Podcasts about asia pacific

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. The US issued a 60-day license allowing Iran to sell oil on the international market, giving Tehran an economic lifeline as the two adversaries continued talks for a permanent peace deal. Vice President JD Vance, attending the discussions in Switzerland, described the first round of negotiations as "very, very good" and said Iran had agreed to allow nuclear inspectors back into the country — a claim later backed up by President Donald Trump. But Iranian officials, who also cited progress, challenged that claim, saying Vance's assertion was "false and does not reflect reality." For a closer look at what is going on in the oil market, we speak to Stephen Stapczynski, Bloomberg's Asia Energy Team Leader. Plus - The World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting of the New Champions, often known as "Summer Davos", will be held this week in the Chinese port city of Dalian. This year's theme is "Innovating at Scale" and will bring together global leaders from government, business and academia, along with innovators and representatives from international organizations, media and civil society. Bloomberg's Stephen Engle sits down with Andre Hoffmann, World Economic Forum Co-Chair. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Comments/ideas: ACFpod@outlook.comSummer Bae from Cleantech Group joins us to reveal how the Asia Pacific cleantech market is finally moving from hype to solid business proof. We dive into the "two valleys of death" for hardware startups and the urgent need for catalytic capital to bridge the regional funding gap. We explore how AI accelerates hardware breakthroughs and why the global focus has shifted from net-zero targets to energy security and resilience. Professionals in climate finance and business will gain vital insights into navigating institutional roadblocks and scaling frontier innovation across APAC.Ref.: Cleantech Group, Global Cleantech 100 Report, APAC Cleantech 25 Report, ABOUT SUMMER. Summer Bae is the Managing Director, APAC at Cleantech Group and is based in Singapore. Prior to Cleantech Group, Summer spent over 10 years at BloombergNEF, where she built partnerships with financial institutions, governments, and corporations to advance sustainable finance and clean technology adoption across the region. She focused on developing strategic relationships with C-suite leaders, particularly in Korea, Japan, and ASEAN. Earlier in her career, Summer held regional sales and planning roles at Datum Alloys, covering markets across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. She began her career at Sumitomo Chemical, where she managed chemical production line operations and was involved in business planning. Summer holds a Bachelor's degree in Asia-Pacific Sociology from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan and earned the Sustainable Investing Certificate from the CFA Institute in 2025.Recommendations: Nat Bullard Annual Presentation: A data-rich and accessible slide deck that provides a comprehensive summary of global developments in climate, energy, and technology.2026 Cleantech Forum Asia, 2026 Cleantech Forum Europe, 2027 Cleantech Forum North America: Professional networking platforms and international conferences held in three continents to support the commercialisation of new technologies.Company list: #Bloomberg Finance L.P. (BloombergNEF), #Cleantech Group LLC, #Fervo Energy, Inc., #Halcyon (Halcyon Group Holdings LLC), #Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.HOST, PRODUCTION, ARTWORK: Joseph Jacobelli  |  MUSIC: Ep76 onward excerpts from Vivaldi's La Follia, played by Luca Jacobelli.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Jean Sung has spent over 20 years inside the rooms where Asia's wealthiest families decide what to do with their money.Head of the JPMorgan Chase Foundation across 13 countries. Founder of J.P. Morgan Private Bank's Philanthropy Centre in Asia. Two decades of sitting across from ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational family offices, and some of the most powerful philanthropists on the planet.And after all of it, her conclusion is uncomfortable.Most of what we call charity isn't working.Not because people don't care. But because the entire system was built on the wrong foundation. Donations that feel good. Band-aid solutions that never touch the root of the problem. Nonprofits running on passion with no performance metrics, no accountability, and no path to scale. Wealthy donors writing the same check to the same 20 organizations year after year and calling it impact.What she's calling for is a complete restructuring of how philanthropy is practiced in Asia and beyond. Stop treating giving like charity. Start treating it like investment. Same rigor. Same accountability. Same demand for return. Because if you don't do well, you cannot do good.The conversation goes deep on the gap between intention and action, why Asian philanthropic giving is vastly underestimated and almost entirely invisible, how the now generation of wealthy families is finally starting to deploy capital the right way, and why the world needs fewer think tanks and a lot more do tanks.This is one of the most honest, challenging, and clear-eyed conversations I have had on this show.I hope it changes how you think about giving.Apply to work with me: https://www.michaelxcampion.com/Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelxcampion/Guest — Jean Sung: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jean-k-sung-312b3338/Jean Sung is the Executive Director and Head of The Philanthropy Centre, J.P. Morgan Private Bank, Asia Pacific. She founded the Philanthropy Centre for J.P. Morgan's private banking arm after spending eight years managing the JPMorgan Chase Foundation's corporate giving across 13 Asian countries. With two decades of experience advising ultra-high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational family offices, and global philanthropists, Jean is one of the most experienced and respected voices in strategic philanthropy in Asia. She serves on the boards of the Bai Xian Asia Institute, LinkREIT's Sustainability Committee, the McCain Global Leaders Advisory Council, and the UWCSEA Foundation, among others.(00:00:00) The "Now Gen" and Why Jean Hates the Term Next Gen(00:01:25) 20 Years, 13 Countries: Jean's Journey at JPMorgan(00:03:45) Why People Give and Why That Needs to Change(00:06:36) Band-Aid Solutions and the Mattress Story(00:09:34) What Communities Actually Need vs. What Donors Think They Need(00:14:57) How Jean Got the Job Running the JPMorgan Chase Foundation(00:16:41) Rethinking Grants: From Finite Donations to Sustainable Investment(00:24:38) What Do You Want Your Dash to Mean(00:27:33) Why Your Foundation and Your Investment Portfolio Should Talk to Each Other(00:38:11) Hands Up Not Handouts: The Danger of Dependency(00:47:56) How Asian Families Think About Wealth, Succession, and Giving(00:54:57) Think Tanks vs Do Tanks: The Gap Between Intention and Action

This episode of the Lloyd's List podcast is brough to you by Veson. Visit www.veson.com for more information Open, closed, and now open again? Optimism that traffic might return to something resembling normality fairly quickly turned to uncertainty again as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard proclaimed the Strait of Hormuz closed on Saturday. It accused the US of not following its agreement and cited Israeli strikes on Lebanon as rationale for closing the strait again. How, as a shipowner, do you begin to decide whether to transit the strait or return to the Middle East Gulf? Will you have to pay a toll? What are investors making of the uncertainty? To answer those questions, Lloyd's List senior reporter Joshua Minchin was joined by: • Richard Meade, editor-in-chief, Lloyd's List • Cichen Shen, Asia Pacific editor, Lloyd's List • Tomer Raanan, maritime risk analyst, Lloyd's List

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Oil gave up early gains and Asian stocks climbed as investors welcomed signs of diplomatic progress between the US and Iran. "Encouraging progress has been made including the creation of a mechanism for further technical talks," mediators Qatar and Pakistan said in a joint statement. The sides also established a communication line to avoid incidents and miscalculation, with the aim of ensuring safe passage for commercial vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Technical-level discussions will continue this week. We speak to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus - for more on the market moves, Bloomberg TV hosts Yvonne Man and Avril Hong spoke to Cusson Leung, KGI International Wealth Management.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Cyber Uncut looks at the launch – and the blocking – of Anthropic's latest AI models, a raft of cyber attacks on Aussie organisations, and praises the Australian Federal Police for its work at home and abroad. AI giant Anthropic had a tough week recently. It launched its most advanced AI model yet, only to have the US government force it to block access. Cyber Daily's David Hollingworth and Daniel Croft work through what happened and its implications for organisations in the Asia-Pacific region. And it's been a tough week – a tough month, really, for cyber criminals targeting Australian entities, and even government bodies, both state and federal, were not immune. But it also seems some cyber criminals may have been exaggerating just a little bit. Find out what happened to the NSW government and the Australian Productivity Commission – and how it impacted Aussie journalists! Finally, the AFP has been very busy, assisting in an international takedown operation targeting vital criminal infrastructure and working with Five Eyes law enforcement agencies to combat organised cyber crime groups targeting vulnerable youth. Just another week in cyber security. Enjoy, The Cyber Uncut team

Mako Nishimura fought her way into the Japanese underworld, but drug addiction and the slow demise of organised crime gangs almost destroyed her By Sean Williams. Read by Ami Okumura Jones. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

