Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Borders: Conversations on Global South Capital and Geopolitics
| Titre | Date | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ep 8: Joshua Rotbart: The New Geography of Gold | 25 Jun 2026 | 00:49:18 | |
Andrew Henderson sits down with precious metals dealer and J. Rotbart & Co. founder Joshua Rotbart to explore how gold is reshaping wealth preservation, geopolitics, and capital flows across Asia and beyond. Joshua explains why China has become a "black hole" for gold, why central banks are accumulating bullion at the fastest pace in decades, and how investors are rethinking where they store wealth in an increasingly fragmented world. They discuss the cultural role of gold across Asia, from Chinese and Vietnamese households to Indian family wealth, and why physical ownership remains deeply embedded in societies that have experienced inflation, political instability, and rapid economic change. Joshua shares how Singapore and Hong Kong emerged as Asia's leading precious metals hubs, why Switzerland still commands a premium despite growing competition, and how geopolitical tensions are influencing decisions about storage, jurisdiction, and asset protection. Along the way, they examine China's property slowdown, central bank buying, sanctions, Africa's growing role in the gold supply chain, the rise of multipolar financial systems, and why many investors increasingly view gold not as speculation but as strategic insurance. In this episode, Andrew and Joshua discuss:
Follow Joshua: LinkedIn About Borders Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper. | |||
| Ep 7: Ashley Cleveland: Africa Beyond South Africa | 17 Jun 2026 | 00:55:53 | |
Andrew Henderson sits down with investor and Africa-focused advisor Ashley Cleveland to explore where capital, opportunity, and geopolitical influence are moving across the African continent. Ashley explains why many investors stop at South Africa, while some of the most compelling opportunities are increasingly emerging in frontier markets like Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and beyond. They discuss the changing relationship between Africa and the West, the rise of BRICS influence across the continent, and why younger African leaders are becoming more assertive about sovereignty, natural resources, and long-term economic development. Ashley shares why relationships remain the most valuable asset in African business, how investors misunderstand risk across the continent, and why Africa should be approached as a decades-long investment story rather than a short-term trade. Along the way, they examine mining, agriculture, tourism, real estate, banking, Bitcoin adoption, foreign ownership restrictions, and the growing competition between global powers seeking access to Africa's resources, markets, and strategic position. In this episode, Andrew and Ashley discuss: Why South Africa remains Africa's gateway economy — and where investors are increasingly looking beyond it. Follow Ashley: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleyinafrika/ About Borders Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper. Hosted by Mr. Andrew J. Henderson: Website | |||
| Ep 6: Einars Garoza: Investing in East Africa Before the Crowd Arrives | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:49:54 | |
East Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions in the world, yet remains largely overlooked by international investors. While attention often focuses on established markets, countries like Tanzania are benefiting from rising tourism, expanding infrastructure, population growth, and increasing flows of global capital. In this episode of Borders, Andrew Henderson sits down with entrepreneur Einars Garoza, founder of Conserved Safaris, to discuss why he relocated his family to East Africa, how he transitioned from carbon credits into safari hospitality, and why he believes Tanzania represents one of the most compelling frontier investment opportunities today. They explore the realities of building businesses in East Africa, the role of tourism in economic development, foreign investment, land ownership, hospitality economics, demographic growth, cultural differences, and the challenges that spreadsheets often fail to capture. This conversation offers an on-the-ground perspective from an operator building in one of the world's fastest-changing regions. Topics include: Why Tanzania and East Africa are attracting global capital Guest: Einars Garoza Website: BordersPodcast.com | |||
| Ep 5: Dilhan Fernando: Why Sri Lanka Exports Tea But Imports Poverty | 03 Jun 2026 | 00:59:29 | |
