What do McKinsey, Bain and BCG (MBB) consultants actually do? In this episode, YH Hwang takes us inside the world of management consulting: from navigating on-campus recruiting at Cornell to cracking case interviews and tackling high-stakes client projects. We talk candidly about the grind, the culture, and what life as a young consultant is really like behind the LinkedIn polish.

YH is a Cornell University graduate and former MBB consultant, where he spent four years advising Fortune 500 clients across strategy, project management, and due diligence in New York and Hong Kong. He later transitioned into corporate development at a Hong Kong conglomerate and is now an MBA candidate at London Business School. With experience spanning the Ivy League, Wall Street consulting culture, and Asia’s corporate landscape, YH brings a rare global perspective on ambition and career building.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:04:59) From Shanghai High School To Ivy League
(00:21:39) On-Campus Recruiting
(00:32:19) The Target Schools Recruiting Process
(00:38:21) Hacking Into Hackathon
(00:46:36) Landing Full-Time Job at MBB
(00:52:01) Decoding Consulting
(00:53:49) McKinsey vs Bain vs BCG
(01:01:42) Consulting Pricing & Business Model
(01:04:15) The Consulting Learning Curve
(01:07:10) The Most Defining Project
(01:12:28) Most Stressful Moments
(01:26:53) Principles To Life & Careers

One of Asia’s foremost minds in regional policy, trade, and diplomacy, Dr. Pushpanathan Sundram was the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN from 2009 to 2011, overseeing the ASEAN Economic Community. After decades at the heart of ASEAN, he went on to advise multinationals like Eli Lilly and now leads PublicPolicyAsia Advisors, guiding Fortune 500s and regional governments on policy, market access, and strategy. He has been awarded the Sahametrey Medal by the Cambodian government and the Outstanding Alumni Award by the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. A decorated powerbroker, published author, and Visiting Fellow at Chiang Mai University, Dr. Sundram holds a PhD in Public Policy.

PublicPolicyAsia Advisors is currently seeking talented emerging writers. If you have a manuscript worth publishing and are exploring partnership opportunities, contact them at:

[email protected]
https://ppaa.co/
https://www.facebook.com/pushpanathan/
linkedin.com/in/pushpanathan-sundram-a29b551ba

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:06) Formation and Evolution of ASEAN
(00:12:23) How Is ASEAN Different Than EU
(00:14:41) To What Extent Does ASEAN Have Concrete Authority
(00:23:48) Barriers To Integration
(00:39:15) Balancing Between Global Powers
(00:42:36) How Would ASEAN React To Potential Conflict Over Taiwan and South China Sea
(00:50:46) ASEAN's Role In Recent Thailand & Cambodia Border Conflict
(00:59:16) Scope For Military Cooperation
(01:02:29) The Most Memorable ASEAN Meeting
(01:07:16) PublicPolicyAsia Advisors and Conclusion

A fellow graduate of Cornell University, Kevin Yi started his career at EY in New York City, before moving inhouse to Dell as a strategy manager based in Singapore. In 2021 at the depth of Covid pandemic, he relocated to Cambodia to work for Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). Working at the frontlines at a developing country deeply shaped his outlook on life and career, and led his return to campus, where he is currently pursuing a dual MPA-ID/MBA degree at Harvard and MIT.

Whether it’s devising pandemic response at Phnom Penh, or adivising the Mongolian president on renewables energy strategy, Kevin worked at places where stakes are high but resources limited. Tune in to hear his stories as we catch up after 4 years.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:05:30) Relocation to Cambodia
(00:12:26) Clinton Health Access Initiative
(00:20:20) Combating Covid in Cambodia
(00:44:21) Renewables Work in Mongolia
(01:00:05) Future Aspirations

Dr. Maxim Dickieson received his PhD. in chemical engineering under the supervision of Professor Yan Ning (NUS) earlier this year, and is now working alongside Professor Yan to commercialize biomass fractionation deep-tech. He has experience in green catalysis research for waste-to-value; more specifically, his thesis focused on CO2 hydrogenation to methanol (carbon capture and utilization), and his start-up journey currently focuses on sustainable and cost-effective biomass utilization, which will be the focus of this discussion.

