Conversations That Matter

Blowing the Whistle on Danske Bank

Ep 412 - Blowing the Whistle on Danske Bank

Guest: Howard Wilkinson

 

As Russia continues to disrupt the world, we revisit a previous Conversation with Allard Prize for International Integrity co-winner Howard Wilkinson, the man who blew the whistle on the largest money laundering case in history. Wilkinson uncovered and exposed an international money laundering scheme that reached all the way to the Russian secret police, which included relatives of President Vladimir Putin. So corrupt is the regime that more than 230 billion euros passed through bank accounts at the Danske Bank in Estonia.

 

Wilkinson reported his suspicions to senior officials at Danske Bank – to which the bank responded by letting him  go, muzzling, and paying him off. His report, while not acted upon at the time, eventually came to light and he says, “Charges have been laid against 12 former bankers in Estonia and another 10 Danish bankers have been served with preliminary charges.” The scandal rocked the financial world in Europe and the US, where the Securities Commission and the Department of Justice are carrying out investigations.

 

We invited Howard Wilkinson to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the unveiling of the largest money laundering scheme in the world.

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Smart Mission: How NASA solves problems

Ep 411 - Smart Mission: How NASA solves problems

Guest: Ed Hoffman

 

“The COVID-19 global pandemic demonstrates the need for international collaboration to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges,” states a new book on project and program management called “The Smart Mission, NASA’s Lessons for Managing Knowledge, People and Projects.” Over 37 days, a NASA team of aerospace engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory with no knowledge of medical devices built a working ventilator from off-the-shelf parts. This illustrates how effectively teams learn and share knowledge in real-time contexts.

 

One of the book’s authors is Ed Hoffman, who was the Chief Knowledge Officer at NASA, who says,  “Never has there been more urgency. The social dimension of knowledge and the need for people to collaborate remains constant as projects become increasingly complex and pose technical challenges that we cannot anticipate.”

 

Hoffman continues saying, “Complex challenges require complex teams in multiple disciplines over multiple jurisdictions and cultures coming together to find solutions – solutions that are possible to achieve if and when knowledge over information is at the core of the team’s approach.”

 

We  invited Ed Hoffman to join us for a Conversation That Matters on how and why NASA is able to accomplish the impossible and how that insight can help you and your team conquer the seemingly impossible.

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Is Russia Collapsing?

Ep 410 - Is Russia Collapsing?

Guest: Diane Francis

 

The EU just announced its seventh sanctions package, which is set to put an embargo on Russian gold. Gold is Russia’s largest non-energy export. The Russian government’s response was to shrug it off and downplay the impact of sanctions – a position the Union of Gold Producers in Russia disagrees with, noting that “the country’s gold industry may suffer irreparable damage.”

 

Author, National Post Editor-at-Large, and Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Council Diane Francis says, “Russia is in trouble economically, demographically, financially and militarily.” Francis goes on to say, “Punitive Western sanctions, as well as brain and capital drains, are shredding the country’s future.”

 

In an article titled “To Russia With Malice,” Francis states, “Sanctions against the import of technology such as microchips have caused factories to stop making many consumer products, as well as weapons of war. Automobile production is down by 96.7 percent [and] Aeroflot is using spare parts from outdated aircraft to keep its fleet operating.” Francis warns, “Don’t ever fly Aeroflot and, worst of all, hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of energy, nuclear, and infrastructure projects have been cancelled.”

 

We invited Diane Francis to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the devastating consequences of Russia’s irredentism toward Ukraine and throughout the remainder of the former Soviet Union.

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Health Care on Trial

Ep 409 - Health Care on Trial

Guest: Dr Brian Day

 

A recent Research Co. survey on health care shows that confidence in our healthcare system is dropping. “Three years ago, 77% of Canadians were proud of the healthcare system,” says Mario Canseco. “In 2022, the proportion has dropped by 19 points to 58%.” And an Angus Reid poll showed 70% of British Columbians feel the province is doing a poor job in health care and the opioid crisis.

