The Nine

Hosted by Nicsa

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Apr 2026

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About the show

Connecting the asset & wealth management industry in nine minutes or less. Every month on the 9th at 9:00 AM Eastern, we bring you insightful conversations with industry leaders, exploring their career journeys, key lessons learned, and perspectives on opportunities in the industry. In between, we're adding episodes to the mix in a different format that explore trending industry themes - always in nine minutes, or less. Nicsa is a not-for-profit trade association striving to connect all facets of the global asset and wealth management industry in order to develop, share, implement, and advance leading practices. Learn more at http://nicsa.org.

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60 recent

April 9, 2026Episode 513 min

The Rise of Collective Investment Trusts with Chris Bailey, Cerulli Associates

In this episode of The Nine, we speak with Chris Bailey, Director of Retirement at Cerulli Associates, about the continued growth and evolution of Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) and their expanding role in the retirement marketplace.Chris shares perspective on the forces reshaping defined contribution plans and how CITs are influencing product strategy, pricing, and innovation across the asset and wealth management industry. In nine minutes, we cover key DC industry trends, the drivers behind CIT adoption, innovation in retirement income and private markets, and what asset managers should expect as CITs continue to gain traction.

March 19, 2026Episode 410 min

What’s Really Been Driving Markets with Mike Dembro, MFS Investment Management

In this episode of The Nine, we speak with Mike Dembro, Lead Investment Strategist at MFS Investment Management, about the forces that have truly been shaping markets over the past year.Amid persistent headlines around policy shifts, rate volatility, and renewed inflation concerns, Mike shares perspective on the signals that actually mattered—and the ones that proved to be distractions. In nine minutes, we cover the biggest surprises in market behavior, the implications of upcoming midterm elections, where opportunities are emerging across equities, fixed income, and private markets, and the key lesson investors should take away from the past year of market dynamics across the asset and wealth management industry.

March 9, 2026Episode 39 min

Luxembourg in Focus: Global Fund Hub with Jorge Rodriguez, Monterey Insight

In this episode of The Nine, Sarah Walter of Nicsa speaks with Jorge Rodriguez, Head of Sales & Marketing at Monterey Insight, in collaboration with ALFI, about the continued growth of Luxembourg as a leading global fund hub.Jorge shares perspective on what’s driving growth and which segments are shaping the next phase of expansion in the asset and wealth management industry. In nine minutes, we cover private market growth, ETFs, shifting global demand, and where global capital is flowing next.

February 9, 2026Episode 18 min

Cyber Defense in the Age of AI: Judith Pinto of Accenture

In this episode of The Nine, we turn to an urgent industry challenge: cybersecurity in the age of artificial intelligence.We sat down with Judith Pinto, Managing Director and U.S. Banking and Capital Markets Security Lead at Accenture, fresh off the stage at Nicsa’s Asset & Wealth Management Summit where she presented “The Next Era of Defense.”In just nine minutes, Judith sharesHow AI is changing cyber defense across financial servicesEmerging AI-driven threats that concern security leaders mostThe evolving balance between human expertise and automationThe role of ethical hacking and bug bounty programsHow firms can maintain client trust in an era of constant threatsWhat organizations should do now to prepare for the next major shift in cybersecurityThis episode offers clear, forward-looking perspective for firms navigating an increasingly complex digital risk environment.

January 9, 2026Episode 210 min

AI-Powered Client Engagement: David Breakstone of ServiceNow

David Breakstone, Global Head of Wealth & Asset Management Go-to-Market at ServiceNow helps us unpack how artificial intelligence is redefining client engagement across the industry.In just nine minutes, David shares:· How to balance automation with authenticity, trust, and human judgment.· How to overcome operational barriers to scaling personalized service; and· Where firms should begin their AI journey to drive measurable impact.Listen for pragmatic insights on modernizing engagement while strengthening relationships in an increasingly digital environment.

December 9, 2025Episode 1411 min

Agentic AI in Action: Bob Suh, CEO of OnCorps AI

In this episode of The Nine, we sit down with Bob Suh, Founder and CEO of OnCorps AI, to unpack the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence across financial operations. Trading volumes have surged across the industry, but operational capacity hasn’t kept pace. Bob explains why a new wave of agentic AI is changing that trajectory.In just nine minutes, we explore:Why traditional outsourcing and automation haven’t kept paceWhat makes agentic AI fundamentally different from past technologiesHow learning agents reshape the economics of operationsHow agentic systems dramatically reduce false positives and operational noiseWhat “human oversight” looks like as AI assumes more autonomous responsibilitiesBob offers pragmatic, experience-driven insight from more than a decade of building production-grade AI systems for financial institutions. If you’re navigating the future of operational efficiency, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

October 9, 2025Episode 139 min

The Secrets of Successful AI Adoption for Asset & Wealth Management Firms, with Olmstead's Anthony Whitford

Olmstead's Head of Data, AI, and Technology Practice, Anthony Whitford, shares the secrets of successful AI adoption strategy ahead of his panel at Nicsa's Asset & Wealth Management Summit November 11+12 in Boston.For more, visit:http://nicsa.organdhttp://olmst.comAnd check out these articles for more detailed insights from Anthony:Clients demand FASTIR outcomes from their Data Operating Modelhttps://www.olmst.com/fastir-data-outcomes/The Race Is On: Do You Have an AI Strategy?https://www.olmst.com/the-race-is-on-do-you-have-an-ai-strategy/Your Next Data Strategy Is Your AI Strategyhttps://www.olmst.com/your-next-data-strategy-is-your-ai-strategy/SPARTAH: Your Firm’s Guard Against AI Riskhttps://www.olmst.com/spartah-your-firms-guard-against-ai-risk/

September 15, 2025Episode 1210 min

Ramine Bigdeliazari on How Tokenization & Digital Assets are Shaping the Future of Asset & Wealth Management

Fidelity Digital Assets’ Ramine Bigdeliazari joins The Nine to discuss how digital assets and tokenization are reshaping asset & wealth management. From stablecoins to tokenized funds, he explores the opportunities, challenges, and future impact of this rapidly evolving space. Hear more at https://www.fidelitydigitalassets.com and http:// http://nicsa.org/podcasts

August 9, 2025Episode 116 min

Noise, Risk, and Readiness: Bite-sized Insights from 2025 Nicsa Live Events with Mike Dembro, Joanne Kane, and Tim Pitney

In this special compilation episode of The Nine, we’re bringing you bite-sized insights from live Nicsa events, featuring expert voices on three of the industry’s most talked-about topics.Mike Dembro (MFS) puts political noise in perspective with a data-driven look at investing through election cyclesJoanne Kane (SS&C) delivers a plainspoken, no-nonsense breakdown of what firms need to know about managing AI riskTimothy Pitney (TIAA) highlights why longevity literacy is just as essential as financial literacy when planning for retirementThese clips are pulled directly from Nicsa’s marquee forums and webinars—bringing real-time intelligence to your headphones in nine minutes or less.More at http://nicsa.org/podcasts

July 9, 2025Episode 107 min

From Complexity to Clarity: Mike Mastroianni on What’s Next for Fund Innovation

In this episode of The Nine, Mike Mastroianni—Nicsa Board member and industry operations veteran—joins host Sarah Walter to unpack the forces reshaping the asset and wealth management landscape. With experience across service providers, asset managers, and client channels, Mike offers a unique lens on how firms can lead through change. This conversation blends strategic foresight with grounded leadership—and is a must-listen for anyone helping to shape the future of fund operations, distribution, or innovation. Find more episodes at nicsa.org/podcasts