As we come to the end of 2023, and the end of celebrating BFI’s 30th anniversary, we would like to take you on a bit of nostalgic trip back to the beginning of BFI. In this Fireside Conversation, we turn the tables as Chairman and CEO, Frank Suess, is interviewed this time, sharing how BFI started, what he learned along the way as a seasoned entrepreneur, and how much the world has changed since he started.

In this part I of a three-part Conversation, Frank shares how he took over the business from his dad in 1998, and how he, coming from a well-known Consulting firm, first had to learn what leading a small business was all about. He explains what he learned, why he decided to stick with US clients after being hit with critical turning points along the way, and what he has enjoyed most on his and the firm’s journey.

Frank then goes on to reflect on our Special Report published earlier this year and how we are in the midst of a transitioning, multi-polar world. He dives into the role geopolitics has grown in impact on BFI and all investors, what de-dollarization could mean to the world, growing political polarization in the West, and how investing is changing as an era of ‘cheap money’ comes to an end.