You Never Know with Nicole Lee

#43 — She Left Visa To Confront What The System Never Told Women | Maaike Steinebach: “Why Do I Know Nothing About This?” 28.05.2026 51m

Maaike Steinebach, former CEO of Visa for Hong Kong and Macau, walked away from 25 years of financial services and tech to found FemTech Future — an advisory platform closing the gender health gap through women's health innovation. Because even though women make up half the world's population, the products, services, and systems we rely on every day were never really designed with us in mind. How much do we really know about women — what it even means to be one, and what we actually need? TI...

#42 — Full-Time YouTuber: Is It Worth It? | Max Chernov on Choosing Singapore & Reinvention 22.05.2026 43m

Max Chernov built a YouTube channel interviewing expats, entrepreneurs and billionaires across Asia. Born in Russia, lived in eight countries, and now calls Singapore home. We talk about living in Singapore, what it really costs to be a full-time creator, what billionaires actually teach you about success, and why so many foreigners never leave the expat bubble. TODAY'S GUEST 🌐 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@maxchernov?si=CUL57DUDlixzjf5A 🌐Instagram: instagram.com/chernov_networking 🌐 Linked...

#41 — No Gold Behind Paper Gold | Christophe Numa: "Gold Is Not A Speculative Asset." 05.05.2026 53m

Most people think they own gold. They don't. I discuss all things gold with Christophe Numa, Founder & CEO of Gauld — who spent over a decade building businesses around physical gold, from running a multi-million dollar trading platform backed by global hedge fund Millennium, to now making physical gold ownership accessible to everyone, anywhere in the world. Enjoy! TODAY'S GUEST 🌐 Learn about Gauld: www.gauld.com 🌐 LinkedIn: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/christophe-numa-69946927/en&nbsp...

#40 — Best Cities In The World To Live & Work | Nirbhay Handa 01.04.2026 42m

If you could live anywhere in the world, would you know where to go? I speak with Nirbhay Handa, global mobility entrepreneur & CEO of Multipolitan, about how cities are evolving, why global mobility is becoming more nuanced, and how Millennials and Gen Zs are shaping a more borderless way of living. We explore why cities are increasingly becoming “pseudo-states” where talent and capital concentrate, the three types of cities that will thrive — financial centres, nomad-friendly cities, ...

#39 — Your Body Never Forgets: What Pain, Disease & Insomnia Are Telling You | Sufen Paphassarang: “It’s Never Just A Headache or Illness.” 19.03.2026 1h 1m

Your headaches, pain, and illness aren't random — they're your body telling you something. Sufen Paphassarang reveals how your body stores every suppressed emotion — knowing exactly where, what caused it, and how it manifests as pain, disease, or chronic conditions — to get your attention. We explore the three brains — head, heart, and gut — what your 3am insomnia is really telling you, what the left and right sides of your body reveal about your past and future, and how men and women store...

#38 — Help! I’m Rich!: Why Rich People Can Still Feel Poor | Kees Stoute: “Many Tie Their Self-Worth To Their Net Worth.” “You’ll Never Have Enough If You Don’t Define Enough.” 06.03.2026 36m

Why do some rich people still feel poor? When is enough money, enough? Kees Stoute, former CEO of EFG Bank for Hong Kong and Singapore, and author of the book Help! I’m Rich!, believes the biggest challenge of wealth isn’t financial. It’s psychological. In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, we explore why some of the wealthiest people still struggle with the idea of “enough”, how self-worth is often tied to net worth, and why money can create pressures and problems most people neve...

#37 — Investing Mistakes Most People Make | Sameer Deshpande: “I Used To Convert My Short-Term Trades Into Long-Term Investments.” 12.02.2026 36m

Many investors say they want to “make a lot of money.” But that’s not a strategy. Sameer Deshpande, Head of Wealth Management for Asia Pacific at Emirates NBD, reveals the investing mistakes that most people don’t realise they’re making. From turning short-term trades into long-term investments, to chasing yield over total return, to holding on to losing positions out of hope — we unpack the psychology that quietly erodes performance. We also explore investor behaviour in Asia, the evolut...

