The second playlist of Analyse Asia 2 starts from Episode 251 onwards.

Analyse Asia Playlist 2

Fresh out of the studio, Jay Park, Chief Development Officer of Digital Edge, explores the rapidly transforming landscape of data centres in the Asia-Pacific region. Kicking off with the story of Jay’s remarkable career in building cutting-edge data centres, we dive into the explosive growth fueled by AI and the innovative cooling and energy solutions Digital Edge is pioneering to address environmental challenges. Jay also examines the impact of advanced AI chips on next-generation data centre engineering and shares his vision of what great would look like to design efficient and sustainable infrastructure in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets.

"So if you look at this, according to this recent structural research report, the data centre industry will spend 100 billion dollars, and about 50 per cent of that growth will be happening in APAC. So, this is massive growth. If you look at the data centres, they have to be built where people are to better support them. But we have a new kid on the block. It's called AI servers, and it's something I have never experienced before in any industry, and this is massive. It'll do a lot of things, but it has to do data processing. So you cannot have all these data centres in, let's say, North America, have people in the APAC area grab that data, send it back to the U.S. or North America, do all the processing, and then send it out to APAC. I just don't see that happening. So, they're building the data centres closer to the users, where people are. And then you do all the processing there. The growth is going to be gigantic, and that's what we are seeing today." - Jay Park

You can find Jay Park on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-park-b5b579335/ and on Digital Edge: https://www.digitaledgedc.com/about 

Episode Highlights: 
[00:00] - Quote of the Day by Jay Park #QOTD 
[01:07] - Jay Park’s Background 
[02:38] - Becoming Chief Development Officer at Digital Edge 
[03:22] - Data Center Evolution and Power Density Growth 
[05:24] - Digital Edge’s Mission and Approach 
[07:30] - Supply Chain Challenges and Skid-Mount Equipment 
[09:25] - Scaling Data Centers for Increased Power Needs 
[12:19] - Cooling Systems and AI Server Requirements 
[15:39] - Modular Data Center Design: Pros and Cons 
[18:57] - Balancing Efficiency, Scalability, and Cost 
[22:08] - Challenges in Data Center Engineering in APAC 
[27:25] - AI Chips and Their Impact on Data Centers 
[31:29] - Principles for Designing Efficient Data Centers 
[34:04] - Water Usage and Environmental Impact 
[37:39] - Exciting Advancements in Data Center Technology 
[42:54] - Advice on Innovation in Data Center Engineering 
[43:36] - Digital Edge’s Vision for the Future 
[44:42] - Personal Inspirations and Emerging Technologies 
[46:26] - Closing 

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. Proper credits for the intro and end music: "Energetic Sports Drive" and the episode is mixed &amp; edited in both video and audio format by G. Thomas Craig Analyse Asia 

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Data Centres in the Era of AI with Jay Park

The Truth About China's Generative AI Revolution Nobody Talks About with Grace Shao

Fresh out of the studio, Doug Burger, Technical Fellow and Corporate Vice President at Microsoft Research, joins us to explore Microsoft's bold expansion into Southeast Asia with the recent launch of the Microsoft Research Asia lab in Singapore. From there, Doug shares his accidental journey from academia to leading global research operations, reflecting on how Microsoft Research's open collaboration model empowers over thousands of researchers worldwide to tackle humanity's biggest challenges. Addressing the intersection of three computing paradigms: logic, probability, and quantum, he emphasizes that geographic diversity in research labs enables Microsoft to build AI that works for everyone. Closing the conversation, Doug shares his vision of what great looks like for Microsoft Research with researchers driven by purpose and passion to create breakthroughs that advance both science and society.

"If you're going to be running a very elite research institution, you have to have the best people. To have the best people, you have to trust them and empower them. You can't hire a world expert in some area and then tell them what to do. They know more than you do. They're smarter than you are in their area. So you've got to trust your people. One of our really foundational commitments to our people is: we trust you. We're going to work to empower you. Go do the thing that you need to do. If somebody in the labs wants to spend 5, 10, 15 years working on something they think is really important, they're empowered to do that."

Episode Highlights:
[00:00] Quote of the Day by Doug Burger 
[01:08] Doug Burger's journey from academia to Microsoft Research
[03:07] Launch of Microsoft Research Asia in Singapore: Tapping local talent and culture for inclusive AI development
[04:13] Singapore lab focuses on foundational AI, embodied AI, and healthcare applications
[06:19] AI detecting seizures in children and assessing Parkinson's motor function
[08:24] Embedding Southeast Asian societal norms & values into Foundational AI research
[10:26] Microsoft Research's open collaboration model 
[12:42] Generative AI's rapid pace accelerating technological innovation and research tools
[16:24] Open versus closed source AI models debate and Microsoft's platform approach
[19:35] Multiple scaling dimensions in AI beyond traditional data scaling laws
[26:26] Balancing blue-sky foundational research with application-driven initiatives at scale
[35:26] Research leadership secret: Curiosity across fields enables unexpected connections
[40:04] Microsoft Research's vision: Becoming Bell Labs for AI era
[42:22] Steering AI models for mental health and critical thinking conversations

