In this episode, Arta’s Global CEO Caesar Sengupta dives into a timely conversation with Tarun Bhatnagar, President of platform and enterprise products at FIS and former Google executive, to explore how courage, curiosity, and a willingness to take the non-linear path helped shape his life and career.
Tarun reflects on the pivotal moments that defined his journey — from starting as a software engineer, moving into product and then sales roles to leading global teams. He talks about the importance of embracing change, even when it means stepping into the unknown. Guided early by the advice that “Your first 20 years are for gaining experience,” he built his career around exploration, reinvention and lifelong learning.
Beyond that, Tarun shares personal insights on the evolving role of money, family, and purpose in his life, and how true financial wellbeing lies in freedom of time, not solely in the accumulation of wealth, making this episode both relatable and deeply human.
In this episode, Arta’s Global CEO Caesar Sengupta dives into a timely conversation with Max Branzburg on his journey to becoming Head of Consumer Products at Coinbase and his views on cryptocurrency.
Max opens up about pivotal experiences that shaped his career, including starting out as a 14-year-old entrepreneur on Ebay. His early exploration in coding and product sales eventually landed him at Google as a product manager. But Max wanted to take a professional risk. Taking a pay cut, and ignoring the advice of loved ones, he made the jump from Google to Coinbase.
Max talks about his journey and perspective - from vision changes he executed at Coinbase, to the products and apps that excite him, to how artificial intelligence will affect crypto. He shares his take on crypto adoption and where it’s headed into the future. He also shares candidly how he manages his own finances and how not having to focus on money in the short term frees him to focus on real long-term impact.
Caesar is joined by Chirag Yagnik, chief investment officer and co-founder of Arta Finance, to discuss how Arta was built and the impact of artificial intelligence on financial investing.
Chirag takes listeners back to the start of his career when he first encountered machine learning in investing, how he met Caesar at Google and his experience as a startup co-founder.
Caesar and Chirag explore how AI is transforming the relationship people have with money. At Arta, their goal is to ensure that no two investors have the same portfolio. Chirag explains key terms like large language models, quantitative strategy and tax loss harvesting, and how Arta employs each to personalize the investor experience.
Chirag digs deep into how AI will enable companies like Arta to democratize financial insights at scale. But applying machine learning in finance creates unique challenges, and Chirag unpacks how he works to overcome them.
In this episode, Arta CEO Caesar Sengupta sits down with Amanda Ong, Arta's newly minted Singapore CEO for a candid conversation on her inspiring journey so far growing Arta’s presence and expansion here in Singapore. Amanda is a powerhouse in the world of wealth management, with extensive experience in scaling businesses across markets and building high-performing teams across multiple countries.
From her experience in traditional finance to building forward-looking fintech solutions, Amanda has seen it all — bringing a unique dual-lens perspective to building the future of wealth.
As Arta establishes its footprint in Singapore, Amanda explains why Singapore is a critical financial hub — not just regionally, but globally — for Arta’s next phase of growth, and how local leadership plays a key role in the company's long-term strategy.
Given the constantly evolving landscape of the financial industry, Amanda shares how Arta’s innovative AI-powered solutions and offerings makes it well positioned to weather the changing trends and best serve the growing segment of investors at the intersection of retail banking and private banking.
For Amanda, wealth isn’t just about money—it’s about enabling freedom, security, and opportunity.
Whether you're an investor, fintech enthusiast, or simply curious about Arta’s expansion, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this episode.
Caesar sits down with Tracy Gallagher, head of private markets at Arta Finance, to discuss how she works to demystify private markets and help everyday people invest in them.
Tracy began her career working for a private endowment, before transitioning to one of the top private banks in the world and finally landing at Arta. As Caesar points out, it’s a career path that mirrors the trend toward democratization in the finance industry. Tracy explains to listeners why that is and how the move toward democratization aligns with private wealth managers wanting to diversify their customer base.
