1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: This is the Blueberg Data, a q AT podcast available 2 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:07,960 Speaker 1: every morning on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. It's Friday, 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: the twenty sixth of April here in London. I'm Caroline HIPKIF. 4 00:00:11,160 --> 00:00:14,280 Speaker 2: And I'm Stephen Carroll. Coming up today. Shares in Alphabet 5 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 2: and Microsoft rise as the tech giants in press investors 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,280 Speaker 2: with surging AI demand. 7 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: The yen plunges as the Bank of Japan leaves interest 8 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: rates and bond buying unchanged. 9 00:00:25,360 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 2: And combining public success with private grief, Investor Peter Cowley 10 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 2: shares his life lessons as he battles terminal cancer. 11 00:00:33,880 --> 00:00:36,040 Speaker 1: Let's start with a roundup of our top stories. 12 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,200 Speaker 2: Shares in Microsoft and Alphabet have surged in after hours 13 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:43,800 Speaker 2: trading as the two tech titans released results showing investment 14 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: in artificial intelligence and cloud computing is paying off. Google's 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,400 Speaker 2: parent company reported first quarter revenue that exceeded analysts expectations. 16 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 2: Sales excluding partner payouts, rose to sixty seven point six 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 2: billion dollars over the period. Chief financial officer Ruth poor 18 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 2: That says AI services are increasingly fueling growth. 19 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:06,399 Speaker 3: We are very pleased with our financial results for the 20 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 3: first quarter, driven in particular by strength and search and cloud, 21 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 3: as well as the ongoing efforts to durably re engineer 22 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 3: our cost base. 23 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Ruth poor out out of the Google Cloud results reflect 24 00:01:18,520 --> 00:01:20,520 Speaker 2: broad strength across the industry. 25 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 1: The message was similar at Microsoft to where cloud and 26 00:01:24,240 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: artificial intelligence offerings drove quarterly sales and profit growth at 27 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:32,080 Speaker 1: beat expectations. Third quarter revenue at the world's most valuable 28 00:01:32,080 --> 00:01:36,000 Speaker 1: listed company rows seventeen percent to sixty one point nine 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:41,880 Speaker 1: billion dollars. Microsoft has leveraged its investment in artificial intelligence 30 00:01:41,880 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 1: pioneer open Ai to create a series of assistance and 31 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:50,480 Speaker 1: other features, and Chief financial Officer Amyhurd says that they 32 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:53,400 Speaker 1: will need to spend more money to keep up with 33 00:01:53,440 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 1: demands twenty five. 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:01:58,320 Speaker 4: That focused and execution should again lead to double digit 35 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,240 Speaker 4: revenue and operating income growth to scale to meet the 36 00:02:01,240 --> 00:02:04,000 Speaker 4: growing demand signal for our cloud and AI products. We 37 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 4: expect FY twenty five capital expenditures to be higher than 38 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 4: FY twenty four. 39 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 1: As Amy heard mentioned there, Microsoft is spending heavily to 40 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: expand its global network of data centers to meet rising 41 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 1: demand for AI services. Capital expenditure reached fourteen billion dollars 42 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:21,959 Speaker 1: during the quarter. 43 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:24,639 Speaker 2: The end as week into a new thirty four year 44 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:27,000 Speaker 2: low against the dollar after the Bank of Japan held 45 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 2: interest rates steady. At its latest meeting, the boj simplified 46 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:33,000 Speaker 2: its language on bond buying, dropping a reference to how 47 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,320 Speaker 2: much it's purchasing per month. In its economic outlook. The 48 00:02:36,360 --> 00:02:39,840 Speaker 2: central bank raised its inflation outlook for consumer prices excluding 49 00:02:39,880 --> 00:02:42,680 Speaker 2: food to two point eight percent and said risks were 50 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:45,119 Speaker 2: skewed to the upside. This is the first meeting since 51 00:02:45,120 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: the Bank of Japan raised interest rates out of negative territory. 52 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: Air Boss will boost production of its Advance to a 53 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: three point fifty jet amidst surging demand while rival Boeing struggles. 54 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,000 Speaker 1: According to first quarter figures, the European planemaker will produce 55 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:03,679 Speaker 1: twelve a three fifty jets per month by twenty twenty eight. 