The Monday Call

As Chief Executive of Southern Cross, Nick Astwick heads one of New Zealand's most significant organisations, with close to one million members and a unique view of the health, ageing and wellbeing of the nation.
With 25 years at the heart of New Zealand business, including almost a decade at the helm of Southern Cross, Nick is one of the country's best-informed voices on longevity, and what it means for how we plan, secure and spend our later years.
Join the Monday Call team for an important conversation on New Zealand's future: the opportunity to extend our healthspan, the changing economics of healthcare, and how we can build a healthier, more prosperous community.

Stephen Witt won the Financial Times Business Book of the Year for The Thinking Machine, his biography of NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang. He writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and GQ, examining the forces reshaping technology and the global economy.

With rare access to Silicon Valley's leaders, innovators and investors, Stephen reveals how breakthrough technologies can ignite waves of capital investment, create and destroy fortunes, dismantle old industries and transform society.

Join the Monday Call team for a conversation on the forces - seen and unseen - defining this era. Are we witnessing the greatest investment cycle in history? How will AI reshape work, wealth and power? When will humanoid robots arrive? And who will capture the gains from this new industrial age?

It's been a year of headlines. Conflict in the Middle East, higher oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty have tested investors, yet the global economy remains remarkably resilient. Beneath the surface, growth is holding up, share markets have moved higher, and new opportunities are emerging.

The investment landscape is also broadening. AI and US technology remain powerful themes, but opportunities are appearing elsewhere - in cyclical sectors and markets beyond the United States. New Zealand is among them, with improving economic indicators, rising confidence and early signs of renewed momentum.

Mark Brooks, NZ Funds Chief Investment Officer, returns to the Monday Call alongside James Grigor and Stephan Clark to explore the forces shaping markets today. They will discuss the outlook for the second half of the year, where opportunities may emerge, and what it means for long-term investors.

Sir Bill English has spent more than three decades at the centre of New Zealand’s biggest economic and policy decisions — as Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and now a leader in business. Few better understand what drives national success and where New Zealand’s opportunities lie.

In a conversation spanning productivity, infrastructure and education, Bill will share his perspective on lifting living standards, strengthening our economy and competing globally. He will explore the role of business, the lessons government should learn, and the changes needed to unlock the country's potential.

With an election fast approaching, join the Monday Call team for a timely discussion with one of New Zealand’s most respected economic leaders. Hear why Bill remains optimistic, what leaders should focus on, and how we can build a more prosperous future.

Tim Draper is one of the defining investors of the modern era. Founder of Draper Associates, he was the first outside investor in SpaceX and an early investor in Tesla, Skype, Hotmail, Baidu and Coinbase before they became giants. In 2014, he stunned the world by buying 30,000 Bitcoin seized from the infamous Silk Road marketplace in a US government auction.

For decades Tim has invested early in breakthrough technologies, often before their potential was widely recognised. He backed digital assets, AI, robotics and space with bold conviction, while championing entrepreneurial freedom. His track record is built on spotting seismic shifts long before they reach the mainstream.

Join us for a rare conversation with one of Silicon Valley’s true legends. Hear the stories behind some of history’s most iconic companies, how he spots exceptional founders early, and where he believes the next wave of trillion-dollar opportunities will come from.