Menu
Sign In Search Podcasts Charts People & Topics Add Podcast API Blog Pricing
Podcast Image

Merryn Talks Money

Your Pension, Your Problem? Inside Nest’s Big Investment Shift

22 Apr 2026

Transcription

Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?

0.031 - 23.54 Unknown

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From iHeart Podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. They're pouring petrol all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

0

23.841 - 45.478 Unknown

Listen to Saigon on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math & Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math & Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing.

0

45.458 - 65.025 Unknown

Coming up this season on Math & Magic, CEO of Liquid Death, Mike Cesario. People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower, where it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to interactive CEO, Strauss Selnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey.

0

65.226 - 75.54 Unknown

Listen to Math & Magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, I'm Stephen Carroll. I'm in Brussels, where many of Europe's biggest decisions get made.

0

75.58 - 80.429 Merryn Somerset Webb

And I'm Caroline Hepke in London. We're the hosts of the Bloomberg Daybreak Europe podcast.

80.83 - 85.438 Unknown

We're up early every weekday, keeping an eye on what's happening across Europe and around the world.

85.859 - 92.07 Merryn Somerset Webb

We do it early so the news is fresh, not recycled, and so you know what actually matters as the day gets going.

92.135 - 97.582 Unknown

From Brussels, I'm following the politics, policy and the people shaping the European Union right now.

98.123 - 103.07 Merryn Somerset Webb

And from London, I'm looking at what all that means for markets, money and the wider economy.

Chapter 2: What is NEST and its significance in the UK pension landscape?

775.578 - 799.619 Unknown

Streaming, radio, and podcasting. Let us show you at iHeartAdvertising.com. That's iHeartAdvertising.com. 2%. That is the number of people who take the stairs when there is also an escalator available. I'm Michael Easter, and on my podcast, 2%, I break down the science of mental toughness, fitness, and building resilience in our strange modern world.

0

800.22 - 815.965 Unknown

I'll be speaking with writers, researchers, and other health and fitness experts and more to look past the impractical and way too complex pseudoscience that dominates the wellness industry. We really believe that seed oils were inherently inflammatory.

0

816.305 - 822.132 Merryn Somerset Webb

We got it wrong. Many of the problems that we are freaked out about in the world are the result of stress.

0

822.413 - 847.022 Unknown

Put yourself through some hardships, and you will come out on the other side a happier, more fulfilled, healthier person. Listen to 2%, that's T-W-O percent, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us.

0

847.382 - 862.885 Unknown

The United States will not stand by and allow any power, however great, take over another country. From iHeart Podcast, Saigon. Please allow me to introduce Joseph Sherman. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? I should stop talking so much.

863.125 - 864.287 Merryn Somerset Webb

I like hearing you talk.

864.352 - 888.321 Unknown

one city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. I've taken a hit from Japanese ground fire. They're pouring petrol all over him. He's holding matches. I'm on a landmine! For freedom! Get out! Freedom moment! Run! Saigon, starring Kelly Marie Tran and Rob Benedict.

888.341 - 889.582 Merryn Somerset Webb

Sting hears madness.

889.923 - 901.497 Unknown

The world should hear about this. There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Chapter 3: How is NEST planning to invest in private markets?

1217.904 - 1237.599 Merryn Somerset Webb

Women are 6% less likely to get a rebate on a fund they invest in. And if they do get a rebate, they get a significantly lower one than men get. At the same time, they're more likely, 5% more likely. I mean, you'll say that's not enough to be statistically significant. But I mean, I still think it's interesting. 5% more likely to get a recommendation to invest in an in-house fund.

0

1237.899 - 1252.48 Merryn Somerset Webb

The point about that being, of course, that the wealth management company in question will make way more money and fees on an in-house fund than an out-of-house fund. And more likely to be recommended in an in-house multi-asset fund to make a lot of money from that. At the same time,

0

1254.367 - 1272.186 Merryn Somerset Webb

63% of men get a recommendation to invest in the most expensive funds in any particular category, but 73.2% of women get that recommendation. So what you've got here is, again, I repeat, not here in Germany, a very clear division. And again, you'll say it's only five or six percentage points.

0

1272.226 - 1296.227 Merryn Somerset Webb

I think that's enough to make the argument, a clear division between the type of advice given to different types of people. Now, I suppose the way for us to look at this is to say, let's not make this all about gender. It seems to be that what is happening here is that German wealth managers and IFAs automatically see their female clients as less financially sophisticated than their male clients.

0

1297.368 - 1308.538 Merryn Somerset Webb

And so give different types of advice, i.e. make as much money as they can get away with from each class. And they think they can get away with more with their less sophisticated class. You could take gender out of it, right?

1308.518 - 1326.747 John Stepek

Yeah, I think you could. And we've often discussed that there are some frustrating assumptions made about women and investing and men about investing that probably don't really hold true or certainly aren't about gender. But I think that is an absolutely fair point about investing.

1326.727 - 1348.735 John Stepek

Seeing someone that you're assuming to be less sophisticated and then presumably actually getting away with it, because I'm assuming that the advice that's been given here is the advice that's actually followed. I mean, obviously. Yeah, OK, I mean, you can quibble with the statistical significance, although at the same time, it's a big study.

