The Single Source

Rich Gilmore, CEO of Carbon Growth Partners in Australia, talks to Blair McPherson, Head of Capital Introductions at Apex Group, about his career experience managing large-scale investments and how he accidentally stepped into the carbon markets following a personal revelation. Rich understood that Carbon prices needed to rise by many multiples to get to net zero, so he took the opportunity to make the carbon markets operate more professionally. He shares how firms and investors can assess the carbon markets now and achieve optimum returns from their impact investments, and examines exactly what it takes to set out on the right carbon footpath to achieve net zero today..

Apex Group recently announced that it would be providing its single-source solution, on a pro-bono basis, to Greater Share, an innovative philanthropic investment platform. In the tenth episode of our Single-Source podcast, Blair McPherson, Head of Capital Introductions, sits down with our Founder and CEO Peter Hughes, to discuss why - and how - Apex Group is supporting positive change through education and social mobility.

Market volatility in 2022 due to geopolitical events, supply chain issues, energy security, inflation and future interest rises has impacted all asset classes – including digital assets. To take a step back, Blair McPherson, Head of Capital Introductions at Apex Group invited Charlie Morris, Founder and Chief Investment Officer at ByteTree Asset Management to discuss his own experiences and the creation of ByteTree . An industry veteran with deep expertise in fund management and digital assets – Charlie helps this episode of Apex’s Single Source Podcast to cut through the noise.

Helping us understand how bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were perceived by other fund managers including himself in the earlier days,  to today, where crypto funds are fast becoming a competitive space, Charlie shares his approach to managing DeFi funds, the regulatory challenges they face, the future that lies ahead and how risk can be managed..

With all the turmoil that’s happening in the crypto space today, this is one podcast you should not miss, if you really want to understand what importance Bitcoin can hold.

Award-winning Associate Editor and Leader Writer for The Sunday Times, Oliver Shah joins Blair McPherson, Head of Capital Introductions, Apex Group, as they break down recent events for the listeners of The Single Source Podcast Series, in our eighth episode.

As we begin to move beyond the Covid pandemic , the macro-events of the last couple of months have plunged us in a state of uncertainty once again.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine first and foremost raises serious humanitarian concerns, but now also severe geo-political and economic impacts; rising oil prices, broadening inflation, interest rates rising in response and its impacts on the capital and equity markets are only the tip of the iceberg. Issues pertaining to supply chain; energy security and transition, and the impacts of it on the environment further add to the drama that the world is collectively experiencing.

Tune in now to hear what Oliver has to say about recent events.

A lot has happened over the past two years, and the Real Estate space is no exception to that. Over the course of the pandemic Real Estate has witnessed a number of shifting trends, as highlighted at the recent Marché International des Professionnels d'Immobilier, where this year’s theme was ‘Green is the New Black’. Among them, a greater focus on ESG strategies, along with a noticeable take-up of technology and the benefits that can bring to decision-making processes.

In our latest Single-Source podcast, host Jean-Daniel Zandona, Managing Director at Apex Group, discusses some of those trends and other highlights from MIPIM event with Francois De La Villeon, Global Head of Real Estate Funds at Amundi, and Francis Parisis, Managing Director at PwC Luxembourg.

Tune in now.

Tune in to our topical discussion on the capital raising environment in Asia-Pacific, and the key trends shaping the investment market in the region. Among the topics covered by our panel of experts is the rising trend among institutional investor to diversify and explore alternative strategies; the shift from pan-regional investments to more single country investments, and the continuing strength of private capital and wealth investment flows from China across the region. Liam Woods, Head of Business Development, APAC, Apex Group, is joined in this insightful podcast by Julian Kurz, Managing Director, VCP-Apex, and Nicholas Hulme, CEO, Fundrock, Singapore – all of them with significant experience of the APAC investment markets. Listen now!

Join Michiel van der Maat, Head of Corporate Solutions Netherlands at Apex Group; Pat English, Partner International Business Group at Matheson, and Michiel Schul, Partner International Tax Services at Loyens & Loeff, as they discuss some of the challenges businesses are facing when it comes to expanding internationally in today's marketplace. With extensive expertise behind them, they bring valuable insights to businesses looking to broaden their horizons, in this Q&A style podcast. 

