Business Daily
1,444 episodes - English - Latest episode: 25 days ago - ★★★★ - 478 ratingsThe daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
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Episodes
The growth of 'quiet luxury'
March 31, 2024 23:01 - 17 minutes - 8 MBWe explore the fashion trend that involves minimal labels and logos. Loved by celebrities and social media influencers, what is it about the quiet luxury trend that is so appealing – particularly in countries like China? And can you follow the 'stealth wealth' trend on a low budget? (Picture: Woman standing in luxury hotel suite looking at view with curtains blowing in wind. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Gabriele Shaw
Business Daily meets: ILO Director-General Gilbert Houngbo
March 29, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.34 MBFounded in 1901, the International Labour Organisation works with governments of over 180 countries, to help promote internationally recognised labour rights. In all of its 105 year-history, Gilbert F. Houngbo is the first African to be in charge of the UN agency. In this programme, the ILO leader talks to Rahul Tandon about what he's doing to try to tackle some of the biggest global challenges the world currently faces - from unemployment, to migration, to artificial intelligence. And we...
Is tidal power a viable energy source?
March 28, 2024 08:30 - 18 minutes - 8.44 MBThe Pentland Firth is the strait that lies between the far north of mainland Scotland and the Orkney Islands. It's a wild area with some of the fastest tides in the world, where the power of the sea is being harnessed by tidal turbines sitting on the sea bed. But this type of green energy is still very expensive to generate - so what is the future of tidal and wave power? We explore some of the ground breaking projects being developed in the region and speak to companies who are trying ...
The billion-dollar rise of Padel
March 27, 2024 08:30 - 18 minutes - 8.43 MBPadel is a fast-growing sport, attracting investment from celebrities and major brands. What is it about the game that makes it so attractive? We hear from professional players of the sport, and head to Sweden, where the Padel boom, and subsequent bust, might hold some lessons for other countries. (Image: Portuguese football player Cristiano Ronaldo plays Padel during an event in Singapore, 2023. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Daniel Rosney
How do you keep food cold?
March 26, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.44 MBUp to 40% of food in Africa and India is wasted because of a lack of what's called "the cold chain" - the infrastructure keeping food chilled and fresh, from farm to fork. Many small-scale farmers have no access to any kind of refrigeration, meaning they're losing income and wasting food that could otherwise be sold. Devina Gupta meets the entrepreneur who is building pay-as-you-go solar powered cold rooms in India, and hears from farmers, traders and experts on how we can keep food cold ...
Will high interest rates be cut soon?
March 25, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.43 MBThe past few years have been marked by two economic trends that have affected pretty much everyone on the planet. The first is the cost of living crisis that followed the Covid pandemic and was made worse by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That saw prices in the shops soar - in many countries they rose by their fastest pace for four decades. The attempt to stamp out this inflation is the second of those big economic trends, as central banks aggressively increased the cost of borrowing. Mil...
Business Daily meets: Leigh Steinberg
March 22, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBLawyer Leigh Steinberg had no big dream to become a sports agent. He was a huge sports fan, but the job was not something he was aspiring to – more something that he stumbled across. Today, he's built up a career representing more than 300 professional athletes across a range of disciplines: from big money-making sports like football and basketball, to Olympic gymnastics; building sporting careers worth billions of dollars. His influence in sport is so influential that he's often credite...
Is Saudi Arabia softening its alcohol ban?
March 20, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBAn alcohol shop for diplomats has opened in Saudi Arabia. It’s a significant move in a country that has banned alcohol for over 70 years. Some believe in order to transform the tourism economy it is a sign of things to come. In the meantime, Riyadh has become known for making some of the best non-alcohol cocktails in the world. Is this a small policy change, or does it signal a wider relaxation of the rules? We hear from young Saudis about the generational divide in a country trying to c...
Why is Temu so cheap?
