"The efficiency on top of the efficacy because it is critical that we will achieve this balance of cost and performance. And in addition to that, I think one more aspect we are putting emphasis is actually how, in the new era of AI, all pervasive intelligence and pervasive connectivity, how do we bring human, AI, and machine into a cohesive coexistence and also cohesive collaboration so that we are able to have actually the AI machine support human, empower human, and at the same time. We look at actually the design of the workflows so that we are able to extract out the value, at the same time, also elevate the human to do more creative works. So this is one aspect. I think we have been hearing a lot, but how this will move forward is some efforts have started, and certainly we look forward to gathering more ecosystem partners to embark on this journey together." - Dr Sun Sumei, Executive Director, Institute of Infocomm Research, ASTAR

Fresh out of the studio, Dr. Sun Sumei, Executive Director of the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) at Singapore’s ASTAR shares her perspectives on AI’s fast-paced evolution and its broader impact on the future. With over a decade dedicated to AI research, Dr. Sumei reflects on I2R’s journey from big data analytics to the era of Generative AI, emphasizing large language models designed for Southeast Asia. Advocating for responsible AI, Dr. Sumei prioritizes societal benefit and sustainability over sheer technical ambition, urging a balanced, systematic approach to distinguish valuable applications from mere hype. Last but not least she shares her vision of AI as a force to enhance human creativity and address real-world challenges through sustainable innovation." 

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:46] - Introduction to Sun Sumei and her role at ASTAR [2:09] - Sun Sumei’s journey from China to Singapore [2:50] - The mission of the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) [4:00] - Research at I2R blending innovation with commercial applications [4:11] - Career lessons from Sun Sumei’s extensive experience in science and technology [6:32] - The evolution of AI and its rapid advancements [7:15] - Striking a balance between performance and cost in AI [8:11] - Collaborating with Singapore Airlines on AI for fleet optimization [9:55] - Focus on multimodal AI and large language model development [11:26] - AI for manufacturing: The AIM initiative [12:20] - MerLion: I2R multi-modal LLM in the works [13:27] - The future of AI in scientific discovery and its potential for sustainability [16:03] - The balance between necessary and unnecessary AI applications [16:55] - Responsible AI: Navigating the curiosity phase [19:10] - Achieving success in AI through efficiency and model optimization [20:52] - What constitutes success in AI: Technical breakthroughs vs. societal impact [22:48] - AI for good: Contributing to humanity and sustainability [24:02] - The importance of a systematic approach to AI [24:53] - Closing remarks and future expectations for AI

You can find Dr Sun Sumei here in ASTAR: https://www.a-star.edu.sg/i2r/about-i2r/i2r-management/sun-sumei and her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sumei-sun-8590814/?originalSubdomain=sg

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"The key message of the report is that the fundamentals of this region are critical, they’re clear, and businesses are doing exactly, I think, what they need to do for us to move ahead." - Sapna Chadha "Given that one of the other themes we’ve had this year is trust, having a strong regulatory foundation and good constructs around that for digital financial services is critical to unlocking the next wave of growth here." - Florian Hoppe "All 10 ASEAN nations have announced their own national strategic AI initiatives or plans, and ASEAN itself has actually released a report and guide on AI governance and ethics. So, I think if you put all that together, it’s very natural that Southeast Asia is, quite frankly, well-positioned to capitalize on the AI trend." - Fock Wai Hoong

Fresh out of the studio in Google, Bernard Leong led a discussion on the 2024 Southeast Asia Digital Economy Report, joined by Sapna Chadha (Google), Florian Hope (Bain & Company), and Wai Hoong (Temasek). The panel delved into Southeast Asia's impressive digital growth, with the region’s economy reaching $263 billion in GMV and significant strides in profitability. The panellists examined the key themes which include Southeast Asia’s emergence as an AI hub, driven by $30 billion in AI investments, the rise of video commerce, and the region’s booming digital financial services specifically on embedded insurance. The conversation highlights challenges and opportunities in digital inclusion, AI infrastructure, and regional integration, providing a nuanced outlook on Southeast Asia’s potential. The episode concludes with each panellist sharing their vision for Southeast Asia’s digital future and success metrics for the next decade, emphasizing the region’s unique strengths and long-term global impact.

