jpg)
Interviews
From tea production to commercial real estate, the Malpani Group has embedded itself into the fabric of Indian daily life. Now, as the centennial conglomerate pivots toward data centers and massive green energy investments, Ashish Malpani is shifting the focus from mere development to building high-efficiency urban ecosystems.
Interviews
“We need to transition the education system from having a human capital purpose to a human flourishing purpose,” says Joy Qiao. The founder of Wellington College’s China network argues that as AI and robotics redefine the global workforce, schools must move beyond technical competency to nurture individual well-being and empathy.
Interviews
When Oscar Lopez traveled to Boston for glaucoma treatment, he realized that while he could afford the journey, most Filipinos could not. This observation prompted the 2001 founding of the Asian Eye Institute, an organization now leveraging robotic surgery and AI to democratize specialized vision care across the Philippines.
Interviews
“If you want to build a strong team quickly, trust is essential,” says Amit Mittal, General Manager of Life Business at Yokogawa China. Tasked with expanding the 110-year-old firm’s relatively new life science division, Mittal is betting on a blend of Japanese corporate discipline and rapid, localized innovation.
Interviews
After 25 years in photolithography, Joachim Ng has pivoted from internal engineering to managing ams OSRAM’s global external manufacturing network. Based in Singapore, he now oversees a complex ecosystem of subcontractors across Asia, balancing the rigid necessity of cost-cutting with the volatile demands of rapid industrial scaling.
Interviews
As global automotive giants lose market share to local players in China and India, Linamar Asia Pacific President Henry Huang is pivoting his company’s strategy. By diversifying into agricultural machinery and high-tech robotics, the manufacturer aims to offset the shrinking dollar-value content inherent in electric vehicle powertrains.
Interviews
For Tan Ching Siow, Vice President of Contract Logistics for the Pacific Cluster at DSV, the industry is more than a career—it is a lifelong trajectory. From early warehouse work to leading the regional integration of global logistics giants, he views the rapid shift toward automation as a mandate for agility.
Interviews
For interim co-CEO Warren Foust, leading STAAR Surgical requires a departure from the broad-portfolio strategies typical of global healthcare giants. Instead, he is betting the company’s future on operational precision and the compounding power of trust, as the firm works to solidify its role in the global refractive surgery market.
Interviews
Healthcare is undergoing a fundamental transition from reactive sick care to a proactive, precision-based model. For Nilesh Shah, Head of Region, APAC at Illumina, the integration of genomics, multi-omics, and artificial intelligence is the critical driver moving medicine toward earlier diagnosis and deeply personalized patient treatment.
Interviews
For Georges Andary, CEO of Inalfa Roof Systems Group, the modern automotive industry resembles a high-stakes race where traditional manufacturing giants must transform into agile speedboats. As electric vehicles reshape vehicle architecture, Andary is pivoting the company’s 80-year legacy to prioritize technological innovation over mere cost-cutting competition.
Interviews
“When I got to Europe in 2012, we had 10 locations; we have over a hundred today,” says Jozef Gallot, Director of Supply Chain for EMEA and APAC. This rapid expansion, achieved entirely without acquisitions, highlights how Fastenal is reshaping industrial logistics through a strategy of internal development and localized service.
Interviews
Poland occupies a precarious position at the edge of a warzone, yet its airspace remains a model of orderly, quiet efficiency. Overseeing this critical infrastructure is Magdalena Jaworska-Maćkowiak, the CEO of the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency, who maintains that silence in her sector is the ultimate sign of success.
Interviews
While the tech industry obsesses over generative AI and large language models, Jack Hidary is steering SandboxAQ toward a more physical frontier. By merging quantum sensing with predictive physics, the Alphabet spin-out aims to solve problems that machines—and people—have struggled with for decades: simulating molecular behavior and navigating without GPS.
Interviews
Despite ranking among the world's top 10 universities, ETH Zurich remains surprisingly overlooked on the global stage. President Joël Mesot argues that the institution’s true legacy lies not just in its 22 Nobel laureates, but in its historic role as a bridge-builder for both national infrastructure and human connection.
Interviews
Managing Director Christoph Trixl has steered IFCO through a period of rapid expansion, doubling the company’s business over the last five years. By professionalizing internal structures and pivoting toward proprietary digital tracking, the German-based reusable packaging leader is now preparing to scale its logistics technology globally.
Interviews
“My vision is to take T.CON from being an SAP implementation partner to a transformation partner,” says CEO Thomas Blöchl. After two decades with the firm, Blöchl is steering the company toward helping industrial clients in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland migrate their operations into a modern, cloud-based environment.
Interviews
As BNP Paribas approaches its 145th anniversary in Australia in 2026, CEO Nicolas Parrot reflects on the bank’s longevity and its ability to adapt to the nation’s shifting economic landscape. From financing the early wool trade to modern renewable energy projects, the institution remains a bridge between local clients and global capital.
Interviews
Professor Jane Norman, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Nottingham, pivoted from a career in clinical medicine to institutional leadership, driven by a desire to foster environments where research translates into tangible outcomes. Today, she manages a global university network designed to bridge academic theory with real-world impact.
Interviews
Bryce Perron’s journey into the sleep health industry began in his own bedroom, prompted by a blunt ultimatum from his wife. After discovering he stopped breathing 28 times an hour due to sleep apnea, the future CEO transformed his personal health crisis into CPAP Direct, now a major Australian healthcare provider.
Interviews
“Culture isn’t a nice to have – it can make or break a business,” says Stefan Feldmann, Managing Director of HDI Global Australasia. As he leads the insurer toward its 2029 strategic goals, Feldmann argues that maintaining an entrepreneurial spirit is the only way to thrive in a volatile global market.
Interviews
When Bobby Lehane joined PICA Group in 2023, he saw more than just a company in decline; he saw an entire industry drifting toward a systemic crisis. Comparing the sector’s trajectory to the early warning signs of a market collapse, the CEO began a mission to prove that strata management is essential infrastructure.
Interviews
Growing up above the Dee Why Hotel, Kaine Bayfield spent his childhood climbing beer pallets and chatting with customers at the family-run pub. Today, that early immersion in the trade defines his tenure as CEO of Bayfield Hotel Group, where he balances deep-rooted family legacy with rapid digital modernization.
Interviews
When Woolworths divested 41 PetStock stores two years ago, PetO seized the opportunity to transform from a Sydney-based operation into a national powerhouse. Today, CEO Mike Hollis manages over 100 business units, including 58 retail stores, while navigating the delicate balance of scaling a company without losing its independent DNA.
Interviews
“I had seen firsthand that many clients were being offered transactional solutions rather than long-term strategies for wealth creation,” says Annie Ta, founder of Infiniti Property Corporation. For Ta, the real estate industry’s obsession with volume often ignores the financial reality of the investors it serves.
