Investec Focus Radio UK
Investec Focus Radio UK features conversations between leading minds and other experts on economics, investments, business and working culture and topical issues beyond wealth.
S04 Ep19 Energy Market Update: Brent retreats after Iran fears ease
Brent surged above $70/b last week, nearing $72/b, as markets priced in the risk of U.S. military action against Iran. Sentiment has since cooled after confirmation that talks are under way, with prices easing back toward $65/b. While the immediate risk premium has faded, uncertainty around the outcome of negotiations…
S04 Ep18 Energy Market Update: Brent pushes above $66/b on renewed supply risks
Brent crude has climbed above $66/b this morning, its highest level since Iran-related tensions peaked earlier this month. The rally reflects renewed geopolitical nervousness and a series of supply-side disruptions, prompting markets to price in a higher short-term risk premium. Please note: this podcast is provided for information purposes only…
S01 E14 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Bridging the trust gap
In this episode, we examine the erosion of trust between institutions and communities, and why rebuilding legitimacy depends on place-based, locally led approaches Mike Kenny and Jacinta Koolmatrie. The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of CISL, the University of Cambridge, or…
S01 E13 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Making the investable:
We are joined by Helena Norrman (SSAB), Sang-Hyup Kim (GGGI) and Marina Grossi (CEBDS – Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development). Together, we focus on how leaders can accelerate clean and green growth by tackling real execution challenges. The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t…
S04 Ep17 Energy Market Update: Iran-related volatility drives oil higher
Oil markets were volatile last week as tensions around Iran pushed Brent close to $67/b before easing back below $64/b after fears of imminent U.S. military action subsided. While the immediate risk premium has faded, prices remain elevated compared with earlier this year, reflecting ongoing concerns over potential disruptions to…
S01 E012 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Reclaiming the future
How can we harness AI to deliver human progress, not just corporate profits? Listen today to gain a clearer idea of how the promise of AI’s excites with possibilities. We speak to Vilas Dhar, President of Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and philanthropist, technologist and advocate for human-centred AI, to discuss…
S01 E011 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Changing minds, changing markets
Michael Liebreich and Rory Sutherland lift the lid on how to shift behaviour at scale to achieve the energy transition. Marc Khan and Lidnsey Hooper interview the pair on the sociopolitical backlash we have seen in some sectors with regard to climate action. The views in this podcast are those…
S04 Ep16 Energy Market Update: Geopolitics Back in focus ahead of 2026 hedging discussion
Before turning to our 2026 Hedging Considerations note circulated on Friday, markets are digesting developments in Iran over the weekend. Rising tensions and the risk of broader regional instability have added a fresh geopolitical premium to oil prices, with Brent firming as investors assess the potential implications for supply and…
S04 Ep15 Energy Market Update: Where do things stand after the US action?
Political uncertainty in Venezuela has resurfaced as a risk factor for oil markets, with US intervention and mixed signals around a leadership transition driving short-term price volatility. Despite this, Venezuela’s constrained and sanctioned production limits its immediate impact on global supply. Please note: this podcast is provided for information purposes…
S01 E010 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: How philanthropy can fuel economic transformation
We sit down with two leaders reshaping philanthropy, Peter Bennett and Leslie Johnson. Philanthropy funds much of the world’s high-risk innovation, early-stage ideas and new economic thinking - often long before markets or governments are able to act. So what role can it play in driving systemic change? The views…
S01 E09 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Rewiring finance for a better future
In this episode, we sit with guests, former Group Chairman of Standard Chartered, José Viñals, Sarah Kemmitt, former lead of the UN Net Zero Banking Alliance, and Dr. Nina Seeger, Director, CISL Centre for Sustainable Finance, to explore how finance can accelerate sustainable development more effectively. From addressing the mispricing…
S01 E08 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Bridging political fault-lines
Gillian Tett and Professor Bob Eccles join us as we examine how anti-ESG sentiment and political tensions are reshaping climate policy, corporate behaviour, and markets, and what leaders can do to navigate this landscape. The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those of…
S01 E07 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: The meaning deficit
We examine what many describe as a growing ‘meaning deficit’ in society. Along with Sudhanshu Palsule, Gillian Secrett, and Richard Springer, they explore how fragmentation, consumerism and polarisation erode our sense of purpose, and discuss how leaders can help rebuild meaning. The views in this podcast are those of the…
S04 Ep14 Energy Market Update: The state of the oil market
As we close out the year, we’re taking stock of the global energy landscape - from oil markets caught between geopolitical tension and shifting fundamentals, to Europe’s winter gas outlook and the risks that lie ahead. Today, we’ll break down where the market stands, what’s driving price movements, and what…
S01 E06 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: The value of values
In this episode, we explore whether corporate values really matter when markets, politics and societal expectations pull in different directions. We’re joined by Alison Taylor, author of Higher Ground, and Karen Wood, Chair of global mining and metals company South32, and Thomas Lingard from think tank, the Centre for Future…
S01 E05 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: The Tech Reckoning: Who shapes the next economy?
This episode examines the power shifts created by AI and digital systems with global sustainability leader Thomas Lingard. Lindsay Hooper and Marc Kahn explore where real agency lies, why governance is struggling to keep up, and what leadership capacities now matter most as technology reshapes the foundations of the global…
S04 Ep13 Energy Market Update: Brent rallies on renewed geopolitical tensions
Brent crude has firmed this morning, approaching $64/b as a series of geopolitical risks, from rising U.S.–Venezuela tensions to attacks on Russian oil infrastructure, push a risk premium back into the market and reverse last week’s optimism around Ukraine peace talks. Please note: this podcast is provided for information purposes…
S01 E04 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Powering Africa’s future
In this episode, Mark Kahn speaks with Professor Carlos Lopes and investment executive Jasandra Nyker about Africa’s energy transition. Our guests reframe Africa’s narrative from risk to opportunity, showing the continent to be a dynamic platform for innovation and reinvention, with green energy at its core as a driver of…
S01 E03 What next? Leadership conversations for a better future: Shaping the Future
In this episode, we host Dominic Vergine, CEO and founder of Monumo. We discuss how AI can play a central role in advancing positive people and planet outcomes and the real impact of this technology. The views in this podcast are those of the contributors, and don’t necessarily represent those…
S04 Ep12 Energy Market Update: Oil under pressure on hopes of progress toward Ukraine peace deal
Oil prices have come under renewed pressure as markets reassess the geopolitical risk premium following signs of progress toward a potential Ukraine peace plan. Earlier strength driven by fresh U.S. sanctions on Russian oil producers has faded, with traders now focusing on shifting diplomatic dynamics and the possibility of reduced…