NOW Ep101: A 20-year perspective on global investing

Loading player...
Twenty years on, the managers of the Investec UCITS World Axis Core Fund reflect on what two decades of global investing have taught them and what investors should expect next. From shifting geopolitics to enduring investment truths, this episode of No Ordinary Wednesday with Investec Investment Management’s Head of Multi-Manager Investments Ryan Friedman and Fund Manager Bronwen Trower, explores the art of staying the course in aa world that rarely does.

Podcast key moments:

00:00 – Introduction
01:28 - What is the Investec World Axis Range Fund of funds and where does it sit in an investor’s portfolio?
03:04 - What makes the Investec World Axis Range Fund of funds different?
05:28 – As a fund manager, how do you maintain a disciplined, long-term allocation framework amid extreme volatility and policy uncertainty?
09:08 – What’s the biggest misconception that investors have about global investing today?
10:11 - Where are investors looking in fixed income?
12:18 - The dollar has been fluctuating for months, what is happening? And are there other currencies we should be thinking about?
17:10 - How does South Africa look relative to the rest of the world?
18:43 - Private markets at all rage at the moment
21:24 - What has anchored your investment philosophy across such divergent cycles?
22:45 - What’s the one lesson you take from managing this fund across two turbulent decades and what’s next?

Read more on www.investec.com/now

Hosted by seasoned broadcaster, Jeremy Maggs, the No Ordinary Wednesday podcast unpacks the latest economic, business and political news in South Africa, with an all-star cast of investment and wealth managers, economists and financial planners from Investec. Listen in every second Wednesday for an in-depth look at what's moving markets, shaping the economy, and changing the game for your wallet and your business.
Chapters
  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:28 What is the Investec World Axis Range Fund of funds and where does it sit in an investor’s portfolio?
  • 03:04 What makes the Investec World Axis Range Fund of funds different?
  • 05:28 As a fund manager, how do you maintain a disciplined, long-term allocation framework amid extreme volatility and policy uncertainty?
  • 09:08 What’s the biggest misconception that investors have about global investing today?
  • 10:11 Where are investors looking in fixed income?
  • 12:18 The dollar has been fluctuating for months, what is happening? And are there other currencies we should be thinking about?
  • 17:10 How does South Africa look relative to the rest of the world?
  • 18:43 What has anchored your investment philosophy across such divergent cycles?
  • 22:45 What’s the one lesson you take from managing this fund across two turbulent decades and what’s next?
27 May 2025 English South Africa Business · Investing

Other recent episodes

Macro Monday Ep124: AI capex and competition concerns weigh on stock markets

Increased competition among LLMs and uncertainty about the return on investment on AI capex are all weighing on the market performance on momentum stocks, such as semiconductor firms. Chris Holdsworth, Global Chief Investment Officer, Investec Investment Management, looks at some of the dynamics in global stock markets.
20 Jul 8 min

NOW Ep 131: South Africa’s consumer crunch

Are South African consumers past the worst of the fuel shock? Household budgets have been hit by higher fuel prices, rising inflation and pressure on real wages. But fuel prices are starting to fall. The risk is timing. Will relief arrive before households are forced to cut back further? Host…
14 Jul 24 min

Everything Counts | Episode 51: Managing global travel disruption

In this episode of Everything Counts, we unpack the real-world impact of geopolitical tension on global travel, from grounded flights and closed airspace to the human stories behind stranded passengers. What happens behind the scenes when airlines, advisors, and entire systems are forced to respond in real time? Host Motheo…
14 Jul 29 min

Macro Monday Ep123: Headwinds and tailwinds for global growth

Global GDP growth looks set to be around 3% this year, as the global economy deals with headwinds from a supply shock because of the war with Iran and tailwinds from artificial intelligence spending, says Chris Holdsworth, Chief Investment Strategist, at Investec Wealth & Investment International. While US and Chinese…
13 Jul 9 min

Macro Monday Ep122: Markets have a good first half of the year

Despite the war in the Gulf, the last six months have been good for global equities. While the US market’s performance has been in line with the overall global performance, the standout has been South Korea, which, says Chris Holdsworth, Chief Investment Strategist, at Investec Wealth & Investment International, has…
6 Jul 9 min