An economist may tell the story of a young person in the following way.

A person is financially dependent until the working age. Some never reach it and others mature faster than others, but everyone transitions at some point in their life.

The most productive cohort typically attends university or vocational training which adds another three to five years of financial dependence. The return on investment by way of taxes and private consumption may be greater, but that leaves approximately 25 years of a person’s life as a nonoperating asset.

The management consultant suggests otherwise. They could get a part-time job, volunteer for a not-for-profit or do an internship. A psychologist suggests a more holistic view of their personal development and a lawyer slaps an injunction on anyone who may offend them.

Whichever way you look at it, investment in young people is an investment in the future. But with the region’s population at a median age of 28 years, Southeast Asia’s youth are in the driver’s seat economic decision-making.

There are a few parts of the world where this is more salient than in Southeast Asia. According to the ASEAN Youth Development Index, the population between the ages of 15 and 34 currently rests at 213 million and is expected to tip over 220 million in the next 10 years.

They control an increasing number of economic decisions and are moving into leadership positions at an even faster rate. Perhaps the most notable this year being Nadiem Makarim, who, after founding the darling of Indonesia’s tech unicorns, has moved into President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s new Cabinet as education and culture minister.

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