Kishore Mahbubani

Kishore Mahbubani is a distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore, recognised globally as one of Asia's leading public intellectuals and a compelling voice on geopolitics and the shifting global order. With 33 years in Singapore's diplomatic service, including two terms as Ambassador to the UN and President of the UN Security Council, and 13 years as founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, he combines rare diplomatic insight with academic rigour. His eight books, including the widely acclaimed Has China Won? and Living the Asian Century, alongside articles in Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times and The New York Times, equip audiences with fresh perspectives on U.S.-China relations, Asia's rise, and navigating a multipolar world with strategic clarity and confidence.

During the war in Cambodia in 1973, Kishore Mahbubani served as Singapore's chargé d'affaires in Phnom Penh, an early posting that would shape a diplomatic career spanning three decades and mark him as one of Asia's most influential voices on the global stage. Over 33 years with Singapore's Foreign Service, he represented his nation at the highest levels, serving twice as Ambassador to the United Nations and presiding over the UN Security Council in January 2001 and May 2002. His tenure as Permanent Secretary at the Foreign Ministry from 1993 to 1998 cemented his reputation as a strategic thinker who understood both the mechanics of international diplomacy and the deeper currents reshaping the global order. This rare combination of frontline experience and philosophical insight has made him a sought-after commentator whose perspectives challenge conventional Western assumptions about power, progress, and the future of multilateralism.

Mahbubani's transition to academia proved equally distinguished. As founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy from 2004 to 2017, he built what is now recognised as Asia's premier institution in its field, combining rigorous scholarship with practical policy application. Now a distinguished fellow at the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore, he continues to shape global conversations through prolific writing and speaking. His eight books, including the widely discussed Has China Won? and his memoir Living the Asian Century, have been translated internationally, whilst his articles in Foreign Affairs, the Financial Times, and The New York Times reach audiences across continents. His TED talk has garnered over 2.2 million views, and his lecture at Harvard has been watched more than 1.6 million times. Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019 and repeatedly named among Foreign Policy's Top Global Thinkers, Mahbubani has earned recognition as what one observer called "the muse of the Asian century," a public intellectual whose analysis transcends regional boundaries.

What distinguishes Mahbubani's contributions is his ability to equip audiences with frameworks for navigating an increasingly multipolar world. His presentations move beyond abstract theory to offer practical insights on U.S.-China relations, the dynamics driving Asia's economic and cultural resurgence, and the institutional reforms needed for effective global governance. He helps leaders understand not simply that power is shifting, but how to respond strategically and constructively to that shift. Whether addressing corporate boards, policy forums, or academic audiences, he provides clarity on the forces reshaping international relations whilst challenging organisations to question assumptions that no longer serve them. Audiences leave his sessions with renewed perspective on their role in a world where the West, as he provocatively argues, was never the whole story, and with confidence to engage complexity rather than retreat from it.