Inside the Rope with David Clark

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.

In this conversation, Ed Goldstein, Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Coller Capital’s Credit Secondaries business, shares insights from his 16 years shaping the secondary investment landscape. He unpacks how secondaries provide liquidity and diversification, making them essential for sophisticated investors. Ed dives into the evolution of continuation funds and how institutional players reshape portfolios using secondaries. He highlights the importance of understanding credit risk and shares lessons learned from navigating multiple market cycles.

David Gonski, the influential Australian business leader and chairman of major institutions, shares his vast insights shaped over a 50-year career. He discusses the intricate dynamics of governance, succession planning, and the delicate balance between wealth and happiness. Gonski emphasizes the importance of philanthropy, both as a societal contribution and a personal journey. He reflects on his early life and the powerful role of education, while also embracing emerging trends like AI for future challenges.

Claudia Kwan, Managing Director at North Star Impact Funds and a leading figure in sustainable capital, discusses the evolution of impact investing. She highlights how it now competes with traditional strategies while delivering social and environmental benefits. Claudia shares her journey in the investment sector, emphasizing the importance of innovative capital allocation. The conversation covers challenges in measuring positive impacts and the significance of local knowledge in Australia’s unique investment landscape. Great insights on balancing economic returns with social responsibility!