Whiskey&WealthTech

In Episode 31 of Whiskey & WealthTech , host Alex Serman sits down with Philipp Hemmersbach, CEO and Co-Founder of Kapnative, to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping private market investing. Philipp shares how his experience working with wealth managers, family offices, and private banks revealed a common pain point: private markets are growing rapidly — but due diligence processe...

In our milestone Episode 30 of Whiskey & Wealthtech , Alex sits down with Eric Lapham from Artius Global to unpack one of the most overlooked—but costly—areas in wealth and asset management: shareholding disclosure compliance. They break down why firms are struggling with manual processes, how one missed filing can trigger fines in the hundreds of thousands, and why automation is quickly becom...

n this special live episode recorded at First Rate’s 2025 WealthTech Connect conference in Dallas, host Alex Serman sits down with Martin Tarlie and Matt Kadnar, co-founders of Nebo Wealth, for a fascinating conversation about the evolution of goals-based investing. They unpack how Nebo bridges the long-standing gap between financial planning and portfolio construction—helping advisors deliver per...

In this Toronto edition of Whiskey & WealthTech, Alex Serman sits down with Carol Penhale, Head of Canada at RIMES Technologies, for a spirited discussion on private markets, data granularity, and wealth trends shaping the future. Over a glass of Glen Breton—the first North American single malt—they explore how institutions are navigating the complexities of private asset data, the growing rol...

In this episode of Whiskey & WealthTech , Alex Serman sits down with Greg Woolf, founder and CEO of AI Think Tank, to sip Knob Creek whiskey and dive into the evolving role of AI in wealth management. From whiskey tasting notes to wealthtech trends, Greg shares his take on generative and agentic AI, the changing expectations of wealth managers, and how firms can stay competitive. Whether you&a...

In this episode of Whiskey & WealthTech, host Alex Serman sits down with Mouctar Bah, Co-Founder and President of the Brussels Africa Hub (BAH), to explore how BAH is creating a frictionless flow of capital between Africa, Europe, and the U.S.. Mouctar shares how BAH bridges investors, policymakers, and financial institutions to unlock investment opportunities across the African continent—beyo...

In this milestone episode of Whiskey and WealthTech , host Alex Serman welcomes back Nayan Madhamshettiwar, Managing Director of Professional Services at First Rate. Together, they celebrate two years of the podcast with a toast to Amrut Fusion, the world's best whiskey of 2024. The conversation dives deep into the advancements in AI within wealth management, exploring the transformative pote...

Our latest episode of Whiskey and WealthTech , Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, sits down with Bart Vanhaeren, CEO and co-founder of InvestSuite. Together, they explore the rapidly evolving WealthTech landscape and how InvestSuite is partnering with First Rate to pioneer solutions that blend advanced technology with a deep understanding of human behavior. B...

The wait is over! 🎉 We are thrilled to release a Special Edition of our Whiskey & WealthTech Podcast, featuring an exclusive panel discussion from the London Performance and Risk Summit! Moderated by Steve O’Brien, and including expert panelists Alex Serman, Alexander Shalson, and Paul Farrar. In this insightful episode, the panel delves into the transformative power of Artificial Intelligenc...

In this episode of ‘Whiskey and WealthTech, host Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, sits down with Jay Morison, a seasoned wealth management professional to share his journey through major firms like Morgan Stanley and Merrill Lynch, highlighting his role as an architect of new ventures. The conversation delves into the nuances of managing multiple stakeholde...

In this episode of ‘Whiskey and WealthTech, host Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, explores the profound impact of change and technology in our day-to-day operations with Susan Agbenoto, CIPM, Director of Investment Performance at Opus Investment Management.  Join Alex and Susan as they explore the rapid advancements in technology, wealthtech innovations and...

In our latest episode of Whiskey and WealthTech, our host, Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth & Institutional at First Rate, sits down with Bruce McKenzie, Senior VP of Northern Trust Company. Bruce delves into the critical role of trust in his enduring career and the esteemed reputation of his firm. As an advisor that is constantly and consciously working towards building and maintainin...

