Liew Chin Tong is the Deputy Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry of Malaysia. He is currently the Member of Parliament for Iskandar Puteri and the State Assemblyperson for Perling, Johor. He served as Deputy Defence Minister from July 2018 to February 2020. He supported Minister Mohammad Sabu's effort to present Malaysia's first Defence White Paper which was passed in Parliament on 2 December 2019. Chin Tong has been the Chairman of Research for Social Advancement (REFSA) since 2012 and was the Executive Director of Penang Institute (previously Socio-Economic and Environmental Research Institute, SERI, from 2009-2012). He was also formerly a Senior Visiting Research Fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), Singapore. He is passionate about policies relating to the economy, defence and security, institutional reform, political Islam, security and international relations, and urban studies.

Prof Faiz is the Chairman of the Institute of Strategic and International Studies and leads the institute’s policy development and Track 2 diplomacy, including through the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS) and Pacific Economic Cooperation Council (PECC). He is also the Malaysian representative to the ASEAN Regional Forum Experts and Eminent Persons (ARF EEP) meeting, co-chair of Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific (CSCAP) and a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Good Governance.

Dr. Ram Madhav is an Indian politician, social leader, author, and thinker. Dr Madhav is the President of India Foundation (IF), where he has curated major annual global and national multilateral initiatives like the Indian Ocean Conference, the Dharma-Dhamma Conference, ASEAN-India Youth Summit, and Counter Terrorism Conference, involving heads of states, scholars, and public-spirited individuals. Dr Madhav served as the National General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) between 2014 and 2020, handling the political affairs of Jammu & Kashmir, Assam and other states in India’s Northeast. He has written several books in English and Telugu, including The New World: 21st-Century Global Order and India; The Indian Reality; Partitioned Freedom; The Hindutva Paradigm: Integral Humanism and the Quest for a Non-Western Worldview. He is a regular contributor to platforms like The Indian Express, The Hindustan Times, and OPEN Magazine. He had been the editor of Bharatiya Pragna and associate editor of Jagriti, a Telugu weekly.

HE Maris Sangiampongsa joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1986 and retired in 2019. He served as Thailand Ambassador to Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Nepal. He served as Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs between May 2024 and September 2025.

Shri M. J. Akbar is a former Union Minister of State for External Affairs. He is a distinguished writer who has authored several internationally acclaimed books, mainly on the Indian Subcontinent’s complex history and the turbulent interaction between faith and definitions of nationalism. In his illustrious career as a journalist, he launched, as Editor, India’s first weekly political news magazine, Sunday, and started two daily newspapers, The Telegraph in 1982, and The Asian Age in 1994. He has served as the Editorial Director of India Today, Headlines Today, and as the editor of the Deccan Chronicle and The Sunday Guardian. Shri Akbar was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kishanganj, Bihar, in 1989. In 2014, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and became the party’s national spokesperson. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2015 and served in the House till 2022.

Ahmad Zikri focuses on Southeast Asia-China relations and the foreign policies of Southeast Asian states. He is a former research assistant in the field of international relations and security studies. He holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the International Islamic University Malaysia and a Master’s in East Asian Studies from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Ajisatria’s research focuses on digital finance and technology policy. His work on sustainable digital finance will be published in 2026. He is also the author of Digital Safety Net: Social Welfare and Citizen Rights in the Age of Disruption. He is a former digital development specialist at the World Bank Indonesia, where he contributed to the flagship study on Indonesia’s digital economy and supported the Ministry of Home Affairs in its digital transformation agenda. He was a founding director of the Indonesian Fintech Association, an industry organisation officially recognised by the Financial Services Authority. He is a former country representative at the Asia Internet Coalition where he acted as a regulatory adviser to Google Cloud, Meta and Apple.

Dr. Ami Upadhyay has served as the Vice Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, situated in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, since 2018. She also serves as the Professor and Director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences of the university. She is a member of the Governing Council of India Foundation. Her research interests include the English Language and its literature; comparative literature; gender studies; translation studies; and the performing arts. Dr. Upadhyay is an accomlished Indian classical dancer and choreographer. Possessing over two decades of experience in the higher education sector, she has lent her expertise to various committees established by the Ministry of Human Resource Development/Ministry of Education, University Grants Commission, Association of Indian Universities, National Assessment and Accreditation Council, National Institute of Open Schooling, the State Education Department, the Gujarat Sahitya Akademi, and numerous state and central universities throughout India.

