Why Invest?

In this episode, host Luke Hyde-Smith sits down with Alyx Wood, Chief Investment Officer of Curnow Asset Management, to explore his unconventional approach to investing and why he believes today's UK market presents a rare opportunity for active managers. From starting his investment journey at just 15 years old to building a boutique investment firm focused on long-short equity strategies, Al...

In this episode of Why Invest? Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Advika Jalan, Head of Research at MMC Ventures, to explore how artificial intelligence, stablecoins and blockchain are reshaping venture capital. They discuss what makes early-stage investing different, why technology companies are scaling faster than ever, and the opportunities and risks investors should consider when accessing private m...

In this episode of Why Invest? host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Gemma Wright, Partner at CVC and a member of its sports, media and entertainment team, to explore the growing role of private equity in sport, entertainment and media. The conversation explores how investment can help sporting organisations strengthen their commercial capabilities, improve digital content and reach new audiences, whi...

In this episode of Why Invest? host, Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Alex Wright, Partner and Global Wealth Strategist at Apollo, one of the world's largest private markets investment firms. Together, they explore the evolution of private markets, Apollo's growth from a specialist credit investor to a firm managing more than $1 trillion of assets, and the increasing role private capital is pl...

In this episode of Why Invest? host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by macro hedge fund manager, economist and author Eric Lonergan. The conversation explores the importance of market psychology, asset-price behaviour, position sizing and risk management, as well as the need to look beyond short-term market narratives. Eric shares his perspective on the current investment environment, including the chan...

In this episode of the W1M Why Invest? podcast, Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Sean Peche, Founder and Lead Portfolio Manager of Ranmore Fund Management. Sean discusses the principles behind his global value investing approach, explaining how the team seeks out overlooked opportunities around the world rather than following market trends or popular narratives. The conversation explores the behaviour...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, Luke Hyde-Smith and Tom Savile are joined by financial psychotherapist and author Vicky Reynal to explore the powerful connection between psychology and investing. Vicky shares insights from her work helping people navigate everything from fear of investing and procrastination to overspending. The conversation explores how childhood influences shape our...

In this episode of Why Invest? The W1M Multi-Asset team reviews an eventful first half of 2026, from geopolitical tensions and oil market volatility to the continued strength of AI-related investment and the resilience of equity markets. They discuss the major macro forces shaping portfolios today, including energy security, inflation, interest rates, liquidity and earnings momentum, while sharing...

In this episode, host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Matthew, Lord Elliott of Mickle Fell, political campaigner, author, House of Lords peer and co-founder of Jobs Foundation. Marking ten years since the Brexit referendum, Matthew reflects on the successes and shortcomings of Brexit, the economic and political challenges the UK has faced in the decade since, and why he believes the country has yet t...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, Chris Joye returns to discuss the global macro backdrop, covering inflation, growth, and central bank policy. He shares why he believes inflation will remain stickier than expected, what’s driving global growth, and how AI, fiscal policy and geopolitics are shaping the outlook. The conversation then turns to markets, with a focus on fixed income opportun...

In this episode of Why Invest? , host Luke Hyde‑Smith is joined by David Zervos, Chief Market Strategist at Jefferies, to explore what is driving today’s equity markets and the resilience of the global economy. David explains why recent shocks have done little to derail market momentum, reflecting a strength in economic fundamentals and the role of capital in driving growth. They discuss how advan...

In this episode of Why Invest? host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Alexandra Vidyuk, CEO and Founding Partner of Beyond Earth Ventures, to explore the growing importance of deep tech in today’s investment landscape. Alexandra explains how deep tech – rooted in scientific breakthroughs across areas such as energy, compute, robotics and space – is shifting from niche to core, creating entirely new ind...

In this episode of Why Invest? host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Trevor Noren, Founder of Sage Road Research, for a wide-ranging discussion on the forces shaping the investment landscape. Trevor shares his approach to research and why stepping back from the noise of daily market commentary can unlock differentiated insights. The conversation explores the growing influence and limitations of AI in...