Tracy gives an overview of private markets and the advantages of investing in them. She addresses some misconceptions about private market investments, including that they are inherently more risky.
Tracy discusses how working at Arta opened up a new world of financing to her and how her customers span a wide range of backgrounds. She breaks down how technology plays a huge role in democratizing the finance industry. She expounds on how financial services professionals use Arta and the impact of self-service tools on their experience. And she also admits to not being as intentional in the past with her personal finances and wishing she had the tools available at Arta sooner in her investment journey.
Caesar is joined by Madhav Rajan to discuss his journey to becoming dean of the Chicago Booth School of Business and how Madhav has factored the risks and rewards of a career in academia.
Madhav started out as a faculty member at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, before teaching at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and finally joining the Chicago Booth School of Business as its dean. Madhav shares transparently about the transition from working as a faculty member to serving as a dean, including how he calculated the impact the career leap would have on his family.
As dean, Madhav said he is the face of the school, driving fundraising, managing alumni relations and more. He breaks down what type of students are drawn to the Chicago Booth School of Business and the newly launched master’s in management and master’s in finance programs.
Madhav also unpacks his experience serving as Director of BlackRock's iShares, Inc. While the position took him by surprise, he came to understand that his role on the board capitalized on his accounting background as he represented investors and measured profitability. Ultimately, Madhav said, being a board member is all about people skills. He now also serves on the boards of CM Capital Corporation and WellBe Holdings.
Madhav shares his approach to personal finances and how his career intersected with his partner’s career and parenting. He discusses how tenure, faculty housing and diversifying investments all informed his financial planning over the years. As listeners consider the next steps in their professional or academic path, Madhav encourages them to always be learning and have resilience.
Sopnendu Mohanty sits down with Caesar at a turning point in the fintech expert’s career. Mohanty has served as the chief fintech officer of Singapore’s central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore for almost a decade. But last month, February 2025, he took on a new role focused on expanding global fintech innovation.
Mohanty is now the Group Chief Executive Officer at the Global Finance and Technology Network (GFTN), a non-profit organization launched by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. In this talk, Mohanty breaks down how GFTN plans to generate capital for the purpose of doing public good and boosting tech investments in the “global south.”
Caesar also dives into Mohanty’s outlook on the overall fintech ecosystem and the future of the Singapore FinTech Festival, the largest FinTech festival in the world, first launched by the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 2016.
For listeners who are considering a career change, Mohanty encourages them not to settle. Instead, “make a drastic change.” He also shares his three-fold framework for life: family, friends and fortitude. Diving into how to build your fortitude, Mohanty reflects back on the start of his journey growing up in a small town in India, and having to fight for every possible opportunity.
Unpacking his own financial strategy, Mohanty admits that he relies on outside partners to make smart financial decisions for him. While money is not his primary goal, Mohanty recognizes the importance of sound investments in order to generate sufficient income to not only support his lifestyle but also to do good in the world.
In this episode, Arta CEO Caesar Sengupta sits down with Arta's newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer, Melissa-Ann "Mel" Chan, for an insightful conversation on her journey and vision for Arta's marketing strategy.
From their time working together at Google, where they helped launch Google Pay (formerly Tez), to Mel’s decision to join Arta as it embarked on its mission to transform wealth management, she shares her unique perspective on the evolving fintech landscape.
Mel explains how the company’s commitment to innovation and user-centric design sets it apart in the crowded fintech space. She also describes the role AI will play in Arta's future. Mel calls Arta’s approach a "breath of fresh air" in the finance space as she discusses the importance of trust, transparency, and experimentation in building a brand that resonates with members.
Marketing sophisticated financial products within a highly regulated industry is no small feat. Mel opens up about how she’s built and shaped Arta’s marketing team, her approach to educating and inspiring change in how people engage with their finances, and how her personal experiences have shaped her understanding of Arta’s members.
Tune in to hear how Mel and her team are setting the stage for Arta’s future
Caesar sits down with Samir Kaji, founder and CEO of Allocate, to discuss how the greatest generational wealth transfer of all time is revolutionizing the world of venture capital investing.
