What is the future of the music festivals in the digital age?
What’s the DNA of 57 years old world famous Montreux Jazz Festival?
What makes live music enjoyable?

Our guest for this episode is Nicolas Bonard, CEO of Montreux Media Ventures, a media, production and content creation company and subsidiary of the Montreux Jazz Festival.

00:04 Intro
03:26 What makes live music enjoyable now that we have online streaming?
04:43 Since when has Montreux Jazz Festival been embracing music genres other than Jazz?
09:27 How has the festival evolved since 1967?
13:15 How are the archival footage of the festival being used?
15:40 What are the biggest challenges for the festival going digital?
20:30 How will the economic recession impact the music and entertainment industry?
23:20 What kind of technologies would further transform the business?
24:40 What are the views on NFT in the live music business?
26:45 2023 Hangzhou Montreux Jazz Festival and the Chinese music market
29:22 What are some of the musicians that help shaped the festival?
33:13 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

In AntKast’s first episode in 2023, we present to you a fintech conversation between Jennifer Tan and Andy Mok as we draw our focus to Asia.

In this episode, Jennifer and Andy reveal why some of the most important fintech developments in the world are unveiled in Asia. Listen in as they discuss misconceptions surrounding Asian countries, how these countries evolved beyond stereotypes, and what future developmental opportunities they may have.  

Our guest, Jennifer Tan, is the Executive Vice President for Ant Group’s strategy development and government affairs in the Greater Bay Area in China. Our guest host, Andy Mok, is a Senior Research Fellow at the Center for China and Globalization, as well as an advisor to venture capital and private equity funds and tech startups.

Sections in this episode include:
00:04 Intro
01:00 What is GBA? Why should we care about it?
05:50 What are some of the most important misunderstandings or myths about China?
10:16 Is it true that Asia is not as well-informed on sustainability?
14:56 What are some of the most interesting macro trends in Asia?
21;29 What can we learn from the success of digital payment in Hong Kong?
25:15 How does Alipay+ empower financial connectivity in the broader Asia region?
31:00 What are some of the biggest opportunities for innovation in 5-10 years in Asia?
35:35 Book recommendations
38:45 Outro

 If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

The world is expecting a resurgence in international tourism. Alipay+ is suite of cross-border digital payment and marketing solutions. It is working together with digital wallet companies around the world to create a better payment experience for international travelers and local merchants alike.

A popular destination in Asia, South Korea has connected many of its offline merchants with multiple e-wallet partners in the Asia-Pacific region via Alipay+, including Alipay HK from Hong Kong, GCash from the Philippines and TrueMoney from Thailand. In this special episode, we will be discussing how the revival of international travel will boost Korean tourism and how Alipay+ might play a key role in making that experience much more enjoyable.

We are also joined by FinTech leader, COO and co-founder of INVYO, Xavier Gomez, who will be sharing his insights on the topic.

Sections in this episode:
00:05 Intro
02:23 Alipay HK, Hong Kong
06:50 TrueMoney, Thailand
10:15 GCash, The Philippines
13:23 How will the partnership with Alipay+ enable local Korean merchants?
15:33 Outro

In this episode, we explore the history of QR code (Quick Response Code), the reason behind its rising popularity as a medium that connects the physical and digital worlds, as well as future developments for this technology.
Our guest for this episode, Richard Turrin, a former FinTech executive at IBM, now a best-selling author, will talk about how he witnessed firsthand the transformational power of QR code in China in the 2010s. Leading the conversation will be our guest host, Theodora Lau, founder of Unconventional Ventures.

Sections in this episode:
00:04 Intro
03:44 The origin of the QR code
09:33 Where else do we see smart implementations of QR code outside of China?
12:51 EU's adoption of QR code as a standard
16:30 How does QR code enable financial inclusion?
19:56 How does QR code compare to NFC technology?
24:20 What role will QR code play in embedded finance?
33:30 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

Join us in this episode of AntKast with FinTech expert and best-selling author Chris Skinner. Chris has been commenting on the financial markets through his blog since as early as 2007 with a focus on the revolutionizing capabilities of digital technology in finance.

Chris will be discussing how "going digital" can enable green and socially responsible initiatives. Throughout this conversation, we will be breaking down what it means to be digital, the validity of ESG, and the relationship between FinTech and traditional banks.