She Asked Her CIO for a New Challenge at Lunch. Got a "Poison Chalice" Role. Flew to Japan in December 2019. Beat COVID by Three Weeks. PVH VP Shatabdi on Small Acts of Courage With Big Consequences. At a lunch with her CIO, she asked a simple question: "Is there a specific role where you need help? I'm ready to take a new challenge, even change my domain completely." The answer was an invitation to lead PVH's global SAP/ERP transformation across Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and North America. She had no team in Asia Pacific. She had less than two months to build one remotely from the United States. People in the room called it a poison chalice. She flew to Japan in December 2019, got the team in place, flew home in January 2020. COVID hit weeks later. She had made it by the skin of her teeth. That is one story. But Shatabdi, VP of Global Application Engineering Services at PVH Corp — home of Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein — believes the more important stories are the small ones. The under-60-second moments. The ones that most senior leaders stay quiet through. In this episode, she shares both kinds. You'll learn: A woman in a meeting quietly mentioned her son kept missing his classes because someone kept scheduling meetings after 5 PM. Shatabdi backed her up in under a minute. That intervention spread into a best practice across PVH's global time zones including Hong Kong and Bangalore. Why she credits a single direct ask at a CIO lunch for the entire trajectory of her VP career, and what she said that made the difference between getting an opportunity and being overlooked. How she heard people call her new role a "poison chalice" and responded by using their doubt as fuel: "If my leaders believe in me, I should believe in myself." What happened when a co-op intern named Christopher walked into her office and told her the access request process could be simplified to save significant man hours — and added that an AI solution could auto-fill the whole thing. She was amazed. She calls it reverse mentorship. The moment her longtime colleague Brian McGrath introduced her in a room by saying "if she's in the meeting, I know it's going to go positive" — and why that kind of public acknowledgment primes an entire room to actually listen to you. The "we vs. I" leadership model she uses: collaborative "we" language for collective goals, firm "I" language for deadlines and deliverables. And why learning when to use which one took her longer than developing either. How she structures team communication across three levels — broad town halls, staff meetings that start with "how's your family?", and one-on-ones where she opens up first about her own week — to build the kind of trust that makes honest feedback land well in both directions. About Shatabdi: Vice President of Global Application Engineering Services at PVH Corp, the fashion company behind Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein. Shatabdi leads a global team across North America, Europe, Hong Kong, and Bangalore. She previously led e-commerce at Hitachi Consulting and at PVH before pivoting into global ERP transformation leadership.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Asian stocks hovered near record highs in holiday-thinned trading as optimism that the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz will restore oil flows and curb inflation pressures buoyed risk appetite. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index was little changed after five straight days of gains, while the chip-heavy Kospi was the top performer in the region, jumping 2.6%. A gauge of the sector in the US surged more than 6% to an all-time high, led by Intel Corp., after President Donald Trump said the company would work with Apple Inc. to design and manufacture semiconductors in the country. We speak to Lianting Tu, Bloomberg's Managing Editor for Asia Equities. Plus - The US-Iran interim peace deal took effect and shipping started returning to the Strait of Hormuz as the US declared an end to its blockade and a complex negotiating period over Tehran's nuclear program began in earnest. US Vice President JD Vance told reporters Thursday at the White House that the 60-day clock for working out the contentious details in the so-called memorandum of understanding signed late Wednesday had started ticking. He downplayed concerns Iran could eventually impose tolls on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a move that would turn the crucial transport chokepoint — widely considered international waters — into a moneymaker for Tehran. Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn speaks to Jessie Moritz, Senior Lecturer in Political Economy -- ANU Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Leadership, I think it's really walking the talk." "I think it comes from within, being genuinely very interested in people." "You can't win every battle, and you're crazy if you try to." "Let's look at the spirit of what they're trying to achieve." "To be successful in Japan, I think you have to be patient." Campbell Hanley is the Managing Director of Weber Shandwick Japan, one of Japan's longest-established international public relations and communications agencies. Originally from Torquay near Melbourne, Australia, he came to Japan in 1992 after deciding to live in a non-English-speaking country and develop international experience outside Australia. His career in Japan has moved across public relations, journalism, content marketing, advertising, digital communications and agency leadership. Hanley began in a small PR company, moved into marketing and digital work, and then became a staff writer for the Mainichi Daily News. He also worked on special projects for Fortune and Time magazine, developing an editorial perspective that later became central to his communications career. Before joining Weber Shandwick Japan, he worked in a major American advertising company, initially as managing editor of a content marketing business and later in international advertising sales and digital marketing. At Weber Shandwick Japan, he was originally hired to build a content marketing unit but soon took on broader business, digital and leadership responsibilities. His career reflects the adaptability required to succeed in Japan: learning the language, understanding local business expectations, building credibility over time and translating global ideas into practical Japanese-market solutions. Campbell Hanley's leadership journey in Japan began long before he became Managing Director of Weber Shandwick Japan. Arriving in 1992 from Australia, he did not come with a grand corporate plan or a fixed career pathway. He simply wanted to live in a country where English was not the dominant language and experience a society very different from the relatively homogeneous environment in which he had grown up near Melbourne. Japan became that destination. What began as a one-year overseas experience developed into a decades-long career across public relations, journalism, advertising, content marketing, digital media and leadership. Hanley's career progression is a useful example for foreign professionals who build their lives in Japan not through a single breakthrough, but through accumulated credibility, language ability, adaptability and a willingness to learn from every role. His early work in a small PR company gave him an introduction to communications. A subsequent role in marketing exposed him to digital work at a time when digital communications meant something very different from today's social media, AI platforms and always-on content ecosystems. Later, he joined the Mainichi Daily News as a staff writer during a period when traditional media organisations were adjusting to digital distribution. That journalism experience became a defining advantage. It taught him to think like an editor rather than simply like a promoter. He learned to distinguish between a genuine story and what he describes as propaganda. That distinction became central to his later work in content marketing and public relations. Clients may want to tell the market everything about themselves, but audiences, journalists, customers and stakeholders only respond when the story is relevant, credible and useful. Hanley later joined a major American advertising company, where he became managing editor of a content marketing operation. It was his first meaningful leadership experience, managing a team of editors and content specialists. He discovered that leading experienced writers required more than formal authority. Editors see their writing as craftsmanship. They have opinions, pride and professional standards. Trying to win every argument would damage motivation and reduce the team's willingness to contribute ideas. The answer was negotiation. Leaders need clear standards, client requirements and editorial principles, but they also need flexibility. Hanley learned that credibility comes from explaining why something should change, listening to experienced contributors and recognising that good leadership does not require winning every battle. At Weber Shandwick Japan, he initially joined to lead a newly formed content marketing division. The intended leadership structure was meant to include a business leader, a digital leader and an editorial leader. Instead, the business leader moved into another area of the organisation and the digital leader never arrived. Hanley found himself managing the editorial, business and digital dimensions of the operation at the same time. That intense period gave him a much wider view of leadership. He had to understand profit and loss responsibility, client needs, digital platforms, team capability and the internal politics of integrating new services into a traditional PR organisation. He later moved into the core Weber Shandwick Japan business, working to embed digital communications throughout the agency rather than treating it as a separate specialist division. His approach was practical. Rather than forcing every team to adopt new digital services at once, he found allies. He worked with colleagues who were curious, receptive and ready to experiment. Together, they met clients, developed communications ideas and used examples from Weber Shandwick's global network to show what was possible. This approach recognised a key truth about Japan. A global campaign may work in the United States, Europe or another Asia-Pacific market, but that does not guarantee success in Japan. The core idea may be relevant, but the delivery needs localisation. Japanese stakeholders need to understand the purpose, feel ownership and have confidence that the programme reflects their market reality. In that sense, digital transformation is not just about technology. It is also about nemawashi, trust-building, internal consensus and creating the conditions for people to support change. As Managing Director, Hanley places strong emphasis on engagement, consistency and psychological safety. He believes employees can sense whether leadership interest is genuine or manipulative. Employees are unlikely to become engaged simply because their employer launches an engagement initiative, an employee survey or a new corporate value statement. Engagement is built over time through repeated behaviour. Hanley's practice of meeting one employee each week over breakfast or lunch is a small but important example. These conversations have no rigid agenda. They are designed to understand how people are doing, what they are seeing and what may be happening beneath the surface of formal reporting lines. In Japan, where employees may hesitate to bring bad news to senior leaders, those informal conversations can help surface problems earlier. He also recognises that approachability is relative. A leader may believe that they are open and accessible, yet employees may still struggle to raise difficult issues face-to-face. One colleague who appeared calm during a discussion later sent a detailed and emotional email. That experience reinforced the importance of offering multiple channels for communication. Hanley's broader leadership lesson is simple but demanding: leadership in Japan requires patience. Executives who arrive with aggressive turnaround plans, fixed KPIs and a desire to make immediate changes can easily misread the organisation. Sustainable success comes from learning the landscape, identifying trusted partners, listening to quieter high performers and allowing relationships to develop over time. For Hanley, leadership is not about issuing instructions from above. It is walking the talk, creating clarity, modelling the values expected from others and building an environment where people can contribute honestly, creatively and confidently. Q&A Summary What makes leadership in Japan unique? Leadership in Japan is unique because progress often depends on trust, relationships, consensus and careful internal alignment rather than visible executive force. Foreign leaders can underestimate the role of nemawashi, the informal process of building support before a decision becomes official. They may focus on the formal meeting, the ringi-sho approval or the announcement, without recognising that much of the real decision-making has already happened through conversations behind the scenes. Japanese employees may also be more cautious about challenging senior leaders directly, especially in formal settings. That does not mean they lack ideas or commitment. It means leaders need to create multiple ways for people to contribute. Informal meetings, regular one-to-ones, anonymous suggestion systems and consistent follow-up can all help reduce the distance between senior management and the broader organisation. The leadership challenge is not to become passive or avoid difficult decisions. It is to understand that change is more sustainable when people feel included in the process. In Japan, consensus is not simply about avoiding conflict. It is often a method for reducing implementation risk. Why do global executives struggle? Global executives often struggle in Japan when they assume that a successful strategy from another market can be transferred without adaptation. A campaign, operating model or leadership style that works in the United States, Europe or Singapore may not receive the same level of buy-in in Japan. Hanley's experience in communications shows that global programmes often fail not because the original idea is poor, but because Japanese stakeholders do not feel ownership over the delivery. Global headquarters may see a campaign as proven and scalable. The Japan team may see it as culturally disconnected, commercially unrealistic or difficult to execute with local customers, media and employees. Executives also struggle when they become too focused on avoiding offence. Cultural sensitivity is important, but excessive caution can weaken decision intelligence. Leaders need to trust their judgement, while also seeking strong local counsel to identify blind spots. The best approach is not blind confidence or excessive deference. It is a balance between clear leadership instincts, local insight and evidence-based adaptation. Is Japan truly risk-averse? Japan is often described as risk-averse, but the more accurate issue is uncertainty avoidance. Japanese organisations may be reluctant to move quickly when the consequences, stakeholder reactions or implementation details are unclear. That is different from being unwilling to innovate. Hanley's career in digital communications shows that Japanese organisations can embrace change when the purpose is clear, the risks are understood and trusted people are involved in shaping the solution. Innovation often needs more explanation, more examples and more internal preparation than it might in a startup environment or a fast-moving Western market. This is why leaders should not interpret slow initial movement as resistance. Sometimes the organisation is asking for more clarity. What is the business case? Who will support the initiative? How will it affect customers? What are the risks? What happens if it fails? Who is accountable? The most effective leaders reduce uncertainty without eliminating ambition. They use pilots, local case studies, customer feedback, internal champions and phased implementation. They do not merely tell people to be more innovative. They create conditions in which innovation feels credible and safe. What leadership style actually works? A leadership style that works in Japan combines clarity, consistency, respect and follow-through. Hanley places particular importance on authenticity. Employees observe whether a leader behaves consistently over time, whether they treat people fairly and whether they give feedback in a way that supports improvement rather than simply criticising performance. This is especially important in a culture where employees may be cautious about exposing problems or challenging the boss. A leader who only appears interested when there is a crisis will not create trust. A leader who takes time to understand people, recognises contribution, provides regular feedback and deals with issues fairly is more likely to earn confidence. Hanley's approach also reflects servant leadership. He does not wait for employees to bring every issue to him. He asks questions, checks in regularly and works to identify problems before deadlines make them unmanageable. This is not micro-management. It is active leadership. The key is to combine high expectations with human connection. Employees need to understand what success looks like, but they also need to believe that the leader wants them to succeed. How can technology help? Technology can help leadership when it improves access to information, encourages ideas and reduces the barriers that stop people from speaking openly. Hanley's use of an anonymous digital suggestion platform is a good example. The system allowed employees to submit ideas in Japanese or English without fear that their identity would be traced. The value of the tool was not only anonymity. It was also the message behind it. Employees saw that their suggestions were being read, considered and treated constructively. Technology can create channels, but leadership determines whether those channels are trusted. In communications, technology also expands the range of ways organisations can engage customers and stakeholders. Paid, owned, earned and shared media require different approaches. Companies need to think beyond advertising and consider how websites, newsletters, events, journalists, influencers, employees and customers all contribute to reputation. Tools such as AI, analytics, digital twins and data platforms can improve decision-making, but they do not replace local judgement. Technology provides information. Leaders still need to interpret that information through the realities of customers, employees, Japanese business culture and organisational capability. Does language proficiency matter? Language proficiency matters because it signals commitment, builds trust and allows leaders to hear what is not being said. Hanley's Japanese ability helped him establish credibility early in his career. It showed colleagues that he had invested time and effort in understanding Japan rather than treating the country as a temporary overseas posting. However, language alone does not determine leadership effectiveness. A foreign executive may not become fluent in Japanese, yet still lead successfully if they listen carefully, use capable interpreters and bilingual advisers, and create an environment where people can communicate in the way that works best for them. Hanley also highlights the importance of recognising quieter employees. In international companies, employees with stronger English skills or greater confidence in global communication can appear more visible than colleagues whose performance may actually be stronger. Leaders need to avoid rewarding only those who can speak most fluently in the leader's native language. The best leaders look beyond self-promotion. They listen for substance, observe results and create fair evaluation systems. What is the ultimate leadership lesson? The ultimate leadership lesson is patience. Hanley believes leaders need time to understand the organisation, build relationships, identify trusted partners and learn how decisions are really made. Rapid turnaround stories can be appealing, but in Japan, a leader who acts too quickly may damage trust before they have understood the full context. Patience does not mean delaying decisions indefinitely. It means learning enough before acting. It means recognising that a relationship with a client, employee, partner or internal stakeholder may take years to build but can create value for decades. Leadership in Japan is therefore a long-term practice. It is about walking the talk, showing consistency, respecting people, creating psychological safety and helping teams adapt global ideas to local realities. The strongest leaders do not merely manage tasks and KPIs. They create a culture in which people feel able to contribute, raise concerns, share ideas and take responsibility for the future of the business. Author Credentials Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" (2018, 2021) and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award (2012). As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across all leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programs, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers — Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery — along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have also been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう), and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā (現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). In addition to his books, Greg publishes daily blogs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, offering practical insights on leadership, communication, and Japanese business culture. He is also the host of six weekly podcasts, including The Leadership Japan Series, The Sales Japan Series, The Presentations Japan Series, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews. On YouTube, he produces three weekly shows — The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews — which have become leading resources for executives seeking strategies for success in Japan.

