With his seniority and his outstanding political career, he is an ideal speaker in SE Asia to talk about politics and economics, especially about China and Southeast Asia, and China’s relations with the US and other countries.

– Politics and economics, especially about China and Southeast Asia.

– China’s relations with the US and other countries.

– Business and Trade

– Geopolitics and Diplomacy

– West to East shift in political and economic power

– The role of ASEAN in the US-China geopolitical contest

– US-China Relations & Business Implications for Southeast Asia

The expert is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore, and the Founding Patron of its Asia Competitiveness Institute.

He was with Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021. He was Chairman and Executive Director of Kerry Logistics Network from 2012 to 2019. From September 1988 to May 2011, he served 23 years in the Singapore Government. He was a member of the Cabinet of the Singapore government from 1991 to 2011, during which time he served in a variety of high-profile roles. A member of the People’s Action Party, he served as the Minister for Information and the Arts (1991–99), Minister for Health (1994–97), Minister for Trade and Industry (1999–2004) and Minister for Foreign Affairs (2004–11).

His tenure as foreign minister saw a deepening of ties with the US, including a free trade agreement negotiated in 2003, and a security framework agreement in 2005 that ensured continued Singaporean cooperation with the US in Iraq, Afghanistan and in combating piracy on the Gulf of Aden.

He was a Member of the Pontifical Commission for Reference on the Economic-Administrative Structure of the Holy See in 2013-2014 and the Vatican Council for the Economy from February 2014 to July 2020. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Berggruen Institute on Governance, International Advisory Panel of Peking University, Senior Advisory Council of Beijing Forum,International Advisory Board of IESE Business School, International Advisory Council of China’s Eco Forum Global Guiyang, International Advisory Board of Japan’s National Graduate School for International Policy Studies (GRIPS), International Advisory Committee of Mitsubishi Corporation, Global Advisory Board of MUFG, the External Advisory Board of the European University Institute’s School of Transnational Governance and the Board of Governors of the Singapore Manufacturing Federation. He is an Independent Non-Executive Director of AIA Group listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and Pinduoduo listed on NASDAQ. He is an advisor to Brunswick for its Geopolitical Initiative, Singapore’s V3 Group, Huawei International Pte Ltd in Singapore, Winning International Group and a small start-up called Plantonic.

He has a BA in Engineering (Double First) from Cambridge University and an MBA (Baker Scholar) from Harvard University. He began his military career as a Signals Officer in the Singapore Army, crossed over to the Air Force, became Chief-of-Staff of the Air Staff, and Director of Joint Operations and Planning in the Defence Ministry attaining the rank of Brigadier-General.