56 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: That's an increase on previous plans to reach ten by 57 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: twenty twenty six. But CEO Guium Fury says that airbuses 58 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:15,919 Speaker 1: supply chain is under pressure as orders from former Boeing 59 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:17,000 Speaker 1: customers come in. 60 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 5: So we are victims sort of of our own success. 61 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 5: We have a lot of demand, the higher than the supply, 62 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 5: and this will continue to stretch the supply chain for 63 00:03:27,560 --> 00:03:29,120 Speaker 5: some years. 64 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 1: Airbus CEO gium Fouri speaking there. This week, Indian budget 65 00:03:33,400 --> 00:03:37,320 Speaker 1: specialist indiego so that it signed a firm order for 66 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 1: thirty A three fifty aircraft, with an option for as 67 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: many as seventy more. 68 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 2: UK consumer confidence ed tires. Inflation has eased and made 69 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 2: people more willing to spend. GfK's household Optimism index rows 70 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 2: two points this month to minus nineteen. Bloomber Exchames Worldcock 71 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 2: has more. 72 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 6: Things are looking brighter, more willingness to spend on big 73 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 6: ticket items, less pessimism, and a feeling of financial security. 74 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 6: That's what people surveyed told GfK in April, a month 75 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 6: in which energy prices and inflation fell. It's likely to 76 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 6: be extremely welcome news at number ten Downing Street, Prime 77 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,480 Speaker 6: Minister which you sunk, is counting on rising optimism about 78 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,000 Speaker 6: the economy to boost his election hopes. In London, James 79 00:04:22,040 --> 00:04:23,920 Speaker 6: Wilcock with MUG Radio. 80 00:04:24,440 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 1: China's top diplomat says that problems are mounting in the 81 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: country's relationship with the United States. The warning comes after 82 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:36,560 Speaker 1: the Biden administration vowed new tariffs on China. Wang Yi 83 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,599 Speaker 1: spoke via a translator. 84 00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 7: The generous relationship is beginning to stabilize across the areas. 85 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:50,200 Speaker 7: Our two sides have increased the dialogue, cooperation and the 86 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:53,839 Speaker 7: passive side of the relationship. This is welcomed by our 87 00:04:53,880 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 7: two peoples and the international community. But at the same time, 88 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 7: the negative factors in the relationship is still increasing and building, 89 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:08,360 Speaker 7: and the relationship is facing all kinds of disruptions. 90 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaking Vara translator, he is 91 00:05:13,839 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: hosting US Sector of State Anthony Blincoln in Beijing. The 92 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 1: senior White House official is expected to be challenged over 93 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: the new US law to ban Chinese own TikTok if 94 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:28,000 Speaker 1: its parent company Byte Dance doesn't divest and. 95 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 2: To Israel says it's preparing its forces for a potential 96 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,400 Speaker 2: all out war with Hezbollah as the exchange of fire 97 00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,600 Speaker 2: with the Iranian backed group intensifies. In a statement to 98 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: the Israeli military said that local leaders in the area 99 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: have been briefed quote on the processes to accelerate readiness 100 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:48,159 Speaker 2: for continued fighting. The news comes as Israel's Israeli forces 101 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 2: struck forty Hezbeala sites on southern Lebanon on Wednesday, after 102 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:56,159 Speaker 2: the group conducted a deep aerial attack inside Israel. In 103 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 2: a moment, we'll dig into the tech earning story. We're 104 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 2: also going to bring you ark exclusive interview with the 105 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,720 Speaker 2: investor Peter Cowley on his latest book, in which he 106 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:06,839 Speaker 2: shares his life lessons as he deals with a terminal 107 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,240 Speaker 2: cancer diagnosis. We want to dwell for a moment. Two 108 00:06:10,279 --> 00:06:13,960 Speaker 2: on today's boj decision, the first since they announced their 109 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 2: rate rise last month, so they held rates at this 110 