Stephen and Tyler first met over thirty years ago while working on economic reforms in New Zealand. With a distinguished career that transitioned from the New Zealand Treasury to significant ventures in emerging economies, Stephen now focuses on developing new urban landscapes across Africa as the founder and CEO of Rendeavour.
Tyler sat down with Stephen in Tatu City, one of his multi-use developments just north of Nairobi, where they discussed why he’s optimistic about Kenya in particular, why so many African cities appear to have low agglomeration externalities, how Tatu City regulates cars and designs for transportation, how his experience as reformer and privatizer informed the way utilities are provided, what will set the city apart aesthetically, why talent is the biggest constraint he faces, how Nairobi should fix its traffic problems, what variable best tracks Kenyan unity, what the country should do to boost agricultural productivity, the economic prospects for New Zealand, how playing rugby influenced his approach to the world, how living in Kenya has changed him, what he will learn next, and more.
Read a full transcript enhanced with helpful links, or watch the full video.
Recorded June 12th, 2023.
Other ways to connect
Noubar Afeyan on the Permission to Leap
Conversations with Tyler 2020 Retrospective
John O. Brennan on Life in the CIA
Zach Carter on the Life and Legacy of John Maynard Keynes
Jimmy Wales on Systems and Incentives
Edwidge Danticat on Haitian Art and Literature
Michael Kremer on Economists as Founders
Audrey Tang on the Technology of Democracy
Alex Ross on Music, Culture, and Criticism
Matt Yglesias on Why the Population is Too Damn Low
Jason Furman on Productivity, Competition, and Growth
Nicholas Bloom on Management, Productivity, and Scientific Progress
Nathan Nunn on the Paths to Development
Melissa Dell on the Significance of Persistence
Annie Duke on Poker, Probabilities, and How We Make Decisions
Rachel Harmon on Policing
Ashley Mears on Status and Beauty
Paul Romer on a Culture of Science and Working Hard
Adam Tooze on our Financial Past and Future
Glen Weyl on Fighting COVID-19 and the Role of the Academic Expert
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Navigating Life After 40
Teaching Learning Leading K-12
Regenerative Skills
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast