TGS Asia Pacific: Building a community, not just a network

TGS Talks Podcast | Asia Pacific: Building a community, not just a network 

Recorded June 4, 2026

Andrew sits down with Mikail, Managing Partner of TGS AU Partners Indonesia and TGS Global Board Member and Regional Leader for Asia Pacific. With over a decade in the network Mikail is one of TGS's longest-serving members and the driving force behind the Asia Pacific regional strategy. The conversation is a thoughtful look at what it takes to build a professional network in the most diverse economic region on earth.

What We Cover

Asia Pacific can't be treated as one market. Mikail is clear-eyed about the most common mistake global networks make: assuming that what worked in Europe or North America can simply be transplanted to Asia. From China to Japan, Indonesia to Australia and the Pacific Islands, each market has its own business culture, regulatory environment and client expectations. The one common thread? Relationships come before transactions.

A different kind of conference

The upcoming TGS Asia Pacific retreat in Bali is deliberately breaking from the traditional conference format. Rather than filling the room with presentations and slides, the Bali event is designed around dialogue, mindful conversation and connection. It also includes business executives alongside accounting professionals. The goal is not to leave with more information, but to leave with commitments, decisions and a stronger community.

The rally car analogy

Mikail has a memorable way of thinking about AI and the pace of change: a rally car driver needs a co-pilot not because the technology can't map the road, but because judgment, when to brake, when to accelerate,  is still irreplaceable. That judgment is what keeps accounting professionals relevant, and it's exactly what clients are paying for.

Mikail said yes to leading the region

His answer is characteristically generous: it wasn't one moment, it was the accumulation of conversations, with Andrew, with former TGS president, Marc Desjardins, with members, with clients, that made the opportunity clear. The role of regional leader, as he describes it, isn't about being the person at the top. It's about being part of a group moving in the same direction with the same energy.

The message to anyone considering Bali

If you're wondering how AI will change your profession, how to stay relevant over the next five to ten years, or simply whether you're the only one feeling the pace of change, you're not alone. Bali won't hand you all the answers, but it will connect you with the right community to work through the questions together.

The TGS Asia Pacific retreat takes place in Bali, July 2026.

Contact the TGS Asia Pacific team if you would like to participate. 

asiapacific@tgs-global.com

Register for our other TGS events on TGSU:
https://tgs-global.com/tgs-u/

Contact Andrew Directly:
andrewmenzies@tgs-global.com

Connect with Andrew on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewmenzies/

TGS Website
https://tgs-global.com/

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

I'm I'm uh now I'm managing partner of TGS AU Partners. Uh TJS AU Partners is uh Indonesian uh group of professional firms that we we are we were a member of uh TGS since uh 2014. So we can say that we are one of the 20s uh first members inside the network. Um yeah I think this sort of a quick background of uh my my position.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

But that's good, that says it all. And I I think also that's more than 10 years you've been in the network. Um so 2014 we probably met first then in Dubai, maybe there was a conference.

SPEAKER_00 0:50

No, I I guess it's it was uh the it it was the second the second conference international conference of TGS uh which uh held in in Shanghai at the time.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

Oh Shanghai, okay. Yeah. Okay, uh excellent. And uh also you are now uh the regional leader of TGS, you're a board member of the network now, more than just a member. You're a board member of the network, and as the board member, you're also the regional leader for Asia Pacific. So for for years and years, we've been talking about developing the network or a network in Asia Pacific, and um you were pushing me and us to understand that it couldn't be the same as everywhere in the world. Uh, when did you first start thinking that?

SPEAKER_00 1:44

I think uh that uh I'm saying that um all the members in Asia Pacific is all leaders. So we comprise of many leaders in Asia. So my role is uh to facilitate and to coordinate, right? So um I think uh when we came to the to the current strategy in Asia Pacific, uh we don't want to be a network that uh like uh the the the another one or like the traditional one or uh the the first version of Tjs. Uh we have been evolved through to um manufactured of TGS and its strategy. So we want to be a uh I think we want to build a community, an organization that driven by the interests of its members. I think it comprises of two. One business and another one is uh quality professional developments. I think that is the the big bone of the professional network, which is a quality and professionalism. But uh of course, we are aiming for developing the business together. So I think that's the principle of uh we don't want to be a network that just just want to to just a simple directory of firms or a network that is uh you know uh copy paste of uh another network.