Sections in this episode:
00:08 Intro
03:21 Chris' new book “Digital for Good: Stand for Something or you will fall”
08:06 Is ESG simply a replacement for risk mitigation or does it actually promote long-term success?
12:24 Examples of digital for good and companies that stand for something
15:23 Factors that led to the developments of FinTech and open banking in the financial industry
19:10 Is the relationship between FinTech and traditional banks complementary or adversarial?
22:33 New technologies that will empower digital economies in the post-COVID world
25:25 Why is Asia the future of green FinTech?
29:55 How would Chris write his mission statement for a company?
32:06 Chris as a children’s book writer
34:01 What would the future of FinTech look like by 2030?
36:50 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

Tune in for a 2022 mid-year review with Dr. Efi Pylarinou on the recent developments in fintech. Efi is an independent fintech and blockchain thought leader, author, and global influencer. We discuss the latest innovations in finance around the globe, covering topics on the SWIFT system, regional financial innovations, financial inclusion, blockchain, and decentralized finance.

Efi has been named one of the top influencers in the finance sector, and is the No.1 woman influencer by Refinitiv Global Social Media. She is the founder of Efi Pylarinou Advisory.

Sectors in this episode:

00:04 Intro

01:32 How do the US and Europe approach innovation?

07:33 How can different regions learn from each other?

09:18 Davos 2022: updates to the fintech industry

13:13 What is SWIFT?

14:47 Why, despite obvious limitations, has SWIFT dominated in the past 50 years?

20:20 How can we resolve imbalanced capital allocation and internet access?

22:03 How can innovations make the economy more equal for people?

27:17 What has led people toward innovations like the "Buy Now, Pay Later" model?

34:06 How should one analyze current developments in DeFi and blockchain?

41:38 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

In this episode of AntKast, we welcome tech strategy expert Jeffrey Towson to share his insights on what makes a platform strategy successful. We'll discuss what makes platforms different from traditional business models, why they can be more effective, and what challenges they might face. Jeffrey will also be sharing his thoughts on Ant Group’s cross-border payment network, Alipay+, and why it can be valuable to the Asian region.

Jeffrey Towson is a consultant, investor, podcaster, and speaker in digital strategy with 20 years of experience across US, China/Asia, and the Middle East. He is also a professor at the China Europe Business School, and the Sasin School of Management. Jeffrey is also a best-selling author, with his latest book, "Moats and Marathons: How to Build and Measure Competitive Advantage in Digital Businesses."

Sections in this episode:

02:08 What's the winning strategy in this digital age, and what are the contrasts for Eastern and Western strategies?

07:52 What is so special about platform economies?

11:08 What makes a platform meaningful and attractive to its participants?

14:50 How do companies tackle problems as the platform becomes more difficult to manage?

17:38 Ant Group's platform strategy

21:12 East and West comparison on fintech’s development

23:31 What's Alipay+ and its potential?

27:26 Jeffrey's career as a professor and a consultant

30:05 Jeffrey on his new book

33:37 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com

In this episode of AntKast, we welcome TMT industry expert Paul Lee to discuss some of the latest innovations in the sports industry. Paul Lee is a Partner and the Global Head of Research for the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) Industry at Deloitte UK.

Topics include the digitalization of the sports industry and its business model, with a deep dive on the phenomenon of sports NFTs and blockchain technology, and what they mean for sports leagues, teams, players, and sports fans. Paul also sheds some light on the future of sports, the return to live sports, and technological changes in the overall TMT sector.

Paul Lee has authored over 80 TMT reports, and leads the Deloitte Digital Consumer Trends Survey. He has also authored companion reports for the Royal Television Society’s Cambridge Conference, the IBC Leaders’ Summit, and the Guardian International Television Festival.

Sections in this episode:

00:03 Intro
03:40 Big trends in sports digitalization in resent years
06:49 Sports NFTs and its different applications
10:12 Digital collecting as another form of engagement and revenue stream
13:24 How large is the current digital sports market?
21:38 What's important to a successful NFT release?
22:55 The move to greener blockchains
25:20 What does this mean for other media and entertainment players?
29:44 How has COVID been impacting consumer behavior?
38:24 Outro

If you would like to repost this episode or partner with AntKast, please reach us through: zhumei.wzm@antgroup.com