SUPERHUBS: How the Financial Elite and their Networks Rule Our World

by Sandra Navidi, Nouriel Roubini (Foreword by)

Overview

An international bestseller, SUPERHUBS offers a startling new perspective on how the world's elite make the decisions that impact all our lives.

A BLOOMBERG Best Book of the Year

Winner, Silver Medal, Axiom Business Book Awards 2018

FOREWORD BY NOURIEL ROUBINI


$UPERHUBS is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how the world's most powerful titans, the "superhubs," pull the levers of our global financial system. Combining insider's knowledge with principles of network science, Sandra Navidi offers a startling new perspective on how superhubs build their powerful networks and how their decisions impact all our lives.

$UPERHUBS reveals what happens at the exclusive, invitation-only platforms - The World Economic Forum in Davos, the meetings of the International Monetary Fund, think-tank gatherings and exclusive galas. This is the most vivid portrait to date of the global elite: the bank CEOs, fund managers, billionaire financiers and politicians who, through their interlocking relationships and collective influence are transforming our increasingly fragile financial system, economy and society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781857889796
Publisher:	Quercus
Publication date:	01/24/2017
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	889,191
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Sandra Navidi is the Founder and CEO of BeyondGlobal, a consulting firm, where she renders macroeconomic and strategic positioning advice. Previously, Ms. Navidi worked closely with economist Nouriel Roubini as Director of Research Strategies and Senior Relationship Manager at Roubini Global Economics. Prior to that, Ms. Navidi had positions as investment banker at Scarsdale Equities, general counsel at Muzinich & Co. and consultant at Deloitte. Ms. Navidi holds a law degree from the University of Cologne School of Law, Germany, and a Master-of-Law Degree in Banking Corporate and Finance law from Fordham University School of Law, USA. She is admitted to practice law in the Federal Republic of Germany as well as in the State of New York. As an expert commentator on financial markets, Ms. Navidi has given over 600 interviews on international media outlets and has keynoted at dozens of large industry events.

Read an Excerpt

$UPERHUBS

How the Financial Elite and Their Networks Rule Our World

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By Sandra Navidi

Nicholas Brealey Publishing

Copyright © 2017 Sandra Navidi
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-85788-979-6

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CHAPTER 1

The Financial Universe

An Innately HumanSystem

THE STRATOSPHERE OF POWER: DAVOS

It was a gray January day in New York. The frenzied holiday season had passed, the tourists departed, and the traffic deadlock dissolved. The city's famed energy seemed frozen and its residents hibernating. I, however, was engaged in a flutter of activity, preparing for my most important trip of the year — to the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

The exclusivity of the event and its high-profile attendees have shrouded "Davos," as it has become known, in legend. Set in a small ski resort in the Swiss Alps, the Annual Meeting attracts 2,500 global leaders, including heads of state, billionaire investors, managers of trillion-dollar funds, multinational CEOs, and elite academics. There they discuss the world's most pressing challenges, cut deals, and, most importantly, network. Attendance is by invitation only, and competition over tickets is fierce. The conference has limited capacity, and every year people pull all kinds of strings and call in favors to be admitted, despite the steep price tag. I had first been invited based on my capital markets expertise. Among other contributions, I served on the Council on Systemic Financial Risk, co-authored a study on international financial reforms, and have subsequently remained engaged with the WEF network through the people and firms I have worked with over the years.

Upon arrival at JFK Airport, I checked in at the provisional Swiss Airlines counter that had conveniently been established right beyond the revolving entry doors, exclusively for Davos travelers. Ground staff, clad in stylish dark-gray uniforms, was particularly accommodative and eager to cater to this special clientele. The airport lounge was filled with a cross section of Davos attendees: here George Soros, there Credit Suisse CEO Brady Dougan, and in the back Washington Post heiress Lally Weymouth. They, among many others, relaxed on the heavy leather armchairs, nibbling on delicatessen from the buffet to allow for uninterrupted sleep during the flight. The panoramic windows opened the view on the deepening dusk and a fleet of planes featuring the red-and-white Swiss cross. Conversations among the passengers continued on the plane until seats were reclined and eye masks pulled down. Eight hours later we disembarked in Zürich, where the highest-profile attendees rushed to their $10,000 helicopter rides, bank executives were collected by shiny chauffeured cars, and I, along with the rest, boarded the WEF shuttle bus.

