Our Wealth Creation Chapter held its inaugural webinar on 28 July 2026, opening what is intended to become a regular series of educational conversations for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators within the Chamber community. 

The session, hosted by Adrienne Hall, founder of the Wealth Creation Chapter, focused on the investor mindset and explored whether successful investing is shaped more by nature, nurture, discipline, experience or hard-earned lessons. Adrienne set the tone by describing the Chapter’s purpose: to create and attract a dynamic community of investors, entrepreneurs and innovators committed to responsible wealth creation and sustainable growth. 

Guest speaker Grant Fagan brought deep practical insight to the discussion, drawing on three decades of experience across investment banking, entrepreneurship, mergers and acquisitions, business restructuring and growth. His reflections were direct, grounded and highly practical, offering value both to those seeking investment and to those considering where and how to deploy capital. 

One of Grant’s central messages was that investing is ultimately about people. He emphasised that chemistry, trust, mutual respect and honesty sit at the heart of successful investment relationships. In his view, most investment mistakes can be traced back not to the product or the market, but to people: the wrong team, weak alignment, poor discipline or a failure to confront difficult realities early enough. 

He also spoke about the importance of clarity and discipline. Investors and entrepreneurs need to know the destination, understand the numbers and remain focused on execution. Grant compared this to sailing: without a clear destination, it is impossible to know where you are going. In business, the target may evolve, but it must be properly thought through, clearly defined and actively pursued. 

For entrepreneurs seeking investment, Grant’s advice was equally clear: know your numbers, understand your customer and prove that someone is willing to buy. He warned against building products in isolation from the market and stressed that the customer must sit at the centre of the business from the outset. Investors, he noted, are not simply looking to fund salaries or marketing spend; they want to see evidence of sales, demand and a route to return. 

The discussion also addressed macroeconomic uncertainty, including tariffs, shipping costs, oil prices and global volatility. Grant encouraged participants not to ignore these risks, but to assess them properly. Sometimes uncertainty creates opportunity; at other times, it requires the discipline to walk away. Either way, investors and business owners need to remain alert to the wider market environment. 

AI was another theme in the conversation. Grant described AI not as a business model in itself, but as an enabler that can help streamline processes, test assumptions, assess opportunities and increase productivity. The message was balanced: AI can create powerful leverage, but only when used thoughtfully and trained with the right context, models and judgement. 

The webinar also touched on investing into Africa. Grant spoke candidly about both the opportunity and the complexity of African markets, noting the importance of patience, relationship-building, local knowledge and realistic due diligence. The discussion linked strongly to the Chamber’s role as a trusted network that can help members navigate relationships, opportunities and cross-border growth with greater confidence. 

A five-point checklist emerged from the conversation for anyone assessing an investment opportunity: 

1. Assess the people first: trust, chemistry, capability and alignment matter. 

1. Understand the product and whether there is real demand for it. 

1. Know the customer and prove that someone is willing to buy. 

1. Check whether the business can scale and grow sustainably. 

1. Think about the exit from the beginning, including who might ultimately buy or fund the business. 

The session closed with an invitation for members and non-members alike to engage with the Wealth Creation Chapter and the wider Chamber community. As the Chapter develops, the aim is to provide a safe, practical and commercially useful space for investors, entrepreneurs and innovators to learn from one another, ask questions and build trusted relationships. 

This inaugural webinar was an excellent start: practical, honest and grounded in real-world experience. The Chamber looks forward to building this into a regular education-led series focused on responsible wealth creation, sustainable growth and meaningful connection.