Journalism in a World of Obsolete Geopolitical Assumptions There is no "trade truce" between the US and China. That was Steve Okun's opening line — and he meant every word of it. Steve returned for his annual session with the National Press Foundation's International Trade Reporting Fellowship, speaking to 25 journalists from across Asia on geopolitics and trade. The message was clear: too many stories are still being told through a lens that no longer reflects reality. Three

Steven jolined panelists Horace Zona, Katie Wu, Obinna Isiadinso and Rodrigo Abreu for a great discussion at the Global Private Capital Conference’s “Scaling Data Centers Globally”. Chips, NIMBY, Power, Skilled Labor, Sovereign AI: Challenges and Opportunities for Scaling Data Centers Globally. In Q1 2026 alone, in Global Private Capital Association's markets, capital invested in data centers reached USD5.2b, above most full-year totals. But there are many emerging issues whi

Tariffs are relative. Will Trump lower China’s tariffs to close to those planned for SE Asia when either the Agreements on Reciprocal Trade or the Section 301 tariffs kick-in, either by July 24 when 122 expires? The lower the differential on tariffs between China and countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, the more likely companies which left China will return, reversing in part China +1.

Steve, Taimur Baig, Ethan Wu, and Deborah Elms return for the latest in the geopolitical series I host for The Nanson. While the US and China continue a period of no further escaltion in their trade war, Trump moves forward on tariffs for the rest of Asia. China has neither overplayed its hand nor shot itself in the foot, sitting stronger today more because of US actions than its own foresight, but still with all the challenegs the region has with them. Forecasting the econom

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Sharon Simmons didn't come to the Oval Office to talk geopolitics. She came to talk tips. And when pressed on transgender rights, on whether she voted for Trump, she did something most communications professionals struggle to do under pressure: she stayed on message. "I'm here about no tax on tips." That story opened APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun's fireside chat with the Asia-Pacific Association of Communication Directors (APACD) — a network of Corporate Affairs and Communica

For the first time, private capital investments in Chinese robotics companies nearly matched those in AI. That milestone framed a timely conversation at the FT Asia Wealth Summit, hosted by Professional Wealth Management (PWM) and Financial Times Live. APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun joined a panel examining how investors are approaching the opportunity in "Physical AI" in China — the convergence of robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence that is rapidly reshaping the

As the conflict in Iran continues to evolve, so do its implications for global trade. APAC Advisors hosted the fourth in its War with Iran webinar series, bringing together three leading voices to assess where things stand — and what businesses should be preparing for. The tariff roadmap Barbara Weisel, Former Assistant USTR and Scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, laid out the tariff landscape with precision. The key date to watch is July 24th, when the

At the KangaNews Debt Capital Market Summit 2026, Steven Okun delivered a keynote highlighting how a new geopolitical era is set to drive higher global energy costs. He emphasized that regardless of how or when the war with Iran ends, governments will increasingly prioritise energy security and resilience—an approach that will come with significant financial implications. Okun underscored that businesses and investors must recognise and respond to this “gray rhino” risk. In t

A Middle East war. A Beijing visit. A midterm election. Three things that have no business happening at the same time - and yet, here we are! Steven Okun was at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore yesterday working through all of it - Iran's ripple effects, where China fits into an increasingly crowded US foreign policy agenda, and the electoral pressures shaping every move Washington makes right now. The big question hanging over the room: is Trump'

As part of The Nanson’s ongoing geopolitical series, we had the opportunity to take part in a timely and thought-provoking discussion examining the shifting nature of global order—and what it means for businesses and investors today. The conversation, led by Bilahari Kausikan and centered around his best-selling book “The Myth of the Asian Century,” explored a fundamental idea: that we are not entering a new or unprecedented era, but rather returning to a more historically t

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, we were pleased to host a timely and thought-provoking webinar exploring a critical question for today’s workforce: will artificial intelligence help propel women forward—or risk setting them back? Titled “The New Gender Divide: How AI Could Propel Women Forward – or Set Them Back,” the session brought together insightful perspectives from across APAC Advisors, featuring Senior Advisor for Responsible Investment Megan Willis, along

The benefits of AI may arrive in the future — but the costs are being paid now. While AI holds the promise of significant societal upside, its environmental footprint and workforce impacts are immediate. That imbalance is likely to drive further disruption unless it is addressed deliberately and early. A key part of this conversation is the green AI paradox — and it was great to see APAC Advisors Senior Advisor Megan Willis bring her deep expertise on the social impacts of

In the Trump 2.0 era, government relations and public relations can no longer operate in silos. One year into President Trump’s return to office, the central challenge for public affairs and communications leaders in Asia is internalising a new geopolitical reality — one where America First policies and US–China dynamics directly shape reputational risk and business outcomes. In a recent private briefing held in APAC Advisors’ capacity as senior advisors to Edelman, APAC Advi

n a world shaped by geopolitics, trade, and AI, career paths are anything but linear. During a guest lecture at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun shared how trade negotiations play out in the real world — and what that means for businesses navigating global complexity. The conversation also turned to career advice for students interested in international relations. Three themes stood out: the importance of making yourself unique

Geopolitics is increasingly shaping what responsible AI looks like in practice. In a recent guest lecture with ESSEC Business School’s Asia-Pacific cohort in Singapore, APAC Advisors explored how geopolitical forces are pushing businesses and investors to confront the Responsible AI trilemma — emissions, job displacement, and inequality. The discussion highlighted a growing recognition among business leaders that responsible AI is no longer optional. It is being driven by rea

“China comes to the world” is no longer a future scenario — it’s already underway. As Chinese companies move beyond EVs into robotics, advanced manufacturing, and Physical AI, their ability to combine software, hardware, and scale is positioning them to compete globally. Companies that have succeeded in China’s complex, fragmented domestic market are increasingly well placed to expand into growth regions such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe — sooner rathe

What does Year 2 of Trump 2.0 mean for markets, geopolitics, and the global order?In the latest Second Term Trump discussion at The Nanson, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun In the latest Second Term Trump discussion at The Nanson, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun joined Taimur Baig and Ethan Wu to unpack the macro picture — from why the US and China remain globally dominant, to why AI is set to become a central issue in upcoming US midterms. The discussion highlighted a surprising

AI: More Excited or Concerned? Reflections from a Guest Lecture at Elon University APAC Advisors recently hosted a guest lecture with students from Elon University’s Martha and Spencer Love School of Business during their visit to Singapore, centred on a simple but revealing question: are students more excited or more concerned about artificial intelligence? For many of the students, this was their first structured discussion on AI beyond the technology itself. The conversati

Make Yourself Unique: Geopolitics and Global Careers in an Uncertain World APAC Advisors recently joined graduate students from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and the Johns Hopkins University–Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies for a guest lecture on how geopolitics is shaping global careers. The discussion reflected how far geopolitics has moved beyond traditional policy analysis. Today, it influences business strateg