Money Maze Podcast

In this Easter special we explore a slightly different realm: religion! Very occasionally one individual can have a disproportionately powerful impact on a collection of people, but very rarely does that person’s impact grow in time and reach, and expand beyond anyone’s expectations and for millions, be responsible for enhancing their lives. Our guest, the Reverend Nicky Gumbel, talks of his own odyssey from barrister to clergyman, before widening both awareness and access to Christianity to those outside the church via the Alpha Course.  Alpha - a term which we usually employ in a very different context on the podcast - effectively rebranded and modernised Christianity for a new generation in the 1990s, with tens of thousands of courses being run by the end of the decade. The programme has now been translated into 112 different languages, and 30 million people have taken part.  In this interview he explains his own pivot to faith, how he was asked to take charge of the Alpha Course development, and in the subsequent years how its reach was extended globally. He explains how he built it into a global brand, how charismatic leadership can be relevant to all fields, the changing relationship between faith and secularism, the role of religion for prisoner rehabilitation, as well as thoughts on morality, money and giving! ​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, Bremont Watches, and IFM Investors. Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube

Our guest today earned her master’s degree in physics, captained her rugby team at Oxford, and then a few years later was posted as bp’s engineering manager to Baku, Azerbaijan. She then spent time as Country Head in neighbouring Georgia and COO of Lightsource bp, and is now bp’s Senior Vice President, Wells.  In this conversation, Ann explains bp’s mission to become an integrated energy company, built on three strategic pillars: resilient hydrocarbons, convenience and mobility and low carbon energy. She talks of the need for a reliable and balanced energy system, priced appropriately and invested pragmatically as the world transitions towards a lower carbon future. Also discussed is how energy supplies are evolving amidst global conflicts, the role of financing in the energy transition, and how AI is impacting energy demand.  Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube ​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, Bremont Watches, and IFM Investors. DISCLAIMER: This episode was recorded in February 2024. You can find the latest information on BP’s performance and operations at bp.com/results.

In May 2021, we turned our attention to an investor dilemma – Should we view wine as a proper asset class? And how should we think about the wine industry, unmodernised for so long, but ripe for change! A disrupter emerged in 1997, in the shape of Bordeaux Index, set up by Michael Spencer and Gary Boom. In this conversation we learn about the shifting sands of supply and demand. We discuss global climate impact and some of its advantages for the wine industry. We discuss wealth creation and the continued thirst for luxury wines, champagnes and whiskies. Gary also explains where new and exciting wines are emerging, why he’s re-assessed the emerging English opportunity set, and how they’re embracing digital transformation via their new LiveTrade platform (which was rebranded & expanded this year). Gary discusses the impact of their technology in helping bring liquidity and transparency to wine trading - reflecting on his previous life at ICAP - and why increasing numbers of investors are building portfolios in the wine & spirits world. We then assess the key question; where might there be money to be made in this fast-evolving market? And aside from the investment implications, who doesn’t like to sample lovely wine?! No one wants to finish their lives observing wistfully, as Ernest Hemingway once did, that “my only regret in life is that I didn’t drink more wine!” NOTE - This episode was recorded in late 2023, prior to the re-launch of their LiveTrade product in early 2024. The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, Bremont Watches and IFM Investors. Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube

David Einhorn discusses the impact of passive investing on value investors and where potential opportunities may lie. He shares insights on market dynamics and strategies for active investors to navigate the changing landscape. The podcast explores how passive investing has influenced valuation discrepancies and the shift from active to passive investing.

In today’s episode, the Money Maze Podcast takes a short trip back to 2023 to revisit our Second Private Markets Series.  We shared fascinating conversations with guests from the likes of TPG, Tikehau Capital, Nasdaq Private Market, CAIS, and IFM Investors.   In case you missed those episodes, we have compiled together some of the highlights from those episodes, including David Neal of IFM Investors on why infrastructure ‘feels like almost the perfect institutional asset class’ and Matt Brown of CAIS on how technology is bridging the gap between financial advisors and alternative asset managers. We also hear from Pamela Pavkov and Anilu Vazquez-Ubarri of the TPG NEXT fund, which is investing in underrepresented alternative asset managers, Mathieu Chabran on Tikehau Capital’s extraordinary growth story and Tom Callahan, CEO of Nasdaq Private Market, who explains how the world of secondary markets for private stocks works.  You can listen to all the full episodes here via www.moneymazepodcast.com/series/private-markets. Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, Bremont Watches, and IFM Investors. 

In this bitesize feature, A-Rod Corp’s CEO, Alex Rodriguez, discusses principal capital, creating opportunities for partners, and A-Rod’s geographical scope. In the full interview, Alex speaks about how he came to dominate his sport, developing a substantial portfolio of investments and businesses through his investment firm, invaluable advice given to him by Warren Buffet. Listen or watch here.  Money Maze Moments are short extracts taken from some of our most popular episodes, which we found interesting or struck a chord with our listener community.  The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders,  Bremont Watches, and IFM Investors. 

Emmanuel, Former CEO of Man Group and current CEO of PIMCO, discusses the landscape for fixed income investors. He explains PIMCO's mission and the opportunities in credit and emerging market debt. He emphasizes the importance of active management in fixed income and the transformative role of AI in finance. Emmanuel also highlights the retreat of banks in lending and the European growth dilemma.

Why does a teacher trained to help children with special needs decide to  switch, earn an MBA, then work at Pepsi, become an investment consultant, and end up becoming CIO at an $8 billion dollar foundation? In this conversation, Roz recaps on lessons learned with investing organisations, (including CalPERS) before arriving at Helmsley Foundation in 2010. She describes what makes for an effective investment committee, why investment boxes like ‘growth’ and ‘value’ can be counterproductive, and instead why portfolio construction by tranches of liquidity appeal more. She offers a range of valuable and pithy investment advice, including why “you shouldn’t worry about volatility, if you have ample liquidity”, and why for asset allocation it may be a case of “back to the future”. ​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders,  Bremont Watches, LiveTrade and IFM Investors

Terry Smith, referred to as 'the English Warren Buffett', discusses his investing style and success. He explains the genesis of Fundsmith, its mission, and what he looks for in companies. He also discusses the decline of research standards, the problem with management presentations, and his passion for military history.

What if clearing out early stage cancers from your body could become as routine as going to your dentist, or what if a single vaccine could protect you against multiple viruses? In this episode, we trace Mike Milken’s journey from developing and popularising high yield corporate bonds, to catalysing changes in the world of cancer, and addressing key unmet medical challenges. Mike describes the centrality of medicine in powering economic growth. He describes the current priorities, progress, and the impact of tech and AI on medical advancements. He sizes the costs of obesity, the role of prevention, the microbiome, and your gut. Furthermore he explains why data sits at the centre of achieving faster cures and shares the reasons that underpin this optimism. ​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, Bremont Watches, LiveTrade and IFM Investors.