2050 Investors — Economic and markets megatrends, ahead of 2050’s global sustainability targets

A king looks into a mirror and asks a simple question: "Markets, markets on the wall, who is the safest of them all?" For centuries, investors have sought refuge in gold, government bonds and cash. Yet history tells a more complicated story. Inflation erodes cash. Rising rates punish bonds. Even gold can fail to protect when investors need it most.   In this episode of 2050 Investors, Kokou Agbo-B...

Previous climate change policies focused primarily on mitigation, reducing emissions to achieve net zero by 2050 and avoid the worst outcomes. But as emissions continue to rise, extreme weather events intensify and physical risks materialize, a second, less comfortable reality is setting in: we must also adapt and build resilience, because we must now brace for impact.   In this episode of 2050 In...

This episode was first aired on 28/07/2022 Is hydrogen gray until proven green? When looking into the energy transition and options for clean sources of energy, hydrogen is often listed as one of the key solutions for the future. The hype about its potential is undeniable, but so are the critics about its costs, efficiency and sustainability.   In this podcast episode, you are invited to participa...

This episode was first aired on 18/11/2021 What is the impact of technological change on employment? When it comes to skills and jobs, adaptability quotient (AQ) can have a massive impact on your career, in comparison to intellectual (IQ) and emotional (EQ) quotients. Especially as workers must change and evolve to keep pace with technologies. So, how individuals make their way through employment...

What if our biggest edge in an AI world isn’t more data—but better learning?   In this episode of 2050 Investors, host Kokou Agbo-Bloua pits biological intelligence (BI) against its artificial counterpart (AI). Creativity and synapses on one side; scale, speed, and 24/7 recall on the other. We discover why deep learning happens in alpha, not frenetic beta; why a 20-watt human brain still outperfor...

This episode was first aired on 29/01/2025 How did the banking system evolve from a simple bench—the very origin of the word “bank”—into the sophisticated institutions that drive the global economy? Banks are more than just institutions. With over 4,000 years of history, they have played a pivotal role in powering industrial revolutions, transforming dreams into reality, and adapting to the evolvi...

Artificial intelligence may appear weightless, but its backbone is built on vast, energy-hungry data centers. In this episode, host Kokou Agbo-Bloua explores how these facilities—from corporate server farms to hyperscale sites—have become the brain of the AI boom. Kokou dissects the dual demands of AI: training massive models and running inference, and how these processes are fundamentally reshapi...

This episode was first aired on 05/09/2024 $25 trillion! This is the sum injected into the economy by Governments and Central Banks to protect a significant portion of the global economy during the Covid crisis. Where does this funding come from, and what are the impacts of such government spending? Is this strategy sustainable in the long term? These are important questions to consider, particula...

Stablecoins, once a niche segment of the cryptocurrency market, are rapidly emerging as a vital bridge between the digital innovation of decentralised finance (DeFi) and traditional finance (TradFi). Backed by real-world assets and powered by blockchain technology, they mark a new phase in the evolution of money: from Gold (Money 1.0) to the trust-based fiat system (Money 2.0) and now to a new era...

This episode was first aired on 22/12/2022 What is the future of international trade? After Brexit, the War in Ukraine, and the Covid-19 pandemic, are we at the beginning of the end of globalisation? Will a future Phileas Fogg be more incentivized to stay at home and circle the world in the metaverse in 80 seconds? While globalization has fueled economic growth, lifted millions out of poverty, and...

This episode was first aired on 21/12/2023 What has no beginning, end, or middle and touches every continent? If you answered, “the ocean”- Correct! Or the ‘living infinite’, as Jules Verne called it in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. This latest episode of 2050 Investors is a splashy one as host Kokou Agbo-Bloua dives deep into the mysteries of the oceans aboard the modern-day Nautilus, th...

Europe, once the driving force of global progress, gave birth to the Industrial Revolution, Enlightenment ideals, innovative scientific discoveries, and a cultural renaissance that shaped modern civilization. However, today, amid trade wars, geopolitical crises and industrial and technological advancements, Europe finds itself at a critical crossroads. In response to these disruptions in the globa...

