Today’s guest is Connie Wurz (formerly Connie Wood), Curator in Charge of Graphic Design at the SFO Museum—and someone whose work quietly shapes how millions of people experience art and information every day. Connie’s design work isn’t just beautiful—it’s empathetic. It meets people where they are: in motion, in stress, in transit. Whether it’s a …

Today’s guest is Jackie von Treskow, Senior Program Manager for Public Art at the San Francisco Arts Commission. Jackie’s journey into the arts wasn’t a straight line—it involved mythical Asheville forests, fringe pirate radio, writing hard for SF from LA in a master’s program, and non-profit hustle. We talk about what it really means to make art p…

🎙️ Guest: Ooi Kee Beng | Political Historian & Executive Director, Penang Institute Ooi Kee Beng is a political historian, writer, and the executive director of Penang Institute. He has spent years studying the process of nation-building in Asia and is the author of In Lieu of Ideology: Dr Goh Keng Swee's Intellectual Biography. In this episode, we…

🎙️ Guest: David Fishman | Principal, The Lantau Group David Fishman is a Principal at The Lantau Group, a boutique strategy and economic consultancy focused on the Asia Pacific energy sector. He specializes in regulatory and economic intelligence for the Chinese power sector—including solar, wind, coal, nuclear, hydro, grid transmission, and power …

“A room without books is like a body without a soul." And honestly… a mall without art or bookstores? Same energy. Today we’re heading into Daly City’s Westlake Shopping Center—yes, my childhood stomping grounds—for a conversation about how community spaces can transform not just a neighborhood but a whole way of life. I’m joined by Raquel Espana, …

🎙️ Ambassador Chan Heng Chee is a prominent Singaporean academic, diplomat, and political scientist, known for her distinguished career in both academia and public service. She served as Singapore's Ambassador to the United States (1996–2012) and earlier as Permanent Representative to the United Nations (1989–1991), concurrently holding the roles o…

This week’s guest is Tina Wiley Crawford, recruitment manager at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. She is also a talented graphic designer, a champion for youth programs, and—by her own words—a Swiss Army knife of skills. In this episode, we talk about why claiming “artist” can feel weird, why thank-you notes still matter, and how to get your…

Jamus Lim is an Associate Professor of Economics at ESSEC Business School and a Member of Parliament in Singapore. With a PhD from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and experience at the World Bank and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority , his work spans international economics, political economy, and development. In this episode, we discuss how…

In this week’s episode I head down to the dump to trash talk...pardon me, talk trash with Deborah Munk, who’s been running the Artist in Residence program at Recology San Francisco for over 25 years, and Bryan Keith Thomas, an incredible artist, educator, and deep thinker about materials, memory, and community. We talk about how trash becomes treas…

Professor Elizabeth Ingleson is a historian of capitalism, US foreign relations, and US–China relations — a timely and critical intersection she explores in her acclaimed first book, Made in China: When US-China Interests Converged to Transform Global Trade, published by Harvard University Press in 2024.In the book, she unpacks a pivotal shift in t…

Today’s guest is Micah Ruiz, the founder of Orion Custom Framing. Micah is the kind of person who makes you feel like you can build something beautiful from scratch—whether it’s a frame, a business, or an entire life. Micah grew up homeschooled in a town of 400 people, the son of a pastor, with no formal arts education—but with a punk mindset that …

Professor Joseph Chinyong Liow is one of Singapore’s leading scholars on international affairs, known for his incisive analysis of Southeast Asian politics. He is serving as the Dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where he now holds the prestigious Tan Kah Kee Chair in Comparative …

Today’s episode features Allison Gamlen, a lifelong arts advocate who now serves as the Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for the San Mateo County Office of Education. We talk about growing up in the wings of the symphony and Kabuki theater, what happens to the brain when children are denied creativity, and how California’s Prop 28 is giving p…

Cedric Chin is the CEO & Founder of Commoncog. Commoncog is a publication dedicated to accelerating business expertise.Commoncog asks two questions: a) what is business expertise? b) what do we know about accelerating it?In this conversation, Cedric and I dive into how Asian tycoons are made and the essential skills business operators must master i…

Karthik Nachiappan is a Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), National University of Singapore. His work focuses on India’s foreign and economic policy, particularly in trade, technology, and global governance. He is the author of Does India Negotiate? (Oxford University Press)In this episode, we talk about the policy inte…

Professor Euston Quah is a prominent Singaporean economist and the Albert Winsemius Chair Professor of Economics at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), where he also serves as Head of the Economics Division. Known for his work in cost-benefit analysis, environmental economics, and policy economics, he has advised various government agencies and…

