Inside the Rope with David Clark

David Clark is joined by Jim Rohrstaff of Legacy Partners for a wide-ranging conversation that sits at the intersection of elite sport, long-term capital stewardship, and global lifestyle investing. From his early years in the US Midwest to building a career that spans golf, business leadership, and international living, Jim shares how the principles that underpin high performance in sport - discipline, patience, risk management and alignment of incentives - translate directly into managing wealth over decades. For high-net-worth families, this episode goes beyond golf. It explores how passion assets, global mobility, and lifestyle decisions increasingly shape investment structures, portfolio construction, and intergenerational planning. Jim also reflects on the importance of community, access, and networks - intangibles that often define real wealth but rarely appear on a balance sheet. This is a thoughtful discussion for investors who view wealth not simply as a number, but as a platform for living life with fulfillment and long-term freedom, drawing lessons from sport, business, and life that resonate well beyond the fairway.

David Clark sits down with Ben Forman, Founder and Managing Partner of ParaFi Capital, one of the world’s leading institutional investors in blockchain and digital assets. Ben’s path into digital assets is anything but conventional. Trained in traditional private equity and credit at firms such as KKR and TPG, he began his career analysing businesses through a deeply fundamental, cash-flow-driven lens. Like many experienced investors, his initial reaction to crypto was sceptical. What changed was a growing conviction that blockchain technology could fundamentally reshape how value moves through the global financial system. For listeners unfamiliar with blockchain or digital assets, this conversation serves as a clear, grounded introduction. Ben explains blockchain in practical terms, comparing its potential impact on finance to what the internet did for information—reducing friction, cost and reliance on intermediaries. We explore why financial services, despite decades of digitisation, remain inefficient, and how technologies such as stablecoins, tokenisation and on-chain settlement are beginning to change that. The discussion also demystifies ParaFi’s role in the ecosystem. Ben outlines how ParaFi operates as a multi-strategy investment firm—spanning venture capital, liquid markets and non-directional strategies—and why institutional process, risk management and governance matter just as much in digital assets as they do in traditional markets. We also examine real-world examples of blockchain in action, including prediction markets, stablecoin-based payments, and the growing involvement of major global institutions. Importantly, Ben shares lessons from both successful investments and ideas that were simply too early—offering rare insight into how emerging asset classes evolve over time. This episode provides a clear framework for understanding one of the most important structural shifts underway in global finance and why digital assets are increasingly part of institutional portfolios, what risks remain, and how to think about the opportunity with discipline rather than speculation.

In this episode of Inside the Rope, host David Clark sits down with Sam Reynolds, CEO of Octopus Investments Australia, to unpack one of the most critical and investable themes of our time: the global energy transition. As energy costs rise and the pathway to net zero becomes increasingly complex, Sam offers a grounded, data-driven perspective on how capital can be deployed responsibly without compromising on returns. We explore how institutional-grade renewable and energy-transition assets are delivering attractive double-digit returns, why the sector has historically been dominated by large institutions, and what’s now changing for wholesale investors. The conversation spans global energy supply dynamics, political and regulatory uncertainty, and the real-world implications for investors seeking long-term, sustainable outcomes. Sam also shares how Octopus approaches asset selection, risk management, and portfolio construction in a space where sustainability and infrastructure intersect. For investors interested in future-proofing portfolios, aligning capital with decarbonisation, and understanding where genuine opportunity exists, this is a timely discussion with one of the leading minds in energy-transition investing.

In this special edition of Inside the Rope, host David Clark brings listeners into a raw, deeply personal roundtable with three exceptional founders who have stood at one of the most defining crossroads in wealth: the liquidity event. Moments where years, sometimes decades, of sacrifice, risk, and relentless effort crystallise into life-changing capital. Featuring: Julie Mathers, founder of Flora & Fauna, who built Australia’s largest ethical retail platform from scratch before selling to a public company — only to dive straight back in with a new venture. Julie brings honesty, humility and practical wisdom about identity, values, and the emotional aftershocks of selling a business. Nick Cloete, founder of Kounta, the category-leading hospitality software platform acquired by Lightspeed. Nick reflects on the entrepreneurial addiction to momentum, recalibrating risk once money becomes real, and the power of trusted relationships during the transition. Scott Nowell, co-founder of The Monkeys, one of Australia’s most awarded creative agencies, later acquired by Accenture. Scott opens up about purpose, identity loss, burnout, and the complexity of navigating an earn-out while redefining who you are outside your business. Alongside them is Sean Abbott, Partner at Koda Capital and one of Australia’s most respected advisers. Sean shares insights from a decade of research, five white papers, and more than 45 conversations with entrepreneurs about the unexpected challenges that follow a major exit - from managing family dynamics to recalibrating risk, rebuilding purpose, and finding the right advisers when you suddenly become a target for everyone’s attention. What This Episode Covers * How founders really feel when the money lands - excitement, relief, fear, and everything in between. * Why “don’t rush” may be the best advice any founder can receive. * The psychological whiplash of going from high-risk operator to conservative investor. * How wealth can splinter families…and how intentional planning prevents it. * Navigating friendship breakdowns, opportunistic requests and public deal announcements. * Why identity, not money, is often the hardest part of exiting a business. * The power of trusted advice, and why founders need a personal board of directors just as much as a corporate one. * The role of partners and families in the journey and why their support is often the invisible foundation of every successful exit. This is an unfiltered, emotional, and remarkably generous conversation. A must-listen for business owners, founders, advisers, and anyone preparing for their own event. A rare look behind the curtain of what wealth really means when it arrives all at once.

