Podcast The Bottom Line
The definitive business podcast from the BBC. Each week, the BBC's Evan Davis is joined by bosses, entrepreneurs and industry experts, to lift the lid on how their businesses work, and what it’s like to be in charge. They discuss a big issue, a big challenge, or a big question facing their industry. From managing AI to managing millennials, from supermarkets to supercharging a new product.And our guests will share their stories of success and failure along the way. Podcasts are published every Thursday. And as well as being a podcast, we are also available every Thursday afternoon and Tuesday evening on BBC Radio 4. You can now also listen to The Bottom Line on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play The Bottom Line”. It works on most smart speakers.The Bottom Line has published a spin off series - Decisions That Made Me - where Evan asks entrepreneurs and business leaders about the most crucial moments in their lives and careers. You can watch these episodes here: https://t.ly/oJ8lW. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with Evan and the team on email at [email protected] Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University and is an EcoAudio certified production.
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140 épisodes disponibles
With the success of the BBC programme The Repair Shop, Evan Davis examines the business opportunities of companies which offer to repair things from clothes through to electronics. Is it easier to try and fix something yourself or pay for it to be done professionally? Do we still have the skills that previous generations had to do even relatively simple things like sewing on buttons? With Kyle Wiens, CEO of Ifixit, Katharine Beacham, Head of Sustainability, Clothing & Home at Marks and Spencer and upholstery repair expert and Repair Shop presenter Sonnaz Nooranvary.
Major US businesses have begun ditching or scaling back their diversity initiatives. Will UK firms be next? Evan Davis is joined by three guests who specialise on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) schemes, as well as environmental and sustainability issues. Do they see signs of UK companies shifting their stance? And to what extent is the DEI industry - and their jobs - under threat? Guests: Daniel Fellows, General Manager of Diversio UK and EU
Erinch Sahan, busines and enterprise lead at Doughnut Economics Action Lab
Chris Turner, Executive Director of B Lab UK Production team
Producers: Farhana Haider, Simon Tulett and Eleanor Harrison-Dengate
Sound: James Beard
Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Matt Willis
Evan Davis talks to the Estonian Ahti Heinla, co-founder of robot delivery firm Starship Technologies, which is hoping to expand across the UK. Evan hears about Ahti's early life in Estonia, how he competed in a Nasa competition, the start of the delivery system in Milton Keynes and how he thinks robot deliveries will grow in the future in Britain and worldwide.
Can businesses operate without managers? It's an idea Amazon, Meta and Citigroup are exploring. Evan hears from the leaders of three companies who've already tried working that way, but with varying degrees of success.Guests:
Chris May: Founder of Mayden
Hazel Brown: CEO of Cornerstone
Luke Kyte: Operations Director of ReddicoPresenter: Evan Davis
Producers: Nick Holland and Bob Howard
Sound: James Beard
Production Coordinator: Katie Morrison
Editor: Matt Willis
Evan Davis explores if working the traditional five day week could be replaced by working four, eight hour days. Could working more efficiently benefit employees and bosses? With Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, Claire Daniels, CEO of Trio Media and Jen Thompson, managing director of the Crate Brewery.
The advertising exec behind some of the most successful adverts of recent decades shares some of the decisions that have influenced his career, including an early decision to accept a lower salary and instead pursue and opportunity that would bring him more opportunities. Sir John would go out to co-found successful agencies Bartle Bogle Hegarty, and Saatchi and Saatchi. Today, Sir John says he shuns five year plans, instead focusing on 'five minute plans' and says he tries to make each day as interesting as it can be. Production team:
Producer: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Evan Davis gets up-to-date tips on finding a new job and hears how the process of making yourself stand out to an employer has changed over the years.Episode guests:
Sophie O'Brien: CEO and Founder of Pollen Careers
Depesh Nathwani: CEO of The Consumer Helpline Group
Shan Saba: Director of Brightwork StafflinePresenter: Evan Davis
Producers: Bob Howard and Nick Holland
Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Matt WillisThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.
Career clarity can be hard to find in the middle of a demanding 9 to 5, but sometimes getting away from it all for a while can make you realise what you really want from work. For Dana Denis-Smith, the world's highest mountain range did the trick. She tells Evan Davis how it inspired her to turn her back on an unfulfilling legal career, and later to start up her own company, Obelisk Support, which champions the talents of mothers who don't want to - or can't - return to work full time.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
When your background differs from the people working with and around you, it’s easy to feel judged by the assumptions people make about you from class to gender. Whatever your upbringing, it’s something we all deal with - our backgrounds are always with us, either to be embraced, accepted, or fled from. Jordan Brompton, entrepreneur and co-founder of the smart energy tech company Myenergi, shares her experience as a working class woman and her love of solar panels.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
When do you start that side hustle you've always talked about doing? What if it gets you fired from work? And even if you do leave, make your success and build your hustle into a successful business, can you ever decide to step away and go back to your career? Julian Douglas, global CEO of advertising agency VCCP, talks to Evan Davis about his decision to go in to advertising, being fired for his night life start up, and then walking away from the company he founded to go back to his former career. Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
When your business is about making products, and the factory you use gets into trouble, that’s potentially a big problem. Do you try to find another one, or do you try to fix it? Rob Law, entrepreneur and inventor of the Trunki children’s suitcase, had exactly this dilemma, and tells Evan Davis about the risky decision it prompted.He also discusses the illness and personal loss that have shaped his career, and recalls his infamous appearance on Dragon’s Den almost 20 years ago.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
When inventor Tom Pellereau was on the verge of launching his latest invention for his fashion company, Stylideas, he couldn't have known what a key decision was about to face him. The Apprentice winner talks to Evan Davis about his business relationship with Alan Sugar, his passion for design and his experience of dyslexia that all led to a stand off over pricing that would make or break his company.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
What do you do when you’re unhappy at work? Maybe you’re burnt out from long hours? Or you see the way your employer does things and think to yourself “surely there’s a better way?” For many founders and CEO's, it's a familiar experience, and one that can spur them into the decision of starting their own business. Evan Davis talks to Elmarie Marais about her experience of crisis management, and how a crisis of her own led to the founding of her own company, GoCrisis.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
You've had a brilliant business idea. At least, you think you have. What do you do next? Evan Davis speaks to three successful entrepreneurs- including former contestants on The Apprentice and Dragons' Den. Where do the best ideas come from and how do you know when they are worth pursuing? What are the top tips for pitching and when is it time to let an idea go?Evan is joined by Rob Law, the inventor of the Trunki ride-on suitcase for kids, Pippa Murray, founder of the nut butter brand Pip & Nut and Tom Pellereau, who invented the curved nail file for his company Stylideas.Production team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison(Picture: Getty Images, Credit: Teerachai Jampanak)
Why do advertising agencies use fear to get us to part with our money? Advertising agencies and marketing people use different techniques to push our buttons. Humour is one. But what about fear? Do they sometimes try to scare us into buying? Or is it a gentler art- playing on our insecurities about things like old age, poor health or thinning hair? Evan Davis speaks to Sir John Hegarty and Ian Gathard from the advertising industry and psychologist Juliane Beard, who studies how the brains of consumers work.Credits:
Volkswagen "Eyes on the Road" advertising stunt
Reebok trainers advertisement: "Lose the Beer Belly"
Aviva home insurance advertisementProduction team:
Producers: Simon Tulett and Michaela Graichen
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison(Picture: Piccadilly Circus in London, Light Trails at night. Credit: Jonathan Herbert, JH Images via Getty Images)
When Shivaun and Adam Raff's shopping and price comparison website all but vanished from Google's search results just days after launching, the pair began a gruelling legal battle that would end with a landmark judgement and the tech giant receiving a then record fine.European regulators found the search engine guilty of abusing its market dominance by making its own shopping recommendations appear more prominently than rivals' in its search results. Google spent seven years appealing its €2.4bn fine, but eventually lost in September this year.In their first interview since that verdict the Raffs tell Evan Davis the story behind their website - Foundem - and what they learned about big tech, regulation, and themselves during their almost 20-year fight.Evan is joined by:Shivaun and Adam Raff, co-founders, Foundem;
Anne Witt, professor of law, EDHEC business school.Credits:President Barack speaking to Kara Swisher, from the technology news website Recode, in February 2015;
Joaquín Almunia speaking at a European Commission press conference in February 2014;
Margarethe Vestager speaking at a European Commission press conference in June 2017. Production team:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Jonny Baker and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison(Picture: The Google logo displayed on a mobile phone and computer monitor. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images/BBC)
When a company finds itself facing war or natural disaster how can it get staff out of harm's way, and is there any chance of ensuring business as usual?Evan Davis speaks to one business leader who helped move hundreds of staff out of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia when war broke out in 2022. Two crisis response companies explain how they have been helping clients with people and operations in Lebanon, Israel and parts of the USA recently hit by hurricanes.Plus, what is an employer's obligation in these situations, and do the same rules apply to international as well as local hires?Evan is joined by:Ann Roberts, chief people officer, Flo;
