Podcasts are an easy way to absorb information when you’re on the go, and many have turned to this medium to create or consume content. They are used to share knowledge and experiences, organize round tables and more.
Now even AirAsia Group Tan Sri CEO Tony Fernandes wants to get involved in the action of expanding his presence on social media outside of Instagram and TikTok. He announced today that he will launch his own visual podcast, He’s talking to Tony.
It will be a place where they will be able to share their thoughts and views on various issues through conversations with friends, colleagues, partners, etc. Some of the guests mentioned include Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am, UFC President Dan White and producer and composer David Foster.
“I want to give listeners the opportunity to learn a little from me and become close and personal with dear friends, discussing not only successes but also failures, even the problems everyone is going through now dealing with COVID-19. ”
“It’s going to be with business people, my friends from the sports industry, and obviously with music, because it’s been a big part of my life, as well as other prominent people and entrepreneurs,” Tony said.
The 8-part series can be accessed via Syok’s August 1 app, Tony’s podcast website from August 2, and other sites, including Spotify, Google, and Apple podcasts from August 8.
Getting to know Tony better
Not much is known about which first episode of Conversation with Tony will be different from the personal one, but one recent incident that people had in mind was a virtual town hall session.
At a meeting attended by about 500 people, Thai AirAsia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld allegedly insulted a woman using swear words and telling her to “shut up”. It’s still not clear what the real reason behind that interaction was, and most of what people saw was just a brief viral clip of the meeting.
However, what was marked to the people was more than mere exchange. Many pointed out that the other seniors present, including Tony, did not advocate for the employee nor did they immediately speak out against Bijleveld.
After much attention on social media, AirAsia and Bijleveld apologized, but the damage was done. Tony himself has so far clarified that the incident is not the kind of culture they want in AirAsia and that it is not sexist, saying Bijleveld would say the same to a man employed.
In any case, Internet users will not soon forget this incident, and Talks With Tony will present the entrepreneur with an ideal platform for a true discussion of brand reputation, strong and full respect for management, etc.
However, Tony said his goal is to make the podcast focus more on himself and his guests, not so much on AirAsia as on the company or business.
Starting small and simple
Talks with Tony will not be monetized at the moment, and all 8 episodes in the first series will have free access. As for product placement, Tony said he hasn’t thought about it yet.
If the podcast still gets enough momentum, it could be monetized so that revenue can go to selected users. In the end, we may even see the potential of Tony doing a TV show down the road, as he has expressed interest in it.
One thing is for sure, Tony Fernandes is an open person who does not hesitate to share strong opinions, whether or not people agree with him.
Therefore, we would expect that Conversations with Tony will offer us an unfiltered view of his thoughts and stimulate discussion related to the Malaysian business scene, corporate culture, digital business and more.
Love it or hate it, he is still the influential figure that AirAsia has built into the big, global company it is today, and when it speaks, people will listen to it.
- You can learn more about Conversations with Tony here.
- You can read our previous AirAsia coverage here.
Picture shown: Tony Fernandes from a conversation with Tony
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