The total population of Asia is around 60% of the globe and many, if not most Western companies understand that this combined market is simply too large to ignore. However, Asia is diverse in every way and what might work in one territory, or even segment, may not work in another. How can a Western company approach Asia in a way that is most likely to succeed long term and sustainably? Jari Hietala, Managing Partner of Asian Insiders offers his views on how to achieve success in Asia. Asian Insiders has just released a powerful and unique tool, available free to anyone visiting our website – w ..read more

When considering Taiwanese manufacturing, usually high-tech electronics and semiconductors come to mind but Taiwan is also a global leader in bicycles, a 200-year-old European technology that until recently, hadn’t changed a great deal. One of the few sectors that didn’t decline during the pandemic, Taiwan’s bicycle business is booming. Mika Sahlström, Asian Insiders partner in Taiwan, takes a closer look. In many countries over those 200 years, bicycles have always been around, as cheap transport for kids and for adult urban health and recreation. Largely introduced under Japanese occupation ..read more

South Korea has emerged as a prominent player in the global artificial intelligence (AI) landscape, with a strong focus on research and development, robust tech environment, and an energetic startup scene. Korea’s commitment to maintaining global competitiveness, strategic industry alliances, supportive government regulations, and the rapid integration of AI in various sectors are the driving forces behind the growth of the Korean artificial intelligence industry. Asian Insiders partner in Korean, Hannes Humala, examines the current state of the Korean AI industry, its market segmentation, com ..read more

Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, offers fertile ground for the expanding financial technology revolution. With a surging smartphone penetration rate, a vast underbanked population and a supportive regulatory environment, Indonesia’s fintech sector is experiencing stellar growth. Asian Insiders partner, Primadi Soerjosoemanto delves into the current state of fintech in Indonesia, exploring its strengths, challenges and future prospects. Indonesia, the largest economy in Southeast Asia is being recognised as a leader in fintech development and innovation. The country has becom ..read more

The Kingdom of Cambodia is at a critical phase of its developmental journey, particularly in its power development. In striving to better its economy, improve living standards, and embrace sustainable practices, Cambodia’s power development plan is of critical significance. Asian Insider’s partner for Cambodia, Klaus Kretzschmar explores these plans and considers the effect these will likely have on developing the economy and providing assurance for international investor and developers. The Ministry of Mines and Energy announced Cambodia’s Power Development Plan (PDP) in 2022, setting ambitio ..read more

The economy of Vietnam is going though a dynamic shift, marked by robust growth and the development of several key trends supporting a stronger looking future. The IMF places Vietnam among the top twenty fastest growing global economies, with a projected GDP growth of 5.8 percent in 2024. Pietro Karjalainen, Asian Insiders partner in Vietnam examines the forces driving the economic outlook for Vietnam and offers insights into the country’s promising future. The population of Vietnam is around 102 million and with a nominal 2024 GDP at USD 469 billion, the 35th largest in the world or 26th if m ..read more

Following the 2011 nuclear plant disaster in Fukushima along with the country’s heavy and expensive reliance on imported fossil fuels, in recent years the Japanese government has announced several policies intended to increase Japan’s use of renewable energy sources, while also encouraging energy conservation and efficiency to secure its energy transition. There are significant opportunities for renewables in Japan. Terrie Lloyd, Asian Insiders’ partner in Japan, offers some insight. Japan is ranked 27 of 120 countries on the Energy Transition Index (ETI) due to stable system performance and t ..read more

Now in 2024, India’s retail market currently the fourth largest in the world, is undergoing significant transformation. This is fueled by a range of shifting socio-economic factors, digital and technical changes as well as a rapidly transforming consumer landscape. India’s retail market contributes around 10% of the total GDP to the country and employs around 8% of the total workforce. Pawan Bhatnagar, Asian Insiders’ partner in India offers compelling evidence that India’s retail market is worth serious and long-term investor attention. While the pandemic dealt a serious setback to India’s re ..read more

Malaysia, once the first carmaker in Southeast Asia, has a long history in the production of motor vehicles. At present the industry contributes an estimated 4% of Malaysia’s annual GDP, or around USD 8.4 billion and employs a workforce of over 700,000 people. Malaysia’s automotive sector is the third largest in Southeast Asia now and 23rd largest globally with an annual output of over 740,000 vehicles. Germain Thomas, Asian Insiders’ partner in Malaysia discusses opportunities available now to international operators and investors in Malaysia’s automotive sector. Malaysia was one of Britain m ..read more

Leading Vietnamese car manufacturer THACO has recently proposed a circular economy complex in Vietnam’s south central region and focused on mining and processing bauxite worth around USD 4.1 million. Moving well past the normal boundaries, the process encompasses aluminium processing then restoration of the impacted environment into agriculture and ecotourism. This type of project is an indicator of a positive trend for the circular economy in Asia. Jari Hietala, Managing Partner for Asian Insiders digs a little deeper. By definition, the circular economy is a model where both production and c ..read more