The Front Row Podcast

Allen Lau is a self-described 'recovering' CEO, and 3x entrepreneur, an engineer by training, a rocket scientist at heart, and a venture capitalist by profession. He was the CEO and co-founder of Wattpad, the world's largest social storytelling company with 100 million monthly users. A few years ago, the AI-powered company was acquired by Naver for over US$660 million.Allen is now co-founder and operating partner at Two Small Fish Ventures, an early-stage venture capital firm that is investing in the next frontier of computing and its applications. He also serves on the board of MaRS, the largest urban innovation hub in North America, and Openmind Research Institute, a non-profit organization focused on conducting AI research leading to a better understanding of minds.In this episode, Allen talks about what it took to grow Wattpad, the world's largest social storytelling platform and why he thinks deep tech is the future of innovation. TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Trailer 00:51 Allen's Founding of Wattpad06:49 The Cold Start Problem To Building A Marketplace13:57 Persisting Through The Trough15:26 Scaling Up: The Decision to Expand18:35 Securing VC Funding25:18 Wattpad's Refusal To Enter Silicon Valley33:07 Lessons As A CEO36:41 Why CEOs Need To Constantly Communicate40:05 Wattpad's Strategic Growth and Evolution42:28 Navigating Naver's Acquisition 48:10 Investing In Deep Tech57:18 The Future of Technology and Innovation01:03:47 What Singapore and Canada Share In Common01:08:08 Book Recommendation & AdviceFeel 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

Magnus Grimeland is the founder and CEO of Antler. Before Antler, Magnus co-founded Zalora, taking the company from zero to Asia’s leading fashion e-commerce platform, and then helped scale Global Fashion Group across 26 markets. His former colleagues have gone on to found leading Southeast Asian startups such as Gojek and Stashaway. He is a Harvard graduate, a former McKinsey partner, and served in the Norwegian Naval Special Forces.Today, PitchBook ranks Antler as the most active VC globally, and Dealroom recognizes the firm as the most active investor in AI startups.In this episode, Magnus breaks down the biggest lessons he learnt from Zalora and how Antler is changing the world through Day Zero investments. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Intro00:59 Early Days of Zalora01:47 Early E-commerce in Southeast Asia04:40 Lessons from Building Zalora07:21 Navigating Southeast Asia's Market Challenges12:35 The Importance Of Talent in Founders16:51 Antler vs YC20:13 What Makes A Founder Great?27:22 Screening for Founders32:02 Building A Strong Global Network37:23 When Hierarchical Leadership Can Fail40:46 The Case For Singapore As A Global Startup Hub47:49 Closing QuestionsFeel 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

Taimur Baig, PhD, heads global economics as well as macro strategy for interest rate, credit, and currency at DBS Group Research. He also advises the bank on risk management and investment strategy.Dr. Baig has published extensively for both specialists and a general audience, on areas including monetary policy, digital currency, financial technology, climate change, demographics, frontier markets, fiscal policy efficacy, and financial market contagion. He is the host of “Kopi Time,” a widely followed podcast series on markets and economies.In this episode, he makes the case for economic optimism in a world of uncertainty.TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Trailer01:07 The Role of a Chief Economist02:55 Transforming Data into Insights06:51 The Smoot-Hawley Tariffs And Trade Wars Today10:06 The US Debt Challenge12:13 Reindustrialization of USA14:27 Can America Remain Innovative?16:08 China's Economic Paradox19:05 China's Competitive Advantages23:39 India's Growth Potential28:01 The Warming In India-China Relations30:07 Southeast Asia's Golden Age32:35 Future Growth Areas in Southeast Asia36:06 Advice for the Youth

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.TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Trailer 01:03 The Importance of Understanding China's Rise 08:27 Navigating A Chinese Political Identity 20:03 Mao Zedong's Misunderstood Legacy 25:27 The Role of History in Chinese Nation-Building 31:52 Comparing Xi Jinping And Mao Zedong 32:48 Xi Jinping's Influence 37:03 Modernity with Chinese Characteristics 40:46 Balancing Political Stability and Economic Growth 45:52 ASEAN's Role in a Multipolar World 48:59 Maritime Power Dynamics in South China Sea 54:44 Avoiding Conflict In The US-China Rivalry 01:03:30 Lessons for Future Leaders 01:07:23 Advice For Fresh Graduates

Ong Ye Kung is the Minister for Health. He was elected Member of Parliament for Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) in September 2015, and was re-elected in July 2020 in Sembawang GRC.He had held the positions of Minister for Transport, Minister for Education, Second Minister for Defence and board member of the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He is also the Chairman of the Chinese Development Assistance CouncilIn this conversation, we discuss what it took for Singapore to overcome the pandemic, why the Singapore-Johor Economic Zone might change the game for Singapore and what Singapore needs to thrive in such turbulent times.

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