James Waddington, global director of security assistance, International SOS;
Elmarie Marais, founder and CEO, GoCrisis;
and Anna, an employee at Wildix.Production team:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researchers: Drew Hyndman and Michaela Graichen
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Pete Wise and Tim Heffer
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison(Picture: A Ukrainian flag flies from a destroyed building in Mariupol, April 2022. Credit: Reuters/Alexander Ermochenko/BBC)
It must be one of the most-maligned professions out there - on a par, perhaps, with traffic wardens - but debt collectors perform a vital service to businesses and the wider economy. So why do we love to despise them? Evan Davis and guests discuss the industry's inner workings, from the public image of aggressive, burly bailiffs, to the reality of repayment plans prompted by artificial intelligence. We ask how most try to ensure they collect debts fairly, and also hear the other side of the debt story - how damaging and stressful it can be for businesses who desperately need the money.Plus, why do we find it so hard to talk about debt in the UK? We hear about the industry's efforts to tackle the stigma.Evan is joined by:John Pears, UK CEO, Lowell;
Amon Ghaiumy, co-founder and CEO, Ophelos;
Dana Denis-Smith, CEO and founder, Obelisk Support.Production team:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Farhana Haider
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Dafydd Evans and Sarah Hockley
Production co-ordinators: Rosie Strawbridge and Katie Morrison
Side hustlers are seemingly everywhere - some surveys suggest they account for around half of UK workers - and stories of getting rich quick and abandoning the 9-5 are plenty. But the reality for many is much less glamorous: long hours; a precarious balancing act with the day job; and a good chance of failure. Evan Davis speaks to side hustlers, and their employers, to find out what it’s really like balancing two jobs at once. Plus, why is side hustling so popular anyway? Does it reveal a flourishing entrepreneurial spirit in the UK, particularly among young workers, or is it a symptom of a changing relationship between employer and employee?Evan is joined by:Julian Douglas, global CEO, VCCP;
Ewen MacPherson, chief people officer, Havas UK;
Karen Burke, founder, Go Goosey. Production team:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Nicola Brough and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
The UK's power grid is undergoing a huge shift towards renewable energy, but running homes and businesses solely on this new form of electricity will be a delicate balancing act and will pose new choices for consumers.Evan Davis and guests discuss the challenge of matching supply - from wind and solar - with an increased demand from electric vehicles and homes using heat pumps rather than gas boilers. Part of the solution could be consumers themselves - homes with EVs, solar panels or battery storage could act like mini power plants, sending energy back to the grid, as well as taking from it, and getting paid in the process. But that two-way exchange could bring harder decisions - would you let your energy company switch off your fridge for an hour to ease pressure on the grid? Evan is joined by:
Cordi O’Hara, president of UK electricity distribution, National Grid;
Hamish Phillips, net zero business development director, Centrica;
Jordan Brompton, co-founder and chief marketing officer, Myenergi.Production team:
Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Jonny Baker and Tim Heffer
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
Every year has its business highs and lows which we don't often get an opportunity to chew over on The Bottom Line.This year is different. To mark our end of term, we thought we’d reflect on the business year and look at some of the highs and lows across the business landscape, creating our very own (and very unofficial) Bottom Line Business Awards. Three panellists, three categories, three nominations. Joining Evan are:
JESSICA SPUNGIN, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at London Business School
SIR KEN OLISSA, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London and Chair and founder of Restoration Partners, a bank for entrepreneurs
And NISHMA PATEL ROBB, current Executive Member of Women in Advertising and Communications Leadership, founder and CEO of The Glittersphere and formerly Marketing Director at Google UKPRODUCTION TEAM:
Producers: Drew Hyndman and Alex Lewis
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
Private schools in the UK are mostly registered as charities – but they are also businesses – businesses in the sense that they sell a service to paying customers. They’ve recently been in the news because the new government has said it will remove their exemption from VAT. In this episode we take a look at the business of private education: how it works, how much money is made and what will happen when exemption from VAT is removed from school fees.Evan Davis is joined by:
Geoffrey Stanford, Head of Royal Grammar School Newcastle
Jesse Elzinga Head of Sevenoaks School
Cheryl Giovannoni, CEO, Girls' Day School Trust (GDST)
Duncan Murphy, Director of Education, MTM ConsultingPRODUCTION TEAM:
Producers: Drew Hyndman and Alex Lewis
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge and Janet Staples
All eyes have been on the new prime minister as he, and his team of ministers, settle into their jobs running the country.In this episode we consider the management challenge of taking over and starting a new role, maybe changing the direction of an organisation. Three leaders from the world of business and the charity sector share their experience of coming in as a new broom, reflecting on the mistakes they made and advice they'd offer to the new Prime Minister.Evan Davis is joined by:
Stuart Hill, UK CEO, DHL
Rachel Roxburgh, former CEO, Dallaglio RugbyWorks
Alan French, CEO, Thomas Cook PRODUCTION TEAM:
Producers: Alex Lewis, Drew Hyndman, Miriam Quayyum and Diane Richardson
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: James Beard and Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison and Rosie Strawbridge
Managing the rituals of a loved one's death can be both bewildering and expensive. And although no-one wants to think about it being like buying a holiday or car, it is a business with a supply chain involving funerals, burials and cremation. A couple of years ago the Competition and Markets Authority - which protects people from unfair trading practices - carried out an in-depth investigation into the funeral market because of the “surprise” people experienced at the final cost of that farewell. On average people spend about £4,000, so what do you get for that and how is the industry changing?Evan Davis is joined by:
Gill Stewart, Managing Director, Co-op Funeralcare
Alison Crake, Senior Partner, Crake and Mallon Funeral Directors
Kate Tym, independent celebrant
And Greg Cranfield from JC Atkinson coffin makers.PRODUCTION TEAM:
Producers: Alex Lewis, Drew Hyndman and Miriam Quayyum
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: James Beard and Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison and Rosie Strawbridge
Copyright law has been around since 1710. Back then it only applied to books. Now, it covers music, sport, film, television, video games, anything really. It was also much easier to enforce in the days when people couldn't reproduce things all the time. That all started to change with the introduction of the humble music cassette tape. Now, we can all copy things and publish them to social media whenever we like.Devices which can circumvent geographical barriers have meant that streaming services have had to rethink their business models. And no-one knows quite yet the potential AI has to change things.So is it time that copyright law had a reboot?Evan Davis is joined by:
Lisa Ormrod, copyright lawyer and Associate Director at Springbird Law
Nathalie Curtis Lethbridge, Founder of Atonik Digital which advises on streamed content and monetisation strategy
John McVay, Chief Executive of PACT, the trade body for independents working in the UK screen industry PRODUCTION TEAM:
Producers: Alex Lewis, Drew Hyndman and Miriam Quayyum
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: James Beard and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
Millions of employees in the UK are now able to work flexibly – fitting their job around their home life. Many in office jobs, can finish early on a Friday, and are allowed, even encouraged, to routinely work from home. But, at the same time, we’re told that the levels of overwork, stress, and burnout in this country are on the rise. More than 17 million working days were lost to work-related stress, depression and anxiety in the last year for which we have data. So what’s going on?Evan Davis and guests discuss whether work is really making employees feel burnt out and what's the best way to tackle it.Evan is joined by:Jane Gratton: Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce
Riannon Palmer: Founder and CEO, Lem-uhn
Catherine Allen: People Director at THIS! PRODUCTION TEAM:Producers: Simon Tulett, Drew Hyndman and Miriam Quayyum
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Robin Warren and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
Every brand wants attention, to be seen as a must-have, but how do some manage stratospheric levels of popularity? It might happen organically, perhaps even by accident, but it’s also true that many brands engineer it.Evan Davis and guest discuss the tricks of the trade, from social media influencers to artificial scarcity, and the potential pitfalls when a product is so popular that it's almost impossible to get hold of.Plus, what is it that compels people to queue several hours for a sandwich, or pay ten times the usual price for a bottle of energy drink - we explore the consumer psychology behind the hype.Evan is joined by:Ellis Gilbert, founder of Soho Yacht Club and Talk Nice Studios;
Rory Sutherland, vice chair of Ogilvy UK;
Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, reader in psychology at Anglia Ruskin University;
and Sian Evans, founder of Chatsworth Bakehouse.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Neil Churchill and Donald MacDonald
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge(Picture: A customer jumps in the air as he leaves an iPhone store in London, after being the first person to buy the brand's latest phone. Credit: Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images)
China produces more than half the world's electric vehicles and is scaling up exports, but there are concerns its manufacturers would have an unfair advantage in the UK, which could spell disaster for domestic firms.Evan Davis and guests discuss the UK's dilemma around Chinese EVs - do we open our doors to the competition, which might mean cheaper electric cars for consumers and a quicker transition to net zero, or should the government follow the USA and EU in considering import restrictions to protect domestic car-makers?Plus, do buyers really care where their EV is made, and will 100% of new car sales be electric by 2035?Evan is joined by:Ginny Buckley, editor-in-chief and founder, electrifying.com;
Victor Zhang, UK country director of Omoda and Jaecoo (made by Chery);
James Taylor, UK managing director, Vauxhall;
Fraser Brown, managing director, MotorVisePRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Drew Hyndman
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
With the entrepreneur, philanthropist and author.
