Michael Bell, CIO at Solaris, on active investing and portfolio discipline
Australian Investors PodcastShow Notes
In this episode of the Australian Investors Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Michael Bell, CIO at Solaris Investment Management, for a practical conversation about how professional investors think when they are putting real capital to work.
From the outside, fund management can sound like hot tips and big macro calls. Michael explains why the reality is usually much more disciplined: process, patience, risk management and the ability to stay focused on business quality when markets are noisy. The conversation unpacks what active investing is meant to achieve, how portfolio decisions are weighed, and why good investors spend as much time avoiding mistakes as they do chasing upside.
For everyday investors, this episode is a useful look inside the mindset of a seasoned CIO. It explores how professionals assess opportunity, separate signal from noise and keep conviction anchored to a repeatable framework instead of headlines. If you want a sharper understanding of portfolio thinking, active management and what experienced fund managers do differently, this is a strong episode to add to your queue.
It is also a reminder that great investing is rarely about making the loudest prediction. More often, it is about building a repeatable process, staying selective and giving good decisions time to work. Whether you are reviewing your own portfolio or simply trying to become a more thoughtful investor, there is plenty here to sharpen how you think about downside, selectivity and long-term compounding.
Episode resources
– Speak with the Rask Advice team
– Ask a question (select the Investors podcast)
Show partner resources
– ETF investor? Go beyond ordinary with Global X: View all funds
– Visit TermPlus to learn more
– Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit
– Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe
EOFY deals to know about - ending June/July 2026
– 1 free trade per month, for 12 months, for new Pearler customers
Rask resources
– All services
– Financial Planning
– Invest with us
– Access Show Notes
– Ask a question
– We love feedback!
Follow us on social media
– Instagram: @rask.invest
– TikTok: @rask.invest
DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More from Australian Investors Podcast
Private credit has moved from an institutional niche into the portfolios of everyday investors seeking income and lower volatility. But higher income is not free: investors are paid to accept illiquidity, manager risk and the possibility that redemptions are limited when everyone wants out at once.
My guest for this week’s 2 Sense episode on The Australian Investors Podcast is Andrew Page, founder of Strawman - Australia’s #1 small cap investment community. Andrew is a very well known commentator, investor and all round good person.
Can AI make a business more productive — and less profitable? In episode three of The Business Stack of the Future on the Australian Investors Podcast, Owen Rask explores the pricing reset behind AI and the unit economics investors need to understand. If a tool helps four people do the work of ten, charging per user could mean less revenue even while customers get more value.
This episode is a special recording, taken live from Her Wealth Her Way II in Sydney, and features Scott Phillips, CIO of The Motley Fool, and Jess Leung, Portfolio Manager at Global X, alongside Owen Rask.
Rewind episode: Sometimes the most useful investing lesson is not another spreadsheet. In this Australian Investors Podcast replay, Owen Rask revisits his conversation with money coach Karen Eley about financial IQ—what you know about money—and financial EQ—how you think, feel and behave when decisions get uncomfortable. The original conversation first appeared on 24 November 2025.