 

Premier Horgan pointed the finger at Ottawa, saying, “The federal government must come to the table to address a lack of federal funding in health care across the country to protect and improve the services the people rely on.” Dr Brian Day says, “We’re doing an awful job of meeting the health care needs of Canadians. It’s the core reason we started the Cambie Clinic, to give people greater access to health care.”

 

That’s the backdrop against which the Court of Appeal in British Columbia upheld a ban on paying directly for health care and private insurance. A three-justice panel ruled in favour of the BC Medicare Protection Act. The court rejected an argument that the public system fails to deliver timely quality care.

 

We invited Dr Brian Day, the man who is the face of private clinics, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about what now.

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Is Ethanol a Good Fuel Choice?

Ep 408 - Is Ethanol a Good Fuel Choice?

Guest: Marc Rauch

 

As we all know, the price of gas is skyrocketing. It’s a big issue for the President of the United States, namely because he’s under fire to address inflation. His response to soaring fuel prices was to lift a ban on the sale of E15 fuel. E-15 stands for 15% ethanol in the fuel and adding it to gas saves money and reduces carbon output. “A welcome announcement you’d think?” asks Marc Rauch, the Executive VP of the Auto Channel. “It should be!” he answers his own question, “but it wasn’t!”

 

“Ethanol,” says Rauch, “is the forgotten alternative fuel – the only one that blends with current gasoline while improving air quality and saving money.” If ethanol is the magic bullet in the fuel sector, why is it so maligned? Rauch says, “It’s historical and the reasons are hysterical.” Namely, he claims it comes down to the power and influence of the Rockerfeller family.

 

To take us on a fascinating examination of the history of ethanol, we invited Marc Rauch, the author of the “Ethanol Papers”, to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the remarkable advantages to a fuel supplement that you can only buy at four gas stations in Canada and sparsely throughout the United States.

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All of Life is a Gamble - Kamal Gupta

“All of life is a gamble, all of it!” says Kamal Gupta, a man who has taken big risks throughout his life – risks he details in his book “Play It Right,” the story of a young graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology who took a chance in the late 1980s and left India for the United States.

 

Gupta’s story is more than the story of an immigrant in search of the “American Dream.” His is a story of a man who took big risks. After securing a well paying job in tech, he became bored. To alleviate his boredom, he became fascinated with blackjack. He was determined to master the game and win. And win, he did. He quit his job and became a professional gambler.

 

Two years later, he bet again and did two things he said he would never do – “work on Wall Street and Live in New York; those were the promises I made to myself,” says Gupta. His journey to the top of the financial markets is fascinating and insightful.  

 

Stuart McNish invited Kamal Gupta, the author of “Play It Right,” to join him for a Conversation That Matters about the value and risks of taking changes and how not taking them is also a gamble. 

 

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Putin’s Long Game Guest: Vice-Admiral US Navy, (Ret) John Stufflebeem

Ep 398 - Putin’s Long Game

Guest: Vice-Admiral US Navy, (Ret) John Stufflebeem

By Stuart McNish

 

The war in the Ukraine has revealed that Russia is ruthless in its tactics, that it is willing to kill noncombatants.  And it has also demonstrated that despite a coalescing of NATO nations, Ukraine is on its own. As retired U.S. Navy Vice-Admiral John Stufflebeem points out. Putin calculated the world's political and economic powers have fractured. He noted they did nothing after he annexed Crimea and devastated Aleppo.

 

So he feels, who's going to stop me? Who would dare? And that is at the core of his thuggish mindset. 

 

Putin has been unabashed in his openness about taking Ukraine under the direct influence of Moscow. He's worked to align Iran, China, North Korea and he's also deepening his relationship with Indian Prime Minister Modi. Stufflebeem says, “Putin has a much larger strategy than the Ukraine and the countries of the former Soviet bloc.”