#36 — Former Hospital CEO: Future Of Healthcare is Hospital At Home | Dr. Timothy Low: “Most Western Drugs Have Side Effects.” “AI Cannot Hold Your Hands.” 28.01.2026 52m

We trust hospitals with our lives — but what if the future of healthcare isn’t in hospitals at all? I sat down with Dr. Timothy Low, former CEO of Gleneagles Hospital and Farrer Park Hospital in Singapore, to explore what’s really changing in healthcare, and what most patients will never see. We talk about what goes on behind the scenes of running a hospital, why hospitals will get smaller, the differences between Western and Eastern medicine, alternative therapies like phototherapy, and ho...

#35 — Inside a 15-Year-Old’s Head: AI, School & Meaning of Life | Joshua Goh: "I Don’t Want a 9–5 I Don’t Enjoy." “I’m Scared About My Future.” 29.12.2025 31m

What does the world feel like to a 15-year-old today? In this episode, host Nicole Lee speaks with Joshua Goh, a student from National Junior College in Singapore, about growing up in a time of rapid technological change, rising competition, and the pressure to figure out the future earlier than ever. They talk about AI, school, emotional intelligence, and career paths — and the deeper tension between wanting to enjoy being a kid and feeling the need to prepare for what lies ahead. This...

#34 — Sales Is Like Dating: Rejection, 38x Returns & Private Markets In Asia | Jahnavi Bhagwati: "Learn To Walk Away." "Find Ways To De-Risk." 18.12.2025 49m

Sales is like dating. You read the signals. You invest the time. And sometimes, you get ghosted. In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Jahnavi Bhagwati, founder of Koka Capital, as she shares candid insights on sales and private markets in Asia from over a decade in finance and deal-making at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Bank of Singapore. From learning how to set boundaries as a young saleswoman, to why investors in Asia are increasingly drawn to pri...

#33 — How To Get Promoted In Banking | Philip Kunz on Pay, Politics & Leadership: “Sucking Up To Your Boss Doesn’t Help Much.” “Your Peers Are The Most Influential As You Rise In Leadership.” 02.12.2025 51m

Veteran banking leader Philip Kunz dismantles the biggest myths about rising in banking — from promotions and politics to influencing people who don’t report to you. Across 40 years in wealth management, Philip held senior leadership roles at UBS, ABN AMRO, and Credit Suisse, led Global Private Banking for South Asia at HSBC, and is now Senior Advisor & Group Head Southeast Asia at Nomura International Wealth Management. In this episode, we dive into what it really takes to rise — and sta...

#32 — Addicted to Burnout? Why Overachievers Can’t Stop | Pei Chan: From Hedge Funds to Breathwork "I Couldn't Recognize Myself After Being Made Redundant." 16.11.2025 47m

Former Singaporean hedge fund executive Pei Chan opens up about her addiction to corporate burnout, the shock of being made redundant, why she transitioned to teaching breathwork full-time — and how success without self-awareness can quietly destroy you from the inside out. After nearly two decades in London at some of the world’s top hedge funds including Millennium, UBS O’Connor, and Balyasny, Pei had everything she thought she wanted — until redundancy and emptiness forced her to face wh...

#31 — Inside Najib’s Office: 1MDB, Anwar & Malaysia’s Future | Ei Sun OH: “It Became Rather Unbearable!” “Politics Isn’t Idealism — It’s Problem-Solving.” 28.10.2025 1h 1m

Former Political Secretary to then–Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, Ei Sun OH, shares his honest reflections on what it was really like working inside Malaysia’s seat of power — and why he eventually chose to walk away. From the early days of 1MDB to the 2018 elections that ended Barisan Nasional’s 61-year rule, Ei Sun opens up about the realities of politics and leadership — and weighs in on Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s challenges today, Malaysia’s evolving identity, and what ASEAN’...

#30 — Independent Asset Managers vs Banks: What's The Difference? | Urs Brutsch: “There's No Job Security In A Bank!” “I Work For the Client Now, Not The Bank.” “Investors Always Make The Same Mistakes!” 10.10.2025 44m

Is there still job security in a bank? That's the question Urs Brutsch, Founder & CEO of HP Wealth Management, explores in this episode. After decades leading private banking in Asia across Credit Suisse, ABN AMRO, and Clariden Leu, Urs left the banking world in 2009 to build his own firm — now one of the largest Independent Asset Managers in Singapore. In this conversation, we unpack what exactly an Independent Asset Manager (IAM/EAM) is, how the model and relationship manager incent...