Catch our very own Peter Hughes, Founder and CEO, of Apex Group in conversation with Chief Marketing Officer, Rosie Guest. They reflect on the highs and lows of 2021 as Peter sees them, what it’s like to lead a global business through a pandemic, his vision for the future of financial services and an insight into what makes him tick as a CEO.

The UK Investment Firms Prudential Regime (IFPR) is planned for full implementation by 1st of January 2022, but how much of the detailed guidelines are you fully aware of?

With several doubts and discussions around the topic, Apex Group invited Remmert Keijzer, Associate Director - Government Affairs, at AIMA, along with Samuel Betha, Senior Manager, CFO Advisory at EY, UK to try and unravel the topic along with Hari Bhambra, Global Head of Compliance Solutions, Apex Group.

This episode aims to present a brief version of the regime change for Investment Firms. It also serves as a useful reminder for action items to consider in readiness for 1st January 2022.

Bringing Private Finance of Water to COP26

Despite 71% of the earth being water, only 1% of public international climate investment goes to protecting basic water services for poor communities. As COP26 approaches, organisations across the world are showing active interest in sustainability and building a cleaner future for the next generation.

But how exactly do we build a cleaner future? Rosie Guest, CMO at Apex Group and Jonathan Farr, Senior Policy Analyst at WaterAid, come together to understand how organisations like WaterAid can make an impact, and how private companies (regulators, manufacturers, businesses) could impact as they invest in water supplies so that everyone, everywhere, has access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene. They also spoke about the “Water Pavilion” – the first time the water sector has had a physical presence at COP26, representing a paradigm shift in stopping climate change and helping the people most vulnerable to it.

The situation today is daunting – 700 million people lack basic access to water (that is where water is more than a 30 minute round trip) and when climate change impacts hit this will compound their existing crises. 2 billion also lack safely managed sanitation, and when it floods, the outcome will be a short-term disaster, but also a long tail of disease and pollution.

Join us in our podcast to know more on what’s happening in the world of water conservation and help us to beat the fundamental challenge here – raising awareness.

Today, Private Equity investors face reputational risk, if they’re not seen to be endorsing ESG. But it’s not just a marketing disadvantage that’s causing a rise in the popularity of ESG in private markets. ESG risks, including climate really pose a real and growing financial risk to assets which needs to be captured in the investment process, regardless of the investing style.

In 2021, 41% of CFOs and COOs in firms over 15 billion USD in Assets under Management, considered Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), a top strategic priority. Simply put, ESG is the framework for assessing the impact of the sustainability and ethical practises of a company.

Considering this rising demand and importance of ESG, it is fitting that for the inaugural episode of “The Single Source” – a podcast series by Apex Group, the topic chosen was “How does ESG raise capital?”.

Kyle Burrell, Partner, EY – Private Equity and VC Practise; Jessica Bloom, Partner, EY – Wealth and Asset Management Practise; and Andrew Pitts Tucker, Managing Director – ESG Ratings, Apex Group, were joined by the host of this episode, Stacey Arrigo, Managing Director, Apex Group – Boston Office.

Tune in to this riveting conversation as these global industry experts from America and Europe, provide a multiple perspectives on the future of ESG for Private Equity investors, and how it could be one of the most powerful tools to help raise capital for your firm.

With the onset of regulations like Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR), there is a considerable pickup in interest in ESG. If done correctly, ESG can minimise risks and improve the value of a company.

Whether you’re an incumbent PE manager facing growing ESG reporting requests from your investors, a manager interested in knowing how the ESG framework could boost their chances of raising massive capital, or simply a finance enthusiast who wishes to be well informed, this podcast will offer a concise yet comprehensive outlook in the world of ESG.

With its dual benefits – doing the right thing for the future of people and planet, and adding value to your business in the process, further interest in incorporating ESG into the investment decision process, by investment managers, will only be driven higher. Join the bandwagon today and gain an edge.