Audio Episode Highlights [00:46] Introduction [02:17] Key Report Insights [04:09] How Sapna, Florian, and Wai Hoong provide perspectives to the key report takeaways [07:00] Investor Perspective on Southeast Asia [10:06] Exiting the Funding Winter [12:44] AI’s Role in Accelerating Growth [14:30] Impact of Video E-commerce [16:23] Growth in Digital Financial Services [18:03] Embedded Insurance in E-commerce [24:12] AI Infrastructure Investment [27:55] Southeast Asia’s Startup Ecosystem [29:45] Generative AI Use Cases [31:06] AI for Revenue and Cost Optimization [34:16] New Internet Users and Digital Inclusion [37:55] Regional Integration as a Success Metric [39:01] Vision for Southeast Asia Digital Economy Success [40:20] Closing Remarks

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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Fresh out of the studio, Jay Park, Chief Development Officer of Digital Edge, explores the rapidly transforming landscape of data centres in the Asia-Pacific region. Kicking off with the story of Jay’s remarkable career in building cutting-edge data centres, we dive into the explosive growth fueled by AI and the innovative cooling and energy solutions Digital Edge is pioneering to address environmental challenges. Jay also examines the impact of advanced AI chips on next-generation data centre engineering and shares his vision of what great would look like to design efficient and sustainable infrastructure in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

"So if you look at this, according to this recent structural research report, the data centre industry will spend 100 billion dollars, and about 50 per cent of that growth will be happening in APAC. So, this is massive growth. If you look at the data centres, they have to be built where people are to better support them. But we have a new kid on the block. It's called AI servers, and it's something I have never experienced before in any industry, and this is massive. It'll do a lot of things, but it has to do data processing. So you cannot have all these data centres in, let's say, North America, have people in the APAC area grab that data, send it back to the U.S. or North America, do all the processing, and then send it out to APAC. I just don't see that happening. So, they're building the data centres closer to the users, where people are. And then you do all the processing there. The growth is going to be gigantic, and that's what we are seeing today."

You can find Jay Park on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-park-b5b579335/ and on Digital Edge: https://www.digitaledgedc.com/about

Episode Highlights: [00:00] - Quote of the Day by Jay Park #QOTD [01:07] - Jay Park’s Background [02:38] - Becoming Chief Development Officer at Digital Edge [03:22] - Data Center Evolution and Power Density Growth [05:24] - Digital Edge’s Mission and Approach [07:30] - Supply Chain Challenges and Skid-Mount Equipment [09:25] - Scaling Data Centers for Increased Power Needs [12:19] - Cooling Systems and AI Server Requirements [15:39] - Modular Data Center Design: Pros and Cons [18:57] - Balancing Efficiency, Scalability, and Cost [22:08] - Challenges in Data Center Engineering in APAC [27:25] - AI Chips and Their Impact on Data Centers [31:29] - Principles for Designing Efficient Data Centers [34:04] - Water Usage and Environmental Impact [37:39] - Exciting Advancements in Data Center Technology [42:54] - Advice on Innovation in Data Center Engineering [43:36] - Digital Edge’s Vision for the Future [44:42] - Personal Inspirations and Emerging Technologies [46:26] - Closing

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"So that's why if you have 1 billion to invest, we're not expecting the same return as if you invest 10 million. At that time, when all this money flowed to Southeast Asia, people there thought, "Oh, we made it. Now the world is looking at us. We're finally a good ecosystem.' Everyone was ready to invest in us, but that was just the tide, right? And when the tide recedes, the first place the money will leave is Southeast Asia because it's not offering the best returns. So, the money is going out, and I don't think it's coming back anytime soon. People shouldn't expect investors to be as aggressive as they were. Lastly, great companies will always raise capital. The top ones will always find their way, so there's no issue for them. The challenge is for the ones just below them. It will be very difficult for those companies. Some will have to become much more capital-efficient, for sure."

Fresh out of the studio, Arnaud Bonzom, founder of Black Mangroves and angel investor, engages in a lively discussion with our host about the entrepreneurial and venture capital landscape in Southeast Asia for 2024. Arnaud shares his insights on the evolution of late-stage funding and the resetting of expectations in the region’s venture capital scene. He also offers valuable advice to founders on how to navigate the challenging fundraising climate and what success could look like for the region in the coming years.

