The ReOrient! podcast was conceived in 2020 by fellow alumni of Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Jesse Friedlander and Madhavi Peters. Based on their mutual passion for Asia and steadfast belief that new media platforms offer an opportunity to foster a more accurate understanding of important issues, they positioned ReOrient! as a forum for deep, intellectual and entertaining discussions with experts across a wide breadth of domains relating to Asia.
In addition to his work as podcast host, Jesse Friedlander is co-founder and Chief Investment Officer of Des Voeux Partners, a multi-family office based in Hong Kong. He has over two decades experience in investment management and capital markets. After obtaining an MBA from Wharton and an MA from SAIS, he worked in Asia, primarily as a research analyst for JPMorgan, Merrill Lynch and Susquehanna International Group. He previously was a bottling operations manager covering Northeast China for the Coca-Cola Company. Elected as the youngest member of the Board of Governors of the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, he graduated cum laude in East Asian Studies from Yale College and speaks Cantonese, Mandarin, French, Portuguese, Spanish and Indonesian. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and has been published numerous times in the South China Morning Post.
Following Madhavi’s departure to run an India-based NGO, Jesse relaunched The ReOrient! podcast with a vision to create an engaged community of listeners and supporters. Jesse’s mission is to share actionable and fundamental insights from leading intellectuals, practitioners and influencers to provide across the spectrum of International Economics, Finance, Arts, Culture, Politics, and History.
Our logo is the astrolabe, a navigational instrument invented by the Greeks and perfected by the Arab sailors of the ancient world. Utilized by Europeans, Asians and Africans to expand their horizons in a shrinking world, the astrolabe represents the very best of international cooperation. The ReOrient! podcast can help you navigate the increasingly choppy waters of what is rapidly being recognized as the Asian century.
Now, Let’s Reorient!