How Microsoft Research Balances Exploration and Impact Globally with Doug Burger

Fresh out of the studio, Feon Ang, Managing Director of LinkedIn Asia Pacific, joins us to explore how the platform is transforming professional networking and career development across the region's 343 million members. She shares her career journey from publishing to tech leadership, reflecting on the evolution from typewritten CVs to AI-powered job searches today. Feon explains LinkedIn's unique approach combining scale, trust, and member-first philosophy, emphasizing how their AI tools enable professionals to find opportunities through natural language while companies streamline hiring processes. She highlights the platform's remarkable growth metrics—47 hires per minute and 36% video engagement growth—showcasing how organizations are re-engineering recruitment and learning through AI coaching and personalized pathways. Addressing the challenges of AI adoption and skills gaps, she emphasizes the importance of three key actions: fluency, agency, and action, while advocating for accessible AI integration into daily workflows. Closing the conversation, Feon shares her vision for creating even greater economic opportunity across Asia Pacific as professionals and businesses navigate the AI transformation together.

"AI is in the minds of a lot of people right now and naturally with such big technological shift, you find that there is a big skill gap. You know, there is companies demanding skills in this area, and yet naturally in the marketplace, they might have difficulty finding that skills that is required for companies. So, you know, job seekers need to be a lot more conscious in terms of how they are equipping themselves. One of the things is that LinkedIn courses are there [to help]. I always talk about the three affirmative actions that you can do. One is making sure that you are fluent in this area. I think what are the things that you can do to actually get your hands on all these tools so that you become fluent in just playing around with the tool and making sure that you feel comfortable. The second area that I advise people is to make sure that you feel that you have the agency to master your destiny. The third thing will be to take action. If you have learned all these skills, find a way to showcase it and find a way to actually talk about it so that you are, you can actually surface your capabilities in this space." - Feon Ang

Profile: Feon Ang, Managing Director of LinkedIn Asia Pacific: https://www.linkedin.com/in/feonang/

Episode Highlights: 
[00:00] Quote of the Day: Feon Ang 
[01:06] Feon's career journey from publishing to tech
[03:00] Three key lessons from Feon's career journey: members first, scale, trust
[00:05:18] LinkedIn's mission: creating economic opportunity globally
[00:06:28] Asia Pacific: 343 million members, fastest growing
[00:08:19] Business milestone: crossed 17 billion globally
[00:09:50] Highest engagement rate across social platforms
[00:11:00] Video content growing 36% year-on-year
[00:12:24] Real-time hiring: 47 hires per minute, 10,000 applications every minute
[00:14:00] AI job search using natural language
[00:15:42] LinkedIn hiring assistant streamlines recruitment
[00:17:18] AI coaching creates personalized learning pathways
[00:19:10] Skill gaps demand conscious professional development
[00:21:00] Advice for Professionals in the age of AI: Fluency, Agency, Action
[23:13] Community partnerships supporting workforce development
[25:12] How CEOs are using social media via LinkedIn
[27:02] What does great look like for LinkedIn in the Asia Pacific? 
[28:00] Closing

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. The proper credits for the intro and end music are "Energetic Sports Drive." G. Thomas Craig mixed and edited the episode in both video and audio format. Here are the links to watch or listen to our podcast.

Creating Economic Opportunity in the era of AI: LinkedIn's Mission in Asia Pacific with Feon Ang

Fresh out of the studio, Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer for Asia Pacific and Japan at Stripe, joined us in a conversation discussing Stripe's explosive growth in the region that represents 40% of global GDP. Paul dived deep into how Stripe is revolutionizing commerce through AI and stablecoins, sharing fascinating customer stories in the Asia Pacific and Japan. He delved into Stripe's current innovations specifically on agentic commerce toolkits, virtual card issuing, and adaptive pricing solutions that are transforming how businesses scale across the dynamic Asia Pacific region. Last but not least, Paul shared the key trends in AI-powered payments and stablecoin adoption, defining what great would look like for Stripe's user-first approach to building the financial infrastructure of the internet economy in APAC.

