In the latest episode of The Astute Investor podcast, LGT Crestone Chief Investment Officer Scott Haslem welcomes David Bassanese, Chief Economist at Betashares, for an engaging discussion on the global and Australian economic outlook for 2025. Drawing on a distinguished career that includes roles at Macquarie Bank, the Federal Treasury, the OECD, and The Australian Financial Review, David provides expert insights into macroeconomic trends and their impact on investment decisions. The episode focuses on key themes such as US political developments, Australia’s economic challenges, and the active versus passive investing debate, offering actionable strategies for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth investors navigating today’s complex market dynamics.

In the latest episode of The Astute Investor Podcast, we feature an in-depth conversation with David Neal, Chief Executive of IFM Investors. Hosted by Kevin Wan Lum, Deputy Chief Investment Officer at LGT Crestone, this episode explores the dynamic world of infrastructure investing and the philosophy behind IFM’s $220 billion portfolio. David shares his journey from engineering to finance, offering unique insights into disciplined investment processes and long-term value creation. Together, they delve into the megatrends shaping infrastructure, from decarbonisation to digitisation, and the lessons learned from navigating challenges like the pandemic. Whether you're curious about infrastructure as an asset class, the benefits of a purpose-driven investment approach, or simply enjoy hearing from global financial leaders, this episode lays the foundation for insightful investing.

In our latest episode of The Astute Investor, Martin Randall, Head of Private Markets at LGT Crestone, interviews Laurence Marshbaum OAM, Co-Founder of Community Capital and 10x10 Philanthropy. In their discussion, Laurence explains the importance of investing in a way that can generate both financial return and social impact, and outlines how investors can achieve this through innovative investment strategies.

Community Capital is a portfolio management firm co-founded by Barrenjoey Capital Partners and Laurence Marshbaum with approximately AUD 670 million under management. The firm seeks to generate strong investment returns for investors, alongside meaningful community-based social impact. The platform provides access to global, market-leading private capital managers through fund-of-fund structures of which all fee revenue (ex-operating costs) is pledged to social impact grants in Australia. Central to the model is Community Capital’s ‘theory of change’, which focuses on solving some of the most pressing social issues in local communities.

10x10 Philanthropy is a global venture philanthropy organisation founded in 2013. To date, it has raised and distributed over AUD 6 million in support of almost 400 early-stage social purpose organisations worldwide.

In the latest episode of The Astute Investor, Todd Hoare, Head of Public Markets at LGT Crestone, sits down with John Stecher, Chief Technology Officer at Blackstone - the world’s largest alternative asset manager, which oversees more than $1 trillion in assets. John provides valuable insights into how Blackstone leverages its size and scale to access proprietary private markets data, which gives it a competitive edge in identifying unique investment opportunities. He also discusses the firm’s growing focus on real estate, particularly data centres and industrial warehouses, a theme which has proven newsworthy in recent weeks following Blackstone’s $23.5 billion acquisition of Australian company AirTrunk.

A key theme of the discussion is Blackstone's use of artificial intelligence to enhance its investment strategies, allowing it to uncover more opportunities across markets. John also emphasises the critical importance of cybersecurity and how Blackstone supports its portfolio companies in managing tech-related risks in an increasingly data-driven world. This episode offers a deep dive into Blackstone's cutting-edge approach to investing, technology, and the future of alternative assets, providing valuable insights for high-net-worth investors who are seeking to navigate these evolving trends.

From a disastrous debate performance from President Joe Biden, to an assassination attempt on his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump, the events leading up to the 2024 US presidential election have been like no other. 

In the latest episode of the Astute Investor Podcast, Where does the shortage in housing and boom in private credit collide?, LGT Crestone’s Chief Investment Officer, Scott Haslem, and Jessica Lin from LGT Crestone’s Capital Markets team interview Andrew Schwartz, Group Managing Director, Co-Founder, and Chief Investment Officer at Qualitas.

Andrew discusses some of the key issues around Australia’s current housing shortage. He also talks about the boom in private credit and how this is moving into commercial real estate debt.

In this episode, Investing through geo-political turmoil, LGT Crestone’s Chief Investment Officer, Scott Haslem, interviews General David Petraeus (US Army, Ret), a partner at KKR and Chairman of the KKR Global Institute.

Prior to joining KKR, General Petraeus served in the US military for over 30 years and following his retirement from the military, served as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Over the past 20 years, he has been named one of America’s 25 Best Leaders by US News and World Report, has been a runner-up for Time magazine’s Person of the Year, has earned numerous awards, and has been decorated by 14 foreign countries.

We hear General Petraeus’ views on some of the geo-political issues that are shaping the world today from the situation in the Middle East, to East Asian geo-politics and the US elections, and what this means for investors.

In this episode, What’s driving the boom in private debt?, LGT Crestone’s Head of Private Markets, Martin Randall, interviews Michael Small, a partner in KKR’s Credit and Markets business.

We hear Michael’s perspective on the evolution of the private credit industry, as well as the opportunities investors can take advantage of in this part of the market. Michael also explains why asset-based finance has increased in popularity and the various exposures this can provide for investors. 

In this episode, Improving Australia’s productivity, LGT Crestone’s Chief Investment Officer, Scott Haslem, interviews Stephen Walters, Chief Economist at the Business Council of Australia (BCA).

In this podcast, Urs Wietlisbach, Co-Founder of Partners Group, explains how the private equity industry has matured over the past few decades and why he believes private equity is the ‘new traditional asset class’. He also discusses what is required to create value in a higher rate environment, how his family office is investing in a range of uncorrelated asset classes, and the evolution of Blue Earth Capital, a global impact investing firm, initiated by Urs in 2015.