About | Derwin Pereira Musings

Derwin Pereira

41 posts

If journalism is the first draft of history, it was a desire to write the second draft that brought Derwin Pereira from journalism to political consultancy, which probes trends, events and personalities more deeply that journalism could allow. An award-winning journalist at The Straits Times, Derwin rose to the position of Bureau Chief in Indonesia and then the United States. Some of the key personalities he has interviewed include all Indonesian presidents since the fall of Suharto, former US President George W Bush and former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice.

While building intimate contacts in the antechambers of Indonesia’s political and corporate corridors of power, Derwin realised that he could do so much more than write for a general audience. He could instead advise clients on how to benefit from the drivers of change in Southeast Asia and Indonesia. This led to the genesis of Pereira International in 2010.

Derwin’s insights on regional affairs have since been sought after by many Asian leaders. He maintains those relationships to this day, allowing him to stay up to date on policy matters and giving him exclusive access to vital information.

Derwin, who holds a bachelor’s degree from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Master in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, specialises in strategic communications and business consultancy in Asia providing clients with expert advice and consultancy.

Apart from leading a team that produces research papers on market trends and political developments, Derwin is at the forefront of Asia-related programmes such as the CSIS-Derwin Pereira Southeast Asia Dialogue at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS and is a member of the Advisory Board for Southeast Asia Studies at CSIS. He has also established a Derwin Pereira scholarship programme at the business school of Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

Combining academic knowledge, journalistic practice and a consultant’s keen eye for the elusive political or economic detail, Derwin continues to work on the second draft of history.

PPolitical

5 minute read

Israel’s quest for survival

byDerwin Pereira
October 17, 2024

by : Derwin Pereira Israelis who suffered the terror attack carried out by Hamas on October 7 last…

UUncatgerize

5 minute read

Pope of the peripheries

byDerwin Pereira
October 17, 2024

By Derwin Pereira It lies to the credit of Asia and Oceania that Pope Francis decided to make…

PPolitical

6 minute read

Watch out, America!

byDerwin Pereira
October 17, 2024

By : Derwin Pereira On Saturday, Republican presidential contender Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt during an election…

TTravel

6 minute read

Dodging a bullet in the skies

byDerwin Pereira
October 17, 2024

by : Derwin Pereira If there is one piece of good news in the horrible episode of Singapore…

PPolitical

3 minute read

Lawrence Wong: What’s coming?

byDerwin Pereira
October 17, 2024

by : Derwin Pereira The orderly transition of power from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to his successor…

PPolitical

6 minute read

Prabowo must go for new thinking

byDerwin Pereira
October 16, 2024

by : Derwin Pereira Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s promise is to make Indonesia great again. It is not…

LLife

Watch out for xenophobia

byDerwin Pereira
April 30, 2024

The philosopher George Santayana’s warning, that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, is…

LLife

Foreigners must value Singapore

byDerwin Pereira
April 15, 2024

Singapore needs foreigners. You know it, I know it, and they (I mean, foreigners) know it. This country’s…

LLife

4 minute read

Books I wish I’d written

byDerwin Pereira
April 6, 2024

There are three books that are of such consuming interest to me that I wish I had written…

PPolitical

6 minute read

Lessons for Asia from a bad European war

byDerwin Pereira
March 31, 2024

Neither side is winning, two years and more after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 in an escalation…