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 2: meetinglight tweaks the language on bond buying, optic of the 111 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 2: inflation outlook for the rest of the year, but the 112 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 2: key message seems to be no sign of further easing 113 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 2: for now anyway, Blue Edge Investors, Calvin, you are describing 114 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 2: it as a nothing sushi, a plain white rice ball. 115 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 1: Yes, this is because a lot of Americans use this 116 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 1: phrase a nothing burger, which is also kind of a 117 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: funny phrase for me. But yeah, I like this one 118 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:47,080 Speaker 1: and nothing sushi. The issue, of course is, you know 119 00:06:47,120 --> 00:06:51,039 Speaker 1: how Japan exits this policy without putting further pressure on 120 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 1: the Japanese yet businesses are concerned about it. You've got 121 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: the Japanese economy really kind of faltering at the moment, 122 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,599 Speaker 1: and so very difficult rates are not to zero point 123 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:04,000 Speaker 1: one percent in Japan, so you know, trying to lift 124 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:05,320 Speaker 1: them above zero very tricky. 125 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:07,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, indeed, I'm just watching the weekening at the end 126 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 2: this morning, the Finance Ministry is saying they would deal 127 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 2: with foreign exchange appropriately, but to climb to say whether 128 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 2: the currency moves would be what they consider excessive. 129 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: Now to those tech earnings for Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet. 130 00:07:19,320 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 1: Their results were all about the corporate customer and a 131 00:07:23,120 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: surge in cloud revenue fueled by booming AI services. They 132 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 1: needed a strong performance after shares in Meta tumbled on 133 00:07:30,200 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 1: Thursday when the Facebook coner revealed it needed to invest 134 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:37,240 Speaker 1: billions more than expected on AI joining us. How to 135 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,080 Speaker 1: discuss is Bloomberg ancha, pritty Gupta, Great to see you 136 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:43,520 Speaker 1: this morning, Good morning. How good then were Microsoft and 137 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: Alphabet earnings seemed like really they were being very pointed 138 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:49,360 Speaker 1: about how well they're doing. From aar they. 139 00:07:49,280 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 8: Were and this is whatever. The opposite of a nothing 140 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 8: burger is a swampburger, if you will. This is the 141 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 8: kind of everything in more that you could that they 142 00:07:56,720 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 8: could have delivered. I'll break it down by it by 143 00:07:58,960 --> 00:08:01,720 Speaker 8: company here because one of the concerns for Meta simply 144 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 8: was that this is a company that could not capitalize 145 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 8: on the AI and was frankly late to the game 146 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 8: in a way that Microsoft and Alphabet have really been 147 00:08:08,600 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 8: investing for years and really are already the dominant player. 148 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 8: So that's why Meta's extra kind of capital expenditure was 149 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 8: a negative. Amid that background, you have to kind of 150 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 8: think about why Microsoft and Alphabet are under or outperforming 151 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 8: because you're going in with expectations that, Okay, well, maybe 152 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,560 Speaker 8: the AI returns won't be as juicy. Boy were we wrong. 153 00:08:26,640 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 8: Because for Microsoft especially which has is considered the dominant 154 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,360 Speaker 8: player in AI right now, especially given their forty nine 155 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,920 Speaker 8: percent stake in Open ai as well, their cloud business 156 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 8: is getting kind of a tailwind from the AI boom 157 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 8: as well. People are really rushing into this and this 158 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 8: is their Asia revenue that we really watch very very closely. 