Prof. Kishore Mahbubani

Authority on Asia & Global Affairs

Kishore Mahbubani, a Distinguished Fellow at ARI, NUS, excels in both diplomacy (1971-2004) and academia (2004-2019). His expertise and insights continue to shape global discourse on international relations and the role of small states.

"One of Asia’s most influential thinkers on geopolitics"

Topics

The Powershift from West to East
The Rise of Asia
America and the World
Politics, Economics and Culture from an Asian Perspective
Why the World Needs New Global Leadership
International Affairs and Security

Languages

He presents in English.

How he presents

With his trademark clarity and bold foresight, Kishore equips audiences to anticipate change, reframe challenges as opportunities, and develop strategies that are future-focused, and culturally intelligent.

Publications

2024
Living the Asian Century
2022
The Asian 21st Century
2020
Has China Won?
2018
Has the West Lost It?: A Provocation
2014
The Great Convergence: Asia, the West, and the Logic of One World

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In Detail

Kishore Mahbubani began his distinguished diplomatic career in 1971, with postings in Cambodia, Malaysia, and Washington, D.C., and served twice as Singapore’s Ambassador to the UN (1984–1989; 1998–2004). He presided over the UN Security Council in 2001 and 2002, and was Permanent Secretary at Singapore’s Foreign Ministry from 1993 to 1998, earning the Public Administration Medal (Gold) in 1998. Transitioning to academia in 2004, he became the Founding Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (2004–2017) and continued as Professor in the Practice of Public Policy until 2019. He now serves as a Distinguished Fellow at NUS’s Asia Research Institute, where he continues to shape discussions on Asia and global governance. In 2019, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

What he offers you

Kishore Mahbubani helps organisations, governments, and leaders understand the rise of Asia, the future of US–China relations, and the megatrends shaping the 21st century. He is renowned for his clear, provocative, and pragmatic analyses, which challenge conventional Western thinking and open new pathways for global engagement.