SPEAKER_01 3:28

Yeah, so that's yeah, that's that's there's so much in what you say there, and it's I think it's exactly why we I think that's why we've been getting on so well, is that the idea is that it's not a directory of members, you're right. And you're right, everybody in the network, the firms, everyone's a leader, you know, so like they want to be uh helped to help us as well to move forward, but also I think that notion you said it really well, is that things time things the environment is changing. So, like to stay the same as a network, we have to change, you have to accept a certain amount of change uh as things are different. So Asia Pacific, particularly. What do you think have been uh any misconceptions that we've had from the center of the network about Asia Pacific? What's different about uh you?

SPEAKER_00 4:18

I think most of I think this is uh relevant for not only for the professional firms realm, but also for the business sectors uh that might have a misconception of uh having the right strategy in in one region, like uh maybe the strategy that they have been successful in Europe or in America, and to bring it just uh implement it in the in the ICR Pacific region won't work, but it turns out it will be uh a different uh approach that that most of business must take. So yeah, it's uh it's uh we cannot uh I think that this kind of misconception they're using the one strategy for Asia because Asia itself, I think it's uh comprised of many regions. We have uh Southeast Asia, we have a big uh uh country like China, like India, uh like big economy like Japan, and and both uh those uh countries, uh even like Australia and New Zealand and uh and uh Pacific Islands, uh they they all have uh uh each business traits uh characteristics. So uh but I think most of the uh the the general or the common uh character is uh we build business uh on the uh relationship first rather than transaction. So I think that is one of the uh uh reality that we must face in this uh region.

SPEAKER_01 6:05

Yeah, that's that's amazing. It just hearing you list the countries and areas involved in Asia. Like we say Asia Pacific, like it's just one place, but when you talk about you know China, Australia, and Indonesia, it's a lot of people in a lot of different places. And I hear you as well. I really what I've learned from the conferences we've had with TGS is that it's really relationship-driven first, isn't it? It's really right, the relationship with first and then business after. Um is that um part of the reason for the new conference format? Maybe you could say a few words about that. It's fairly ambitious because it's really different as a conference, the Bali event. What's going to be happening in this?

SPEAKER_00 6:52

Yeah, I think uh first that we know that the region Asia Pacific is uh one of the biggest economic uh drivers of the global economic, right? One one of the third population here, and and with the current situation, the the global uh geopolitic and then the the technology uh developments, let's say um artificial intelligence, or uh including the the way of business react to the current situation. I think uh it is um all of the not I think it's not only TJS firms uh see it and have to react right about it. Uh that but also uh other another firm, we we all have the same, I think we all have the same situation here, challenges. So um if we are if we are talking about the format, uh we need to find place like we need we can contemplate because uh rather than having a conference, like traditional conference, uh with the uh format of like say uh presentation for two presentations, um with uh character of you know ASEA that relationship first and uh uh the connection uh build is on the relationship and it through the conversation, I think. It's through the conversation, it's it's not through the I I believe that all the leaders, uh partners uh in professional firms, they have been attending uh dozens of conferences, seminars where they they receive many informations, right? Yeah, so as I'm saying the first time that we want to build the community that is solid, uh that trust each other. So I I believe that uh we place in Bali where we can contemplate, where we can have a mindful, honest conversation together. There is no uh boundaries, barriers between the uh participants. So I think that's just the the the background of having it in Bali with this format.

SPEAKER_01 9:26

That's really good. And I think, yeah, because I remember from other conferences, even the last conference we had in Asia Pacific in Indonesia was fantastic, and it was very full of speakers and information, and we all learned a lot. And I think that when you go home after you've learned a lot and you've got a lot of PowerPoint presentations ready, there's often you don't really act on it necessarily. You've you've enlarged your knowledge, but you haven't really put something in action. And I'm kind of hoping that the Bali event means we're gonna you know commit to things and agree to move forward. And we suppose Bali itself is uh an agreement from the last one to move forward and do something different, right?