You can find Arnaud Bonzom at LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arnaudbonzom/ and X (formerly known as Twitter): https://x.com/ArnaudBonzom?

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:44] Quote of the Day by Arnaud Bonzom #QOTD [2:09] Arnaud’s Reflections on Southeast Asia Since 2018 [5:28] Southeast Asia’s Economic Challenges [6:15] New Outlook for the Region’s Startup Ecosystem [10:37] Lessons from India’s B2B Market [14:31] How Venture Capital Works in Southeast Asia [16:52] Over-Optimism in Southeast Asia’s VC Landscape [24:27] Challenges in Attracting Foreign Investments [27:38] The U.S. as the Biggest Accessible Market [30:29] Market Segmentation in Asia Pacific [35:44] IPO Slowdown and M&A Challenges [37:59] Zombie Companies in Southeast Asia [39:14] The One Thing Arnaud knows about the SEA ecosystem that very few do [41:28] Explaining DPI (Distributions to Paid-In Capital) [47:48] Timing in Venture Capital Investments [51:48] Advice for Founders in 2023-2024 [53:33] Bottlenecks in Southeast Asia’s Startup Ecosystem [56:40] What does great look like for the Southeast Asia ecosystem? [58:45] Crypto Companies in Southeast Asia [60:44] Final Thoughts and Future of Southeast Asia’s Startup Ecosystem [61:10] Closing

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"The humans are going to be empowered to become superheroes like Tony Stark, and because you have your loyal A.I. assistant, Jarvis, doing all this stuff in the background, that's the example I always use when I give lectures on this topic. What ends up happening is that you need to make sure you can use A.I. correctly. If you offload too much, offload inappropriately, or become too dependent on AI for tasks where you shouldn't be dependent, then suddenly, you're no longer Tony Stark. You're one of those fat human descendants in Wall-E. The ones who can't even get back in their own chairs because they've forgotten how to walk, they've forgotten how to think, they're being fed a steady diet of soda pop from AI." - Joon Nak Choi

Fresh out of the studio, Bernard Leong sits down with Joon Nak Choi, an Adjunct Associate Professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and founder of Learnovate, to dive deep into the future of education and AI. JC shares his career journey and the back story of why he started Learnovate focusing on AI-assisted grading and what it is meant to solve for the users. Last but not least, JC shares his perspectives on how the future of education will evolve with generative AI and explains what success will look like in the next few years.

Audio Episode Highlights [0:46] Quote of the Day by Joon Nak Choi aka JC #QOTD [1:53] Introduction to Joon Nak Choi, founder of Learnovate and Associate Professor, HKUST [4:41] JC's Background and Career Path [6:55] Key Lessons from JC's career experience [9:32] Transformative Potential of Generative AI in Education [16:17] AI's Role in Personalized Education [18:42] Integrating AI into the Classroom [20:31] The Importance of Feedback for Student Assignments and How AI transforms this [26:47] Addressing Bias and Ethical Concerns in AI-driven Education Tools [30:57] The Future of Work and AI [34:45] The Need for Human Oversight in AI [38:15] Insights from Student Engagement with AI-driven Education Tools [43:25] Challenges in AI Essay Grading [47:55] AI's Role in Enhancing Educational Outcomes [52:01] Closing Thoughts and Inspirations

You can find Joon Nak Choi via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jnchoi123/ and HKUST: https://mgmt.hkust.edu.hk/faculty-and-staff/directory/jnchoi

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"Well, I think AI makes us, makes me more human in terms of understanding that nirvana or the ultimate achievement is not to be perfect. The ultimate achievement is to be authentic, present, and yourself. I guess it exists in this human dimension. One of the things you realize is that when something is too perfect, whether it's your selfie or something you've written, people start to distrust it. Right now, if I generate or design something, or if I write something and it sounds too fluent and flawless—without accent, pauses, or mistakes—people might suspect that it's not Siok, but actually the digital twin of Siok. One question that people ask me and ask themselves is: how has AI made me more aware of what it means to be human?" - Tan Siok Siok

Fresh out of the studio, our host, Bernard Leong sat down with Tan Siok Siok, author of AI for Humanity, for an insightful discussion on the evolving role of AI in our lives. During the conversation, Siok Siok explored how AI makes us more human by emphasizing the importance of authenticity over perfection. They discussed the creative process, with Siok Siok viewing AI as a tool to enhance rather than replace human creativity. The interview also touched on the broader implications of AI, including job displacement and the geopolitical nuances of AI development. Tan Siok Siok shared her thoughts on the need for humans to guide and nurture AI responsibly, dismissing the notion of a doomsday scenario driven by AI. The conversation offered a nuanced perspective on how AI can be a partner in human progress, rather than a threat, encouraging listeners to engage actively with AI’s potential.

