The backlash to Dr Anjani Sinha’s remarks after beginning his tenure in Singapore shows just how difficult his mission will be, says political observer Steven R Okun. SINGAPORE: “Increase our economic and commercial ties,” was what President Donald Trump instructed Dr Anjani Sinha before he assumed the post, according to the newly arrived US Ambassador to Singapore . Yet the backlash to Dr Sinha’s recent remarks shows just how difficult that mission will be under Mr Trump’s A

At a moment when business, politics, and global risk are converging, Steven Okun joined The Quinntessential Questions Podcast with Paul Quinn to explore what it really takes to lead in Asia. Steven reflects on how a journey that began on Bill Clinton’s campaign took him from Washington to Singapore - from opening China for UPS to helping shape the early foundations of ESG in Asia long before it became mainstream. The episode explores the biggest aviation case in U.S. hist

Investors who fail to assess and mitigate the potential harms of adopting Artificial Intelligence cannot credibly call themselves “responsible”. By Steven Okun, Megan Willis, Noemie Viterale Nov. 12, 2025 A hyperscaler data centre. For investors in AI, the test will be how to ensure adoption of AI while mitigating the harm from job losses, the increase in income inequality, and the damage to the environment. Image: Tommy Young/Flickr Artificial Intelligence (AI) did not exis

The “S” in ESG has never been more complex, or more important. On November 17th in Hong Kong, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun moderated a panel at the Mergermarket Asian Venture Capital Journal (AVCJ) Private Equity Forum - unpacking how the AI trilemma, rising enforcement risk, and shifting global trade norms are redefining what responsible investment actually looks like in practice. From the job-loss and inequality impacts of AI to the intensifying scrutiny on supply ch

Steven Okun moderated Trump 2.0: The Great Disruption Year at The Nanson - featuring Deborah Elms, Taimur Baig and Ethan Wu, From “T.O.T.U.S" (Trade Outside the U.S.) to what one speaker called “a great moment of incoherence,” the conversation dove straight into how Trump 2.0 has turned global trade into something deeply personal. The U.S. isn’t running on policy so much as personality - decisions made on instinct, not institutions. China, meanwhile, is rewriting its own rule

Trump 2.0 Beyond Borders – What It Means for Fiji and the Region AmCham Fiji hosted a hybrid event with former U.S. government official and geopolitical analyst Steven Okun of APAC Advisors (Singapore) and Head of External Affairs for the American Association of the Indo-Pacific . He joined us for an engaging in-person briefing in Nadi. The session, “Trump 2.0 Beyond Borders: Geopolitical Risks and Opportunities for Businesses and Investors,” explored how shifting U.S.–C

The Unchecked Leader: Why Great Decisions Demand Checks, Balances, and Empathy — with Steve Okun When the stakes are high, one mind isn’t enough.In this episode of Decisions That Count , neuroscientist Dr. Shawn Watson and biotech CMO Michelle O’Brien sit down with Steven “Steve” Okun —ranked #2 on LinkedIn for Geopolitics & International Relations in Singapore (Favikon, July 2025)—to explore why the best leaders design decision systems : collaboration, diverse perspectiv

Geopolitics isn’t a backdrop anymore—it’s the arena. I talked with Steven Okun , CEO of APAC Advisors, to unpack the collision of business and government across Asia: America-first trade policy, the shift from multilateral to bilateral deals, tighter forced-labor enforcement, and why due diligence now requires “Sherlock-level” scrutiny. What you’ll learn: how policy shocks ripple through supply chains and capital flows, what investors and operators must do to stay compliant

At the Moores Rowland APAC and International Practice Group ’s 2025 Conference, APAC Advisors CEO Steven Okun spoke about how geopolitics is no longer a backdrop to business, it’s the main event. Every trade deal today is a test of leverage. The U.S. is negotiating one-on-one, not through alliances - and every country is learning how to play in a world where market access depends on power, not predictability. Across the region, investors are spreading their bets. Pan-As

Will ASEAN come together or fracture in dealing with America First? Can the US-China trade war stabalize? How will Chinese transshipments be addressed in a US-Malaysia agreement? Is there a coalition led by the US that can be developed to counter China's dominance of Rare Earth The only thing we know for sure: Malaysia, South Korea and Japan will each engage in "flattery diplomacy" given that's the playbook all governments use when it comes to Trump. Breaking down what to wa

Concern is increasing throughout Southeast Asia as U.S. officials, intent on slowing China, have yet to say how they will define the origin country of imports. Trump administration officials have been vocal about setting one rule-of-origin target for the region. They have focused on 30 percent: Any product containing more than that level of foreign parts or content sent to the United States would face the special transshipment tariff. While discussions are fluid, one thing is

The U.S. announced agreements on Sunday with Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia, securing support for its efforts to pressure China on trade and critical minerals. While the statements did not mention China, to varying degrees they signaled each country’s support for Mr. Trump’s aim to reduce China’s stranglehold on some of the most important materials that go into a wide array of products, such as batteries, smartphones and magnets for fighter jets. In addition, the statements

Steven Okun, CEO of public affairs consultancy APAC Advisors, said when interviewed that though Trump is not expected to make significant policy statements at the ASEAN Summit, his attendance itself sends an important signal that “Southeast Asia is key to the US from an economic perspective, a geopolitical perspective and a defence perspective.” “Just by taking off the fentanyl tariffs, that would put China at almost the same tariff rate as most Southeast Asian countries. And

Steven joined Leila de Lima, Adrian Ang and Nicole Curato on a panel about political comebacks at the Asian Conference for Political Communication 2025 (#ACPC 25), organised by Konrad‑Adenauer‑Stiftung’s Media Programme Asia. He discussed how Donald Trump, drawing from Richard Nixon’s model of fear-driven politics, has fuelled his comeback and consolidated power. His engine isn’t ideas - it’s fear: first over his party, then the media, business and education sectors. The real

Oct 22nd-23rd: Steven Okun chaired the Responsible Investment Forum: Asia for a second consecutive year. In doing so, he helped steer the forum’s agenda, bringing together institutional investors and private-markets senior decision-makers around themes such as value creation through sustainability and regulatory evolution in Asia.

Sinha Confirmed: Can Be Successful Ambassador to Singapore (Steven Okun's Analysis for CNA ) As U.S. Ambassador to Singapore, Anjani...

Their relationship has long been defined by rivalry, competing ambitions and a disputed border. Now, India and China are resuming direct...

Steven Okun, CEO of public affairs consulting firm APAC Advisors, acknowledged the importance of a meeting between the U.S. and Chinese...

Trump threatens to cancel Xi Jinping summit in wake of rare earth curbs that one analyst says had left US president ‘furious and...

The Corporate Affairs Forum 2025 gathers the region’s most influential voices incorporate affairs, public affairs, government relations...