LSE Focal Point Podcast

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Evie Vanezi, the EMEA Chief Executive Officer at Jefferies. Prior to her current role, she was the Chief Risk Officer at Jefferies and held positions at KPMG and the FCA. Evie holds a BSc in Actuarial Science from the LSE and a Master's in Mathematical Finance from Oxford University, and is named one of the Top 100 most influential women in finance in Europe.Recorded in March, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Scott Adelson, the CEO at Houlihan Lokey. Prior to his current role, he was Co-President and Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and is also an entrepreneur with experience founding companies in the food and apparel industries.Recorded in March, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by John Taft, the Vice Chair of Baird and a member of the firm's Executive Committee. Prior to his current role, he was the CEO of RBC Wealth Management for a decade, and has served multiple terms on the board of directors of the Securities Industry Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), including one year as board chairman. John holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and a master's degree in public and private management from the Yale School of Organisation and Management. He is also an author of two books and writes a blog for Baird, "Finance for the Greater Good", about where finance and society align.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Bruno Scaroni, the Country CEO of Zurich Insurance Italy. Prior to his current role, he was the Group Chief Transformation Officer at Generali, following roles across management consulting at McKinsey. Bruno holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and is passionate about the social impact of insurance—helping individuals and enterprises prepare for life’s most significant risks.Recorded in March, 2026

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Michael Woolhouse, the Co-Managing Partner of TPG GP Solutions. Prior to his current role, he was an Investment Aanking Analyst in the FIG team at Salomon Brothers, a Manager at Bain & Company across Toronto, Singapore and Hong Kong, Head of Strategy at AXA Japan, and a Director in the FIG team at TD Securities in Toronto. Michael holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Calgary and an MBA from the Ivey Business School at Western University. He is also the former Head of Co-Investments and Head of Secondaries at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board. Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Francisco Almeida, Managing Director and Head of Global Markets Client Strategy at Barclays. Prior to his current role, he was Global Markets Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff to the Credit Trading business, and worked in strategic consulting and organisational transformation across Europe and Southeast Asia. Francisco holds a master’s degree in International Management from IE Business School, having originally studied psychology at the University of Lisbon, and is a leader at the intersection of market strategy, client engagement, and business leadership.Recorded in March, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Michael Schad, a Partner and the Head of Credit Secondaries at Coller Capital. Prior to his current role, he was an investment banker at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse First Boston. Michael holds a BA in International Business Studies from European Business School and an MSc in Finance from London Business School and is an Executive Fellow at London Business School.Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Michael Grampp, the Chief Economist and Head of Thought Leadership at Deloitte Switzerland. Prior to his current role, he worked in financial services in London, held roles in investment banking research at Bankers Trust, and co-founded a renewable energy venture in Australia. Michael holds a Master’s degree from the Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen–Nuremberg, an Executive Master’s from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and a PhD from Leipzig University. He is also a guest lecturer at the University of Zurich and the host of the Deloitte Future Talk podcast. Throughout the conversation, Michael references several pieces of thought leadership his team has produced, including Confidence Despite Global Uncertainties (October 2025), Opportunities and Risks in 2026: What Lies Ahead for Boards of Directors (March 2026), Ageing Switzerland: Growth Despite Demographic Change (February 2025), and the Deloitte Swiss Watch Industry Study 2025 (October 2025). Episode recorded on February 20th, 2026.

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by William Guillet de Chatellus, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Edgewater Strategy Group. Prior to his current role, he began his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley before moving into private equity at Rhône Group and later Axel Reed Capital, where he served as Vice President. William holds a BA in Economics and Public Policy from Dartmouth College and has built extensive experience across deal execution, value creation, and operational strategy.Recorded in February, 2026 

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Megan McDonald, the CEO of Daiwa Capital Markets Europe. Prior to her current role, she worked in corporate law, transitioned into investment banking at Standard Bank, and later led securitization and broader capital markets businesses. Megan holds a university degree as the first in her family to graduate and is a strong advocate for leadership, diversity, and cross-cultural understanding in global finance.Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Karim Chedid, Managing Director and Head of EMEA Investment Strategy at BlackRock. Prior to his current role, he was a strategist on the equity derivatives desk at Nomura and a founding member of the investment strategy team at BlackRock. Karim holds a degree in economics from the American University of Beirut and a Master’s in Urban Economics from UCL.Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for an insightful conversation with Alice Squires, Partner and Co-Head of Investor Advisory at Rothschild & Co, looking at topics including financial markets and careers in banking, the rise of shareholder activism and ESG challenges, and how companies engage investors and defend their strategies.Recorded in January, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Iqbal Khan, the Co-President of Global Wealth Management and President of Asia Pacific at UBS. Prior to his current role, he held various roles at EY and Credit Suisse. Iqbal holds a CPA and CFA qualification and is the recipient of the 2025 Euromoney World’s Best Private Banker award.Recorded in January, 2026