159 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 8: So they gained about thirty one percent in the quarter, which, 160 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,920 Speaker 8: by the way, massive growth rate, but this follows a 161 00:08:47,960 --> 00:08:49,240 Speaker 8: little bit of a slowdown that you've seen in the 162 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 8: past couple of quarters. The last one was thirty percent 163 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 8: growth in the previous period, twenty nine percent before that, 164 00:08:55,120 --> 00:08:57,600 Speaker 8: and the twenty nine percent prediction this time around is 165 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 8: crucial as well. So this is coming in the backdrop 166 00:08:59,840 --> 00:09:02,480 Speaker 8: of concerns at the Asia growth, which by the way, 167 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:06,959 Speaker 8: has been so exponential, could be slowing down. Microsoft saying otherwise. 168 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:09,880 Speaker 8: In fact, it also helped their sales and helped their profit. 169 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 8: That the AI story is really working for them and 170 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 8: will continue to That seems to be the message out 171 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 8: of Microsoft now. Alphabet, on the other hand, is going 172 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,600 Speaker 8: to be trying to gain a lot of market share, 173 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 8: especially in cloud, but also in AI. They've invested heavily 174 00:09:22,440 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 8: in their deep Mind product as well, and by the way, 175 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 8: losing some of their talent there to Microsoft, which has 176 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 8: been poaching from the deep Mind project as well. For 177 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,040 Speaker 8: Alphabet's a little bit of different story because even though 178 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,880 Speaker 8: they posted some good numbers as well, arguably too good, 179 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,520 Speaker 8: they also talked about return to shareholders a first ever 180 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 8: cash dividend of about twenty cents from the company plus 181 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:46,320 Speaker 8: a seventy billion dollar stock buyback. Who wouldn't want to 182 00:09:46,320 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 8: touch Alphabet when you put that kind of returns on it. 183 00:09:49,280 --> 00:09:52,160 Speaker 2: But these companies are also, like matter, going to need 184 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 2: to invest a lot more in AI as well. 185 00:09:54,559 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 8: They are, they are and look, this is I think 186 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,360 Speaker 8: where it comes back down to are what companies are 187 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,320 Speaker 8: best positions to do it, Because any company can kind 188 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 8: of use the AI phrasing and say we're going to 189 00:10:04,720 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 8: hop in on this trend, but very few have the talent, 190 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 8: the infrastructure, and the reach, by the way, So this 191 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:12,360 Speaker 8: is where Alphabet's kind of story is really important here 192 00:10:12,360 --> 00:10:15,839 Speaker 8: as well, is because there's also the first quarter, excuse me, 193 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 8: the second quarter where they've actually been profitable in their 194 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:20,760 Speaker 8: AI business. That's a really big deal. I think the 195 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 8: estimate by the analysts was a six hundred and twenty 196 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,880 Speaker 8: one million. They came out with nine hundred million, so 197 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 8: they a pretty decent beat. But the profitability story is 198 00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 8: important because you can't go to scale, or at least 199 00:10:29,800 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 8: have the kind of backing to go to scale to 200 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:35,439 Speaker 8: the mass market if you don't turn profitable, especially for 201 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:37,840 Speaker 8: a company like Alphabet. So this is really helping with 202 00:10:37,920 --> 00:10:41,040 Speaker 8: that kind of move to get more market share. 203 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: Okay, so not on Microsoft, been on Alphabet. But it 204 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:46,880 Speaker 1: wasn't all good news. The ship maker Intel gave a 205 00:10:46,920 --> 00:10:49,520 Speaker 1: pool full cost for this year. They did. 206 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:53,120 Speaker 8: This is of course the biggest maker of personal computer processors, 207 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 8: and we know Intel has been mired in this kind 208 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 8: of turnaround story that does not seem to be turning 209 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:01,400 Speaker 8: around at any point. Here CEO really trying to look 210 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:03,840 Speaker 8: to restore that Pat gel singer. He's been at it 211 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:04,839 Speaker 8: for a couple of years now. 212 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 1: Well. 213 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 8: He says that the sales in the second quarter will 214 00:11:06,679 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 8: be about thirteen billion dollars, which are actually coming in 215 00:11:10,320 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 8: slightly less than the average analysessment about thirteen point six billion. 