Asoka Rasphone has served as Deputy Director-General at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Lao PDR since February 2024, overseeing strategy research and international issues. Previously, he was Minister Counsellor and Deputy Chief of Mission at the Laos Embassy in France, promoting relations with several European countries and handling Francophonie, UNESCO, and OECD affairs. He has also worked extensively with international organizations, including the UN, focusing on various global issues. A diplomat since 1994, he is passionate about green diplomacy and community outreach.

Daphne Teck Ching Lai is a Senior Assistant Professor at the School of Digital Science, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. She received her B. Sc. in Computer Science from Strathclyde University in 2004, MSc from University of Kent, Canterbury in 2006 and Ph. D. from University of Nottingham, UK in 2014. She worked at Hosei University, Japan in 2018 under the Hosei International Fund Foreign Scholars Fellowship. Her research interests are soft computing, data mining and artificial intelligence. The methods and techniques of interest are evolutionary algorithms, bio-inspired algorithms, data clustering and data mining frameworks for specific domain areas such as source rock characterisation, clinical or medical data and driving behaviour data.

Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Dhruv C. Katoch currently serves as the Director of India Foundation. A third-generation officer of the Indian Army with nearly four decades of distinguished service, he was commissioned in the Dogra Regiment on 31 March 1972. He has held instructional assignments in the Infantry School, Mhow, and The Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, and senior staff appointments at the brigade, division and Corps levels. He has vast experience in sub-conventional conflict, having taken part in IPKF operations in Sri Lanka and operations against terrorists and insurgents in Jammu and Kashmir and various states of India’s Northeast. He was commended by the Chief of Army Staff for operations against militants in Sri Lanka and was awarded Sena Medal while in command of his battalion in active operations on the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. He writes and speaks on defence and security-related issues. He has edited/co-edited 8 books and contributed chapters to over a dozen publications. He has served as the Director of the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), Indian Army’s premier think tank.

Dr. Evelyn S. Devadason is a Professor at the Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Malaya, and currently serves as Vice President of the Malaysian Economic Association (MEA). She has held several academic leadership roles, including Head of the Centre for Latin American Studies (CLAS) from July 2013 to December 2014, and Deputy Dean (Research and Development) at the former Faculty of Economics and Administration (now the Faculty of Business and Economics) from September 2012 to July 2013. Her research expertise lies in international trade and regional integration, with a strong focus on policy relevance and cross-regional comparative analysis. In recognition of her scholarly and policy contributions, she received three prestigious appointments in 2023: Expert Member, Special Committee on Economics and Finance, Malaysian Parliament, Member to the Board of Directors, East Asian Economic Association (EAEA) and Malaysian Representative, International Steering Committee of the Pacific Trade and Development (PAFTAD) Forum. She currently serves as Associate Editor to the International Journal of Social Economics (Emerald) and Asian Economic Journal (Wiley) and member to the Editorial Boards of the Journal of Contemporary Asia (Taylor & Francis) and the International Journal of Rural Management (SAGE). Her research has been widely published in high-impact international journals. She has contributed to and led research projects in partnership with key national agencies, including the Malaysian Competition Commission (MyCC) and the Medical Device Authority (MDA).

Farlina heads the Cyber and Technology Policy programme and has been involved in crafting various dialogues and forums on cybersecurity, technology policy and digital governance. Her research focus is on cyber stability, Malaysia’s national interests in emerging technologies as well as peaceful and meaningful use of cyber and digital tools. She has facilitated workshops on cyber norms and chaired the CSCAP Study Group on International Law in Cyberspace.

Him Rotha is currently Deputy Director at the Cambodian Center for Regional Studies. Prior to this, he was a researcher at the Center of Southeast Asian Studies and a lecturer at the Institute of International Studies and Public Policy, Royal University of Phnom Penh. He was also a researcher at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace from 2019 to 2023. His research interests include Cambodia’s domestic politics and foreign policy as well as political security in Southeast Asia.

