Crossing Borders: Takeaways from the 2025 Milken Asia Summit

Last week, I found myself in Asia for the very first time. I visited Singapore along with my colleagues Sheila Cooney and Amy Tizio to attend the 12th annual Milken Asia Summit—at a moment when the very concept of globalization seems increasingly under review. News out of Washington this year, including the evolving tariff policy, has underscored a growing desire to look inward, epitomized by the announcement while abroad that the U.S. government would be shutting down.

Over three days, more than 1,500 leaders, investors, and policymakers gathered at the Four Seasons Singapore to unpack what collaboration means in an era of increased fragmentation — and what progress looks like when consensus is harder to find. While at the conference, our Prosek team supported Milken in running the event and hosting media receptions on the ground. As part of this, we attended many of the compelling panel discussions, fireside chats, and media interviews with distinguished guests who explored how to foster collaboration and partnership in uncertain times.

What’s clear is that globalization isn’t fading, but transforming. This was underscored not only by the topics discussed at the conference, but also through our exploration of the city and its uniquely multicultural identity. Singapore stands as a true melting pot—where Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Western influences blend together. We had the opportunity to experience it all: sampling incredible food and visiting diverse cultural hubs like Chinatown, Little India, and Kampong Glam, the center of Malay-Muslim life in Singapore. We also attended the Singapore Grand Prix, which brought together Formula 1 fans from around the world—a fitting backdrop for a week centered on connection.

From this experience on the ground, several key takeaways emerged that reflected the Summit’s theme of “collaboration amid complexity” and the shifting global economic landscape:

• Partnership remains a central goal: Several heads of state spoke at the conference, with most emphasizing the need for greater collaboration to achieve growth. Singapore’s Defense Minister Chan Chun Sing urged business leaders to reject “protectionism and nativist instincts” and embrace their responsibility to drive progress across borders. Malaysian Trade Minister Tengku Zafrul Aziz stressed that “progress without purpose is aimless and collaboration without strategy is fragile,” urging deeper cross-border partnership between Asia, the U.S., and China.
• Sports as a global asset class: Several panels at the conference focused on the growing opportunity to invest and innovate within the sports ecosystem. Prominent investors from firms like Sixth Street and Eldridge spoke to their outlooks on the sports investment landscape and the need to put the fan experience front and center, when investing behind world-renowned global franchises.
• Institutional investors are recalibrating: Sovereign wealth funds including Temasek, GIC, Danantara, and Khazanah participated in panels and interviews, emphasizing the importance of portfolio discipline, with most messaging a greater emphasis on portfolio management and discipline when deploying capital. GIC’s Chief Investment Officer Bryan Yeo spoke about the “hype bubble” forming around early-stage AI venture investing, with Khazanah’s CIO Hisham Hamdan urging investors to “co-parent” investments in Asia to improve outcomes. Several U.S. allocators, like Texas Municipal Retirement System and PA Municipal Retirement System, also spoke on their outlook on investments in Asia.
• Private credit in focus: Private credit remains one of the most closely watched asset classes from investor and allocator attendees alike. Panels featured participation from prominent GPs like HPS Investment Partners and Apollo, speaking both to the trends creating opportunity and risk for private credit globally, while also commenting on the opportunity to transact in Asia, where bank lenders still dominate. PIMCO’s President Christian Stracke echoed that sentiment, noting that Asia offers an “expanding set of opportunities” for investors as the market matures and deepens.

What’s clear above all else is that the global conference landscape continues to evolve—and for many clients, deciding which events to prioritize remains a key consideration. In its twelfth year, the Milken Asia Summit remains a top-tier event for U.S. and global leaders to engage with counterparts in Asia. Unlike the sprawling Milken Global Conference in Los Angeles, which convened around 5,000 participants in May, the Asia Summit offers a more intimate setting that fosters meaningful networking and idea exchange. The Four Seasons Singapore and the surrounding area provide a very suitable environment for both formal sessions and informal one-on-one conversations.

If you are interested in learning more about Milken Asia and other prominent events taking place across the region, contact Prosek’s Conference Concierge team at Pro-ConferenceConcierge@prosek.com.