Samir explains how hyper personalization and data-driven intelligence are factoring into that revolutionary shift. He breaks down how Allocate offers family offices and individual investors access to highly curated private capital funds and direct investment opportunities in a clearly laid-out portfolio that they can pull up at any given time. Samir also explains why he embraced the entrepreneurial path and launched Allocate after decades in banking in Silicon Valley.
Wealth creation opportunity is his focus at Allocate. Samir shares how his own family background influences that mission, and the role his father played in developing his business mindset. He advises listeners that startup founders have to be resilient, and that as a founder, you are constantly putting out fires. Leaving First Republic Bank to found Allocate put Samir outside his comfort zone. But he shares the inspiring experience of developing a company he believes in.
Samir also digs into his personal investing strategies. For Samir, money is about securing flexibility, and he now has his sights set on earning enough money to make an impact. He admits to making mistakes early on, but what he learned now informs his work at Allocate. Samir encourages listeners to cultivate an insatiable curiosity and says he views each and every day as an opportunity to learn more.
Ralph Hamers is a true game-changer in finance. As former CEO of ING and UBS, he’s been a pioneer in digital and mobile banking, witnessing firsthand how technology has reshaped finance—from transformations in trading and retail banking to the latest advancements in AI and wealth management.
In this episode, Ralph shares his unique insights on how tech has revolutionized the financial landscape and where it’s heading next. He discusses leading digital revolutions at two of the world’s largest banks, why AI is set to be the next major disruption in wealth management, and how personalized finance will continue to evolve.
Ralph also reveals what excites him about his new advisory role at Arta Finance and how AI can empower everyday investors to manage their wealth like never before.
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Caesar is joined by Brett King, renowned futurist, founder, and bestselling author, to explore the future of banking and finance in the age of digital transformation and AI. Brett shares personal stories of entrepreneurial resilience, including the critical moments that shaped his career. We dive deep into the digitization of banking, the rise of mobile wallets, the role of AI in financial advisory, and the eventual decline of traditional banking models like physical branches.
Brett discusses the evolution of the financial sector, highlighting the challenges and opportunities in fintech, and explores how artificial intelligence will drive the next wave of automation and personalization in finance. From the impact of real-time payments to the future of wealth management, Brett's insights give a glimpse into the technological innovations reshaping our financial systems.
We also touch on Brett’s personal journey, his approach to balancing work, life, and finances, and his bold vision for the future, including his latest focus on health tech and longevity. Whether you're a fintech enthusiast, banking professional, or simply interested in the future of finance, this episode offers a fascinating look at the intersection of technology and financial services.
Caesar is joined by Wells Fargo and S&P Global Board Member Maria Morris as she chronicles key moments in her decades-long career that illustrate her drive and financial savvy.
Maria has been breaking glass ceilings from an early age. She advises listeners to trust their instincts and be their own advocates as she shares her journey from a young professional at MetLife, Inc., with no industry experience, to becoming Executive Vice President and Head of Global Employee Benefits three decades later.
A seasoned leader and innovator, Maria steered MetLife's $16 billion acquisition of American Life Insurance Co. and expanded the Global Employee Benefits business to dozens of new countries. She explains how she builds a symbiotic leadership team and stresses the importance of lateral career moves that provide new perspectives on customer engagement. Highlighting the unparalleled impact of developing sponsors, Maria emphasizes that successful sponsorship is about building relationships based on personal and professional bonds.
Maria reflects on the key financial principles instilled in her by her Italian immigrant father and shares how she began deferring compensation in her final years at MetLife. Retiring after 33 years, she secured the financial freedom to reinvent herself without financial worry. Celebrating the accessibility of investment banking today, Maria underscores the importance of curating data and seeking financial advice from trusted sources when deciding where to invest.
This episode offers not only inspiring anecdotes from Maria’s leadership roles at MetLife but also uplifting guidance for professionals at any stage of their careers looking to take the next step.