Andrew Henderson sits down with Dilhan Fernando, CEO of Dilmah, to explore why so many countries in the Global South remain trapped exporting raw commodities while others capture the branding, distribution, and profits downstream. Using Sri Lanka's tea industry as a case study, Dilhan explains how colonial trade structures still shape modern supply chains — and why value addition, storytelling, and brand ownership are becoming essential for smaller nations trying to compete globally. They discuss Sri Lanka's transformation from a colonial export economy into an emerging tourism, lifestyle, and agricultural branding hub, touching on tea, cinnamon, Ayurveda, luxury tourism, and the country's broader positioning in the Indian Ocean. Dilhan explains why Sri Lanka cannot compete on scale against countries like India or China, why "cheap exports" create long-term vulnerability, and how branding can fund innovation, education, sustainability, and economic resilience. Along the way, they explore the role of diaspora capital, Gen Z entrepreneurship, tourism-driven soft power, conscious consumerism, Chinese and Indian influence in Sri Lanka, venture capital ecosystems like Hatch, and the growing global demand for provenance, authenticity, and higher-quality products. The conversation also examines why many producer countries still struggle to build globally recognized brands — despite possessing world-class raw materials, culture, biodiversity, and hospitality. In this episode, Andrew and Dilhan discuss: Why commodity-producing countries often remain poor while downstream brands capture the profits. How Sri Lanka's tea industry became a case study in value addition, branding, and economic independence. Why colonial export structures still influence modern supply chains and producer economies. The difference between competing on volume versus competing on value. How tourism, agritourism, and hospitality can become economic multipliers for smaller countries. Why Sri Lanka's biodiversity, Ayurveda, cinnamon, tea, and food culture create unique branding opportunities. The rise of conscious consumerism and growing demand for transparency, provenance, and sustainability. How diaspora returnees are bringing capital, design skills, and entrepreneurial expertise back to Sri Lanka. The emergence of Sri Lanka's startup and venture capital ecosystem through organizations like Hatch and Lanka Angel Network. Chinese and Indian investment in Sri Lanka, and the country's strategic role in the Indian Ocean. Why smaller nations increasingly need to own intellectual property, brands, and distribution rather than remain raw-material exporters. How Sri Lanka is repositioning itself through tourism, social media, and cultural identity rather than traditional state marketing. Follow Dilhan Fernando: LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilhanfernando/ About Borders: Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper (vesper.vc). Hosted by Mr. Andrew J. Henderson: Website (https://andrewjhenderson.com/) | |||
| Ep 4: Cyrus Janssen: The Biggest Lie About China's Middle Class | 18 Mar 2026 | 01:22:14 | |
Mr. Henderson sits down with China analyst and investor Cyrus Janssen to examine one of the most misunderstood narratives in global economics: the supposed stagnation of China's middle class. While Western commentary often focuses on decline, debt, and demographic headwinds, the lived economic reality inside China tells a more complex story. From digital infrastructure and consumer confidence to domestic brand dominance and capital flows, structural shifts are underway that investors and policymakers cannot afford to ignore. Rather than debating ideology, this conversation analyzes systems — how people transact, travel, consume, save, and deploy capital — and what those behaviors signal about long-term power distribution. In this episode, Andrew and Cyrus discuss: ● Why China's middle class continues expanding despite persistent narratives of contraction ● The role of digital infrastructure and "super-app" ecosystems in reshaping daily economic behavior ● What recent equity rebounds reveal about global sentiment gaps and valuation dislocations ● Why younger Chinese consumers are reallocating spending toward experiences over status luxury ● How domestic brands are overtaking Western incumbents across coffee, EVs, technology, and travel ● The implications of rising national confidence for passports, mobility, and outward investment ● Energy production, infrastructure build-out, and China's strategic push toward consumer self-reliance Rather than predicting collapse or inevitability, this episode explores something more useful: how perception gaps create asymmetric opportunity. Follow Cyrus: Cyrus Janssen About Borders Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper. Hosted by Mr. Andrew J. Henderson: Website
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| Ep 3: Cheta Nwanze: The Real Constraint on Nigeria's Upside | 18 Mar 2026 | 01:04:18 | |
Mr. Henderson sits down with Cheta Nwanze, a Nigerian political activist who studies how power, money, and incentives actually function inside the country. Cheta talks about what outsiders routinely miss about Nigeria: the real story isn't "potential," it's the missing foundations that make long‑term planning possible.
