Capital Decanted

John Bowman and Aaron Filbeck

Say goodbye to tired market takes and superficial sound bites. Because here, instead of skimming the surface, we dive into the heart of capital allocation — striking the perfect balance and exposing the subtleties that reveal the topic’s true essence. Prepare to have your perspectives challenged as we open up the issues that resonate with the hearts and minds of those shaping asset management.

  1. 2 DAYS AGO

    S3 | Episode 6: The Hardest Time in History to Manage Money?

    Geopolitical change, product disruption, and technological transformation have all made this the most complicated moment in history to navigate capital markets. CAIA Association spent the last 12 months finding out why. After convening 120 global executives across eight financial centers we're proud to introduce: The World Rewired, a blueprint for the decade ahead. In this episode, we unpack the three structural shifts at its core with four practitioners who were in the room  with us, including Sebastian Mallaby, Stuart Wrigley, Yingwen Chin, and Muneera Aldossary. Guests: Sebastian Mallaby, Paul A. Volcker Senior Fellow in International Economics, Council on Foreign Relations Stuart Wrigley, Partner, Head of Asia Pacific and Head of Capital Formation and Strategy International, Sixth Street Yingwen Chin, Partner - Private Markets IDD, Albourne Partners Muneera Aldossary, CEO & Board Member, Franklin Templeton, Saudi Arabia Episode Sources (00:00) Artificial intelligence as a transformational force, with adaptability and curiosity as enduring traits of successful investors. (01:36) Traditional capital allocation models are becoming outdated amid rapid innovation in products, technology, and investment approaches. (06:40) Global roundtables with industry leaders reveal interconnected themes pointing to a systemic rewiring of capital markets. (18:28) Introduction of three major shifts: macro (geopolitics), industry (market convergence), and organizational (talent and AI). (18:28) Geopolitics moves from background noise to a central driver of capital flows and investment decision-making. (25:45) Geopolitical considerations become embedded in underwriting, with firms building internal expertise and advisory capabilities. (30:22) Long-duration investments such as venture capital and infrastructure require deeper integration of political and regulatory analysis. (35:05) Emergence of new centers of capital, particularly in the Middle East and Asia, driven by sovereign wealth funds. (40:42) Growing debate around US exceptionalism and the potential for a more multipolar global financial system. (46:58) The convergence of public and private markets reshapes investment access, structures, and asset class boundaries. (49:43) Rapid product innovation raises concerns around investor education, alignment, and long-term suitability. (55:34) Industry consolidation and the rise of multi-strategy platforms alter competition and access to top-tier opportunities. (01:02:12) Organizational shifts driven by technology redistribute tasks and reshape roles within investment firms. (01:06:09) Adaptability, intellectual curiosity, and cross-disciplinary thinking emerge as critical traits for investment professionals. (01:09:53) Concerns around AI reducing critical thinking and eliminating traditional entry-level training pathways. (01:13:40) AI impacts all levels of the workforce, increasing the importance of judgment, relationships, and credibility. (01:18:34) Shift from technical skill-based training toward systems thinking, communication, and leadership capabilities

    1hr 29min
  2. 24 FEB

    S3 | Episode 5: Infrastructure Investing - Aqueducts, Statecraft & the New Power Brokers

    What happens when governments can't fund infrastructure anymore? A $1.6 trillion private asset class that doesn't recognize itself in the mirror. In the 2020s, infrastructure has entered a battlefield where geopolitics, government agendas, and investor returns collide. We trace infrastructure's evolution from nation-building mechanism to one of the most integrated asset classes in modern investing. In this episode, we explore a central tension: is infrastructure still a stable, boring, income-generating asset, or has it become a bigger bet on which governments can actually execute their vision? Joined by Peter Blue of Franklin Templeton and Gautam Bhandari of I Squared, we dive into one of the oldest asset classes in human history. Guests: Peter Blue, CFA, CAIA, FRM, Head of Private Market Solutions, Franklin Templeton Gautam Bhandari, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, I Squared Capital Episode Sources (00:00) Infrastructure as an invisible but essential backbone of daily life and economic activity. (01:24)Introduction to infrastructure as a paradox: ancient in practice, modern as an institutional asset class. (03:43) The projected $100 trillion global infrastructure investment need through 2040 and the funding gap. (06:06) Infrastructure allocations remain modest despite structural tailwinds and capital demand. (10:32) Infrastructure as both inanimate and “alive” through its system-wide economic impact. (12:04) Roman publicani as early private infrastructure investors and the blending of public and private capital. (16:24) Infrastructure historically used as a tool of statecraft, control, and regime stability. (20:35) The Gilded Age, robber barons, and the rise of private capital in U.S. infrastructure development. (24:50) Australia’s superannuation system and privatization wave as the birthplace of institutional infrastructure investing. (27:52) Macquarie’s listed infrastructure vehicles and the financialization of the asset class. (29:43) The contrast between Australia’s GP-led model and Canada’s direct “Canadian model.” (35:49) Post-GFC surge in infrastructure AUM and its appeal as a stable, inflation-linked asset class. (41:59) “Suffering from success”: record fundraising, rising valuations, and expanding risk profiles in the 2020s. (42:20) Redefining infrastructure through resiliency rather than rigid asset definitions. (46:17) Expansion into digital infrastructure, renewables, and social infrastructure beyond traditional core assets. (50:52) Data centers as the new “highways” of productivity and the complexities of underwriting digital infrastructure. (55:32) Energy transition investing and the scale of renewable and grid infrastructure needs. (57:43) Talent evolution and systems thinking as infrastructure becomes increasingly cross-disciplinary. (01:01:18) The re-politicization of infrastructure and its return as a strategic instrument of global power. (01:05:58) China’s Belt and Road Initiative and infrastructure as influence diplomacy. (01:10:46) Local alignment, commercial contracts, and operating “below the radar” in politically sensitive environments

    1hr 37min

About

Say goodbye to tired market takes and superficial sound bites. Because here, instead of skimming the surface, we dive into the heart of capital allocation — striking the perfect balance and exposing the subtleties that reveal the topic’s true essence. Prepare to have your perspectives challenged as we open up the issues that resonate with the hearts and minds of those shaping asset management.

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