The Monday Call

Hosted by New Zealand Funds Management Limited

Business Investing

Website RSS feed

Episodes

116

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

This is the Monday Call, brought to you by NZ Funds. It’s about financial markets - where they are now, and where we think they’re headed. It’s not just about share market movements or changes in bond prices. It’s about new technologies and crypto assets. It’s about decarbonisation, commodities, and how geopolitical events can change the direction of the global economy. Every week, we talk to the innovators and commentators, the fund managers and headline makers, to gain insights into the new market realities. It’s a global view of finance from a uniquely New Zealand perspective, keeping Kiwi investors and financial advisers up to date with the latest market news.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 11, 202652 min

The Thinking Machine | FT Business Book of the Year Winner

Stephen Witt won the Financial Times Business Book of the Year for The Thinking Machine, his biography of NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang. He writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and GQ, examining the forces reshaping technology and the global economy. With rare access to Silicon Valley's leaders, innovators and investors, Stephen reveals how breakthrough technologies can ignite waves of capital investment, create and destroy fortunes, dismantle old industries and transform society. Join the Monday Call team for a conversation on the forces - seen and unseen - defining this era. Are we witnessing the greatest investment cycle in history? How will AI reshape work, wealth and power? When will humanoid robots arrive? And who will capture the gains from this new industrial age?

July 26, 202654 min

Beyond the Pump | Growth Keeps Flowing

It's been a year of headlines. Conflict in the Middle East, higher oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty have tested investors, yet the global economy remains remarkably resilient. Beneath the surface, growth is holding up, share markets have moved higher, and new opportunities are emerging. The investment landscape is also broadening. AI and US technology remain powerful themes, but opportunities are appearing elsewhere - in cyclical sectors and markets beyond the United States. New Zealand is among them, with improving economic indicators, rising confidence and early signs of renewed momentum. Mark Brooks, NZ Funds Chief Investment Officer, returns to the Monday Call alongside James Grigor and Stephan Clark to explore the forces shaping markets today. They will discuss the outlook for the second half of the year, where opportunities may emerge, and what it means for long-term investors.

July 12, 20261 hr 0 min

From the Beehive to the Boardroom | A Prime Minister’s Outlook

Sir Bill English has spent more than three decades at the centre of New Zealand’s biggest economic and policy decisions — as Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and now a leader in business. Few better understand what drives national success and where New Zealand’s opportunities lie. In a conversation spanning productivity, infrastructure and education, Bill will share his perspective on lifting living standards, strengthening our economy and competing globally. He will explore the role of business, the lessons government should learn, and the changes needed to unlock the country's potential. With an election fast approaching, join the Monday Call team for a timely discussion with one of New Zealand’s most respected economic leaders. Hear why Bill remains optimistic, what leaders should focus on, and how we can build a more prosperous future.

June 29, 202639 min

Unicorn Whisperer | A Legend in Early Stage Investing

Tim Draper is one of the defining investors of the modern era. Founder of Draper Associates, he was the first outside investor in SpaceX and an early investor in Tesla, Skype, Hotmail, Baidu and Coinbase before they became giants. In 2014, he stunned the world by buying 30,000 Bitcoin seized from the infamous Silk Road marketplace in a US government auction. For decades Tim has invested early in breakthrough technologies, often before their potential was widely recognised. He backed digital assets, AI, robotics and space with bold conviction, while championing entrepreneurial freedom. His track record is built on spotting seismic shifts long before they reach the mainstream. Join us for a rare conversation with one of Silicon Valley’s true legends. Hear the stories behind some of history’s most iconic companies, how he spots exceptional founders early, and where he believes the next wave of trillion-dollar opportunities will come from.

June 14, 202652 min

The space economy | SpaceX and the business of orbit

Few understand the space economy and opportunities it presents better than Chris Quilty. As President of Quilty Space, he advises investors, operators and policymakers worldwide and is widely regarded as one of the sector’s most trusted voices, regularly featured by Bloomberg, CNBC and The Wall Street Journal. The space economy is growing rapidly. There are now over 10,000 satellites in orbit, up from 1,500 ten years ago. SpaceX operates 6,000 of these through Starlink and alone launches multiple times per week, compared with around 70 launches per year worldwide 20 years ago. Alongside others like Rocket Lab, it is building a new layer of infrastructure for communications, defence and data. With SpaceX entering public markets and well established as a company in the modern space era, join the Monday Call team for a rare conversation with Quilty. Hear where this frontier economy is heading, the companies shaping its future, and the opportunities for long-term investors as the sector continues to mature.

