The biggest opportunity of our time is runs between developed markets and emerging Asia. Most leaders are looking the wrong way.
David Thomas is well known in the Asia Pacific region as a passionate and engaging speaker and a strong advocate of business, trade and investment collaboration in the Asia Pacific region.
He has worked with SMEs across most industry sectors and is currently focused on supporting Australian Technology companies with their capital-raising and commercialisation activities in Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area of China. With a 30 year career living and working in the UK, Hong Kong, Australia and the Philippines, he has provided advice, support and guidance to entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders as they navigate the cross-cultural challenges, barriers and opportunities of doing business and investing across the Asian region.
David lived in Hong Kong in the 1980s and 90s. His father, the Attorney General for Hong Kong (1983-88) was involved in the negotiations between Britain and China to design and implement the new Basic Law of Hong Kong in 1997. His step-mother was a senior political leader in Hong Kong and worked with Deng Xiaoping and Margaret Thatcher to negotiate the future of Hong Kong under Chinese sovereignty post 1997. David has had a life-long interest in Hong Kong’s role as a regional hub and China’s emergence as the financial engine of Asia. For the last 30 years, David has worked with entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders to successfully engage with their Chinese and Asian counterparts. In his keynote presentations and workshops he draws on his own personal stories, anecdotes and case studies to teach leaders how to communicate effectively across cultures.
David is a Keynote Speaker and the author of ten books and over 500 blogs on the topic of doing business in the Asia Pacific region.
Talking Points
The New Trade Map
How the weaponisation of supply chains, maritime chokepoints and currency corridors is redrawing the rules of global commerce — and what it means for your organisation. Drawing on current intelligence from the ground in Southeast Asia, David connects macro geopolitical shifts to real board-level decisions, helping senior leaders separate signal from noise and act with confidence when the environment is moving fast.The New Trade Map
Audience Outcomes
- Understand the geopolitical forces actively reshaping their industry
- Identify the risks embedded in their current supply chain and market assumptions
- Make better strategic decisions with incomplete and fast-moving information
- Lead with confidence in conditions of genuine uncertainty
The North-South Corridor
The biggest commercial opportunity of our time is not where most leaders are looking. This keynote reframes how executives think about emerging Asia — and what it actually takes to move capital, founders and companies intelligently along the North-South Corridor. Practical, urgent and grounded in active deal experience across the Philippines, Vietnam and broader ASEAN. The North-South Corridor
Audience Outcomes:
- Understand why most Western approaches to Asian markets fail before they start
- Build the relationship architecture that precedes successful cross-border transactions
- Develop genuine cultural fluency as a commercial advantage
- Position their organisation for the growth corridor that will define the next decade
Leadership in Geopolitical Times
Drawing on his extraordinary personal history and three decades of operating across the world’s most dynamic markets, David explores what it means to lead when the rules are being rewritten in real time. This is not a session about geopolitical theory. It is about the practical leadership required to navigate complexity, build trust across cultures and make consequential decisions when certainty is not available.Leadership in Geopolitical Times
Audience Outcomes:
- Think differently about how geopolitical shifts create commercial risk and opportunity
- Understand how power, trust, and relationships actually operate across cultures
- Lead with greater clarity when certainty is unavailable
- Act decisively in fast-moving, high-stakes environments
Three Cups of Tea: Relationship Capital in Asian Markets
In Asian markets, the relationship always precedes the transaction. This keynote - drawn from David's most celebrated book, written on a rainy weekend in Guangzhou after three decades of living the principle - shows leaders what it actually takes to build trust in cultures where patience, consistency and genuine curiosity are the real entry requirements. Most Western organisations arrive in Asia with a product and a pitch. They leave wondering why it didn't work.Three Cups of Tea: Relationship Capital in Asian Markets
Audience Outcomes:
- Understand why transactional approaches consistently fail in Asian markets
- Apply the Stranger → Friend → Family framework to real cross-border relationships
- Build the cultural fluency that turns introductions into partnerships
- Develop a relationship architecture that creates commercial advantage over time
Facilitator
Over the past 20 years, David has led and organised many missions, study tours and business delegations to Asia and the other “BRIC countries” which, in addition to enhancing his reputation and influence within the Asia Pacific region, has provided him with a unique opportunity to stay ahead of the trends that are redefining business between Asia and the rest of the world.