How is artificial intelligence changing the world of modern defence operations, cyber security and military decision making? In this episode of the Defence Connect Spotlight podcast, host Steve Kuper is joined by Palo Alto Networks' Tom Scully, director and principal architect for government and critical industries Asia-Pacific and Japan, and US Army Major General (Ret'd) John Davis, vice president of public sector. The discussion explores how AI is accelerating change across defence and cyber operations, from autonomous systems and edge computing through to intelligence, trust and decision making. Scully and Davis also examine the growing role of commercial innovation in national security and the need to secure AI-enabled capabilities from the outset. The podcast conversation includes the following topics: The growing use of AI, autonomy and edge computing in defence operations. How cyber threats are evolving through AI-enabled speed, scale and sophistication. Why governments are increasingly adopting commercial technology and industry innovation. The importance of identity, zero trust and secure AI-by-design frameworks. Challenges around trust, governance and human oversight in AI-enabled decision making. The role of public-private partnerships in strengthening cyber resilience. Finally, the conversation examines how defence leaders can prepare for the next generation of conflict while ensuring AI remains secure, trusted and operationally effective. Enjoy the podcast, The Defence Connect Spotlight team

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

224: Greek Roots, Global Flavors: Ted Pappas on Master Chef 16 Kiki goes behind the scenes of Master Chef with White Apron contestant Ted Pappas.  Enjoy a little storytelling, culture and the excitement of the competition. Today's Lexi:  Συνταγή – Syntagí – Recipe In Today's Episode: Chicagoan Ted Pappas has taken his culture and love of cooking in his personal kitchen to a whole new level.  This architect turned Home Cook has passed all the tests to get his white apron and compete on Season 16 of Fox's Master Chef. Let me share the description of Master Chef 16, officially titled Master Chef: Global Gauntlet. Twenty elite home cooks are featured in a World Cup-Inspired competition.  Contestants represent four global regions based on their heritage- the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia-Pacific- competing for the iconic trophy and a 250,000 grand prize.  Join me today as Greece and her food are spotlighted with Home Cook Ted Pappas competing in Master Chef Season 16.  GO TED!!!!!! Resources: Ted Pappas on Instagram (@teds_everyday_eats) Ted Pappas Competes in Front of Gordon Ramsey  Master Chef 16 Contestants Ted Pappas Competes on Master Chef 16  Gordon Ramsey on Instagram (@gordongram) Credits: Music: Spiro Dussias Vocals: Zabrina Hay Graphic Designer: Manos Koumparakis  

This week's special edition of the show was recorded live in front of a packed ballroom audience at the 2026 Travel + Leisure Luxury Summit Asia, at the Dusit Thani hotel in Bangkok. Gary and Hannah took to the stage for a three-part podcast. In part 1, we provide a short round-up of the travel and tourism year so far in South East Asia and beyond - and the outlook for the rest of 2026. We are then joined by Jeninne Lee-St John, Editor in Chief of Travel + Leisure South East Asia, Hong Kong and Macau, to discuss the origins of glamping, tented camps and outdoor lodging developments in remote natural spaces throughout the region. In part 3, Shyn-Yee Ho, Director of Horwath Asia & Director of the Asia Pacific Outdoor Lodging Association (APOLA), joins us to break down a brand new White Paper, entitled “How Asia Pacific is defining the future of luxury outdoor lodging”, that she produced especially for the conference. We cover a great deal of ground, looking at the growth, management and investment into outdoor lodging camps from Australia to Cambodia, Mongolia to Thailand and Indonesia to China, plus the US, Africa and India. A fascinating discussion that delves into the diversity of outdoor accommodation concepts and formats that already exist or are being planned and developed across Asia Pacific.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh vowed to restore price stability following his first policy meeting since taking the helm of the US central bank, after officials left interest rates unchanged and signaled growing support for rate hikes this year. "Persistently high prices are a burden for the American people, but the recent past need not be prologue," Warsh said in his debut press conference as chairman. Officials "are unambiguous and unanimous. This committee will deliver price stability." At the same time Warsh played down somewhat the projections from his colleagues showing nine officials foresee at least one quarter-point hike this year, with six anticipating at least two. Another nine expected no move or a cut. We speak to Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist for LPL Financial.. And for more analysis on the Fed's decision, Bloomberg TV host Avril Hong spoke to Homin Lee, Senior Macro Strategist at Lombard Odier.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Asia Pacific Report: Guest Farah Mourad by Radio Islam

What happens to all those leads marketing works so hard to generate? More often than not, they go cold. According to Nishi Seth, Industry & Solutions Marketing Lead for Google Cloud APAC, this isn't a niche problem. It's one of the most persistent challenges across B2B, regardless of company size or sophistication. In this episode, Shahin sits down with Nishi to unpack the real reasons leads stall between marketing and sales, from qualification gaps to missing context, and what it actually takes to fix them. Nishi shares battle-tested lessons from scaling Google Cloud's marketing-to-sales motion across APAC, including how AI is transforming BDR productivity right now. Guest Introduction Nishi Seth is the Industry & Solutions Marketing Lead for Google Cloud APAC at Google, with over 20 years of experience across cloud technology, financial services, and travel. She has held senior marketing roles at American Express and British Airways, and is a recognised B2B marketing leader across the Asia-Pacific region. Key Topics Why leads go cold: the two root causes (qualification gaps and context gaps) and why even the most sophisticated B2B organisations struggle with themThe three pillars of an optimised marketing-to-sales handover: lead quality, context, and a continuous review and feedback loopWhy BDRs are the critical bridge between marketing and sales, and how to assess whether your BDR function is actually workingHow MQL definitions should evolve over time: Google Cloud's journey from basic demographic scoring to 48+ real-time intent signals, including account-level qualificationWhat providing context to BDRs really means: enablement calls, campaign-specific opening scripts, and cadences tailored to how each lead engagedThe key metrics that reveal handover health: SAL acceptance rates, SAL-to-SQL conversion, number of outreach touches, and lead velocityHow AI is changing BDR productivity: using automation for low-intent lead follow-up, real-time AI assistants during live sales calls, and AI-powered account research at scaleNishi's rapid-fire take: "strong opinions, loosely held," using AI to boost your own marketing productivity, and why simplifying complexity in B2B is what excites her most Resources & Links Google Cloud — Nishi's base for all real-world examples discussed, from MQL definition evolution to AI-powered BDR toolingGoogle Gemini — Nishi's go-to research tool in place of following influencers; she also used it to prepare for this episode Contact & Credits Host: Shahin Hoda Guest: Nishi Seth Produced by: Shahin Hoda and Alexander Hipwell Edited by: Alexander Hipwell Music by: Breakmaster Cylinder APAC's B2B Growth Podcast is Presented by xGrowth