Izzah Ibrahim is an analyst with the Foreign Policy and Security Studies (FPSS) programme. She graduated from the Australian National University (ANU) with an MA in Strategic Studies. She also completed her double degree at ANU with a BA (International Relations) and a Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Studies. Her research areas are in foreign policy and security developments in the Asia-Pacific, including the ongoing unrest in Southern Thailand and Southern Philippines and non-traditional security developments in Southeast Asia. Her research interests also include nuclear politics, civil-military relations, the applications of diplomacy and Malaysia’s foreign and defence policies. She is also part of the Secretariat for the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP).

Izzati Shahari is an Associate Researcher at the Centre for Strategic and Policy Studies (CSPS). Izzati has an Msc in Social Statistics (Research Methods) and a BSc in Applied Social Sciences (Criminology) from the University of Southampton, UK. Izzati’s strong academic background on research methods, particularly in survey design and quantitative analysis of social science data, is complemented by her certification in Public Policy Analysis from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). She is trained in experimental designs to assess the impact of public policies, public policy communication, and effective data visualisation. She also has considerable experience facilitating workshops and managing nationwide research projects such as the ‘Brunei Barometer 2023’, ‘National Financial Literacy Survey 2023’ and ‘Women Development in Brunei Darussalam’. Her capabilities include coding paper-based surveys into computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) tools, utilising digital tools to manage large survey data, as well as overseeing and providing guidance to fieldworkers throughout the data collection period for quality assurance. Prior to joining CSPS, Izzati worked with the Brunei Darussalam Central Bank, where her responsibilities primarily concerned the development and implementation of national Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CFT) policies.

Amb. Jaideep Mazumdar served as the Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. In his long diplomatic career, Amb. Mazumdar occupied several important positions, such as the Ambassador of India to Austria, the Holy See and Montenegro and Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Vienna. He was also Governor on the Board of Governors of the IAEA during this time and Chair of the Plenary of the Wassenaar Arrangement. Prior to that, he was Ambassador to the Philippines, Palau and the Federated States of Micronesia. In his stints in New Delhi, he served in the Prime Minister’s Office on foreign affairs, defence and security issues, atomic energy and space, as Chief of Protocol and as Head of the Southern Division in the Ministry of External Affairs of India. He is fluent in multiple languages, including Assamese, English, Bengali, Hindi, and Chinese.

Jaideep's research interests lie in industrial and trade policy. His public policy experience runs the gamut from national planning in Zanzibar, Tanzania, as an Overseas Development Institute (ODI) fellow to assisting in the formulation of Malaysia's New Industrial Master Plan 2030. He is also no stranger to the think-tank scene, having authored op-eds and contributed comments on trade, fiscal policy and the labour market to local and regional media outlets. Jaideep holds an MPhil in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a BSc (Hons) in Economics from the University of Warwick.

Jayasimha K. R. is a Li Ka Shing Scholar and Master in Public Administration (MPA) candidate at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, National University of Singapore. Before joining LKYSPP, he was a Consultant with the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister of India (EAC-PM), where he contributed to key policy initiatives in the areas of digital public infrastructure, administrative reforms, and governance. Prior to his policy career, he was a journalist with The Hindu, one of India’s leading English language dailies reporting on governance and public policy issues. He began his professional journey as a Legislative Assistant to a Member of Parliament (LAMP) Fellow.

Joanne Lin Weiling is a Senior Fellow and Coordinator with the ASEAN Studies Centre of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute. sHE has over 20 years of work experience in the Singapore public sector, regional and international organisations, think tanks, and NGOs. She previously served at the ASEAN Secretariat from 2015 to 2021 and was the Head of the External Relations Division under the ASEAN Political-Security Community Department. At ISEAS, she is an author of the Institute’s flagship State of Southeast Asia survey and regularly publishes on ASEAN affairs. She is also a commentator for various regional and international news outlets.

Karthik Nachiappan is a Research Fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. He is also Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (Vancouver) and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (New Delhi). His research focuses on India’s Geoeconomics, how issues like trade, technology, and climate change affect Indian foreign policy and how India’s positions on these issues affect Indo-Pacific security dynamics. His current work adds to a longstanding research that explains India’s attitudes toward global governance, particularly issues like climate change, global health, arms control, and trade.His research focuses on India’s Geoeconomics, how issues like trade, technology, and climate change affect Indian foreign policy. He is the author of Does India Negotiate? (Oxford University Press, 2020).

