When FT investigative journalist Dan McCrum began challenging the financial model of so-called fintech pioneer Wirecard, he was threatened with criminal charges in Germany – and worse from the murky forces of the Russian underworld. Yet he persisted, demonstrating that Wirecard was a fraudulent operation that had hoodwinked auditors worldwide – and many others, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Hear Russell Napier ask Dan about his extraordinary book Money Men, and how the hubristic forces behind Wirecard were doomed to fail.

For more information on the Advanced Valuation in Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

He was a Labour Cabinet Minister tipped to be a future Prime Minister – charming, handsome and apparently a passionate advocate for social justice. Yet John Stonehouse was also a spy who sold secrets to Czechoslovakia, a fraudster who propped up his supposedly altruistic bank with illegal transactions, and ultimately a criminal who successfully faked his own death – until he was mistaken for Lord Lucan!
In this special podcast, recorded live in the Library of Mistakes on 27 September 2022, Sir Philip Augar reveals the John Stonehouse story as portrayed in Agent Twister, his recent book with Keely Winstone. A fascinating tale.

For more information on the Advanced Valuation in Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

How did Australian farmer Lex Greensill convince the likes of Credit Suisse and the Softbank Vision Fund that he was a highly investable fintech entrepreneur? Why was former UK Prime Minister David Cameron recruited as a lobbyist? And what caused Greensill's 'pioneering' chain finance model to collapse with the loss of billions of dollars? Join our host Russell Napier as investigative journalist Duncan Mavin reveals a tale of greed, deceit and incompetence.

Duncan Mavin is the author of The Pyramid Of Lies: Lex Greensill and the Billion-Dollar Scandal, published by Pan Macmillan.

For more information on the Advanced Valuation in Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

All economic and financial activities take place across time – and interest coordinates those activities. The story of capitalism is thus the story of interest: the price that individuals, companies and nations pay to borrow money. Edward Chancellor could barely have chosen a more topical moment to publish a book about the history of interest rates (The Price Of Time), and host Russell Napier opens this fascinating interview by asking him if one of the problems that economies face is that interest rates are expected to perform too many functions.

(Note to listeners: Edward's first answer is accompanied by some effusive birdsong and traffic noise, but the quality improves thereafter.)

For more information on the Advanced Valuation in Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

Disorder, a new book by the political economist Helen Thompson, has made waves with its depiction of the long history behind the world's current political challenges. Helen's view is that the disruption experienced in geopolitics, the world economy and western democracies has come together in one big surge of turbulence. It also suggests that, even as the world moves towards greener energy, the predicaments cause by our reliance on fossil fuels will not go away. It's a fascinating book and a lively discussion with Professor Russell Napier, who starts by asking Helen how she believes that the international capital flows of the very wealthy have impacted upon western democracy.

This episode is a great listen for anyone interested in what really makes the world tick.

For more information on the Advanced Valuation in Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

Andrew Smithers first dabbled in the stock market as a schoolboy in the 1950s, and grew into one of the most respected economics commentators of his generation. As well as running S G Warburg's asset management business (now part of Black Rock) for many years, he was a columnist for The Financial Times and has written several books. His latest – The Economics of the Stock Market – focuses on the difference between corporate net worth and market valuation, and the discrepancies between the theory and the practice.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the markets, with the interview expertly conducted by Professor Russell Napier.

[Note to listeners: Andrew's audio was recorded remotely on his home set-up and while not up to the usual sound quality of the series, we hope you are able to enjoy his observations.]

For more information on the Advanced Valuation In Financial Markets course mentioned by Russell, please see www.didaskoeducation.org.

Lord Darling opens the new Library of Mistakes in Edinburgh, and explains to business journalist and author Ray Perman what it was like to be Chancellor of the Exchequer during the global financial crisis, as the UK banking system teetered on the edge of collapse. A highly entertaining listen for anyone interested in banking, politics and people.

This is a special episode, republished by kind permission of the Hidden Forces podcast series, in which Demetri Kofinas interviews our very own Professor Russell Napier about how investors should prepare for the greatest economic and financial revolution in 100 years. A great listen, particularly for investment experts and enthusiasts.

As the West seeks to punish Russia for its invasion of Ukraine through financial sanctions, Russell Napier meets an expert on how this kind of warfare tends to play out. In a timely and thought-provoking discussion, he puts the questions to James Fok, author of Financial Cold War – A View of Sino-US Relations from the Financial Markets. A great listen, particularly for finance experts and enthusiasts.

In this first episode of the Library of Mistakes podcast series, Russell Napier explores the 2008 financial collapse of Iceland with Jared Bibler, author of Iceland's Secret – The Untold Story Of The World's Biggest Con. After moving from the US financial world to Iceland in search of a quieter life, Jared found himself working for the nation's tiny, cash-strapped regulator, digging into multi-billion-dollar crimes carried out by top executives. His page-turner of a book provides a fascinating basis for this entertaining discussion.