Financial Standard Podcast

Alternatives in the form of private equity, private credit and hedge funds are undergoing as seismic shift in demand here and overseas. To delve into why they are having their moment in the sun, Navigator Global Investments chief investment officer Ross Zachary joins us.

If you had $1000 to invest back in 2010, would you put it in shares, cash or crypto? Which investment was the most generous and which was the most costly?Swinburne University of Technology senior lecturer of finance Jason Tian reveals which asset class came out on top in newly published research.

With $56 billion in assets under management, listed investment companies (LICs) and listed investment trusts (LITs) make up an important part of the listed securities ecosystem.Jesse Hamilton, the chief financial officer at Wilson Asset Management, provides an excellent breakdown of the ins and outs of the two investment vehicles.

Despite containing some of the highest-earning individuals, most medical professionals struggle with financial security. To unpack the phenomenon, PPS Mutal state manager for NSW and ACT Sabrina Sequeira-Walmsley highlighted some of the financial and psychological challenges these workers are faced with, while indicating areas where financial advisers can provide support and aid.

Global equities have continued to outperform despite sticky inflation, geopolitical tensions, ongoing wars and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs.It’s been good news for investors and portfolios, but can it really be sustained? Talaria co-chief investment officer Chad Padowitz joined the Financial Standard podcast to discuss.

In this episode of the Financial Standard Podcast, Julian Clarkstone hosts a panel discussion highlighting the rise of the private credit market. The Advisers in Focus event, held in Melbourne, featured industry experts Craig Schloeffel, Travis Schindler, and Calvin Richardson. The panel discussed the key drivers behind the rise of private credit, its role in investment portfolios, due diligence tips for advisers, as well as a review of the regulatory landscape. The discussion also delves into investor education, market expectations, and the uncorrelated nature of private credit, offering a comprehensive look into the burgeoning asset class. 00:21 Event Overview: Advisers in Focus01:45 Panel introduction and discussion kickoff02:21 Understanding private credit03:37 Insights from industry experts06:43 Private credit market dynamics18:26 Evaluating private credit funds21:45 Regulatory spotlight and governance26:21 Balancing liquidity and returns31:48 Innovations in funds management32:26 Australian vs. international portfolios33:18 Challenges of international real estate lending35:06 Mid-market residential lending in Australia37:47 Impact of wholesale investor definition changes42:00 Private credit's role in addressing housing under supply issues45:44 Private credit as a core portfolio component49:23 Managing defaults and risks in private credit55:10 Final thoughts and takeaways

ASIC has been cracking down on how super funds communicate with their members, saying trustees should be treating members more like customers.MLC chief customer officer Renee Howie joins the Financial Standard podcast to discuss the changing nature of how funds interact with their members as expectations change.

The Reserve Bank of Australia started 2025 with a cash rate of 4.1%, with the market expecting a number of cuts throughout the year. Instead, the central bank has delivered just three to bring the official interest rate to 3.6%, where it is now.While some economists believe a cut is still on the cards this year, others believe the RBA will stay on hold until early 2026.Capital.com senior financial market analyst Kyle Rodda joins the Financial Standard podcast to discuss all the things impacting the RBA’s decision making.

Do companies with founders at the helm run their businesses differently? Can the founders inspire more confidence from investors? Lumenary Investment Management managing director and founder, Lawrence Lam, shares what sets found-led companies apart.#financialstandard Subscribe: Click here to choose your favourite podcasting appContact Us: podcast@financialstandard.com.auWebsite: https://www.financialstandard.com.auThe weekly Financial Standard podcast covers the latest developments in finance, investment trends, and economics that are shaping the future of Australia’s wealth management landscape by talking to leading professional voices in Australia and from around the world.Brought to you by Financial Standard. Take the lead.

In this episode, Annabelle Miller, principle, investment at ECP Asset Management unpacks the current dynamics in the AI world, particularly chip manufacturing and the development of critical infrastructure like data centre. She also championed TSMC over the likes of Nvidia when it comes to stock selections – tune in to find out more.

In the lead up to the annual FAAA Congress in Perth in November, general manager of policy, advocacy and standards Phil Anderson joins Financial Standard managing editor Jamie Williamson to discuss the plethora of regulatory issues impacting the financial advice sector.He touches on what he anticipates to cover in his policy and advocacy update at Congress – the good, the bad, and the ugly – and what he hopes to get out of Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) chief executive David Berry, who will appear alongside Anderson on day two.Unafraid to tell it like it is, Anderson also shares his thoughts on the recent dumping of the inquiry into Dixon Advisory, why swift action is needed to avoid more disasters like Shield and First Guardian in future, and what he thinks we’ll still be talking about in 2026.

Australian public companies are laughing in the face of volatility and macroeconomic shocks, defying the odds to break records in the 2025 financial year. SG Hiscock & Company portfolio manager Hamish Tudgell talks about the reporting season that was.

Five years on from a hiatus across the entire industry, the aerospace sector has seemingly returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to T. Rowe Price portfolio strategist Sam Ruiz. Find out how recent developments across the airspace affect investment opportunities, as Sam also breaks down the dynamics between the traditional duopoly in this episode.

While tariffs from the US are consistently making headlines, their effect on the emerging economies can often be overlooked by investors. Speaking with Joseph Lai, principal and chief investment officer at Ox Capital, he explains thoroughly how investors can capitalise from opportunities presenting around the theme.

While most investors would argue that investing with emotions is a huge red flag, DivGro co-founder and chief investment officer Jonathan Nurick says embracing emotional resilience is extremely important, stating that the exposure to the “right feedback” can amount to achieving fruitful returns in dividend investments. 

Private equity’s big appetite for Aussie wealth managers has ramped up in recent years. From CC Capital’s $3.3billion offer for Insignia Financial to Apollo Asset Management selling its stake in Challenger, Morningstar equity analyst Shaun Ler takes a deep dive into PE’s big appetite for ASX-listed wealth managers.

As investors continue seek diversification through alternative assets, there is an asset class that some may think of more as a staple of their local community rather than an investment; Aussie pubs.Chris Unger, managing director and head of Redcape Hospitality, joined the Financial Standard podcast to talk about how investing in Australian pubs can offer diversification away from traditional real estate sectors and public market volatility.

US national debt appears to be out of control. According to USAFacts, it stood at whopping US$36.2 trillion as at May. But is this the true amount? Could more borrowing trigger a crisis if the debt isn’t contained? University of Sydney lecturer in economics Dr. Luke Hartigan sets the record straight.

While some investors are winning big by investing in companies enabling the use of artificial intelligence, like data centres, others are using this booming technology to analyse companies and those who run them.Robeco head of next gen research Mike Chen joins the Financial Standard podcast to discuss opportunities in AI that are off the beaten track. 

Although it is still early stages to determine if artificial intelligence (AI) will be a critical component for the financial services sector, AI has seemingly transcended to a more widely used tool for some of them. Speaking with Zhe Chen, research lead at Acadian Asset Management, he reiterates the importance in maintaining the ‘edge’ amongst competition by suitably leveraging innovation across the company to remain relevant.