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Back to Future of Asia

Future of Asia Podcasts

Leaders from across the region discuss what Asia’s rise means for governments and businesses everywhere.

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Parity in a pandemic: An Asia perspective

July 2020 – COVID-19 is confronting companies in Asia with a daunting degree of disruption. The lessons from previous crises tell us there is a very real risk that inclusion and diversity may now recede as a strategic priority for organizations – despite the fact that more diverse companies are most likely to create adaptive and effective teams. In this episode, we discuss Asia’s gender parity landscape and how the region is making progress. How can companies ensure that gender equality remains a core part of their agendas during the downturn, and beyond?

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The shopping habits of the Australian consumer

July 2020 – The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound economic impact upon families and markets across almost all sectors. Coupled with the recent bushfires and recession, Australian consumers’ habits are adapting to the changing circumstances. In this episode, we discuss the shifts in the Australian consumer’s behaviour. How can Australian businesses adapt and innovate to meet the post-COVID-19 consumer where they are?

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Decoding the value and performance of corporate Asia

July 2020 – Corporations in Asia have grown rapidly and risen to global prominence over the past decade. However, they lag behind their global counterparts in terms of their economic profits. The COVID-19 pandemic may also widen the gap between underperforming and outperforming companies. In this episode, we discuss the capital paradox, and how Asian companies can rebound and capture up to $620 billion opportunity by investing in value-creating sectors. We also ask how companies in Asia can sustain long-term growth in a post- pandemic world?

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The four big shifts in food retail in Asia due to the COVID-19 crisis

June 2020 – How has COVID-19 affected the retail shopping behaviours, spending, and expectations of consumers in Asia? In this episode, we discuss the four big shifts that require food retailers to act —and in some cases, accelerate the changes they have already made in response to the crisis. Reimagining their businesses will better equip food retailers to provide employment opportunities to people who are currently out of work, reshape their industry ecosystem, and work closely with business partners on how to operate in a next normal.

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Climate risk and response in Asia

June 2020 – How can Asian companies address climate change in a post-pandemic world? This is more important than anywhere else in the world, with the majority of impacts of climate change falling on Asia. Sustainability has become the imperative of our time and risen to be a number one priority for society and businesses. In this episode, we discuss the nature and extent of physical climate risk over the next three decades.

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Saving lives and livelihoods in India

June 2020 – COVID-19 is an unprecedented humanitarian challenge for all countries. India has made a concerted effort to flatten the pandemic’s curve. Now attention is shifting to reopening the economy while containing the virus: a conundrum many other nations are also grappling with. On May 8, our McKinsey experts sat down to talk about some of the measures India can take to stabilize and support households, businesses and its financial system as they deal with economic losses. How can India recover?

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Planning ahead of the coronavirus crisis

May 2020 – The coronavirus outbreak is shaping up to be the biggest economic crisis since World War II. The challenges associated with the virus are much larger than companies are used to dealing with, and firms need to have an adaptable operating model that can withstand an extraordinary level of uncertainty. How can companies adjust their business recovery responses according to the shifting time-frames?

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South Korea’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

May 2020 – Although COVID-19 continues to pose a significant threat to the world, different countries are at vastly different stages of the spread. While some countries recently recorded their first cases, certain states are beginning to see slowing infection rates, including South Korea. South Korea’s response to COVID-19 was seen by the global community as quick and decisive – particularly in the way it was able to expand its rapid testing model, and tap into its public-private partnerships and strong healthcare infrastructure. What are some of the lessons to be learned from its response?

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Asia’s response to the coronavirus

May 2020 – The coronavirus pandemic is reshaping the global economy. Asia, the first part of the world affected by the crisis, is leading the way out of it. The decisions leaders make today will not only influence how quickly their organizations and nations can emerge from the current crisis, but also define how they adapt to the ‘next normal’. In a post-pandemic world, can Asia play a major role in defining the ‘next normal’?

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The future of banking in Asia

February 2020 – In Asia, banking is going through massive discontinuities, driven by the forces of a global slowdown, accompanied by discontinuities, driven by technology, and a benign regulatory environment. Could these challenges also bring with them waves of new opportunities?

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Future of China and its relationship with the world

November 2019 – After four decades of opening up its economy, China is facing their first set of challenges with their relationship to the world. Could we be seeing the beginning of a new trend of less engagement between China and the world after years of deepening ties?

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Asian networks and flows are defining the next phase of globalization

October 2019 – The Asian Century has begun. Asia is the world’s largest regional economy and it is poised to lead the world into the next phase of globalization. We discuss how global flows are shifting toward Asia, and what companies and governments can do to win in a world led by Asia.

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The Asian Century has arrived

September 2019 – The Future of Asia is not only a China story anymore. It is about India, the world’s third largest economy already by PPP standards, ASEAN soon to be the world’s fourth largest economy and Japan’s hopeful resurgence. In the decades ahead, Asian economies will go from participating in global trade and innovation flows to determining their shape and direction.

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