Caesar sits down with Rahul Roy-Chowdhury, CEO of Grammarly and former Google executive, to discuss the pivotal moments that have shaped his illustrious career. Rahul’s journey is a testament to the power of introspection, bold decision-making, and the pursuit of meaningful impact.
Rahul shares how he transitioned from academia to tech, driven by a desire to make a tangible difference in people's lives. Despite initial success in AI research, he found more fulfillment in the tech industry, starting as a software engineer and eventually leading the Chrome browser team at Google. His story highlights the importance of tuning out external noise and listening to one’s inner voice when making major life decisions.
The episode also covers Rahul’s move from Google to Grammarly, motivated by a mission to improve lives through better communication. He discusses the challenges and rewards of leading a smaller company during a transformative period, particularly in the context of AI advancements. Rahul’s leadership style, focused on clarity, transparency, and responsibility, has been crucial in navigating this transition.
Beyond his professional achievements, Rahul emphasizes the importance of aligning financial decisions with life goals, valuing experiences over material possessions, and fostering a sense of gratitude and responsibility in his children. His personal finance philosophy revolves around simplicity, consistency, and focusing on what truly matters.
Tune in to hear Rahul’s reflections on his career, financial beliefs, and the lessons he imparts to his children about money and responsibility. This episode is a rich blend of personal anecdotes, practical advice, and deep insights into leading a purpose-driven life.
Gokul Rajaram has worked as a leader at some of the most iconic companies in the world: Google, Facebook, Square, Pinterest, Coinbase and Doordash. In conversation with Caesar, Gokul dives into the motivations behind his journey from being one of the foremost ad experts in the world to being a leading tech investor and advisor.
Gokul promotes the superpower of learning how to be helpful. After sitting on more than a dozen executive boards over his career, Gokul advises listeners not to be motivated by status, but instead to focus on lending your expertise to growing businesses.
Instead of focusing on profits and promotions, he explains how over the years he has made the mission of the company – including serving consumers or small businesses – his North Star. In the abstract space of fintech, he stresses the importance of feeling excited about the product you are building for customers. He also underscores the need to work with high-caliber professionals who challenge you, because when you’re the dumbest person in the room, that’s when you learn.
In his professional leaps and bounds, Gokul has focused on regret minimization. Rather than staying in his lane as the product director of ads at Facebook, he sought out new and unique leadership roles in product development. He invites listeners before a career jump to consider the worst case scenario, and no matter the outcome, whether you will develop new skills and grow your network.
When it comes to investing, Gokul argues money making should not be front of mind. Instead, as an angel investor, he embraces the opportunity to support growing businesses and to learn. Investing is a way to stay relevant and engage in developing technologies more tangibly.
Gokul provides a motivating story of putting purpose over profits, and shares how he’s helping give back to the community now that his mindset is paying dividends.
Brandon Bouier, founder of the Data Investing Community and early Arta member, sits down with Caesar to share insights from the pivotal moments that defined his remarkable career journey. From leaving a stable government job during the 2009 recession to transitioning into the tech world, Brandon’s path is a testament to the power of embracing the unknown and living without regrets.
Brandon recounts his bold decision to move from Las Vegas to Seattle for a new opportunity, despite his family’s concerns. Unwilling to live with the nagging question of “what if,” he took a leap of faith that would expose him to the world of technology and ignite his desire to pivot from government work to the private sector.
The conversation delves into Brandon’s initial struggles with imposter syndrome and how encouragement from colleagues at the White House’s U.S. Digital Service finally gave him the confidence to make the leap into tech. He also shares invaluable lessons he’d impart to his younger self about taking responsibility for one’s life path, staying patient and focused on goals, and maintaining financial discipline.
Brandon credits his ability to take calculated risks, combined with the support of his wife’s direct approach to discussing finances as a team, as key factors in his success. His story serves as an inspiration for being thoughtful about risks while remaining unafraid to defy conventions in pursuit of one’s dreams.