The Decisions That Made Me A Leader is a mini-series from The Bottom Line. It features one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Duncan Bannatyne, Martha Lane Fox, and the boss of Depop, Simon Beckerman. All of these episodes are available on BBC Sounds and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader.
Host: Evan Davis
Producers: Paige Neal-Holder and Farhana Haider
Assistant Editor: Matthew Willis
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioning Editor: Hugh Levinson
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The Decisions That Made Me A Leader: I Started My Business From Mum's Spare Bedroom20-05-202437.31 MB
TéléchargerKrisi Smith started Bird and Blend Tea company with business partner Mike knowing very little about tea or running a business. She drew up their mission statement in the pub whilst working as a ski instructor in Canada.They started up working in her mums back bedroom to now running 20 retail stores across the UK.Before starting the company she had more than 30 jobs and that’s just by the age of 24. For her, putting people are the forefront is what business is about.Krisi talks about the challenges of opening a business with your partner in life as well as business. ‘Got married, got divorced, and we're now just business partners.’Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got her to where she is today.The Decisions That Made Me A Leader is a mini-series from The Bottom Line. It features one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Duncan Bannatyne, Martha Lane Fox, and the boss of Depop, Simon Beckerman. All of these episodes are available on BBC Sounds and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader. You can also watch the series on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader.Host: Evan Davis
Producers: Paige Neal-Holder and Farhana Haider
Assistant Editor: Matt Willis
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioning Editor: Hugh LevinsonA BBC News Long Form Audio production.
Simon Beckerman is the founder of Depop, a platform where people can buy and sell pre-loved fashion, it currently has around 35 million registered users. He sold the company to Etsy for £1.25 billion in 2021.Simon grew up in Italy to British and Italian parents who he describes as rebels in their own way and even as a teenager he knew he had to build his own business because ‘I was unemployable’His latest business, is DELLI a food app connecting independent retailers with consumers.
Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got him to where he is today.The Decisions That Made Me A Leader is a mini-series from The Bottom Line. It features one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Duncan Bannatyne, Martha Lane Fox, and the boss of Depop, Simon Beckerman. All of these episodes are available on BBC Sounds and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader. You can also watch the series on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader.Host: Evan Davis
Producers: Paige Neal-Holder and Farhana Haider
Assistant Editor: Matt Willis
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioning Editor: Hugh LevinsonA BBC News Long Form Audio production.
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The Decisions That Made Me A Leader: Lastminute.com's Martha Lane Fox20-05-202442.45 MB
TéléchargerMartha Lane Fox was first catapulted into the public eye during the dot.com boom as co-founder of lastminute.com the online agency she set up with Brent Hoberman in the late 1990s.It was valued at three quarters of a billion pounds when it floated on the London stock exchange in 2000. She then experienced a life change road accident while on holiday in Morocco when she was thrown from the passenger seat of an open-top car. She says she very nearly died. ‘They rank you in trauma I was a 37, 39 is dead’Her career has ranged from launching karaoke chain Lucky Voice to serving as the government’s digital champion and being on the board of twitter, during one its most complex times. She is currently the President of the British Chamber of Commerce Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got her to where she is today.The Decisions That Made Me A Leader is a mini-series from The Bottom Line. It features one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Duncan Bannatyne, Martha Lane Fox, and the boss of Depop, Simon Beckerman. All of these episodes are available on BBC Sounds and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader. You can also watch the series on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader.Host: Evan Davis
Producers: Paige Neal-Holder and Farhana Haider
Assistant Editor: Matt Willis
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioning Editor: Hugh LevinsonA BBC News Long Form Audio production.
Evan Davis sits down with Richard Walker the Executive Chairman of Iceland foods a company founded by his father. Richard started at Iceland Foods in 2012 from the bottom up working as a shelf stacker at the start.A qualified chartered surveyor he is an entrepreneur in his own right having set-up a property business, Bywater Properties, of which he is still chairman.A fan of physical challenges he’s climbed Everest and was running his first London Marathon this year when he collapsed less than two miles from the finish line and says ice saved his life.Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got him to where he is today.A Long Form Audio Production for BBC Radio 4.
Evan Davis sits down with Timo Armoo, the founder of social media advertising business Fanbytes, which he set up when he was 21 with two friends.Aged 27 he sold the company, which connects social media influencers with brands, for an eight-figure sum, saying he can now retire a multi-millionaire.Timo was born in Hackney in London but moved to Ghana to live with his grandmother when he was 3 months old. He returned to the UK and grew up on a council estate in south London and says he always had this burning feeling that he was destined for more.Evan asks about the key personal and business-related decisions that got him to where he is today.The Decisions That Made Me A Leader is a mini-series from The Bottom Line. It features one-on-one interviews with entrepreneurs and business leaders, including Duncan Bannatyne, Martha Lane Fox, and the boss of Depop, Simon Beckerman. All of these episodes are available on BBC Sounds and you can also watch them on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader. You can also watch the series on BBC iPlayer. To find the series, just search: The Decisions That Made Me A Leader.Host: Evan Davis
Producers: Paige Neal-Holder and Farhana Haider
Assistant Editor: Matt Willis
Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham
Commissioning Editor: Hugh LevinsonA BBC News Long Form Audio production.
Evan Davis makes up crisis management scenarios to see how three CEOs handle a business emergency. To make it more realistic none of the guests know what the predicaments are before speaking to Evan.Guests:
Kathryn Jacob, CEO of Pearl and Dean
Dame Inga Beale, former CEO of Lloyd's of London
Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury'sProduction Team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Editor: Matt Willis
Producer: Simon Tulet & Paige Neal-Holder
Sound: Sarah Hockley & Rod Farquhar
A typical career, for many, involves some kind of progression, or at least the expectation of it, until we stop and retire. But is there a better model?Evan Davis and guests discuss whether more of us should think about easing into retirement by taking more junior roles, going part time, or switching profession altogether, instead of stepping off a career cliff edge when we reach pension age. Could this expand the number of job opportunities for older workers, whilst also helping younger workers push through the ranks?Stepping back isn’t an option open to all, though, and there could be big implications for pensions, so how should older workers begin to calculate if, or when, it might be possible?
Evan is joined by:Matthew Rideout, founder of Knead & Desire Bakehouse;
Sir Howard Davies, chairman of NatWest Group;
Zoe Ashdown, head of culture and people engagement at AXA UK and Ireland.Thanks also to the listeners who sent in voice notes, and to everyone else who emailed [email protected] TEAM:Producers: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: James Beard and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: An older man laughing and looking at a laptop with a young woman in a workshop. Credit: Alys Tomlinson/Getty Images)
The UK’s biggest nightclub operator recently announced the closure of around half of its venues, and with them almost 500 jobs. REKOM UK, which owns the Atik and Pryzm brands, blamed the cost of living crisis hurting its customers, along with increased operating costs. But is there something else going on? According to the industry association the number of nightclubs in the UK has more than halved in the last decade, so have younger people – nightclubs’ core customers – lost interest in drinking and dancing the night away? Are landlords eyeing up healthier returns from these enormous spaces by turning them into flats? And how are the remaining venues evolving to attract these, and sometimes older, customers?Evan Davis is joined by:Peter Marks, chairman of REKOM UK;
Mike Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association;
Jo Cox-Brown, CEO of Night Time Economy Solutions.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producers: Simon Tulett and Nick Holland
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A crowd of people dancing and waving their arms in the air. Credit: Getty Images)
It’s easy for people to say they want to buy a particular product, perhaps in the name of sustainability. But how often do individuals actually follow through with these well-meaning intentions? Academics regularly observe a difference between what consumers say they want to do and what they actually do.
The gap can cause problems for businesses when they're trying to figure out how to serve their customers. Evan Davis is joined by a panel of business leaders to discuss how they bridge this divide. Guests:
Andreas Chatzidakis, professor of marketing in the centre for research into sustainability, Royal Holloway, University of London
Jake Pickering, senior manager for agriculture, Waitrose
Marsha Smith, deputy CEO, IKEA UK
Toby Clark, vice president of insights, MintelProduction team:
Producers: Simon Tulett, and Nick Holland
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.