Every so often, a bold new climate solution emerges - hailed as the answer to humanity's looming environmental crisis. From carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies to nature-based solutions, these innovations offer hope. But one of the most provocative - and polarizing - is geoengineering. Unlike traditional mitigation strategies, geoengineering doesn't aim to address the root causes of clim...

Think about the last advert you saw. Was it the first or the 100th time you saw it? Today, the average person sees around 5,000 to 10,000 ads a day - a significant jump from the 500 ads a day in the 1970s.   So, with all these ads - from social media to cable TV - vying for our attention, it's time for a reckoning. In this episode of 2050 Investors, we ask: has advertising been a force for good, o...

What qualities make the best salespeople? And what are the secrets behind their ability to sell anything — from a simple pen to a car, a house or even an option based systematic overlay on US Equities? In this episode of 2050 Investors, Kokou delves into the duality of selling as both an art and a science. Far from the realm of fantasy, salespeople bring a unique blend of creativity and expertise...

How did the banking system evolve from a simple bench—the very origin of the word “bank”—into the sophisticated institutions that drive the global economy? Banks are more than just institutions. With over 4,000 years of history, they have played a pivotal role in powering industrial revolutions, transforming dreams into reality, and adapting to the evolving needs of clients across generations. Fro...

Part 1 of the episode. Don't miss Claudia Senik's interview in Part 2. What really drives happiness in the 21st century? The UN designates March 20 as “International Day of Happiness” to celebrate the importance of happiness and well-being as “universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings worldwide and in public policy objectives". Join Kokou Agbo-Bloua as he delves into the dynamic...

Part 2 of the episode. We recommend you listen to Part 1 if you haven't already. What really drives happiness in the 21st century? The UN designates March 20 as “International Day of Happiness” to celebrate the importance of happiness and well-being as “universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings worldwide and in public policy objectives". Join Kokou Agbo-Bloua as he delves into t...

This special episode of 2050 Investors takes you to… well, the year 2050! Will we have achieved our goal of net-zero emissions and taken the necessary steps to limit global warming to 1.5 C°? And if not, what will a world on the verge of climate collapse due to human activities look like?   Join Kokou Agbo-Bloua as he explores the future, inspired by the thought-provoking series "Black Mirror". St...

What kind of risk taker are you? The answer may reveal more than you think. In this episode of 2050 Investors, Kokou Agbo-Bloua takes a closer look at risk and its role in the financial markets. Kokou explores traditional risk management models such as the Value at Risk, volatility and heteroskedasticity (volatility of volatility) and explores the interplay between Main Street and Wall Street. Lat...

$25 trillion ! This is the sum injected into the economy by Governments and Central Banks to protect a significant portion of the global economy during the Covid crisis. Where does this funding come from, and what are the impacts of such government spending? Is this strategy sustainable in the long term? These are important questions to consider, particularly since we are in a year where half of t...

Part 1 of the episode. Don't miss Jonny Wilkinson's interview in Part 2. “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime”. In this episode about sports, these lyrics from Eminem’s hit song ‘Lose Yourself‘ resonate deeply. Throughout History, from civil rights to diversity and inclusion, sports have deeply shaped, inspired and changed our individua...

Part 2 of the episode. We recommend you listen to Part 1 if you haven't already. “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime”. In this episode about sports, these lyrics from Eminem’s hit song ‘Lose Yourself‘ resonate deeply. Throughout History, from civil rights to diversity and inclusion, sports have deeply shaped, inspired and changed our i...

Is nuclear power the key to a carbon-neutral future or an accident waiting to happen? Non-hydro renewables such as wind and solar are predicted to play a major role in the future. However, one of these energy solutions has divided public opinion more than others. To mention the name "nuclear" is to conjure up the boogie man or "he who must not be named". By 2050, some 10 billion people will need s...

Abraham Lincoln once said, “ By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” . So why do well-known risk managements models fail to predict major events? Is it possible to know when and where the next crisis will come from? And how can we be better prepared? In this episode of 2050 Investors, host Kokou Agbo-Bloua explores the theory of Black Swans, created by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, and its rele...