The winding, snowy mountain road was a bumper-to-bumper convoy of limousines, their passengers obscured behind darkly tinted windows. As we reached higher altitudes, the snow deepened and powdered pine trees glistened in the sun. Almost three hours later, we arrived at the alpine resort. Any expectations that Davos might bear some resemblance to Thomas Mann's description of a timber-chalet-dotted ski resort in his classic novel The Magic Mountain are doused as soon as the village's dull, flat-roofed concrete buildings come into sight. Luckily, most of the architectural eyesores are covered in snow and dressed up with large event banners announcing the WEF.

Davos is a study in contrast. More basic than sophisticated, it presents a curiously juxtaposed backdrop for the power and riches of the participants. Many hotels are rather outdated — it's a bit like being caught in a time warp. Only a couple of years ago, rotary phones, which are particularly inconvenient when dialing lengthy international numbers, and faxes in the form of endless paper rolls were still the rule rather than the exception. Amenities generally taken for granted, like Wi-Fi, were more a function of luck than a matter of course, and the stoic Swiss hoteliers met complaints mostly with an indifferent shrug. Even the ultrawealthy must tolerate rooms they would ordinarily consider below their standards. I once witnessed a billionaire complain, in an exasperated mien, that his room at the five-star Steigenberger Belvédère was like a casket with a light attached to its lid.

In the last couple of years, however, the village has grudgingly given in to progress. It now even features a futuristic luxury hotel, the Intercontinental, which is owned by Credit Suisse and has been compared to a golden spaceship. Guests who prefer more privacy and space rent chalets; prices start at $150,000 for the duration of the conference — not including staff. A friend of mine, a Swiss investor, rents out his enormous chalet to "the Russian government" every year because they pay him any price he asks. Other friends rent out their two luxury apartments for $6,000 each.

I checked into my cozy, family-run hotel, a fifteen-minute walk from the conference center. Generally, the conference organization assigns hotels, and participants have little or no say in the decision. However, if attendees dole out extra money for a high-level membership, their chances of being assigned accommodations closer to the Congress Centre increase. VIP guests — along with several dozen heads of state — reside at the Steigenberger Belvédère Hotel, which — other than the Congress Centre — is the most important hub of activity during the event, where many major networking parties take place. The less fortunate might be assigned hotels in neighboring villages, requiring a time-consuming and expensive commute.

Despite being sleep-deprived, jet-lagged, and at the brink of exhaustion, I did not want to miss a single second of mingling at the event. After checking in, I trudged through deep snow in mind-numbing, subzero temperatures to pick up my badge. The precious conference badge gives attendees access to restricted and highly secured areas. During the WEF, Davos is the number-one terrorist target in the world: 5,000 heavily armed police officers and soldiers guard the village and man barbed-wired checkpoints. Masked snipers parole the rooftops, and fighter jets sit on alert to protect the no-fly zone. The security team controls the chaos with Swiss precision. Only officially credentialed participants are granted access, all of whom — except heads of state — must leave their bodyguards at the door and wait in line with everyone else. There is no preferential treatment for the upper echelons here.

Equipped with my new badge, I headed for the modern Congress Centre — a big, bright, state-of-the-art concrete maze of a building — where most of the WEF's formal activities are held. On my way, I crossed paths with Bill Gates, who gave me a friendly nod; IMF chief Christine Lagarde, who said hello; and private equity billionaire Steve Schwarzman, with whom I exchanged pleasantries. At the coat check, where I replaced my messy boots with elegant dress shoes, I ran into Larry Summers, former U.S. treasury secretary and Harvard economics professor, and Robert Shiller, Nobel laureate and one of the most influential economists in the world. Although I have attended the WEF several years in a row, I am still regularly amazed by the fact that everyone around me is famous, and that every financial titan who is regularly featured in prime-time news and on the front pages seems to have materialized simultaneously in front of me.

