The Front Row Podcast

George Yeo is a former Singaporean Cabinet Minister whose distinguished career in public service spanned twenty-three years. Between 1988 and 2011, he held several senior portfolios in the Singapore Government, most notably serving as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2011, as well as the Minister for Trade and Industry and the Minister for Information and the Arts.After retiring from politics, he transitioned into the global business arena, where he served as the Chairman of Kerry Logistics Network for several years. Today, he continues to contribute his expertise as a Senior Adviser to both the Kuok Group and Kerry Logistics.Beyond his business interests, George Yeo is a prolific intellectual and a bridge-builder between civilizations. He is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and a member of the Board of Trustees of Berggruen Institute. His commitment to interreligious dialogue is reflected in his long-standing service to the Vatican, where he served a member of the Council for the Economy under Pope Francis.A widely respected voice on geopolitics and Asian history, he recently authored the acclaimed three-part series, George Yeo: Musings. He remains one of the most insightful commentators on the evolving relationship between the East and the West and the future of international cooperation in a multipolar world.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Trailer & Intro 01:13 Rome to Today: World Orders Explained03:30 Why Global Stability Is Gone05:45 The New Power Poles08:00 AI and the Fragmented World10:51 Making Decisions in Chaos13:00 How to Learn Today16:30 Why the West Sees Thucydides19:00 Understanding Other Civilisations22:00 How Trust Works25:41 How To Understand China 28:00 Trump as an Agent of History31:24 What Drove the MAGA Phenomenon34:00 Can America Heal Itself?39:23 The US Dollar's Uncertain Future43:00 Gold, Bitcoin & Fiat Money46:19 Gaza, Singapore & Staying Neutral49:40 The Diplomat's Deal 51:51 Why Long-Term Thinking Wins53:15 Taiwan: Will There Be War?57:00 Cross-Strait Politics & What's Shifting59:18 What Singapore Must Become01:02:30 Singapore's Lesson 01:04:42 Balancing Global and Local01:06:18 Lessons From Public Service01:08:18 The Taoist View of Existence01:09:02 One Piece of AdviceThis is the 77th episode Of The Front Row PodcastFull transcripts of episodes can be found here: https://www.ykeith.com/tag/podcast/Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/Website: www.ykeith.comEmail: [email protected]

Wang Gungwu is an internationally renowned historian famed for his scholarship on the history of the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia, as well as the history and civilisation of China and Southeast Asia. In his illustrious academic career, Wang has held eminent appointments in various universities and organisations around the world. He was a history professor at the University of Malaya (1963–68) and the Australian National University (1968–86), and the vice-chancellor at the University of Hong Kong (1986–95). He is currently a professor emeritus at the Australian National University and a University Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), the highest academic title conferred by NUS.This conversation was recorded at his recent book launch for his book : No Borders : Journeys Across Islands and Continents - at the National Library of Singapore.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 — Introduction0:13 — Prof Wang's Opening Speech 1:45 — "Home Is Where We Are" — Margaret's Wisdom3:15 — What Does "No Borders" Actually Mean?6:38 — How To Find Order in Chaos12:00 — Westphalia, the UN & Why Every World Order Eventually Fails19:30 — Two Ways of Writing History From The Ancients 28:00 — Why China Is Returning to Its Own Past 34:10 — Does Power Always Corrupt? The Chinese Answer35:15 — Confucius vs. the Rule of Law39:59 — Why Southeast Asia Has Stayed Surprisingly Peaceful46:52 — Wang Gungwu on His Own Craft51:09 — The Tang-Song Paradox: How China's Golden Age Planted the Seeds of Its Decline1:01:12 — Geography Shapes History, But Doesn't Determine It