In this latest episode of Macro Musings , the team reviews an eventful quarter for global markets, shaped by geopolitical tensions, rising energy prices and AI volatility. They discuss why markets have recovered so strongly despite ongoing uncertainty and what could drive returns for the rest of 2026. The conversation covers inflation, interest rates, the US and UK economic outlook, and the impact...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Dr. Arthur Laffer, renowned economist, Founder and Chairman of Laffer Associates and a key figure in the development of supply-side economics. Dr. Laffer shares his perspective on the current global economic climate, with an analysis of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and their impact on energy prices, inflation...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, hosts Luke Hyde-Smith and Tom Saville speak with Matthew Smith, Co-Founder of QSM Asset Management and a global equities investor. Taking the bearish side of our AI Bull vs Bear series, Matthew shares his perspective on why the current wave of enthusiasm around AI may not translate into the investment returns many expect. The conversation explores the sc...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, hosts Luke Hyde-Smith and Tom Saville speak with Keith Dear, founder of Cassi AI and former adviser to the UK Prime Minister on science, technology and defence. Keith shares his bullish perspective on the rapid development of artificial intelligence. The conversation explores how advances in reasoning models, compute and autonomous AI “agents” are changi...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, hosts Luke Hyde-Smith and James Carter are joined by Benjamin Hall, Manager of the Waverton Asia Pacific Equity Fund. Ben shares his journey into investing and offers a thoughtful perspective shaped by over 15 years' experience across emerging and Asian markets. The conversation explores how investors should think differently about China, challenging hea...

In this episode, host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Alexandra Innes, a Non-Executive Director and Board Adviser for listed and private companies across financial services, real estate, sports and media. They delve into the shifts shaping the financial services industry, including consolidation, private markets, sustainability, and the future of real assets, and discuss leadership at the highes...

In this episode, we are joined by Cassian Scott, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Instinct Digital, for a wide-ranging discussion on asset management, technology and regulatory change. Cassian reflects on his career, how reporting and client analytics are evolving, and why human oversight remains critical even as AI accelerates processes. The discussion explores the challenges and opportunit...

In our final episode of 2025, we are joined by macro strategy expert Gerard Minack, for a wide-ranging discussion on markets, policy and risk. Gerard reflects on his career, how macro investing has evolved, and why human behaviour still matters as much as data and technology. The discussion explores the AI boom, including market concentration and investor expectations as well as inflation, interes...

In this episode Luke Hyde-Smith, James Mee and Matthew Parkinson return for Volume 2 of the Macro Musings series that brings listeners inside the investment desk to discuss the macro and market themes of the year. The team reflects on policy decisions, market moves, and why inflation remained far more subdued than anticipated. They explore how these dynamics fed through to portfolios, giving a can...

In this episode of Why Invest? hosts James Carter and Tom Saville are joined by award-winning journalist and Bloomberg columnist Parmy Olson. They discuss the realities behind the AI boom, from the philosophical motivations of tech founders to the subtle risks AI poses to human agency, jobs, and democracy. They explore Europe’s funding gap, the growing power of Big Tech, the rise of Chinese open-s...

In this episode of the Why Invest? podcast, host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Stephen Clapham, founder of Behind the Balance Sheet, a market-leading consultancy specialising in bespoke investment research and training. Stephen shares his expertise on investment analysis, discussing the importance of rigorous research and how bespoke training can empower investors to make better decisions. He offer...

In this episode of Why Invest? , host Luke Hyde-Smith is joined by Tom Duff Gordon, Vice President of International Policy at Coinbase, one of the world’s leading digital asset platforms. They discuss the evolution of Coinbase and how improved regulatory clarity, rising institutional demand and the growing role of stablecoins are helping push crypto into the financial mainstream. The conversation...