The Monocle Banking Podcast

Hosted by Monocle Solutions

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Episodes

130

Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

The Monocle Banking Podcast, in partnership with esteemed financial journalist, Michael Avery, will explore the world of banking - beyond the vaults and virtual wallets. This weekly series will play host to some of the top minds in the banking industry from around the world.

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60 recent

September 10, 2026Episode 13224 min

Ep 132: Payments: Where the Real Value Lies - Richard de Roos

Standard Bank processed R88 trillion in payments in the first half of 2026 alone - but as payment systems become increasingly open and interconnected, where will the real competitive advantage lie? Michael Avery spoke to Richard de Roos, recently appointed Group Head of Payments at Standard Bank, about the changing payments landscape across Africa and why payment infrastructure could increasingly become a shared utility. They explored how this shift could move competition beyond the payment rails themselves towards the data, AI-driven services and broader banking solutions built around them, as well as the role of regulation in shaping more open and interoperable payment ecosystems across the continent.

September 3, 2026Episode 13127 min

Ep 131: The Intelligence Behind Reputation - Daniel Munslow

In reputation management, the real work happens before the crisis. Michael Avery spoke to Daniel Munslow, Managing Executive for Group Communications and Reputation at Absa Group, about why organisations need to rethink how they protect trust in a world of misinformation, social media scrutiny and rapidly shifting narratives. They explored the move from crisis response to early detection, and how organisations can build the trust equity they need before things go wrong. Munslow also shared how AI was changing the way teams monitored reputation and identified emerging risks - while highlighting why human judgement, decisive action and credible communication remained essential.

August 27, 2026Episode 13032 min

Ep 130: From AI Pilots to AI-Powered Banks - Ravi Bhat

South Africa is leading Africa in generative AI adoption, but the real opportunity lies not in using AI for everyday tasks, but in fundamentally changing how work gets done. Michael Avery spoke to Ravi Bhat, Microsoft’s Commercial Solutions and AI Officer, about the rapid evolution of AI in banking and the shift towards an increasingly agentic workforce. They explored how banks, such as Investec, can move from AI pilots to meaningful, organisation-wide adoption, the role of AI in transforming customer experiences and legacy systems, and what the rise of AI means for junior professionals and the future of work.

August 20, 2026Episode 12935 min

Ep 129: Entrepreneurial Spirit vs. Systemic Barriers - Angus Bowmaker-Falconer & Prof Natanya Meyer

South Africa has no shortage of entrepreneurial ambition - so why are so many businesses struggling to survive and scale? Michael Avery was joined by Angus Bowmaker-Falconer, research fellow at Stellenbosch Business School and co-author of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) report, and Prof Natanya Meyer, acting SARChI Chair in Entrepreneurship Education at the University of Johannesburg. They explored SA’s entrepreneurship crisis, unpacking the systemic barriers holding businesses back - from red tape and fragmented government support to access to finance, markets and infrastructure - and discussed what needs to change to create a stronger environment for entrepreneurs to start, survive and grow.

August 13, 2026Episode 12823 min

Ep 128: AI, Equities and the Q3 Investment Outlook - Peter Armitage & Nolan Wapenaar

To understand the investment opportunities shaping the third quarter, Michael Avery spoke to Anchor Capital Chief Investment Officers Peter Armitage and Nolan Wapenaar. They unpacked whether the scale of AI investment represented sustainable growth or signs of a bubble, where value could still be found in South African equities and bonds, and how investors could navigate geopolitical uncertainty, shifting interest-rate expectations and improving local reform momentum.

August 6, 2026Episode 12727 min

Ep 127: A Mid-Year Look at South Africa’s Insurance Landscape - Cedric Masondo

South Africa’s risk landscape has changed - but has insurance kept pace? Michael Avery spoke to Cedric Masondo, CEO of PSG Insure, about the mounting pressures on South Africa’s insurance sector, from increasingly severe weather events to deteriorating municipal infrastructure. They unpacked how insurers are adapting the way they assess and price risk, the growing protection gap, and emerging threats such as AI-driven fraud.

July 30, 2026Episode 12630 min

Ep 126: SA's Venture Capital Story: From Local Startups to Global Exits

South Africa's venture capital ecosystem has quietly come of age. The question is: who's paying attention? Michael Avery was joined by Alison Collier, MD of Endeavor South Africa; Antonia Bothner, Capital Markets Lead at Endeavor South Africa; Lumka Mlambo, Fund Principal at the SA SME Fund; and Anusha Naidu, CEO of SAVCA, to explore why South Africa's venture capital market is gaining global credibility. The conversation unpacked the country's growing track record of successful exits, the unique market conditions driving innovation, and why local startups are increasingly attracting international acquirers.

July 23, 2026Episode 12529 min

Ep 125: A New Blueprint for Affordable Housing Finance - Alessandro Scalco

Can finance help solve South Africa's housing crisis? Michael Avery was joined by Alessandro Scalco, Sustainable Finance Transactor at RMB, to explore how innovative funding models are unlocking affordable rental housing while expanding access to finance for underserved property entrepreneurs. The conversation unpacked RMB's partnership with property fintech Indlu, the power of blended finance and data-driven lending, and why sustainable finance is creating new opportunities for both investors and communities.

July 16, 2026Episode 12434 min

Ep 124: Johannesburg: Too Important to Fail - Roy Havemann & Nomvuyo Guma

Johannesburg is at a crossroads - and its future could shape South Africa's economic outlook. Michael Avery was joined by Roy Havemann, who heads the Impumelelo Economic Growth Lab at the Bureau for Economic Research at Stellenbosch University, and Nomvuyo Guma, author of the Lab's latest urban-risk briefing on Johannesburg, to unpack the city's growing challenges. The conversation explored the impact of deteriorating infrastructure, financial pressure and political instability, why Johannesburg remains too important to fail, and what it will take to restore confidence and drive long-term growth.

July 9, 2026Episode 12343 min

Ep: 123 Analysing the Effectiveness of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment

To examine one of South Africa's most contentious economic policy debates - the effectiveness of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) - Michael Avery is joined by Dr. Daan Steenkamp, CEO of Codera Analytics, and Donald Mackay, Director at XA Global Trade Advisors. Drawing on new research into the costs and outcomes of B-BBEE compliance, the discussion explores whether the policy is achieving its intended objectives of transformation or creating unintended consequences for investment, employment and economic growth. They unpack the distinction between transformation as a national imperative and B-BBEE as a policy tool, while considering what the data reveals about South Africa's current approach and the need for evidence-based policy reform.