The Front Row Podcast

In today's episode, I speak with Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, a distinguished diplomat and international civil servant who served as Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr. Heyzer also led the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), transforming it into a powerful advocate for women's rights and empowerment globally. This episode was produced in conjunction with the upcoming International Women's Day, with the hope of getting more of us to reflect on the progress we have made and what is needed for the road ahead. Dr. Heyzer speaks candidly about her efforts to empower women through economic security, break the silence on gender-based violence, and ensure women's inclusion in peace negotiations—drawing from her direct experience with peace processes in Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She offers a thoughtful assessment of the UN's challenges in modern conflicts and her vision for reforming this critical institution for a new era.CHAPTERS:00:00 Teaser/Introduction01:02 The Origins of The UN07:00 The Importance Of The UN For Countries10:06 Singapore's Journey and the UN's Influence10:56 Dr Heyzer's Journey19:20 Women's Rights In The 20th Century27:14 The Progress Made For Women's Rights34:55 Understanding The Tangible Impact of The UN44:03 The Role of Women in Israeli-Palestinian Peace Efforts46:56 Role Of The UN In Conflicts47:40 Challenges Facing the UN in Modern Conflicts52:46 Reimagining the UN for a New Era56:15 Advice for Future Leaders

In my first ever solo audio episode, I thought to share with a book that I have read and re-read every year. I re-read Hard Truths to Keep Singapore Going during a recent holiday and thought I should share with you my thoughts on this book (and why you have to read this!) Let me know your thoughts!

Robert Wu is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and thinker.He started working for BigOne Lab, China’s leading data & information service provider, first as an employee/partner, and later, with a buyout, became its CEO.You can find his China-focused Substack here at https://www.baiguan.news/?r=8th0vTIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Trailer and Intro01:32 DeepSeek's Watershed Moment for China's AI02:21 China's Emergence As A Tech Leader10:02 Why Was China Not A Known 1-N Innovator?13:58 The Funding of Innovation in China17:27 The Current State of Venture Capital in China21:22 The Role of State Subsidies in Chinese Innovation25:52 Tesla's Catfish Effect31:01 How Tesla Benefitted From China33:37 Chinese Tech Talent39:03 What's Behind The Crackdown on Jack Ma45:02 Cultural Differences Between China and the West50:50 Understanding Censorship in China55:22 Current Challenges in China57:35 Advice for GraduatesFeel 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: keith@frontrow65.co

Professor John van Wyhe is a historian of science at the National University of Singapore and the founder and Director of Darwin Online– probably the most comprehensive scholarly website on any historical person.His research has resolved long-standing mysteries and myths such as Darwin’s so-called delay, when Darwin received Wallace’s evolution essay, whether Darwin was the naturalist on the Beagle, where the legend of Darwin’s finches comes from, and whether Darwin lost his faith because his daughter Annie died.His book, Darwin: A Companion, has been called “the most amazing book on Darwin ever published”. It includes thousands of new discoveries and the most extensive iconography of any historical figure in science.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Teaser & Introduction01:42 The Intellectual Climate of Darwin's Time07:10 Darwin's Early Life and Influences10:47 The Voyage of the Beagle16:48 Understanding Natural Selection26:45 Darwin's Contributions to Geology31:55 Nature vs. Nurture Debate39:52 The Controversial Reception of Darwin's Theory42:09 The Descent of Man and Its Implications47:19 The Church's Acceptance of Evolution50:05 The Importance of Earthworms53:40 Darwin's Daily Life and Productivity56:14 Cultivating Observational Skills01:00:13 Setting the Record Straight on Wallace01:03:57 Wallace's Contributions to Science01:09:05 Advice for Graduate Students

Professor Daniel A. Bell is Professor, Chair of Political Theory with the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. He served as Dean of the School of Political Science and Public Administration at Shandong University (Qingdao) from 2017 to 2022.He specialises in Comparative Political Theories, focusing on Confucianism and Legalism. His books include The Dean of Shandong (2023), Just Hierarchy (co-authored with Wang Pei, 2020), The China Model (2015), The Spirit of Cities (co-authored with Avner de-Shalit, 2012), China’s New Confucianism (2008), Beyond Liberal Democracy (2007), and East Meets West (2000), all published by Princeton University Press. He is also the author of Communitarianism and Its Critics (Oxford University Press, 1993).Bell’s latest book, The Dean of Shandong, is an insider’s perspective of Chinese academia and China’s political system.TIMESTAMPS: 00:50 The Reality of Chinese Academia06:05 Political Meritocracy As An Alternative Ideal11:02 Why Scale Matters In Politics16:30 Corruption and Governance in China23:20 Legalism in Practice24:43 The Influence of Confucianism in Chinese Politics32:58 Marxism in Chinese Politics43:19 The Myth of The One Man Rule51:14 China's PR Problems56:12 Future of Meritocracy and Democracy in China01:00:04 Critique Of Cuteness01:04:56 Cultural Insights: Canada vs. China01:08:49 The Spirit of Hong Kong01:10:30 Advice for Graduates Entering the Workforce01:13:03 Where To Find Prof BellFeel 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: keith@frontrow65.co