It's useful to know how you're doing at work, but feedback from managers and colleagues can often be unhelpful, upsetting, or even non-existent. So what's the best way to give and receive it?Evan Davis and guests discuss some top techniques, particularly in the tricky area of negative feedback, and the importance of training managers in how to have these conversations. But feedback isn't just about managers - we learn the best ways for employees to receive and act on it. Plus, how frequently should an employee's performance be measured - we discuss the pros and cons of the annual appraisal - and whether technology helps or hinders.Evan Davis is joined by:Catherine Hearn, UK HR director, Amazon
Katie Obi, chief people officer, Advanced
Margaret Cheng, HR consultant, executive coach and author of 'Giving Good Feedback'PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A woman and a man talking at a desk. Credit: Vladimir Vladimirov, Getty Images)
UK consumers are eating less meat than at any point since records began 50 years ago, according to the latest government figures, so how are farmers, processors and retailers responding?The cost of living crisis is part of the reason for a recent drop-off in demand, but warnings about meat's impact on the planet and our health might also play a role, and plant-based alternatives have been eating into meat’s market share in recent years. So does the industry feel under attack, or are they adapting their businesses and their products to meet these challenges? And what does it take to get an animal from a field to our plate anyway?Evan Davis is joined by:Anna Longthorp, of Anna’s Happy Trotters;
Phil Hambling, head of CSR at ABP Food Group;
Charlotte Mitchell, owner of Charlotte’s Butchery. PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A butcher arranging meat at store window in Leeds. Credit: Reza Estakhrian/Getty Images)
Some major fashion brands have started charging for online returns, or even banning customers who routinely send products back. The companies say that growing levels of returns are hitting their profits, so just how costly is it to process an unwanted dress, and what really happens when we pop it back in the post?Evan Davis and guests take us behind the scenes into the hidden world of returns and the mini-industry that has sprung up to deal with the billions of pounds of items rejected by customers.It's a growing problem, according to many retailers, with a small number of customers causing particular damage, so what's the best way to tackle it and does the responsibility lie with brands, shoppers, or governments?Evan is joined by:Robert Kulawik, chief operating officer, Everything5pounds.com;
Andy Rough, CEO, ACS Clothing;
Dr Regina Frei, associate professor of digital economy, University of Surrey. PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A woman putting folded clothes into a cardboard box. Credit: Getty Images)
It’s become the mantra of many employers, and the expectation of some employees, but what does bringing your whole or authentic self to work actually mean, and should companies encourage it? Evan Davis and guests discuss the pros and cons of a workplace culture in which staff share their personal beliefs, politics and vulnerabilities with colleagues. What impact does it have on employee satisfaction and business productivity? And, at a time of great political and cultural polarisation, how do you prevent the ‘whole self’ ethos stirring up trouble?Evan is joined by:Nana Berchie, global people director for diversity, belonging and human rights, Arcadis;
Octavius Black, founder and CEO, The Mind Gym;
Kate Palmer, employment services director, Peninsula UK;
Sophia Luu, freelance design researcher and founder of Secrets Worth Sharing.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Gemma AshmanThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A woman hiding behind her laptop. Credit: Getty Images)
On the agenda for the final programme of the current series is meetings. Virtual or in person, it's difficult to avoid a work meeting. So how do you ensure a good meeting? What should their purpose be, how many people should attend, who should speak and when? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTSDave Brittain, Business Development Director, Amazon Fashion EuropePhil Jones, MD Brother UKDr. Sarah Woolley, Senior Research Fellow, Warwick Business School CLIPS Series 3 Episode 3 W1AWriter: John Morton Rob Mayhew
Brother Meeting Manifesto
Writer: Rob Mayhew PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar and James Beard
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
New medicines with sales in the billions of dollars each year are what every pharmaceutical company dreams of, but how do you create one and can they really justify their often high price tags?Evan Davis and guests discuss the changing origins of so-called 'blockbusters' and their importance to the global drug industry, including recent examples like the obesity and diabetes treatments Wegovy and Ozempic, which have made Novo Nordisk one of the richest companies in Europe.Plus, as outright cures for some diseases begin to emerge, how can the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare systems agree on what is a reasonable price to pay for them?Evan is joined by:Sir Patrick Vallance, former president of research and development at GSK, chief scientific advisor to the UK government, now chair of the Natural History Museum;
Ruth McKernan, venture partner at SV Health Investors;
David Brown, chairman and co-founder of Healx and co-creator of Viagra;
Natasha Loder, health editor, The Economist. PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: Rolls of dollar bills next to a bottle of pills. Credit: Getty Images)
For most people, the aeroplane is the default mode of long distance transport Whilst the UK has only two overnight sleeper services, long distance train travel and sleeper services are experiencing a resurgence in Europe. One company OBB, the Austrian State Railway has just ordered thirty new trains, some of which will be in service from December. But are these services mainly for train aficionados, romantics and those scared of flying, or could they become a serious competitor to the plane?Evan Davis and guests discuss what's behind this apparent new 'Age of the Train'.
GUESTSKurt Bauer, Head of Long Distance Passenger Services and New Rail Business, OBB/NightjetMichael Guerra, Rail Design Engineer and Co-founder, Night XMonisha Rajesh, Travel journalist and Author, 'Around the World in 80 Trains'Reporter: Lisa LouisPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie BallEditor : China CollinsSound: Neil Churchill and Rod FarquharProduction Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Bad behaviour and big mistakes can destroy careers and even entire businesses if they're not addressed quickly, so why do some companies and their leaders try to downplay or even deny them?Evan Davis and guests discuss the culture of defensiveness and denial that exists in some organisations, from the private to the public and charity sectors. A former Oxfam worker describes how she was forced to blow the whistle on widespread sexual exploitation and abuse inside the charity, and the panel explores the ways in which leaders can tackle wrongdoing and encourage their teams to call it out.Evan is joined by:Helen Evans, former head of global safeguarding at Oxfam, now CEO of Cavernoma Alliance UK:
John Higgins, researcher on workplace activism and author of “Speak Up: Say What Needs to Be Said and Hear What Needs to Be Heard”;
Sarah Miller, CEO of Principia Advisory.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinators: Gemma Ashman and Sophie Hill(Picture: A businessman with his head in the sand. Credit: Getty Images)
Elon Musk’s decision to rename Twitter ‘X’ has been met with confusion, and in some cases even anger, but where does it rank amongst the best and worst rebrands?Evan Davis and guests discuss the complexity of changing a company or product name, logo and message, the reasons for doing it, and how to make it a success.These overhauls can be risky, though, and failure expensive – the panel discusses one the UK’s textbook rebranding disasters.Evan is joined by:Lee Rolston, chief growth officer at Jones Knowles Ritchie;
Caroline Wiertz, professor of marketing at Bayes Business School (formerly Cass) – City, University of London;
Amanda Mackenzie, former chief marketing and communications officer at Aviva;
Keith Wells, founder and director of Brandwell.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: The new ‘X’ logo displayed on a smartphone with the old Twitter logo in the background. Credit: Omar Marques/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images.)
As the UK gets ready to host a major global summit on the safety of artificial intelligence, Evan Davis speaks to one of the technology's leading global figures.Demis Hassabis explains how he went from child chess champion to game developer to co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind, which was bought by Google in 2014.He discusses Google's answer to ChatGPT and AI's ability to create breakthroughs in science, but also its downsides, including the potential extinction of the human race.GUEST: Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMindPRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Joel Moors and Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind)
From plumbers to electricians, plasterers to builders, most of us need to hire a trader at some point. But what's it like to work in the industry, and how has it been affected by changes such as Brexit, the pandemic and inflation? How should you go about finding a trader who is trustworthy and will deliver quality work? In recent decades, going into a 'trade' has not been as strongly encouraged as to going to university, but tradespeople of all kinds are in short supply, so what is being done to encourage more young people to take up a trowel or pick up a drill? Evan Davis and guests discuss.CONTRIBUTORSChris Day - Electrician, Mayday Electrical Solutions Ltd.Kalece Okusanya - Decorator - Suave Property Care Will Davies - Co founder , Aspect Property Maintenance Tim Balcon - CEO, Construction Industry Training BoardPeter Gordon - ListenerPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Tim Heffer and Graham Puddifoot
Prod. Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
Many employers say they are desperate to get staff back into the office more often, but what's the best and fairest way to wean employees off remote working?As companies from tech to banking grapple with this issue, Evan Davis and guests discuss the productivity pros and cons, the impact on company culture and career progression, and the future of the office space itself. With many staff reluctant to give up the flexibility of remote working, is a hybrid model the answer to keeping them happy and how many office days each week should you go for? Plus, where do employees stand legally on return to the office requests, and what happens when workers simply refuse to comply?Evan is joined by:Kelly Beaver, CEO of Ipsos in the UK and Ireland;
Stephen White, Chief Operating Officer of Santander UK;
Ranjit Dhindsa, head of employment at Fieldfisher;
and Nicholas Bloom, professor of economics, Stanford University.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman(Picture: A businessman staring out of the window of an empty conference room. Credit: Chris Ryan/Getty Images)
Is humour the most effective way to get your product noticed? If so, why does it seem that the use of comedy in advertising is in decline? Recent research by Kantar found that 90% of consumers were more likely to remember and purchase a brand if the advert made them smile. So why the downturn? Are multi-national brands looking for a one size fits all approach, or are brands frightened of offending potential customers? Evan Davis and guests discuss.PRESENTER: Evan Davis GUESTSRory Sutherland, VP, Ogilvy UKLucy Greeves, Author and Creative StrategistDom Dwight, Marketing Director, Taylors of Harrogate and Yorkshire TeaADVERT CLIP: Yorkshire Tea - Induction Training with Sean Bean
Courtesy of Taylors of Harrogate, Yorkshire Tea
Creative: Lucky Generals Advertising AgencyPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda BrownThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University
England’s water companies are under fire – there’s public anger over sewage spills and leaks, and now regulators and government ministers are worried some of them are drowning in too much debt. So what’s gone wrong, and who will pay the price of fixing the industry?On the face of it, running a water company seems like a licence to print money – there’s guaranteed revenue, and no competition – but there’s a lot of infrastructure to build and maintain, and strict targets that are getting even tougher and more expensive to hit as environmental concerns grow. Many of England’s water firms have taken on very high levels of debt, but have they used it to invest, or pay off their shareholders? And does the regulator, Ofwat, have questions to answer for strangling spending on improvements in a bid to keep customer prices low?Evan Davis is joined by:Nicola Shaw, CEO, Yorkshire Water;
Sir Ian Byatt, Ofwat Director General from 1989 to 2000;
Verity Mitchell, UK analyst at Global Water Intelligence.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Mike Woolley
Production co-ordinator: Brenda BrownProduced in partnership with The Open University.