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Bonds advanced ahead of the Federal Reserve's policy decision, as a slide in oil prices to a three-month low helped ease concerns of a renewed inflation shock. Investors are also reassessing the global interest-rate outlook as the Fed meets for the first time under Chairman Kevin Warsh, with some expecting no changes this week and a shift in how the Fed communicates with markets. We speak to David Finnerty, Bloomberg's FX and Rates Strategist. Plus - the US and Iran are preparing to formally sign an interim peace deal that's left both sides claiming victory, with details of the accord still emerging and leaving many European governments, energy investors and shipping companies with reservations about how fast the Strait of Hormuz can return to pre-war conditions. Bloomberg TV Hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn spoke to Parash Jain, HSBC Global Head of Transport and Logistics Research about his outlook on shipping ahead of Hormuz reopening. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the latest episode of Skadden's global series on prudential solvency, host Robert Chaplin is joined by Skadden colleagues Stan Amoah and James Pickstock to examine the regulatory frameworks governing two of Asia Pacific's most prominent insurance markets, Hong Kong and Singapore. The discussion covers Hong Kong's transition to a three-pillar risk-based capital regime under the Insurance (Amendment) Ordinance 2023, the Greater Bay Area initiative, Hong Kong's ILS hub, Singapore's evolving RBC2 framework, the matching adjustment and market entry routes for foreign insurers, among other in-depth analysis.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

This edition of the All Options Considered podcast features a recording from the Bloomberg Volatility Forum held in Singapore on June 3. Bloomberg Intelligence's Alison Williams, head of global strategy, delivers opening remarks, followed by a keynote presentation from Chief Global Derivatives Strategist Tanvir Sandhu on multi-asset volatility strategy. The program also includes a panel discussion on derivatives markets featuring Oliver Chan, portfolio manager at Capula Investment Management; Stéphane Martin, APAC head of derivatives institutional sales at Optiver; and Ivan Nurminsky, portfolio manager at Dymon Asia. In addition, Diego Parrilla, chief investment officer at Quadriga Asset Managers, discusses “The Energy World Is Flat 2.0.” Both sessions are moderated by Lianting Tu, managing editor for Asia-Pacific equities at Bloomberg News. The All Options Considered podcast is part of BI's FICC Focus series. 

About Our Hosts Diana White has over 30 years in sales and retail experience, leading stores with revenues of over 10 million and a staff of 200. Consumer psychology, marketing, operations, and leadership are just a few of her skillsets. Seeing a need for startup and operations assistance within the local business community, Diana established D.E.W. Business Solutions, LLC, to provide consulting to small businesses. She obtained a Bachelor of Science in Small Business Administration from Northern Arizona University, holds a green belt in Lean Six Sigma, and is a certified Agile Scrum Master. She is committed to helping businesses and non-profits as well as the community at large. Siebe Van Der Zee is President of Vanderzee & Associates, Executive Search & Coaching. He has served as an international management consultant for over 25 years. For 28 years, Siebe has served as Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Arizona. He holds a Master's Degree in International Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and he is a current member of the International Leadership Council at GPEC (Greater Phoenix Economic Council). Robert Hossary has been involved in the not for profit/charity sector for the past 12 years. Robert also has an excellent knowledge in international business. Since 2011 - 2018, Robert was the General Manager for the American Chamber of Commerce in Australia (AmCham) and helped advise many Australian and US companies about their international expansion requirements. Prior to that, Robert was Regional Vice President for the Americas for a technology manufacturer. He has also worked in Taiwan with responsibility for Asia Pacific and the Middle East. With a background in Technology, Transport, Fashion and Healthcare, Robert has a wealth of experience to share. Episode notes: 00:00 Special - International Lessons 00:21 Introduction 02:33 Guests' International Backgrounds 08:04 Biggest Challenges Working Abroad 16:14 What Is Culture? 17:45 Accepting an International Position 21:29 Family Considerations 26:56 Being a Citizen of the World 30:04 Empathy Through Cross-Cultural Experience 36:22 How to Acclimate to a Dominant Culture 42:48 Final Advice & Takeaways

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific.Global stocks and bonds climbed on Monday as the US-Iran deal spurred a decline in oil prices and raised hopes that the war that has jolted markets since the end of February may be close to an end. Investors continue to monitor developments in the Middle East, watching for signs whether shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is returning to normal and assessing if the peace accord will hold. We spoke to Stephen Stapczynski, Asia Energy Team Leader for Bloomberg News. Plus for the market reaction in the Asia Pacific, Bloomberg TV hosts David Ingles and Yvonne Man spoke to Tai Hui, JPMorgan Asset Management APAC Chief StrategistSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

“HYROX is just a trend.”“It'll die out like every other fitness craze.”We asked the Managing Director of HYROX APAC directly: Is this sustainable, or just hype?Gary Wan shares the long-term strategy behind building HYROX as a legitimate global sport, not just another event series.From grassroots youth racing to Olympic ambitions… the vision is much bigger than most people realize.What You'll Hear:- Why HYROX isn't built like a typical fitness trend- ⁠The 3 pillars keeping the sport growing long-term- ⁠The importance of elite athletes & hero figures- ⁠The plan for youth & grassroots development- ⁠Why professional production matters- ⁠The roadmap toward Olympic recognition- ⁠Why community is the true growth engineHYROX isn't just growing. It's building something global.And this episode shows you exactly how.If you enjoyed this conversation, share it with someone chasing big goals, and don't forget to hit subscribe so you never miss what's next.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Stocks rallied, oil slumped and the dollar fell after the US and Iran said they had reached a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz will be "opening" on Friday upon the signing of the deal with Iran, President Trump said in a post on Truth Social. The deal announcement came first from Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and was followed by Trump and Iranian state media. Neither side released the text of the deal but the broad contours had circulated for days. We spoke to Paul Dobson, Bloomberg's Executive Editor for Asia Markets. Plus for more on the US-Iran's peace agreement, Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn spoke to William Roebuck, executive vice president of the Arab Gulf States Institute.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As new settlers clear their forest habitat, the apes are coming into conflict with humans. But simply moving them to another part of the forest may not be the answer By Sally Williams. Read by Saskia Reeves. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/longreadpod

Asia infrastructure investing is becoming central to the global energy transition as rising demand, energy security concerns, and the need for more resilient systems accelerate capital deployment across the region. In Southeast Asia, the opportunity is not only about replacing old systems, but building new infrastructure at scale for a growing economy.In this episode of The Bid, host Oscar Pulido speaks live from Ecosperity in Singapore with Salim Samaha, Global Head of Energy at Global Infrastructure Partners, a part of BlackRock, and Heidi Yip, Head of Sustainable and Transition Solutions for Asia Pacific at BlackRock. Together, they discuss how the infrastructure opportunity is evolving globally, why Asia's transition differs from Western markets, and where investors are seeing momentum across renewables, grids, storage, and system flexibility. Key insights include:· How Asia's infrastructure build-out differs from Western markets· Why energy security is becoming inseparable from the energy transition· Where capital is flowing across renewables, grids, storage, and interconnection· How public-private partnerships can help mobilize transition finance· Why execution bottlenecks, permitting, and offtake frameworks remain critical· Where AI, innovation, and rising demand may reshape future infrastructure needsKey moments:00:00 Asia Infrastructure Boom01:06 Live From EcoSperity03:16 Energy Transition Now04:20 Southeast Asia Grid Challenge06:43 West vs Asia Reality Check08:58 How APAC Investors Deploy Capital11:26 Scaling Projects and Labor Crunch13:17 Where Capital Flows and Bottlenecks15:13 Five Year Outlook and Innovation17:23 Wrap Up and Disclosures

Asia infrastructure investing is becoming central to the global energy transition as rising demand, energy security concerns, and the need for more resilient systems accelerate capital deployment across the region. In Southeast Asia, the opportunity is not only about replacing old systems, but building new infrastructure at scale for a growing economy.In this episode of The Bid, host Oscar Pulido speaks live from Ecosperity in Singapore with Salim Samaha, Global Head of Energy at Global Infrastructure Partners, a part of BlackRock, and Heidi Yip, Head of Sustainable and Transition Solutions for Asia Pacific at BlackRock. Together, they discuss how the infrastructure opportunity is evolving globally, why Asia's transition differs from Western markets, and where investors are seeing momentum across renewables, grids, storage, and system flexibility. Key insights include:· How Asia's infrastructure build-out differs from Western markets· Why energy security is becoming inseparable from the energy transition· Where capital is flowing across renewables, grids, storage, and interconnection· How public-private partnerships can help mobilize transition finance· Why execution bottlenecks, permitting, and offtake frameworks remain critical· Where AI, innovation, and rising demand may reshape future infrastructure needsKey moments:00:00 Asia Infrastructure Boom01:06 Live From EcoSperity03:16 Energy Transition Now04:20 Southeast Asia Grid Challenge06:43 West vs Asia Reality Check08:58 How APAC Investors Deploy Capital11:26 Scaling Projects and Labor Crunch13:17 Where Capital Flows and Bottlenecks15:13 Five Year Outlook and Innovation17:23 Wrap Up and Disclosures