216 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,280 Speaker 8: And also the profit will be about ten cents a 217 00:11:16,320 --> 00:11:19,280 Speaker 8: share versus a projection about twenty four cents, So seeing 218 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:21,400 Speaker 8: a real kind of loss when we're talking about how 219 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,319 Speaker 8: much of that capital expenditure we're seeing. This is I 220 00:11:24,360 --> 00:11:27,439 Speaker 8: think a great way to show that alphabet Microsoft can say, hey, 221 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 8: we're spending a lot on R and D because we 222 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 8: can't deploy an M and A. For example, Intel's actively 223 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 8: near shoring a lot. They're getting a lot of grants 224 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:36,520 Speaker 8: from the US government. They're really trying to become more 225 00:11:36,559 --> 00:11:40,600 Speaker 8: profitable and compete on a bigger stage, and right now 226 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 8: these numbers to show this kind of cash burn isn't 227 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 8: really working in their favor. 228 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:46,840 Speaker 2: Crazy gup to Bloomberg TV anchor, Thanks so much for 229 00:11:46,880 --> 00:11:48,839 Speaker 2: joining us at the details of those stories. 230 00:11:49,679 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: Now to a Bloomberg Radio exclusive. The Investor Peter Cowley 231 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: has a third book out, The Cambridge Entrepreneur and Angel 232 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,320 Speaker 1: Investor is the author of the start up bestseller The 233 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:05,360 Speaker 1: handbook Really the Invested Investor. Now he's focused not on 234 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: business but on his personal story, public success, private Grief. 235 00:12:10,559 --> 00:12:14,800 Speaker 1: It charts Peter's struggles through alcoholism, the loss of two 236 00:12:14,920 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: sons to suicide, and now a terminal cancer diagnosis. In 237 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 1: his final book, one in which he puts his business 238 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: career into perspective. I went to Cambridge to meet Peter 239 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: Cowley for a conversation about his life, the VC business 240 00:12:30,200 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: and loss. I started by asking him what first drew 241 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 1: him into his career. 242 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,280 Speaker 9: Some people I didn't really realize that to start with, 243 00:12:38,559 --> 00:12:42,960 Speaker 9: but once I got involved and started to have entrepreneurs 244 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:46,959 Speaker 9: were generally about half a generation to a generation younger 245 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:50,520 Speaker 9: than me so and nowadays generation to generation and a half. 246 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,440 Speaker 9: Some people's spending time with those people the ones A 247 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:58,120 Speaker 9: good entrepreneur will listen because they have to listen to 248 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:00,520 Speaker 9: the market, they have to listen to soon as they 249 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,960 Speaker 9: have to listen to regulators, and sometimes they do a 250 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:05,319 Speaker 9: listen to investors as well, and they certainly need to 251 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 9: listen to staff. So they are passionate and they are 252 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:13,960 Speaker 9: willing to learn. So I found that spending time with 253 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 9: these people was very invigorating and of course taught me 254 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 9: a lot about things about technology, about market and so 255 00:13:22,679 --> 00:13:26,960 Speaker 9: I just got pulled into this spending time with interesting people. 256 00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 1: You've written this new book, which is much more personal. 257 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,360 Speaker 1: Tell us about why you wrote the book, and obviously 258 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:39,120 Speaker 1: that you've been struck by some of the worst things 259 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:40,080 Speaker 1: that happen to people. 260 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:43,480 Speaker 9: Of course, as many people said, seem to have been 261 00:13:43,559 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 9: unlucky compared with most people. So the book is called 262 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 9: public Success, Private Grief. The public success we've just talked 263 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 9: about the private grief is now not so private. So 264 00:13:56,600 --> 00:13:59,199 Speaker 9: I lost my brother to cancel when he was twenty one. 265 00:13:59,400 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 9: I lost Miss Alcoholism when she was fifty one. I 266 00:14:03,520 --> 00:14:05,800 Speaker 9: lost my first wife, the mother and my children. She 267 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,800 Speaker 9: died of DBT when she was fifty one or fifty two. 268 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 9: I suffer from alcoholism, though I've not had a drink 269 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 9: for nearly twenty four years. Sometime next month, I've got 270 00:14:17,679 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 9: late stage cancer. That's what really triggered writing the book. 271 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 9: I'll tell him about that at the moment. But the 272 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 9: two things