From The Office and Succession to The Apprentice and Dragons' Den, does the portrayal of business on television inspire or is it a total turn off to budding entrepreneurs? And how challenging is it to create great drama from the world of business? Is 'greed, for lack of a better word, good' as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street would have us believe? Or post financial crash, is the world looking to find a more equitable and kind example of the business world on screen? PRESENTER: EVAN DAVISGUESTSAsh Atalla, CEO, Roughcut ProductionsDave Fishwick, businessman, subject of Netflix movie, 'Bank of Dave' Nisha Katona, Founder, Mowgli Street Restaurants, Great British Menu judgeMickey Down and Konrad Kay, co-writers, 'Industry' , BBC 2 drama seriesClip from 'Industry' BBC2
Bad Wolf Productions
HBO/BBCProduced in Partnership with the Open UniversityPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Demand for pre-loved goods has surged in the UK in recent years, with fashion, books and furniture especially popular. So what’s driving this boom in second-hand sales - the cost of living crisis or the increasingly eco-conscious shopper? And how are companies making money from it?Evan Davis and guests discuss the business of buying and selling pre-loved products, the growing number of online platforms specialising in them, and the bricks-and-mortar retailers looking to get in on the act. Plus, is buying second-hand really better for the environment, and what protection does the customer get when something goes wrong if they’re buying from a stranger rather than a business?GUESTSHugh Hurley, CEO, Gumtree
Adam Jay, CEO, Vinted Marketplace
Ana Estrougo, founder and CEO, The Octopus Club
Adwoa Owusu-Darko, founder, Mini's World and seller on DepopProduced in partnership with The Open University.PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose are possibly two of the most trusted brands in retail. This week, Evan Davis interviews Dame Sharon White, who took over as Chair of the Partnership, literally weeks before lockdown. Post lockdown like all retailers the Partnership faces a cost of living crisis and getting customers back to the High Street. How is she facing these challenges and what are her plans for the future of the partnership?GUEST: Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis Partnership PRODUCTION TEAM Producers: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound: Hannah Montgomery and Neil Churchill
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Younger workers want unlimited holiday, refuse to give up remote working, and are constantly looking for their next job, or so the cliché goes. Millennials and those even younger (Generation Z) do typically have different attitudes to work than their older colleagues, but what are they really, and how are they changing workplaces?
Is it all about finishing early on Fridays, finding a company with a strong ethical stance, or looking for the quickest possible route to success? And to what extent have the pandemic and remote working changed the relationship between employees and employers, especially for those new to the world of work?
As these younger workers make up an ever-growing proportion of staff at UK firms, Evan Davis and guests ask what’s the best way to manage and get the best out of them.GUESTSGrace Beverley, founder and CEO of TALA and SHREDDY;
Helen Marshall, chief learning officer at Thrive;
Gary Ashworth, chairman of InterQuest Group, Albany Beck and Positive Healthcare.
Thanks also to Cruz Corral @champagnecruzProduced in partnership with The Open University.PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and James Beard
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
As Covid restrictions were eased last year, the demand to travel abroad by air overtook the readiness of the industry to cope, leading to thousands of flights being cancelled and enormous queues at several airport terminals because of a shortage of staff across the board from security to baggage handlers and flight attendants.
What can passengers expect this year and has the industry been able to address the problems it experienced last year to provide a smooth passenger experience this year? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSWillie Walsh, Director General, International Air Transport Association, Former Chief Executive, IAG and British AirwaysTim Hawkins, Chief of Staff, Manchester Airports GroupSally Gethin, Independent Aviation and Travel Analyst and CommentatorProduced in Partnership with The Open University. PRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett
Researcher: Marianna Brain
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
Grocery stores are under pressure – with food inflation still near record highs, some have accused them of profiteering and the UK’s competition watchdog is investigating.So what’s the evidence, if any, that supermarkets and other smaller stores are taking advantage of consumers, and what is a reasonable profit margin in this industry anyway? Food suppliers, large and small, also have a role to play here – we look at how their margins impact prices. And, with government ministers vowing to curb food price inflation, we ask whether a cap on the cost of some products would help.Evan Davis is joined by guests from across the industry to try to get a clearer picture of the UK’s food supply chain, and ask how fair it is on customers.Produced in Partnership with The Open University.GUESTSWilfred Emmanuel-Jones, founder of The Black Farmer
Teresa Wickham, retail analyst, fruit grower, and former advisor to Sainsbury’s and director at Safeway
Chris Noice, communications director, Association of Convenience StoresPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown
What makes a great business book and how do you make practical advice on a subject like accounting a riveting read? What makes you more likely to read a business book - a top business leader's journey to the top, like Sheryl Sandberg or Phil Knight of Nike, or one offering simple 'how to' advice. And what is the business model of business books themselves - do they sell loads of copies, or are they more about building up a public brand?Join Evan Davis and guests , in the final programme of the current series, to learn about some great business reads and how business publishing is thriving. GUESTSMargaret Heffernan, Author, Uncharted. Former CEO and Entrepreneur. Alison Jones, publisher Practical Inspiration Publishing and Presenter, The Extraordinary Business Book Club PodcastHelen Kogan, Managing Director, Kogan Page, Business Book PublisherPRODUCTION TEAM: Producer: Julie Ball and Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed.
What's the best way to recruit people who have the right skills for the job, but are also the right cultural fit for your business? And how do you do that without discrimination? Evan Davis and guests discuss the many different hiring options available, from the standard CV and interview to social media snooping, and the importance of getting it right.GUESTSMichael Barrington Hibbert, CEO, Barrington Hibbert Associates
Sir John Timpson, chairman, Timpson Group
Claire Hamilton, head of UK talent acquisition, Capgemini
Wouter Durville, CEO, TestGorillaPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Machines now have the ability to write novels, create works of art, or compose original songs thanks to artificial intelligence. In future the technology could be used to discover drugs, design entire buildings, or come up with new materials.So how should businesses respond to the evolution of AI, most embodied by the AI chatbot ChatGPT? Evan Davis and guests discuss its potential for creating new products and increasing efficiency, as well as the risks involved in handing machines even more power.GUESTSPriya Lakhani, CEO, CENTURY Tech
Scott Petty, Chief Technology Officer, Vodafone
and Colin Murdoch, Chief Business Officer, DeepMindPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Neil Churchill and Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Warren East has run two of the UK's most successful companies, ARM and Rolls Royce Holdings. During his tenure at ARM he oversaw a rapid growth of this globally successful Cambridge semi conductor company. He went on to lead Rolls Royce during a time of turbulence, from aircraft engine trouble, to COVID and a massive restructure which led to several thousand redundancies. He shares his reflections on his business career, as well as his thoughts on Brexit, tax and economic growth. GUESTWarren East, former CEO Rolls Royce Holdings Ltd.PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: James Beard and Graham Puddifoot
Prod Co-ordinator: Siobhan Reed
It seems these days everyone is making a podcast, from Michelle Obama and Kate Hudson to Alastair Campbell and Dua Lipa. Covering every subject from health and wellbeing to politics, food and even funerals, the last few years has seen a proliferation of new titles. Although only a third of us are currently listening to podcasts, that number is steadily growing. So who is making money from podcasts, and how? Evan Davis and guests discuss.PRESENTER: Evan DavisGUESTSJack Davenport, managing director, Goalhanger PodcastsSam Shetabi, content director UK, AcastandRebecca McGrath, senior media analyst, MintelPODCAST CLIPS Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster, featuring Jarvis Cocker, Plosive ProductionsThe Rest is Politics with Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, Goalhanger PodcastsandShagged, Married, Annoyed with Chris and Rosie Ramsay, Avalon ProductionsPRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Producton Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Sound: Neil Churchill and John Scott
The French work fewer hours, take longer holidays and retire earlier than UK employees, but they are also more productive and their economy is therefore roughly the same size as ours. How do they do it?As the UK looks for a way out of its sluggish economic growth, Evan Davis asks what we can learn from our neighbours. Why is it that for each hour worked a French employee produces almost 20 per cent more than a British one? GUESTSOlivier Morel, board member of the French Chamber of
Great Britain and partner at Cripps.Rebecca Riley, professor of practice in economics at
King’s Business School, London, and member of The Productivity Institute.andNeil Coales, managing director of Agilité Solutions, Paris.PRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Simon Tulett and Julie Ball
Researcher: Marianna Brain
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar and Graham Puddifoot
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
If you've ever felt bamboozled by the sheer range of biscuits at your local supermarket or in a quandary over which pair of headphones to buy from the plethora on offer, then you're not alone. Studies suggest that consumers can struggle to make decisions when there is too much choice. So how much choice should businesses offer their customers? And how can retailers help us navigate the dizzying array of products out there?Evan Davis brings together a perfectly chosen group of experts to discuss.GUESTSDr. Paul Marsden, Consumer Pscyhologist, Business School, London College of Fashion , University of Arts LondonLaurence Mitchell, Buying Director, Electricals and Home Technology, John Lewis Partnership Donna Smith, Managing Director, Thursday Cottage Ltd.andPaul Stainton, Retail Consultant, IPLC PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Researcher: Marianna Brain
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill
Production Co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Current strike action across the UK led to more than a million lost working days in 2022, the worst industrial strife the nation has experienced since the 'Winter of Discontent' in the 1970s. But with the benefit of hindsight, what can we learn from those who have dealt with labour relations in the past, and can their insights help to establish a better way of working out employee grievances? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTS
Alan Johnson, former MP, Secretary of State and former Head of the Union of Communication Workers.
