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S3E2: Geopolitics and AI in Asia with Dr. Andrew Staples
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We're living through what Dr. Staples calls "an inflection point with the global political economy"—a moment when the assumptions that guided business strategy for decades no longer apply. For senior executives, this creates both unprecedented complexity and extraordinary opportunity.
This 50-minute conversation offers something rare: the strategic depth to understand not just what's changing, but how to think about change itself.
The Questions That Shape Strategy
On Transformation
"The space for not doing anything has gotten smaller and smaller. The opportunity to make excuses for not innovating has diminished."
We explore why innovation has shifted from "nice to have" to existential necessity across Asia-Pacific, and what this means for organizations still approaching AI as incremental improvement.
On Geopolitical Reality
"Don't make us choose between China, our biggest trading partner, and America, our biggest investor."
Dr. Staples illuminates how middle powers are navigating an increasingly complex world where your technology choices have become geopolitical decisions—and why understanding this is crucial for any global executive.
On Strategic Ownership
"You have to take ownership of AI because it could be fundamental to what your business becomes."
We examine why the most successful organizations are treating AI as a strategic capability to own, not a service to outsource, and how this shapes everything from board composition to operational planning.
What You'll Discover
Historical Context for Modern Challenges
How past technological transformations offer frameworks for navigating today's complexity, from the Industrial Revolution to containerization to electrification.
Regional Opportunities in Plain Sight
Why Vietnam is becoming the quiet beneficiary of US-China tensions, how Malaysia is threading the needle between superpowers, and what Singapore's digital government reveals about the art of the possible.
The Three Models of AI Governance
How America's "unfettered innovation," China's "state control," and Europe's "individual sovereignty" approaches are creating different competitive landscapes across regions.
Practical Frameworks for Uncertainty
Dr. Staples' approach to "controlling what you can" while geopolitical forces settle, and why scenario planning has become an essential leadership skill.
This isn't about predicting the future—it's about developing the strategic thinking to navigate fundamental uncertainty. Whether you're making technology architecture decisions, planning market entry strategies, or simply trying to understand how global forces shape local opportunities, this conversation provides frameworks that transcend immediate headlines.
As Dr. Staples notes: "We've had waves of disruption before and we've adjusted and adapted. The question is whether this time is fundamentally different—and how do we think about that?"
For leaders who prefer depth over speed, context over quick fixes, and strategic thinking over tactical reactions.
Sometimes the most practical thing you can do is step back and understand the forces shaping your decisions.
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