The Monocle Banking Podcast

Ep 17: Banking on Turbulence: Key Industry Trends for Bankers

From navigating the impact of politics on regulations, to strategies for dealing with interest rate fluctuations, Michael Avery sits down with Pierre Romagny, Partner at Oliver Wyman, to unpack key trends shaping South Africa's banking industry in 2024.
As customer experience becomes ever more crucial in the digital age, the discussion delves into the most promising applications of AI for South African banks and revamping digital UX to compete with global tech giants.

Ep 16: One Year After SVB: Why We Should Expect More Bank Failures this Year

Today, the 11th of March 2024, marks the end of the Fed’s ‘Bank Term Funding Programme’ – an initiative set up to support the US banking industry post the collapse of SVB, Signature Bank, and First Republic Bank this time last year.
The conclusion of this support programme sets up a timely discussion on the Monocle Banking Podcast between Michael Avery and Monocle’s CEO, David Buckham, on whether the US banking sector is in a better (or worse) place than this time last year.www.monoclesolutions.com

Ep 15: South Africa: A Country in Need of Change

Roger Jardine, ex-Chairperson for FirstRand and leader of newly formed political party Change Starts Now sat down with Michael Avery to share his vision for South Africa.
Having served in both the public and private sector, Roger provides a balanced perspective on what both sectors need to do to balance the country's social needs and economic imperatives. He also openly shared why he started ‘Change Starts Now’ and the implications of their sudden withdrawal from the 2024 elections. 

Ep 14: An Economists Perspective: How to un-F**k a Country

Dr Roy Havemann, our latest guest on the Monocle Banking Podcast, brings a unique perspective on the South African economy in his conversation with Michael Avery.
As CEO of consultancy Krutham, and having worked within the South African Treasury, Roy shares his deep passion for the financial success of South Africa as well as insights from his soon-to-be released book “How to un-F**k a Country”. From the inner workings of the Treasury to the importance of regulation, lessons from the Great Financial Crises to his take of the recent budget speech, Roy provides deep insights into what South Africa needs to do to build prosperity.

Ep 13: Latent Potential: South Africa's Economy and Asset Management Landscape

From the leadership vacuum in the global political economy to the changing socio-economic conditions around the world, in this episode, Michael Avery is joined by the Founder and CEO of Ninety One, Hendrik du Toit, to unpack the pressing issues of 2024 and beyond.
Hendrik du Toit delves into the crucial role South African businesses play in driving problem-solving dialogues with the government, as well as the challenges and opportunities the asset management industry faces in the future.

Ep 12: The Role of Banks in Supporting SMEs

Much of the growth potential in South Africa sits with our ability to enable growth in small to medium size businesses. Michael Avery hosts Gordon Little, CEO of FNB Commercial, to understand the role and responsibility of South Africa’s banks to responsibly unlock the potential of our SMEs.

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.