that were really are so painful even to 273 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:28,480 Speaker 9: talk about. What to talk about what I am doing, 274 00:14:28,520 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 9: of course, is the loss of two children. So I 275 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:35,320 Speaker 9: had three boys who were two years apart, and my 276 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 9: middle son died when he was twenty three, and my 277 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 9: youngest son died who helped her with a book project, 278 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,480 Speaker 9: died when he was thirty four, a couple of years ago. Anyway, 279 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:48,000 Speaker 9: it is exactly if you've got any children, anybody who's 280 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,480 Speaker 9: listens has got children, don't go there, don't think about it. 281 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,400 Speaker 9: And then so I was diagnosed with late stage stage 282 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:59,520 Speaker 9: four non smoking lung cancer. So one in five lung 283 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:03,720 Speaker 9: cancer us haven't smoked, and unfortunately we're the people who don't. 284 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 9: Is not detected still quite late, so it was all 285 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 9: over my body, my brain, well, lots of places in 286 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:12,600 Speaker 9: the body when he was detected. So that happened at 287 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 9: the end of twenty one. And then Alan died at 288 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 9: the end of twenty two. And because I've written stuff before, 289 00:15:18,640 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 9: and I'm sure I've helped a lot of people, lots 290 00:15:21,400 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 9: of entrepreneurs, a lot of people in the charity sector 291 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,640 Speaker 9: over time, I just felt there was another book in 292 00:15:26,680 --> 00:15:28,600 Speaker 9: me basically, but not a book in the sense of 293 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:30,680 Speaker 9: the other two, which are business books. A book that 294 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:35,760 Speaker 9: is personal, very personal and inspirational, because I don't know, 295 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,560 Speaker 9: I've come from Yorkshire. I've always been very direct, almost 296 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,160 Speaker 9: too direct. I'm sure I've just decided to open it all. 297 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 9: So I've written a book which is basically a memoir. 298 00:15:45,600 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 1: What do you hope the messages? Who do you hope 299 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,480 Speaker 1: is going to read the book? And also what do 300 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:51,960 Speaker 1: you think that people are going to learn from it? 301 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: Because I mean, I think the title of the book 302 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: sort of expresses it very very well, and I think 303 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:03,680 Speaker 1: that people listening maybe who are facing these sorts of struggles, 304 00:16:03,680 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: whatever they may be, what are they going to be 305 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 1: able to take in terms of inspiration or just kind 306 00:16:10,040 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: of the will to go on. 307 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 9: It's just inspiration for getting on with life, not sweating 308 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,000 Speaker 9: the small stuff, as the Americans say, you know, you're asking, 309 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,600 Speaker 9: you know, doing the stuff that might not be might 310 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:22,880 Speaker 9: not be around tomorrow, to achieve. 311 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,360 Speaker 1: Is it the to do list? I mean, it seems 312 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: so terribly vc to say I'm going to make a 313 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: business plan and I'm going to make the best of 314 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,200 Speaker 1: this awful situation. Is that just the bottom. 315 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 9: Line, that's one of it. And I have both what 316 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 9: I call my bucket, this which we've all heard of, 317 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 9: and I also have a list and you can probably. 318 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: Imagine might not be able to put that on radio. 319 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 9: Okay, I also have an effort list. Yes, so this 320 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 9: of course is things that I don't know what to 321 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:50,240 Speaker 9: do any longer. There are things that I would have 322 00:16:50,280 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 9: done before. 323 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,200 Speaker 1: That you know, I go on, what are a few 324 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: of those? 325 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:57,920 Speaker 9: Well, even things like speaking at events, like mentoring people, 326 00:16:58,000 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 9: like talking to entrepreneurs. There's a lot of things. 327 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,000 Speaker 1: So I just think, no, you don't want to do 328 00:17:02,040 --> 00:17:02,560 Speaker 1: it anymore? 