John W. Bristol President Jim Engle Discusses 'Corporate Athletes' and AI's Impact on Traditional Moats

In the latest episode of the Value Investing with Legends podcast produced by Columbia Business School's Heilbrunn Center, hosts Michael Mauboussin and Tano Santos welcome Jim Engle, President of John W. Bristol & Company. Published on October 30, 2026, the episode focuses on how institutional investors identify companies with long-term growth potential and durable competitive advantages, referred to as 'corporate athletes'.

According to the publisher's show notes, Engle shares his firm's experience in assessing emerging technology challenges, disciplined valuation, and portfolio concentration. Notably, the episode covers the impact of artificial intelligence on established businesses, including potential disruptions to enterprise software firms like ServiceNow and Workday, and challenges in maintaining competitive advantages in financial services (such as Moody's, S&P Global, and JPMorgan).

Additionally, the notes mention that Engle discusses how Bristol's collaborative research process helps the team evaluate risk and challenge assumptions, comparing their investment approach with the Yale endowment model. For professional investors seeking to understand how traditional value investing firms navigate the AI era, this episode offers specific perspectives and industry examples.