Our work

“A warning to the world” “A warning to the world”

A self-published report that examines the shrinking climate financing pool and how that impacts the climate disaster recovery front for most vulnerable economies in the world.

The Build-Out (Issue 4) The Build-Out (Issue 4)

This October 2026 newsletter, explores the global EV market and how new developments may impact China’s ambitious EV agenda, requiring Chinese OEMs to increasingly compete on quality and localisation, rather than pure price in markets like Southeast Asia and Latin America.

Cargo & Capital (Issue 4) Cargo & Capital (Issue 4)

In this September 2026 edition, we examine the impact of the US’ ongoing retreat from global alliances, in particular, Asia-Pacific and its Quad Alliance partners.

Capital controls: a catch-22 for Asian private equity Capital controls: a catch-22 for Asian private equity

In this in-house report we explore how US and China’s tightening of outbound capital is fundamentally changing private capital operations across Asia.

Securing Malaysia’s Digital Payments Ecosystem in the AI Era Securing Malaysia’s Digital Payments Ecosystem in the AI Era

Writing and designing a report on Visa’s Malaysia Security Roadmap 2026–2028, that sets out six priorities to strengthen trust, resilience and security across Malaysia’s payments ecosystem, preparing the industry for the next stage of digital growth.

Asia Pacific companies are balancing AI ambition with ROI realities Asia Pacific companies are balancing AI ambition with ROI realities

An article written at the back of the KPMG’s Q2 Asia Pulse survey. The piece delves into how Asia Pacific companies are moving fast on AI to unlock higher-quality decision-making and seamless workflow automation, keeping humans in the loop.

Asia Pacific moves from AI adoption to AI advantage Asia Pacific moves from AI adoption to AI advantage

A survey-based article on how Asian companies are investing heavily in AI, accelerating agent deployment and rewiring their workforce.

Asia-Pacific is a promising market for fund finance Asia-Pacific is a promising market for fund finance

A feature article on how amid slowdown in fund activity in Asia-Pacific, the region is increasingly becoming a promising market for fund financing.

Cargo & Capital (Issue 3) Cargo & Capital (Issue 3)

In this August 2026 edition, we examine how geopolitical fragmentation is accelerating a new defence investment cycle and driving the uptake of AI and renewables as key strategies.

Asia’s coal conundrum Asia’s coal conundrum

In this report, we look at how the Middle East conflict has pushed Asian economies to deepen their coal dependence, amid disruption in global energy supply chains.

The Build-Out (Issue 3) The Build-Out (Issue 3)

A monthly self-published bulletin that looks at factors such as critical minerals, chips, energy, infrastructure and the supply chains powering Asia’s digital economy.

Singapore breeds mosquito ‘studs’ by the millions for war on dengue Singapore breeds mosquito ‘studs’ by the millions for war on dengue

A feature delving into how Singapore is tackling the issue of dengue through Project Wolbachia.

In the eye of the storm In the eye of the storm

A StoneBench research project that looks at how geopolitical fragmentation is reshaping Asia-Pacific’s financial system.

Cargo & Capital Cargo & Capital

A self-published monthly bulletin, that looks at how geopolitics and policy are redrawing Asia’s trade, capital and wealth flows.

The Build-Out (Issue 2) The Build-Out (Issue 2)

A monthly self-published bulletin that looks at factors such as critical minerals, chips, energy, infrastructure and the supply chains powering Asia’s digital economy.

Asia’s sovereign debt burden Asia’s sovereign debt burden

A self-published report, examining the rising debt burden on Asian economies, and the choices facing Asian finance ministers.

Water, water, everywhere? Water, water, everywhere?

A self-published report on how water, often an overlooked resource is fast becoming the defining risk to Asia’s industrial and digital ambitions.

Tech giants move on Asia Tech giants move on Asia

A feature for the Economic Development Board of Singapore on why AI giants are increasingly using Singapore as a springboard to innovate and commercialise.

Building innovation in Singapore Building innovation in Singapore

A feature for the Economic Development Board of Singapore that looks at how neutrality, a robust R&D ecosystem and talent make the city-state a magnet for multinational companies aspiring to innovate.

