Edges of Southeast Asia

SOUTH EDGES OF SOUTHEAST ASIA EAST ASIA 1 2 Edges of Southeast Asia All disruptions emerge from an Edge; for the Edge, together with the US- examples come from business, art, from the boundaries of what is dominant ASEAN Business Council and the design, architecture, science, culture, or ‘core’ today. What is initially dismissed Singapore Economic Development movements, and policies that are largely as peripheral may evolve to eventually Board, have sought to curate and unknown outside of the region. disrupt, and even supplant, the core. showcase the Edges of Southeast Asia, Duleesha Kulasooriya to shine a light on the bright spots of This series is not meant to be Executive Director Somewhere between the skyscrapers creativity and innovation in the region. comprehensive nor definitive. We solely Center for the Edge, Asia Pacific and tuk tuks in bustling city centres, on intend to provoke curiosity for you beautiful tourist beaches, in the rural As you explore the Edges, you will to further explore the evolution and farms, and flowing down the Mekong realise that they go well beyond the impact of these interesting examples. River, Edges are pushing the boundaries opportunities of digitalisation to reveal We hope you enjoy and learn from of our imagination. Edges have the untold stories of economic inclusion, these Edges. We invite you to connect potential to disrupt how people live, work urban renewal, sustainability, a rising with us and share both feedback and Liyi Chen and play, in the future. middle-class and an evolving identity additional examples for this ever-evolving Special Projects Lead and aesthetic. Southeast Asia is collection. Center for the Edge, Asia Pacific But how does one unearth the relevant home to a new generation of aspiring Edges? How do we distinguish between entrepreneurs and changemakers who those with the potential to have have demonstrated their grit, passion significant impact and those that are and conviction to break through a myriad simply interesting anomalies? Firstly, we of linguistic, cultural and geographical have to pay attention to what is actually complexities to showcase the untapped emerging, whether it is a technological, potential of the region. As the world societal, political, environmental, or begins to look to the horizon of recovery economic trend. Secondly, we need to from the pandemic, Southeast Asia is understand the broader global trends to aspiring beyond, to a more ambitious recognise where an emerging Edge aligns horizon of transformation. with deeper currents. With this Edges of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a region of cultural series, we explore some Edges that diversity, vibrant opportunities, and present a more nuanced and vibrant youthful optimism. The Deloitte Center picture of Southeast Asia today. These 3 4 Contents A New Growth Story A New Growth Story – Deloitte 4 The decade before 2020 was phenomenal. for life. Deloitte’s WorldClass initiative, Change - rapid in some domains, slow in where we commit to preparing two others - was afoot and businesses had million Southeast Asian youth to thrive Bouncing Forward, Together – USABC 5 to start thinking and acting differently. in an Industry 4.0 world, is an example The pandemic has underscored and of us applying our expertise, knowledge, Getting Your Feet Wet in a accelerated that need for change. network, and resources to hasten the SEA of Opportunities – EDB6 shift to new paradigms. Despite the pandemic, Southeast Asia is still set to be one of the fastest-growing In creating this series, we attracted regions in the world. However, where diverse insights and perspectives across 9 that growth comes from, and what that Deloitte’s own Edges. The Deloitte Understanding Southeast Asia growth will look like, will likely be different Center for the Edge collaborated with than before. Many elements will play a Deloitte’s Southeast Asia Innovation Megatrends of Tomorrow’s World 11 role in building a brighter future for the team to provide a new context for the region, and Deloitte is committed to futures-planning work developed by supporting three of these in particular: the Deloitte Center for the Long View. 13 Exploring the Edges of Southeast Asia Despite our different vantage points, Business: As the world’s largest our common stance is this: if the past professional services firm, supporting decade was about growth, the coming businesses to do more and do better decade will be about reinvention and Five Prompts 15 is our core competency. In times of acceleration. Please join us in being part constant disruption, we support our of that journey. clients in reimagining and reinventing Contact Us 16 themselves to address the future needs. Government: Forward-looking 17 Acknowledgements government initiatives are an anchor for Cindy Hook resilient growth. While continuing to work Chief Executive Officer with local and national governments Deloitte Asia Pacific to improve services, we are