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Maria Watts, Head of Global Financial Sponsors Group and Head of Global Consumer Investment Banking at Baird. Prior to her current role, Maria worked in corporate finance at Stephens and held roles at Farlie Turner & Co and PMCF. Maria holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management and graduated from Centenary College of Louisiana, and is actively involved in several civic and cultural organisations, alongside her background as an NCAA Division I athlete.Recorded in January, 2026 

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Saul Klein, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Phoenix Court. Prior to his current role, he began his career in journalism at The Daily Telegraph before moving into technology in the US, joining Firefly Network (acquired by Microsoft), co-founding Lovefilm (acquired by Amazon), and later serving in leadership roles at Skype and across the European tech ecosystem. Saul read English at the University of Cambridge and remains deeply engaged in technology, policy, and public service, serving on the Prime Minister’s Council for Science and Technology and supporting founders from idea stage through scale.Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Grant Schlereth, Partner and Director of Operations and ESG at Terra Firma Capital Partners. Prior to his current role, he worked in infrastructure engineering, advised on large-scale business transformations at McKinsey & Company, and supported decarbonization strategy for financial institutions. Grant holds a Master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University and is passionate about advancing environmental and social impact across real asset businesses.Recorded in January, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Nick Leopard, the Founder and CEO at Accordion. Prior to his current role, he worked in mezzanine investing, FIG investment banking at Bear Stearns, and credit underwriting at CapitalSource. Nick holds a BS in Finance from St. Joseph’s University and is also the co-founder of Maestro, a SaaS platform focused on value creation for private equity-backed companies.Recorded in January, 2026

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Sjoerd Leenart, the Chief Executive Officer and Head of Banking for J.P. Morgan Asia Pacific. Prior to his current role, he ran Debt Capital markets in London and later oversaw the bank’s operations across the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa, before rising to become the Global Head of Corporate Banking. Sjoerd holds a university degree in economics and is a long-serving global banking leader dedicated to developing talent and building strong teams across the organisation.Recorded in February, 2026

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Monty Yort, a Managing Partner at Gen NX 360 Capital Partners. Prior to his current role, he was a Managing Partner at Schroders Ventures and began his career in investment banking at Morgan Stanley. Monty holds a degree from UCLA and is a passionate mentor to young professionals, actively sharing guidance with students and early-career investors.Recorded in December, 2025

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Kathy Kellert, the Head of Index Equity Product at Vanguard. Prior to her current role, she has worked across investment risk, asset allocation research, and corporate strategy, and previously led model portfolio development within Vanguard’s financial advisor business. Kathy holds an MBA from the University of Georgia and is deeply engaged in advancing investor education and long-term stewardship in global capital markets.Recorded in December, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Mike Zheng, a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley. Prior to his current role, he held senior positions at Deutsche Bank, including roles in Asia equity sales and hedge fund equity sales across London and Hong Kong. Mike holds an academic background from the London School of Economics and is a CFA, CAIA and FRM charterholder.Recorded in December, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Joshua Adams, a Partner at OpenGate Capital. Prior to his current role, he trained as a chartered accountant, worked in corporate finance, and later joined Platinum Equity as part of its early European expansion. Josh holds a chartered accountancy qualification and is an avid sportsman, having played high-level cricket and remaining deeply engaged in golf outside of his professional career. Recorded in November, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Martin Kingston, the Executive Chairman of Rothschild & Co South Africa (Pty) Ltd and Partner of the Rothschild & Co Group with Responsibility for Africa. Prior to his current role, he was a chartered accountant at PwC, and worked at Morgan Grenfell, advancing to Executive Chairman and Head of Global Banking, Deutsche Bank, South Africa. Martin holds a degree in English Language and Medieval Literature from Durham University and is the Chair of Business for South Africa, Vice President of Business Unity South Africa, and a long-time contributor to education initiatives through the Rothschild & Co Africa Foundation.Recorded in November, 2025

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point, where today we are joined by Vasco Litchfield, a Managing Director at Lazard. Prior to his current role, he worked at TV Globo, Rothschild Brazil, and Barings Brothers. Vasco holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Bristol and is passionate about mentoring young professionals and fostering curiosity in the next generation of finance leaders.Recorded in October, 2025

