Why capital matters most when the stakes are highest? | The Exchange Ep. 5

Stronger investment decisions require a fuller picture of the world around a business. In this episode of The Exchange, Derek Rozycki, Head of Responsible Investing at Mubadala, reflects on how responsible investing has evolved over the past two decades and why it has become increasingly important to long-term investment performance. The conversation explores how investors can build a broader understanding of risk, resilience, and value creation by looking beyond traditional financial metrics alone. Derek discusses how environmental, social, and governance considerations can help investors form a more complete picture of a business, identify emerging opportunities, and make better-informed decisions over time. From climate and energy transition to human capital, artificial intelligence, and corporate governance, the discussion examines how investment frameworks are adapting to a world shaped by technological change, shifting regulation, and evolving stakeholder expectations. Grounded in Mubadala’s long-term mandate and values, Derek explains why responsible investing is ultimately not about sacrificing returns, but about improving judgment, strengthening resilience, and supporting better long-term outcomes. Watch the full conversation to hear directly from Derek Rozycki on why responsible investing is ultimately about making better investment decisions. Episode Guest: Derek Rozycki Head of Responsible Investing, Mubadala Episode Chapters: [00:00] - Values, Judgment, and Decision-Making in the Gray Space [00:58] - How Mubadala’s DNA Shaped Responsible Investing [05:21] - What Responsible Investing Looks Like in Practice [08:10] - Why Responsible Investing Is Becoming Common-Sense Investing [10:13] - Building Tools for Better Investment Decisions [15:53] - How Sustainability and Finance Come Together [29:18] - Returns, Responsibility, and Market-Beating Performance [31:41] - Lessons for the Next Generation of Responsible Investors [36:25] - The Future of Responsible Investing: AI, Alpha, and Better Returns About The Exchange: How do long-term decisions actually get made? The Exchange is a podcast about the thinking behind investing, leadership, and institution-building at scale. Set inside Mubadala — a $385 billion global sovereign investor active in over 80 countries, from the energy transition to the AI revolution — the series goes beyond the headlines to explore honest conversations with leaders on how they navigate volatility, identify generational value, and build institutions designed to outlast the business cycle. Listen to The Exchange: 🔗Spotify - https://tinyurl.com/2tyjj2cu 🔗Apple - https://tinyurl.com/8hyr26ft 🔗YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/mwfwzrve Tags: finance podcast, investing podcast, business podcast, Abu Dhabi investing, UAE investment, sovereign investor, global investing, future of investing, AI in investing, sustainability and finance, corporate sustainability, ESG opportunities, ESG risks, business resilience, values based investing #Mubadala #theexchange #uae #investing #leadership