[REPLAY] Investing in Africa: A Conversation with Anthony St John, 22nd Baron St John of Bletso

Jun 24, 2021

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In a slightly different conversation for the Money Maze Podcast, Anthony St John shares his fascinating journey and investment insights.

Anthony is a Non-Executive Chairman of Yellow Cake PLC, a specialist company operating in the uranium sector. He's also the Chairman of Strand Hanson (an independent advisory boutique with a strong African orientation) and Chairman of IDH, a health care provider in the Middle East and Africa.

Furthermore, he's one of 90 hereditary peers elected to remain in the House of Lords, is Lord in waiting to the HM the Queen, the Vice Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Africa Group and a former friend of Nelson Mandela.

Educated in South Africa and then the UK, he talks of his arrival in the UK to take his seat in the House of Lords and how he was initially hugely inhibited by a stutter that was reminiscent of the King’s Speech. In our conversation he speaks of his journey from being a lawyer, to working in China, working as an oil analyst, then being chairman of three companies whilst managing his Parliamentary duties.

Our discussion covers investing in Africa, cyber security, uranium and its role in the evolving debate about energy sources, as well as his relationship with Nelson Mandela. Finally, Anthony gives some powerful advice to young people thinking about their future and some additional tips for navigating life’s veritable money and other mazes!

Interview originally recorded in August 2020.

In our latest release, Simon spoke to Guy Hands, Chairman & Founder of Terra Firma. We are replaying this episode due to similar themes discussed in both interviews, with both guests overcoming psychological disadvantages in their careers.

For Anthony, his stutter presented a major challenge to his legal career. He successfully overcame this thanks to speech therapy (taken on the advice of a former British Prime Minister), and is now a highly successful Parliamentarian and business tycoon. For Guy, his dyslexia made reading a challenge in his early career. Yet this proved no dampener on his ambition, and actually turned out to be an advantage given that it meant he read investment prospectuses more carefully than his peers at Goldman Sachs (helping him becoming Head of Eurobond Trading at just 26!).