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In Good Company with Nicolai Tangen
Xiaomi CFO: From Smartphones to EVs, Speed to Market and AI
In this episode of In Good Company, Nicolai Tangen speaks with Alain Lam, CFO of Xiaomi, about the company’s journey from a smartphone startup to a global technology leader spanning smart devices, electric vehicles, and AI.
Lam shares how Xiaomi’s focus on high-quality products at “honest prices” and its tightly integrated ecosystem have driven rapid growth and innovation. He explains the company’s move into electric vehicles—designing and launching its first car in under three years—and why Xiaomi sees EVs as the next generation of consumer electronics.
The conversation also looks ahead to AI-powered manufacturing, humanoid robotics, and a future where phones, homes, and cars are seamlessly connected. Along the way, Lam offers insights on leadership, company culture, and building lasting customer loyalty.
In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New full episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our Highlight episodes every Friday.
The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen, Sebastian Langvik-Hansen and Pål Huuse. Background research was conducted by Oscar Hjelde.
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293. Friday Wrap-Up: Online Dating and the Portfolio Manager Debrief
13:03||Season 1, Ep. 293This week’s Friday Wrap-Up looks at Nicolai Tangen’s podcast conversation with Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group, the company behind dating apps like Tinder and Hinge. With Marthe Skaar in Oslo and Nicolai in London, they discuss how online dating has changed the way people meet, the algorithm Rascoff compares to a deck of cards, and his advice for a better dating profile. They also look at why NBIM holds regular portfolio manager debriefs, and why sticking to a consistent methodology matters. Nicolai also shares what is on his agenda for the weekend. Tune in!Listen to In Good Company with Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/john-armitage-how-he-invests-building-egerton-and/id1614211565?i=1000793578407 The Friday Wrap-Up is hosted by Marthe Skaar, Chief of Communications and External Relations, together with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes of In Good Company air every Wednesday, with the Friday Wrap-Up following each week to break it all down.
292. Match Group CEO: Digital Dating, What Makes a Good Profile and the Loneliness Epidemic
44:15||Season 1, Ep. 292What actually makes two strangers match? Nicolai Tangen is joined by Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Match Group, the company behind Tinder, Hinge and a dozen other dating apps, for a conversation about how modern romance really works. They get into the algorithm doing the matchmaking, what separates a profile that works from one that doesn't, what Gen Z has changed about dating, and why loneliness has become such a big part of the story. Along the way, he shares what he's learned about building companies, and why Norway caught his attention. Tune in, this one's good fun!In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our weekly wrap-up on Friday’s.The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen and Håkon Klemsdal. Background research was conducted by Une Solheim.Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram
291. Friday Wrap-Up: Lessons from a Former Boss and the Decline of Shareholder Rights
12:03||Season 1, Ep. 291This week's Friday Wrap-Up looks back at Nicolai Tangen's podcast conversation with John Armitage, his former boss and a man he calls one of the most important people in his life. Marthe and Nicolai discuss what Armitage taught him about analysing companies, why the best investors tend to be humble, and why Armitage calls permanent capital a trap. They also cover NBIM's recent view on the decline of shareholder rights, and why Nicolai says it matters for long-term investors like NBIM. Nicolai also opens up about why he thinks we should all say thank you more often, and the morning ritual he follows to stay grateful. Tune in!Listen to In Good Company with John Armitage, co-founder and chief investment officer of Egerton Capital: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/john-armitage-how-he-invests-building-egerton-and/id1614211565?i=1000793578407 The Friday Wrap-Up is hosted by Marthe Skaar, Chief of Communications and External Relations, together with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes of In Good Company air every Wednesday, with the Friday Wrap-Up following each week to break it all down.
290. John Armitage: How He Invests, Building Egerton, and What Worries Him About AI
54:25||Season 1, Ep. 290Nobody has taught Nicolai as much about investing as John Armitage. First as his largest client, later as his boss for five years at Egerton Capital. For this episode the two meet in London, where John walks through his approach to investing: what makes a company worth the time, why pricing power matters more than almost anything, the red flags that make John sell, and how a position gets built slowly. John also talks about 30 years at the same firm, and why AI should help you think rather than think for you. Tune in!In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our weekly wrap-up on Friday’s.The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and Halvor Njerve and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen and Håkon Klemsdal. Background research was conducted by Simran Sahajpal.Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram
289. Friday Wrap-Up: The Humanoid Robotics Race and What You Should Be Reading
12:14||Season 1, Ep. 289Back in Oslo this week, Marthe Skaar and Nicolai Tangen sit down together for a Friday Wrap-Up to talk about his podcast conversation with Dr. Kai Yu, founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics. They look at the role Horizon plays in the self-driving car industry, how China's tightly linked supplier networks create an edge that is hard to copy, and what a chip supply chain this concentrated means for risk in the fund and the markets. Nicolai also talks about why he reads constantly, and a book he thinks everyone should pick up. Tune in!Listen to In Good Company with Dr. Kai Yu, founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/horizon-robotics-ceo-car-chips-mind-off-driving-and/id1614211565?i=1000792303820The Friday Wrap-Up is hosted by Marthe Skaar, Chief of Communications and External Relations, together with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, and produced by Isabelle Karlsson. New episodes of In Good Company air every Wednesday, with the Friday Wrap-Up following each week to break it all down.