SPEAKER_00 10:11

So I think as uh we we we know that this ASEA, the relationship first, and relationship is driven through the uh uh dialogues, uh a close uh conversations, and also not only having one way of one one perspective. I mean, because we will have uh not only professional participants, I mean partners, but also the group coming from business sectors, the senior executives. So we'll have uh uh rich, I think more rich of insights because maybe uh our the partner or uh professionals perspective may be different from the business reality. So I think and in the same way of uh this uh business executive, they maybe they they they see it's uh different and and with interact interaction of this both group, uh we can have more uh rich uh insights uh coming from that uh um interaction.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be really interesting to see what effect that has. That if uh you've got the experts who uh help businesses, you know, with their accounts of tax on uh compliance, and then the businesses themselves were talking about what they're actually experiencing in the business environment. That's gonna be um it's gonna be really interesting. So if I jump uh forward a little and we'd look to after the event, what with what is success gonna look like? What do you hope people will say and think when they finish the conference? They think, ah, that was brilliant. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:06

Yeah. I think I think the the measurement of the success uh is uh not about the the numbers uh of participants, for example, or or the numbers of of uh I mean the numbers only, but it's about the quality of connections, right? Whether uh I think we can see the success if those uh who are joining, they are still having a conversation later among them. And there is uh there will be a a um uh deal later. We're not all talking about only relationship first, but we want to have a deal later, right? Have something that's realistic uh in business. Um they um they can um have a conversation without feeling without uh protecting the vulnerability. You know, they can talk about challenge, being honest, and I think when the community is uh like that, that is uh we can say it's being a close, like a cross group, close group, and then I think that's uh I uh I think that's my my my perspective of of successful. Because I think here uh in Asia uh we have uh strong presence in Europe, right? TGS firms in Europe, they are uh uh having close connection with relationship with their clients, and there are a lot of opportunities uh from uh Europe to Asia and in Asia that uh might have relevancy to uh uh uh business in Europe. And with the current situation in in Asia, where I think there are a lot of opportunities. I want to uh highlight this that there are a lot of opportunities that um that we can grab together, uh we can catch it together. Uh and this one is I think not only relevant for uh member firms or firms in APEC itself, but I think for those who are who having clients who want or who have already have an establishment here and in the region, I think it's uh one way that we can we can uh uh what is it? Well what is it uh to to increase uh uh that level of relationships.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's amazing. I just I feel like this is an example I'm gonna be giving again and again. But in the conference we had in Sofia in uh Bulgaria, uh it was just the level of relationships, it's just a just a very quick example. Uh France from the United States called me saying he had a uh request for a proposal. Uh, could I, you know, share it with members to see if anyone could help? And I asked him, I said, Well, we're having the conference, why don't you just ask them yourselves? So we had him on a video call during the conference, and he said, uh, who can help? And uh the firm in the Netherlands remembered a conversation they had with the firm in Cameroon, and they they grouped together to answer the request. And that was the fact that they were there and they'd spoken to each other meant that that was possible, you know. So, because if that was just an email, it's just or a directory, it would have been impossible. Nothing would have happened.

SPEAKER_00 15:52

Um exactly. Even it's better, I think, uh, that uh a presence to be presence there and to have a uh real in-person connection rather. Yeah, sometime uh it's it it can change a lot in in my experience dealing with clients coming from uh another countries in the region. So uh when we only have uh like this uh through Zoom, yes, yes, it's uh it's effective, it's efficient, but when we have uh like in the same place, uh we can you know getting known more and build trust, I think it's more more quick, um more effective.

SPEAKER_01 16:42

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it's really real and it lasts for a longer time in your mind as well. Is that correct? Something I wanted to ask you, Mikhail. You said that in part of your documentation, you said uh we're answering the question: how can professional service firms stay relevant? Right? What what did you mean by that and what's your answer? It's a big question, I know.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's it's a hard question. Yeah, uh yeah, I think with with what happens now with technology where you know we have a question and you can just drop it in the chat GPT or cloud AI. You can get the information there. Even they can have sort of advice us, right? So I think it's it's not about the same level of service for the clients and for professional firms to be relevant, to still stay relevant in this uh time. That uh we can say that you know, like in rally, like in uh rally competition, uh car rally, uh have a what is that the driver and someone beside him? Yeah, the co-pilot, yeah, yeah, code co-driver, yeah. Co-driver that say that, oh I think with the I don't know, in rally, uh maybe they I don't think Google Map can do it, right? The technology can do it. They they know that oh uh there will be a corner 50 meter or 100 meters, but I think um one that still relevant is judgment, right? When you have to slow down or when you have to uh full throttle, uh so accelerate and that kind of professional judgments is still, I think that one is they make us stay relevant, and we are not only selling the information because information is ready everywhere, uh clients can access it, but judgment has become the what is it, the advisor of the decision-making process, and that is about this conference, I think, to help all the participants making the right decisions in these situations.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