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:45] Quote of the Day by Tan Siok Siok, co-author of "AI for Humanity" [1:45] Introduction: Tan Siok Siok [5:21] Siok Siok's Sharing of Life Lessons from the Past Decade [7:06] AI and Creative Process [9:51] Origins and Intentions behind the Book "AI for Humanity" [13:34] Explaining AI to a Non-Technical Audience by our host Bernard [15:01] AI's Role in Enhancing Human Abilities [17:10] Different Definitions of AI and AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) [18:45] AI in the Creative Arts and Job Displacement [24:17] Geopolitics and AI [30:21] AI's Role in Upskilling and Global Market Implications [32:01] Doomsday Scenarios and AI Responsibility [37:31] AI as a Tool for Self-Improvement [39:34] Final Reflections on AI's Impact on Humanity [43:44] Closing

You can find Siok Siok's new book "AI For Humanity" co-authored with Andeed Ma and James Ong here: https://www.amazon.com/AI-Humanity-Building-Sustainable-Future/dp/1394180306 and follow her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sioksiok/

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"Temu was launched in the US, their first market in September 2022. That is when Shein just started to gain a lot of traction. There's a lot of attention being paid to Shein. In the beginning, many people thought that Temu was a copycat of Shein because they both sold goods from China using this direct-from-China shipping model. However, I think the competition has evolved quite differently now, and Temu has done business and operational innovation that has made others, including Shein, have to catch up." - Jing Yang

Fresh out of the studio, Jing Yang, the Asia Bureau Chief from The Information shares the ongoing e-commerce war between Amazon and the upstarts: Shein and Temu across the global landscape. Starting from the origins of Shein and Temu, she explained how both companies first expanded to the US enabled by Amazon. Jing Yang breaks down how Temu gains total control over its suppliers and sellers and subsequently threatens Amazon's e-commerce dominance in the US market. Last but not least, she examined the fallout from the potential US ban on Shein and Temu from US lawmakers and the possibility of Shein's IPO in the US.

Episode Highlights: [0:46] QOTD [1:27] Introduction: Jing Yang, Asia Bureau Chief from The Information [2:34] The surprise of Open AI not allowing ChatGPT to be in Hong Kong and China. [5:29] You need a China mobile number to access Chinese LLMs. [6:48] Introduction to Shein and Temu, the global e-commerce upstarts originating from China. [9:59] The elusive people behind Shein and Temu. [13:29] Shein’s current performance against H&M, Zara, and Uniqlo. [18:12] How Authentic Brands (owner of Forever 21) made a partnership & investment deal with Shein in the US. [23:09] How Temu maintains control over the supply chain in China. [31:23] Comparisons between Temu and Amazon from the seller to business models. [34:51] How Amazon enabled Shein and Temu to expand into the US. [35:38] Amazon’s realization of Temu’s threat and response. [36:58] Amazon’s response to Shein and Temu’s threats in the US market. [38:56] Temu is copying Amazon in the US with a local warehouse strategy and vice versa. [42:08] How Amazon vs Temu & Shein shaped the global e-commerce landscape. [43:54] How reliant is Amazon on Chinese sellers and suppliers globally? [45:30] Why the US lawmakers are thinking about a ban on Temu.

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig.

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“The most important lesson that I have learned is really Know your audience. You need to really understand your audience, and what they want because oftentimes the content executives make the mistake of programming for themselves rather than the audience. And I actually went through the exact same mistake when I first started, because I believed what I like is what audience like. So I think that's like the number one rule, really trying to understand the audience. That is number one. And as an individual, for me. I don't think it's only in Asia. I think globally building a relationship is really important. But trying to develop a relationship for the sake of a relationship never lands well. You can never, utilize the relationship. You build a relationship through great work and you build a relationship not only to get what you need but also to be able to say no.” - Minyoung Kim

Fresh out of the studio, Minyoung Kim, Netflix’s VP of Content for the Asia Pacific (excluding India), shared her perspectives on how Netflix work with content creators across the Asia Pacific region and brings them to a global audience. In the same conversation, Minyoung discussed the importance of cultural adaptation and localization and provided behind-the-scenes insights into how the Squid Game became a global phenomenon starting from their focus on the Korean audience. Minyoung also addressed challenges faced by Asian content creators, offered her advice for aspiring filmmakers who want to collaborate with Netflix, and shared her thoughts on what great would look like for Netflix in the Asia Pacific.

