This week Nick talks to Paul McDade

Paul has over 35 years of international experience in the oil and gas industry, with nearly two decades as COO and CEO of Tullow Oil. He helped transform the company into a FTSE 100 business, driving growth across Africa, including the development of Ghana’s Jubilee field and major M&A activity. He holds a Master’s in Petroleum Engineering from Imperial College London and a BSc in Civil Engineering from the University of Strathclyde.

Nick and Paul discuss Paul’s early life in Glasgow and his route into the oil and gas industry, including studying petroleum engineering at Imperial College and working in the North Sea, Colombia and Kuwait. Paul describes being taken hostage during the Gulf War, which he reflects on as a formative personal experience. He explains how he joined Tullow Oil in 2001 and helped grow it into a major African-focused company, making discoveries in Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, and building local supply chains and employment. He later became CEO, managing the company through major challenges including oil price crashes, debt, asset disputes and mechanical issues, focusing on strengthening the balance sheet and maintaining investor confidence.

Nick and Paul also discuss Paul’s return to the industry after retirement, founding Afentra to invest in mature oil assets in Angola and support Africa’s energy transition. Paul explains his belief that oil and gas will remain essential, particularly in developing economies, and argues that energy transition priorities differ between Africa and Europe.

Paul's Book choice was:
Close to the Wind by Pete Goss

Paul's music choice was:
Angel by Sarah McLachlan. City of Angels

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

This week Nick talks to Val Hamilton

Val initially trained as a teacher, travelling and working abroad in Copenhagen and later in Boston, where she began working with challenging adolescents. On returning to the UK, Val settled in London and transitioned into the private sector. After studying at Sheffield Business School, she became a personal and organisational development consultant in the City, working with major banks, insurance companies and legal firms to address complex people and cultural issues.

Nick and Val discus Val's latest book - Pirates, Punters, and Politicians: How the Bank of England Was Founded. Drawing on her background in English literature, organisational development and financial history, Val explains how her doctoral work uncovered surprising connections between dissenting religious communities, the rise of the novel, and the emergence of modern banking.

The conversation follows the life of William Paterson — the Scottish dissenter, merchant and adventurer who helped found the world’s first central bank. From treasure-hunting voyages and Caribbean trade routes to London’s coffee houses and taverns, they explore how risk, persuasion and political manoeuvring combined to turn an unlikely idea into a national institution. Together they unpack the theatre, storytelling and financial necessity that persuaded investors and the Crown to back the scheme, while highlighting the tension between entrepreneurial founders and the establishment figures who ultimately took control.

They also reflect on the harsher realities of the period — including slavery, war finance and imperial trade — and consider why Paterson’s contribution has often been overlooked despite his central role.

Val's Book Choice was
The Rise of the Novel: Studies in Defoe, Richardson and Fielding by Ian Watt

Read Val's other book
Daniel Defoe and the Bank of England: The Dark Arts of Projectors

Val's Music Choice was
Maggie May - Rod Stewart

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.

This week Nick talks Ian Schenkel

Ian is an award-winning commercial leader with a proven record of delivering triple-digit global growth and successful turnarounds for SaaS businesses. Experienced in securing major contracts across government and multiple regulated sectors, and trusted as an advisor on business growth and international expansion.

Nick and Ian talk through Ian’s unconventional path into tech and cyber security, starting with his early life on a farm in New Zealand and a series of sales jobs before moving to the UK and discovering software start-ups. Ian shares how he co-founded an early CRM business, made plenty of mistakes around B2C selling and pricing, and used those failures as learning experiences. From there, he built a career launching and scaling US tech companies across Europe, repeatedly growing small teams into multi-million-pound operations and navigating acquisitions. They explore the realities of start-up life — rapid pivots, hiring the right people, learning fast, and the difference between heavy corporate operators and “street-fighter” builders who can create traction from scratch.

The conversation also covers Ian’s later successes, including a mobile app business with his brother that exploded after being featured by Apple, and his current focus on cyber security, as well as how he helps companies fix failing regions, EMEA & APAC sales strategy and go-to-market execution.

Ian's book choices where:
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Priceless by William Poundstone

Ian's music choice was:
Telegraph Road - Dire Straits

This content is issued by Zeus Capital Limited (“Zeus”) (Incorporated in England & Wales No. 4417845), which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) for designated investment business, (Reg No. 224621) and is a member firm of the London Stock Exchange. This content is for information purposes only and neither the information contained, nor the opinions expressed within, constitute or are to be construed as an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell the securities or other instruments mentioned in it. Zeus shall not be liable for any direct or indirect damages, including lost profits arising in any way from the information contained in this material. This material is for the use of intended recipients only.