#29 — Plastic Surgery Is Not Vanity | Dr. Michelle Ho on Mommy Makeovers, Myths & Stigmas: “We’re Giving Patients Back What They Lost.” “It Has To Be For Yourself, Not To Save Your Marriage!” 24.09.2025 44m

Plastic surgery. Is it vanity or empowerment? What if it helps give you back what you lost after childbirth, illness, or the hectic demands of life? And the question everyone asks: is it safe? In Episode 29 of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Dr. Michelle Ho — plastic surgeon & founder of Plastic & Aesthetics Practice @ TDP, mother of five, former breast reconstruction lead at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore, and Program Director of the National Healthc...

#28 - How To Get Into Top US Universities From Asia: Polytechnic To Ivy League | Joash Lee: “It’s Not Just About Grades. What’s Your Story?” “You Never Know If You Never Try!” 09.09.2025 57m

If you're applying to U.S. universities from outside the U.S. — especially from Asia — this episode reveals what it really takes to break in. In this insightful episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee speaks with Joash Lee — a former polytechnic student in Singapore who made it to Columbia University, one of the top Ivy League schools. But his journey wasn’t typical — and that’s the point. Joash pulls back the curtain on the costs, stress, and strategy behind U.S. college a...

#27 - Healing Anxiety & Disease Through Gut Health | Jo Brownlow: “The Root Of Autoimmune Diseases Is A Leaky Gut!” “You Can Eat Healthy & Still Have Type 2 Diabetes!” 25.08.2025 47m

Could your anxiety, fatigue, or arthritis actually be coming from your gut? In episode 27 of the You Never Know podcast, Nicole Lee sits down with functional medicine coach Jo Brownlow to explore the link between gut health, hormone balance, autoimmune conditions, and emotional well-being. Jo shares her personal journey healing from Hashimoto’s disease, quitting alcohol, and transforming her son’s focus and neurodivergence through gut repair. They dive deep into the misunderstood symptoms...

#26 - How to Analyze Companies Beyond Numbers | Nirgunan Tiruchelvam On Equities, Coffee & Gold: “A company’s financial health is not directly correlated to its stock price!” “Boring isn’t bad in the equities market.” 10.08.2025 44m

Many investors obsess over numbers, charts, earnings, and market noise. But what if the real edge came from something far less obvious? In this episode, I speak with Nirgunan Tiruchelvam — Head of Consumer and Internet at Aletheia Capital and author of Investing in the COVID Era — about seeing equity markets in a completely different way. We dive into why strong financials don’t always mean a strong stock price, what coffee prices tell you about perceptions of value, and why gold and oil ...

#25 - StashAway CEO: Building A Fintech That Doesn’t Burn out | Michele Ferrario: “Passion Gives You Grit & Stamina During Tough Times.” “The Most Important Factor Is People.” 03.08.2025 56m

Michele Ferrario, CEO of StashAway, didn’t set out to build a fintech company because it was trendy. He built it because the banks didn’t align with the kind of investment approach he wanted for his hard-earned money—and he believed there had to be a better way. Nearly a decade later, StashAway is now one of CNBC’s Top Fintech Companies in the World—for the third year running. In this episode, Michele shares what it really takes to build a business that lasts in the face of intense compet...

#24 — Commodities, Gold & Tokenization Of Real-World Assets | Eren Zekioglu: “What If Gold Pays You Like Rent?” “Everything Is A Derivative Of Crude Oil.” “Financing Doesn’t Always Have to Happen Through Banks.” 29.06.2025 34m

What if gold could pay you like rent, without you having to sell it? In Episode 24, Eren Elvis Zekioglu returns to talk about one of the most important forces shaping the global economy—and one that powers how we live: commodities. From oil and agriculture to gold, we explore how everything around us is ultimately a derivative of crude oil—and how this often-overlooked sector is entering a new chapter through tokenization. We dive into why commodities are more relevant than ever, how token...