Singapore’s tech ecosystem Singapore’s tech ecosystem

An article for the Economic Development Board of Singapore on why founders are choosing Singapore for talent, customers and a foothold in the world’s fastest-growing markets.

Singapore-India economic ties Singapore-India economic ties

How the economic partnership between India and Singapore is deepening, and where the next opportunities lie.

FDI’s strategic role in Asia FDI’s strategic role in Asia

Amid rising uncertainty, FDI is becoming a key tool for Asian economies building resilience for the long term.

Growing tariff uncertainty in Asia Growing tariff uncertainty in Asia

How Asian businesses are reacting to US tariffs and preparing for for a high-tariff environment.

Soyabeans in the trade war Soyabeans in the trade war

Unravelling the shift in soybean trade between US and China, and why Brazil is gaining ground as China’s supplier.

The new trade reality post Liberation Day The new trade reality post Liberation Day

As global trade faces ongoing shifts, banks’ role in trade finance is being increasingly centred on innovation, resilience and sustainability.

De-risking trade through digitalisation De-risking trade through digitalisation

A look at how digitalising traditional trade finance enhances security, speed and accuracy, and supports trade.

Technology and sustainability in trade finance Technology and sustainability in trade finance

Amid geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, trade finance can drive sustainability, supported by regulations and technological advancements.

The green transition push The green transition push

How pension funds are leading the push among institutional investors towards sustainable investment in Asia.

Vietnam’s digitalisation and green push Vietnam’s digitalisation and green push

Vietnam’s next phase of growth—fuelled by digitalisation and sustainability—and what it means for businesses there.

The Asian CEO outlook The Asian CEO outlook

A survey-based report exploring the perspectives of Asia-Pacific’s CEOs on the economic outlook and trends in sustainability, technology & AI, and talent—revealing their next crucial steps.

The digital transformation of Thai SMBs The digital transformation of Thai SMBs

A whitepaper on the habits, preferences and challenges of Thai SMBs going digital—and how Visa can help.

The digital transformation of Malaysian MSMEs The digital transformation of Malaysian MSMEs

A landscape report on how Malaysian MSMEs use digital payments, the barriers they face and where Visa fits in.

AI-enabled banking in Southeast Asia AI-enabled banking in Southeast Asia

A profile on DBS Bank’ integral role in Singapore’s transformation into a global financial centre, and its own shift into an AI-led bank.

Building Kotak Mahindra Bank Building Kotak Mahindra Bank

A profile of Uday Kotak, founder of Kotak Mahindra Bank—the ambition and struggle behind building a banking empire.

Reskilling the workforce Reskilling the workforce

A survey- and interview-based report on what it takes to close the skills gap at Asia-Pacific companies.

Adaptive leadership in Asia-Pacific Adaptive leadership in Asia-Pacific

A survey- and interview-driven report on how Asia Pacific’s C-suite is adapting its leadership style to meet changing demands placed by rapid tech adoption.

The transformation of the workplace The transformation of the workplace

A whitepaper on the shifting dynamics of work across Southeast Asia.

Addressing the great resignation Addressing the great resignation

A report on the causes and fallout of the Great Resignation in Asia-Pacific—and how data can help companies address the issue.

Making workplace attractive Making workplace attractive

A barometer-based report on the qualities a workplace needs to retain staff and drive sustainable growth and productivity.

FDI in Singapore FDI in Singapore

How foreign direct investment continues to power Singapore’s growth and bring opportunities.

Financial inclusion in the Philippines Financial inclusion in the Philippines

A whitepaper on the Philippine lending sector—its challenges, its openings, and what they mean for the industry.

Infrastructure investment opportunities in ASEAN Infrastructure investment opportunities in ASEAN

A series of articles featuring ASEAN’s priorities in infrastructure development, highlighting insights from key stakeholders.

Alleviating poverty by giving Alleviating poverty by giving

A research brief detailing key insights from the Faith and Giving initiative by AVPN. The brief shares how faith-aligned givers are working with local communities and organisations to tackle poverty in Asia.

ICT investments driving digital economy ICT investments driving digital economy

A whitepaper exploring the importance of ICT investments on the global digital economy, written on the back of a global survey, interviews and desk research.

