Steven Okun Keynote Speaker

Founder & CEO, APAC Advisors; leading voice on US policy & ESG in APAC
Senior Advisor: Kroll, BSR & GPCA; 25+ years shaping policy & strategy
Deputy GC, US DOT (1994–1999); media: The Economist, NYT, CNBC, CNA

Steven Okun's Biography

Steven Okun is a leading voice on U.S. foreign policy, global trade, sustainability, and corporate public affairs in the Asia Pacific region. As Founder and CEO of APAC Advisors, he counsels clients across financial services, logistics, digital infrastructure, and private equity on navigating geopolitical risk, trade policy, and regulatory change. With 25+ years across government and business—and based in Singapore since 2003—he is known for turning complex policy shifts into actionable strategies. His early calls on reciprocal tariffs, tariff escalation under a second Trump administration, and U.S.–China decoupling were validated months before mainstream adoption.

Before launching APAC Advisors, Steven was the first Director of Public Affairs for Asia Pacific at KKR, embedding regulatory and sustainability analysis into investment decisions. He previously served as Vice President of Public Affairs at UPS Asia and as Deputy General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Transportation (1994–1999), where he contributed to foundational U.S.–Asia trade and investment policy. This public–private vantage point informs a pragmatic approach to risk, resilience, and growth.

Beyond APAC Advisors, Steven serves as Senior Advisor to Kroll; Senior Advisor to BSR (Business for Social Responsibility); Southeast Asia Senior Advisor to the Global Private Capital Association; and Head of External Affairs at the American Association of the Indo-Pacific. Frequently cited by global media, he has been quoted in The Economist (“Donald Trump would leave Asia with only bad options”) and The New York Times (“U.S. and China Headed for ‘Monumental’ Split”). His recent commentaries—“Trump could be the most powerful US president,” “Nightmare scenario as Trump’s tariffs head for Asia,” “America First would become Trump First,” and “The collapse of Brand America Under Trump”—demonstrate prescient analysis.

Steven speaks at high-level forums and in closed-door boardrooms, delivering clear, practical playbooks for leaders. In 2025, he appeared on “Why Should We Care About the Indo-Pacific?”, a top-performing episode with notable cross-platform reach. A familiar face on CNBC, CNA, Al Jazeera, ABC Australia, and the BBC, he equips audiences to anticipate disruption, de-risk decisions, and seize opportunity across Asia.

Trump 2.0 and foreign policy risk

U.S.–China relations and implications for Asia

Rising Costs, Heightened Risks

Energy prices are climbing, inflation remains persistent, and supply chains continue to face strain. At the same time, a growing number of armed conflicts are reshaping global trade, while climate risks and AI-driven disruption are adding further uncertainty for businesses and investors.

This session helps audiences make sense of today’s volatile landscape - what’s driving it, whether it represents a new normal, and what it means for strategy and investment decisions.

Geopolitics & Global Trade in the Trump 2.0 Era

How U.S. politics under a second Trump administration and intensifying U.S.–China rivalry will reshape tariffs, sanctions, and supply chains. Steve translates geopolitical shocks into actionable strategies for boards, CFOs, and investors across Asia-Pacific.

Geoeconomic Intelligence for Business Leaders

A practical framework for integrating geopolitical and geoeconomic risk into decision-making. Steve shows how investors and corporates can anticipate regulatory shifts, strengthen resilience, and capture opportunities in an increasingly polarized global order.

Responsible Investment, AI Governance & ESG

In an Age of Geopolitical Risk Why sustainability and responsible investment are no longer optional, and how they must evolve to address responsible AI adoption, supply-chain transparency, forced labour, human rights, and tightening global mandates (e.g., UFLPA, EU CSDDD, modern slavery laws). Steve draws on his experience at KKR, UPS, and APAC Advisors to show how investors can strengthen due diligence, manage AI-related social and environmental harms, and balance risk, resilience, and returns in a rapidly shifting regulatory landscape.

AI Governance and Risk

This session walks organizations through five practical questions they should be asking about their AI exposure, covering areas such as labour, decision-making, and concentration risk, and helps them understand what that means for their specific business.

He brings 25+ years at the intersection of U.S. government, global corporates and Asia-based advisory work, giving leaders a rare, inside-out view of how geopolitics and policy decisions actually get made.
He translates U.S. foreign policy, trade dynamics and regulatory change into practical playbooks for executives across financial services, logistics, digital infrastructure and private equity.
He helps boards and senior teams anticipate disruption and stress-test strategy, drawing on his experience embedding public affairs, sustainability and regulatory insight into investment and business decisions.
He is consistently sought out by global media and high-level forums for clear, decisive analysis on U.S.–China relations, tariffs and Indo-Pacific risk, equipping audiences to communicate confidently through uncertainty.
He delivers sharp, Singapore-grounded perspectives on how U.S. political shifts reshape Asia’s operating environment, helping leaders de-risk decisions and seize opportunity in a fragmented global economy.