Professor Sian Moore, Professor of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management and Co-Director of the Centre for Research on Employment and Work (CREW), University of Greenwich
Susanna Newing, Chief People Officer, Coventry Council Presenter: Evan Davis
Producer: Julie Ball and Marianna Brain
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Gareth Jones and Neil Churchill
Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill
As the UK struggles with recession, Evan Davis talks to four business people who are not afraid to be bulls in a bear market. Does a recession offer opportunities to serial entrepreneurs and start-ups that others might fear? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSCapucine Codron, Co-founder, Swizzle Arka Dhar, CEO and Co-founder SKOV LtdSir John Hegarty, Founder, The Garage Soho and BBH Advertising AgencyandSarah Willingham, Co Founder, Nightcap bar chain and former Dragon's Den panellist.PRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Julie Ball, Nick Holland, Kirsteen KnightEditor: Simon WattsSound: Graham PuddifootProduction Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Col Needham set up his first business at the age of 14 designing and selling games software for computers. But his real love, since the age of 5, has always been film. Col started logging every movie he'd seen in a paper diary which he eventually set up as a database, along with other like-minded film fans. Although it began and remains a personal passion, IMDB is now a multi million pound business, which was one of Amazon's first acquisitions.
Col has remained CEO and founder, and he's now seen 15,000 films - all logged religiously in IMDB. He talks to Evan Davis about the journey from passion to profit. GUEST
Col Needham, CEO and Founder, IMDBPRESENTER: Evan DavisPRODUCER: Julie Ball EDITOR: Simon Watts SOUND: Graham PuddifootPRODUCTION CO-ORDINATORS: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
What will higher interest rates on borrowing money mean for the property market and what happens if house prices fall? Evan Davis discusses mortgages and housing in new economic times.Guests:
Vanessa McCallum, Owner of Vanessa McCallum Estates
Ray Boulger, Senior Technical Manager at John Charcol Mortgage Brokers
David Miles, Professor of Financial Economics at Imperial College London
Production coordinators: Siobhan Reid and Helena Warwick-Cross
Presenter: Evan Davis
Producers: Louise Byrne, Kirsteen Knight and Nick Holland
Editor: Simon Watts
Since the very beginning of the NHS, GP surgeries have been, in effect, businesses with contracts to do the work the Health Service needs. But in recent decades, patient numbers have grown, surgeries have become larger and the services offered more varied. Many GP surgeries now employ administrative staff, nurses, physiotherapists and paramedics, as well as doctors. What's it like to be a clinician and run a small business at the same time? What are the pressures? How do you get the books to balance? And how do you attract more people to join one of the front lines of the NHS? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTS
Dr. John Lynch, GP Partner, Framfield House Surgery, Woodbridge Suffolk
Dr. Matt Noble, GP Partner, GP@hand, Bablyon Health a 'digital first' practice
Dr. Yazmin Razak, Single GP practitioner, North Kensington
and Dr. Rebecca Rosen, Senior Fellow, Health Policy at the Nuffield Trust and part-time GP, South London Producers: Julie Ball and Kirsteen Knight
Researcher: Louise Byrne
Sound Engineers: Graham Puddifoot and Rod Farquhar
Editor: Simon Watts
Evan Davis looks at the UK's defence industry to find out how it is responding to the war in Ukraine and whether socially conscious investors are beginning to change their minds about the sector.Guests:
Dean Rosenfield, Head of Saab UK
Kevin McNamee, CEO of Denroy Group Ltd
Kevin Craven, CEO of ADS GroupPresenter: Evan Davis
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross
Producer: Julie Ball & Nick Holland
Editor: Tara McDermott
What happens when your business vision doesn't stack up or your long-standing business needs to make changes to keep up with a changing market and customer taste? Do you make a U-turn or a pivot as it's known in business. How do you know when is the right time and how do you get your employees and managers to go with you? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSMatthew Bannister, Broadcaster and Presenter, Folk on Foot podcastLiz Earle, Beauty and Wellness Entrepreneur, Editor-in-Chief, Liz Earle Wellbeing magazineand Jessica Spungin, Adjunct Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School PRESENTER: EVAN DAVISPRODUCTION TEAMProducers: Julie Ball and Nick Holland
Editor: Tara McDermott
Sound: Neil Churchill/Rod Farquhar
Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed & Helena Warwick-Cross
Evan Davis asks why there are more job vacancies in Britain than there are people looking for work. Unemployment used to be a big problem, but now businesses say they're struggling to recruit enough staff.Guest list:
Jane Townson: CEO of The Home Care Association
Will Beckett: CEO of Hawksmoor restaurants
Jane Gratton: Head of People Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce
Jon Wilson: CEO of TotalJobs online recruitment agency.Production Coordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross and Siobhan Reed
Sound production: Neil Churchill & Graham Puddifoot
Research: Louise Byrne
Producer: Nick Holland
Editor: Richard Vadon
Presenter: Evan Davis
Is it right that businesses making what look like windfall profits pay windfall taxes? And do the recent announcements from the government to lower taxes in general lead to economic growth? Evan Davis and guests discuss.GUESTSIrem Guceri, Associate Professor Economics and Public Policy, Blavatnik School of Government, OxfordProfessor Michael Jacobs, Professor of Political Economy, Sheffield UniversityCharlie Mullins, Businessman and Founder, Pimlico PlumbersDan Neidle, Founder, Tax Policy Associates Ltd. PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineers: Graham Puddifoot/James Beard
Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
The government target for building houses in the UK is 300,000 a year, but over the past few years only around 60 per cent of that number have been constructed. The sector faces many challenges; labour and skills shortages and rapidly rising prices for raw materials, not to mention uneven planning laws and green building commitments. Are they building the homes the country needs and where it needs them? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTSBen Dimson, Partner, Property Sector, McKinseyPeter Truscott, CEO, Crest Nicholson Rico Wojtulewicz, Head of Housing and Planning, National Federation of BuildersPresenter: Evan Davis
Producers: Julie Ball and Lucinda Borrell
Editors: Hugh Levinson and Jon Bithrey
Sound: James Beard, Rod Farquhar
Production Co-ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Hundreds of western businesses have decided to stop operating in Russia as a result of the invasion of Ukraine. But what does leaving Russia actually mean in practical terms – how do you go about it and who bears the cost? Can you end up hurting your own company and your Russian workers more than the Russian state? Evan Davis debates with his guests, one of whom leads a global automotive dealer that has just sold its business in Russia to its local managers.GUESTS:
James Alexander, Chief Executive of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association
John Morrison, CEO of the Institute for Human Rights and Business
Duncan Tait, CEO of automotive dealer Inchcape Producer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Production Co-Ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
From Disney to the Halifax bank, companies are increasingly willing to take a stance on everything. But what is driving this trend and will it continue? Ultimately isn't it the job of a business to make money for its shareholders and not get involved in politics and contentious social issues? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTSNina Bhatia, Executive Director, Strategy and Commercial Development, John Lewis PartnershipIan Leslie, Journalist and Author of 'Conflicted' Becky Willan, CEO and Co-founder, Given AgencyNicola Kilner, CEO and Co-founder of DeciemProducer: Julie Ball
Sound: James Beard
Editor: Jon Bithrey
Production Co-Ordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
Why does it seem so hard to contact a business these days? It's almost like they deliberately hide their phone numbers from us. When we do manage to ring, they often make us sit through an endless list of 'caller options' before allowing us to speaking to anyone. Are they deliberately trying to dissuade us from getting in touch or are we expecting too much too soon from customer services? Evan Davis speak to the people managing our calls.Guests:
Leigh Hopwood: Chief Executive of the Call Centre Management Association
Dave Mills: NHS specialist at EVAD
Tim Callington: Director of technology firm FlipsideProducer: Nick Holland
Studio Managers: James Beard & Rod Farquhar
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed & Iona Hammond
Editor: Hugh Levinson .