May 17, 202647 min

The trillion dollar question | SpaceX, AI and market impact

One of Wall Street’s most widely followed tech analysts and a regular voice on CNBC and Bloomberg, Dan Ives is a leading commentator on AI, NVIDIA, Tesla and companies shaping the next decade of markets. As Global Head of Technology Research at Wedbush Securities, he is known for bold, high-conviction calls and deep insights on tech. AI is expanding beyond software into infrastructure, energy, robotics – and now space. This is fuelling speculation around a SpaceX IPO, potentially valued near US$1 trillion, and what could be one of the largest issuances ever. The market impact would be significant, reshaping index flows, liquidity and global tech positioning. Join the Monday Call team as they speak with Ives about where technology is heading, how large SpaceX could become, if space-based data centres are viable, and whether the AI revolution is still only just starting.

May 3, 2026Episode 746 min

Crude awakening | Energy resilience in a shifting world

New Zealand’s energy system is being tested and few are closer to the action than Alexa Preston, Chief Financial Officer of Channel Infrastructure NZ. Leading the finances of a key infrastructure business, Preston offers a front-row view of where energy security and long-term decisions meet the real economy. From its deepwater import terminal at Marsden Point to fuel networks that keep planes flying, trucks and tractors moving, and shelves stocked, Channel is a vital link in New Zealand’s supply chain. Most people barely notice the system - until conditions shift, prices react, and pressure builds. In a world shaped by geopolitical tension, supply shocks, and changing energy needs, resilient infrastructure has become a national priority. Assets once taken for granted are now central to debates about productivity, competitiveness, and how countries stay strong when conditions grow more volatile. Hosted by James Grigor and Stephan Clark, join Alexa Preston for a timely conversation on the infrastructure that keeps New Zealand moving. They explore why energy resilience matters more, how long-term planning supports national strength, and how today’s decisions will shape New Zealand’s future - when it matters most.

April 19, 202645 min

When interest rate forecasts collide | Tough calls, high stakes

Jarrod Kerr, Chief Economist at Kiwibank, has stepped into the centre of a widening divide. In a debate now marked by sharply differing views on the path of the Official Cash Rate, Kerr has labelled calls for near-term hikes 'reckless' - cutting through the profession’s usual caution. At issue is more than timing. Some economists are signaling multiple rate increases this year, citing inflation risks from the Iran war and rising energy prices. Kerr takes a different view: this is a supply shock, not a demand surge - and tightening into it risks repeating past mistakes and damaging the economy. In this episode, Kerr sets out his case. Why does his outlook diverge from his peers? Are markets - and policymakers - misreading the inflation impulse? And how should the Reserve Bank of New Zealand respond as geopolitics and economics become more closely intertwined? Join hosts James Grigor and Stephan Clark for a conversation on New Zealand’s economic outlook, geopolitics and what happens when consensus begins to fray with one of the country’s most outspoken economists.

March 22, 2026Episode 51 hr 1 min

From the Pentagon to New Zealand | Hard truths for security resilience

Tim Ewing-Jarvie, former Strategic Adviser to the Pentagon, offers a rare insight into global security. He served in the NZ Army in a variety of roles, including as Sniper and Reconnaissance Platoon Commander and Delta Company commander, with operational experience in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Greater Middle East. He now leads Horizon Lab, a strategic advisory providing actionable intelligence and decision support for companies navigating complex operating environments. Tim will discuss how nations and organisations can build resilience amid geopolitical shocks – from the 'weaponisation of trade' to managing conflict risks like those in Iran. How can New Zealand strengthen economic and military resilience? Are geopolitical factors overtaking commercial efficiency as the main driver of trade? And how can businesses adapt in response to international conflicts? Join James Grigor and Stephan Clark for a forward-looking conversation on national priorities, public–private collaboration, and strategies to enhance stability, trade, and long-term security at home and abroad.

March 8, 2026Episode 445 min

Iran Attack Update | Oil Surges, Equities Resilient

The recent escalation in the Middle East delivered a sharp geopolitical shock. Coordinated United States-Israel strikes on Iranian military targets, followed by Iran’s missile retaliation, quickly raised tensions. For investors, the key question is not the headlines themselves, but whether the conflict meaningfully alters the outlook for global markets and long term returns. Markets reacted swiftly. Oil prices surged as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - responsible for around 20% of global oil supply - was disrupted. The United States dollar strengthened as investors sought safety, while Treasury yields rose, an unusual move reflecting renewed inflation concerns. Equities proved resilient with airlines and transport lagging, and as energy and defensives outperformed. History suggests regional conflicts rarely derail corporate earnings – except when energy flows are severely and persistently disrupted. That is the critical judgment call now. Join Stephan Clark for part two on the conflict, as he speaks with Mark Brooks, Chief Investment Officer, to review recent developments and the opportunities ahead for well positioned portfolios.