1348.755 - 1374.698 John Stepek

I mean, they looked at about 27,000 real world meetings between people. So, you know, maybe, you know, all of that kind of holds up. But I think the... The lesson really is, and this goes back to, as you say, what we were saying earlier, if you don't want to get taken advantage of, then you need to know something about this stuff, whether you like it or not, or you need to know someone that does.

1374.718 - 1379.308 John Stepek

So it's a bit like if you're going to buy a used car, Normally, ideally.

Chapter 4: What concerns arise from NEST's investment strategy in private assets?

1382.835 - 1385.52 John Stepek

I mean, don't take me. I know nothing.

0

1386.021 - 1391.091 Merryn Somerset Webb

Well, there have been several studies that show it doesn't matter how little your man friend knows as long as you take them with you.

0

1391.307 - 1397.516 John Stepek

Well, OK, well, in that case, it is just sexism. It's quite hard to deny it.

0

1397.916 - 1403.164 Merryn Somerset Webb

There's not that much of that, not much of that pure sexism left in British society, I would say.

0

1403.184 - 1424.866 John Stepek

Yeah, I think that's true. And I think, to be fair, I think Britain is actually, you know, and I'm not just saying this, pure jingoism, if you look at You know, like EU studies on things like race, for example, then Britain's actually well in advance of most kind of European countries when it comes to that. So I would guess something similar is true for sex as well.

1426.068 - 1428.233 John Stepek

You know, I couldn't swear to that.

1428.213 - 1440.096 Merryn Somerset Webb

But anyway, clear message, clear message. If you don't know much about finance and investing, when you go to see a wealth manager, take someone with you or an IFA, take someone with you who does.

1440.194 - 1452.735 John Stepek

Or you know what you could do if you can't find a friend who knows something about it. First thing you do when you go in is you say, I was listening to that Merrin Talks Money podcast the other day. And you just casually drop that in the conversation.

1452.975 - 1457.022 Merryn Somerset Webb

Drop that in. And then you can say to them, and you should listen to that too.

Chapter 5: What role does climate awareness play in NEST's investment decisions?

1490.779 - 1506.841 Merryn Somerset Webb

And as the years have gone by, I've realized it's just stupid. It's never going to happen. And, you know, most people, they don't want to. They don't want to. They've got enough to do. And also, crucially, not only they don't want to do the admin, admin, admin, admin, they also, they don't want the stress.

0

1507.322 - 1519.018 Merryn Somerset Webb

Most people do not want to wake up in the middle of the night wondering about what's happened to their money. And in difficult times, they don't want to be constantly checking their portfolio. Except, you know what they want? They want someone else to do that for them.

0

1519.699 - 1523.003 John Stepek

Yeah. I mean, this makes sense. And why not? Why not?

0

1525.868 - 1527.691 Merryn Somerset Webb

No, no, I don't want to do that.

0

1527.931 - 1543.433 John Stepek

I mean, to be fair, yeah, I mean, we get tradespeople to do things and professionals to do stuff. I certainly don't want to defend myself in court either. So, yeah, there's definitely a function there. It's just that the information asymmetry was always the problem.

1543.633 - 1555.69 John Stepek

And I don't think it's anywhere near as bad now, partly because, well, we've got ready commissions, which is clearly one thing that this German study is referring to, which is no longer the case in the UK.

1555.67 - 1568.795 Merryn Somerset Webb

Exactly. We had the retail distribution review in the UK, which changed the landscape completely and in the main for the good. A few things still to be ironed out from that. That's been a long time, but in the main, very good. Right. John, is there anything else that we need to add to this?

1569.076 - 1573.003 John Stepek

I feel the world has been put to rights in a rigorous manner.

1574.013 - 1588.627 Merryn Somerset Webb

Thank goodness. Anyway, so the key bit of advice is really, I mean, I know you don't want to, but you need to know what's going on. And if you are with any of these big pension providers, just, you know, email them, let them know what you think. Always worth doing. Right. Thanks, John.

Chapter 6: Why is transparency important in pension fund investments?

1598.06 - 1613.995 Merryn Somerset Webb

Thanks for listening to this week's Merrin Talks Your Money. If you like our show, rate, review and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Also, be sure to follow me and John on X or Twitter at MerrinSW and John underscore Stepak. This episode was produced by Summer Saadi and Moses. And questions and comments on this show and all our shows are always welcome.

0

1614.356 - 1617.503 Merryn Somerset Webb

Our show email is MerrinMoney at Bloomberg.net.

0

1631.101 - 1654.353 Unknown

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From iHeart Podcast, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. They're pouring petrol all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

0

1654.634 - 1676.363 Unknown

Listen to Saigon on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pittman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia, and I'm kicking off a brand new season of my podcast, Math & Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Math & Magic takes you behind the scenes of the biggest businesses and industries while sharing insights from the smartest minds in marketing.

0

1676.343 - 1695.817 Unknown

Coming up this season on Math & Magic, CEO of Liquid Death, Mike Cesario. People think that creative ideas are like these light bulb moments that happen when you're in the shower, where it's really like a stone sculpture. You're constantly just chipping away and refining. Take to interactive CEO, Strauss Zelnick, and our own chief business officer, Lisa Coffey.

1696.038 - 1701.287 Unknown

Listen to Math & Magic on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Please log in to write the first comment.