I was familiar with many who were there, and after some meet and greet, I withdrew from the babel of languages into a quiet corner, where I scoured the database, deciding on which of the roughly 300 sessions I would attend. The choices ranged from talks on the global economic outlook to more unconventional topics, such as the importance of being happy and the human brain. The multitude of opportunities, choices, and people is both invigorating and draining at the same time, and over the years I have learned to allocate my energy prudently. Every first-time attendee is completely overwhelmed, and although the village is small, it takes time to acclimatize and figure out how everything works. Initially, the density and approachability of powerful and famous attendees feels surreal, but as if by gravitational force, people are sucked into this parallel universe before being released into the world again five days later.

THE ORBIT OF THE FINANCIAL ELITE: THE GRAVITATIONAL FORCE OF NETWORKS

The official purpose of Davos is to foster critical discussions to find solutions for pressing global problems. In the past, the meetings have been described as the world's largest focus group, a method for taking the global geoeconomic temperature. With dozens of Nobel laureates and hundreds of the world's most esteemed academics and industry leaders, the intellectual firepower is nothing short of breathtaking, with hundreds of sessions, workshops, and interdisciplinary exchanges. Although I can rarely pinpoint at the time what exactly I have taken away from the meetings, I feel that shortly thereafter the information and ideas form a bigger picture, a better understanding and a clearer sense of what lies ahead.

But the real reason why heavy hitters spare no effort or expense to attend? The endless peer-to-peer power-networking opportunities. The WEF is one of the most famous and efficient fora for connecting leaders in the financial industry, with seven hundred journalists present, who broadcast their importance to the world. Contacts made here ripple through professional and personal lives like concentric circles. As the Davos saying goes, "Three days of attendance saves three months of travel." This is a key benefit for people who can always make more money but can never make more time.

Among the Davos attendees are many titans of finance who pull the levers of the global financial system. This system is not simply interlinked by institutions and transactions, but it is fundamentally a human system, because on the most basic level it is the result of human interaction. Understanding the interconnections of the key players is vital if we want to understand the system as a whole.

Why should we care? Because the actions of a relatively small group of individuals influence everything from national economies to the stability of the system as a whole. The heads of banks, private equity firms, hedge funds, and central banks make fundamental strategic decisions that directly impact industries, jobs, and living standards — our industries, our jobs, our living standards. Yet, despite their pervasive power, these moguls are still simply human. They make mistakes, and they get lucky. They are motivated by honorable or less than honorable goals. And they are driven by ego and emotion, not dissimilar to the rest of us.

Who are these people who reside at the center of the network? How have they achieved their status, and how do they retain it? What are their weaknesses, and what are their strengths? What kind of power do they wield within the global financial system, and what does that mean for the rest of us? These are the questions I set out to answer. Based on four years of research and many more years of personal experience, I realized that network science paired with stories from the lives of influencers can help us understand the complex structure of relationships in the financial world — and what they mean to the overall system.

The Financial System: Applying the Lens of Network Science

What do the brain, ant colonies, and the financial system have in common? They are all complex self-organizing systems. The brain is a network consisting of billions of neurons connected by synapses that cooperate with one another in a way that creates consciousness. The brain does not have a master cell that tells it how to work — it self-organizes out of millions of electrical and chemical interactions. Another example is ant colonies, which function on the basis of collective, decentralized behavior. An individual ant, through communication with other ants, receives instructions on how to behave. There is no "leader-ant" that determines the dynamics of individual interactions or the colony as a whole; together, all ants contribute to a well-functioning and efficient system.

By the same token, in the global financial system, the actions of autonomous individuals lead to collective activity. Who are the players in this system? They are executives at financial institutions, such as banks and investment funds; leaders of public-sector institutions, such as central banks and the International Monetary Fund; and many other formal and informal actors who interact in complex transactions across national borders. There is no global "central command" that determines how the system works. It self-organizes out of countless connections, interactions, and decisions.

Decision makers influence the system's dynamics with their actions, but they have no control over the system itself. No one person can change the price of commodities or the fluctuations of the global economy. But by their interconnections and interactions, they produce large-scale effects. For example, the individuals who lead major financial institutions have enormous network power. At the same time, they are subject to systemic forces and governing rules. Essentially, the "game" of finance has rules that influence how they play. In turn, the way they play impacts the rules and the nature of the game itself.