329 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:04,760 Speaker 9: Got why not? Well, it's because I haven't got that 330 00:17:04,800 --> 00:17:08,000 Speaker 9: long left. Because unfortunately, because it's stage four, I do 331 00:17:08,160 --> 00:17:10,720 Speaker 9: know that from the research that it's unlikely that I 332 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 9: live past much past the end of this year. Now 333 00:17:13,200 --> 00:17:16,400 Speaker 9: this is statistical, of course, but you know the statistical 334 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,600 Speaker 9: mean half is already before that date and half afterwards, 335 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:24,040 Speaker 9: and so something could happen even during twenty twenty four. 336 00:17:24,600 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 9: So yeah, getting on with things. I mean, there's a 337 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:28,800 Speaker 9: number of lessons in the book. It isn't just that 338 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 9: there's a number of business lessons. Even in the book 339 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 9: It's not a self help which we did think about doing. 340 00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:36,920 Speaker 9: It's a memoir which has got a description in there 341 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:40,200 Speaker 9: so that people can read and hopefully work out from 342 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 9: their own circumstances, which might have to do with something 343 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 9: else and maybe just business failure. They can maybe even 344 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:48,600 Speaker 9: from that and the process of the business failing, learn 345 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:53,359 Speaker 9: how to cope with their own character and not disappear 346 00:17:53,400 --> 00:17:56,040 Speaker 9: into a well of grief. 347 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:59,680 Speaker 1: I also as a parent myself, it is the horrifying 348 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 1: bit of losing children is so awful. How you how 349 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,120 Speaker 1: you dealt personally with that in the aftermath. 350 00:18:07,640 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 9: We couldn't have had this conversation within three months of 351 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,280 Speaker 9: his death. I just wouldn't have been able to talk 352 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:16,600 Speaker 9: about it without ending up in not being able to speak. 353 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 9: In fact, obviously I grieve and miss both sons tremendously, 354 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 9: But life I need to get on with my life, 355 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,359 Speaker 9: you know, I need to. It bubbles up. Sometimes it 356 00:18:28,400 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 9: hasn't bubbled up during this interview, but it could easily 357 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 9: have done and whether And part of it, of course, 358 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 9: is not so much the busyness, but giving back, And 359 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:42,880 Speaker 9: this book is about that. It's about trying to help 360 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,280 Speaker 9: other people. I haven't really answered your question. But it's 361 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:47,800 Speaker 9: that's because I don't really know. In the end, I'm 362 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 9: just not sure how I've coped. You know, there isn't 363 00:18:52,080 --> 00:18:56,120 Speaker 9: a magic wand to coping with tragedies. And I don't 364 00:18:56,160 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 9: think it's because I'm a cold creature that just buries 365 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 9: it or ignores it, or my skin shells so thick. 366 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 9: I think I really have sort of been lucky of 367 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 9: had the right assistance at the right time, and I 368 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 9: had something to redirect my grief and my addiction into, 369 00:19:16,160 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 9: which has been positive benefit. 370 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:22,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot of our audience they're very young, and 371 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:24,639 Speaker 1: they're in the city, and they're in financial services, and 372 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 1: it's all about making money, and I just I don't know. 373 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,440 Speaker 1: I think you've had experience in that world of trying 374 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: to make it, you know that kind of really the 375 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 1: drive of trying to build your own business, trying to 376 00:19:37,320 --> 00:19:39,679 Speaker 1: do well. It's not exactly the same, I think as 377 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: being in financial services in the city kind of being 378 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:45,040 Speaker 1: in VC. But I suppose what would you say to 379 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,800 Speaker 1: those people about the point of it of the money making? 