Join us for another thoughtful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Mathew Masters, the CEO of Caledonia Investments. Prior to his current role, he worked in corporate finance at Grant Thornton and was seconded to a private equity firm before joining Caledonia nearly 20 years ago. Mathew holds a degree in Building Surveying from the University of Reading and is a regular speaker on long-term investing and career development in finance.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Andrew DiGeronimo, the Managing Director and Co-Head of Partnership Solutions at Warburg Pincus. Prior to his current role, he was an Associate at PwC and Eurohypo AG, a Partner at LGT Capital Partners. Andrew holds a degree from the University of Michigan, Stephen M. Ross School of Business, and is actively involved in mentoring young professionals entering the finance industry.Recorded in October, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Colin Armstrong, a Partner at Bain & Company in New York. Prior to his current role, he worked extensively across Bain’s Consumer Products, Operating Model, and M&A practices, focusing on divestiture transactions and advising clients across both EMEA and the US. Colin holds a BA in International Studies and French from Willamette University and an MSc in Management from the London School of Economics.Recorded in Aug, 2025

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Russell Graham, the Head of Product Enablement Europe at Vanguard. Prior to his current role, he was a fixed income portfolio manager at BlackRock and began his career in Franklin Templeton’s management training program. Russell holds a BS in Finance from Santa Clara University and an MS in Finance from Golden Gate University, and he is passionate about developing teams and helping individuals achieve their investment goals.Recorded in June, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Sophia Damianou, the Managing Director of Evercore’s Private Capital Advisory group in London. Prior to her current role, she led fundraising and investor relations at Northleaf, CapeView, and Mesirow, after starting her career in Credit Suisse’s Prime Brokerage capital introduction team. Sophia holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MSc in Law and Economics from the LSE, and a BSc from UCL, and is also a Non-Executive Director of the EasyCredit Group.Recorded in July, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Helen Keen, the Head of UK Private Banking at Arbuthnot Latham. Prior to her current role, she was Managing Director at Coutts and also held senior positions spanning transformation and credit across private and commercial banking. Helen holds over 30 years of experience in the banking sector and is a dedicated leader in driving client-focused transformation initiatives.Recorded in June, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Burkhard Boeckem, the Chief Technology Officer at Hexagon. Prior to his current role, he was the CTO of Hexagon’s Geosystems division and earlier led transformative innovations in industrial metrology and reality capture technologies. Burkhard holds a PhD in Geodesy from ETH Zurich, where he received the ETH Medal for Outstanding Research, as well as a Master’s degree from the University of Bonn.Recorded in April, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Jan Olsson, the Managing Director and CEO of Deutsche Bank Nordic. Prior to his current role, he served as Head of Corporate Finance in the Nordic Region and as Assistant to a Deutsche Bank board member overseeing investment banking and corporate finance. Jan holds degrees from the London School of Economics, Pomona College, the Wharton School, and the Lauder Institute, and is a strong advocate for strategic networking and mentoring the next generation of finance professionals.Recorded in May, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by William Hobbs, the Head of Multi-Asset Wealth at Barclays UK Wealth Management. Prior to his current role, he was an equity analyst covering the European retail sector and later pursued further study in economic development and history. William holds a Master’s degree in Economic History from the London School of Economics and is the host of Barclays' popular “Word on the Street” podcast, where he shares market insights with a wide audience.Recorded in July, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Paul Moody, the Managing Director of Global Partnerships and Client Solutions at CFA Institute. Prior to his current role, he was the Client Solutions Director at Aviva Investors and a pioneer of the UK’s first ESG fund product. Paul holds a degree in Economics and is a longstanding advocate for sustainable finance, actively working to democratise financial education and build capacity in emerging markets.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Matthew Prest, the Managing Director and Co-Head of Europe at Moelis & Company. Prior to his current role, he was the Managing Director in the Corporate Finance Restructuring team at Close Brothers, the Director of Restructuring at M&G Investment Management, and a Senior Manager in the Restructuring team at KPMG. Matthew holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Warwick and is a qualified Chartered Accountant.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Victor Lee Meng Teck, the CEO of CIMB Bank Singapore and CIMB Growth Markets. Prior to his current role, he held senior leadership positions at Citibank, Standard Chartered, and UOB, with extensive experience across corporate lending, transaction banking, and financial markets. Victor holds a degree in Materials Engineering from Nanyang Technological University and is a passionate advocate for lifelong learning and mentorship, encouraging both colleagues and young professionals to embrace continuous upskilling in the digital era.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Peter Spofforth, the Head of the European Team at Qatalyst Partners. Prior to his current role, he worked at Lloyds Banking Group in the Equity Capital Markets Division and began his career as a summer analyst during the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Peter holds a BSc in Mathematics from Warwick University and has advised on some of the most prominent tech deals in recent years, including the sales of Tink to Visa, Genesys to Permira, and Wolt to DoorDash.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Margaret Franklin, the President and CEO of the CFA Institute. Prior to her current role, she was President of BNY Mellon Wealth Management in Canada and held senior positions at Merit Private Wealth and Barclays Global Investors. Margaret holds a BA in Economics from McMaster University and earned her CFA charter in 1997.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Steffen Pauls, the Founder and Co-CEO of Moonfare. Prior to his current role, he served as Managing Director and Head of Germany at KKR and co-founded the financial advisory firm firstfive AG. Steffen holds a PhD from the University of Trier and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Mannheim, and has also served on multiple advisory and supervisory boards across the finance and corporate sectors.Recorded in March, 2025