"APAC represents 40% of global GDP. So you can see that there's huge opportunity in a very, very diverse region. The needs of Japan are different to the needs of China. India is exploding with SaaS, software, AI. Australia one of our larger markets, again, very different. And so Southeast Asia, the complexities of Asia make it a joy to work in." - Paul Harapin

Episode Highlights
[00:00] Quote of the Day by Paul Harapin
[02:30] Building tech companies, helping Silicon Valley expand Asia
[03:27] How Paul talked himself into Stripe role
[04:30] Key career lessons: people and passion matter most
[07:05] Stripe's mission to increase GDP of internet
[09:00] Asia represents 40% of global GDP opportunity
[12:42] AI transformation like discovering fire, very early cycle
[14:12] Agentic commerce toolkits downloaded thousands times weekly
[18:04] Virtual card issuing for secure AI transactions
[19:00] Stripe Link enables six second checkout process
[21:26] Adaptive pricing increases conversion by 18 percent
[24:23] Bridge acquisition brings stablecoin payment capabilities
[26:00] Stablecoin enables stability in volatile currency markets
[27:00] Japanese car exporter Zimbabwe cash bag example
[29:20] Digital currency adoption growing at consumer level
[31:00] Working closely with regulators across Asia Pacific
[33:40] Asia's fast digitizing economy leads global innovation
[34:05] India's UPI 10 billion transactions forecasted 100 billion
[36:30] How Stripe helps businesses in Asia Pacific to scale
[38:42] User-first founding principle drives everything at Stripe
[40:20] Closing

#stripe #stablecoins #bridge #agenticai #generativeai #payments 

Profile: Paul Harapin, Chief Revenue Officer, Asia Pacific & Japan, Stripe https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulharapin/

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. The proper credits for the intro and end music are "Energetic Sports Drive." G. Thomas Craig mixed and edited the episode in both video and audio format. Here are the links to watch or listen to our podcast.

Analyse Asia Main Site: https://analyse.asia

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Transforming Asia's Financial Infrastructure: Stripe's AI and Stablecoin Strategy with Paul Harapin

Fresh out of the studio, Associate Professor Jamus Lim from ESSEC Business School and author of "Asian Economies: History, Institutions and Structures" joined us in a comprehensive exploration of the economic foundations shaping Asia's remarkable rise. Jamus shared his story on how the Asian Financial Crisis sparked his passion for macroeconomics and development. He unpacked the critical yet often overlooked role of geography, history, and institutional frameworks in explaining Asia's immense economic diversity, arguing that abstract economic models fail to capture the real-world complexities driving regional development. Through deep dives into China's demographic transition and export-driven challenges, South Korea's state-led chaebol industrialization model, and Japan's historic shift from deflation to inflation, Jamus demonstrated how colonial legacies and historical persistence continue to shape modern economic structures across the continent. Throughout the conversation, he revealed why China's middle-income trap escape depends on building domestic consumption to absorb its massive manufacturing capacity, explained how institutional solutions that once solved problems can become growth constraints, and argued that understanding Asia's past is essential for navigating its economic future in an increasingly complex global landscape.

"The way that institutions emerge and entrench themselves and become a part of the functioning of an economy and society is because they solve some problems. So they're usually a non-market solution toward solving some problem that the economy, that the market system couldn't necessarily solve. Of course the most prominent example of an institution that solves an. Market problem in the non-market way is a firm, as Ronald Coase, of course very early on, taught us that. When a firm realizes that in some cases when transactions costs are high, you want to internalize things within the firm. That the firm is itself an institution. But these other social political institutions, they also exist to resolve some problem. And once they resolve that problem and they're resolving it adequately, then it becomes really hard to bring about change. So the institution solves a problem. So to be clear, it is better than in the absence of the institution, but it also means that without somehow breaking this institution or having some crisis that leads you to substantially reform the institution, you are going to be stuck at a suboptimal equilibrium." - Jamus Lim, author of "Asian Economies: History, Institutions and Structures"

Episode Highlights: 
[00:00] Quote of the Day by Jamus Lim
[02:27] Introduction: Jamus Lim, Associate Professor in ESSEC Business School and Author of Asian Economies
[04:38] Asian Financial Crisis sparks Jamus' macro economics interest
[07:38] Teaching in Asia reveals regional development contrasts
[09:10] Middle income trap challenges across Asian economies
[10:23] Defining Asia: beyond East Asia stereotypes
[15:10] How Geography and History are overlooked in economic discourse
[17:26] China's transformation: poverty to economic powerhouse
[24:28] Lewis turning point: China's labor transformation
[26:11] Housing boom and excess supply challenges
[29:10] Hukou system creates unequal access issues
[33:30] China shock: WTO entry transforms global manufacturing
[38:27] South Korea's state-led industrialization model success
[44:17] Japan's deflation to inflation transition challenges
[46:32] Structural adjustments in Japanese labor markets
[48:03] Institutional foundations: solving problems creates persistence
[54:04] Academic success vs. real-world policy impact
[55:00] Closing

Profile: Jamus Lim, Author of Asian Economies
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamuslim/

Podcast Information: Bernard Leong hosts and produces the show. The proper credits for the intro and end music are "Energetic Sports Drive." G. Thomas Craig mixed and edited the episode in both video and audio format. 

Asian Economies & Why Geography and History Matter More Than Economics Models with Jamus Lim

A weekly podcast dissecting the pulse of business, technology & media in Asia. Hear our host interviewing leading journalists, senior executives, respectable authors & thinkers, entrepreneurs & thought leaders to discuss the most important issues that move and shake the business landscape in the Asia Pacific. The show is originally created and hosted by Bernard Leong.