Taylor’s University and Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) - Retail and F&B Productivity Nexus (RFBPN) sealed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to boost productivity growth of the Retail and F&B Productivity Nexus of the Nation. The MOU was signed by YB Dato' Abdul Latif Haji Abu Seman, Director General of Malaysia Productivity Corporation (MPC) and Prof. Dr. Pradeep Nair, Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Chief Academic Officer of Taylor's University, witnessed by Dr. Mohamad Norjayadi Tamam, Director of MPC Delivery Management Office and Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan, Executive Dean of Taylor's Faculty of Social Sciences & Leisure Management.
Among the 11 Productivity Initiatives under MPC, this strategic collaboration will drive the talent development, future workforce, research, innovation and digitalization. The Sector Productivity Nexus covering nine subsectors, led by industry champions who have identified to role model for change, have been formed to drive the implementation of the initiatives. The Retail and F&B Nexus focuses on technology, workforce and industry structure with the focus on digitalization and e-commercial capabilities, sharing economy and growth in business.
The collaboration between Taylor’s University and MPC-RFBPN was commenced through the second Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing between Taylor’s University and Kopitiam Asia Pacific (Old Town White Coffee) that made the Tripartite Collaboration completed. Prof. Dr. Pradeep Nair and Ms. Dawn Liew, Chief Executive Officer of Kopitiam Asia Pacific (Old Town White Coffee) did the symbolic signing, witnessed by Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan Ari Ragavan and Mr. Dennis Loo, Chief Operating Officer of Kopitiam Asia Pacific.
In the opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Pradeep assured that the Triple Helix of University-Industry-Government relations, the strategic collaboration will culminate with the introduction of the Retail and F&B Productivity Nexus at Taylor’s, joining the few that are already present throughout the Malaysia.
Whereas, YB Dato’ Abdul Latif Haji Abu Seman highlighted that MPC hopes that the synergy created through the RFBPN network and Taylor’s University is the way forward.
Mr. Deric Yeo, Champion of Retail and F&B Productivity Nexus and Chief Development Officer of Kopitiam Asia Pacific, remarked that Kopitiam Asia Pacific will take the lead to be the first company to experiment the collaboration with Taylor’s University which strongly supported by MPC, to boost the Old Town White Coffee brand into the highly value-added segment influencing other industry players.
During the closing remarks, Prof. Dr. Neethiahnanthan stated that this tripartite collaboration with the support of MPC-RFBPN and Kopitiam Asia Pacific will undoubtedly leverage on the network and communication to drive productivity in the Retail and F&B industry. He also preached that the next step is to collaborate with Keenon Robots as part of the Industry Academia collaboration to facilitate technology engagement for future research and innovation in the areas of digitalization, artificial intelligence and robotization for the hospitality and restaurant businesses.
