Historical fact and figures – Chinese merchants, European influence, independence in SEA and a mix of US leadership and non-alignment.Southeast Asia has been for centuries an incredibly thriving region and a great business centre.

Everyone is there except Dave - late again because he is sending his kids to school. Do you:A: Give Dave some flexibility and ask him to work later: orB: Tell him he has to stick to the rules or you will tell HR.You chose B because you had no choice when your kids were younger. They took the bus.STOP!At home you are a caring mother and you volunteer at an orphanage. Where did that compassion go?You tell yourself, you are doing your job. You, and Dave, have responsibilities.You are miserable.

Most of Malaysia’s largest corporations are actually controlled by an elite group of government-linked investment companies or GLICs that own major stakes in numerous large listed corporations commonly referred to as government-linked companies or GLCs. Out of the ten largest listed companies on Bursa Malaysia, eight are GLCs with a combined market capitalisation of about RM 452 billion.

Every business, in whatever part of the world you are in, is affected by the ever-accelerating globalisation, driven by demographics and technology. For leaders, this means you need to be able to build bridges. Bridges between people with different cultures and religions, bridges between different business models and indeed bridges between increasingly diverse employees.