Marketing communication
This page contains marketing information
Marketing communication
This page contains marketing information
Markets make demands on all the senses. Prices flash, headlines scream for attention and opinions compete to be heard. To escape from the constant stimulation, we're giving our investors the chance to take a step back: by inviting them to share the songs and food they can’t live without, as well as the market signals that make them sit up and listen.
Which sounds bring comfort? Which tastes evoke home? And, most interestingly perhaps, when the noise of the markets becomes too much, what do they tune out?
In an edition where we've translated senses into insights, we ask our investors to explore their senses to gain some perspective.
Richard Gwilliam,
Head of Property Research
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
‘What a Wonderful World’ by Louis Armstrong. I’ve loved this song ever since first hearing it as a kid, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. It was the music for the first dance at my wedding, and despite my raspy tones being more grating than dulcet, I think each of my children enjoyed me singing it to them when they were little. The song causes us to cast our worries aside and realise that we’re all very lucky to be here.
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
Baked beans on toast, with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and grated cheese sprinkled on top – sublime! Just beware the fallout…
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
Real estate is a long-term investment, so short term volatility in politics or financial markets can be a distraction. Stock markets, and bond yields, go up or down on a daily basis, but too often their movements are accompanied by a narrative of why they went up or down, as if whatever story is being conveyed that day holds important explanatory power for real estate’s prospects. What is more useful is when these signals persist over longer periods, which can indicate genuine lasting change, particularly if relating to a structural shift in occupier preferences.
Discover our private markets capabilities.
Fiona Hagdrup,
Head of Private Corporate Credit
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
I sang in a Rock & Soul band for over 20 years. So...I daydream with bands that have gritty, distinctive female lead vocals, The Pretenders, Fleetwood Mac, Blondie.
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
Fresh bread and far too much salty butter.
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
The debt. More specifically, the cost and coverage. Debt is increasingly drowning out hubris.
Discover our private markets capabilities.
Michael Rae,
Global Equities Manager
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
I’m in charge of the music in the kitchen for approximately ten minutes each day, before the kids come in and put on Ariana Grande’s new album, ‘Petal’. I would choose things like American indie folk band Beirut, but, like I say, that doesn’t get much airtime!
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
After years of hardship and near-misses, I feel I have arrived at the definitive home-made butter chicken curry recipe, so I would choose that. I’m lucky enough to have three discerning and highly-opinionated food critics at home who, invited or otherwise, will share their detailed feedback on my efforts. I find this important to keep my feet on the ground in case my comfort food becomes too enjoyable or comforting.
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
From an energy perspective, I think 2026 has shown that X (Twitter) has become increasingly difficult to ignore if you’re trying to understand changes and disruption to energy flows. It’s probably best treated as a weathervane, rather than a compass, but compared to a few years ago, it has become a much more important tool for interpreting events across the energy complex.
Discover our equities capabilities.
Shane Kelly,
Global Value Equities Manager
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
Nothing sophisticated here, it’s usually some mix of mild rock - don’t judge! On the more challenging value-investing days ‘Here I Go Again’ by Whitesnake can often make it on the playlist – the lyrics can feel surprisingly relevant.
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
Pavlova topped with passionfruit and kiwifruit. A New Zealand original and something that always reminds me of home!!
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
A lot of it is just noise. If there's one area I’ll pay closer attention to, it's the bond market, as it can often be better at identifying underlying financial stresses.
Discover our equities capabilities.
Mason Woodworth
Head of Investment Solutions
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
‘One Particular Harbour’ by Jimmy Buffett. As a sailor growing up on the East Coast of the US in the '80s, Buffett was a staple. The first time I listened to this song, it transported me to a place of peace. Older me has realised that if you are always seeking that ‘one particular harbour’ you are never going to find it. This song helps me appreciate the harbour I am in at the moment and everything great about where I am. I still love a sunrise from the deck of a sailboat, but not as escape.
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
Simple, a classic roast dinner – the smell through the house, cooking together with family, eating together – and the roast potatoes, the slow cooked roast, buttered cabbage connected by rich gravy. Basically the definition of comfort food.
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
My starting point is understanding whether we are in a period of risk taking or one that requires more caution – the balance of risk. The signals I most watch therefore are those that help identify the volatility regime and the level of market concentration (realised vs implied volatility, credit spreads, equity volumes and concentration, etc.) Coupled with a good set of valuation anchors I believe this puts you on a sound foundation.
The noise I try to tune out, besides so-called “news” in general, is price momentum. It’s a trailing measure of flows masquerading as information, and watching it can trigger exactly the behavioural biases of fear and greed that can undermine good investment decision-making.
Charles de Quinsonas,
Head of Emerging Market Debt
What song or piece of music helps you escape the world around you?
Moby’s Play is my favourite album.
What is your comfort food that makes you feel at home?
The food that makes me feel at home is boeuf bourguignon, followed by marrons glacés.
Which market signals are worth listening to and which noise do you tune out?
It’s worth listening to: what the elites don’t listen to. The noise I tune out: financial investors’ opinions on (geo)politics.
Discover our fixed income capabilities.
The views expressed on this webpage should not be taken as a recommendation, advice or forecast, nor a recommendation to purchase or sell any specific security.
The value of investments will fluctuate, which will cause prices to fall as well as rise and you may not get back the original amount you invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
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