The Monocle Banking Podcast

Ep 11: Ahead of the Banking Curve: Advice from a Seasoned Campaigner

SARS, the UK’s first internet bank, SAA and Old Mutual. It’s not often one would bundle these companies together, yet these are just a few of the companies that Bob Head has led in his illustrious career.
Michael Avery hosts Bob on the Monocle Banking Podcast where he reflects on his diverse career experiences and provides advice for modern day FinTechs and banks. 

Ep 10: Digital Cash is King – the Future of Payments

Digital payment offerings are steadily gaining popularity in South Africa, but they have yet to compare to the scale and adoption in other South-Saharan countries. To help us better understand this evolving sector, Michael Avery sat down with Rory Bosman, Executive for Sales & Marketing at Ecentric Payment Systems.
In this podcast, Rory breaks down the benefits and use cases for digital payment systems, explores future trends for the payments sector, and discusses the potential role of AI within the industry.

Ep 9: Cryptocurrency: Should it replace banking as we know it?

Having doubled its value in the past year, and the recent inclusion into the mainstream ETF market, cryptocurrency has a newfound impetus in the world of finance. To better understand the potential of cryptocurrencies, Michael Avery sat down with Farzam Ehsani, Co-Founder & CEO at VALR.
Farzam shares why he believes the benefits of cryptocurrency outweigh any concerns or illicit use cases, what the right level of industry regulation should be, and the implications of Crypto ETFs on the industry. Click here to listen to the whole podcast.

Ep 8: Just a plan or a Just Energy Transition catalyst?

The Monocle Banking Podcast commences 2024 with renewed energy as Michael Avery is joined by Dipak Patel, one of the lead authors of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan. As the Head of Climate Finance and Innovation for the South African Presidential Climate Commission, Patel shares the key components of the ambitious plan, it’s feasibility and funding approach.
Is this the start of a brighter future for South Africa’s energy security and renewable ambitions? Join Michael Avery to find out.www.monoclesolutions.com

Ep 7: The Problems of Trust, Bad Actors and Cryptocurrency

Banking holds a crucial role within the success of an economy, and for the banking ecosystem to succeed, trust is paramount. 
David Buckham, Monocle’s CEO, engages in conversation with Michael Avery to delve into the intricacies of trust within the banking sector. David explores how banks should address bad actors, the necessary corrective measures for industry scandals, and how cryptocurrency, in his view, has proven to be little more than a distraction from the continual improvement of a system refined over decades.
www.monoclesolutions.com

Ep 6: African Bank: From Setbacks to Success

The vastly experienced Anbann Chetti, Group CFO of African Bank, joins Michael Avery in this week’s Monocle Banking Podcast.
After explaining his fascinating career in banking, Anbann shares the strategic growth and diversification focus for African Bank, how their recent and future-planned acquisitions play into that strategy and the impact he believes African Bank can have on South Africa.
Don't miss out on finding out more about one of South Africa’s great turnaround stories.
www.monoclesolutions.com

Ep 5: Is financial services complicit with driving inequality?

Inequality remains an enduring reality, especially in South Africa, prompting a crucial question within our industry: do financial services contribute to improving or exacerbating the situation? To address this, Michael Avery is joined by Anne Cabot-Alletzhauser, Adjunct Faculty and Practice Director of the Responsible Finance Initiative at GIBS and former Head of the Alexander Forbes Research Institute.
Together, they explore whether the financial services industry extracts more value than it provides. Additionally, they delve into the role financial services should play in fostering social mobility and whether the industry's overregulation takes into account broader societal effects.

Ep 4: Balancing Banking Profits, Regulations & Trust

On his return to the Monocle Banking Podcast, Professor Brian Kantor examines the challenges faced by modern-day banks. In conversation with Michael Avery, they assess whether regulations have gone too far, what causes banks to fail and the importance for the industry to rebuild trust.