Join us for another exciting episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Anthony Villis, the co-founder and managing director of First Wealth. Prior to his current role, he was the founder of Open Advice and the co-founder of Thrive Money. Anthony holds a Economics degree from the University of Bath and is the recipient of the title of the UK’s Favourite Independent Financial Advisor by VouchedFor. Recorded in February, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point, where today we are joined by Piyush Gupta, the CEO of DBS Group, Southeast Asia’s largest bank by assets. Prior to his current role, he had a distinguished 27-year career at Citigroup, holding various leadership positions.Piyush has been at the helm of DBS since 2009, steering the bank to global recognition as the world's best bank by numerous publications. As he prepares for his upcoming retirement in March 2025.Recorded in December, 2024

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point where today we are joined by Ted Low, the Head of Portfolio and Collateral Management at Clifford Capital Group, a Singapore-based infrastructure credit platform specialising in global infrastructure debt origination, distribution, and investment. Prior to his current role, Ted was a Senior Associate at Challenger MBK Fund Management and a Business Analyst in Macquarie Group’s infrastructure fund team. Ted holds a Bachelor of Science in Management from LSE.Recorded in February, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point, where today we are joined by Sean Lee, the Co-founder and Group CEO of Marco Polo Marine, a Singapore-listed leading integrated marine logistics group. Prior to his current role, Sean has led Marco Polo Marine for almost two decades, driving its key focuses on ship chartering, shipyard services, marine transportation, and offshore wind energy.Sean holds MBAs from both INSEAD and Tsinghua University.Recorded in January, 2025

Join us for another engaging episode at Focal Point, where today we are joined by Audra Low, the CEO of Clifford Capital Private Limited. Prior to her current role, she was the Head of Origination and Structuring at Clifford Capital and a Director of Project Finance at HSBC. Audra holds an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business and a degree from Nanyang Technological University.Recorded in February, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point with Sonny Kalsi, Co-CEO of Bento Green Oak (BGO), a global leader in real estate investment management with $85B AUM. Previously, he was Global Co-Head of Real Estate Investing at Morgan Stanley and co-founded Green Oak Real Estate, growing it to $12B AUM before its 2019 merger with Benton Kennedy.A Georgetown University graduate, Sonny is actively involved in academic initiatives and serves on the boards of Georgetown, Teaching Matters, Room to Read, Asia Society, and the Hirshhorn Museum.Recorded in February, 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point, where today we are joined by Dagfinn Lunde, a veteran in shipping finance with over four decades of experience. Dagfinn was previously the Head of DNB New York from 1990 to 1995, the Head of Intertanko, and a board member at DVB Bank, where he oversaw the shipping and offshore division from 2000 until the end of 2013. He is also the founder of eShipFinance, an online shipping financing platform.Recorded in December, 2024

Join us for another exciting episode at Focal Point with Brian Klinksiek, Global Head of Research & Strategy at LaSalle. Previously, he led LaSalle’s European Research & Strategy and spent 17 years at Heitman across Hong Kong, London, and Chicago. Brian holds a BA from Stanford and an MBA from Chicago Booth and is active in real estate industry groups.Recorded in February 2025

Join us for another insightful episode at Focal Point, where we’re joined by Ruulke Bagijn, the Global Head of Investment Solutions and Head of AlpInvest at Carlyle. Previously, she held leadership roles at PGGM, AXA Investment Managers, and ABN AMRO. Ruulke holds a Master’s in Economics from Erasmus University Rotterdam and serves as a Board Member of the Netherlands-America Foundation. A strong advocate for women in private equity, she has been recognised as a 2024 Woman of Influence in Private Markets by PEI.Recorded in December, 2024

Join us for an engaging episode at Focal Point with Mortimer Menzel, Managing Partner at Augusta and Company, a leading financial advisory in renewable energy. Previously, he worked at Goldman Sachs and Bruckhaus Westrick. Mortimer holds a Bachelor of Laws from LSE and serves on the Board of Trustees for Schroeder 1905.Recorded in December, 2025

Join us for an insightful episode at Focal Point with Mark Aedy, Managing Director and Chairman of EMEA and APAC at Moelis & Company. With over four decades in banking, Mark previously led EMEA Corporate and Investment Banking at Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and held senior roles at Deutsche Bank and NatWest. A Durham University graduate, he is also a Visiting Fellow at Oxford, a Non-Executive Director at British Land, and a Board Member of the HALO Trust.Recorded in November, 2024