What to expect when a workplace dispute ends up in court. Thousands of people lodge grievances relating to their jobs directly with their employers, and that's often where they remain. But if you think you have been unfairly dismissed, or suffered unfair discrimination on the grounds of sex, race of age, the case may end up at an employment tribunal. Dramatic cases - complete with lurid accusations and sometimes huge payouts - are regularly reported on by the media. Evan Davis asks his expert guests about what really goes on during this generally painful process, and whether anybody ever really wins at a tribunal. Guests:
Chris Hadrill, Head of Employment Law, Redmans Solicitors
Sian Keall, Partner, Employment Law, Travers Smith LLP
Martin Tiplady, Director, Chameleon People SolutionProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: Hugh Levinson
Sound: James Beard
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
As petrol and diesel prices hit record highs, Evan Davis looks at the economics of running a petrol station. There's an allegation motorists are being ripped off at the pumps. However, the actual amount of profit some forecourts make from selling fuel may come as a surprise.
Guests:
Kirsty Waddingham, RKW Plumbing
David Charman, Parkfoot Garages
James Lowman, Association of Convenience Stores
David Fyfe, Argus MediaProducer: Nick Holland
Sound: Neil Churchill and Rod Farquhar
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Editor: Hugh Levinson
Can we trust the wisdom of the crowd on online review platforms? Evan Davis and guests discuss how businesses can harness this knowledge to their advantage and how they can deal with bad reviews. And how do the platforms that consumers look to for assurance ensure that we're reading the truth? Plus stories of chip shops, splashing in puddles and the mysterious "review farms"...
Guests:
Anoop Joshi, VP Legal and Platform Integrity, Trustpilot
Melissa Norton, Commercial Director, Muddy Puddles
Professor Adrian Palmer, Head of Marketing and Reputation, Henley Business SchoolProducer: Julie Ball
Editor Hugh Levinson
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Helena Warwick-Cross
The 'crust' of living: Evan Davis looks at the spiralling costs of baking a loaf of bread. On top of rising energy bills the industry is having to keep up with huge increases in the price of wheat. In this episode a farmer, a miller and a baker explain how they're trying to make ends meet.Guests:
Sarah Bell, Wheat Farmer and Grain Consultant.
Julius Deane, Wheat Director at Carrs Flour Mills Ltd
Mike Roberts, Deputy Chairman of Roberts BakeryProducer: Nick Holland
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Editor: Hugh Levinson
How will soaring energy costs affect UK corporations? Prices are spiking, not least because of the war in Ukraine. Energy is essential for everything from heating offices to transportation to manufacturing, so what happens when it just becomes too expensive? Evan Davis and guests discuss the current energy crisis and ask how long is it likely to last and what we can do to reduce the vulnerability of our businesses. GUESTS
Michael Lewis, Eon Energy
Natalie Quail, Founder Smiletime
Tina McKenzie, Federation of Small Businesses
Gareth Stace, UK Steel
Producer: Lucinda Borrell
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill
Sound: Neil Churchill and Rod Farquhar
Editor: Hugh LevinsonThe programme was produced in partnership with the Open University.
Evan Davis and guests examine the prospects for business in this government priority for increasing economic activity beyond the Southeast of England. How important is political devolution? Or are practical changes, like transport links and skills education more significant? Guests:
Andrew Carter, chief executive, Centre for Cities
Akash Paun, senior fellow at the Institute for Government
Steve Cole, maritime business improvement director for BAE Systems
Lucy Winskell, chair of the North-East Enterprise partnershipProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie Hill
Editor: Hugh LevinsonThe programme was produced in partnership with the Open University
How will shifts in China's economic policies affect global commerce? The nation is the world's second-biggest economy and it's been the centre of globalised manufacturing for over three decades. But after a global pandemic, an energy crisis and now war in Ukraine, is this going to change? Already, President Xi Jinping has plans to move away from the reliance on global trade towards expanding domestic consumption, alongside targets for encouraging innovation in technology and artificial intelligence. Will recent economic sanctions on Russia due to geopolitics make China retreat more from global trade? What will this mean for us and for the rest of the world? Evan Davis and guests discuss
Guests:
Hong Bo, professor of financial economics, School of Finance & Management, SOAS University of London
Mike Collier, director, China UKTC consultancy
Xiaolan Fu, professor of technology and international development: and director, Technology and Management Centre for Development (TMCD), Oxford University
Producer: Julie Ball
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Sound: Nigel Appleton
Editor: Hugh LevinsonThis programme was produced in partnership with the Open University
What will the consequences of the invasion of Ukraine be for the world's economy - and for us? From the effects on the energy markets to the tough sanctions regime, we can already see ripple effects across Europe and the rest of the globe, at a time when the world's economy is still in a febrile post-Covid state. Evan Davis and guests discuss the likely and immediate picture for business, growth and incomes.Guests:
Duncan Weldon, economist and author of the Value Added newsletter on Substack.
Anna Leach, deputy chief economist at the CBI
Chris Rogers, supply chain economist for Flexport
Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus EnergyProducer: Julie Ball
Research: Johnny I'Anson
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Editor: Hugh LevinsonProduced in association with The Open University.
What's behind the explosion in popularity of Klarna and its competitors? Most of us have found ourselves wanting something that we can’t quite afford. If you’re low on funds and waiting for money to come in, there are a multitude of borrowing options, from overdrafts and loans to credit cards. A new option that is expanding fast is the Buy Now Pay Later model, where customers have the option to pay back money for their purchases and there’s no interest charges - provided the debts are cleared on time. But is it too good be true? Join Evan Davis and his panel of experts to get to the bottom of the BNPL industryGUESTS
Alex Marsh, Head of Klarna UK
Alice Tapper, financial journalist
Sameer Pethe, Financial Services Partner, KearneyProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Editor: Hugh LevinsonProduced in association with the Open University
Like alcohol, but don't want to drink? For the "sober-curious" consumer there's a range of low-alcohol alternatives on the market from gins and spirits to beers and craft lagers. But are they as good as the real thing? What is the social purpose of these substitute drinks? And why do they tend to have similar prices to their alcoholic rivals - even though they are taxed at a far lower rate? Evan Davis and guests explore the expansion of the low-alcohol market, the rising demand for luxury alcohol alternatives and asks - is this one trend that's here to stay?GUESTS
Cristina Diezhandino, Chief Marketing Officer, Diageo
Spencer Matthews, Founder, Clean Co
Emily Neill. Chief Operating Officer, IWSR Drinks Market AnalysisProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Hugh Levinson
Prices are rising - but are we heading into an unprecedented economic period? So far, wages haven't yet followed. How different is what's going on now from the conventional boom and bust cycle? Evan Davis and guests discuss.
Guests:
Dr Jennifer Smith, Associate Professor of Economics, Warwick University
Professor Michael McMahon, Oxford University
Sonali Punhani, UK Chief Economist at Credit SuisseProducer: Julie Ball
Production Coordinators: Sophie Hill and Siobhan Reed
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Editor: Hugh LevinsonProduced in association with the Open University
Psychotherapist Naomi Shragai talks to Evan Davis about how our emotional baggage can harm our work life.. She advises businesses and employees on how to recognise our deeper personal impulses, which often stem from our childhoods. Her book 'The Man Who Mistook his Job for His Life' catalogues phenomena like narcissism, fear of rejection and imposter syndrome, Naomi tells us how to recognise these powerful forces, and what we can do about them.
Producer: Julie Ball
Studio Manager: Neil Churchill
Production Coordinators: Siobhan Reed and Sophie HillThis programme was made in association with The Open University
Evan Davis and guests discuss how best to resolve disputes between colleagues - both making the best of it and avoiding the worst. Despite our best efforts, conflict never disappears – it’s always there, when humans gather. In the office, it can be start with something as trivial as a coffee cup left on a colleague's desk. And from there, it can spiral into a situation where people are unwilling to work with each other, or even suffer mental ill health as result. Three experts give advice on how to prevent conflict festering and the best ways to mediate when co-workers end up at daggers drawn.
