Why Southeast Asia, Why Now? | Asia Forward | Episode 1

Southeast Asia is one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, yet it remains underrepresented in U.S. global business strategy.The first episode of Asia Forward examines why a region with hundreds of millions of consumers and a multi-trillion-dollar economy has often been overlooked by U.S. companies, and why that dynamic is beginning to change. In this episode of Asia Forward, host Ledy SImarmata speaks with Frank Lavin, former U.S. Under Secretary for International Trade and former U.S. Ambassador to Singapore. Drawing on his experience in trade policy, diplomacy and global business, Lavin explains why Southeast Asia’s diversity can be challenging for U.S. firms, and why technology and e-commerce are lowering the cost of entry.The conversation also looks at how Southeast Asia fits into the China+1 strategy of supply-chain diversification and why the region still appears less frequently in U.S. business conversations. A portion of the episode focuses on U.S. investment patterns, including why a large share of U.S. foreign direct investment in ASEAN flows through Singapore and how much of that capital is actually deployed across other Southeast Asian economies.The episode concludes with a forward-looking assessment of which Southeast Asian markets may warrant closer attention in 2026, why the gap between U.S. and Southeast Asia business engagement is narrowing, and the risks for U.S. companies that choose not to engage. It also considers how soft power and people-to-people ties shape long-term business relationships.