Money Maze Podcast

In the third and final episode of our 'July With Jen Series', guest hosted by Jen Prosek, we welcome Mike Pompeo onto the show. Mike is the only man to ever have served as both the US Secretary of State (2018-21) and CIA Director (2017-18). In this episode, Mike and Jen have a riveting conversation, discussing a range of key geopolitical topics, such as; US-China relations, what to expect from the...

In the second episode of our ‘July With Jen’ miniseries, we welcome two leading entrepreneurs on the show for a varied discussion on the US economy, geopolitics, tech and more. The episode brings together Joe Lonsdale, Managing Partner of 8VC and Co-Founder of Palantir, and Thomas Tull, Founder of Tulco LLC and Former CEO of Legendary Entertainment. The discussion is moderated by Jen Prosek, Found...

In this episode, we welcome Lynn Martin, the second woman in history to run the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).  The session is moderated by Jen Prosek, Founder of Prosek Partners, who is kindly guest hosting the podcast this month. Lynn enlightens Jen on her experience as the 68th President of the NYSE, and her navigation of an often-male dominated field.  The two also discuss the IPO market, wha...

Oscar Wilde defined a cynic as someone who knew the price of everything, and the value of nothing. In today’s episode, we discuss value investing with David Einhorn, Founder and President of Greenlight Capital.  David talks about the irreparable damage caused to the value investment industry, passive investing, returns, and bonds trading. He also discusses index and short investments, as well as u...

General Sir Nick Carter, former Chief of the Defence Staff returns for a short discussion on the Ukraine War. He addresses the current situation from a military perspective, political interpretations, and gives further strategic insights.  He then also discusses his predictions for how the war may end, and the impact recent events could have on Putin’s waning support and reputation. Finally, Gener...

The late Steve Jobs of Apple said “I think the biggest innovation of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology, a new era is beginning”. If you want see how biotech can change the world of health, whilst potentially being capable of creating extraordinary value for investors, there are few better places to look than Amgen, one of the world’s leading independent biotech...

In a wide-ranging episode we have the opportunity to hear from Ben Goldsmith, a seasoned investor, with a particular focus on environmental opportunities, discussing how his passion in this field has led him to engage on a number of fronts. Ben explains his activities, which span from running a UK listed investment trust and its focus on the efficient use of energy and resources, to having advised...

When Picasso’s Les femmes d’Alger was bought for $179 million, at that time, a world record for an artwork sold at auction, the spotlight shone on the world of art valuations, and this episode’s guest, Brett Gorvy. Having enjoyed an extraordinary career at Christie’s, as Chairman and International Head of Post War and Contemporary Art  & leading the auction house to its first billion-dollar au...

If diamonds are forever, then the organisation most associated with them is, of course, De Beers. From inception in 1888, their leadership in the diamond market has been unrivalled, and even today they sell around 30% of the world's rough diamond production. In this conversation we discuss the concept of diamonds as collectibles and a store of value. We hear about the shifting supply and demand fa...

In our recent discussions with some of the world’s super allocators, we have heard about their investment objectives and varying approaches to asset allocation. In tandem with the growth in complexity, responsibility and sheer size of global investable assets, we’ve witnessed the growth of the role of the pension consultant firms, Mercer, WTW, Aon, assisting investing organisations around the worl...

Our exploration of the world’s super allocators would be incomplete without touching down in France, who have a lesser known but still significant SWF.   In this conversation, Nicolas Dufourcq, at the helm of the fund since its creation in 2013, explains its genesis, evolution and ambitions. He discusses its principal activities and purpose to drive financing, innovation and “doing its utmost to g...

In this podcast, we have an enlightening conversation with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, which manages over $1.2 trillion in assets (as of 31/12/22), making it the second largest SWF globally. Norway’s great wealth is in large part courtesy of its oil riches, discovered in 1969. With great vision, the Government’s response to the discovery was the decision to create a...