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Gavin landed back in Australia just the day before recording, and he and Ken settle in for a full debrief on WDC 2026 in Athens. From the venues and the social activities to all four of Gavin's games and the top board, this one covers it all. Intro Ken sets up the episode – this one is going to be almost entirely about WDC 2026 Athens, because Gavin was there and has only just landed back in Australia (as at the time of recording) (15 secs) He notes the DBN coverage gave a strong account of the boards and Ed's player interviews, but plenty of the magic from Spyros Dovas and his organising team didn't make it to the stream (45 secs) Drinks are introduced: Ken is on one of his home-brew lagers with a kick, and Gavin is working through a leftover Sicilian Nero d'Avola that has turned a little sour – a fitting metaphor, he suggests, for how his first round went (1 min 45 secs) The tournament in aggregate Ken asks Gavin to give a broad overview – location, numbers, facilities, atmosphere (2 mins 45 secs) Around 106 players registered, though some didn't show due to last-minute issues. Approximately 5 Australian players couldn't attend because their original flights were routed through the Middle East (3 mins 30 secs) The geopolitical context: as of recording, the Middle East airspace situation was in week nine of its shutdown, forcing Australian travellers to reroute via Singapore, Hong Kong, or Malaysia. Some also baulked at the US transit option due to the documentation requirements (4 mins 30 secs) Despite the drop-outs, the turnout was excellent and genuinely representative – a heavy European component split between the UK and the rest of Europe, a strong French contingent, players from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland, and Norway, a good number of Americans and a couple of Canadians (including Chris Brand), around 10 Australians, and a couple of Kiwis (Dominick Stephens and Craig Purcell). The local Greek contingent, given the Athens club had only been running for about 18 months, was especially impressive (3 mins 30 secs) Tournament format: three regular rounds followed by a fourth round of tiered top boards. Rather than a single top board, the format featured seven simultaneous top boards – the top 7 players went to the premier board, players 8–14 played the second tier, 15–21 the third, and so on down through the field. Crucially, players who volunteered to sit out for round four to help with numbers kept their ranking position (7 mins) Ken and Gavin discuss how the tiered format means the fourth round is never a dead rubber – every board is still competing for something meaningful (8 mins 15 secs) Discussion of the central clock arrangement: effectively federation-based rather than a literal single clock, with the two main venues coordinating their start times by communication (9 mins 30 secs) The venues The main venue was the upstairs function space of a beachside restaurant operation – excellent location right on the waterfront, but somewhat cramped for negotiations once all the boards were in (9 mins 45 secs) As a result, boards were redistributed to the secondary venue: the Anchor bar, about 150–200 metres down the road. Gavin played two games in each location and considered the Anchor the better play space – more open, well ventilated, and with a large covered outdoor area next to a (drained) pool (11 mins) The colour-coded sash system made it easy to identify players by country but created the amusing challenge of locating your specific Italy in a room full of Italys from different boards (13 mins) The third venue – an outdoor shaded area – was reserved for the premier top board. Unlike Milan's car park, this one had good shade and plenty of room for spectators around the giant shadow board (13 mins 30 secs) Pre-tournament social activities Gavin outlines the structure: you could do as much or as little as you liked. He landed well due to a useful 5.5-hour Singapore layover that helped reset his body clock, and flew over on the same flight as tournament director Jamal Blakkarly (16 mins) They were met at Athens airport by Spyros, his wife, and daughter, who drove them to breakfast at a beautiful harbour-side restaurant in one of the small inlet bays east of Piraeus (18 mins 15 secs) Pre-tournament island stay: Gavin spent two days on Serifos, the island Spyros recommended and which has personal significance to his family (his grandfather was christened there). Spyros provided a detailed Google Map of the best spots. With the tourist season barely starting, Gavin got excellent last-minute accommodation at a family-run hotel and had the beaches almost entirely to himself (18 mins 45 secs) The island was so off-season that locals were literally still painting their furniture and kerbs in preparation. Gavin did the recommended hikes and swims, and the hotel gifted him a dry-bag left behind by a previous guest (20 mins 30 secs) Back in Athens overnight, Gavin caught up with a multinational squad of players including Shane, Brandon, Max, Zoe, Justin Law, Bradley Grace, and Karthik. They had dinner at an Italian restaurant with the Acropolis lit up above them (22 mins 30 secs) Hydra day trip (Wednesday): players caught the fast ferry from Piraeus out to Hydra (about 1.5 hrs). The island has a refined Venetian-Greek port feel, with rustic paths and rock beaches beyond. The group visited the Museum of the 1821 Greek Revolution, full of local history and artefacts. Gavin wore one of his Diplomacy shirts and ended up being an ambassador for the hobby to an American grandmother and her debate-champion granddaughter from North Carolina – and pointed them towards David Hood and the local hobby there (24 mins 15 secs) The water temperature at the beach was about 4–5 degrees colder than Australia, which meant the Europeans loved it and Gavin did not go in (26 mins 30 secs) Acropolis and Athens tour (Thursday): guided tour of the Acropolis by what Spyros described as the best guides operating there, followed by a walk through the Plaka and past the Panathenaic Stadium (venue of the first modern Olympics in 1896), then a seafood lunch at a beautiful harbourside restaurant (30 mins) Temple of Poseidon (Thursday evening): the most popular activity – the bus was packed. About halfway there, Spyros took everyone on an unannounced detour to a beach bar where they had the place to themselves, a wonderful surprise. The Temple itself sits on a peninsula with 270-degree sea views. Spyros told the story of how the Aegean got its name from that location, and a huge group photo was taken (31 mins 15 secs) Tournament production values Gavin describes the production as setting new high-water marks for tournament organisation – high enough that the Chicago 2027 organising team would be wondering how to match it. Every player had a colour-coded sash matching their country, a branded WDC Athens notepad in their country colour, and a matching pen for every round (33 mins) The awards were 3D-printed Greek god statues for the podium finishers, complemented by a full suite of themed awards for the top players in each country and for notable gameplay (34 min) Special awards included: the Ajax Award for 8th place overall (the brilliant fighter who just missed out); the Archimedes Award for the most innovative play; the Leonidas Award for the player who fought on against insurmountable odds; and professionally screen-printed awards for best performance as each of the seven Great Powers (35 mins 45 secs) Gavin's games Round 1 – France – Board: Agkystri (View game) Gavin introduces his first game and the board composition: he played France, with Danae Stamataki (Austria-Hungary, local Greek player who topped the board on 10 supply centres and won best Austria), Sabrina Ahuja "Sabi" as England, Brian Ecton as Germany, Jean-Louis Delattre as Italy, Teo Ananiadis as Russia, and Frank Oosterom from the Netherlands as Turkey (37 mins 15 secs) The plan was a Western Triple working with England and Germany, with the goal of neutralising a strong-looking Italy early. It didn't come together as intended (37 mins 45 secs) The infamous mis-order: Gavin had two builds and intended fleet Brest plus a second build. Instead he built fleet Brest and placed the build directly in MAO, effectively waiving his second build. The DBN commentators interpreted this as a genius strategic waive; Ken's interpretation was somewhat more grounded. Gavin confirms Ken was correct (39 mins) The other players on the board didn't share DBN's generous reading of the situation. Germany immediately moved into Burgundy and kept flipping between fronts as his position allowed. Italy kept pressing France throughout. Gavin found himself squeezed down to a single unit in the English Channel (40 mins 30 secs) Final turn plan: England agreed to convoy an army across to Picardy to support Gavin back into Brest. Instead, Sabi walked into an open Paris. Gavin ended the game with zero supply centres and was eliminated (42 mins 15 secs) Gavin notes he made his disappointment known professionally, and that he subsequently had a drink with Sabi – but not that night (44 mins 15 secs) Round 2 – England – Board: Lemnos Not covered by DBN. Gavin played England; the board included Dominick Stephens (New Zealand) as Germany, Chris Brand (Canada) as Russia, Ruben Sanchez as Italy, Roberto Perego (Italy) as France, Robert Schuppe as Turkey, and Anastasia "Nastja" Styles as Austria-Hungary (46 mins) The plan was a Northern Alliance of England, Germany, and Russia. It unravelled immediately when Chris opened Moscow to Livonia and Dominick interpreted it as aggressive – resulting in a Germany-Russia war from the outset (46 mins 15 secs) Gavin adapted: knowing Germany was occupied in the east, he gave Russia some space and opened into Belgium, with Dominick and Chris both honouring his request to take Norway unopposed via fleet (46 mins 45 secs) Dominick and Gavin worked to grind down Roberto Perego's France, who ground out a hard-fought game staying alive on 2 centres. Ruben Sanchez's Italy played a deft game, flipping between alliances with Turkey and Austria (49 mins 15 secs) Dominick topped the board on 10; Ruben came in at 9; Gavin finished at 7. The game was meant to run to 1909 but drew earlier when the position stabilised. Gavin reflects he may have drawn too early, with both Dominick and Ruben suggesting he had room to push for another two centres (50 mins) Round 3 – Germany – Board: Symi (View game) Gavin played Germany. The board included Shane Armstrong (Australia) as France, Mikalis Kamaritis as Italy, Alex Maslow (USA) as Russia, Steven Hogue (USA) as Austria, Alex Lebedev (Russia) as England, and Jack Johns as Turkey (51 mins 15 secs) The strategic context: only Mikalis Kamaritis and Alex Lebedev were realistically in contention for the top board from this game. Shane and Gavin identified this early and committed to supporting the player they believed deserved to be there (52 mins 45 secs) Shane and Gavin opened with a Sealion against England, while Gavin also walked a careful line with Alex Lebedev, who initially felt more threatened by France than Germany. Austria was eliminated in 1903, and England in 1904 (53 mins 45 secs) A notable moment: Gavin slipped an army from the North Sea into an unoccupied London – a move he acknowledged was unnecessary, created friction with Alex Lebedev, and which he would not make again. He apologised on the day (56 mins 15 secs) Mikalis told Gavin and Shane to wait until 1905 – and delivered. He launched from his eastern position, took two dots off Russia and one off Turkey in a single year, then steamrolled from there. Alex Maslow was a strong and enjoyable player who nearly flipped the alliance but ultimately couldn't (56 mins 15 secs) The game agreed to a draw of 10-10-14 (Shane-Gavin-Mikalis), which the three felt would get Mikalis comfortably onto the top board. In the final adjudication Mikalis took one extra dot away from Shane, making the final scores 15-10-9 (58 mins 15 secs) Round 4 – Austria – Board: Myconos (View game) Gavin made it onto the fourth round, placed into the 6th top board. The board featured Shane Armstrong again as Turkey, Emmett Wainwright as England, Patrick Jacobson as France, Nathan Lester as Germany, Cameron Taylor as Italy, and Richard Bolton as Russia (59 mins 30 secs) The standout introduction: Nathan Lester, son of Dan Lester (who Gavin played against at Bangkok WDC). Same voice, same playing style, same persuasive meta-game arguments – but with a mullet and dressed like he's in an 80s rock video, and without the beard-stroking (1 hr 0 mins 45 secs) Gavin and Shane, having just played together in Round 3, ended up as Austria and Turkey respectively – not a natural alliance. Gavin didn't trust it but it held. Italy and France both kept fighting hard throughout (59 mins 45 secs) The game drew in 1906, with Shane and Emmett both finishing on 8, Gavin on 6 as Austria. Everyone then rushed across the road to watch the top board (1 hr 3 mins 45 secs) The top board Ken asks about Mikalis's diplomatic style. Gavin: exceptional situational awareness, communicates clearly and directly, asked and answered the "what do you want from this game?" question in a way that built immediate trust, and was good to his word on timing (1 hr 4 mins) Gavin arrived at the top board mid-1906 (his own game had just drawn). The top board was played outdoors under a well-shaded tree with plenty of room for negotiations, guarded by two or three people ensuring other players and passing members of the public couldn't crowd the board (1 hr 5 mins) The giant shadow board: a massive life-size replica board was set up nearby so all spectators could follow the game without approaching the real board. Andrew Goff read out the orders and the shadow board was updated after each adjudication – the same setup used at Milan WDC (1 hr 7 mins 45 secs) When Gavin arrived, he felt Bradley Grace had the game. The shift came late – Mikalis made a decisive move in the endgame that separated him from a closely matched France/Germany contest (1 hr 9 mins) Congratulations to Mikalis Kamaritis – well deserved, Gavin says. And to Bradley Grace: so close, but it will happen (1 hr 9 mins) The awards ceremony included Mikalis receiving both the championship belt and a traditional olive laurel wreath – a detail that was not captured in the DBN stream. Ken flags this as something future broadcasts should consider covering (1 hr 11 mins 15 secs) A Best Shane Cubis Award was also created – won by a Greek player who loudly lobbied Spyros for an award on the basis of how much he'd helped out. An AI-generated image of Shane Cubis in 1901 attire featured on the award, to the complete bafflement of the European and American contingents (1 hr 12 mins 50 secs) Game hobby and future WDCs The Chicago Windy City Weasels delivered a presentation promoting WDC 2027, enthusiastically received by the assembled players (1 hr 13 mins 15 secs) The 2028 bid: Melbourne was the only bid, and it was unanimously approved. Andrew Goff (Goffy) presented it. WDC 2028 Melbourne will be held at the MCG – the Melbourne Cricket Ground – with the conference rooms used for regular play, and the premier top board played on the MCG wicket itself. The countdown timer will run on the MCG scoreboard. Notionally scheduled for the last weekend of February 2028 – the weekend after the Formula One Grand Prix and the weekend before the first AFL round (1 hr 14 mins 30 secs) For international context: roughly equivalent to playing at Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, the Camp Nou, or Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena. English players will recognise the MCG as where English cricket hopes traditionally come to die (1 hr 15 mins 15 secs) Also at the game hobby: a unanimous vote to amend and modernise the WDC charter, which dates from around 2000–2001 and doesn't reflect current online play, email communication, or the organisational structures of the Asia-Pacific and European hobbies. Four representatives (from NADF, the Asia-Pacific Diplomacy Association, and the European and UK hobbies) will draft amendments to be presented at WDC 2027 Chicago, with ratification at WDC 2028 Melbourne (1 hr 18 mins) Wrap up Gavin acknowledges the full organising effort: approximately 10 people working behind the scenes alongside Spyros and Jamal to make everything run. The Greek hobby and Athens Diplomacy Club can be enormously proud (1 hr 20 mins 30 secs) The Armistice Party: held between rounds three and four in the venue near the pool area. A DJ with a custom app allowed all attending players to nominate up to 10 songs each, with the crowd then voting in real time from four options for what came next. Gavin describes it as stunningly well thought through (1 hr 22 mins) Ken summarises: meticulously planned, wonderful venue, brilliant location, great games, fantastic people. Gavin: you got it in one. Thank you to Spyros, Jamal, and everyone they played with (1 hr 23 mins) Addendum – recorded one week later Ken and Gavin explain the addendum: a few things were either forgotten or lost in the original recording, so they've caught up a week later to cover them (1 hr 25 mins 45 secs) The Cane Toad The Cane Toad tournament will not run in 2026 – Gavin has made the decision to rest it for the year and bring it back bigger and better in 2027 (1 hr 26 mins 30 secs) Reasons: Gavin no longer lives in Brisbane where the tournament has historically been based, and several attempts to get a local game going have been completely unsuccessful. He feels it would be unfair to interstate players to travel to Queensland only to play mostly other interstate players rather than a meaningful proportion of locals (1 hr 27 mins 30 secs) He also flags cost-of-living pressures and fuel costs as factors, noting that the fuel excise which had been removed is about to be reinstated (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Ken and Gavin have a brief riff on whether cane toads actually hibernate, and whether the tournament might one day move to a different Queensland location (1 hr 28 mins 45 secs) Gavin shares a long-held dream of running the Cane Toad on the beach under a sun-safe setup. Council regulations require public liability insurance – but the Asia Pacific Diplomacy Association is in the process of organising exactly that for tournament directors, which may open the door in future (1 hr 29 mins 15 secs) Tournament news The Sydney Cup is on the weekend of 4–5 July. Gavin would love to go but has used up his diplomacy credits between Greece and starting a new job – it'll have to stay in the bank for now (1 hr 30 mins 45 secs) A New Zealand tournament is being discussed for the week before WDC 2028 Melbourne (late February 2028). Three New Zealand players who attended WDC 2026 in Athens have flagged interest in hosting something, on the logic that if you're travelling all the way from Europe or the US, a short hop across the Tasman to New Zealand is well worth building into the itinerary (1 hr 32 mins) Ken enthusiastically endorses the idea and encourages anyone planning for WDC 2028 Melbourne to factor in a week in New Zealand beforehand (1 hr 33 mins 30 secs) Challenge for next episode Over his birthday lunch, Gavin's son surprised him with an accurate recall of his WDC result. This leads Gavin to issue a challenge for the next episode: both Ken and Gavin will do some homework and come back with three or four online diplomacy resources that people may not know about, to raise awareness of what the community has put together over the years (1 hr 34 mins 45 secs) Around the grounds VDiplomacy gets an introduction for any listeners who aren't familiar: a sibling platform to WebDiplomacy, it hosts classic games but is particularly known for its range of variants (1 hr 36 mins 30 secs) The Dionysus Reimagined game recap – the ancient Greece variant Ken and Gavin set up in the lead-up to WDC Athens. Ken soloed, eliminating Gavin in the final year. Gavin notes that technically his last dot was taken so late that his result registers as a survive rather than an elimination (1 hr 38 mins 45 secs) Gavin played Athens and found himself defending on all fronts from early on: Sparta (who built only armies and had nowhere to go but north), the Macedonians pressing from the north, Byzantium late in the game, and Rhodes. Ken played Byzantium and credits his early token luck as a key advantage, picking up all his bid supply centres including one he expected to bounce – giving him fleet dominance in the Aegean from the start (1 hr 40 mins) The bid mechanics are recapped for any listeners unfamiliar with the variant: each player has 4 tokens to bid on non-core supply centres; outbid or bounce and you don't get the build. Ken's fortunate opening bids gave him a decisive early position (1 hr 40 mins 30 secs) A practical tip for vDiplomacy players: always open the large map after adjudication. The small map can omit orders that didn't go through, making moves look different from what was actually played. Ken noted several instances in the Dionysus game where support orders that failed simply weren't visible on the small map (1 hr 45 mins 45 secs) Ken congratulates himself on the win and notes the ratings gap between the two has now closed to around 100 points (1 hr 47 mins 30 secs) New game announced: Gavin has set up a Pirates game titled Ahoy Mateys on vDiplomacy. Gunboat, 2-day 2-hour phase length. Ken explains the extra 2 hours: it gradually shifts the adjudication time back toward Australian time zones in games where everyone readies up early (1 hr 48 mins) Pirates variant overview: a 13-player variant set in the golden age of piracy in the Caribbean, created by Gavin in collaboration with Ollie (the vDiplomacy site administrator). The 13 players are broken into three factions (1 hr 51 mins 45 secs): Europeans – Spain, England, France, and Holland, who nominally control supply centres across the map but must capture them to make them count Pirates – five pirates, four historical (Montbas, Brasiliano, de la Cueva, and Johnson) and one fictitious: El Guapo, borrowed from the movie The Three Amigos Privateers – one per European power, operating as private navies with letters patent. They can attack anyone except their sponsoring power (and vice versa). The Dunkirkers serve Spain, Henry Morgan serves England, François Le Jones serves France, and the Rocherson serves Holland Unit rules: all units are fleets, but there are two types – Clippers (move up to two spaces, standard attack strength) and Frigates (move one space, attack at 1.5x strength). A single clipper cannot defend against an attacking frigate, but a clipper supported by another clipper can. Five marked spots on the board allow transformation between unit types (1 hr 57 mins 45 secs) Special rules: a voodoo witch's hut in Cuba allows a fleet on the north coast to teleport to the south coast and vice versa. And a 14th non-playing character – a Hurricane – spins up each storm season in a random sea territory, moves randomly in the fall turn, and destroys anything in its path with an effectively unstoppable attack strength, also resetting any supply centre it passes through to neutral (1 hr 59 mins) Ken commits to reading the full rules before play begins, notes Pirates has a genuine following on vDiplomacy with games regularly in progress, and suspects he may get slaughtered (2 hr 1 min 15 secs) Gavin and Ken wrap up the show (2 hr 2 mins 15 secs) Venue: At home Drinks for the interview: Ken: One of his home brews – a lager with a bit of a kick Gavin: A Baliamo Nero d'Avola from Sicily – opened two weeks prior, which he noted had become a little sour and bitter compared to its fresh opening, much like his first round at the tournament Just a reminder you can support the show by giving it 5 stars on iTunes or Stitcher. And don't forget if you want to help pay off the audio equipment… or get the guys more drunk, you can also donate at Patreon, plus you get extra podcast episodes! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe so you get the latest Diplomacy Games episodes straight to your phone. Thanks as always to Dr Dan aka "The General" for his rockin' intro tune.