In this episode, we break down the science of catalysis and use Max’s research as a gateway into the larger world of green chemistry and its real-world impact. We also dive into his journey from Las Vegas to the “Lab Vegas” of advanced materials — a bet not on luck, but on science — and explore what it really means to be a working scientist in today’s climate crisis. For anyone curious about how science turns climate risk into industrial opportunity, this is your crash course.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:05:42) Choosing a Career in Science
(00:09:04) Motivation and Scientist Ethos
(00:13:46) Understanding Green Chemistry
(00:19:13) Challenges in Adopting Green Technologies
(00:29:45) Promising Green Technologies and Innovations
(00:36:13) Biomass Refinery
(00:44:39) Sourcing Chitin from Shell Waste
(00:46:18) Technological Differentiators and Market Positioning
(00:55:27) Scaling Up Production
(00:58:43) Challenges and Strategies in Commercialization
(01:11:38) Future Vision

Two years ago, JX took a 90% paycut from a cushy high finance job to found Mavtao, an AI app studio named as a portmanteau of "Maverick" (a Western symbol of nonconformity) and "Tao" (an Eastern concept representing the natural order).

In this episode, we discuss his journey of launching 12 apps in 12 months with a focus on the biggest and most controversial hit "DreamGF AI Girlfriend" (now delisted from IOS Store). We also delve into the ethics of AI porn & AI love, why AI apps require a different growth mindset than the platform apps of the last decade, VC funding vs bootstrapping, optimizing unit economics, and how data privacy is fake news.

The son of a Chinese immigrant family, JX is a graduate of Yale University. After a short stint on Wall Street in investment banking, he became a China tech investor specializing in the greatest platform applications. Realizing running his own business is the only truly unconstrained way to spend his time, JX quit his job to become an entrepreneur, building AI consumer apps of the future.

Mavtao (https://mavtao.com) is an early stage technology holding company focused on delivering the power of AI through a portfolio of consumer applications. Since 2023, it has launched 10 products with 300,000+ downloads averaging 4.4+ star rating, with well-positioned apps in AI companion, AI music, AI tarot niches. With a global team of 10, Mavtao generates six figure annual recurring revenue (ARR) of which 80% is organic. The studio is currently profitable and differentiated by disciplined marketing strategy focused on return-on-equity (ROE), low cash conversion cycle, and efficient unit economics.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:01:11) Mavtao = Maverick + Tao
(00:03:42) Lessons Learned From Web3 and STEPN
(00:11:13) Pivot To AI and Creating AI Girlfriend
(00:19:05) AI Porn vs AI Girlfriend
(00:21:44) Launching DreamGF
(00:29:32) How AI Can Be Better Partners
(00:34:55) Bootstrapping vs Raising VC Money
(00:43:43) Optimizing Unit Economics
(00:53:08) How People Use AI Girlfriends
(00:57:11) Data Privacy and Protection
(00:59:45) Delisting From Apple Store
(01:04:47) Sonora and Future of AI Consumer Apps
(01:08:35) Personal Reflections
(01:11:09) Closing Remarks

John is an experienced tech sales professional, currently the APAC regional manager for a global software company. In this conversation, leveraging his knowledge and experience, we cover a variety of subjects relating to this challenging but rewarding career. What is the typical sales process from intro meeting to closing the deal? What is a typical career path from sales development representative to manager? How much can you make at every level? What are the “3 Ts” to consider when it comes to choosing an employer? We also touch on the psychology of sales, when playing “hard to get” might give you an edge, and the nuances of selling software in Asia Pacific regions.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:03:56) Breaking Into SaaS
(00:05:15) Selling Property vs Selling Software
(00:11:24) Understanding The SaaS Industry
(00:21:22) Typical B2B Software Sales Process
(00:30:38) The Art of Selling and Playing Hard To Get
(00:35:16) Typical Career Path in Tech Sales
(00:38:14) Compensation Structures
(00:44:25) The 3 Ts: Choosing the Right Employer
(00:47:51) Hot Software Verticals
(00:52:03) Fragmented APAC Market
(00:55:54) Closing Remarks

How did Europe colonize Africa and why it happened much later than other continents? Would Africa be more prosperous today without colonization? In this stimulating episode, we dive into the intricacies of Africa’s colonial history and undertake a multitude of challenging topics, some difficult and unpleasant.

We begin by looking back on what happened, and in the process discern centralized vs decentralized polities, settler vs non-settler colonies, and direct vs indirect rule. Then we look forward and examine the various challenges facing the continent today and consider their remedies. How to solve poverty, inequality, and corruption? How should countries position themselves geopolitically in light of great power competition? How is climate change both a risk and an opportunity?

