Advertise on podcast: Old Mutual Wealth

We're pleased to introduce Markets & Meaning, our new monthly podcast by Sean Ashton, Head of Investments at Private Clients. Each month, Sean steps back from the headlines to focus on the forces shaping markets and what they mean for long-term investors. In the first episode, Sean unpacks why elevated US equity valuations do not automatically signal a bubble, and what today's market concentration really means for investors. From the dominance of the 'Magnificent Seven' and the shift to capital-intensive AI investment, to diverging signals from Meta and Microsoft, the conversation cuts through the noise. He also explores geopolitics, productivity, and where selective long-term opportunities are emerging as investors look ahead to 2026.

Sean Ashton, Head of Investments at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth, and Gugulethu Mfuphi of Kaya Bizi discuss the importance of understanding the underlying drivers of major market indices like the S&P 500. 

Sean Ashton and Simon Brown unpack big tech’s outsized role in S&P 500 returns, how to manage that concentration.

Beauty is booming – and not just globally. From skincare to makeup and fragrance, SA retailers are waking up to the higher margins and loyal, repeat customers the beauty segment offers. In this insightful interview with Simon Brown, Tasneem Samodien, Research Analyst at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth, explains how brands like TFG, Mr Price and Woolworths are tapping into local insights to build private-label beauty offerings that resonate.

Once a beauty industry darling, Estée Lauder has lost over 80% of its value since late 2021. What went wrong — and can it be fixed? In this insightful podcast, Tasneem Samodien, Research Analyst at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth, unpacks how overexposure to China, reliance on travel retail, and missteps in management turned a premium beauty brand into a turnaround story.  “It’s not a brand problem. It’s a management problem,” says Tasneem. “And now it’s a wait-and-see story for the new leadership team.”

Google’s parent company is spending big on AI and cloud infrastructure — a 43% increase on last year’s capex. In this podcast, Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth analyst Nadine Chetty-Khan explains why this bold move echoes past wins like YouTube, Maps and Android. “Alphabet isn’t just building AI models — it’s building the infrastructure for an AI-powered internet.”

Africa’s largest financial services provider, Standard Bank reported a resilient 2024 half-year performance amid a challenging credit market in SA. Private Clients Research Analyst, Tasneem Samodien, discusses the results and explains why the team expect Standard Bank to continue growing earnings over the long term. 

Tasneem Samodien, Research Analyst at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth discusses Standard Bank’s 2023 full-year results and its exposure to Africa, which is expected to remain a meaningful earnings driver in the long term. 

The business cycle is a key framework for understanding economic fluctuations and is often widely used to guide asset and sector allocation decisions for investors. However, debates often arise regarding the precise stage at which an economy finds itself, particularly when economic data presents mixed signals. Listen as Victor Mupunga, Head of Research at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth and Simon Brown, discuss the mixed economic signals in the US and the local economy and outlines our investment approach focused on constructing well-balanced portfolios of high-quality, resilient businesses.

Andrew Dittberner, Chief Investment Officer at Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth, unpacks the longevity economy in more detail and highlights some of the challenges and opportunities.

Andrew Dittberner, CIO of Private Clients by Old Mutual Wealth and Classic Business’ Michael Avery talk about the Magnificent Seven and whether their valuations are justified. 

Muhammad Rayhaan Sooliman, Operations Director at Gift of the Givers, talks to Oliver Dixon of SAFM about the newly launched Old Mutual Gift of the Givers Life Fund. Developed in partnership with Old Mutual Wealth, the fund allows the investor to meet their financial goals, whilst using their investment income for humanitarian relief and development in South Africa, by donating it to Gift of the Givers Foundation. A win-win situation where investors get to secure their future and legacy, whilst doing good to support South African socio-economic development.

Izak Odendaal, Chief Investment Strategist at Old Mutual Wealth, speaks to Bruce Whitfield about some of the lessons that South Africa, our government and the world can learn from the Springboks following their historic win over the All Blacks for a record fourth time and lifting the Webb Ellis trophy back-to-back. Key learnings include having a long-term plan and the right people to implement it; a simple authentic message focused on a few things that people can relate to and unite behind; strong leadership as seen from Siya, Jacques and Rassie; and giving people responsibility, empowering them and holding them accountable to deliver. 

Roland Grabe, Head of Discretionary Fund Management at Old Mutual Wealth, speaks to Simon Brown of Moneyweb about life and living annuities. He says the investment market volatility, especially in bear markets, make it difficult for retirees to live satisfactorily off their investment income. In addition, investment strategy decisions are tricky and require an investor to have a qualified financial planner to guide them through the various options to how they can mitigate risk whilst maximising investment returns.

Izak Odendaal, Chief Investment Strategist at Old Mutual Wealth, speaks to Power FM about South Africa’s economic heritage. He delves into the origin of the South African economic system as well as its anchors such as Anglo American, the transition from apartheid to freedom and the era of growth pre-2008, until issues like loadshedding derailed us. He also explains how to enable inclusive growth and deal with low economic growth, by building infrastructure and providing basic services in areas of need.