GUESTS
Gill Dix, head of workplace policy at ACAS
Felicity Steadman, mediator, The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution
Ade Adeniji, mediator and investigatorProducers: Kirsteen Knight, Lucinda Borrell and Sandra Kanthal
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Hugh Levinson
How can companies create a level playing field for applicants and employees from lower socio-economic backgrounds? Evan Davis and guests discuss the sometimes invisible barriers and assumptions which exclude some from getting jobs or getting promoted. Many believe that the job interview format tends to favour the social skills of those from the middle and upper middle classes. Diversity schemes help - but there are questions about whether they go far enough. Is this the final taboo when it comes to equality in employment?Guests:
Professor Lee Elliot-Major, University of Exeter
Sandra Wallace, chair, Social Mobility Commission and one of the Managing Directors for UK & Europe, DLA Piper
Jenny Baskerville, Head of Inclusion, Diversity & Social Equality, KPMGProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Graham Puddifoot
Editor: Hugh Levinson
The National Lottery contract is up for grabs. While the results aren't scheduled to be announced until early 2022, the bids are in and being considered - and across the industry it seems that this is the closest competition yet with four major players in the running. How do lotteries, large and small, operate? And what obligations does the industry have towards customers who might be vulnerable? Evan Davis speaks to Camelot, who have been running The National Lottery since its inception 27 years ago, and to industry leaders, about the changing world of lotteries. GUESTS
Matthew Risdale, Executive Director, Camelot
Richard Dixon, Managing Director, Sterling Lotteries
Tony Vick, Chair, The Lotteries Council PRODUCERS
Tanya Beckett & Lucinda BorrellSOUND
Rod Farquhar
Evan Davis looks at the expanding world of ultrafast home delivery. App-based firms like Getir promise to get a grocery order to your home in just 10 minutes. During the pandemic demand for such services skyrocketed. As new companies enter the market, is Q-commerce economically sustainable - or will there be a brutal shake-out? Evan speaks to players in this rapidly growing sector - and to a critic of it. GUESTS
Turancan Salur, general manager, Getir UK
Christa Bloom-Burrows, co-founder, Biff's
Jessica Moulton, senior partner, McKinsey & company
Adam Badger, research student, Royal Holloway, University of LondonProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Can carbon capture save the planet - and make money? The government has announced millions of pounds of funding to support the UK's emerging carbon capture industry. How will it change our futures?Evan Davis speaks to the head of The East Coast Cluster, a project awarded some of this financial support, alongside other industry leaders, to understand whether this revolutionary technology could solve our climate change problems, or whether it is another way to evade our environmental obligations. GUESTSAndy Lane, vice president (CCUS), BP & head of East Coast Cluster
Esin Serin, UK policy analyst, The Grantham Institute of Climate Change
Olivia Powlis, head of UK office, Carbon Capture and Storage Assosciation
Julie Golsalvez, chief marketing officer, ClimeworksPRODUCER
Lucinda Borrell
In 2020, the pandemic hit, and the world locked down. Suddenly white-collar staff went from working in the office, to working remotely. But now we are opening up, will people want to return? Hybrid working has become the buzzword of employers across the country, allowing individuals to have more flexibility over where they work. So how likely is this to function effectively? How do businesses manage staff and productivity? And will there ever be anyone in the office on Fridays....? Join Evan Davis and guests to find out.GUESTS
Emma Stewart, Co-Founder, Timewise
Sam Bowerman, HR Director, Retail Businesses, NatWest Group UK
Lisa Kennery, HR and Marketing Director, The Pierce GroupPRODUCER
Julie Ball
Labour shortages, particularly in the hospitality and HGV sector have dominated the headlines from petrol shortages, to worries about Christmas dinner being off the menu. And its not just the logistics sector at risk - hospitality, agriculture and the care sector have all reported labour problems in post-pandemic, post-Brexit Britain. So what exactly is the solution? Do we bring in more labour from abroad? Do we invest in training and developing British workers? Or are companies going to have to pay better wages and improve working conditions? Join us on this week's The Bottom line to find out...GUESTSRain Newton Smith, Chief Economist, CBI
Alan Manning, Economist, London School of Economics
Kaan Hendekli, JJ Food Services
The extraordinary success of the creation of vaccines for Covid-19 has made the business of clinical trials look simple. But appearances can be deceptive and it usually takes many years and costs hundreds of millions of pounds to bring a new drug, therapy or medical device successfully to market.Evan Davis and his guests discuss how the economics of commercial clinical trials now look for companies in the light of such a disruptive event as the pandemic. How far is greater collaboration - with start-ups partnering with big pharma and research companies - changing the way in which trials operate? And will new tech developments - like the greater, tailored use of Artificial Intelligence, digital data and advanced statistical techniques - make the process cheaper and quicker - while compromising neither safety nor patient confidentiality?Those taking part are:
Nuala Murphy of the executive team at Icon plc, a Dublin-based clinical research organisation which last year worked with Pfizer/BioNTech on their Covid-19 vaccine;
Houman Ashrafian, managing partner of the biotech team at SVHealth Investors, a venture capital firm with offices in London and Boston; and
Avideh Nazeri, vice-president in the UK for clinical development, medical and regulatory affairs at the Danish-headquartered integrated pharmaceutical company, Novo Nordisk.Editor Hugh Levinson
Should consumers be told the carbon footprint of the products they buy? And if so, how? In recent years, a shift in customer attitudes towards climate change has caused businesses to up their game when it comes to showcasing the environmental impact of products. But just how transparent it this? How much do buyers want to know about how sustainable their shopping is? Evan Davis and guests discuss the highly complex issues around carbon labelling and how best to communicate sustainable business practices.GuestsEmma Keller, Head of Sustainability UK & Ireland, Nestle
Barry Clavin, Ethics and Sustainability Reporting Manager, Co-Op
Hugh Jones, Managing Director, The Carbon TrustProducer: Lucinda Borrell
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production Coordinators: Iona Hammond and Siobhan Reed
Electric vehicles are a hot topic. Nissan has announced it will construct a factory to produce EVs, while the government says no new vehicles running on petrol or diesel will be sold after 2030. The electric transport sector will play a crucial role in tackling climate change. But are we on track to hit these targets? Can EVs deliver the same reliable service as combustion engine vehicles and reduce "range anxiety"? Does the rolling out of this transition have consumers convinced? Evan Davis and guests discuss.Guests
Lex Hartman, CEO, Ubtricity
Toddington Harper, CEO, GridServe
Tanya Sinclair, UK & Ireland Policy Director, ChargepointProducer
Lucinda Borrell
The spending power of disabled people and their families - the so-called purple pound - is valued at £249 billion a year. So is there a competitive business advantage in designing accessible goods and services? Evan Davis and guests discuss, with examples ranging from haircare products to hotel rooms. GuestsSam Latif, Company Accessibility Leader at Proctor and Gamble
Robin Sheppard, Co-Founder and President of Bespoke Hotels
and Gavin Neate, Chief Executive and Founder of NeateboxProducer: Lesley McAlpine
Sound: Andy Garratt
For nearly 20 years, the cruise industry experienced huge growth. Then a pandemic hit. After a year of forking out for boats docked in port and devastating headlines chronicling outbreaks early on in 2020, what does this mean for the future of cruises? How are they restarting, what barriers are they facing and - most importantly - how do they convince customers that they are indeed safe?Guests
Dr Jennifer Holland, Lecturer in Tourism, Suffolk Business School
Ben Bouldin, Vice President, EMA, Royal Caribbean Cruises
For years the suburbs have been seen as places to live, from which you can commute to a big city to work. But has the pandemic pushed the economic pendulum in the other direction? With more people working from home and cities becoming quieter, could this lead to a revival of the suburban economy? Evan Davis explores the national picture and hears from entrepreneurs in Denton, Greater Manchester, who have helped revive its struggling town centre, encouraging people to spend money locally.GuestsJohn Spencer, Chief Executive of BizSpace
Yael Selfin, Chief Economist of KPMG in the UKProducer: Lesley McAlpine
How can businesses cope with supply shortages? Car factories across the world have had to shut down because they can't get hold of enough silicon chips. And as many economies bounce back post-Covid, other industries are facing similar problems. How can enterprises plan both for sudden falls and surges in demand and how quickly can supply chains cope? Evan Davis and guests discuss.
Guests:
Dr Andy Palmer, CEO of Switch Mobility
Maureen O'Shea, Leader of Supply Chain and Operations Management for KPMG
John Neuffer, President and CEO of the US Semiconductor Industry AssociationProducer: Lucinda Borrell
The pandemic has given a nudge to the decline of cash. If that is the past - what is the future for our payments system? Could it simply be cards linked to bank accounts, handled via apps? Or could we be approaching a pivotal moment when the exciting (or maybe alarming) world of crypto and digital currencies take over? Central banks around the world are pondering this very question and are poised to launch their own digital currencies. Evan Davis and guests look into the future of money.Guests:Professor Catherine Mulligan, visiting lecturer at Imperial College, London and director of D-Central Lab at Lisbon University,
Marcus Hughes, European managing director for Coinbase, a crypto trading platform
Paige McCartney, senior business reporter at the Nassau Guardian