Khairur serves in the Department of Asia and Africa, which oversees Brunei’s engagement with countries across the Middle East, North Africa and Africa, as well as South and Central Asia. His work supports efforts to strengthen friendship and deepen cooperation with partners in these regions. His diplomatic career began in multilateral affairs, where he was involved in Brunei’s work at the United Nations and Commonwealth. His posting to the ASEAN permanent mission in Jakarta coincided with Brunei’s chairmanship in 2013, which broadened his perspective on regional diplomacy.

HE Zau Goone is a former diplomat, whose overseas assignments included assistant commercial attaché and second secretary at the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo; deputy chief of mission and deputy permanent delegate to Unesco; minister counsellor in Tokyo; and minister counsellor in Moscow. With extensive experience in international diplomacy, he contributed significantly to strengthening Myanmar’s bilateral and multilateral relations. Between 2011 and 2014, he was a member of the Myanmar National Human Rights Commission, where he played an important role in promoting human rights awareness.

Dr Le Thu serves as the External Relations Director of the Southeast Asian Media Studies Association. Her primary research interests are journalism, social media, public diplomacy, and the public sphere. Her work contributes to understanding how contemporary communication shapes both domestic and international relations, particularly within the Southeast Asian context. Thu earned her doctoral degree in Journalism from Monash University for her thesis about social media and the environmental issues in Vietnam.

Lim Menghour is the Director of the Mekong Centre for Strategic Studies of the Asian Vision Institute. His research interests include international relations, foreign policy, security, geopolitics, ASEAN and the Mekong. He has published articles, book chapters and research papers in newspapers, institutions and other platforms. As the MCSS head, he has led and conducted several research projects, including the flagship project of the Mekong-Lancang Peace Boat, funded by Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Special Fund of China, and Fish and Rice Corridor Project that facilitates the modernisation of the Cambodian agricultural sector.

Lina A. Alexandra is currently the Head of Department of International Relations, Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) based in Jakarta. She also holds the position as the Coordinator for CSIS Myanmar Initiative Programme. Her research interests include Indonesian foreign policy, conflict resolution, peacekeeping, peacebuilding, human rights, and atrocities prevention in Southeast Asia. She obtained her Masters of International Studies, specialising in Peace and Conflict Resolution in 2006 and PhD in 2020 both from the School of Political Science and International Studies, University of Queensland, Australia.

Matheace Ramaputra is an Indonesian lawyer specializing in emerging technologies and digital transformation. He has experience advising clients on government stakeholder mapping and regulatory insights at Speyside. He has assisted in drafting legislation for the Indonesian New Capital Law and advised the Ministry of ICT on emerging technology policies. Matheace also served as In-House Legal Counsel at HappyFresh and Legal Counsel at Kata.ai, handling legal matters related to operational activities, fundraising, and ESOP programs. He is the Director of Ethics and Regulation at the Indonesia Artificial Intelligence Society (IAIS) and the Director of Partnership and Regulation at Kolaborasi Riset dan Inovasi Kecerdasan Artifisial (KORIKA). He obtained his Master of Laws Degree at the University of Sydney.

Mohd. Agoes Aufiya, M.A., M.Phil. is a lecturer at the Department of International Relations of the UMM who is currently pursuing doctoral studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University on Indo-Pacific Studies, in New Delhi, India. Agoes is also active in preparing scientific works, some of which are: (1) Indonesia’s global maritime fulcrum: Contribution in the Indo-Pacific Region published in Andalas Journal of International Studies, (3) Factors in Constructing Indonesia's Perspectives on the Indo-Pacific (2023), published in the Journal of Liberty and International Affairs, and (3) Indonesia-India Bilateral Relations Under Jokowi & Modi Leadership (2022), published in the International Journal of Qualitative Research. While continuing his studies, he is also a content creator who shares information about India on his YouTube channel. As both an academic and content creator, Agoes has been invited several times as a speaker on national and international television, including CNN Indonesia, Metro TV, and The Scope on British Muslim TV.

Hisyamuddin is actively engaged in teaching and research, with a particular focus on nation-building, international relations, and strategic analysis. He is frequently involved in training programmes, public forums and youth engagement activities and has appeared on media platforms such as RTM1, Sinar Harian TV and Bernama.

Ly is a researcher at the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies where her research areas focus on Cambodia’s maritime security and Southeast Asian security. She also contributes research and opinion pieces to several media platforms, including Cambodianess and Phnom Penh Post. She teaches politics and government in Southeast Asia and Asia-Pacific security studies.