Episode Highlights: [0:45] Quote of the Day by Minyoung Kim from Netflix #QOTD [1:41] Introduction: Minyoung Kim, Netflix’s VP of Content, APAC excluding India [5:34] Minyoung Kim’s lessons from her career journey. [7:15] Overview of Netflix, its global vision and mission. [10:28] The footprint of Netflix in the Asia Pacific. [13:41] How Netflix brings Asian content from a local audience to a global one. [15:02] The decision behind Squid Game and how it resonates with the Korean audience. [16:59] The ingredients of a local show that might become a global success on Netflix. [19:02] Challenges for Asian content creators. [21:31] The importance of cultural adaptation and localization for the Asia Pacific. [23:03] Netflix has conditioned the audience to watch the original version rather than dubbing. [25:55] Green light rigour at Netflix. [27:28] Future of Asian content and Netflix’s role in shaping the landscape. [29:41] Advice to aspiring creators and filmmakers in Asia who want to collaborate with Netflix. [31:18] Trends in the Asian content market. [33:12] What does great look like for Netflix in the Asia Pacific region? [34:24] Closing.

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"We have these very ambitious goals and we've spoken about a few, but there are many others in Europe. In particular, the E.U. and countries like the U.K. have very ambitious climate goals. For Google, we want to be part of the solution. So, good for me is, we make progress on our goals in our own operations, but we really want to help others. And we actually have this as a global goal rather than a regional goal, an ambition to help others save a "gigaton" worth of emissions every year from 2030 onwards. A "gigaton" is the emissions of Japan, just to put that in perspective. So, I want a big slug of that to come from the work we are doing in helping companies and other organizations and individuals within my region to help them make more sustainable choices." - Adam Elman

Fresh out of the studio, Adam Elman, Head of Sustainability for EMEA at Google, shares the key initiatives of the company in Europe. We begin with Adam discussing his career journey, explaining how he came to lead key sustainability initiatives at Google and the innovative measures taken to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. He highlights the Environmental Insights Explorer, the challenges of achieving 100% renewable energy, and the role of AI in sustainability. Adam offers valuable advice for companies starting their sustainability journeys and emphasizes the importance of engagement, transparency, and accountability. Last but not least, he describes what great would look like for Google in its sustainability efforts.

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:45] Quote of the Day by Adam Elman #QOTD [2:21] Introduction: Adam Elman, Head of Sustainability for Google: Europe, Middle East & Africa (EMEA). [5:12] Lessons from Adam’s career journey [6:32] Overview of Google’s sustainability initiatives globally [8:13] Google’s sustainability initiatives in EMEA [10:19] What constitutes carbon-free energy? [11:41] How Google uses AI for energy efficiency in data centres. [13:01] Other applications of Google AI in sustainability. [15:15] The One Thing Adam Elman knows about sustainability that very few do. [18:30] Environmental Insights Explorer by Google [20:08] Google Maps and how it helps the city of Dublin to increase cycling by 20%. [26:20] Advice to companies which are beginning on their sustainability journey. [28:33] What does great look like for Google on sustainability? [29:51] Closing

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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"I don't like to work with someone unless they're intrinsically motivated to do it. And so what I mean by that is, I don't think this is a service that you should sell to people. They should demand it and then they're looking in the market for someone to work with them. So I don't like to go out there and sell it per se. And so I used to get some early inbound from boards or investors to say, "Hey, we've got this person. We think they're struggling or we think they've got a bit more potential, they need some help." And then when I spoke to that person, it was very evident that they were reluctantly doing this. So you've got a bit of a principal-agent problem there, right? Where the person you're working with is not incentivized or motivated to do the work. And so I typically now say "no" to those things. What I might do is maybe get an introduction from the board, but then I'll check with the person I'm working with. "Do you want this right now? Are you motivated to do the work?" Because as you said, it is a lot of work on the coachee as well, right - to do the reflection work and, take action. I'm trying to avoid that principal-agent problem. I want to make sure that the person I'm working with is deeply interested and invested in driving some change." - Parin Mehta