March 19, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.39 MBThe Chinese-owned online store has exploded in popularity in the past year, shipping to customers in 49 countries around the world. And its advertising has taken centre stage at one of the world’s most watched events: the Super Bowl. So why is Temu so cheap? And how can it afford to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on advertising to take on its rivals? We hear from experts, politicians and shoppers in China, the US, and the UK about how the company operates, as it seeks to out-pace t...
Would green hydrogen be a drain on Uruguay's water sources?
March 18, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBThe government of Uruguay has launched ambitious plans to make hydrogen and green fuels. The country generates far more of its electricity from renewables than most countries - Uruguay produces more than 90% of its electricity from sustainable resources, like wind. And that, the government says, puts it in a good position to start producing green hydrogen. Proponents of green hydrogen production in Uruguay say it will be good for the planet and the country's economy, but could it use too m...
Business Daily meets: CEO of Proton Andy Yen
March 15, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.35 MBAndy Yen is founder and CEO of tech company Proton, best known for its encrypted email service Proton Mail. He was born in Taiwan, studied in California, then moved to Switzerland to work at CERN as a particle physicist. He then set up Proton from Geneva. Dougal Shaw talks to the entrepreneur about growing up in the shadow of China, personal privacy in an age when we live our lives online, and his company’s “cat and mouse” games with Russia over VPN software, which allows people to access ...
Business Daily meets: Andy Yen
March 15, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.35 MBAndy Yen is founder and CEO of tech company Proton, best known for its encrypted email service Proton Mail. He was born in Taiwan, studied in California, then moved to Switzerland to work at CERN as a particle physicist. He then set up Proton from Geneva. Dougal Shaw talks to the entrepreneur about growing up in the shadow of China, personal privacy in an age when we live our lives online, and his company’s “cat and mouse” games with Russia over VPN software, which allows people to access ...
Stockholm: The capital of music tech?
March 14, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.29 MBSpotify and Soundcloud started out as small, music tech startups in Stockholm, and now, several other companies that blend music production and innovation are choosing to set up shop in the Swedish capital. In this edition of Business Daily, we meet some of these new businesses, to see why Stockholm holds such appeal. And we try to find out whether music tech is a profitable sector with a long-term future. (Image: Emelie Olsson, the co- founder of Corite, a music tech startup. Credit: Mad...
NATO: Who’s spending what?
March 13, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.4 MBWary of the perceived threat from Russia, the countries that make up the NATO Western military alliance are upping their spending on the military. But not fast enough, according to former US president Donald Trump, who’s made the issue part of his election campaign. So should governments in Europe be spending more on their collective defence? Do Europeans want them to, or would they rather that money go to things like education and healthcare instead? As Sweden joins the alliance, we look...
Nato: Who’s spending what?
March 13, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.4 MBWary of the perceived threat from Russia, the countries that make up the Nato Western military alliance are upping their spending on the military. But not fast enough, according to former US president Donald Trump, who has made the issue part of his election campaign. So should governments in Europe be spending more on their collective defence? Do Europeans want them to, or would they rather that money go to things like education and healthcare instead? As Sweden joins the alliance, we lo...
The sugar price surge
March 12, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.33 MBWe trace the commodity’s journey from sugar cane farm, to mill, to candy shop, all in a quest to find out why the cost of sugar has gone up. The US is the world's fifth largest sugar producer, with sugarcane grown in the south and sugar beets in the north. Even though the cost of sugar is rising worldwide, Americans pay twice as much as the global average for sugar because of a government policy. Brought about to protect domestic producers, a protectionist policy taxing imports of suga...
European farming’s existential crisis?
March 11, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.32 MBThere's been a wave of farmers' protests across Europe in recent weeks. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and Eastern European countries have all seen farmers airing their grievances by driving their tractors into towns and cities and blocking roads. There have also been similar demonstrations far beyond Europe, in India. Guy Hedgecoe has been looking at the protests and how some grievances are uniting farmers from different countries while others are dividing them. Because far...
