When someone speaks with a deep of understanding of the banking and finance systems, is widely respected, and then expresses a strong but debatable view, about a developing asset class, we think it’s important to hear that voice and to challenge and distil its key messages.  

So in this episode we welcome back a former guest who appeared on the MMP in March 2023 during the banking storm, during with Silicon Valley Bank and then Credit Suisse. His conclusion was unequivocally that this was no repeat of the 2008 GFC, as has been proven. 

In addressing his recent report from Oliver Wyman, titled “private credit is reshaping wealth portfolios”, we wanted to challenge him on several issues, including; Is it that innocuous? Is this a trend which will serve big private asset firms at the expense of individuals? How about bad times and souring loans? Does the loss of liquidity matter? Are we swapping risks from the regulated banking sector to the unregulated world of the giant private market firms?  

And so Huw and I face off in a discussion on the risks and opportunities that are the hallmarks of this fast-growing slice of the investing world. 

​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.  

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Enjoy a variety of career tips & life lessons from finance leaders in this compilation special.  

This episode brings together some of the most insightful lessons and perspectives we’ve gleaned from past guests, covering everything from life wisdom to industry-specific strategies. 

You’ll hear from an extraordinary lineup, including Peter Frankopan, Ron Biscardi, Luba Nikulina, and James Anderson.  

But that’s not all—we’ve also included insights from Michael Manning, Stephen Roberts, Marcie Frost, Mark Boggett, and Chrsitina McGuire. We hope you find this useful! 

​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.  

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Has the demise of London's leading financial services been "greatly exaggerated", and does the underlying evidence tell a very different story?

In this interview, held at Mansion House in the historic City of London financial district, the Right Honourable Alastair King (696th Lord Mayor of the City of London) explains his view that the UK enjoys an unrivalled position, untouched by other European capitals.  

He explains London and the wider UK “moat”, and why it exhibits persistency and resilience. Perhaps the most unexpected statistic is the significant growth in employment numbers in the City since Brexit.

He discusses the importance of the Mansion House Reforms and the £75bn of investment by 2030, headed into private assets. He discusses why we must recognise that we need to take more risk, judiciously but emphatically (and this is directed at both public and private markets). 

Lord Alastair then touches on the lessons we can learn from Canada and Australia and his current priorities. Finally, he explains why we need to get on planes/trains in order to trumpet the UK and drive new business opportunities. 

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.  

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Economist John Stuart Mill observed that “landlords grow rich in their sleep". Yet, as evidenced by the failure over the years of many real estate businesses, success is also highly dependent on entry price, debt levels and execution. 

Brookfield, based in Toronto, has developed over 120 years into one of the world’s largest alternative investment management companies, with over $1 trillion of assets under management. 

It is also one of the world’s largest real estate operators, and in this conversation, Brian starts by tackling the questions of “how you buy well” and “what goes wrong”? 

He then discusses the most significant geographical opportunities, from hospitality in Spain to student accommodation in the UK. 

He elaborates on the themes that unify the world of real estate, the blurring of lines between real estate and infrastructure and the “chronic shortage of housing” that is common to the US, Australia, the UK and Korea. 

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.

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Peter Frankopan is a Professor of Global History at Oxford, and author of The Silk Roads.

His work has been both profound and enduring, with the book being translated into more than 45 languages and selling nearly 3 million copies worldwide. The updated version has just been published.  

In this conversation, Peter reflects on the potent forces at work both within and outside of Asia.

He assesses the changing world order and discusses if the complexity of interplays which may appear uncomfortable to us, are actually less violent and dramatic when viewed through a historic lens. 

From China to Iran, India to the Baltics, this globe-trotting conversation discusses, hot-spots, malevolent actors, animosities, frictions and fallacies.

They also shine a light on his favourite cocktail and top sporting event!

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by  Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG. 

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If you are an asset allocator, what is the most effective way to widen your lens on identifying potential investment managers? And if you are an investment manager, how can you be more effective in meeting some of those key allocators who might transform your business? 

In April 2020, Ron Biscardi launched iConnections, whose platform allows managers to share fund information with allocators.  

Ron started iConnections as a small virtual events platform during COVID-19, with 'no money, no employees, no software and no clients'. In just five years, it's grown into the world's largest cap intro platform (facilitating 35,000+ meetings, so far!).

Ron explains how his background in engineering and then capital introduction led him to found the business.

He explains why they built the technology, rather than buying it, and discusses the enduring attraction of conferences. Plus he also covers why data is the great enabler to help attendees maximise their productivity. 

Finally, he discusses why conferences such as iConnections Global Alts (Miami) is so successful, and how gathering intelligence, meeting your peers and building your brand can follow. 

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by  Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG. 

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Today we welcome one of the Middle East’s most successful angel investors and venture capitalists, listed in 'FORBES 100 Most Powerful Business Women 2025'.

Noor Sweid explains her journey, from early career in management consultancy and relocating to Dubai, followed by growing and listing a business on the London Stock Exchange and NASDAQ Dubai in 2008 (Depa), through to establishing her VC business, Global Ventures, in 2018.

She sets the scene for the investing dynamics of MENA (Middle East North Africa), where the domestic market comprises 450 million people, half of whom are below 30 years old.

Noor explains both the geographic and industry opportunities, why she established Global Ventures, and the priorities in their investment process.

From fintech, agritech, consumer goods and solving the most pressing medical challenges, she details their approach, selection criteria, and the characteristics they look for. 

She explains how they prioritise, how much they become involved in their investee companies, what they look for in “winning entrepreneurs” and why they believe their success rate can be higher than typical industry norms.

Subscribe to stay up to date with our range of fascinating interviews, featuring some of the biggest names in global finance and business!

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.

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From the 1950s onwards, the foundations of investment consulting were laid, as pension funds and institutional investors sought professional guidance on asset allocation and portfolio management. 

This was enhanced in the 1960s & 70s by the introduction of Modern Portfolio Theory by Harry Markowitz and the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) by William Sharpe. 

Today, the investment consulting industry has become a vast cog in the investing machinery, increasingly extending its reach from institutional through to individual investors. 

In this interview, Michael Manning, CEO of NEPC, with nearly $2 trillion under advice, sits at the epicenter of these developments. 

We learn how the world of consulting has developed, the reasons behind its growth, how it has adapted, and its move into the individual market.  

Michael then discusses the investment terrain. Is the US peaking relatively, and what might that mean? How to assess passive versus active? Is private equity due to disappoint? And how to assess the risk/returns of private debt, infrastructure and real estate. 

The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG. 

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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 and career tips with our community. We're driven by a commitment to opening up the industry, which can often be shrouded in the fog of jargon and apparent complexity.

To provide listeners with a wider perspective, we also occasionally feature guests from the arts or wider business world.

The interviews is available completely free on all major podcast apps, on YouTube and via www.moneymazepodcast.com

If you have any questions or guest ideas, feel free to email us at [email protected].

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​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, World Gold Council, IFM Investors and LSEG.

 Chris Wood, former guest and highly respected global strategist, recently made a bold prediction, namely that the US stock market has reached its all-time relative peak, similar to Japan in 1989. 

His recent commentaries include one describing Trump’s “Liberation Day” as “Impoverishment Day” and that Trump is the “Bull in the China Shop”. 

In this conversation, Chris gives his take on whether US equities are peaking, or just pausing.

Alongside sharing some thoughts on US equities, Chris also analyses the dollar, the bitcoin/gold dilemma, EM fixed income, private equity, and private debt. 

​​The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.

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