Fresh out of the studio, Parin Mehta, venture partner at Menyala and executive coach, shared his journey into executive coaching. He explained how his experiences inspired him to help leaders navigate their careers with intrinsic motivation and commitment, considering cultural nuances and the evolving business landscape. Parin discussed strategies for professional growth, the importance of peer mentorship, and his innovative approach to integrating AI into coaching. He also shared his vision of what success looks like for him as an executive coach in the Asia Pacific region.

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:40] Quote of the Day by Parin Mehta. #QOTD [1:36] Introduction: Parin Mehta. [5:37] What Parin learned from working in a high-growth tech company: Google & Airbnb. [6:49] Lessons learned from Parin Mehta on his career journey. [8:35] The story of how Parin becomes an executive coach and certified as one. [11:16] Why and How executives approach an executive coach. [13:45] Parin Mehta’s philosophy in executive coaching. [16:30] Bernard’s journey in working with Parin on his transition. [18:45] Should we focus on short-term and long-term goals when we engage executive coaches? [19:36] Challenges and specific cultural nuances faced by Executive Coaches in the Asia Pacific. [23:29] Perspectives on Generative AI in executive coaching. [24:04] How does the actual coaching session work? [25:39] Seeking an accountability partner in executive coaching. [27:42] The difference between mentoring and coaching. [29:48] Sharing stories on executive coaching. [35:04] Executive coaching for startup founders in the Southeast Asia ecosystem [37:38] How executive coaches grow and develop professionally. [40:54] The one thing Parin knows about executive coaching in the Asia Pacific that very few do. [44:36] AI bot for executive coaching. [47:31] The weekly prompts for coachparin.com [50:36] What does great look like for Parin in executive coaching? [51:24] Closing.

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig

You can find Parin on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parinjmehta/ and X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/coachparin and more on him here: https://www.coachparin.com

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"If I were to summarize it, your job as a product manager is to deliver the right product to the right users, to solve the right problems at the right time. Now, your role is very contextual because you will focus on different parts of that statement, depending on the founders, the stage of life of the company, which industry it is and everything else. There are some core functional skill sets that you can't run away from, and you must have them. But I don't think there is a cookie-cutter template on what you must do to succeed in product management." - Isaac Tay

Fresh out of the studio, Isaac Tay, VP of Product at Shopback shares his thoughts on how to be a product manager in a scale-up. Reflecting on his experiences as a co-founder in his former startup Honestbee, he offered his perspectives on the lessons he had learnt and what he could done differently. From there, he elucidates the concept of distance to understand how to align and work with teams across different cultures on building and developing products in different stages of maturity for a company. Isaac ties in his unique stint in stand-up comedy, revealing how it has influenced his professional life. Last but not least, Isaac shares what great would look like for product management in a scale-up.

Audio Episode Highlights: [0:50] Quote of the Day #QOTD by Isaac Tay. [1:21] Introduction: Isaac Tay, VP of Product at Shopback. [7:40] Isaac's Adventure in Stand-Up Comedy and Travel. [9:10] Lessons from Isaac Tay’s career journey. [10:34] Founding, Evolution, and Collapse of Honestbee. [15:26] What could you have done differently with Honestbee? [18:15] Navigating the complexities of product management. [25:06] Product Management in different stages of a company. [30:23] Refining Product Strategy in a Fast-Paced Environment. [33:06] Advice for Aspiring Product Managers. [34:00] Essential Skills for Aspiring Product Managers. [35:18] The Importance of Technical Skills in Product Management. [38:33] The Role of Distance in Product Management. [39:40] Understanding and Managing Different Types of Distance. [44:37] The Challenge of Remote Work and Communication. [48:06] Evolving Leadership Styles and Building Cohesive Teams. [54:16] Balancing Professional Growth with Personal Interests. [59:29] Insights on Great Product Management and Leadership. [61:00] Closing.

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed & edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig.

You can find Isaac on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isaactimothyt/ and X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/isaacttsg and more on him here: https://www.isaactay.com/about/

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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