The Human Factor: The Power of Personal Connections

Previous analyses of the financial system and its risks have focused primarily on the interconnectedness of financial institutions, the validity of macroeconomic theories, and the power of quantitative models, while giving less consideration to the networks of people who preside over the institutions that comprise the system. Yet, in the end all comes down to people, because it is they, not abstract entities, who make decisions on institutions' behalf, who devise theories and decide which models to use. This human dimension adds another level of complexity, because the dynamics of human relationships that result in seemingly amorphous and elusive networks, are not strictly formulaic, and difficult to quantitatively measure.

However, since human networks are also subject to the laws of network science, we can use these laws to help us understand how relationships form and how they are structured. A better understanding of those who have the greatest influence on the system and their connections to each other will help us understand the system itself.

Network science explains the organizational structure of all systems. It has gained popularity in recent years, mainly because of the growing importance of social networks. But it can also help explain how some investors have made billions of dollars, such as hedge fund superhubs George Soros and John Paulson. Or why it seems like no one has been held accountable for the events or decisions that led to the Great Recession.

In network science, "[it's] the pattern that matters, the architecture of relationships, not the identities of the dots themselves." The key players understand that the ultimate competitive advantage relies on the extent and depth of personal bonds and alliances — the network of links or connections that gives a person influence. They understand the system itself, the complex relationship architecture, and the "magic formula" of developing powerful connections. From their superior perspective, they can see how their networks provide them with unprecedented opportunities, resources, and support, and thus a greater ability to influence the system as a whole. The better they understand it, the more successful they are within it. This is exactly why we should try to understand it, because, as Douglas Rushkoff poignantly notes, "If you don't know how the system you are using works, chances are the system is using you."

Hence, we will take a look at the financial world through the prism of networked systems, because our interconnected world requires a more comprehensive perspective. Technologization, financialization, and globalization have created an intricate web of interconnections within the financial world itself and between the financial world and other sectors such as the economy and politics. While new linkages are formed at an unprecedented speed, our capacity to fully grasp the resulting complexity has not quite caught up with the new system we have created — as was evident in the miscalculation of the impact of Lehman Brothers' failure or the challenges of dealing with the eurozone crisis.

Introduction: Meet the "Superhubs"

Davos epitomizes the principles of network science as they apply to human beings. These meetings tangibly demonstrate that similar people attract each other — and that those who already have the most connections attract even more. The Davos success formula? The resort is hard to reach, isolated, and difficult to navigate. Deprived of their usual environments, infrastructure, and privileges, leaders are crammed into a vacuum with nowhere else to go. Constantly caught in bottlenecks of security controls, coat checks, bus lines, and traffic jams, they have no choice but to become engaged in conversation. You literally cannot escape mingling, and it is this inefficiency that actually drives the über-efficient networking dynamics. Other conference organizers have tried to compete with similar concepts, yet so far none have succeeded.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from $UPERHUBS by Sandra Navidi. Copyright © 2017 Sandra Navidi. Excerpted by permission of Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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Table of Contents

Foreword xix

Introduction xxiii

Genesis xxiii

About This Book xxiv

The Financial Industry and the Power of Networks xxv

Applying the Lens of Network Science: Systems Thinking xxvi

Crisis Alert xxvii

Author's Note xxviii

Chapter 1 The Financial Universe: An Innately Human System 1

The Stratosphere of Power: Davos 1

The Orbit of the Financial Elite: The Gravitational Force of Networks 4

The Financial System: Applying the Lens of Network Science 6

The Human Factor: The Power of Personal Connections 7

Introduction: Meet the "Superhubs" 8

Fault Lines: The Fragility of Our Financial System 12

Chapter 2 Superhubs: The Financial Elite and Their Networks 15

The Superhub Prototype: Hedge Fund Titan George Soros 15

A Blueprint for Networks: Nodes, Hubs, and Superhubs-Bankers, Executives, and CEOs 18

