Asia in Focus

Indonesia Elections 2024: A year of red herrings?

Indonesia just closed its presidential candidate registration on 25 October 2023. After much anticipation, voters finally have confirmation that there will be 3 presidential pairings set for the Valentine’s day vote next year, which is unlikely to produce a winner with a majority of the 200 million votes up for grabs. 

As current president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is unable to run for a third term, businesses and investors can expect to see policies accelerating his legacy projects from now until the inauguration of the new president in October 2024. 

Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Achmad Sukarsono, Associate Director and Indonesia Lead Analyst based in our Singapore office on what businesses can expect between now till October 2024, and how they can be prepared for the new presidency.  

Visit our Indonesia Elections page to find our latest analysis on the presidential race, or subscribe to our South East Asia updates to get them straight to your inbox. 

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast. 

Garbage in, goldmine out: Can ‘bad data’ help businesses achieve regulatory compliance?

After the US Department of Justice (DOJ) updated its guidelines for compliance in 2020 to include the use of data analytics, many companies have been contemplating how to integrate analytics into their compliance and audit programs. While Asian regulators are currently less stringent in their guidance, it is highly likely that others will follow suit, and companies both inside and outside Asia need to be prepared.

In this episode, Angela Mancini, Partner talks to Allanna Rigby, Partner and regional head for Control Risks’ data analytics in EMEA and Asia Pacific on how compliance officers, audit teams and risk teams can embrace the use of data and analytics to adhere to regulations, even when they think that that have “bad data”.

Interested in our analysis? Visit Our Thinking to learn more.

For more insights across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast.

Digital sovereignty in Asia: Navigating a Brave New World

Multiple data leaks in recent years have prompted governments across the region to scrutinise the processing and flow of information within and beyond their societies. As technology adoption surges, regulators are increasingly concerned about the implications for national security – and are building national frameworks on how information is being processed. While China is often emphasised in the headlines, digital sovereignty actually is a broader concern across Asia.

In this episode, Angela Mancini, Partner talks to Jim Fitzsimmons, head of our APAC Digital Risk team about how companies are affected by this move, and how they can adapt their business models to navigate the ever-changing regulatory landscape across the region.  

Visit our cyber content hub for more analysis on the digital risks companies face.

For more insights across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast.

India rising: Unravelling the complexities of an emerging powerhouse

Talk of India’s economic rise has been around for the last decade. Its skilled workforce, coupled with low labour and production costs, makes it an attractive market for investors. India's strategic position also enhances resilience in regional supply chains for neighbouring countries navigating geopolitical tensions. However, there are challenges inherent in this complex market, and businesses often find themselves navigating what feels like many separate nations. 

In this podcast, Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Aryaman Bhatnagar and Shikha Kher, Senior Analysts based in our Delhi office to understand how foreign businesses can navigate India’s ever-evolving landscape to be equipped for the promise the country holds. 

Interested in our India analysis? Read our article, India's Modi Operandi: Why the economic gains might trump the social pains to make this India’s decade or contact our India experts for tailored advice.

For more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast.

Thailand’s post-election scenarios: Bloodless revolution or contested control?

Thailand held its general elections recently on 14 May, where the opposition beat the incumbent pro-military coalition. Surprisingly, it was the progressive Move Forward Party that emerged as the largest party, not pre-election favourite Pheu Thai. However, forming the government will be a tricky prospect as the incumbent coalition and the Senate could spoil the party for the opposition.  

The people of Thailand have signalled a desire for change – which is by no means a guaranteed outcome – but investors should already be preparing for the impacts and opportunities to come. 

Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Harrison Cheng, Director and South East Asia Lead Analyst to find out how businesses should prepare themselves in the short and medium term. 

For more analysis on Thailand, or visit our South East Asia hub to explore the issues of doing business in one of the world's fastest-growing markets. 

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast. 

Thailand’s upcoming general elections: Stable victory or civil unrest?

Thailand will be holding its general elections less than a week, on 14 May. This upcoming election is shaping up to be the most competitive one since 2011. In the past, elections have almost always favoured the current opposition party Pheu Thai led by former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. Now, Thaksin – more specifically his daughter – is now back in the spotlight as Pheu Thai tries to repeat its electoral feats of the past.

