Richard Heydarian

Richard Javad Foronda Heydarian is a Filipino political scientist, public thinker, and media personality. As an academic and global columnist, he has penned numerous articles for global media outlets, including The New York Times, Foreign Affairs, and The Guardian, as well as authored or co-authored more than a dozen academic books. He has been described as "a leading voice on Philippine politics, ASEAN, Asian geopolitics, and populism." He has also been regularly interviewed by ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, BBC, Bloomberg, CNN International, CNBC, and DW. As a global affairs specialist, he has been interviewed by journalists such as Christiane Amanpour, Fareed Zakaria, and Maria Ressa. An advocate for human rights and a prominent critic of authoritarian leaders, most notably President Rodrigo Duterte, he has repeatedly faced online attacks and legal harassment throughout the years.

Heydarian is also a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the country's newspaper of record, and regularly writes for the Asia Times and the South China Morning Post. He is the host of The View from Manila on One News TV Channel, and also hosts multiple podcasts, including Deep Dive with Richard Heydarian, as well as The Bridge, which focuses on ASEAN–Europe ties and is a project supported by the European Parliament. He is also active on social media, including his YouTube channel (Richard Heydarian Deep Dive). He also hosts the "Utak Forum", which he brings together top experts and policy-makers focusing on South China Sea and foreign policy issues. As a cultural figure, he has been featured in lifestyle publications, including in Tatler magazine's "Asia's Most Stylish" issue in 2022.