Analyse Asia with Bernard Leong

Our host, Bernard Leong is on the hot seat for this special 200th episode to be interviewed by Charles Reed Anderson. Bernard discussed his day job, his time in Singularity University at Silicon Valley last year and work achievements to date. In the same conversation, he offered his perspectives in how the major ecommerce battles will pan out across Southeast Asia and India, where the major technology shifts such as drone delivery, AI and blockchain will happen in Asia and why the center of gravity for growth will be in Asia for the next few decades. Last but not least, he discussed the future for Analyse Asia and how you, the audience can help us to grow for the next stage.

Here are the interesting show notes and links to the discussion (with time-stamps included):

• Our guest host: Charles Anderson (@CRASingapore, LinkedIn), founder of Charles Reed Anderson and Associates.
• On the interview chair: Bernard Leong (@bleongcw, LinkedIn, main site)
• Time to turn the tables [0:52]
  • Your podcasts give the listeners the opportunities to learn a lot about your guests. But, strangely, most listeners won’t know a lot about you. Why don’t we kick off by having you give us some background on Bernard Leong? [0:52]
    • SingPost’s SAM wins World Post & Parcel Award 2017 for Retail Access.
  • Last year you attended Singularity U – for those who aren’t familiar with it – can you give the listeners a brief overview and then tell us about what you learned there and how it has changed the way you work/your vision for the future? [3:43]
  • So in addition to running this podcast, you also have your full time job with Singpost, have a family, are an avid reader, etc. My question is, #1 do you sleep? And #2 – what do you do (or what would you do) if you have some free time? [6:35]
    • Reference: Ron Chernow’s “Titan”
• Let’s talk a bit about your Analyse Asia podcast [9:07]
  • You have now done 199 interviews over the past X years, what was the most surprising or shocking thing you have heard?  (could be about something you learned, gained a new perspective or insight, etc) [9:07]
  • If there was one interview that you think the listeners should go back and listen to again – which one would it be?
    • The interviews with Horace Dediu of Asymco. (Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6) [11:15]
  • I’m sure that despite doing 200 interviews, you must have some kind of “interview wish list” for the future. Care to give us some insights on which people – or which topics – you’d like to bring into your podcast? [12:29]
• The Current Market from drone delivery, ecommerce to startups in Asia [14:25]
  • Wang Wu (@wangwu15) asks “What are your perspectives on Drones in Asia Pacific?” This is interesting for those who don’t know that Bernard was part of the SingPost team that launched the first commercial drone delivery last year. In addition to your perspectives on the wider industry, what insights did you gain from the SingPost project? (Ref: BL’s article in Infocomm & Media Development Authority of Singapore, “The Future of Drone Delivery“) [14:33]
  • Lived Nomed (@livednomed) asks “how do you think the Asia’s eCommerce battles will play out? [20:33]
    • Check out BL’s discussion with Matthew Brennan & John Artman in China Tech Talk episode 13. 
  • Arnoud Bonzom (@arnaudbonzom) asks “ What are your 3 favourite underrated startups in Singapore?” [23:30]
    • CXA Group by Rosaline Koo
    • Lunch Actually by Violet Lim & Jamie Lee (who happens to be one of BL’s angel investments)
    • Ideal Workspace by Deng Yuying (who happens to be BL’s wife).
• The Future View
  • What technology or technologies do you think are undervalued today? What will it take for them to rise to the forefront? [24:26]
  • Mathew Benjamin from Asia Recon (@asiarecon) asks “What will the future look like for technology in Asia?” [27:15]
• Closer
  • Rick Lee (@ricklee10000)  asks “What are the three books do you recommend for your listeners?” [29:40]
    • Sapiens & Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Hanari
    • Competing Against Luck by Clayton Christensen, Taddy Hall, Karen Dillon & David S Duncan. 
    • Hit Makers by Derek Thompson
  • When I interview you for your 300th episode, which will be at some point over the next couple years, how will the technology industry have changed and what will be the “hot topics”? [31:32]
  • And the last question, what does the future hold for Analyse Asia? [34:27] 

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The show is hosted by Bernard Leong (@bleongcw) and are sponsored by Ideal Workspace (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn) with their new Altizen Desk on Indiegogo (Twitter, Facebook, Medium). Also check out Ideal Workspace’s new standing desk, Altizen and sign up for their mailing list. Sound credits for the intro music: Taro Iwashiro, “The Beginning” from Red Cliff Soundtrack.