Jack Sim is The Founder of the World Toilet Organization. Renowned as "Mr. Toilet," Jack Sim shattered the global stigma surrounding toilets and sanitation by propelling the issue into the international spotlight. After achieving financial independence, he retired from business to dedicate his life to social work. In 1998, he established the Restroom Association of Singapore and 2001 founded the World Toilet Organization (WTO), a global network advocating for improved sanitation and public health policies. WTO proclaimed November 19th as World Toilet Day, which has since been recognised as an official UN observance. In this episode, we discuss why toilets matter for global sanitation and how the World Toilet Organization is making a difference. Jack speaks candidly about his journey—his challenges with the Singaporean government and how he has also helped bring clean toilets overseas. 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.com Email: keith@frontrow65.co Timestamps: 00:00 How Important Are Toilets 04:55 Why Were Toilets Discounted? 07:06 Founding the World Toilet Organization 10:07 Early Challenges in Public Toilet Cleanliness 10:33 Why Coffeeshop Toilets Are Dirty 15:09 Bringing Clean Toilets Overseas 17:22 The Chinese Toilet Revolution 19:57 Bringing Clean Toilets to India 24:24 Getting Salman Khan to Help With Fundraising 28:23 Guerrilla Marketing and the World Toilet Organization 29:44 Global Sanitation Challenges and Progress 33:16 Privatization of Sewage Treatment in Brazil 35:16 Cultural Identity and National Dress 39:24 Navigating Bureaucracies and Public Policy 43:41 What Drives Jack? 46:51 Living a Life of Purpose Beyond Materialism 50:44 Future Aspirations for the World Toilet Organization 54:45 Life Advice

Nir Eyal writes, consults, and teaches about the intersection of psychology, technology, and business. Nir previously taught as a Lecturer in Marketing at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design at Stanford. Nir co-founded and sold two tech companies since 2003 and was dubbed by The M.I.T. Technology Review as, “The Prophet of Habit-Forming Technology.” Bloomberg Businessweek wrote, “Nir Eyal is the habits guy. Want to understand how to get app users to come back again and again? Then Eyal is your man.” He is the author of two bestselling books, Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products and Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life. His books have resonated with readers worldwide, selling over 1 million copies in over 30 languages. In this episode, Nir helps us understand why we are distracted and how we can learn to pay attention to what matters. Timestamps: 00:05 Why Social Media Is Not Distracting You 03:22 Price of Progress 07:40 What Is Addiction 10:42 The Myth of Tantalus and The Human Condition 13:55 Become Indistractable 17:38 Understanding Distraction 26:11 10 Minute Rule 35:53 Timeblocking 42:00 Managing Relationships 46:46 Identifying Workplace Distractions 48:37 An Indistractable Workplace 56:30 Creating A Workplace Culture of Psychological Safety 01:04:04 Reflections on Life in Singapore 01:12:25 Advice for New Graduates

Professor Chua Beng Huat is a Singaporean Sociologist and is an Emeritus Professor at the National University of Singapore. He is also currently a Visiting Fellow at the Singapore Management University. He is the author of two books: 1) Public Subsidy, Private Accumulation: The Political Economy of Singapore's Public Housing (https://amzn.to/3Wf6uhz) 2) Liberalism Disavowed: Communitarianism and State Capitalism in Singapore (https://amzn.to/40py26m) This conversation with Professor Chua Beng Huat explores the imperfect miracle of Singapore's public housing. We delved into Singapore's disavowal of liberalism, the nation’s distinctive state capitalism model, and the transformative role of public housing in its development. We explored the implications of government land ownership, examining how public housing serves as both a practical utility and a financial asset while addressing challenges like inequality and affordability in the tightly regulated Singaporean housing market. Chapters: 00:00 Teaser 00:40 Liberalism Disavowed 08:14 Varieties of Capitalism 09:46 Singapore's Approach to Land Management 25:10 Public Housing as a Tool for Political Legitimacy 27:22 Public Housing and Private Accumulation 37:22 The Problem with Public Housing in Singapore 44:03 Political Implications of Singapore's Housing Policies 47:19 Addressing Inequality in Housing 49:42 Why Study Sociology 52:56 Working as a Sociologist 56:34 Advice To The Young

Chade-Meng Tan (Meng) is an award-winning engineer, international bestselling author, movie producer and philanthropist. He is Co-founder of Buddhism.net, and Co-chair of One Billion Acts of Peace, which has been nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and seven other Nobel Laureates for the Nobel Peace Prize. He co-founded the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute (SIYLI, pronounced “silly”). He retired from Google as its Jolly Good Fellow at the age of 45. In this podcast, Meng an early Google employee (and Singapore's first Google employee) , shares his journey from joining a fledgling startup to becoming a key figure in promoting mindfulness and meditation in the tech industry. We talk about the culture at Google, the influence of its founders, and his personal experiences with meditation, emphasizing its importance for personal growth and well-being. Meng also addresses modern distractions and offers practical mindfulness exercises that you can implement today for a better life.

Dr. Brian Wong is an Assistant Professor in Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong. His research examines the ethics and dynamics of authoritarian regimes and their foreign policies, historical and colonial injustices, and the intersection of geopolitics, political and moral philosophy, and technology. In this episode, we discuss Hong Kong's evolution in the past twenty years, its strategic function as a Chinese city and what the West gets wrong about Hong Kong