Why has excessive executive pay become such an issue around the world? What can be done about it? Why can’t fund managers exert more of an influence over company boards when it comes to remuneration?

And what about pay in the asset management industry? Why is it so high? And will we see pay come down?

Robin Powell discusses all of these issues with Corinne Carr, Founder of PeopleNet, a London-based consultancy which specialises in responsible pay, and with Luke Hildyard, Executive Director at at the High Pay Centre.

George Kinder is known as the father of the financial life planning movement, which focuses not on financial products but on helping clients to identify their values and goals and to live life to the full.

In this interview, George explains the life planning philosophy on more detail.

He also discusses his interest in mindfulness and explains how a mindful attitude can help investors to recognise emotions such as fear and greed, and to stay focused and rational during periods of market volatility.

Finally, he discusses the future of asset management and financial advice. It's time, he says, for a period of reflection by financial professionals. Until there's a proper fiduciary relationship between the professional and the client, he argues, the industry will continue to fail.

The financial adviser and investment writer Rick Ferri, a longstanding friend and admirer of the last Jack Bogle, discusses the great man's legacy.

Rick, a former Marine Corps officer and fighter pilot, explains how how Bogle changed his life and how the Bogleheads — an organisation founded to promote the Bogle-s philosophy — continues to go from strength to strength.

He also talks about his latest business venture — a pay-by-the-hour financial advice service.

Robin Powell talks to Ben Johnson, Director of Global ETF Research at Morningstar.

Ben discusses the development of Morningstar's Active/ Passive Barometer and explains what it tells us.

He talks about the importance of cost, the relative merits of ETFs and traditional index funds, and how, in his view, the term "index" has effectively become meaningless and is often a front for active strategies.

He also explains why talk of passive investing undermining the smooth running of the markets is overblown.

He then touches on corporate governance and why, in his view, passive portfolio managers are better placed than their active counterparts to hold company boards to account.

Robin interviews Matt Hall, co-founder of Hill Investment Group, based in St Louis, and PJ McDaniel, Director of Hillfolio, which is an automated investment service the firm has recently launched.

Matt and PJ discuss the evolving robo-advice sector and the part that Hillfolio is playing in giving a wider section of the population access to an evidence-based investment portfolio. They also pay tribute to the late index fund pioneer Jack Bogle.

Robin Powell talks to Morningstar's Global Director of Manager Research, Jeff Ptak.

Jeff explains Morningstar’s “investors first” philosophy, and how the company has adhered to it through its 35-year history. It’s an important principle, he says, that the “business” side of the operation is kept very separate from the research side.

Jeff then goes on to discuss the various factors that do — and don’t — help investors to predict future fund performance. He also discusses Morningstar’s latest research on the effect of lower charges on fund returns, and encouraging signs, after decades of steady growth, that the fund industry is finally starting to contract.

Robin Powell talks to former active fund manager, Stephanie Griffiths, who used to work as an active fund manager in Toronto, but who decided there's a better and easier way to invest. She quit her job and, after careful research, chose to invest almost all her money in low-cost index funds. She has now written a book, Sit Still and Prosper, which shows people how to have a successful investment experience for very little effort.

Dr Moira Somers is a behavioural psychologist with a specialist expertise in procrastination. Here she tells Robin Powell why so many people put off investing for retirement and making important financial decisions. She also discusses how women invest differently to men, why investors need to be more self-compassionate, and why parents could be doing more to help their children to develop a healthy relationship with money.

Dr Tim Edwards from the London office of S&P Dow Jones Indices discusses SPIVA — the S&P Dow Jones Jones Active Versus Index scorecard — and what we can learn from it. He also talks about the growing trend towards self-indexing, as well as recent research he's conducted into momentum investing and equal-weight indices.

Adam Laird from Lyxor ETFs talks about the growing popularity of low-cost investing in the UK and Europe, and the role his company is playing.