State of fintech regulatory sandboxes in SEA State of fintech regulatory sandboxes in SEA

A self-published report exploring the adoption of regulatory sandboxes against the backdrop of accelerated fintech growth in Southeast Asia.

Rise of Web 3.0 Rise of Web 3.0

A research report detailing the rise of Web 3.0, its development and what it means for the financial services industry.

AI-driven banking AI-driven banking

The piece looks at the increasing use of agentic AI in banks; and Huawei’s role in scaling AI adoption across the ecosystem.

Supply chain disruption Supply chain disruption

This report explores post-COVID supply chain disruptions and sustainability in Asia-Pacific, and was written on the back of a survey, interviews and desk research, for Economist Intelligence Unit and Citibank.

Responding to the new geoeconomics Responding to the new geoeconomics

A whitepaper setting out strategic options for ASEAN amid a shifting geoeconomic order.

A look at ACFTA 3.0 A look at ACFTA 3.0

A whitepaper written in partnership with Asia Decoded and Stephen Olson that explores the implications of the upgraded ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement.

Bringing trade into the Web 3.0 Bringing trade into the Web 3.0

A report on TradeTust, the world’s first paperless cross-border transaction system, written for Hinrich Foundation with support from Singapore’s IMDA.

Tech in next generation supply chains Tech in next generation supply chains

A survey-based report on how businesses are responding to supply chain disruption in a cost-plus world.

The socioeconomic burden of mental health The socioeconomic burden of mental health

A report on the mental healthcare landscape across key Asian economies, and the barriers and opportunities ahead.

Small steps to poverty reduction in Nepal Small steps to poverty reduction in Nepal

A report that examines how hundreds of small, community-level interventions drove Nepal’s sharp fall in poverty.

Health equity Health equity

An article on how access to medicines has become a global priority, and the role of pharma companies in delivering it.

Good governance is key to national resilience Good governance is key to national resilience

A piece on which good governance is key to withstanding national crises.

Good governance as a pre-requisite to inclusivity Good governance as a pre-requisite to inclusivity

A piece on how social mobility is closely linked to governments that foster fair and inclusive societies.

Digitalisation for better governance Digitalisation for better governance

A piece on how governments that have implemented digital technologies are better able to deliver services to their citizens.

Singapore’s healthcare transformation Singapore’s healthcare transformation

A position paper written from the perspective of European pharmaceutical companies, healthcare providers and medical device companies with views on developments in Singapore’s healthcare landscape.

Sustainability in animal health Sustainability in animal health

A policy paper written for the Asian Animal Health Association, focused on the health regulatory ecosystem in ASEAN and calling for support from multiple stakeholders.

GreenTech revolution GreenTech revolution

A research-led paper on the challenges facing green tech ecosystems across Asia-Pacific, and how to scale them.

Managing the grid gap through transition Managing the grid gap through transition

An interview-based article on balancing long-term decarbonisation goals with the immediate development needs of emerging economies.

A LiDAR future A LiDAR future

A thought-leadership piece on how autonomous vehicles and robotics are fuelling growth in LiDAR.

Decarbonising the healthcare sector Decarbonising the healthcare sector

A whitepaper on why healthcare and pharmaceutical companies must decarbonise their supply chains, as regulators, consumers and investors raise the pressure.

Greening the aluminium sector Greening the aluminium sector

A research article that highlights the potential of green aluminium in Indonesia and the role of financial institutions in realising it.

Digital upskilling for a more secure future Digital upskilling for a more secure future

A survey-based report that looks at how large-scale upskilling efforts can support sustainable growth in Southeast Asia.

The alternative fuel imperative The alternative fuel imperative

A piece on why the realisation of a net-zero future in Asia depends on the rise of alternative fuels.

The Scope 3 reporting landscape in Asia The Scope 3 reporting landscape in Asia

A research report on the Scope 3 reporting landscape across key Asia-Pacific markets and how companies in these markets are responding.

The rise of the conscious traveller The rise of the conscious traveller

A survey- and export-driven report focused on changing travel trends in Asia-Pacific following the onset of COVID-19, and the emergence of the sustainable, conscious traveller.

Investment trends in renewable energy in Asia Investment trends in renewable energy in Asia

A report that makes the case for investment in renewable energy technologies in Asia, with a strategic emphasis on electric vehicles and related infrastructure.

