Analyse Asia with Bernard Leong Bernard Leong

“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
Analyse Asia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kkRwzRZa4JCICr2vm0vGl
Analyse Asia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analyse-asia-with-bernard-leong/id914868245
Analyse Asia YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnalyseAsia
Analyse Asia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/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
Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia
Analyse Asia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kkRwzRZa4JCICr2vm0vGl
Analyse Asia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analyse-asia-with-bernard-leong/id914868245
Analyse Asia YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnalyseAsia

"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
Analyse Asia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kkRwzRZa4JCICr2vm0vGl
Analyse Asia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analyse-asia-with-bernard-leong/id914868245
Analyse Asia YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnalyseAsia
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"I think the biggest learning that I had, and, by extension, JLL [Jones Lang LaSalle] in my last capacity was that it's not sufficient to take these companies and then just let them in the door. You can't hand one of your business clients the keys and expect them to drive. So, one of the first cohort companies in Urban Lab was a robotics company, and we created a revenue-sharing agreement with them any property that you get into through us, there's a revenue share. But the downstream incentives weren't sufficient enough. We didn't provide enough tools to people who were actually interacting with the properties to then want to actually be able to do it. Most of them didn't even know about it. That speaks to the size of an organization like that. when you sit up in an organization, you sometimes forget that you can't just speak something into existence. You need a ground game ..." - Jordan Kostelac Fresh out of the studio, Jordan Kostelac, CEO and co-founder of Deploy, dives into the ever-evolving landscape of the real estate industry and the burgeoning proptech sector in 2024. Reflecting on his previous role as the Director of Technology at JLL Asia Pacific, Kostelac shares the key lessons learnt while leading various proptech initiatives and establishing the UrbanLab accelerator with Swire Properties and PingAn. He details his transition from JLL to founding Deploy, a startup that addresses the inefficiencies of deal sourcing and due diligence in the startup venture ecosystem starting from the PropTech sector. Last but not least, he shares what great would look like for Deploy moving forward.
Audio Episode Highlights:
[0:44] Quote of the Day by Jordan Kostelac #QOTD.
[1:41] Introduction: Jordan Kostelac, CEO of Deploy.
[5:03] Career Evolution from PropTech in JLL Asia Pacific to Deploy.
[8:43] Lessons from Jordan Kostelac’s career journey.
[11:22] Overview of the Real Estate Industry and Proptech in 2024.
[17:34] Role of Technology in Real Estate: From Projects in JLL to the Formation of Urban Lab.
[28:53] How startups need to navigate corporate partnerships.
[31:20] How to evaluate and invest in PropTech startups.
[33:54] Trends shaping the PropTech industry in the Asia Pacific.
[37:08] How Jordan started his new venture, Deploy based on his experiences in Urban Lab.
[40:17] How Bridgewater Associates’ Dots and other systems such as Kudos inspire Jordan to work out the mechanics for Deploy.
[45:27] Deploy’s value proposition and its current progress.
[51:53] What does great look like for Deploy?
[53:17] Closing Thoughts and Recommendations.
You can find Jordan on his LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkostelac/ and X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/Scopelessness and more on Deploy here: https://deploycapital.online/
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
Analyse Asia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kkRwzRZa4JCICr2vm0vGl
Analyse Asia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analyse-asia-with-bernard-leong/id914868245
Analyse Asia YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnalyseAsia
Analyse Asia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/analyse-asia/
Analyse Asia X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/analyseasia
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"So already this year we've rolled out 10 of these regions. So two in APJ and Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong. But 75 of these locations by the end of the year along with our core computing regions will give us 100 locations where customers can run these workloads, and we're not going to stop there. So we're going to have hundreds of these regions over the next few years, and we're going to focus on those locations where hyper-scalers don't have compute. Africa and South America, for example, have been extremely underserved when it comes to computing capabilities. There's a huge potential for those countries if we could get them the compute. And that's exactly what we intend to do. But, those are extreme regions. Even in places like the U.S., which are well served by the hyper-scalers, there's certainly the middle of the U.S. which is ignored. In Southeast Asia, if you're in Singapore or Jakarta, you're served by everybody. But if you're in Vietnam, how are you served? If you're in Thailand, how are you served? The internet is inherently unfair. We want to make it more fair for our customers and our customers' customers." - Jay Jenkins Fresh off the studio, Jay Jenkins, CTO of Cloud Computing in Akamai, dives deep into the transformative potential of edge AI in a dynamic conversation on Akamai's latest technological advancements. Discussing the company's strategic edge computing platform, Gecko, Jenkins describes how it is redefining cloud computing paradigms by embedding capabilities directly into the edge network. He explores the broader implications of edge AI for real-time applications and generative AI technologies, highlighting Akamai's vision to support the burgeoning demands of data processing and AI inferencing at the network edge. With insights into early trials and future use cases, he shares how Akamai is set to revolutionize industries, from immersive retail to spatial computing and explores what great would look like for Akamai in cloud computing and AI at the edge.
Episode Highlights:
[0:40] Quote of the Day #QOTD by Jay Jenkins.
[1:45] Introduction: Jay Jenkins, CTO of Cloud Computing from Akamai.
[4:29] Lessons learnt from Jay’s career journey.
[6:31] Total Market Opportunity for AI at the Edge and Akamai’s value proposition.
[8:55] Introduction to Akamai and its global footprint.
[11:18] Jay’s role as global CTO in Cloud Computing and future vision.
[16:23] Generalized Edge Compute aka Gecko and why it differs from the hyper-scalers such as AWS.
[19:53] How Gecko enhances the user experience in terms of performance and latency.
[22:59] Challenges to integrate cloud native computing at a massive edge network.
[25:38] Lessons learned from Gecko’s early trials with enterprise customers of Akamai.
[28:01] Applications of Gecko beyond immersive retail.
[30:33] The One Thing that Jay knows about Gecko in generalized edge computing that very few do.
[33:07] Generative AI with Akamai Gecko’s platform.
[37:30] Inference at the edge with Large Language Models (LLMs).
[39:41] Role of Edge Computing for real-time AI processes.
[41:47] What does great look like for Akamai in the cloud computing space?
[43:53] 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
Analyse Asia Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1kkRwzRZa4JCICr2vm0vGl
Analyse Asia Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/analyse-asia-with-bernard-leong/id914868245
Analyse Asia YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AnalyseAsia
Analyse Asia LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/analyse-asia/
Analyse Asia X (formerly known as Twitter): https://twitter.com/analyseasia
Analyse Asia Threads: https://www.threads.net/@analyseasia
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