Empires - An Asian Business Podcast

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of...

STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of...

Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, sha...

Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, sha...

Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, sha...

Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, sha...

Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, sha...

Empires will be taking a short break, but we’ll be back in 2025 with even more exciting stories. We appreciate your support and can’t wait to share what’s next. See you in the new year! - From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital techn...

From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from...

From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from...

From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from...

From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from...

Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are s...

Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are s...

Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are s...

Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are s...

Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are s...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠⁠ ! Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines. Yet, it commands a vast portfolio of iconic brands across the region, from the Michelin-starred dim sum of Tim Ho Wan to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf—Starbucks' formidable rival—and Highlands Coffee, Vietnam's largest coffee chain. Jollibee's true gem, however, is i...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠⁠ ! Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines. Yet, it commands a vast portfolio of iconic brands across the region, from the Michelin-starred dim sum of Tim Ho Wan to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf—Starbucks' formidable rival—and Highlands Coffee, Vietnam's largest coffee chain. Jollibee's true gem, however, is i...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠⁠ ! Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines. Yet, it commands a vast portfolio of iconic brands across the region, from the Michelin-starred dim sum of Tim Ho Wan to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf—Starbucks' formidable rival—and Highlands Coffee, Vietnam's largest coffee chain. Jollibee's true gem, however, is i...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠⁠ ! Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines. Yet, it commands a vast portfolio of iconic brands across the region, from the Michelin-starred dim sum of Tim Ho Wan to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf—Starbucks' formidable rival—and Highlands Coffee, Vietnam's largest coffee chain. Jollibee's true gem, however, is i...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠ ! Jollibee is the McDonald's of the Philippines. Yet, it commands a vast portfolio of iconic brands across the region, from the Michelin-starred dim sum of Tim Ho Wan to The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf—Starbucks' formidable rival—and Highlands Coffee, Vietnam's largest coffee chain. Jollibee's true gem, however, is its...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠ ! Titan is the largest jewellery and watch company in India, a country that consumes more gold for jewellery than most countries in the world. Titan, a part of the Tata Group, generates around $5 billion USD in revenue from jewelry, watches, eyecare, fragrances, fashion accessories, and Indian dress wear. The Jewelry division is th...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠ ! Titan is the largest jewellery and watch company in India, a country that consumes more gold for jewellery than most countries in the world. Titan, a part of the Tata Group, generates around $5 billion USD in revenue from jewelry, watches, eyecare, fragrances, fashion accessories, and Indian dress wear. The Jewelry division is th...

Want to listen all episodes now? ⁠⁠Subscribe to binge for SGD 2.99⁠⁠ ! Titan is the largest jewellery and watch company in India, a country that consumes more gold for jewellery than most countries in the world. Titan, a part of the Tata Group, generates around $5 billion USD in revenue from jewelry, watches, eyecare, fragrances, fashion accessories, and Indian dress wear. The Jewelry division is...