Taking the AI leap Taking the AI leap

A survey-based piece that looks at how Asian companies are investing heavily in AI, accelerating agent deployment and rewiring their workforces.

Japan’s fusion vision Japan’s fusion vision

A long-form piece that takes a deep dive into Japan’s nuclear fusion energy vision and strategy, with interviews with key players in the fusion ecosystem in the country.

Migrating to a modern ERP Migrating to a modern ERP

A case study on how Tugu Insurance migrated to a better-established ERP system, improving efficiency and scalability.

Data centres in Southeast Asia Data centres in Southeast Asia

A point-of-view on the data centre buildout in Southeast Asia, and who wins and who loses if the AI bubble bursts.

Digital trust in Asia-Pacific Digital trust in Asia-Pacific

A report on rising cybersecurity spending across Asia-Pacific, driven by costlier breaches and tighter regulation.

The business case for GenAI The business case for GenAI

A branded piece on the rise of GenAI adoption—and why realising its benefits demands a more methodological approach.

Moving from “doing digital” to “being digital” Moving from “doing digital” to “being digital”

A branded piece on how businesses can deploy capital and AI to lift revenues, improve customer experience and cut costs.

Industrial digitalisation 4.0 Industrial digitalisation 4.0

A piece on how advanced digital technologies are helping businesses across industries achieve more accurate production, cut service downtime and lower costs.

Supporting innovation with patents Supporting innovation with patents

A piece on how patents incentivise innovation and support broader socioeconomic progress.

Collective leadership Collective leadership

A briefing paper written for the Economist Impact and sponsored by the Menzies Foundation assessing the evolving nature of leadership in the public, private and non-profit sectors.

Healthcare potential in Asia-Pacific Healthcare potential in Asia-Pacific

A survey-based report mapping investible opportunities in the life sciences and healthcare space in Asia-Pacific.

Alternative payments landscape Alternative payments landscape

This was a research-based whitepaper written for DOCOMO Digital on the evolving payments landscape in emerging markets globally, with a focus on e-wallets and direct carrier billing.

The fledging OTT ecosystem The fledging OTT ecosystem

A research-based report written on changing media consumption patterns influenced by the rise of OTT media.

Digitalising governance Digitalising governance

A survey of senior-level employees from 150 government organisations across Southeast Asia to understand digital adoption in government. Written for the Economist Impact, commissioned by Microsoft.

Curated energy security compendium Curated energy security compendium

The StoneBench team curated a compendium of articles examining crucial issues in the oil and gas sector in Asia-Pacific.

Changing procurement trends Changing procurement trends

Captured the growing areas of focus for procurement teams through a survey of 430 C-level executives, supplemented by desk research and expert interviews.

Private participation in infrastructure Private participation in infrastructure

A research-based report for Oliver Wyman, highlighting the importance of public-private participation to fuel infrastructure development in the Middle East.

Ageing productively Ageing productively

A consumer survey, supplemented by research and interviews on Hong Kong’s ageing population and factors driving productive ageing. This was written for the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by HSBC Life.

Family offices, legacy planning and succession Family offices, legacy planning and succession

We wrote a series of four articles for KPMG Australia on themes relating to succession and legacy planning, a renewed focus on ESG and changes in investment strategy among family offices in Asia-Pacific.

Innovation in an era of new globalisation Innovation in an era of new globalisation

We wrote a series of three innovation-focused articles for a research programme supported by Philip Morris International.

Belt and Road Initiative: Risks and opportunities Belt and Road Initiative: Risks and opportunities

A two-part compendium featuring articles and commentaries curated by StoneBench, focused on the environmental, economic and geopolitical implications of the Belt and Road Initiative.

Digitalisation in procurement Digitalisation in procurement

We worked on a series of survey-based research papers for Economist Impact and SAP that analysed the changing trends in procurement through a survey of C-level executives, accompanying research and an interview programme of practitioners.

Illicit trade in Asia-Pacific Illicit trade in Asia-Pacific

We wrote a report focused on the illicit trade environment in Asia, on the back of an index created by the Economist Intelligence Unit and supported by TRACIT.