Yeah. That's really good, yeah, because we can you're right, you can get an answer from AI and you can understand intellectually, but can you put it in action? Do you know how to run it? What's the judgment, how to do it, what's the best way, yeah. Uh that's really that's really that's really excellent, yeah. And um another question, which is uh kind of uh more about the project itself. I mean, the project of TGS Asia Pacific, right? Running that project on top of what you already do for your business in uh Indonesia, uh, what was the point where you thought, yeah, this is a good idea. I can do this, I can be the leader of TGS Asia Pacific. What was the moment that made you think that that was a good idea?

SPEAKER_00 20:05

I think uh uh if if I remember that um I've been with uh different group, different networks, I've been working with clients around coming from companies coming from uh region, uh company coming from China, coming from Japan, uh India, uh even the neighbor Australia or uh Malaysia, Vietnam, all the neighboring Southeast Asia. Um I have the perspective that there's something that uh we can adapt. We can uh we are adapting that to this reality and to the experience and having a conversation. I think it's not it's not uh one of 100% from me, from from myself, but I think it's our interaction, Andrew. I think with with you and with the uh former president, uh Mark Bizardang, right? And all the TGS members, uh the interactions and having heard uh listening their you know aspirations and these clients' needs, uh that we have a lot of opportunities there, and it's just about finding way to meet these two uh members' aspirations, the global strategy, and then the clients' needs. So when we can you know uh connect these three together. I think that's uh it's pretty much about again interaction and I just uh nice of contemplation. I think nice of nice of comp contemplation uh through my yeah before that's really.

SPEAKER_01 22:00

That's really well said. And I think you answered the question in a very uh uh in a very clever way, because it's true that the idea about the network itself, like there are there's a notion of like titular leader, this is the leader of, but what you're saying is that it's an excitement to be part of something, you're part of the group, and because everybody wants to achieve the same thing, it's gonna work, and that's the power of it. It's not there's someone, not someone up here who's deciding everything, but we're all moving with the same uh the same energy to move forward. Yeah, that's why I like the project as well. It's uh for that. And one last question for you. I would say that like if if anyone is listening to this podcast, or if I send it to someone who's a prospective member for the kind or a client, uh what would you say to them about Bali in July? Should they come?

SPEAKER_00 22:54

Yeah, I think uh if I think this is my message. If uh you think that the industry is uh change faster, quicker now than what we think before, I think we uh you are not alone, right? We are not alone. I think everybody, uh everyone in in the professionals in accounting and law, they even it's business uh sector, we all feel the same. And if we have uh questions like uh how AI will change uh our profession, like your your questions before, we are not alone. Uh if we are looking for how to build our practice to stay relevant in this uh current situation in the next five years, next 10 years, I think you are not alone. Uh Bali is uh I I am I'm not saying that Bali is an answer for all of your questions, but it is about uh connecting and building relationships with uh people who might have the same questions, face the same questions, same challenge that you are facing now. I think in in the midst of this uh quick change uh dynamic situation like like current. Um valuable assets for us uh as a leader is is the right community. And I think that's what we are trying to build here, right? What we want to what the TGS want to build here together with our friends is uh it's a it's a strong community to to help you um solve those uh challenges, and that's why you have to to join uh our Bali vs, the retreat.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

Thank you. Thank you, Mika. Well, anyway, I'm really looking forward to being there, and we'll do another podcast when we can talk about uh what a great success it was um after the fact, but that's really good, and I think uh that's really I've never heard it so clearly that you know, like if you think things are going fast, the rally car example is a good idea. You think, oh my god, this is this is fast. We're all thinking the same thing, but we can we can you know we can deal with it together. Uh that's excellent. Um, okay, right. Well, thank you very much, uh. I'm gonna let you go just now, but thank you for spending time with me. My pleasure uh this evening, Andrew. Thanks for having me. Uh and I'll see you uh see you really soon, Mikhail. I'll catch up with you in the flesh. Bye bye. Bye bye, au revoir.