Business and finance news from the Asia-Pacific. Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda's hospitalization is generating uncertainty among investors over the central bank's messaging at its policy meeting next week, even as they remain convinced officials will raise interest rates. Ueda is expected to miss the BOJ's meeting on June 15-16 and will refrain from casting a vote, but will express his views via a statement. Deputy Governor Ryozo Himino will serve as acting chair while another deputy, Shinichi Uchida, will host a post-meeting press conference. Ueda's absence is unlikely to shift expectations of a hike, but uncertainty is growing among market participants about how clearly Uchida will communicate at the press conference. The BOJ's cautious approach to rate hikes has been weighing on the yen due to the large interest rate differential between the US and Japan. We speak to Winnie Hsu, Bloomberg's Asia Equities Reporter Plus - SpaceX has made history with the biggest-ever IPO, sending it into the top ranks of the largest public companies and putting founder Elon Musk on the verge of becoming the world's first trillionaire. The company raised $75 billion in the IPO, pricing 555.6 million shares at $135 each, according to a statement on its website Thursday. SpaceX's IPO is more than double the size of Saudi Aramco's $29.4 billion listing in 2019. Bloomberg TV hosts Haidi Stroud-Watts and Shery Ahn spoke to Jay Ritter, Warrington College of Business, The IPO Initiative Director & Emeritus Professor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