 

Stufflebeem believes,  “Putin wants to break up the global power grip of the U.S. and believes a multi-front assault in Europe, the Pacific and the Middle East will overwhelm U.S. and allied resources.” 

 

According to Stufflebeem, “Putin has shown he is willing to twitch his finger on nuclear weapons, and he's preparing to or has already launched cyber attacks that will grow in magnitude.” He asks, “Will those cyber attacks be a Pearl Harbor moment that launches a larger global conflict?” 

 

Stuart McNish invited retired Vice-Admiral of the U.S. Navy, John Stufflebeem, to join him for a conversation that matters about the implications of allowing Russia to go unopposed in Ukraine. 

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It’s Lonely at the Top Guest: Ron Bremner

Ep 397 - It’s Lonely at the Top

Guest: Ron Bremner

By Stuart McNish

 

"It's lonely at the top" is the famous line in Shakespeare's Henry IV. The King had a very challenging reign; he felt alone in his misery. “It’s lonely at the top” speaks to the theory that leaders are not only lonely, they’re also isolated – which raises the questions: are they? And if so, where do they find companionship and trust?

 

Executive coach Ron Bremner says, “One of the challenges is as a CEO or executive leader, you can’t ponder or wonder or muse about anything with the people who report to you. What you do, say, think, and decide impacts them and they all want to know you are in control and in charge.” 

 

Bremner goes on to say, “If you appear to be uncertain or inconsistent, your team will lose confidence in you and that’s why you need to find a trusted advisor to work your way through the many challenges you face.”

 

Stuart McNish invited Ron Bremner to join him for a Conversation that Matters about why and how executive coaches play an important role in the lives of leaders.

 

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Is Vancouver a Headquarter Ghost Town? Guest: Jock Finlayson

Ep 396 - Is Vancouver a Headquarter Ghost Town?

Guest: Jock Finlayson

By Stuart McNish

 

Is Vancouver a head office ghost town? “The numbers say no, but they also say we’re not doing well and the prospects of a change of fortunes are slim and dim,” says Jock Finlayson, the past chief economist of the Business Council of BC.

 

Head offices are highly sought after by any city because they generate employment, taxes and attract professional and financial services that support corporate headquarters. Calgary has established itself as more than just an energy hub – it is also the most concentrated headquarter city in Canada.

 

The presence – or lack of presence – of head offices speaks volumes about a city. Is it business focused? Does the city government understand or appreciate the needs of a corporate head office and do they care? Why should you care?

 

Finlayson says, “Vancouver is in a tough spot given our woeful combination of sky-high housing costs and modest incomes. The city has long struggled to expand and retain a base of corporate head offices, trailing Toronto and Calgary.” As well, based on a percentage of HQ’s per 100,000 people, we do even worse. In fact, Regina has a higher concentration than Vancouver.

 

Stuart McNish invited Jock Finlayson to join him for a Conversation That Matters about why Vancouver’s only hope is to work with and help grow existing firms.

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Financial Cold War - James Fok

April 15 , 2022

Ep 395 - Financial Cold War

Guest: James Fok

By Stuart McNish

 

Are China and the US sliding into Thucydides’s Trap? Are they bound to follow history or can they work together to avoid war? In “Financial Cold War,” author James Fok examines “the relationship between the two superpowers through the lens of financial markets.” The book reveals how the global financial system is contributing to geopolitical tensions and offers a pragmatic approach to de-escalation.

 

Fok explains, “Little attention has been paid to the diverse range of policies, regulations, infrastructures, and conventions that support the global financial system. Without an appreciation of these and the history of how the system has come about, it is difficult to understand the full scope of the systemic financial challenges facing the world’s two largest economies, much less devise effective strategies for navigating the treacherous waters we’re in.”

 

Stuart McNish invited James Fok to join him for a Conversation That Matters about potential outcomes of the tensions between the US and China and what you need to pay attention to as Premier Xi strives to make China great again.

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