Leaders, experts to convene at Asia Future Summit to examine region’s role in changing world

SINGAPORE – The Asia Future Summit (AFS) returns for its fifth edition later in November as leading policymakers, business leaders and industry experts will examine Asia’s evolving role in an increasingly uncertain global environment.The full-day event, set to take place on Nov 27 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, is being jointly presented by SPH Media’s key news titles – The Straits Times, The Business Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian and Tamil Murasu – for the first time. The presenting sponsor is OCBC Bank.The summit takes place as Singapore assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN in 2027, with the expanded newsrooms’ collaboration allowing the event to examine the region’s challenges and opportunities through a wider range of editorial perspectives, expertise and networks.The theme for 2026 – Asia Ascendant: Shaping the region’s role in a new global order – reflects a period of profound global uncertainty, as established norms are challenged and economic and geopolitical dynamics continue to evolve.Against this backdrop, the summit will explore how Asia can navigate these shifts, strengthen regional cooperation, forge new partnerships and play a greater role in shaping the global agenda.Discussions will centre on the region’s priorities in economic integration, technological transformation and regional resilience.Economics, AI and geopoliticsAmong the speakers are Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Trade and Industry (Trade) Gan Kim Yong, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Akmal Nasir, OCBC Group chief executive Tan Teck Long, and Singapore Exchange Group CEO Loh Boon Chye.Akmal and Loh are part of a four-person panel along with the Indian government’s chief economic advisor V. Anantha Nageswaran and Hutong Research partner Guo Shan. They will discuss if the world is headed for a global crisis and how Asia’s economies should respond.OCBC’s Tan will join Trip.com CEO Jane Sun, Temus CEO Sng Ren Yeong and Amazon Web Services’ head of AI acceleration Varun Dayal at a separate panel to discuss how Asia will shape the future of artificial intelligence.A third panel will comprise Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia founder Dino Patti Djalal, Singapore Management University external research fellow and political economist June Park, and Fudan University’s professor and deputy director at the Centre for America Studies Zhao Minghao. They will speak at a session on geopolitics and discuss whether the world’s major powers will clash and what middle powers can do.Fostering informed public discourseSPH Media executive chairman Chan Yeng Kit said the AFS will help the national news company build on its role of fostering informed public discourse on issues of national and regional importance.“By harnessing the collective strengths of our five key publications, we amplify our convening power for influential voices, connect diverse perspectives and deepen conversations that are shaping the region’s future,” he said.OCBC’s head of global consumer financial services Sunny Quek said 2026’s AFS takes place at a time when both businesses and investors are navigating an increasingly complex global environment.“(We are) pleased to provide our Premier Banking clients with access to perspectives from leading policymakers, business leaders and industry experts as they discuss the forces shaping Asia’s future. The summit offers a valuable platform for our clients to be part of conversations that matter and gain fresh perspectives,” he said. THE BUSINESS TIMESFor more information, visit www.asiafuturesummit.com