This week on Autonomy Signals, Grayson Brulte and Rob Grant discuss Tesla's application to operate up to 5,000 robotaxis in Las Vegas, Waymo's $220 million purchase of Apple's former proving grounds, and Neolix's partnership with Quickbot to solve the last 50 meters of autonomous delivery.On June 3rd, Tesla expanded their unsupervised robotaxi geofence to cover the entire 245 square mile Austin metropolitan area, even as its active fleet contracted to an estimated 20 to 25 vehicles. That same week, Tesla filed an application with the Nevada Transportation Authority for an Autonomous Vehicle Network Company permit to operate up to 5,000 robotaxis in Clark County within the next 12 months.With expanding service areas and a contracting physical fleet, Tesla is optimizing for a coverage narrative while software readiness remains the critical bottleneck to commercial scale, and the path to Las Vegas still runs through individual casino property agreements.Waymo purchased Apple's former proving grounds in Wittmann, Arizona, originally the DaimlerChrysler proving grounds, for $220 million. The site is larger than Waymo's existing California and Ohio testing grounds combined, featuring a 115 acre city course, a four mile high speed oval, and a dedicated freeway loop, and it sits roughly an hour from Waymo's Mesa vehicle integration facility.By securing a closed loop validation pipeline adjacent to its manufacturing hub, Waymo is converting capital into validation velocity as it targets one million weekly rides by the end of the year and up to 20 additional cities by the end of 2026.Then there is Neolix, the Chinese autonomous delivery company, which announced a strategic partnership with Singapore-based Quickbot to co-deploy an end-to-end autonomous delivery solution. The integration pairs Neolix's Level 4 logistics vehicles with Quickbot's autonomous final mile delivery platform, which manages secure entry through doors and elevators without human intervention.Anchored in Singapore's Punggol Digital District and timed to the country's regulatory transition from sandbox to commercial operations, the alliance creates the first commercially viable human-free continuous delivery chain from road to door, with the Asia-Pacific and Middle East as the real targets.Episode Chapters00:00 Signal 1: Tesla's Big Austin Expansion and Las Vegas Robotaxi Ambitions22:47 Signal 2: Waymo Buys Apple's Former Proving Grounds44:07 Signal 3: Neolix Partners with Quickbot to Solve the Last 50 Meters56:42 AUTNMY AI--------About The Road to AutonomyThe Road to Autonomy is the leading applied intelligence platform covering the convergence of automation, autonomy, and the Autonomy Economy.™.Through our podcasts, newsletter, and proprietary applied intelligence, we set the narrative for institutional investors, industry executives, and policymakers navigating the convergence of automation, autonomy, and economic growth.Join institutional investors and industry leaders who read This Week in The Autonomy Economy every Sunday. Each edition delivers exclusive insight and commentary on the autonomy economy, helping you stay ahead of what's next.Sign up for This Week in The Autonomy Economy newsletter: https://www.roadtoautonomy.com/ae/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Oren Elkayam, CEO of Mobilicom (NASDAQ: MOB), joins host Tim Gerdeman and WTR senior equity research analyst John Roy to discuss how Mobilicom has positioned itself as a one-stop provider of the critical cyber, software, and hardware solutions that connect and secure drones, robotics, and autonomous systems. The conversation covers the company's role in the U.S. Department of Defense drone dominance initiative, its inclusion in the Marine Corps program of record, the strategic importance of Blue UAS and NDAA certification, and a U.S. manufacturing expansion designed to meet Pentagon procurement requirements. Elkayam also walks through the company's supply chain inventory strategy built around anticipated component shortages, and growing demand from NATO countries, Israel, and the Asia Pacific region. 

Most leaders think they are good communicators, but that confidence is often built on a dangerous assumption. They believe communication means telling people what they think, what they want, and what should happen next. Real leadership communication is more demanding. It requires self-awareness, context, listening, empathy, emotional control, cultural intelligence, and the ability to create shared understanding. In Japan, Australia, the United States, Europe, and across Asia-Pacific, leaders now operate in workplaces overloaded with messages, meetings, dashboards, chat platforms, and cross-cultural misunderstanding. The leader's communication quality shapes trust, motivation, execution, and culture. What makes leadership communication more than just talking? Leadership communication is not one-way instruction; it is the disciplined creation of shared meaning. Leaders must understand their own assumptions and the listener's viewpoint before expecting action. Many bosses reduce complex ideas into headlines because they are busy. They skip background, context, and the "why," then wonder why people misunderstand or resist. Good communication begins with self-awareness. What assumptions am I making? What does the listener already believe? What vocabulary, cultural expectation, or past experience will shape how they hear me? In bilingual Japan workplaces, the gap can be even wider when English directness meets Japanese indirectness. Do now: Before giving an instruction, ask yourself, "What context does this person need in order to understand the real meaning?" Why should leaders listen before giving advice? Leaders should listen first because advice given too early often solves the wrong problem. The most important information may be hidden in what is not being said. Busy leaders often hear a fragment of an issue and leap into solution mode. That feels efficient, but it can silence the team and waste insight. Real listening means hearing words, tone, hesitation, emotion, and context. It also means resisting the temptation to show off experience or intelligence. Employees are more motivated when they feel the boss has genuinely heard them. In modern organisations, the leader no longer has a monopoly on ideas, expertise, or local knowledge. Do now: Listen for the unsaid message before offering advice. Ask, "What else should I understand before I respond?" How can leaders build an open communication culture? Leaders build an open communication culture by making it safe for many ideas to emerge, not just the boss's preferred opinion. Strong leaders welcome challenge; weak leaders demand agreement. A creative workplace needs more than slogans about innovation. It needs leaders who can throw hierarchy, status, and power out the window when ideas are being discussed. This matters in startups, multinationals, SMEs, professional services firms, and traditional Japanese companies where rank can easily silence junior talent. Open communication allows "a hundred flowers" of ideas to bloom, but it requires confidence from the boss. Leaders who are insecure often close discussion too early. Do now: In your next meeting, speak last on one important topic and invite the quietest person to contribute first. Why is empathetic listening the highest communication skill? Empathetic listening is the highest communication skill because it hears the person behind the words. It uses ears, eyes, and emotional awareness to understand what really matters. Empathetic listening means sensing the "how" of what is being said, not just capturing the literal message. Is the person anxious, hesitant, frustrated, embarrassed, or quietly enthusiastic? Are they withholding something because of hierarchy, face-saving, language limitations, or fear of being judged? This is especially important in Japan, where communication may be indirect and context-heavy. Leaders who listen empathetically can respond to the real issue rather than the surface-level statement. Do now: Watch tone, pace, facial expression, silence, and energy. Then check gently: "Is there something else behind this that we should discuss?" How does trust affect leadership communication? Trust determines whether the team receives the leader's message honestly or suspiciously. Communication is filtered through the leader's consistency, integrity, follow-through, and transparency. A leader cannot suddenly demand trust during a crisis. Trust is built layer by layer, through repeated behaviour. When the boss says one thing and does another, the team learns to discount the message. When the leader explains decisions clearly, follows through on commitments, and communicates bad news honestly, people listen differently. In any organisation, the grapevine becomes powerful when formal communication is weak, slow, or unbelievable. Rumours fill the vacuum leaders leave behind. Do now: Communicate early and consistently. If you do not provide the truth, the grapevine will provide a substitute. Why do leaders need to control emotional communication? Leaders must control anger, rage, disappointment, and irritability because these emotions communicate faster than words. Once released, the damage is difficult to reverse. A boss may believe they are simply "being direct," but the team may experience the moment as intimidation, humiliation, or instability. Emotional sparks are often selfish because they focus on the leader's inner turmoil rather than the listener's needs. In high-pressure environments, leaders need discipline before speaking. The rule is simple but difficult: speak to others as they want to be spoken to. This does not mean avoiding hard conversations. It means choosing clarity over emotional discharge. Do now: When emotionally triggered, pause before speaking. Ask, "Will this help the person understand, or will it simply release my frustration?" How does organisational culture shape communication? Leaders communicate inside the culture they create, and that culture determines how messages are interpreted. A trust-based culture receives communication differently from a fear-based culture. Every message has context. A short instruction from a trusted leader may feel clear and efficient. The same instruction from a volatile or political leader may feel threatening or manipulative. Communication is not just words; it is energy, action, sincerity, and intention. People watch what leaders do every day and compare it with what they say. This is why culture and communication cannot be separated. The leader's behaviour becomes the organisation's communication standard. Do now: Audit the gap between what you say and what your team sees you do. That gap is your real communication problem. Why is "my way or the highway" outdated leadership? The "my way only" leadership style is outdated because modern teams need understanding, inclusion, and shared ownership. The leader still decides, but better decisions come from first understanding the people affected. Command-and-control communication may feel decisive, but it often produces compliance without commitment. Employees today expect to understand the purpose behind decisions. They also bring expertise, customer knowledge, technical detail, and cultural insight the boss may not have. In Japan, where harmony and hierarchy can suppress open disagreement, leaders must work even harder to draw out real views. Seeking to understand subordinates first does not weaken authority. It improves judgement. Do now: Before finalising a decision, ask, "What am I missing from the people closest to the work?" Final summary Good leadership communication is not natural talent or polished talking. It is a set of disciplined habits: self-awareness, listening first, matching the listener's wavelength, creating open culture, listening empathetically, controlling emotion, building trust, communicating continuously, and rejecting "my way only" thinking. The uncomfortable truth is that poor communication usually starts with the leader. If people do not understand the why, context, priority, or expected action, leaders should not simply blame the listener. They should improve the message, the timing, the feedback loop, and their own listening. FAQs Are most leaders as good at communication as they think? No, many leaders overestimate their communication skill because they focus on speaking rather than understanding. Good communication requires the listener to receive, interpret, and act on the message correctly. Why is context important in leadership communication? Context explains the "why" behind the message. Without context, employees may hear the instruction but misunderstand the priority, purpose, or expected result. What is the role of empathy in communication? Empathy helps leaders understand what people feel, fear, avoid, and value. It allows the boss to tune into the human reality behind the work issue. Why is the grapevine so powerful? The grapevine becomes powerful when leaders leave an information vacuum. If formal communication is slow, vague, or untrusted, rumours and speculation take over. How can leaders improve immediately? Leaders can improve immediately by listening longer, speaking with more context, checking understanding, and controlling emotional reactions. These habits build trust faster than polished speeches. Quick actions for leaders Explain the "why," not just the task. Listen before giving advice. Invite ideas from different levels of the organisation. Match vocabulary and communication style to the listener. Watch for what is not being said. Communicate continuously to prevent rumour gaps. Control anger before speaking. Replace "my way" with "help me understand your view first." Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" in 2018 and 2021, and recipient of the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver globally across leadership, communication, sales, and presentation programmes, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including three best-sellers: Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery, and Japan Presentations Mastery, along with Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His works have been translated into Japanese, including Za Eigyō（ザ営業）, Purezen no Tatsujin（プレゼンの達人）, Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō（トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう）, and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā（現代版「人を動かす」リーダー）. Greg also publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery, and Japan's Top Business Interviews, which are widely followed by executives seeking success strategies in Japan.