David Clark chats to one of Australia’s most respected, and quietly one of its most exceptional, investors, Paul Moore, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of PM Capital. For more than four decades, Paul has built a reputation for exceptional long-term performance, deep fundamental research, and a rare ability to remain steadfastly contrarian when markets become euphoric or fearful. His flagship Global Companies Fund has delivered a remarkable compounding track record, most recently over 26% per annum for investors over the last five years, achieved without owning the Magnificent Seven, a feat almost unheard of in today’s market environment. Paul shares: * The DNA of a great investor: why temperament, patience, and an ability to stand alone matter more than ever. * Lessons from 40 years in markets, from running a US equity fund as a 20-something to navigating booms, busts, and every style cycle in between. * Why value is the only thing that matters, and why so many investors misunderstand what “value” truly means. * The psychology of contrarianism and how to maintain conviction when the world is telling you you’re wrong. * Sector and stock opportunities he sees right now, including European banks, global industrials, drug companies, and high-quality franchises trading at meaningful discounts. * His candid take on AI, FOMO, global imbalances, geopolitics, inflation, and why he believes investors need to temper return expectations in the decade ahead. * Why he partnered with Regal, how it extends his investing life, and why he intends to keep managing money “until the day I die.” Paul’s blend of humility, blunt realism, and deep conviction makes him one of the truly distinctive voices in global equity investing.

David Clark sits down with Jessica Farr-Jones, Portfolio Manager at Regal Partners, one of Australia’s most dynamic alternative investment firms now managing over $20 billion across hedge funds, private credit, real assets, and global equities. Jessica’s journey from JP Morgan’s investment-banking floors in Sydney & New York to launching her own $150 million Global Small Companies Fund inside Regal is a story of precision, discipline, and conviction. She reveals how her fascination with both maths and market psychology shaped her investment approach—one that blends the rigour of quantitative analysis with the intuition of great traders. Regal evolved from a billion-dollar boutique to a global powerhouse, and why its founder, Phil King, models the firm on the philosophy of Barcelona FC—attracting the world’s best talent to perpetuate excellence. Jessica unpacks: * The anatomy of a 20 % p.a. strategy and what it takes to consistently generate alpha across private and listed markets. * How Regal’s long-short framework creates “two times the opportunity to make money” without increasing net risk. * Why the rotation into small-caps could be the most powerful trade of the next market cycle. * And the lessons learned from early-stage investments in names like Life360, Zip, and Iris Energy, now a billion-dollar AI and Bitcoin infrastructure play. It’s a masterclass in portfolio construction, behavioural discipline, and staying nimble through cycles. Jessica’s insights offer a rare look inside how elite fund managers think—and why great investors marry data with intuition.

Tara Davies, Co-Head of European Infrastructure at KKR, brings two decades of experience in global infrastructure investing. She discusses KKR's approach to defining "true infrastructure" and highlights the risks associated with mispriced assets. Tara emphasizes the growing role of AI in energy transition and digital infrastructure. She covers the shift to evergreen investment vehicles, the importance of downside protection, and the necessity of disciplined debt practices. Her insights reveal strategies for navigating private capital in an evolving market.

David Clark sits down with Daniel Darling, Managing Partner at Focal Ventures, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping the investment landscape. From the early-stage venture opportunities emerging in Silicon Valley to the rise of “AI agents” transforming entire industries, Daniel shares how his firm is giving Australian investors access to cutting-edge innovation in the US private markets. David and Daniel discuss: * The evolution of AI from information retrieval to autonomous action. * How AI-native startups are achieving extraordinary growth with small, technical teams. * Why early-stage venture capital presents both unique risks and outsized potential rewards. * What investors should consider when allocating to this transformative sector. AI is changing the economics of innovation, this conversation offers deep insights into the intersection of technology, venture capital, and wealth creation.

Doug Tynan, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer at GCQ, shares his passion for investing and the crucial role of psychology in decision-making. He emphasizes checklist-driven discipline as essential for long-term success. Discussions delve into the unique pricing power of super-luxury goods and the transformative impact of AI. Tynan also highlights the importance of owning companies with durable, network-effect advantages while navigating the evolving investment landscape.

In this special episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark welcomes one of the most influential voices in global investing — Howard Marks, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management. Known worldwide for his acclaimed investment memos, often cited by Warren Buffett as essential reading, Howard has shaped how generations of investors think about risk, cycles, and second-level thinking. In this rare and intimate conversation, Howard reflects on his remarkable journey — from being “banished” to high-yield bonds at Citibank in the 1970s, to pioneering distressed debt investing, and ultimately co-founding Oaktree, now managing over $200 billion in alternative assets. He shares timeless lessons on mastering market psychology, developing an edge in a world of efficient markets, and why success in investing comes not from predicting the future but from preparing for it. Gain unparalleled insight into Howard’s approach to risk, his candid views on assets like gold and Bitcoin, and his concept of “Invescon,” a practical framework for positioning portfolios across cycles. In an environment of uncertainty and market noise, Marks provides frameworks to help investors prepare rather than predict. Clarity and wisdom from one of the greatest investors of our time.