Episodes

  • Ep 203: David Gonski - Lessons on Leadership, Legacy & Long-Term Wealth

    Ep 203: David Gonski - Lessons on Leadership, Legacy & Long-Term Wealth
    Aug 18 2025
    In this special episode of Inside the Rope, host David Clark sits down with one of Australia’s most influential business leaders, David Gonski AC. Widely regarded as the “Chairman’s Chairman,” Gonski has shaped Australia’s corporate, philanthropic, and educational landscape over a 50-year career, chairing institutions such as ANZ, the ASX, and the Future Fund. From the art of governance and the complexities of intergenerational wealth, to the lessons of philanthropy and long-term investing, Gonski reflects on the experiences and philosophies that have guided his extraordinary journey. His candid insights reveal not only how to build and protect wealth, but also how to think about legacy, influence, and purpose. *Gain rare access to the lessons of a leader who has sat at the helm of Australia’s most significant institutions and advised some of the country’s most successful families. *Hear Gonski’s views on governance, succession planning, and philanthropy—vital considerations for families stewarding wealth across generations. *Discover how Gonski thinks about investment philosophy, endowment-style investing, and the importance of aligning financial decisions with values and legacy.
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    54 mins
  • Ep 202: Claudia Kwan - Returns Without Compromise: Investing for Impact and Outperformance

    Ep 202: Claudia Kwan - Returns Without Compromise: Investing for Impact and Outperformance
    Aug 4 2025
    David Clark is joined by Claudia Kwan, Managing Director at North Star Impact Funds and recipient of the Outstanding Individual Achievement Award at the Impact Investment Summit. A former Morgan Stanley trader and now one of Australia’s leading voices in sustainable capital, Claudia shares how impact investing is evolving beyond its philanthropic roots to deliver returns competitive with traditional strategies. For investors who have historically prioritised financial performance over social outcomes, this episode challenges assumptions highlighting how capital can be deployed to sectors like affordable housing, electrification, and healthcare without compromising on economic returns. Key highlights: * Why measurable social and environmental outcomes are becoming part of mainstream investing. * How impact-aligned portfolios can deliver returns in line with traditional benchmarks. * NorthStar’s values-driven, institutional-grade investment approach. * Claudia’s journey as a female leader in the investment banking industry. Great perspective on why purpose and performance are no longer mutually exclusive.
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    44 mins
  • Ep 201: Nikki Thomas - The Power of Focus: Running a 20-Stock Global Portfolio

    Ep 201: Nikki Thomas - The Power of Focus: Running a 20-Stock Global Portfolio
    Jul 21 2025
    In this episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark is joined by Nikki Thomas, one of Australia's most respected global equity investors and the current Portfolio Manager of Magellan’s High Conviction Fund. After a period of significant change at Magellan, Nikki’s return to the firm marks a powerful reconnection with its founding principles—absolute returns, deep research, and a commitment to global quality. With over two decades of experience and foundational roles at both Magellan and Alphinity, Nikki unpacks her high-conviction investment philosophy and explains why the core Magellan approach — compounding capital through structural moats and disciplined valuation — remains unchanged despite market noise. In a candid and wide-ranging conversation, David and Nikki explore: * How she builds a concentrated portfolio of 10–20 global leaders * The role of AI, robotics, and digitalisation in shaping long-term investment themes * The outlook for key holdings including Novo Nordisk, Visa, and Microsoft * How Magellan is evolving from a founder-led boutique to an institutional investment house * Her return to the firm and the strategic pivot under new leadership This episode offers rare insight into one of Australia’s top investment minds at a pivotal moment for Magellan and global capital markets. A must-listen for high-net-worth investors seeking clarity, conviction, and access to the type of global opportunities that sit beyond Australia’s borders.
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • Ep 200: Milestone Episode - Lessons from the Leading Minds in Wealth Management

    Ep 200: Milestone Episode - Lessons from the Leading Minds in Wealth Management
    Jul 7 2025
    In this special 200th episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark is joined by Koda Capital’s Chairman Steve Tucker and CEO Paul Heath to reflect on the evolution of wealth management since the podcast’s inception in 2016. From humble beginnings to over 200 candid conversations with some of the world’s best investment minds, this milestone marks a journey of insight, access, and innovation. The episode explores the wealth advice industry's transformation into a true profession, the growing importance of values-based investing, and the behavioural traits that separate great investors from the rest - resilience, process discipline, and the courage to learn from failure. They discuss the standout episodes, the dramatic rise in private market access, the adoption of endowment-style investing, and the shift toward investments offering stronger returns with lower volatility. This episode is not just a retrospective—it’s a guidepost for the next decade of investing, advice, and purpose-driven wealth. Whether you're a client, adviser, or investment enthusiast, this conversation offers rare insight into how great advice has changed, where it's heading, and how Inside the Rope has provided privileged access to the minds shaping the future.
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    50 mins
  • Ep 199: Marc Lasry - Private Equity’s Play in the World of Sport

