The Kuok Group feeds cities, builds skylines, and reshapes borders. From sugar to shipping, hotels to high finance, it powers modern Asia in ways few truly understand. Robert Kuok sits quietly at the heart of this story, a man guided by discipline, driven by vision, and guarded in privacy. He didn’t chase the spotlight. He chased scale. From the chaos of war-torn Malaya to the boardrooms of Beijing, Kuok built his empire with patience, precision, and a belief in long-term power over short-term p...
Jun 30, 2025•30 min•Season 3Ep. 20
The Kuok Group feeds cities, builds skylines, and reshapes borders. From sugar to shipping, hotels to high finance, it powers modern Asia in ways few truly understand. Robert Kuok sits quietly at the heart of this story, a man guided by discipline, driven by vision, and guarded in privacy. He didn’t chase the spotlight. He chased scale. From the chaos of war-torn Malaya to the boardrooms of Beijing, Kuok built his empire with patience, precision, and a belief in long-term power over short-term p...
Jun 23, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 19
The Kuok Group feeds cities, builds skylines, and reshapes borders. From sugar to shipping, hotels to high finance, it powers modern Asia in ways few truly understand. Robert Kuok sits quietly at the heart of this story, a man guided by discipline, driven by vision, and guarded in privacy. He didn’t chase the spotlight. He chased scale. From the chaos of war-torn Malaya to the boardrooms of Beijing, Kuok built his empire with patience, precision, and a belief in long-term power over short-term p...
Jun 16, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 18
The Kuok Group feeds cities, builds skylines, and reshapes borders. From sugar to shipping, hotels to high finance, it powers modern Asia in ways few truly understand. Robert Kuok sits quietly at the heart of this story, a man guided by discipline, driven by vision, and guarded in privacy. He didn’t chase the spotlight. He chased scale. From the chaos of war-torn Malaya to the boardrooms of Beijing, Kuok built his empire with patience, precision, and a belief in long-term power over short-term p...
Jun 09, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 17
The Kuok Group feeds cities, builds skylines, and reshapes borders. From sugar to shipping, hotels to high finance, it powers modern Asia in ways few truly understand. Robert Kuok sits quietly at the heart of this story, a man guided by discipline, driven by vision, and guarded in privacy. He didn’t chase the spotlight. He chased scale. From the chaos of war-torn Malaya to the boardrooms of Beijing, Kuok built his empire with patience, precision, and a belief in long-term power over short-term p...
Jun 09, 2025•34 min•Season 3Ep. 16
SoftBank’s Vision Fund made history with its $100 billion war chest, backing game changing companies from Uber to TikTok. But Masa’s ambition doesn’t stop there. SoftBank is already looking ahead, aiming to shape the future of generative AI and its infrastructure. In this special bonus episode, we dive into the next decade of SoftBank’s strategy. Specifically, how they’re positioning themselves to dominate AI infrastructure, from massive data centers to edge computing. We break down the role of ...
May 19, 2025•22 min•Season 3Ep. 16
SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect. The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else. But every empi...
May 12, 2025•29 min•Season 3Ep. 15
SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect. The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else. But every empi...
May 05, 2025•36 min•Season 3Ep. 14
SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect. The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else. But every empi...
Apr 28, 2025•30 min•Season 3Ep. 13
SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect. The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else. But every empi...
Apr 21, 2025•34 min•Season 3Ep. 12
From 1UpMedia, Empires is an immersive storytelling that dives deep into the history of the most successful businesses in Asia. Every Monday, you'll learn the history of its leaders, the decisions that have rippled across the industry, and the factors that allowed them to become the empire's that they are today. Empires is available on all major streaming platforms.
Apr 17, 2025•2 min
SoftBank has backed some of the most game-changing startups of our time — Uber, Grab, TikTok — companies that reshaped how we move, eat, and connect. The man behind it is Masayoshi Son — a founder unlike any other. Bold, fearless, and sometimes reckless, Masa didn’t just invest in companies, he devoured them. His empire stretched from Tokyo to Silicon Valley, built on billion-dollar bets, wild risk-taking, and the unshakeable belief that he could see the future before anyone else. But every empi...
Apr 14, 2025•39 min•Season 3Ep. 11
STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire comm...
Mar 31, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 10
STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire comm...
Mar 24, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 9
STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire comm...
Mar 17, 2025•29 min•Season 3Ep. 8
STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire comm...
Mar 10, 2025•33 min•Season 3Ep. 7
STAR TV has 800 million monthly viewers in India, but it was never meant to. When media tycoon Richard Li launched the STAR TV network in 1991, his eyes were set on China, with India barely an afterthought. But one unexpected partnership changed everything. Over the decades, STAR would battle rivals, reinvent Indian television, and ultimately become a Disney portfolio company. This is the story of STAR TV - its meteoric rise, bitter betrayals, and ultimate transformation into a media empire comm...
Mar 03, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, shared, and consumed. This is the story of ByteDance, driven by the relentless vision of Zhang Yiming. From its...
Feb 17, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, shared, and consumed. This is the story of ByteDance, driven by the relentless vision of Zhang Yiming. From its...
Feb 10, 2025•24 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, shared, and consumed. This is the story of ByteDance, driven by the relentless vision of Zhang Yiming. From its...
Feb 03, 2025•28 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, shared, and consumed. This is the story of ByteDance, driven by the relentless vision of Zhang Yiming. From its...
Jan 27, 2025•31 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Tiktok's parent company Bytedance, is the world's most valuable Startup. With an ecosystem spanning short-form video, news aggregation, and artificial intelligence, ByteDance’s influence stretches far beyond its roots in China. Today, the company’s flagship app TikTok stands as a cultural phenomenon, captivating billions of users across continents and redefining how content is created, shared, and consumed. This is the story of ByteDance, driven by the relentless vision of Zhang Yiming. From its...
Jan 20, 2025•32 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Empires will be taking a short break, but we’ll be back in 2025 with even more exciting stories. We appreciate your support and can’t wait to share what’s next. See you in the new year! - From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region...
Oct 28, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 39
From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from Singapore to Hong Kong and beyond, reflecting its transformation into a multifaceted, globally conne...
Oct 21, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 38
From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from Singapore to Hong Kong and beyond, reflecting its transformation into a multifaceted, globally conne...
Oct 14, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 37
From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from Singapore to Hong Kong and beyond, reflecting its transformation into a multifaceted, globally conne...
Oct 07, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 36
From a local Indonesian business, the Lippo Group has evolved into one of Southeast Asia's most influential conglomerates. With ventures spanning across real estate, retail, healthcare, banking, and digital technology, the presence of the Indonesian powerhouse can be seen not just locally, but across the region. Today, the Lippo Group's assets stretch across various industries and countries, from Singapore to Hong Kong and beyond, reflecting its transformation into a multifaceted, globally conne...
Sep 30, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 35
Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are split evenly across Japan, Greater China, and the rest of the world. Uniqlo now makes up a staggering 85% of Fast...
Sep 16, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are split evenly across Japan, Greater China, and the rest of the world. Uniqlo now makes up a staggering 85% of Fast...
Sep 09, 2024•24 min•Season 2Ep. 33
Once dubbed Asia's GAP, Uniqlo has skyrocketed it's parent company (Fast Retailing) into the ranks of the world's top three clothing giants. With over 3,500 stores worldwide, this Japanese powerhouse has officially crossed a major milestone: for the first time, its international sales outpace domestic revenue, cementing its status as a truly global brand. Today, Uniqlo’s earnings are split evenly across Japan, Greater China, and the rest of the world. Uniqlo now makes up a staggering 85% of Fast...
Sep 02, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 30