Financial Superhubs: Network Equals Networth 21

Network Geography: Location Matters 21

Location: Reputation Matters 22

Reputation: Access Matters 23

Access: Social Capital Matters 25

Chapter 3 The Links That Connect Superhubs: Money, Information, and Opportunities 29

Network Nucleus: Larry Fink 29

Network Power: Money 31

The Printing Presses: Central Banks 32

Federal Reserve Chairman: In Charge of the World's Reserve Currency 34

Central Bank of Central Banks: The Bank for International Settlements 37

A Primer on Banks: Regular and Shadow Banks 37

The Perpetual Crisis Manager: The International Monetary Fund 38

Network Currency: Information 39

The Influence of Personal Connections 41

Information Access and Proximity 42

The Benefit of Connections in Tumultuous Times 45

Thought Leaders-Superhubs of Valuable Information 47

Network Investments: Social Capital 51

Money + Information + Social Capital = Infinite Opportunities 52

Chapter 4 The Matrix: Decoding the Superhub DNA 55

The Alpha Personality: Jamie Dimon 55

EQ: Connecting Emotionally 58

Master Closers: Steve Schwarzman 59

Inquiring Minds 62

Inventing Ideologies 63

The Cult of Failure 64

CEOs-Chief Ego Officers: Bill Gross 65

On a Monomaniacal Mission: Ray Dalio 69

Chapter 5 Homophily: Similarity Breeds Connection 75

The Charitable Superhub Network: The Robin Hood Gala 75

A Law of Nature: Why the Rich Get Richer 77

Global Conquest: The Transnational Financial Elite 77

Meeting of the Minds: Circle of Trust 78

The Hegemony of Homogeneity 79

The IQ Elite: A Masters Degree in Networking 81

Network Plutocracy: "'The Old Boys' Club" 82

That's Rich: Superhubs and Super-Riches 85

The "Flocking Effect": The Superhub Habitat 89

Chapter 6 Executive Networking: Relational Capital 93

The Superhub of Superhubs: Klaus Schwab 93

Friends with Benefits: Capital Networks = Network Capital 97

More an Art than a Science: Attraction + Interaction = Transaction 98

Digital Bits versus Human Touch 99

Beyond Networking: How to Win Friends and Influence People 100

The Alchemy of Chemistry: Charm Offensive 102

The Lords of Networks and Their Creations 103

Negative Notions on Networking 104

Think Tanks: Network Motherboards 105

INET: Connecting the Connected at Bretton Woods 106

Chapter 7 Members Only: The Exclusive Networking Platforms of the Global Super-Elite 109