Early in the conversation, Cheta points to rule of law, including property rights, as the most under‑discussed driver of stability and investment confidence. From there, they move through the realities that shape policy, markets, and everyday life: Nigeria as a country made up of many nations, the incentives behind political "inclusion," and the policy reversals that create a kind of volatility investors simply can't model away. In this episode, Andrew and Cheta discuss: ● Why rule of law and property rights sit underneath nearly every conversation about growth, stability, and capital formation. ● How Nigeria's internal structure, many groups, deep mistrust, and English as a bridge shapes governance and national identity. ● Why "policy inconsistency" is a major risk factor, as governments reverse prior decisions and reset expectations. ● Why Nigeria's elite-driven, highly centralized political economy creates a "crisis of ownership," where the state belongs to everyone and to no one. ● The contrast between short‑term trading opportunities (stocks, FX, real estate) and the difficulty of true long‑term investing in a volatile currency and legal environment. ● Where real economic opportunities lie today, fast‑moving consumer goods, telecoms/data, select banks, and logistics, and how most wealthy Nigerians hedge risk by holding assets offshore. ● Why Cheta remains long‑term optimistic on Nigeria despite current dysfunction: rising interethnic marriage, a slowly forming Nigerian identity, and the raw human drive and resilience of its people. Follow Cheta: Cheta Nwanze | Educating Beyond Borders About Borders Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper. Hosted by Mr. Andrew J. Henderson: Website | |||
| Ep 2: Erick Brimen: The Radical Bet Behind Honduras' Private City | 18 Mar 2026 | 00:56:31 | |
Mr. Henderson sits down with Erick Brimen, co-founder and CEO of Prospera, a privately governed jurisdiction on the Honduran island of Roatán. Rather than debating politics inside fixed national rules, Prospera asks a more radical question: what if the rules themselves are the product? If governance can be redesigned like software or a company, can better law actually outperform the nation‑state? Early in the conversation, Erick explains how Honduras' post‑crisis search for investment opened the door to a Hong Kong–style special jurisdiction, backed by private capital but embedded in Honduran sovereignty. From there, they walk through what Prospera looks and feels like on the ground, why it runs on common law and arbitration, how it became the first place to allow full Bitcoin unit‑of‑account operations, and how the project fits into nearshoring, BPO, and broader Central American development. In this episode, Andrew and Erick discuss:
Follow Erick: Erick Brimen | Prospera | |||
| Ep 1: Kwasi Kwarteng: Sovereignty, Tax, and the UK's Place in a Multipolar World | 17 Mar 2026 | 01:10:28 | |
Andrew Henderson sits down with former UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng to explore how tax policy, rule of law, and geopolitics are reshaping Britain's role in the world. Kwasi lays out why the UK's rising tax burden – from the new mansion tax to tighter non‑dom rules and higher employer contributions – is changing the country's appeal to entrepreneurs and investors, even as its legal system, universities, and property rights remain world‑class.
They discuss why London looks cheap but unloved as an equity market, the decline in London IPOs, and the shift of ambitious founders either to New York or to staying private. Kwasi explains the politics behind buy‑to‑let crackdowns, regional disparities between London and the rest of the UK, and how Britain is trying to keep London relevant as a listings venue, including courting Chinese companies. Along the way, they dig into the UK's complex relationship with China, the rise of rival hubs like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, the growing importance of African and diaspora capital, and why Britain's brand – from education to common law – still carries weight in an increasingly multipolar world. In this episode, Andrew and Kwasi discuss: ● Why rising UK tax levels – including the mansion tax and changes to non‑dom rules – are reshaping Britain's appeal to entrepreneurs and investors. ● How the UK's rule of law and deep property rights tradition still underpin its global brand, even as other centers compete for capital. ● Regional disparities between London and the rest of the UK, and where real estate and buy‑to‑let still make economic sense. ● Why UK equities are historically cheap, what's gone wrong with London IPOs, and why many founders now look to New York or stay private. ● How London is trying to remain a global listings hub, from alternative exchanges to efforts to attract Chinese companies. ● The UK's complicated relationship with China, balancing human rights concerns with educational, financial, and strategic ties. ● The rise of rival financial centers like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and what that means for African, Gulf, and frontier‑market capital. ● How Britain can stay "open for business" while managing domestic politics around welfare, migration, and national identity. Follow Kwasi: LinkedIn About Borders Borders is a long-form audio series hosted by Andrew Henderson, exploring how capital, power, and opportunity are reorganizing beyond the Western mainstream. Each episode features an unscripted conversation with founders, policymakers, investors, and thinkers operating at the edges of conventional narratives. The focus is structural clarity — not headlines. Produced by Vesper. Hosted by Mr. Andrew J. Henderson: Website | |||