Category: Asia-Pacific Business Insights
The Asia-Pacific Circle publishes timely Asia-Pacific Business Insights and Thought Leadership. This page regroups all the thinking and food for thought published by our expert contributors in relation to APAC business developments. Are you looking for a precise topic? Have a look at our contributors’ thoughts on approaching the Chinese markets, and don’t miss our insights on Digitalization and Digital Transformation. You will be surprised.
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Are you looking for a bigger picture on regional developments? From Financial Markets to trade diplomacy and geopolitics, The Asia-Pacific Circle connects the dots in good business intelligence. [Read out APAC Insights and Thought Leadership].
Read our latest Asia-Pacific Business Insights:
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, Patent expert Ronald Yu looks at the question of whether patents could be used to identify innovative companies worth investing in. Patents are registered to protect innovation, indeed, so using legal instruments as business opportunity indicators does make sense. The issue, however, lies with determining whether the idea would work in practice and how. “Despite their apparent attractiveness”, Mr Yu writes, “one must remember that patents have several inherent limitations” which must be taken into account by forward-thinking business developers.
When he arrived in Hong Kong in 2011, Antoine d’Haussy had an entrepreneurial journey in mind. A previous salesman, he became a solo-entrepreneur and developed Side by Side, an online business model for selling very tangible traveler-type of pouches now adopted by digital nomads around the world. In this interview, he elaborates on his adventure between Europe and China, and gives unique insights on how to launch and run a human size and nomad-friendly business.
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, Mint Evolutive founder and modular watchmaker Alexandre Besson explores modern lifestyle and consumption trends and questions whether the current models are sustainable. Besson calls for more modularity and durability in design. He argues that in the future people, lifestyle will not be about quantity anymore, as people will want products which adapt to them and follow them around. "Durability will be an expectation, and modularity will be the best way to create both a sense of purpose, a sense of emotion, a sense of uniqueness, and a sense of luxury we hardly know about so far..." he writes.
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, we give voice to an interesting entrepreneurial adventure run by Ron Leeman, a Change Management expert who makes the case for establishing a professional change management and transformation body in Asia. After years of practice in Europe, Ron came to Asia seeking new challenges, and the move gave him some interesting food for thought as to how change might work in the region. This insight explores his findings.
Have you ever considered whether transparency could make your organization more performant? In this Asia-Pacific Insight, Lean Transformation Expert Clotilde Chaussade argues that higher transparency within an organization is not a six-month project and cannot be summed up with just more KPIs. What matters when it comes to being efficient and organizationally performant is time and investment in people.
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, Antoine Martin elaborates on educational and entrepreneurial mindsets. Using insights from educational strategies used in some leading Universities in the United States, he argues entrepreneurial approaches to doing research have the power to create more Impactful Universities and that regional institutions would benefit from a paradigm shift.
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, luxury expert Emmanuel Sidem and Christophe Granier explore China's luxury market trends. From new purchasing behaviors and increased specialization to click and brick luxury evolution, they propose a fascinating big picture and analysis regarding what luxury will be about tomorrow. New definitions, new clients and new challenges, where is the industry going next?
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, China expert Eleonore William continues to explore the development of globalized Chinese Groups with some notes on Fosun. Originally an investment consulting business, Fosun has over the years turned into a multinational and diversified group now focusing on health and happiness.
In this Insight, Eléonore William analyzes Chinese Globalized groups by looking at the China Eastern airline company. Diversification of services, strengthening of international alliances, and development opportunities in a context of increased competition, this brief note gives a practical overview of a usually unexplored industry.
In this Insight, Hong Kong Poly University Professor and former Vice-President of Air France, and French Trade Advisor Henri Hie discusses recent developments pertaining to the aviation industry in Asia and China. From general trends to airline insights and Great Bay Area strategies, Henri Hie draws an interesting and precise big picture and sheds some expert lights on a usually unknown but highly competitive industry.
In this China Business Insight, Eleonore William writes on the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) - i.e. the entity in charge of overseeing and implementing all aspects of China's civil and military nuclear programmes. Is the nuclear market dynamic enough for China? How is CNNC developing and with what ambitions? This insight gives you the big picture.
In this Insight, Fidinam Hong Kong Managing Director Nicolas Michaux explores the issue of expatriation and real estate investment. Expatriation is an important topic in the region, which welcomes many entrepreneurs and executives from all over the world. The question is, therefore, how does investment in real estate work when you are far from home? Here is some food for thought.
In this Asia-Pacific Insight originally published in the South China Morning Post, Philippe Bonnet and Antoine Martin comment on the recent of an EU-Asia Connectivity strategic policy proposal by the European Commission. Whilst building ties between Asia and Europe make a lot of sense from a business cooperation perspective, they write, trying to create connectivity "the European way" - i.e. by imposing a rules-based mindset to Asia - is a rather surprising idea. A change in mindsets would be interesting, however...
We recently interviewed Daniël de Blocq van Scheltinga, a Hong Kong-based M&A advisor and Circle Contributor who provided some personal insights on the Chinese M&A markets. As the first Western CEO to a Chinese State-Owned Enterprise (SOE), Daniël has a unique perspective on how large Chinese companies think and operate. Hence, his interview provides very exclusive food for thought on how to do business in China, on the reasons and consequences of current US-China relations, on China's technology ambitions, and more generally on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and its long-term impacts.
In this China Business Insight, Eleonore William continues to explore and document the growth of globalized Chinese Groups, taking the case of Xiaomi. While Xiaomi is known for having put into place a "high technology accessible to all" business model, but the strategy developed by the group in order to diversify its activities, develop a robust user community and turn into an international company with a truly global reach is interesting for one major reason: it works.
Change is a long-lasting topic which has been explored alongside technological developments for years. Yet, it remains a challenge which needs to be managed as a process, in a strategic manner. In this Asia-Pacific Insight, we explore the operational aspects of dealing with change with Ms. Isabelle Michelet, Founder of the Human Resources and change management consulting firm Prasena (Bangkok, Thailand). From last-mover advantages to change strategy-building and implementation mindsets, Ms. Michelet interview provides a very practical and interesting perspective on how technological adaptation happens in Asia.
Business talk: we recently had an unconventional discussion with Franck Benhamou, an entrepreneur based between Hong Kong and Chiang Mai (Thailand) who invests in building online communities. Franck is an atypical businessman, a former corporate executive who eventually moved to Asia to live a different life with his family and turned into a digital nomad, managing his international marketing activities from the region. His message is unusual but makes a lot of sense: ad hoc digital marketing as many people do has its limits but building real communities with intent has strong potential. Hence, you should invest in communities. Not tomorrow, right now!
In this Asia-Pacific business Insight, we talk about doing business in China and explore Chinese markets with Laurent Timmermans, an entrepreneur, consultant, and educator, Founder and Managing Director of the Hong Kong-based Athenasia Consulting. As an expert in Hong Kong company formation and structuration, Laurent discusses business in two main ways. First, he explains the strategic role of the city when it comes to Asia and China trade, and he provides his views on how Hong Kong competes with Singapore and other places out there. Second, he elaborates on the increasing importance of regional technology, blockchain, and digitalization developments in terms of business management. His perspective can be summarized in …
In this China Markets Insight, Entrepreneur and ConchSociety CEO Bertrand Ternat provides his views on the Asian and Chinese luxury market. Fascinated by China and eager to understand how the Chinese markets work and how the Western culture, habits, and mindsets can fit, Bertrand has learned that the best way to fail is to try and sell without making any effort to understand and fit in the system. In contrast, the best way to do business in China is to step foot in those circles and to be recognized as being valuable by those in the circles. Asia and even more China are network-based countries, don't think this is something …
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, we discuss current developments in the media and information industry with editor and publisher Catya Martin. While the information economy is at the heart of our society, the rise and continuous growth of the so-called 'connection economy' also increasingly matters. Information and communication is now channeled through digital means, and the impact is very significant as far as the industry is concerned. the connection economy is giving a major role to digital media whilst pushing paper away, thus revolutionizing our relationship with information. Words have a different function and a different power. And the economic model is changing inevitably.
In this Asia-Pacific business Insight, Hong Kong Visa Geeza expert and Intelligent Content Marketing advocate Stephen Barnes discusses the complexity of creating a sustainable business brand in the region. "Asia is a race", he says. Hence, considering the current connection economy, "you need a monopoly business strategy" if you want to maximize your odds of succeeding. With the increasing importance of the connection economy, indeed, the role of information is shifting. And you definitely want to be on the right side of the digital transformation.
In this Asia-Pacific Business Insight, Cleantech entrepreneur and CEO of Waseco (Waste Eco Solution) Mathieu Vassal explores how business innovation, clean technologies (cleantechs) and insects can lead to a more sustainable food chain. As one of the few experts in this emerging industry, Mathieu Vassal has a unique perspective on what the current model does wrong and on what opportunities that creates from a regional and global business development perspective. He talks about the topic with passion and his argument is very straightforward: insects are the missing link for a sustainable food chain.
In this China business insight, Eleonore William from the France China Committee analyses the Tongwei Group's diversification approach, from aquaculture to solar energy. While the Group has historically been a giant in the marine food industry, it is progressively investing in new technologies and know-how, so at to become a leading player in China's growing solar power sector. For more, make sure to read our China business insights.
Ashley Galina Dudarenok is one of the key experts and opinion leaders on digital marketing strategy and social media in China. In this Asia-Pacific Insight, she explores the question of digital transformation in China, from technology developments to marketing strategy, she explains how she sees change happening. Ashley is very optimistic about digital developments and has lots to say about digital marketing developments, but her key take is very simple: "China is the future of digital technology". Read the interview for more.
In this Asia-Pacific Business Insight, Gilbert Réveillon, Christophe Granier and Paul Clerc-Renaud explore the idea that new technologies have the power to impact us in ways we have not yet considered... especially as far as China is concerned. As of today, China is at the forefront. China invests heavily in supporting the development of Blockchain and quantum computing know-how, and in the field, the Chinese BATXHJs (Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, Xiaomi, Huawei, JD) are already competing with the American GAFAs (Google s, Apple, Facebook, Amazon) when it comes to technological domination… fighting for supremacy. The question, in other words, is not to figure out whether China is making progress. It is to …
In this Asia-Pacific Insight, Christophe Granier analyses the rapid development of China's maritime economy - China's maritimization - both in terms of size and in diversity. He notes that China's maritimization is moving in (at least) three ways. One is the country's complex but powerful fisheries industry. Another relates to maritime farming and the major investments in technological development China is putting in place to acquire leadership on the matter. The third relates to China's efforts towards developing a non-fisheries-related maritime industry. Overall, Granier concludes, China's maritime industry has a promising future.
In this Insight, business strategy adviser Philippe Bonnet explores the idea that Eurasia is shifting from an underutilized geographic notion into something much bigger. Looking at recent and forthcoming developments in the Asia-Pacific, he suggests that the Europe - China relationship needs to be significantly reconsidered, together with the way Westerners think about doing business with Asia (and China). The business equation is very different from one side of the continent to the other. In Europe, business with Asia is about threat mitigation. In Asia, in contrast, business is a matter of investment. As a result, a significant change in mindset is needed for business to become a win-win matter.