A Dinner of Consequence: Attack on the Euro 109

Conspiracy Theories: An Explanation for Attempted Explanations 111

Why Networks Need Platforms: Connectivity 112

The Annual Power Circuit: Dispatch from Davos 112

The Global Financial Power Center: The International Monetary Fund 117

Washington, D.C.: The Financial Shadow Capital 117

IMF Meetings in Istanbul: Dancing on the Titanic 118

Power Summit: The Bilderberg Conference 120

Stealth Power: Family Office Gatherings 122

Feeding Off Power: Power Lunches 124

Power Workout: Networking, Working, and Working Out 125

"Superhub-Nobbing": Private Parties 126

The Higher Purpose of Networking: The Charity Circuit 128

Chapter 8 Opportunity Costs: The Downside of the Upside 131

Missing Out on Memorable Moments 131

Stress Test: When Being a Superhub Is Not So Super 133

Married to Their Jobs: Work-Family Life Imbalance 135

Media Madness: Living Under a Microscope 136

Super-Sick: Paying the Ultimate Price 137

Clash of the Titans: Close Combat and Coups d'État 139

Triumph and Defeat: A Turbulent Career 141

Chapter 9 "Womenomics": The Missing Link 147

The Gender Gap: Women Missing in Action 147

The Access Gap: Exclusive Means Excluding 148

The Networking Gap: Schmooze or Lose 151

The Assessment Gap: Performance versus Potential 152

The Wage Gap: Selling Women Short 153

The Failure Gap: Demoting Promotions 154

The Mentoring Gap: Missing Out on Mentoring 154

The Sexism Gap: The Wolves of Wall Street on the Prowl 155

The Resilience Gap: Male Might and Female Feebleness 156

Closing the Gender Gap: Superhub Christine Lagarde 158

Chapter 10 Revolving Superhubs: Creating Network Monopolies 163

Psychological Kidnapping 163

The Revolving Door 164

The Oscillating Megahub: Robert Rubin 165

Open Doors: Tony Blair 170

Cross-Connections: Cooperating Constructively in Times of Crises 172

Launching a President 173

"Legalized Corruption": The Best Democracy Money Can Buy 175

Purchasing Political Protection 175

Relationship Power: Diffusing the Euro Time Bomb 176

Super-Entity: The Capitalist Network That Runs the World 178

Chapter 11 De-Linked: Expulsion and Comeback 181

Sent into Exile: Dick Fuld 181

Shock-Resistant: Larry Summers's Network 184

Meteoric Rise 185

Against All Odds 186

The Bull in Charge of the China Shop 187

Den of Thieves: Mike Milken 190

Complete Network Collapse: Dominique Strauss-Kahn 193

Ponzi Schemes and Sex Scandals: Buddy Fletcher and Ellen Pao 196

Omni-Connected: Michael Klein 203

Chapter 12 Super-Crash: "Executive Contagion" 207

The Crash of a Titan: John Meriwether 207

The Big Picture: Capitalism in Crisis 209

Debt and Financialization 210

Wealth Gap and Inequality 210

Globalization Winners versus Globalization Losers 211

Approaching the Tipping Point 212

When an Irresistible Force Meets an Immovable Object: Brexit 213

The Next Crisis: Systemic Failure and Contagion 214

The Culprit: The Superhubs or the System? 214

Disequilibrium: Superhubs Preventing the System from Correcting Itself 215

'Executive Contagion": Executives Becoming Super-Spreaders of Risk 216

Averting Collapse: Thinking Differently 218

The Growth Premise: A Paradox? 219

Culture: The Value of Our Values 220

Recalibrating the System: Revolution or Evolution? 221

The Law and Ethics 222

Corporate Culture: Psychological Detachment and Willful Blindness 223

Incentives 224

A Sense of Purpose: Creating Value for Society 225

An "Evolving Revolution" 226

Acknowledgments 229

About the Author 233

Notes 235

Index 263

Editorial Reviews

$uperHubs is beautifully and effectively done. Not only is it a fascinating description of the power wielded by elite networks over the financial sector, it is also a meditation on the consequences of this system for the economy and the society.—PROFESSOR EDMUND S. PHELPS, Columbia University, 2006 Nobel Prize in Economics; Director, Center on Capitalism and Society

In SuperHubs, Ms. Navidi skillfully applies network science to the global financial system and the human networks that underpin it. SuperHubs is a topical and relevant book that should be read by anyone seeking a fresh perspective on the human endeavor that is our financial system.—LAWRENCE H. SUMMERS, Harvard; former US Secretary of the Treasury, former Director of the US National Economic Council

Exceedingly illuminating professional and personal insights into the global financial system. Highly recommendable reading.—PROFESSOR JÜRGEN STARK, former Chief Economist of the European Central Bank

SuperHubs-what a clever concept! Sandra Navidi impresses with a masterful piece of both reporting and analysis.—PROFESSOR KLAUS SCHWAB, Founder and Chairman of the World Economic Forum

Sandra Navidi provides an entertaining and absorbing portrayal of the networks used by many of the top executives in finance. She draws many useful conclusions and provides terrific portraits of some of the major players in finance today.—STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN, Chairman, CEO & Co-Founder, Blackstone, and Chairman of U.S. President Donald J. Trump's Strategic and Policy Forum

An intimate glimpse into the obscure world of high finance ... [that] should be voraciously consumed by anyone in business.—PROFESSOR NOURIEL ROUBINI, Professor of Economics and International Business, Stern School of Business; CEO, Roubini Macro Associates, and Bestselling Author

How are we governed? By whom and how? These are the classical questions which globalization and financial markets have given a new urgency. This book provides a front row seat in the theater of fundamental change.—OLAFUR RAGNAR GRIMSSON, President of Iceland 1996-2016

