The Front Row Podcast

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.

Brian Wong, an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the University of Hong Kong, dives into the evolving status of Hong Kong in the context of China and the West. He explores Hong Kong's unique geopolitical role and its colonial history under the 'one country, two systems' framework. Wong discusses the city's legal and political complexities and how recent unrest has shaped its identity. He also debates China's foreign policy changes and the need for equitable partnerships, all while envisioning Hong Kong's global position amid shifting narratives.

Ian Ball is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Accounting and Commercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington, and until 2021 was Chair of the Audit Committee for the financial statements of the New Zealand Government. He was Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) (2002-2013). Earlier, as Chairman of the IFAC Public Sector Committee (now the International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board) (1995-2000), he initiated and led the development of International Public Sector Accounting Standards. While with the New Zealand Treasury (1987-1994) he was responsible (as Director of Financial Management Policy and then Central Financial Controller) for the development and implementation of the Public Finance Act 1989, making New Zealand the first country to adopt accrual budgeting, appropriations and accounting . In this episode, he talks about why public accounting matters for any country interested in good governance.

Professor Danny Quah is Li Ka Shing Professor in Economics and Dean at the Lee Kuan Yew School Of Public Policy. His research interests lie in income inequality, economic growth, and international economic relations. His work takes an economic approach to world order - focusing on global power shift and the rise of the east, and alternative models of global power relations. In this episode, we explore the complexities of US-China relations, challenging the idea of the Thucydides Trap and examining the dangers of zero-sum thinking and more. TIMESTAMPS: 00:28 Is The Thucydides Trap Wrong? 08:06 The Danger of Zero-Sum Thinking 09:27 Epic Fail Outcomes 13:38 Electric Vehicles in US-China Rivalry 21:06 America's Action Against Japan 23:49 Third Nations in Great Power Rivalry 31:41 America's Emergence 37:09 Ideas That Drove America 40:38 No Political Convergence 45:12 What Drives US-China Rivalry 53:44 The Problem of Inequality 01:01:40 Dean Danny's Advice For Young Professionals

Professor Keyu Jin is an Associate Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics. She specialises in international macroeconomics and the Chinese economy. Her research focuses on global trade imbalances, asset prices and China's economic growth model. She is the author of the best-selling book, The New China Playbook. In this episode, we examine the country's rise as an industrial powerhouse, the balance between state and market forces, and the innovative "Mayor Economy" model. Along the way, we discuss whether China's financial markets can ever catch up globally, how the tech crackdown impacts innovation, and what household spending on education reveals about its cultural priorities. We also dive into bigger questions: what would a mature Chinese economy look like? Can China become a truly innovative powerhouse? And how might US-China trade tensions shape the global order? Timestamps: 00:34 China's Economic Success 01:26 Why The New China Playbook 07:14 China As An Industrial Power 15:16 Is The Chinese Economy Excessively State-Heavy? 18:58 The Mayor Economy 24:50 Imagining A Mature Chinese Economy 28:33 Why Chinese Financial Markets Are Poor 33:13 China's Tech Crackdown 39:49 Household Spending on Education 45:59 Can China Be More Innovative? 48:27 US-China Trade Tensions 52:55 Advice For Young Professionals

Shaun Rein is the Founder and Managing Director of the China Market Research Group (CMR), the world's leading strategic market intelligence firm focused on China. He works with Boards, billionaires, Heads of States, CEOs and senior executives of Fortune 500 & leading Chinese companies, private equity firms, SMEs and long/ hedge funds to develop their China growth, political and investment strategies. TIMESTAMPS: 00:33- Shaun Rein's Journey to China 04:58- The Myths About China 09:35- The Split: Understanding US-China Relations 15:29- Opportunities and Challenges in the Chinese Market 21:37- The Competitive Landscape for Western Brands in China 25:46- Shifting Consumer Sentiments: Local vs. Foreign Brands 29:07- The Rise of Chinese Brands 30:36- Electric Vehicles: China's New Energy Revolution 33:01- Understanding Economic Weakness and Structural Challenges 39:50- Exploring Xinjiang 43:34- Alibaba's Rise and the Tech Crackdown 48:43- Advice for Young Professionals

Professor Tan Tai Yong is the President of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS). Before he joined SUSS, Professor Tan was President, Yale-NUS College. Professor Tan specialises in South and Southeast Asian History and has published extensively on the history of India and Singapore. Timestamps: 00:00- The Historical Context of Singapore's Founding 08:05- The Evolution of Singapore's Identity 17:10- Civilizational Influences on Singapore 26:27- Singapore's Role as a Global City 30:36- Nation Building and Identity Formation 35:31- Challenges of Multiracialism in Singapore 38:34- The City-State Paradox 41:47- Singapore as a Potential Innovator in Adult Learning 47:13- Barriers to Adult Learning 51:07- The Idea of Singapore 59:58- Advice for Young Professionals