288. Horizon Robotics CEO: Car Chips, Mind-Off Driving and China's Speed
47:08||Season 1, Ep. 288Horizon Robotics CEO: Car Chips, Mind-Off Driving and China's SpeedWho makes the brain inside a self-driving car? Nicolai Tangen sits down with Dr. Kai Yu, founder and CEO of Horizon Robotics, the company supplying the chips and software behind one in three intelligent cars on Chinese roads. They discuss why he never wanted to build a car of his own, the competition in a market that launched 580 new models in six months, and the road to hands-off driving by 2028 and fully mind-off cars by 2035. Kai Yu also shares his Zen philosophy of focus and why he believes robots will hand freedom back to humans. Tune in!In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our weekly wrap-up on Friday’s.The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Guttorm Andreasen and Håkon Klemsdal. Background research was conducted by Simran Sahajpal.Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram
287. Friday Wrap-Up: A President's View on Global Power and Learning from Big Tech
11:08||Season 1, Ep. 287On this week's Friday Wrap-Up, Marthe Skaar catches up with Nicolai Tangen, joining from San Francisco, to break down his podcast conversation with Alexander Stubb, President of Finland. They discuss Stubb's view that the world is at a major geopolitical turning point, why he believes the Global South will shape what comes next, and how tech giants like Nvidia and Apple now rival entire countries in size. Nicolai also shares what he's learned visiting Microsoft, Nvidia, and other tech companies on the West Coast of the US, and makes the case for "sauna diplomacy." Tune in!Listen to In Good Company with Alexander Stubb, President of Finland: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/president-alexander-stubb-a-changing-world-order/id1614211565?i=1000791211827The Friday Wrap-Up is hosted by Marthe Skaar, Chief of Communications and External Relations, together with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, and produced by Isabelle Karlsson. New episodes of In Good Company air every Wednesday, with the Friday Wrap-Up following each week to break it all down
286. President Alexander Stubb: A Changing World Order, Democracies Facing AI, and Golfing with Trump
49:36||Season 1, Ep. 286How are democracies adapting to the new technology? In this episode, Nicolai Tangen talks with Alexander Stubb, President of Finland, about defence, diplomacy and the shifting world order. They discuss why Finland kept its defences strong long before joining NATO, how the war in Ukraine might end, what AI is doing to democracies, and why Stubb believes the Global South will shape what comes next. He also reflects on failure, resilience, and what a successful life actually looks like. Tune in for an insightful conversation!In Good Company is hosted by Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. New episodes every Wednesday, and don't miss our weekly wrap-up on Friday’s.The production team for this episode includes Isabelle Karlsson and PLAN-B's Niklas Figenschau Johansen and Håkon Klemsdal. Background research was conducted by Une Solheim. Watch the episode on YouTube: Norges Bank Investment Management - YouTubeWant to learn more about the fund? The fund | Norges Bank Investment Management (nbim.no)Follow Nicolai Tangen on LinkedIn: Nicolai Tangen | LinkedInFollow NBIM on LinkedIn: Norges Bank Investment Management: Administrator for bedriftsside | LinkedInFollow NBIM on Instagram: Explore Norges Bank Investment Management on Instagram
285. Friday Wrap-Up: A Guru of Simplification and the AI Slowdown Debate
14:11||Season 1, Ep. 285On this week's Friday Wrap-Up, Marthe Skaar calls in from Singapore to catch up with Nicolai Tangen, joining from New York, to break down his podcast conversation with Jon McNeill, author of “The Algorithm" and a leading voice on simplifying business processes. They discuss his rule to question every requirement before automating, and why speed has become a competitive necessity. The conversation also turns to the growing debate over AI safety, fueled by Anthropic's Dario Amodei's call to slow down development. Nicolai reflects on his trip to the Canada Investment Summit, and shares a humbling annual tradition with friends. Tune in!Listen to In Good Company with John McNeill, author of “The Algorithm”: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/jon-mcneill-the-algorithm-behind-tesla-and-spacex/id1614211565?i=1000789947914The Friday Wrap-Up is hosted by Marthe Skaar, Chief of Communications and External Relations, together with Nicolai Tangen, CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, and produced by Isabelle Karlsson. New episodes of In Good Company air every Wednesday, with the Friday Wrap-Up following each week to break it all down.