HE Sanh Chau has held numerous high-level positions, including special envoy of the prime minister and assistant to the foreign affairs minister. He is a former vice-president of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, where he contributed to shaping Vietnam’s diplomatic education and strategic thinking. His ambassadorial assignments have included postings to India, Bhutan, Nepal, Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, where he played a key role in advancing Vietnam’s strategic partnerships and trade agreements.

Dr Nhat Anh’s research interests are security and political diplomacy issues in the Asian region. He is the co-editor of Roles of India and Vietnam in Developing global South Cooperation and 50 years of Diplomatic Relations between Vietnam and India: Retrospect and Prospects. He frequently provides expert commentary for Vietnam Television, Vietnam National Defence Television, and news agencies.

Dr Piyanat is the founding director of the India Studies Centre and serves as assistant professor of politics and international relations. His research focuses on India’s politics and foreign policies, South Asian studies, and India-ASEAN relations. He is a recipient of the ASEAN-India Youth Award and ICCR’s Bharat Mitra Samman. He has organised numerous academic and cultural programmes that strengthen people-to-people ties and advance collaboration across the Mekong, ASEAN and India.

Shri Rajat Sethi is the co-founder of QuBeats, a defence–tech start-up pioneering quantum sensing solutions, and leads AI-driven legal innovation at Counsella. He is an entrepreneur, political strategist and advisor. He has advised the Chief Ministers of Manipur and Jharkhand on security and policy. He previously served as a Senior Fellow at India Foundation. He contributes frequently on platforms like NDTV, Hindustan Times, and The Indian Express. He co-authored the book, The Last Battle of Saraighat: The Story of the BJP’s Rise in the North-East. Sethi has been instrumental in shaping political strategies in India's Northeastern states. He is a Visiting Fellow at India Foundation.

Samantha Khoo is part of the Cyber and Technology Policy programme. Her scope of research includes cybersecurity, social media regulation and AI governance. She has published a thematic brief on cybersecurity in Southeast Asia and several other pieces on digital safety and security sector governance. She is a former YSEALI fellow under the Technology and Innovation 2025 cohort and serves as a policy group member within the Global Majority team for the Centre for AI and Digital Policy.

Dr. Shristi Pukhrem currently serves as the Deputy Director (Academics & Research) at India Foundation. Her research areas include India-ASEAN relations, India’s bilateral relations with South-East Asian countries, and the Act East Policy with a broader focus on the Indo-Pacific. Formerly employed as a Researcher at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analysis (IDSA)i, she was a Junior Research Fellow in Political Science awarded by the University Grants Commission, and a Visiting Scholar at the ASEAN Studies Centre, Chulalongkorn University, in 2016. In 2019, she was honoured as one of the Canberra Fellows and actively participated in the Trilateral Canberra Fellowship in Australia. She was a 2022 US Department of State International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) QUAD Fellow on "Enhancing Regional Maritime Governance and Cooperation in the Quad.” In 2024, she served as a Non-Resident Fellow at the Indian Studies Centre, Ubon Ratchathani University. She was a delegate in the third Indo-Pacific Thinkers’ Programme, organised by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the British High Commission in 2025.

Siddharth Singh is a Senior Research Fellow at India Foundation. He has done his Masters in International Relations and M.Phil. in Indo-Pacific Studies from the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). He is also Assistant Editor of the India Foundation Journal and Chintan India Foundation Blogs.

Sohana Enver Azyze is the Chief Operating Officer at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS) Malaysia. With more than three decades of professional experience, she has demonstrated extensive expertise in operations and project management, strategic planning and implementation, financial stewardship, stakeholder engagement, and institutional compliance. In her current capacity, Sohana oversees organisational operations and governance matters, ensuring alignment with institutional objectives and adherence to audit, financial, and government standards. She also builds and maintains strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including project funders, Board Members, and government representatives. Prior to joining ISIS Malaysia, she accumulated wide-ranging experience across the corporate services and project management, trading, and audit and accounting industries.