SuperHubs is an analytical, engaging and insightful guide. It is a must read for all who are striving for growth and excellence!—HIS EXCELLENCY, MR. SHAUKAT AZIZ, former Prime Minister and Finance Minister of Pakistan, former CEO of Citibank Global Wealth Management

SuperHubs offers new insight into those with the power to change the world.—PROFESSOR IAN BREMMER, Founder and President of Eurasia Group

Navidi shows how networks ... are crucial. Her writing blends personal anecdote and wry observation with a sound grasp of the science of complex self-organizing systems, making SuperHubs a uniquely intelligent and engaging insight into financial power.—PROFESSOR STEVE KEEN, Head, School of Economics, Politics & History, Kingston University London

SuperHubs offers a balanced analysis of the system's driving forces and raises controversial issues regarding the far-reaching impact of a few all-powerful individuals, addressing the fundamental aspects of the complex human dynamics ruling finance and the world. A spirited and riveting book that makes for an intriguing read.—BORIS COLLARDI, CEO of Bank Julius Bär

This book is unique in describing and analyzing the human behavior in the upper circles of the global financial system. I agree with the author that unethical behavior has aggravated the increasing wealth gap and social stratification, and thus has fundamentally shaken society's trust in our financial system. The need for political action to save banks in the crisis of 2008, made clear that the financial system is a not just a private sector but also a common good. It is this orientation on the common good and the wellbeing of ordinary people that has to be included in capitalism at large and the financial sector in particular. This book will empower readers to advocate for change.—AART DE GEUS, Chairman and CEO, Bertelsmann Stiftung

An expert tour guide, Ms. Navidi helps us understand the mechanisms that drive our global financial system by ultimately telling a human story of how a select few wield incredible financial and political power. SuperHubs is a substantive book with just the right balance of research and stories to make it an entertaining and satisfying read.—THE HONORABLE GEORGETTE MOSBACHER, Entrepreneur

SuperHubs is dedicated to a vitally important topic: the state of our financial system and its implications for society. If you want to understand how our world works this book is for you.—PROFESSOR DIMITAR D. SASSELOV, Phillips Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University, Director, Harvard Origins of Life Initiative

Navidi will be remembered as the woman who revealed how the 1% maintain their plutocracy.—PROFESSOR DOUGLAS RUSHKOFF, Professor of Media Theory and Digital Economics at City University of New York

Readers will recognize how the relations of those who pull the levers of global power are the bonds of influence that shape the world.—PARAG KHANNA, Senior Research Fellow Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy

SuperHubs deftly takes the reader through the global and societal consequences of those people's relationships, power and money.—BILL BROWDER, Co-founder and CEO Hermitage Capital Management and human rights activist

SuperHubs is indispensable for readers who want to understand the financial world's dynamics. Her fascinating insider's perspective reveals complex linkages among the financial elite and the resulting far-reaching consequences. SuperHubs is a blockbuster!—HANS DEMMEL, CEO n-tv (RTL Group)

We will see how financial oligarchs have instrumentalized most governments to realize their interests. We are very far away from reform. SuperHubs demonstrates, how far off.—PROFESSOR MAX OTTE, University of Applied Sciences Worms, head of the Cologne-based IFVE Institut für Vermögensentwicklung GmbH

SuperHubs vividly describes how homogeneous alpha males maximize their opportunities. Readers will wish that this type of financial elite will disappear, or at the very least, include more women.—PROFESSOR THOMAS MAYER, former Chief Economist of Deutsche Bank Group; Head of Deutsche Bank Research

An absorbing portrayal of the financial elite's self-perpetuating power structures. SuperHubs is a definite "buy"!—DIRK MÜLLER, financial markets expert

Navidi has thoughtfully determined that a few powerful people rule the world with their extensive networks. May SuperHubs inspire them to make it a more humane and peaceful place.—ROBERT SALZL, Member of the Foundation Board and Senior Adviser, Schörghuber Stiftung & Co. Holding KG

Navidi describes vividly and without taboos how the financial elite have created their own cosmos and why it is about time to scrutinize the rules upon which this system is based.—ANNETTE HEUSER, CEO, Professor Otto Beisheim Foundation

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