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

(From NATO allies boosting budgets in response to Russia's aggression to Asia-Pacific nations rearming amid China's military buildup, defense spending is rising on virtually every continent. We examine how investors can think about the long-term defense sector tailwind without simply chasing headlines.)Today's Stocks & Topics: Lincoln National Corporation (LNC), Market Wrap, AT&T Inc. (T), The Clorox Company (CLX), Insulet Corporation (PODD), Defense Stocks 2026: How the Global Security Boom Creates Long-Term Investment Opportunities, The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. (HIG), Key Benchmark Numbers: Treasury Yields, Gold, Silver, Oil and Gasoline, WESCO International, Inc. (WCC), KPP Newsletter, Fidelity Total Bond Fund (FTBFX), Vanguard Short-Term Bond Index Fund ETF Shares (BSV), Lithium.Our Next Wealth Webinar: “Beyond the Yield: How to Invest for Your Income Needs” June 30th, 2026 - 12:00 pmTo sign up: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/5717793889555/WN_XuoDgMVwSv6wZXXurrZTLgOur Sponsors:* Check out Anthropic and use my code Claude.ai/invest for a great deal: https://www.anthropic.com* Check out Chilipad and use my code sleep.me/INVEST for a great deal: https://sleep.me* Check out Plaud AI and use my code INVEST for a great deal: https://plaud.ai* Check out Progressive: https://www.progressive.com* Check out Quince and use my code quince.com/invest for a great deal: https://www.quince.com* Check out Scribe and use my code scribe.how/invest for a great deal: https://scribe.com* Check out TaskRabbit and use my code INVEST for a great deal: https://taskrabbit.com* Check out TruDiagnostic and use my code INVEST20 for a great deal: https://www.trudiagnostic.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Send us Fan MailDownload study notes for this chapter.Download study notes for this entire book.**********Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved worldwide.The “NIV”, “New International Version”, “Biblica”, “International Bible Society” and the Biblica Logo are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.  Used with permission.BIBLICA, THE INTERNATIONAL BIBLE SOCIETY, provides God's Word to people through Bible translation & Bible publishing, and Bible engagement in Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and North America. Through its worldwide reach, Biblica engages people with God's Word so that their lives are transformed through a relationship with Jesus Christ.Support the show

Going Long Podcast Episode 635: Leading into Dealcraft Advisory - Tom Kindermans  ( To see the Video Version of today's conversation just CLICK HERE. )   Billy welcomes Tom Kindermans to the show to talk about the transition from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, while sharing advice that comes from an expert in all relevant fields! Tom has recently founded Dealcraft Advisory : a consultancy firm specializing in go-to-market strategies, deal crafting, and negotiations. Alongside his advisory practice, Tom delivers training programs centered on negotiation excellence in a corporate environment. He is also actively involved with several startups and scale-ups, serving as investor, mentor, advisor, and board member. Prior to founding Dealcraft Advisory, Tom held a series of senior executive roles at SAP across Asia Pacific and EMEA. Most recently, he served as Managing Director of SAP Central & Eastern Europe, overseeing operations across 26 countries stretching from Austria in the West to Kazakhstan in the East.   In today's episode of The Going Long Podcast, you'll learn the following:   [00:24 - 02:27] Billy welcomes and introduces today's special guest, Tom Kindermans [02:27 - 07:09] Billy asks Tom to share insights into how he came to be exploring opportunities for greater optionality in his life and what that looks like  presently. [07:09 - 09:25] Tom describes how discipline is part of how he got to where he is today. [09:25 - 12:30] Billy asks Tom to explain how to navigate the day to day experiential changes of leaving corporate life behind.  [12:30 - 18:57] Tom explains how he has been able to lead and share his point of view in a way that is widely accepted. [18:57 - 21:17] Billy asks Tom to explain the links and differences between ethics and compliance in entrepreneurship. [21:17 - 27:30] Tom describes the various impacts that living abroad has had for him. [27:30 - 26:28] Tom explains what he has been able to leverage from the wealth of experience he has as a senior corporate leader to help others today. [26:28 - 35:44] Billy asks Tom to share some advice for those who are still in corporate who are looking to make their first moves and take their first actions towards moving on. [35:44 - 44:10] Tom tells us all about what he does at his company, Dealcraft Advisory, and how they are serving people today. [44:10 - 46:47] Tom shares the message that she would like to hear from himself three years from now. [46:47 - 48:50] Billy sums up all we've learned from Tom today and asks him to share the best ways we can get in contact and find him online. [48:50 - 49:37] Billy wraps up the show.   How best to get in touch with and find out more about Tom Kindermans: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-kindermans/  If you're a corporate executive who wants to make your role optional, then grab your FREE ebook with Billy's proven 3 step process at:  www.makeitoptional.com What you can expect to get out of this ebook: Learn how to achieve corporate optionality Gain true control over your career Turn corporate skills into personal assets With 26 years of experience in corporate sales leadership, achieved optionality through multiple income streams, Billy has helped dozens of executives build their paths to take control of their time. This free ebook gives you everything you need to identify, plan, and take control of your career while building financial optionality, leveraging your skills, and start living your IDEAL day - today! Go to: www.makeitoptional.com Click the above link or just copy and paste the following directly into your browser to sign up and get your free ebook: https://www.makeitoptional.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=p2olm  To see the Video Version of today's conversation just CLICK HERE.   How to leave a review for The Going Long Podcast: https://youtu.be/qfRqLVcf8UI     Be sure to connect with Billy!  He's made it easy for you to do…Just go to any of these sites:   Website: www.billykeels.com Youtube: billykeels Facebook: Billy Keels Fan Page Instagram: @billykeels Twitter: @billykeels LinkedIn: Billy Keels

Doug McHoney (PwC's International Tax Services Global Leader) is joined by Dr. Alexis Crow, partner and Chief Economist for PwC US. Prior to joining PwC, Alexis taught at the London School of Economics. Doug and Alexis discuss the macroeconomic and geopolitical implications of the Iran conflict, including energy-market scarring, oil-price scenarios, fiscal supports, inflation pressures, and central-bank constraints. They also examine the durability of US growth, AI-driven investment, consumer demand, and private credit risk; then move through global trade developments and regional dynamics across Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Europe, and North America. The conversation closes with the “re-industrial era,” energy addition, automation, workforce skills, and financial-stability risks that may be underappreciated.