Will this election produce political stability, and free up the government from military rule to focus on economic transformation, or will there be a return of large-scale demonstrations in Bangkok like in 2013-14?

Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Harrison Cheng, Director and South East Asia Lead Analyst to find out what all these mean for foreign investors.

Read our article Geopolitical sanctuary: Thailand’s upcoming election and investment opportunities for more analysis on Thailand, or visit our to explore the issues of doing business in one of the world's fastest-growing markets.

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast.

Vietnam’s anti-corruption drive: is there a silver lining?

The Communist Party of Vietnam has been on an aggressive anti-corruption drive. Earlier this year, in a move unprecedented in recent Vietnamese political history, three key national leaders including the ex-president were forced to step down on charges of corruption. 

The campaign, commonly described as the ‘burning furnace’, has mainly affected the real estate, healthcare and banking sectors, but there are concerns that other sectors will come under heat. 

Angela Mancini, Partner, speaks with Linh Nguyen, Associate Director and Lead Vietnam Analyst on what anti-corruption drive means for businesses with exposure in Vietnam. They also discuss whether the Vietnamese economy will be affected by external factors such as the re-opening of China, the banking crisis in the West, and if there is a silver lining for investors in all of this turbulence.  

Watch the on-demand recording of our webinar, Power, Politics, Potential: The new realities of doing business in Vietnam or listen to our podcast episode, Vietnam: Immense opportunities in a complex market for more in-depth analysis.  

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast. 

The outlook for China in 2023: a mix of hope and concern

China’s reopening after three years of zero-COVID policy has been one of the most discussed topics for international companies recently. The policy shift spurred hopes of a broad economic revival. With pent-up demand being released, China saw a strong rebound in consumption in January, directed at sectors like tourism and retail. Business activity is also picking up, something that can be seen in the surge of global CEOs traveling to China. Despite signs of improvement, China's prospects for future growth are far from certain. Long-standing and emerging issues continue to pose risks to business operations.

Join Angela Mancini, Partner, as she talks with Kent D. Kedl, Partner and Head of Greater China and North Asia, and Yifei Zhang, General Manager of East China. They discuss the most recent developments in China after an about-turn in its zero-COVID policy, the outlook for the country in 2023, the key issues at the top of the agenda for many of our clients right now, and how businesses should correctly calibrate their risk vs. opportunity lens to derive the maximum value from China’s opening up.

Read our article on the good, the bad and the uncertain on China’s growth outlook, or visit our China Business page to explore the issues of doing business in one of the world's most dynamic market.

If you are looking for more analysis across the Asia-Pacific region, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast.

Key takeaways from China’s historic CPC National Congress

Few National Congresses of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in history seem to have generated as much global media attention and market response as this year’s, underscoring how business is increasingly driven by politics. Companies are concerned about how China's political trajectory and business environment will evolve over the next five years or more. Have the fundamentals of China's long-term growth changed?

Join the discussion between Angela Mancini, Partner, and Andrew Gilholm, Director of Analysis for China and North Asia. They discuss the outcomes of the CPC National Congress, the short-term market reaction, the outlook for China, and key takeaways for businesses.

Read our article on the CPC National Congress for more insights about this significant political event, or subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast series to keep track of dynamics in the Asia market.

If you are looking for more analysis on other issues from our experts all over the world, please visit the Our Thinking section on Control Risks’ website.

The new geopolitics in the Pacific Islands region

The Pacific Islands are gaining attention amid the great power rivalry. All sides are stepping up their engagement with the region to expand influence. But the Pacific islands are not just pawns in the geopolitical contest – they are taking it as a chance to promote their own agenda, which may lead to new interest from businesses.

Angela Mancini, Partner, has a talk with Daniel Rechtschaffen, Analyst, and Harrison Cheng, Director. They discuss the growth of big powers’ presence in the region in the past years, the view from Pacific Island nations and the key priorities and areas they would like to address, and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for companies.

For more discussions on the Asia market, please subscribe to our Asia In Focus podcast series.

If you are looking for more analysis on other issues from our experts all over the world, please visit Control Risks’ Our Thinking section.