In today’s episode I sit down with LE BohemianMuse in her beautiful sunlit SF studio in the mission. LE is first generation Ghanian Bay Area-ian, and I just love talking art and life with her. She’s a philosophical soul who is a multifaceted storyteller at heart. A creative force by nature, LE has no trouble blending her art practice with a streaml…

In today’s episode I sit down with Stella Lochman, a joy-driven community programming visionary with deep roots in San Francisco, the city where she was born and raised. Carrying forward the legacy of the city’s progressive and thoughtful artists, Stella offers a utopian perspective on our current cultural moment—along with simple tangible ways we …

Today’s guest is Jonathan Carver Moore—a gallerist, curator, and unapologetic advocate for emerging artists, especially artists of color and queer voices. Jonathan runs his namesake gallery in San Francisco’s budding Mid-Market arts corridor, where he’s created a space that’s as bold, joyful, and fiercely intentional as the work he champions. In th…

Today’s episode features Anna Lisa Escobedo a true community building baddie from LA. Anna Lisa’s creative project management connects artists with opportunities, each other, and the public. She pours herself heart and soul into making the arts accessible to everyone. And at the time of this recording she is on that job market, so scoop her up fast…

Today’s guest is Craig McIntire—a self-taught painter, a practicing speech-language pathologist, and the kind of person who instantly feels like a friend you’ve known forever. He’s warm, funny, endlessly curious, and has a deep love for people (and Halloween, though sadly we didn’t get to that part). I could listen to him tell stories about anythin…

Grace Shao is a Financial/tech journalist turned analyst based in Hong Kong. On her Substack, she writes about AI and its relationship with energy, big tech, and society. She can be found at: https://substack.com/@gshao TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Trailer & Intro 01:30 Understanding the Chinese Internet Ecosystem 06:06 The Evolution of Chinese Entrepreneurs …

Inderjit Singh is a former Member of Parliament in Singapore who served under the People's Action Party (PAP) from 1996 to 2015, representing the Ang Mo Kio GRC. A seasoned entrepreneur and technologist, he is known for his candid views on innovation, entrepreneurship, and policymaking. Inderjit played a key role in shaping Singapore’s start-up eco…

Manoj Pradhan founded the independent macroeconomic research firm Talking Heads Macroeconomics, based in London. The firm specialises in analysing global and emerging market macroeconomic trends and their implications for financial markets. He was previously managing director at Morgan Stanley, where he led the global economics team.In this episode…

Zhou Bo is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for International Security and Strategy at Tsinghua University.In his prior life, he was a Senior Colonel in the People's Liberation Army of China. In this episode, we discuss the role China seeks to play on the international stage amidst its intensifying rivalry with the USA. 00:00 Intro 01:20 - China's Mul…

Shawna Vesco Ahern gabs, gossips, and otherwise chitchats with San Francisco Bay Area arts and culture baddies about how they build community through creativity—and the winding life paths that led them there. Art Yap guests bring fresh perspectives on curation, arts project management, community programming, arts funding, legislation, marketing and…

Bilahari Kausikan is a Singaporean academic and retired diplomat. He was the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the former ambassador to the UN and Russia. Before his retirement, Bilahari was the Chairman of the Middle East Institute at the National University of Singapore. In this episode, he unpacks the dilemmas and challe…

John Carbrey is a Canadian entrepreneur and venture investor. In 2005, he founded Intrafinity, which built powerful web content management tools used by universities, hospitals, and Fortune 500 companies across North America. In 2008, he launched SharpSchool, a spinoff focused on communication and web platforms for K–12 school districts. It quickly…

Steven Okun, is the Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors. He is a recognized expert on U.S. foreign policy, global trade, sustainability, and corporate public affairs across the Asia-Pacific region. With over 25 years of experience spanning government and private sectors, he excels at turning complex policy changes into actionable business strategies. …

Dr. Vaughn Tan is a strategy consultant, advisor, and researcher. He currently leads Southeast Asia executive education for University College London, where he was part of the founding strategy faculty in the School of Management. He is the author of The Uncertainty Mindset (Columbia Univ. Press, 2020), a book about using uncertainty as a strategic…

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…

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 Harvar…

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 technolo…

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 hist…

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 S…

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 …

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=8th0v TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 Trailer and Intro 01:32 DeepSeek…

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 es…

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 …

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 Restro…

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 Revie…

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…

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 …

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 evo…

Ian Ball is an Adjunct Professor in the School of Accounting andCommercial Law at Victoria University of Wellington, and until 2021 was Chairof the Audit Committee for the financial statements of the New ZealandGovernment. He was Chief Executive Officer of the International Federation ofAccountants (IFAC) (2002-2013). Earlier, as Chairman of the IF…

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 …

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 e…

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 the…

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'…