In a region where hot themes such as the AI trade dominate the headlines and investors rapidly rotate through markets, playing the contrarian can offer a distinct edge. Steering clear of the hype is uncovering unique opportunities – from South Korean preferred stocks to high-yielding defensive companies in Hong Kong and beaten-down Indonesian equities – according to Daniel Rupp, CIO and founder of Parkway Capital.

Rupp joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to unpack his value-oriented, fundamental approach to pan-Asian equities. He also shares his experience of leaving a multibillion-dollar firm to build a long-only fund from scratch.

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Surviving the cutthroat world of hedge funds is notoriously difficult, with firms facing an average lifespan of just five years. Yet Singapore-based systematic quantitative fund Quantedge has defied those odds, recently celebrating its 20th anniversary and growing its assets under management from less than $3 million to $7.6 billion. Boasting an annualized return of 20.8% over two decades and a massive 49% gain year to date, the firm stands apart from multi-manager "pod shops" that prioritize stable, low-volatility returns.

Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin, CEO of Quantedge, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to demystify the "black box" of quantitative investing. He discusses the advantages of running a major hedge fund out of Singapore versus New York or London, and what it really takes for job applicants to stand out at the firm.

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While global equities have surged on the AI boom, India's stock markets have languished. With concerns that the nation's large IT services sector is vulnerable to automation and job losses, critics have increasingly labeled India an "anti-AI" or "short-AI" trade.

Santanu Sengupta, chief India economist at Goldman Sachs, joins John Lee on the Asia Centric podcast to challenge this bearish narrative. He explains why robust hiring at smaller tech firms and global capability centers is offsetting traditional software job losses. Sengupta also breaks down the drivers behind India's resilient economic growth despite higher energy prices and explains why the central bank may soon pivot to a hawkish tightening stance.

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