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The Front Row Podcast

Keith Yap
Singapore
China
United States
Southeast Asia
Artificial Intelligence
European Union
Asia
Asia Rise
Education
Services Economy
People's Republic Of China
Singapore–malaysia Merger
Global Innovation
Apple Inc.
Venture Capital
Borders
China–united States Tech Competition
Europe
War Of 1812
Croatia

Front Row Interviews with experts to expand your mental map of the world. Made in Singapore. For Asia and the World.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes87Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Artwork for The Front Row Podcast

Latest Episodes

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with former Chief Editor of Straits Times- Warren Fernandez. Warren Fernandez is a journalist, editor, and public intellectual whose career spans more than three decades at the centre ... more

YouTube

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with Hajoon Chang.

Ha-Joon Chang is a South Korean economist and one of the most widely read critics of neoliberal orthodoxy working today.

He is currently a professor of economics ... more

Thank you for checking out The Front Row Podcast and my interview with Chang Sau Sheong. Sau Sheong Chang is the Chief Technology Officer of GovTech Singapore, the government agency responsible for Singapore's national technology infrastructure and d... more

YouTube

Kishore Mahbubani is one of Asia's most prominent public intellectuals — a former diplomat, academic, and author whose career spans decades at the intersection of geopolitics, philosophy, and statecraft. He served as Singapore's Permanent Representat... more

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Recent Guests

Sau Sheong
Chief Technology Officer, GovTech Singapore
GovTech Singapore
Episode: #85- GovTech CTO on The Secret Behind Singapore's World Class Digital Infrastructure
Kishore Mahbubani
Former Singaporean diplomat and scholar, author of As China Won
National University of Singapore / Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
Episode: #84- Kishore Mahbubani: How The Future Of Global Order Will Look Like
Dimitra Taslim
Venture partner at Granite Asia, investing across Southeast Asia and Greater Asia
Granite Asia
Episode: #83- Expert Investor : "This Is Southeast Asia's AI Endgame" (Dimitra Taslim)
Dean Ho
Professor, researcher at NUS leading the N1 Institute
National University of Singapore
Episode: #82- NUS Longevity Expert : The AI Revolution in Healthcare Has Arrived
Zheng Yu Huang
Former White House Fellow and Special Assistant at USAID; author of Rethinking China
Committee of 100 (former president)
Episode: #81- Obama White House Fellow : America Must Rethink Its China Strategy Now. Here's How - Zhengyu Huang
Lily Kong
Professor, President of Singapore Management University
Singapore Management University (SMU)
Episode: #80- SMU President, Lily Kong: Why Singapore Must Reinvent Universities Now -
Selina Ho
Professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy
National University of Singapore
Episode: #79- Professor Selina Ho : ASEAN'S Playbook For An Evolving Global Order
Michael O'Hanlon
Professor of Defense and Strategy, Brookings Institution
Brookings Institution
Episode: #78- Prof. Michael O' Hanlon : 250 Years of America's Defense Policy
George Yeo
Singapore's former Foreign Minister
Singapore Government
Episode: #77- George Yeo : How To Survive In A New Age of Chaos

Host

Keith
Host of The Front Row Podcast, The Front Row Podcast

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 96 ratings
  • The incredible leaders of Singapore before and from independence

    Keith Yap does an incredible job of interviewing Singapore early leaders on how they navigated the early years of Singapore.

    Since my first visit to Singapore in 1986 when the reclamation of land by the hotel complexes was completed to my regular visits since I have marvelled at how Singapore has developed - the ethos of the civil servants and more broadly civil society to serve the country has shown compounded results over time - many countries could learn valuable lessons from Singapore’s’ d... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    David East-West
    United Kingdom5 months ago
  • Great Asia based podcast

    Excellent podcast for insights from Asia bringing quality conversations beyond the usual suspects

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    D Chia05
    Singaporea year ago
  • Unbiased insights into Asia

    Keith really puts his time into preparing for each episode and you can really feel the appreciation from his guests

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    @ccheung5
    Singaporea year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host and guests are well-prepared, delivering clear and credible insights.
Valuable for listeners seeking non-Western-centered perspectives on global affairs.
Thoughtful, deeply researched and Asia-focused, with guests who illuminate complex issues.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#69- How Singapore Beat the Odds—and What We Must Do to Keep Winning - Lim Siong Guan
Q: What was it like to work under Lee Kuan Yew and how did he influence your approach to governance?
Lee Kuan Yew emphasized understanding who you're speaking to and what they care about, and he trained me to participate in meetings to learn directly from leaders, while maintaining a disciplined, respectful presence and focusing on delivering tangible outcomes.
#56- Patrick Mcgee : Apple's Dilemma In The Age of US-China Rivalry
Q: Why did Apple shift toward outsourcing manufacturing, and who drove that change?
The shift toward outsourcing was a strategic pivot driven by the suppliers and the ecosystem around Apple, with Foxconn and other contract manufacturers taking on deeper roles. It was not a single founder's decision but a broader corporate strategy shaped by need for scale, cost control, and access to global production networks.
#70- Tommy Koh on The Art of Diplomacy, Negotiations and Balancing Great Powers
Q: Why was Lee Kuan Yew not an ally to the United States, and how did that affect Singapore-US relations?
Lee Kuan Yew's value to America lay in being a friend and advisor who spoke with independence, which earned respect and preferential access without becoming beholden or a supplicant, allowing Singapore to maintain agency in its diplomacy.
#58- Gita Wirjawan : How Southeast Asia Can Unlock Its Full Economic Potential
Q: How can Southeast Asia improve education to lift its global standing?
The guest argues for aggressive investment in STEM, copying Singapore's education model where feasible, and leveraging regional cooperation to lift literacy and numeracy across the ten SEA countries, believing this will enable the region to move from the periphery to the core of global consciousness.
#58- Gita Wirjawan : How Southeast Asia Can Unlock Its Full Economic Potential
Q: What was different about his thinking that separated him from other policymakers?
Gita explains that a key differentiator was his internationalism and commitment to multilateralism, which helped secure a series of bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral agreements during his term, while also advocating for democratic military reform and open, collaborative governance.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Front Row Podcast

What is The Front Row Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A business-friendly, Asia-leaning interview show focused on policy, technology, and global affairs. Recent episodes explore how governments build and govern digital infrastructure, the US–China dynamic and regional security, Southeast Asia's AI investment landscape, and the role of universities and education policy in a rapidly changing world. Across episodes, guests range from ministers and diplomats to researchers and investors, often discussing governance, innovation ecosystems, and practical implications for leaders and organizations. The format tends to combine historical context with forward-looking strategy, offering actionable insights for executives, policymakers, and technologists navigating Asia and beyond.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Front Row Podcast?

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How many listeners does The Front Row Podcast get?

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What are the audience demographics for The Front Row Podcast?

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How many subscribers and views does The Front Row Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Front Row Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Front Row Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Front Row Podcast:

1. Yah Lah But
2. The Daily Ketchup
3. Hidden Forces
4. FT News Briefing
5. Sinica Podcast

How many episodes of The Front Row Podcast are there?

The Front Row Podcast launched 2 years ago and published 87 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Front Row Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Front Row Podcast?

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What guests have appeared on The Front Row Podcast?

Recent guests on The Front Row Podcast include:

1. Sau Sheong
2. Kishore Mahbubani
3. Dimitra Taslim
4. Dean Ho
5. Zheng Yu Huang
6. Lily Kong
7. Selina Ho
8. Michael O'Hanlon

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