#57 – Scott Helfstein, Global X Global Head of Investments on Geopolitics, AI, and the New “Automation Age” (recorded 01/21/26)

In this episode of The Bull of Wall Street, Jim Worden is joined by co-host Talley Leger and guest Scott Helfstein, Global Head of Investments at Global X. Scott brings a rare blend of experience across the Federal Reserve, investment banking, academia (West Point), and national security research, then connects the dots to what matters most for markets in 2026.

The conversation moves from geopolitical strategy (including Greenland’s renewed relevance) to the Roaring 2020s framework, and ultimately into the investable reality of AI: not just “information,” but automation—where technology starts making decisions and taking actions, not just delivering insights. Scott also breaks down what thematic investing actually means, why margins may be structurally higher than history suggests, and where “economic broadening” is already happening beyond the mega-cap leaders.

What you’ll learn

• Why U.S. interest in Greenland has historical precedent—and modern strategic logic
• How Scott frames 2026 through a “Roaring 20s” lens (and what to watch for)
• The shift from the Information Age to the Automation Age—and why it matters
• Why profit margins may not mean-revert the way many expect
• What “thematic investing” is (and what it isn’t) for advisor portfolios
• Where Scott sees economic broadening even if market breadth remains narrow
• Practical ways advisors can use technology to scale trust without replacing it

Chapters

01:30 – Scott’s career path: Fed → banking → PhD → West Point → Wall Street → thematics
04:15 – War studies, geopolitics, and Scott why Scott says it matters for markets
05:20 – Greenland: the historical context and strategic rationale
10:15 – Rare earths, Arctic lanes, and the national security lens
11:15 – 2026 outlook: revisiting the “Roaring 20s” framework
13:20 – Innovation cycles then vs. now: what rhymes with the 1920s
16:15 – AI: what’s next (agentic AI, robotics, physical-world automation)
20:35 – What is thematic investing, really?
24:30 – Secular themes Scott’s watching: AI ecosystem, defense tech, infrastructure
31:10 – Advisors and margins: scaling trust with technology
35:55 – The K-shaped economy, rates, and what the Fed is missing
41:10 – Creative destruction: jobs, opportunity, and the AI ecosystem buildout
48:10 – “Circular investment” concerns: why this isn’t 2008 or dot-com
53:10 – Scott’s contrarian view: economic broadening beyond mega-cap tech

Guest

Scott Helfstein, Global Head of Investments, Global X

Hosts

Jim Worden, Chief Investment Officer, WCG
Talley Leger, Chief Market Strategist, WCG

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