Dr. Vladimir Chlouba is a prominent political scientist and professor at University of Richmond studying politics in sub-Saharan Africa. He obtained his PhD at Ohio State University, and was previously a visiting fellow at University of Notre Dame’s Kellogg Institute. Dr. Chlouba’s work has been published in leading academic journals, including Comparative Political Studies, Journal of Historical Political Economy, and others. Outside of academic work, he has co-authored several policy-oriented reports published by the World Bank.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:02:48) Precolonial Africa
(00:06:26) Diving Into Colonial Africa
(00:08:12) Scramble for Africa
(00:08:54) Settler vs Non-Settler and Direct vs Indirect Rule
(00:12:53) Centralized vs Decentralized Polities
(00:17:05) Colonizer Perspectives
(00:26:48) Decolonization and Independence
(00:28:38) Colonial Scars and Implications
(00:34:34) Postcolonial Relationships
(00:37:09) The Resource Curse?
(00:39:58) Corruption, Inequality, Climate Change
(00:47:44) Liberation Wars, Property Rights, and Inequality
(00:51:44) The Sins of Inequality
(01:00:10) Geopolitics and Diplomacy
(01:04:45) Aparteid, Racism, Interracial Relations
(01:19:44) Intellectual Climate on College Campuses

Jasper Hsu is a recovered "Twitter addict" and amateur cultural anthropologist who have been lurking around the different niches of the internet for over 2 decades. In this episode, he takes us back to the 2010s - arguably the “golden age" of internet, when a myriad of online subcultures proliferated and permeated into the mainstream.

We review 4 subcultural factions in particular:
(1) irony twitter, leftism, dirtbag left
(2) frog twitter, alt-right, eco-fascism
(3) accelerationism
(4) incels, lookmaxxing, chad, red/blue pills

We explore some common themes across such as heavy use of irony, disillusionment with society, lost of sincerity, rage farming, radicalization, and the ever present strawman. We also reflect on how we have passed the cultural peak of the internet as the convergence of platform format/algorithms and the commercialization of content have fundamentally redefined the nature of social media.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:06:23) The 4 Subcultural Factions
(00:08:14) Irony Twitter, Leftism, Dirtbag Left
(00:20:30) Frog Twitter, Alt-Right, Eco-Fascism
(00:40:30) Accelerationism
(00:48:15) Incels, Lookmaxxing, Chad, Red/Blue Pills
(00:58:10) Common Themes & Reflection

How can businesses harness the power of data to make better decisions? Why brands need to have end-to-end supply chain visibility? How can banks attain a 360 degree view of their customers? This episode answers these questions and more. We also discuss how your phone is always spying on you, why privacy and AI are “fake news”, why you should always choose your children over a new Mercedes, and how to survive the perils of social media.

Keith Carter is an internationally renowned author, speaker, and researcher on big data and emerging technologies. Keith started his career at Accenture in New York, then spent 12 years at Estée Lauder as a supply chain specialist, before moving to Singapore in 2012 as an Associate Professor at NUS School of Computing where he founded the NUS FinTech Lab.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:13:54) Supply Chain Optimization at Estée Lauder
(00:31:31) Data, AI, and Actionable Intelligence
(00:42:07) Digital Privacy and Consumer Data Collection
(00:58:26) Transition To Academia & Singapore
(01:04:50) AI Revolution: Is This Time Different?
(01:17:40) Fatherhood, Technology and Social Media

It takes on average 3 business days for a crossborder payment to clear through the traditional banking system. On a digital remittance platform? 30 seconds. This is because your money was actually sent yesterday. This pre-funding process and other innovations such as cash pooling, cross-border netting, and automated FX hedging, are what enable your legal tenders to onboard a supersonic jet when it travels abroad. Plus, the ticket comes at a bargain - the costs (fees, exchange rates) are 10x cheaper than your bank’s slowboat.

Jay Young Lee is a Korean fintech entrepreneur, co-founder of one of Asia’s biggest crossboarder payment startups, SentBe. We begin with a recap of his career, from a small-time poker aficionado to getting into the door of fintech and entrepreneurship. We also discuss how SWIFT network works, the money exchange “black market”, how new currency products are added, and why most fintechs are actually regtechs.

Timestamps
(00:00:00) Introduction
(00:07:44) BCG, First Startup, Poker, and SAP
(00:23:42) Second and Third Startups
(00:30:43) Co-Founding SentBe
(00:37:26) International Expansion
(00:41:49) Pooling and Pre-Funding
(00:44:56) Optimizing Channel, Predicting Liquidity, and FX Hedging
(00:50:38) Overseas Transfer: Behind The Scenes
(00:55:02) Current SWIFT System
(01:00:59) Black Market Money Changers
(01:09:58) Zero To One, License, and Regulators
(01:18:03) Lessons In Leadership