    Ep 199: Marc Lasry - Private Equity’s Play in the World of Sport
    Jun 23 2025
    In this episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark sits down with legendary investor Marc Lasry, co-founder and CEO of Avenue Capital and former owner of the Milwaukee Bucks. Lasry unpacks the explosive growth of private equity in the global sports industry—where financial returns meet passionate fandom. From his journey as a Moroccan-born immigrant to building a $25 billion investment firm, Lasry offers a firsthand look at why sports franchises are no longer just vanity assets for billionaires, but a scalable, investable asset class ripe with opportunity. He shares how Avenue Capital approaches sports as a structured, revenue-generating investment with tangible upside through ticketing, sponsorship, and media rights. We explore his early bets on underappreciated assets like pickleball and women’s sport, and how digitisation, fantasy, and fan engagement are reshaping the commercial landscape. This conversation is essential listening for investors seeking uncorrelated returns, exposure to global entertainment, and insights from one of the foremost minds in distressed debt and opportunistic investing.
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    48 mins
  • Ep 198: Tim Samway - Why GP Staking Is the Next Big Thing in Wealth

    Ep 198: Tim Samway - Why GP Staking Is the Next Big Thing in Wealth
    Jun 9 2025
    In this episode of Inside the Rope, host David Clark sits down with Tim Samway, founder of Scarcity Partners and former managing director of Hyperion Asset Management, to explore one of the most compelling trends in asset management—GP staking (General Partner staking). What if, instead of being on the paying end of fund management fees, you could invest in the fund managers themselves? That’s exactly what GP staking enables—and it’s gaining serious momentum in Australia. Tim breaks down: * What GP staking is and why it’s more than just private equity for funds * Why returns from GP staking (targeting 20%+ p.a.) can outperform traditional funds * The structural shift toward private markets and the rise of endowment-style investing * The red flags and green lights in assessing fund managers as businesses * Why private market exposure is still underrepresented in most Australian portfolios—and what’s changing Listeners will come away with a clearer understanding of how to access the "better side" of the fee equation and what makes the economics of fund management so attractive when scaled properly.
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    46 mins
  • Ep 197: Craig Packer - Targeting 10% Without the Volatility: The Power of Private Credit

    Ep 197: Craig Packer - Targeting 10% Without the Volatility: The Power of Private Credit
    May 26 2025
    In this episode of Inside the Rope, host David Clark sits down with Craig Packer, Co-President of Blue Owl Capital – a $140 billion powerhouse in private lending. From humble beginnings to one of the fastest-growing alternative asset managers globally, Craig shares the inside story behind Blue Owl’s explosive rise, its strategy of targeting multi-billion-dollar private equity-backed companies, and how the firm is redefining the landscape of direct lending. 💡Key topics covered include: * Why US private credit markets dwarf those in Australia—and what that means for investors; *How Blue Owl generates equity-like returns (~10% p.a.) with lower volatility through senior secured loans; * Transparency, regulation, and addressing concerns of a “private debt bubble” in Australia; * How OCIC, their private wealth-focused fund, balances investor access with long-term stability; * The firm’s disciplined underwriting approach, default history, and what sets Blue Owl apart; *Craig’s philanthropic work and upcoming trip to Australia to engage with investors firsthand. 🔍 This episode offers a front-row seat to the future of private credit—told by one of the global leaders in the field.
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    1 hr and 1 min
  • Ep 196: David Gribble - His Road to the Top at Alceon: Inside One of Australia’s Top Private Capital Firms

    Ep 196: David Gribble - His Road to the Top at Alceon: Inside One of Australia’s Top Private Capital Firms
    May 12 2025
    In this episode of Inside the Rope, David Clark speaks with David Gribble, the newly appointed CEO of Alceon, one of Australia's leading multi-strategy private capital firms. Against a backdrop of heightened market volatility and growing media scrutiny of private credit, David Gribble shares his perspective on the evolving role of private markets and how Alceon is positioning itself through this cycle. The conversation explores Gribble’s unique journey from engineering and investment banking to leading Alceon, and why the firm’s deep bench of local expertise, asset-backed focus, and collaborative investment approach offers clients confidence during periods of uncertainty. We also dive into how Alceon balances opportunity and risk across real estate credit, private equity, and structured credit—and why disclosure and proactive transparency are central to maintaining investor trust in the private markets space. As regulation looms and headlines focus on risks, this episode offers measured insight into the difference that experience, structure, and true alignment can make.
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    56 mins