The Made for The World 2023 Forum organised by NiagaTimes has made history through business collaborations and experiences in venturing into the global market, highlighted not only by government agencies but also by local celebrities and renowned business personalities.

Themed ‘SMEs: Invent & Aspire,’ the International Made for The World Forum, in its fourth annual edition, presented a unique approach with three intensive conference sessions spanning 4 hours each. These sessions showcased success stories, guidance, and tips for entrepreneurs and industry players to expand their reach internationally through insights from 12 experienced panelists from various backgrounds.

The Perbadanan Pembangunan Perdagangan Luar Malaysia (MATRADE), an agency under the Kementerian Pelaburan, Perdagangan dan Industri (MITI), was represented by Khairul Nizam Moonier, the Director of Seksyen Bantuan Pembangunan dan Seksyen Khidmat Nasihat dan Latihan Pengeksport. Moonier served as the main catalyst among the panelists, offering significant encouragement and guidance on how businesses can establish international networks and grow for export purposes.

Renowned figures from the celebrity world such as Datuk Aznil Haji Nawawi, Chief Datuk Ismail Ahmad and Datuk Mohd Syarul Azman Mahen Abdullah also captivated the audience with their expertise in their respective fields of art, culinary arts and sports.

Additionally, prominent personalities and organisations that have carved a niche in the business landscape, such as Fizo Omar, Les’ Copaque Production, UNITAR International Academy, Halal Street UK, Superwoman, Inter Serve, Brain Story and Usaha Warisan, showcased their remarkable success.

One of the guests, Atiqah Anuar, shared with reporters that this conference had opened her mind to better understand the intricacies of exploring new markets within the business realm.

“This experience has been quite different for me compared to previous editions of the Made for The World Awards that I have attended. I didn’t expect that there would be three consecutive forum sessions. The messages conveyed were clear, and now I have a better understanding of the direction my business endeavours. Indeed, the opportunity for exporting products is vast,” she remarked.

For Rizal Mahat, the opportunity to meet the panelists at the event was an immensely valuable experience.

“To personally meet and interact with various influential individuals who have succeeded in our local industry isn’t easy. Usually, I only see them on television or follow them on social media. Typically, in forums, only two or three people are featured, but here we had 12 panels in a single event. Amazing! I’ve gained a lot of valuable insights today, indirectly motivating me to strive for success like them. Thank you, NiagaTimes, for this opportunity,” he expressed.

Another guest, Nadiah Hassan, hoped that such forums could be utilised by fellow entrepreneurs and be continued in the future.

“Entrepreneurship programmes like this are worth the attendance. The business knowledge and experiences shared by the panelists today were incredibly valuable and cannot be obtained for free elsewhere. Frankly, four hours weren’t enough. I hope in the future, NiagaTimes should organise longer forum sessions, and I suggest it could incorporate the forum session into a large-scale entrepreneurial carnival,” she elaborated.

The Made for The World 2023 Forum was graced by royal guest Tunku Hajah Mariam Zaharah binti Almarhum Sultan Iskandar (the younger sister of the Sultan of Johor and Raja Permaisuri Agong).

Also present at the event were the Chief Executive Officer of RHA Media, Dato’ R. Rajendran; and the Chairman of CSR Malaysia, Lee Seng Chee.

During the same event, the Made for The World 2023 Awards were presented to 30 recipients who have excelled in various industries.