Group photograph of the forum’s speakers and participants with Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai (7th from right), Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei (8th from right) and Adrian Yeo (5th from right)
"What would the demand for Musang King be like in the next five years?" "Is a durian business worth investing in today?" These were some of the questions posed in a forum titled 'The Future of Durian Business & Its Value Chain' which was held at TAR UC, Kuala Lumpur Main Campus on 23 July 2022.
Organised by the Federation of Tunku Abdul Rahman College Alumni Associations, Malaysia and supported by TAR UC, the forum was moderated by Mr Adrian Yeo, Deputy President of the Federation of Tunku Abdul Rahman College Alumni Associations, Malaysia who is also a member of the Board of Governors of TAR UC. The forum was held following the success of a seminar titled "Durians: The Sexiest but Thorny Business Venture" in 2018.
Special guests present included Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Chairman of TAR UC’s Board of Governors and Prof Ir Dr Lee Sze Wei, President of TAR UC.
"I commend the alumni for taking the initiative to organise this forum, which is very timely and relevant. Especially now as the landscape and power shift of the durian market is changing," said Tan Sri Dato' Sri Liow in his welcome address.
"It is through the support of the TARCian alumni that this institution has grown by leaps and bounds, from a college to a full-fledged university now. It is through events such as this that keeps the TARCian spirit alive. As the saying goes, "once a TARCian, always a TARCian"."
Topics of the forum touched on the whole spectrum of durian business venture from agriculture modernisation in durian plantation, market trends and value chain of durian businesses. Prominent speakers, who are also experts in the field shared their experience and advice to potential investors and interested parties. Speakers included Nerrissa Chu Tan Miaw, Research and Development Lead at Top Fruits Sdn Bhd, Billy Leong Jin Yuan, one of the largest collectors of Musang King in Malaysia and Anna Teo Lee Chu, Founder and Group CEO of Hernan Corporation Sdn Bhd.
Participants were also able to sample some of this year’s durian harvest as well as durian desserts prepared and served by staff and students from the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities' ('FSSH') Department of Hospitality Management, after the forum.
