The celebrated historian Simon Sebag Montefiore spent the three years of lockdown writing a History of the World as seen through its significant families. 

The book is already a best-seller - it’s world history on the grandest and most intimate scale - spanning centuries, continents and cultures, and linking grand themes of war, migration, religion, medicine and technology to the people at the centre of the human drama.

Above, the History of the World is a testament to the huge role family dynasties have played in developing the modern world. The book is, therefore so, relevant to better understanding family capital. 

Simon is himself the product of a family banking dynasty. He’s a descendant of Sir Joseph Sebag-Montefiore (1822-1903), the nephew and heir of the wealthy philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore considered by some "the most important Jew of the 19th century".

The Montefiore family are descended from a line of wealthy Sephardi Jews who were diplomats and bankers all over Europe and who originated from Morocco and Italy. 

In this podcast interview, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the family business model - the Trumps, the Wedgewoods, the Rothschilds, and even the mafia. Also, why the tech titans of the last 30 years - Gates, Bezos and Zuckerberg don’t appear to be inclined to found dynastic businesses. 

Welcome to this Family Capital special podcast an interview with the Browders, father and son, Bill and Joshua, presented by Matthew Gwyther.

It’s not every day you get to speak to the grandson and great-grandson of the head of the American communist party, Earl Browder, but Bill and Joshua are pretty unusual in many other respects. 

During the 90s Bill was one of the largest foreign investors in Russia with $4.5 billion under management but it all went horribly wrong when he fell foul of a corrupt system and had hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from him. And then Putin’s henchmen killed his lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky. He has written two best-selling books about what happened afterwards Red Notice and Freezing Order. 

Using his capital, Bill now runs one of the most active and imaginative human rights lobbying organisations in the world. In his new book Freezing Order he describes the terrible realization when Donald Trump appeared to be negotiating with Vladimir Putin to trade Bill for 12 KGB officers. 

Joshua is only 26 and attended Stanford like his father. But he left and started his “Do Not Pay'' business while still an undergraduate which helps consumers fight for their legal rights. Described as The Robin Hood of the internet he’s now a Silicon Valley legend and highly sought after investor for the best new tech ideas. “I’m an investor who is also a full-time founder. I can relate to their challenges - they can imessage me at 2 AM .”

In this podcast they talk about: 

“I wish I could have been more like him - creating things rather than getting involved in businesses where people were killing each other.” 

It’s a great conversation I’m sure you’re going to enjoy it.