Dr. Sonu Trivedi is a Professor in the Department of Political Science at Zakir Husain Delhi College, University of Delhi, and Distinguished Fellow, India Foundation. She was on deputation as Director, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Seoul from 2019 to 2023. Before moving to the diplomatic assignment at Seoul, she was a Fellow at Nehru Memorial Museum and Library, New Delhi. She has also served as a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Asia Pacific Studies, CASS, Beijing. Dr. Trivedi was a Member of the Myanmar Core Group at the Indian Council of World Affairs in 2014 and the Convenor, Southeast Asia Research Group, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi. She was Founder–Director of the Centre for Vietnam Studies, New Delhi. She received the Medal of Friendship conferred by the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 2021. She has several publications to her credit, including Transition from Authoritarianism to Democracy: Comparative Study of Indonesia and Myanmar and Democratisation in Myanmar: Progress and Prospects.

Shri Sujeet Kumar is a Member of the Rajya Sabha, representing the state of Odisha. Apart from his political career, he is also a lawyer and trained arbitrator who has practiced in the Supreme Court of India and various high courts and tribunals. Throughout his professional journey, he has held significant policy planning positions within the Government of Odisha, including serving as an Advisor to the Special Development Council (SDC) in the rank of Chief Secretary, as well as Special Secretary to the Odisha State Planning Board. Kumar began his professional career as a software engineer, later transitioning to the development sector, working with the United Nations Development Programme and the World Economic Forum. He currently serves as the Member of the Consultative Committee for the Ministry of External Affairs and the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science, Technology, Forests and Climate Change. He has co-authored a book with​​ Mr. Mohd. Tausif Alam, titled AI on Trial, published in 2025.

Dr Sumathy’s research areas are maritime security governance in the Indo-Pacific, geopolitics, energy, and resource security in the South China Sea. She is on the editorial board of the Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs Australia and Associate Member of the Corbett Centre for Maritime Policy Studies. She was an International Expert Panel for National Bureau of Asian Research and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation USA on Maritime Awareness Program, 2016 and a Profession Fellow On- Demand Exchange Program by the US Department of State for Think-Tank in Asia.

Thomas Daniel is a director with the Foreign Policy and Security Studies programme. His interests lie in the strategic-security challenges of Southeast Asia, including the impacts of major power dynamics on ASEAN. He looks mainly at the South China Sea dispute, political-security cohesion within ASEAN and Malaysia’s security and foreign policies. Thomas also focuses on government policies towards refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people in Malaysia, as well as the impacts of the crisis in Myanmar on the region. He is a member of the Malaysia Study Group on Myanmar, convened by Universiti Malaya. He comments on these issues in local, regional and international forums and media. Thomas holds an MA (International Studies) from the University of Nottingham (Malaysia), a BA in Communication and Media Management, and a BA (hons) in Communication, Media & Culture from the University of South Australia.

Mr. Parada is a defence analyst specialising in Philippine politics and foreign policy, maritime security, revolutions in military affairs, and US-China great power competition. Part of the inaugural batch of Emerging Leaders Fellows at FACTS Asia, he was previously a research assistant at the S. Rajaratnam School of International studies in Singapore and held analyst positions at the Office of Naval Strategic Studies and Strategy Management, Philippine Navy and the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Civil-Military Operations, Armed Forces of the Philippines. Mr. Parada has published commentaries on Philippine defence and security issues for the likes of The Interpreter (Lowy Institute), The Diplomat, East Asia Forum, FACTS Asia, Rappler, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and regularly shares his insights to outlets such as The Straits Times, South China Morning Post, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, and Voice of America.

Wahyudi is one of the authors of the National AI Roadmap, initiated by the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, Indonesia. Over the past 15 years, he has conducted various studies and policy advocacy related to data protection, internet governance, digital rights, cybersecurity and digital identity. Between 2021 and 2025, he served as executive director of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy where he initiated the birth of Raksha Initiatives, a non-profit foundation engaged in digital governance, strategic security and human rights. He is a former fellow at Global Network Initiatives.

Dr Meena is an analyst with the Foreign Policy and Security Studies programme. Her research focuses on Indian foreign policy, the geopolitics of South Asia and Malaysia and ASEAN’s relations with the region. She is also interested in Global South cooperation mechanisms and understanding how regionalism or regionalisation, inter/intra-regionalism, minilateralism and multilateralism function in the Indo-Pacific. She is a 2025 Raisina Young Fellow and represented Malaysia at the 2023 ASEAN-India Youth Summit.