Market Narratives

In episode 80, Alex Proimos speaks with Winston Ma, investor, attorney, adjunct professor in the global digital economy, and author of The Hunt for Unicorns: How Sovereign Funds Are Reshaping Investment in the Digital Economy.

This episode discusses Winston's background and what drove him to write his latest book. We cover the questions on who holds power in the financial markets today and why sovereign funds are more important today. We explore the typical investing style of sovereign funds and their move away from being market stabilisers to be being more direct and active in their investments. Next, we discuss several examples whereby the sovereign funds blend policy and investment to achieve domestic impact, i.e. 5G fund in the USA, 6G fund in Japan and a speciality silicon chip fund in China to counteract global tensions. Finally, we talk about the misconceptions around large asset owners, the need for better governance and transparency and how collaboration and partnering could counteract some of the concerns regarding bad actors.

Show Notes

Winston Ma was Managing Director and Head of North America Office for China Investment Corporation (CIC), China's sovereign wealth fund. Prior to that, Mr Ma served as the deputy head of equity capital markets at Barclays Capital, a vice president at J.P. Morgan investment banking, and a corporate lawyer at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP. He is the author of the best-selling books including Investing in China (2006) and China's Mobile Economy (2016). Winston was selected as a 2013 Young Global Leader at the World Economic Forum and in 2014 he received the NYU Distinguished Alumni Award.

All views expressed on this podcast are subject to change and do not necessarily reflect the views of Conexus Financial. This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be relied upon as investment advice.

What is Market Narratives?

Market Narratives is a podcast series hosted by Investment Magazine that features unorthodox conversations with thought leaders influencing the world of fiduciary investors.

Investment Magazine is the leading publication for Australia's $3 trillion superannuation industry. It provides trusted news, analysis and editorial on the issues impacting superannuation funds, such as regulation, asset allocation, portfolio construction, governance, as they strive to secure better retirement outcomes for their members.