In this episode of Whiskey&WealthTech, host Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, explores the intersections of business innovation, purpose-driven leadership, and the evolving landscape of wealth management. In this special episode we sit down with Dave and Trina Stone, the visionary founders of First Rate, for an insightful conversation spanning from the o...

In this episode of "Whiskey and WealthTech," host Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, engages in a spirited conversation with financial advisor Derrick Kinney. The episode kicks off with a tasting of Teeling Irish Whiskey, setting the stage for a discussion on the intricacies of financial success and the role of generosity in wealth management.  Derr...

Hosted by Alex Serman, Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate, this episode takes a unique turn away from whiskey to explore the world of port wine with guest Stephen Campisi from the Pensar Group.   The discussion touches on critical topics such as sustainable withdrawal rates, intergenerational equity, and the shift towards client-focused investing. Campisi emphasizes the ne...

In this episode of "Whiskey&WealthTech," host Alex Sermon, Managing Director at First Rate, is joined by Pete Baksh, Chief Investment Officer at First National Bank of Mount Dora. They explore the unique blend of Compass Box's "The Story of the Spaniard" whisky while discussing Pete's fascinating journey in the finance industry. Starting from a background in physi...

T une into the latest episode of Whiskey and Wealth Tech with our host, Alex Serman, the Managing Director of Wealth and Institutional at First Rate. In this episode, Alex is joined by Rachel Guy, Managing Director of First Rate Community Trust. They explore the world of whiskey while discussing the latest trends in the tech and wealth industry. The duo samples two unique whiskeys from Ironroot Re...

In this insightful conversation, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Hamza Qadir, a trailblazer in the world of wealthtech as the Managing Director of The Venture Center and a visionary Founder behind The Founders Arena. This exclusive cohort program is dedicated to fueling revenue opportunities for burgeoning wealth management and tech startups. The accelerator program is ingeniously crafted...

Welcome to the latest episode of Whiskey&WealthTech! In this engaging conversation, we sat down with Patrick Fowler, President and COO of The Spaulding Group, to delve into the captivating members-only Spaulding Group Forum.   These dynamic forums, fueled by the fervor of dedicated wealth management industry professionals - from institutional asset managers to the vendors that support them - h...

Welcome to another episode of Whiskey and WealthTech! In this insightful discussion, we had the pleasure of sitting down with David Curtis, the esteemed Head of Global Client Business at bondIT. Together, we delved into the fascinating realm of explainable AI technology and Machine Learning, specifically exploring their invaluable role in revolutionizing Fixed Income investing for wealth managers....

First Rate sits down with co-owner of Andalusia Whiskey Co, Ty Phelps, to discuss picking our very own single malt whiskey barrel that we can share and enjoy with our clients, co-workers and community. We discussed the fermenting, distilling, and aging process that the Andalusia Whiskey Co. goes through to make their ‘Irish-Style’ Single Malt in the unique Texas Hill Country environment. 

In our latest episode of Whiskey and WealthTech, we sat down with ESG expert and CEO of OWL ESG to discuss the challenges of ESG data and the evolution of how that data has been processed and reported over time.  Listen to our full podcast to learn how OWL ESG and First Rate have created a strategic partnership to leverage innovation and wealthtech to increase efficiency, enhance transparency, and...

Jason Yule from WTax joins us in our latest episode to discuss how WealthTech, AI, Machine Learning, and other industry partnerships, such as First Rate are used to help reclaim foreign and withheld taxes for wealth management firms to add value to their clients’ investment performance.

We sat down with First Rate Ventures Managing Director, and Ventures in WealthTech Podcast host Marshall Smith to discuss our latest First Rate Global Expansion. We are excited to discuss our acquisition of Finantech, now First Rate Chile, and our strategic objective to impact the community and serve the unique market of Latin America. 

First Rate’s LGSE’s (/ˈleɡəsē/) Podcast host and First Rate Chaplain, Blake Miller, joins us to discuss how our host of the Whiskey&WealthTech Podcast and Managing Director of First Rate Wealth, Alex Serman, CIPM, is leaving a legacy in his community by being inducted into Arlington, TX’ 40 Under 40 through his impact in the community and innovative business strategies.