In this week’s episode, Caesar hosts Diya Jolly, Chief Product Officer at Xero.
Early in the conversation, Diya shares her wisdom on the importance of following one's internal compass, emphasizing that true direction comes from within rather than succumbing to external pressures. She points out several times in her career when her family and loved ones encouraged her to do something different than what she wanted to do. Despite it all, Diya stayed her course based on her instincts and created a path that fueled her interests and further developed her skills.
Combining logic and creativity, Diya followed her gut and entered the engineering world because she wanted to build things. Sticking to her passion, Diya secured roles at leading tech giants, notably Google. Diya candidly recounts her initial hesitation to join Google, a decision she nearly passed on. However, she embraced the opportunity, resulting in a remarkable tenure exceeding seven years, during which she ascended to multiple leadership roles.
Diya also opens up about the impactful role that money plays in our lives and careers, sharing relatable stories from her own experiences.
This episode highlights the importance of embracing the journey towards greater ambitions rather than solely fixating on the destination ahead.
Karim Temsamani, the CEO of Cardlytics and previous President of Google in Asia, joins Caesar for an eye-opening conversation about personal growth, career changes, and the mindset he had that pushed him to make these pivotal changes throughout his life.
Karim shares what factors went into his decision-making for every career shift, from taking his first position after college in a country he wasn’t from to eventually working and running various businesses in nine countries. Karim stresses that he believes no one should make a career change strictly based on the financial aspect.
While money and your financial situation can play a role in career decisions, he wants people to understand that the best way to make career changes is based on interest, the ability to work with great people and family, and the opportunity to learn something new. Karim shares that his decision to leave Google in Hong Kong was made based on wanting to try something new and be closer to family.
This episode tells the story of different factors that should influence career changes and how money isn’t everything.
CEO and Co-Founder of Coda, Shishir Mehrotra, sits down with Caesar for an eye-opening conversation about career choices, investments, and how these choices can impact the bigger picture.
Shishir shares the most pivotal moments in his career that led him to where he is now as a mentor, CEO, and investor. From starting his first company, Centrata, to turning down an offer at Google for Microsoft, to eventually finding his way back to Google and YouTube, every step he took was a lesson learned.
The conversation shifts from Shishir’s career path to how he got involved in angel investing and what he teaches others about investing in companies and investing in career choices. He stresses the importance of considering the big picture and pursuing investments and careers that you’re passionate about because they tend to yield the best results.
Shishir’s ability to envision the future and challenge conventions has helped lead him to where he is today. This episode tells the story of breaking the mold and how great things can come from one great conversation.
In this episode, Caesar is joined by Ryan Tabone, who was a key innovator in the development of products including Chromebooks, G Suite, and Google Finance. Today, Ryan serves as Chief Product & Technology Officer at Lightspeed Commerce.
Ryan reflects on his time at Google, discussing the amazing projects he had the opportunity to work on, the importance of continuous learning, and the decision to pursue a career he was passionate about - even if it meant making financial sacrifices.
He also shares valuable advice for his younger self, highlighting the significance of starting to invest early, finding balance in life, and embracing risks and failures for personal growth.
Beyond finance, Ryan speaks about his personal ambitions for the future, including a passion for AI and creating his own distillery. He emphasizes the importance of appreciating the good in life and working with colleagues who bring value.
To follow Ryan, visit his LinkedIn profile.
In this episode, Caesar welcomes Sam Malik, whose early life in India set a foundation for a journey marked by resilience and ambition. Sam shares her unconventional dreams growing up, influenced by her mother’s profession and her own aspirations to play in the WNBA.
Sam takes us through her bold decision to leave college and pursue a new path that presented both daunting challenges and life-changing opportunities. She opens up about the hurdles of adjusting to a new culture, the longing for home, and how these experiences redirected her focus.
To follow Sam and keep up with her journey, follow her on LinkedIn.