380 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 9: Yeah, money isn't the bill and nal and we all 381 00:19:53,560 --> 00:19:55,439 Speaker 9: know that. I mean, even that your listeners will know 382 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 9: that in principle it would be really great if they 383 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:01,159 Speaker 9: do are in the city, staying there, they get to 384 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:03,320 Speaker 9: the point at say the age of thirty five, they 385 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:05,879 Speaker 9: back out and then they use that money and the 386 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 9: time for something else, you know, going to teaching, help 387 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:15,439 Speaker 9: charities with time as well as money, etc. I've been obviously, 388 00:20:15,440 --> 00:20:17,399 Speaker 9: I had customers in the city, so I've spent time 389 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 9: with people in the city, and it is pretty frantic lifestyle. 390 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 9: This isn't a rehearsal. Life is not rehearsal. We all 391 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 9: know that that's very hackney, isn't it. Enjoy life in 392 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,359 Speaker 9: some way get the balance right between personal life and 393 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:35,480 Speaker 9: work life. And I definitely got it wrong. 394 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:40,360 Speaker 1: So that was Peter Cowley, the angel investor and co 395 00:20:40,440 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: founder of UK based VC Martlet Capital, speaking to me 396 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 1: at his home in Cambridge about his book Public Success, 397 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 1: Private Grief, written with his wife. It is out now. 398 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 1: That conversation has really stayed with me in the weeks 399 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,399 Speaker 1: since I met Peter and since we went up to 400 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:00,399 Speaker 1: Cambridge to have that conversation, I just thought it was 401 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 1: so impactful and so powerful what he had to say. 402 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 2: I mean, it's my first time hearing it as our 403 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:06,000 Speaker 2: listeners would have been as well. And I think the 404 00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,600 Speaker 2: thing that strikes me is that he speaks so lucidly 405 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:13,080 Speaker 2: about what he's taken away from everything that he's been through, 406 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 2: and that he really has come out of it with 407 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,520 Speaker 2: a philosophy about what he can do, even though he's 408 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:22,280 Speaker 2: talking about having very lings of time left. 409 00:21:22,440 --> 00:21:25,159 Speaker 1: Yeah, and look, it took him about two minutes just 410 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:29,200 Speaker 1: to list, super rapid far all of the successes all 411 00:21:29,240 --> 00:21:31,400 Speaker 1: of the businesses that he had invested in. He said 412 00:21:31,440 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 1: at one point he had twenty seven different roles. So 413 00:21:34,800 --> 00:21:38,280 Speaker 1: you know, he's just done so much in his business career, 414 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,639 Speaker 1: as you say, you know, he's done so much in 415 00:21:40,680 --> 00:21:43,560 Speaker 1: the charitable sector as well, and so many sort of 416 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:46,439 Speaker 1: important ideas. I mean, he also even talked about the 417 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: UK government and politics, and I took away from that 418 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,239 Speaker 1: also he didn't want to give me a list of 419 00:21:52,240 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: what Britain should be doing in terms of growing venture 420 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 1: capital companies or economic growth. He actually said that what 421 00:21:58,680 --> 00:22:02,359 Speaker 1: Britain needs to focus on is fairness, which again I 422 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:06,160 Speaker 1: just thought was incredibly interesting. His views then on how 423 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:10,640 Speaker 1: to deal with adversity, balancing those work achievements, and frankly 424 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:12,239 Speaker 1: the luck that you need to have a little bit 425 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:14,760 Speaker 1: in life. Peter Cowley speaking to Bloomberg Radio. 426 00:22:16,560 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 2: This is Bloomberg Daybreak Europe, your morning brief on the 427 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:22,440 Speaker 2: stories making news from London to Wall Street and beyond. 428 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: Look for us on your podcast feed every morning, on Apple, Spotify, 429 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: and anywhere else you get your podcasts. 430 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,800 Speaker 2: You can also listen live each morning on London Dab Radio, 431 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 2: the Bloomberg Business app, and Bloomberg dot Com. 432 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: Our flagship New York station, is also available on your 433 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:42,080 Speaker 1: Amazon Alexa devices. Just say Alexa play Bloomberg eleven thirty. 434 00:22:42,320 --> 00:22:43,520 Speaker 1: I'm Caroline Hepka and. 435 00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:46,200 Speaker 2: I'm Stephen Carroll. Join us again tomorrow morning for all 436 00:22:46,240 --> 00:22:48,640 Speaker 2: the news you need to start your day right here 437 00:22:48,720 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 2: on Bloomberg day Break Europe