Robin Harding Keynote Speaker

Asia Editor - The Financial Times
Insightful economist and 'on the ground' commentator on Asia
Experienced commentator on monetary policy and central banking

Robin Harding's Biography

Robin Harding is the Asia Editor of the Financial Times and is responsible for coverage from Australia to Afghanistan, as well as writing personally on the fast-growing region in the world economy.

Previously an editorial writer, a Fed-watcher in Washington DC during the years after the financial crisis and the FT’s bureau chief in Tokyo, Robin combines his own perspective as an economics columnist with a reporter’s access to the politicians and policymakers in charge. He can offer a thought-provoking – and well-informed – perspective on developments affecting the Asian and the world economy.

Robin has lengthy experience as a keynote speaker and a moderator. He has been a panellist or moderated events at the IMF, the World Bank, several regional Federal Reserve banks and the Institute for International Finance. He has chaired contentious press conferences, which required firm control, as well as lighter-hearted events. He always tries to bring clarity and serve the audience.

Drawing on his experiences covering monetary policy and his years in Japan – where he interviewed prime minister Shinzo Abe several times – Robin can speak about some of the biggest trends shaping the modern world: ageing demographics and declining interest rates, as well as the growth of China, and the geopolitical tensions that are reshaping Asia.

Born in Durham, in the north of England, Robin has degrees in economics from the University of Cambridge and Hitotsubashi University. Before becoming a journalist, he worked in banking, asset management and public policy research.

Between the superpowers: doing business in Asia at a time of geopolitical tension

Economic outlook:

China Economy
Asia and the world

Lessons from Asia

Economic, demographic and strategic

The Future of Asia

He brings frontline insight from shaping and directing the Financial Times’ Asia coverage, offering leaders a clear-eyed view of the fastest-growing and most strategically consequential region in the global economy.
He combines the authority of a seasoned economics columnist with direct access to policymakers and central bankers, helping audiences understand how monetary policy, geopolitics and growth dynamics intersect in real time.
He translates complex trends such as China’s rise, ageing demographics and shifting interest rate regimes into coherent narratives that inform strategy, risk assessment and long-term planning.
He is a highly experienced keynote speaker and moderator trusted by institutions such as the IMF and World Bank, known for bringing clarity, control and audience focus to both high-stakes and conversational settings.