Going Long FCLTGlobal

Former Dow chairman and CEO Andrew Liveris shares insights on leading companies in an era of disruption and geopolitical uncertainty. He discusses instilling a solutions mindset in the next generation to drive change in business, society, and government, and how activists and short-term "renters" of stock can impact long-term strategic thinking. Topics include:


How a multicultural upbringing in Darwin, Australia shaped Andrew's open, inclusive leadership style and view of diversity as an asset
The challenges leaders face today with constant disruption, tribalism, and short-term mindsets
Why the "American Global Corporation" model is breaking down and the need for businesses to step up in the leadership breach
What it takes to build an "enlightened board" that incorporates diverse viewpoints and contextual decision-making

Liveris's new book, Leading Through Disruption, is now available in US bookstores.

Sarah Williamson and David Neal discuss the history and evolution of IFM Investors, the importance of stakeholder engagement for infrastructure investments, adopting a "profit-to-member" philosophy, and more.


Overview of the Australian superannuation pension system and how it is structured to give individual choice (5:46)
How the "profit to member" concept drives investment decisions at Australian pension funds (9:32)
The origin story and investment philosophy behind IFM Investors (11:45)
Why an "open-ended" fund structure allows for a longer investment time horizon (18:00)
The importance of considering all stakeholders, including local communities, when making infrastructure investments (16:01)
How institutional investors can promote solutions for major issues like climate change (24:33)
Advice for designing pension systems globally that focus on member outcomes (31:41)

For long-term investors, staying ahead of the curve is imperative. Jon Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone Group, joins the podcast to explore how Blackstone is navigating macro market shifts, the advantages of scale, and using data management capabilities to identify patterns and make better investment decisions.

Jonathan Hausman, Executive Managing Director for Global Investment Strategy at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan joins the show to explore OTPP's focus on long-term strategies and perspectives. Topics include:


Understanding OTPP's Unique Investment Model: At OTPP, the key to success lies in a distinctive model for managing pension assets, which prioritizes independence, autonomy, and internal capabilities, enabling OTPP to efficiently manage assets on behalf of their clients.
Navigating Geopolitical Challenges: Changing dynamics necessitate a strategic shift in investment focus, with OTPP favoring a targeted approach. Understanding and adapting to these complex relationships is crucial in the pursuit of long-term success.
Adapting to a Changing Investing Era: As the investing landscape evolves, so too must institutional investors like OTPP. Hausman emphasizes the importance of embracing new approaches, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence.
Addressing Climate Change and Social Impact: Hausman explains OTPP's approach to addressing climate change, aiming to reduce the carbon intensity of their portfolio by engaging with the companies they own and using proxy voting and partnerships to promote value creation while lowering emissions.

Investment management can sometimes feel like an intricate and complex industry, but does it have to be? Stuart Dunbar, a partner at Baillie Gifford, joins the Going Long podcast to explore the philosophy of “actual investing” – focusing on the fundamentals of deploying capital in the real world, and looking past that complexity to invest in projects that create value over time. Dunbar and host Sarah Williamson also discuss what are the common traits of long-term-oriented organizations around the world (15:11), navigating different ESG perspectives in global investing (31:16), and the need to embrace uncertainty and be on the right side of disruptive trends (37:52).

When sustainability and innovation are prioritized together, something transformational happens. Delivering social and environmental value creates new opportunities for generating long-term financial value. Lucy Parker, Strategic Advisor at the Brunswick Group, and co-author of “The Activist Leader: A New Mindset for Doing Business” joins the Going Long podcast to discuss how today’s leaders are stepping in to clean up broken systems, build sustainable businesses, and find their role in a new era of activist leadership. Parker and host Sarah WIlliamson discuss examples and anecdotes from “The Activist Leader,” exploring how integrating ESG goals into the core strategy of a business shifts the focus from a trade-off mentality to an investment mentality.