Keith Yap — policy leader, podcaster, and President of the LKYSPP Alumni Singapore Chapter — shares how intellectual curiosity drives his mission to shape Singapore into the region’s hub for ideas.
When Keith Yap launched Front Row in August 2024, his goal was not just to host conversations with distinguished leaders, but to build a platform for Southeast Asia's most transformative ideas. In less than a year, his podcast and YouTube channel boast over 7,900 subscribers and have accumulated more than 818,000 views, with guests ranging from Ong Ye Kung and Kishore Mahbubani to Chan Heng Chee and Tan Tai Yong.
But for Yap, the show is not about numbers. It's about nurturing curiosity, encouraging nuanced thought, and establishing Singapore as the intellectual capital of Southeast Asia.
That ambition was seeded much earlier. Yap's interest in public policy was sparked during his time at Yale-NUS College, where a liberal arts education shaped his critical thinking and interdisciplinary perspective. "What I particularly valued about the Yale-NUS experience was how it encouraged us to make connections across different fields of knowledge," he shares, describing how political analysis, literature, and history intersected unexpectedly. The school’s Concurrent Degree programme led him naturally to the Master in Public Policy (MPP) programme at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP).
A defining moment came during the post-COVID circuit breaker when students returned to physical classrooms. "Having that contrast between not going to school and then returning made me realise how much more learning happens in the classroom," Yap says. It pushed him to deepen his intellectual engagement, first as a student and later as a civil servant, podcaster, and community leader.
Reimagining Singapore's intellectual role
"When I look at cities like New York or Shanghai, there's a sense that they represent the best ideas of their home country," Yap reflects. "While Singapore is a country on its own, we can aspire to be a champion of Southeast Asia's best ideas."
He believes Singapore is uniquely positioned to serve as the region's intellectual capital for three reasons: its agility as a small nation, its multicultural makeup, and its density of talent. "In Singapore, you can find pieces of ASEAN everywhere you go," he says. That diversity has made the country more attuned to the region's complexity.
Equally significant is Singapore's intellectual ecosystem. "Singapore is a talent hub," he notes. “Within just a few square kilometres, you can find world-class financial analysts, technology specialists, biomedical researchers, legal experts and creative professionals.” The country's education policies and global reputation make it fertile ground for exchange and a “cross-pollination of ideas.”
The power of long-form conversation
Front Row is Yap’s contribution to this intellectual landscape. With each episode, he invites leaders to unpack the ideas that will define Southeast Asia’s future. One standout conversation was with Tan Siok San, a biographer of Dr Goh Keng Swee. Yap was struck by Dr Goh’s intense intellectual curiosity. "Despite his heavy responsibilities as Singapore's economic architect, he would spend weekends poring over books on d
iverse subjects — from monetary policy to Chinese philosophy to military strategy," Yap recounts. “This voracious appetite for knowledge across disciplines allowed him to make connections others missed and implement innovative solutions for Singapore's development.” This has, of course, become a personal inspiration to Yap.
Producing a weekly podcast has profoundly reshaped Yap’s worldview. "Before, my approach was primarily task-oriented," he admits. “Now, my default mode has shifted to being intellectually curious first.” This shift has influenced not just how he interviews guests, but also how he thinks, works, and interacts in daily life. "If you approach challenges with curiosity before forming judgments, you learn so much more."
He sees long-form media as essential to deeper understanding. "Short-form content excites the audience," he says, "but long-form content informs and educates. It is crucial in shaping public thought today." In an increasingly complex world, people need frameworks that help them make sense of it all.
Building bridges within the alumni community
As President of the LKYSPP Alumni Singapore Chapter, Yap takes the same thoughtful approach to community-building. “Our unique advantage at LKYSPP lies in our ability to create informal, high-trust environments where thought leaders can engage in candid dialogue that might not be possible in more formal academic settings.”
Keith’s mission is to offer alumni access to meaningful, real-world insights. "To serve as a vital bridge between the theoretical foundations taught in classrooms and the practical realities of policy implementation," he explains. Through curated sessions with senior policymakers and ministers, the chapter enables candid conversations that provide alumni with an in-depth understanding of the complexities that shape policy decisions.
But what stands out most to him are not the high-level events, but the spontaneous moments of connection. He recalls a walk through Tiong Bahru with fellow alumni, where friendships formed across cohorts. "It was an enriching experience because we built friendships and bonds outside of school and beyond just connecting on social media."
Charting the next chapter for Front Row
Asked what he would tell his younger self at LKYSPP, Yap responds, "I should have taken or audited more courses and attended more public lectures. If I had done so, I would have had a much richer LKYSPP experience.”
His biggest takeaway? That persistence and patience matter just as much as brilliance. "Good things come to those who work hard for a long time. If you want to succeed, you need to be extremely patient and extremely persistent in the work you're doing."
As for what’s next, Yap hopes to grow Front Row beyond Singapore’s borders, bringing in voices from across Southeast Asia. "I truly believe Southeast Asia is the region of tomorrow's world," he says. "And I hope I can contribute to that in some small way."