BlackRock's Global Chief Investment Strategist Wei Li joins Joe Cass to talk about whether the AI boom is a bubble, why she thinks we're still in the early build-out phase, and how a wider-than-ever range of outcomes is reshaping portfolios. 00:00 Is there an AI bubble? 05:08 Day in the life of Wei Li 06:14 How to stand out in an AI world 08:08 Blackrock's internal AI platforms 10:02 Wei's most important datapoint 11:18 Wei's contrarian investment belief 12:31 What is it really like working at Blackrock? 13:37 Inside Blackrock's Investment Committee 14:45 Biggest misconceptions about Blackrock 18:29 Public to Private Markets power shift 21:14 How Wei communicates 23:28 The importance of an S&P rating 24:40 How to be disciplined in a whipsaw market? 26:38 The rise (and fall?) or US market dominance 28:55 Wei's advice to young professionals Follow Joe on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephcass/

In this episode, Joseph speaks with Mark Haefele, Chief Investment Officer at UBS, about what truly separates lasting wealth from wealth that gets eroded, across investing, family dynamics, and generational planning. They explore why inheritance planning can be the hardest financial puzzle wealthy families face, how billionaires think about keeping families aligned, and what happens when emotions, identity, and "behavioral noise" run the portfolio instead of a clear plan.

Chapters:

0:00 The biggest mistake wealthy investors make

1:37 What are the world's wealthiest people most worried about right now?

2:44 Personal habits of billionaire families

4:24 What asset class are wealthy families increasing exposure to?

5:03 The 'Godfather' approach to inheritance

7:21 Succession TV show in real life

9:08 Why do some families retain wealth, and others lose it all?

10:28 The billionaire asset allocation template

12:06 What long term risk are markets underpricing?

13:11 An unstable decade for investors

14:08 UHNWI's view of private markets

16:40 Investing sophistication of UHNWI's

18:10 UHNWI appetite for private credit

19:15 Preferred asset classes of the wealthiest people in the world

20:12 The importance of credit ratings

21:09 Has working with billionaires changed Mark?

22:15 Mark's #1 tip for young people to build wealth today

This episode features Blair Jacobson, Co-President of Ares Management Corporation, discussing private credit investment strategies, risk management, and firm growth. He shares insights on how Ares maintains a conservative approach to avoid losses, the importance of relationships and reputation in deal origination, and the firm's expanding areas like asset-backed credit and wealth management. Blair also touches on the evolving role of credit ratings in private markets, the firm's involvement in sports investments, and offers advice for young professionals entering finance amidst technological disruption.

Chapters:

00:00 What could go wrong in private credit

1:34 How prepared is Ares for a downturn

6:55 Football & sports investment – Chelsea & Athletico Madrid

10:17 Finding sports investment opportunities

10:58 How does Ares find new business

14:57 Finding lucrative deals

16:07 Private credit ratings

18:56 Big insurers moving into private credit

20:13 Building a career in the AI era

22:13 "Relationship training"

24:00 Why is Ares Co-Founder Michael Arougheti so successful

Recording date: 18 February 2026.