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with Ho Kwon Ping.Ho Kwon Ping is one of Singapore's most iconic entrepreneurs. He currently serves as the Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings, the international spa and resort group he established in 1994. Under his leadership, Banyan Tree grew from a single resort in Phuket into a global luxury brand operating in over 30 countries. He runs the business alongside his wife and co-founder, Claire Chiang. Beyond the boardroom, Ho is known for his candid perspectives on Singaporean society, the changing global order and what he thinks Singapore needs to succeed in the coming years. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Introduction01:37 - Singaporeans And Cultural Intelligence 07:07 - Singapore's Strength 14:10 - Maintaining A Cultural Core in a Globalized World18:21 - Cultural Intelligence vs. Cultural Identity19:52 - Redefining Luxury: Aspirational vs. Exclusive26:30 - Status Obsession 30:03 - The Coming Civilizational Reset39:43 - US and China As Civilizations 40:57 - Clashing Reference Points In Political Discourse 50:07 - Implications for Singapore in a Post-Western World57:43 - Diversifying Knowledge: AI and Non-Western Civilizations59:06 - Communitarian Capitalism 1:03:11 - Mindset Shifts for Thriving in a Messy World1:12:36 - The Price of Sovereignty 1:13:27 - Avoiding Mediocrity 1:19:50 - Building World-Class Excellence1:25:05 - Difference Between Leadership vs. Management1:32:53 - Hope for Singapore 2056This is the 75th episode of The Front Row Podcast. Full transcripts of episodes can be found here: https://www.ykeith.com/tag/podcast/Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/Website: www.ykeith.comEmail: [email protected] access to every episode by subscribing for free on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/keith-yap8 or Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/front-row/id1771599400

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with Mehran Gul. Mehran Gul is an author and researcher exploring the shifting geography of technological innovation and the rise of breakthrough companies beyond traditional Western hubs.He is the author of The New Geography of Innovation, published by Simon & Schuster (U.S.) and William Collins (U.K.), which charts the emergence of dynamic tech ecosystems across Asia, Latin America, Africa, and beyond. The book originated from an essay that won the Financial Times/McKinsey Bracken Bower Prize for the best business book proposal by an author under 35. It has since been translated and published in China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and Russia.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Intro: The New Geography of Innovation00:35 Why The West Used To Dominate01:24 The Global Inflection Point in Tech01:54 3 Lenses to Map Modern Innovation04:46 Govtech Innovation in Singapore 06:05 Researching the Map: Lessons from 200 Interviews07:39 3 Through-Lines of Singapore’s Success09:37 Beyond the US-China Binary12:51 The ResNet Case: Why US-China Synthesis is Ending14:14 Debunking the Silicon Valley "Obituary"16:58 Why Some Hubs Die and Others Survive19:42 Talent Density vs. Relationship Density21:41 The Geopolitics of Capital & Reserve Currencies24:30 Can You Actually Replicate Silicon Valley?27:07 The London Paradox: Why UK Startups Exit Early31:20 Is Europe a Regulator or an Innovator?34:10 The Hidden Strengths of European Universities37:13 The Mittelstand: Germany’s Deep Tech Backbone41:10 China: The "Precocious Student" of Innovation43:47 Invention (USA) vs. Execution (China)49:03 Watching India 51:44 Singapore as an ASEAN Launchpad55:22 Solving the Exit Bottleneck in Singapore57:23 Switzerland vs. Singapore: Two Small State Models01:01:42 Why Innovation is a Biological System01:07:05 Advice for Policymakers: Diversifying the Horizon01:11:44 Advice for Graduates: Learning to Learn AIThis is the 74th episode Of The Front Row PodcastFull transcripts of episodes can be found here: https://www.ykeith.com/tag/podcast/Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/Website: www.ykeith.comEmail: [email protected] access to every episode by subscribing for free on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/keith-yap8 or Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/front-row/id1771599400

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with Susan Sim. This is the second of a two-part series covering Singapore's merger and separation from Malaysia. Susan Sim is the editor of The Albatross Files- Inside Separation, a landmark publication that brings to light previously classified documents detailing Singapore's merger with and separation from Malaysia in the 1960s.For the first time, oral histories, cabinet memos that were previously secret are now declassified. This book brings into light the raw emotions and real struggles Singapore's first generation of leaders faced when contemplating seperation. She is also the author of The People's Minister, a biography of E.W. Barker, Singapore's longest-serving Law Minister and a key figure in the separation negotiations. In this conversation, we talk about her editorial approach, the last two months leading up to Separation and why more of us should care about EW Barker. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Trailer00:45 What Are The Albatross Files13:05 Understanding Separation28:15 The Emotional Weight of Separation34:24 Why The Hong Lim Election Mattered36:50 Why The British Was Excluded42:43 The Final Week Before Separation49:08 The Role of E.W. Barker in the Separation Process56:38 E.W. Barker: A Man of the People01:03:07 Lessons for Young Singaporeans from HistoryThis is the 73rd episode Of The Front Row PodcastFull transcripts of episodes can be found here: https://www.ykeith.com/tag/podcast/Feel free to mingle in the comments below or head to...Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frontrow.65/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-yap/Website: www.ykeith.comEmail: [email protected] access to every episode by subscribing for free on Spotify: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/keith-yap8 or Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/sg/podcast/front-row/id1771599400