also keen to form new partnerships with them to address the ‘wicked opportunities’ emerging from disruption. Philip Yuen Chief Executive Officer Youth: Growing up in this vibrant region, Deloitte Southeast Asia our youth have mounting aspirations 5 6 Bouncing Forward, Getting Your Feet Together Wet in a SEA of Opportunities As America’s foremost trade association responses to the COVID-19 pandemic Our partnership with Deloitte on the to Southeast Asia. For another, and partly of US companies doing business in and initiate stimulus measures to support Edges of Southeast Asia started with a because of this prismatic vastness, Southeast Asia, one of the core pillars economic recovery, the region has been conversation in San Francisco. Talking opportunities abound for the plucky of the US-ASEAN Business Council cited as home to great examples of about a region thousands of miles away individual or company willing to get their is to promote awareness about the technology adoption. It reflects the strong was not how we thought we’d spend our feet wet by exploring Southeast Asia from multifaceted elements of the mutually foundation of digital economy ecosystem morning, but once an idea takes hold the ground up. beneficial economic relationships development in the region, which has of you, it doesn’t let go. The more we between the United States and the ten enabled ASEAN’s internet economy talked about it, the more compelling the You might be wondering why the Southeast Asian nations which make up market to grow from US$32 billion in 2015 idea became - how do we tell the story Singapore Economic Development the ASEAN region. to US$100 billion in 2019. of Southeast Asia? Many people know Board is so invested in telling the the headlines: over 600 million people Southeast Asia story. As the government ASEAN is the number one recipient of Given that several of Asia’s leading in ten countries; a multi-trillion dollar agency responsible for bringing American foreign direct investment in technology unicorns are also in economy, including meteoric growth in international companies to Singapore, Asia. With more than US$200 billion in Southeast Asia, we believe the Edges of the digital economy; an abundance of we believe in the power of connections. annual two-way trade, it would be easy Southeast Asia project offers a window natural resources; and human capital. But Our networks include not just the US to focus solely on these commercial into the diverse potential of ASEAN fewer people know what these fantastic and Europe, but also Indonesia, Vietnam, metrics to assess the past and present Member States to utilise innovation to numbers actually look like on the streets of Malaysia, and all of the countries qualities of this relationship. However, not just bounce back, but to maximise Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, and the featured in this deck. We can’t confess as societies respond to the COVID-19 their economic potential to bounce countless other rural areas in the region. to knowing everything about Southeast pandemic and pursue economic forward in a world with “new normal”. Asia - no one can - but we can promise recovery, the embedded role of American The deck of cards you have in your hands to be a co-conspirator and partner for technology value chains and Southeast is our attempt to tell this story. Like the anyone interested in the region. So if the Asia’s emergence as a global innovation best narratives, it actually contains many stories in this deck pique your curiosity, foreign investment destination are likely to stories. A Malaysian company using tech get in touch. Who knows what will happen become more prominent features of our Alexander Feldman tools to synchronise halal standards over a conversation and a coffee. important connection. Chairman, President and CEO for millions of businesses. The son of a fisherman in Thailand taking direct-to- It is in this context that working with consumer to the next level by selling Deloitte Center for the Edge and the seafood on Facebook to over a million Singapore Economic Development Marc Mealy followers. An app in Indonesia that will Kai Fong Chng Board in supporting the Edges of Senior Vice-President, Policy link you up with a doctor for a virtual Managing Director Southeast Asia project is a natural fit. It consultation for just over US$1 and deliver reflects a continuation of a decades- medicine to your door. long commitment by the Council and its Brandon Chew members to support shared prosperity As we tried to bring these Edges to life, Regional Director and economic growth in Southeast Asia. two things became clear. For one, 25 [email protected] As ASEAN nations craft public health short case studies would never do justice https://go.gov.sg/edb-insights 9 10 One but Not the Same Not Taken as a Bloc Southeast Asia is a physically fragmented Understanding region made up of over 25,000 islands Southeast Asia and archipelagos.

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