Facilitator
Executive Briefings & Board Sessions
David brings his geopolitical and commercial intelligence directly into the boardroom. These closed sessions are designed for senior leadership teams navigating cross-border strategy, market entry, geopolitical risk or major transactions. Drawing on active deal flow and on-the-ground intelligence from Southeast Asia, they are intimate, practical and confidential.Executive Briefings & Board Sessions
Ideal for: Boards and executive committees Investment committees Senior leadership offsites
Crisis & Disruption Workshops
Based on his acclaimed session for 26 senior freight forwarding executives from 14 countries in Ho Chi Minh City, David’s crisis workshop places your leadership team inside a live scenario where decisions must be made, information is incomplete and the environment is shifting in real time.Crisis & Disruption Workshops
Participants leave with a clearer understanding of how they think, communicate and lead when conditions change without warning.
Ideal for: Executive teams Leadership development programs Industry conferences seeking deeper engagement
Video
David Thomas | China Business Expert | Saxton Speakers
David Thomas is well known in the Asia Pacific region for his experience, credibility, and passion for identifying, building, and facilitating business and investment relationships between developed and emerging countries.After the Pandemic: Introduction to David Thomas, China Business Expert
David Thomas has had a lifelong interest in China, starting with his time in Hong Kong and, over the past 25 years, building a bridge between Australia and Asia. Reflecting on David’s unique family background and his financial services career in London, Hong Kong and Sydney, Tim Harcourt introduces him as the ‘go to’ expert on China.Five Precious Pearls - Everything you need to know about Investing in China | David Thomas | Saxton Speakers
China is the world’s second largest economy, committed to economic growth through the expansion of domestic consumption, innovation and high value manufacturing. China offers unique opportunities for investors to participate in the growth of some of the world’s most innovative and exciting companies. In his new keynote, “Five Precious Pearls” he answers the questions that are on the minds of anyone thinking about investing in China’s future growth story, including: The Five Reasons to Invest in China How to invest in China: shares v funds, local v international, new economy v old economy, public v private What are the risks and how do you manage them? Examples of fast-growing, innovative Chinese companies which can only be accessed by investing in China How do you get started So, whatever you think of China’s Government, or read in the media about its political system or international reputation, you cannot ignore its economic potential, its robust and stable Government, its commitment to long term ‘top down’ planning, and its ability to tackle its challenges head on.Three Cups of Tea Keynote | David Thomas | Saxton Speakers
A proven way to build trusted relationships in China This best-selling presentation reveals the easiest and most powerful ways to build trusted relationships in China, that you and your team can immediately apply to build confidence and mutually valuable connections. Despite some of China’s significant economic advances in recent times, their approach to doing business remains refreshingly similar to the way they’ve done business over the past one thousand years i.e they only do business with people they know, like and trust.David is a highly informed Asia specialist. His presentation at RMA had a very sound conceptual base to which he built very pragmatic examples of where we need to focus in coming years. His ... keep reading Risk Management Association Australia
Possibly no-one he doesn’t know across the Asia Pacific. Trust, reputation, integrity — that is what David is recognised for.
David presented at a TEC Briefing event and delivered a very engaging and relevant presentation on the BRIC countries, particularly focusing on the emerging market of China. Wow! He gave us plenty of take-home value, zeroing in on the enormous potential and opportunities for Australian businesses in the key areas of Education, Healthcare and Tourism.
David delivered a great speech at the Business of Real Estate conference this year on developing positive business relationships with Chinese, by understanding culture - insightful & interesting
David was the highlight of our recent real estate event for business owners. He provided loads of practical tips on how to embrace the opportunities in China. His talk was highly relevant, entertaining (lots of brilliant English humour) and everyone walked away with ideas they can use immediately in their business to make the most of the Chinese market.
"Thank you so much for being a part of The Business of Real Estate Conference. Your content and energy was amazing and everyone received a lot of value from your session.
David delivered a great speech at the Business of Real Estate conference this year on developing positive business relationships with Chinese, by understanding culture - insightful & interesting useThaDavid.
