In this episode, 55East Revelations talks to Boris Grozev about the coming changes to the world of finance brought about by technological advances. Boris is a seasoned fintech executive working in the MEA region with a portfolio of well connected clients in financial and banking institutions. Not only is he an entrepreneur but also an investor/ advisor in the fintech.

Specifically, we cover the following topics:

- Doing your personal best

- "FinTech is a buzzword"

- Common qualities in "C" level executives

- Fintech Challenger banks are great but they make HUGE LOSSES

- Legacy banking and financial institutions and the challenges they face from FinTech

- Bitcoin & Blockchain: Don't bank on bitcoins success as an investment

- Regulated / Non Regulated investments

- Business failure and why it's important!

- There is no OVERNIGHT success

- Blockchain can stop dodgy car dealers and help the supply chain

You can find out more about Boris directly on his website www.borisgrozev.com

In this weeks podcast Charles Monchau joins us in Dubai, UAE. He is CIO & Head of investments at Al Mal Capital and has many years experience in the world of finance from investment banking, trading and investing. He holds CFA, CAIA, CMT and MBA which are some of the highest qualifications & accreditations in the world of finance.

I want to know what Charles and the institution he heads think of the current market environment, how we got here, what indicators we need to beware of, the range of financial products that would make for a balanced portfolio in the current economic cycle and what investments are likely to do well over the next year or so.

Let it be known that managing funds for an institution is very different to running funds for a personal account:

There are rules and regulations to adhere to, risk limits, management permissions and sign offs, weekly meetings to discuss performance and outlook as well as reporting to board members. The level of expertise required is as broad as it is deep and the level of understanding plus experience of markets, economics and the system we operate in, is vital to success.

From a personal perspective, this was a real eye opener into how the mind of a fund manager operates. You have to be sharp, analytical, able to express and have confidence in the research and conclusions that are drawn from the evidence (which is not always clear). Finally, as CIO you have to act on that information.

Listeners will enjoy this podcast as it is full of the topics all investors should be paying attention to. I am certain that everyone will learn something new.

So, in this weeks podcast, we cover the following topics:

Fx specialist David Leaver shares his wealth of trading experience in the global markets from London based US banks to high powered ‘eat what you kill’ trading houses (that only pay you a % of what you earn for them). David has "been there, seen it and done it" having experienced the highs and lows of a speculators journey yet STILL retains his love for the trading "game". He offers sound advice that you can’t but help hear his passion and the good trading sense he has built up over the years through thousands of trades. How good is David? At his best, he was making 75% winning trades! (That is a phenomenal record). These days with the introduction of market making "bots" it is not as high, however, he still sees plenty of opportunity to make good money!

The main takeaways for anyone looking to improve their trading here are: Have a plan, Execute it well and Control your risk....then repeat and refine your good habits. All traders, especially the newbies, can learn how to plan their trading system, look for discipline in rules, calm your mind when losing and enjoy the winning. Be honest, do the hard work (you need to enjoy it too), follow the process and stick to your plan. Look at the numbers where you are losing and where you are winning. They don’t lie. Adjust accordingly to improve your chances of success. 

Note: Whilst recording the podcast, David was trading and monitoring his positions. If you listen to his voice, he is relaxed and in control. (The signs of someone who knows exactly what he is doing). 

In this episode I interview one of my best friends from university and look back on how we learnt to invest & from whom we admired. The mistakes that were made along the way forced a change of mind and adjustment to improve our knowledge and help gain a better understanding of how markets, economics and money can help or hinder you success.

We look at the hope we had on leaving university, the places it took us and the investments made - the good, bad and the ugly

An introduction about me, what my podcast is about, who it's for and what the audience will benefit from!