 As we continue exploring the world’s “super-allocators”, we’re learning how different they are in approach and dispersed in investment decisions. In this episode we examine these questions through the prism of one of the largest US public pension plans, The New York State Common Retirement Fund, with over $250 billion in assets and more than one million members (as of 31/03/22). Anastasia explain...

 In this episode we travel to Canada as we continue our journey around the world to discuss investment approaches with the leading figures at some of the world’s top institutional allocators, dubbed the “super allocators”.   OTPP, well known for its investments from international airports to apple orchards in the US, commercial property globally, autonomous vehicles in Asia, and even Elon Musk’s S...

In 2002, the Australian Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, commissioned the Australian Treasury to look at the long-term issues facing the nation and how adequately current generations were preparing for future ones. The message was bleak; “Australia’s ageing population would put immense stress on public finances, especially on health and aged care spending, over the next four decades”. To help ad...

In this miniseries we are interviewing a group of the largest institutional investors (the ‘super allocators’), to understand how these immense pools of capital think about the assets they invest in, shifting asset allocations, passive versus active, public versus private, and steering through turbulent waters.  This first conversation is with CalSTRS, the $300+ billion California State Teachers’...

‘Over the past decade, about 80 cents of every dollar that has gone into the US investment industry has ended up at Vanguard, State Street, and BlackRock. As a result, the combined stake in S&P 500 companies held by the Big Three has quadrupled, from about 5 percent in 1998 to north of 20 percent today.' These are the opening lines to the book, Trillions, by Robin Wigglesworth, Editor of FT Al...

 For much of life, the world of banking might seem both impenetrable and dull yet there are times, when it vaults to being centre stage, at which point it typically ushers in fear, loathing and even panic.  In light of the current traumas, rescues and uncertainties, we were very fortunate to have Huw Van Steenis, the internationally respected banks analyst and strategist join the show for a timely...

‘I drink my Champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it when I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty!‘  This famous quote can be attributed to Madam Lady Bollinger in a 1961 interview with the Daily Mail. In this episode we explore the world of Champagne...

Through direct, entertaining & insightful interviews with masters of the real life money maze, we hope to learn about different approaches to allocating capital, making business decisions and navigating the pitfalls that line the paths to prosperity.  Each episode, with invite leading figures from the investment management and finance sector onto the show, who share their investment insights a...

To celebrate the three year anniversary of the Money Maze Podcast we’re pleased to be re-sharing our the top 3 most listened to episodes of 2022!   In this much anticipated interview, we are thrilled to feature Dame Kate Bingham, Managing Partner of SV Health Investors and former Chair of the UK Vaccine Taskforce.  The conversation begins with a high level overview of the immense changes that are...

To celebrate the three year anniversary of the Money Maze Podcast we’re pleased to be re-sharing our the top 3 most listened to episodes of 2022!   Today we have a different conversation. Michael Lewis and Simon Brewer go back to graduating from the LSE in 1985, when they were both seeking a place on the fabled Salomon Brothers training programme. Michael’s success in securing that job allowed the...

To celebrate the three year anniversary of the Money Maze Podcast we’re pleased to be re-sharing our the top 3 most listened to episodes of 2022!   In this episode, we’re in discussion with the Global Head of the Blackstone’s Private Wealth Solutions business, Joan Solotar. Joan has twice been recognised in Barron’s as one of the 100 Most Influential Women in U.S. Finance, and after a background i...

In this quick minisode, Simon gives an update on the podcast to mark three years since its inception. Simon Brewer & Will Campion set up the Money Maze Podcast in 2020 to bring insightful interviews with proven business & finance leaders to all, without the burden of a paywall. We're thrilled that the show now reaches over 2 million people per year across our channels, with listeners in ov...

In March 2020, as COVID curbs were about to descend on us all, Peter Harrison agreed to begin our podcasting journey by being the first guest, and discussed the attractions of the investment business, the shifting world of passive and active, the public v private debate and why ESG would simply become embodied in the investing process. In this interview we review how fast and how secular themes ha...