Business Daily meets: Ben Ainslie
March 08, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBSir Ben Ainslie is the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time, winning medals at five consecutive Olympic Games. Since then, he's been sailing in the America’s Cup and more recently in the new SailGP league. Now, he's stepping back from some of his sailing responsibilities to concentrate on being a CEO. For this episode of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick talks to Sir Ben about what it takes to run a sailing team, how to monetise the sport, and where he sees its future. (Picture: Sir Be...
The repercussions of the Hollywood strikes
March 07, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.39 MBLast summer marked the first time in six decades that Hollywood’s actors and writers went on strike simultaneously. They hit pause on production over pay and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the film industry. The strikes brought the industry to boiling point, but wider issues were simmering for some time. They caused a multi-billion economic toll on those who work in film and television - from crew members to caterers. Businesses burned through savings and piled up debt. This e...
Disruption and drought in the Panama Canal
March 06, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBThe important shipping route runs for 82 km through Central America, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. But a long period of dry weather means the water in the canal is very low, reducing the number of boats that can travel though. We travel to Panama to look at the impact this is having on shipping companies, manufacturers and consumers, and find out what the Panama Shipping Company is trying to do about it. Presenter: Michelle Fleury Producer: Nathalie Jimenez (Image: A ship...
Tourism’s sustainability ambitions
March 05, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBWe travel to FITUR - International Tourism Trade Fair. Taking place in Madrid, this year's event was the biggest ever. As the sector is still recovering from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, we speak to representatives from countries around the world who are aiming to attract visitors. Plus we focus on responsible tourism, and look at how much emphasis is being placed on sustainability by the travel industry. Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma (Image: Tourists at a beach club ...
How are farmers adapting to climate change?
March 04, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBUp to 10% of areas for major crops and livestock could be rendered unsuitable by climate change by 2050, so what can farmers do to adapt to rising temperatures and extreme weather events? Stefania Gozzer meets a farmer in Spain to see how severe droughts ruined his cereal harvest, and she pays a visit to his neighbour, who has managed to grow tomatoes without watering his fields. Global warming poses huge challenges for agriculture around the world - and various ways of managing its effect...
Bonus: Good Bad Billionaire
March 02, 2024 08:30 - 58 minutes - 26.7 MBIn this special episode, Ed Butler brings you a podcast from our friends at Good Bad Billionaire. In the series, presenters Simon Jack and Zing Tseng find out how the richest people on the planet made their billions, and then they judge them. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? This episode focuses on Warren Buffett - how did he became the richest investor in history? Listen to every episode of Good Bad Billionaire wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
Business Daily meets: Mariana Mazzucato
March 01, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.45 MBThe world's major consulting firms make an estimated trillion dollars a year, directing governments and businesses on how best to govern. But the economist Mariana Mazzucato argues that outsourcing the brain power of governments to private firms is a dangerous trend. Ed Butler asks her why she thinks it isn't money well spent. (Picture: Mariana Mazzucato. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Ed Butler
Is it okay to be mediocre at work?
February 29, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.45 MBThe idea of settling for ‘good enough’ and being mediocre at work is not new… but the case for prioritising other things apart from work has grown rapidly since the pandemic – and hashtags like #lazygirljob have been getting millions of views on TikTok. We find out what mediocrity means for staff and employers, and speak to workers who are embracing this new attitude. We hear from Jaime Ducharme, Time Magazine journalist who wrote an article about mediocrity in the workplace, Gabrielle Ju...
Would you like to work 'near' home?
February 28, 2024 08:30 - 18 minutes - 8.46 MBWork from home, or go into the office? For many businesses and workers it's an ongoing conversation at the moment. But could there be a third way - working 'near' home? New co-working spaces are providing a place for people to do their job close to where they live, but not at home which can be unsuitable and isolating. We also look at the WeWork model - the billion-dollar business filed for bankruptcy protection in the US last year - does that mean the concept isn't viable long term? Pr...
Chile's move to a 40 hour work week
February 27, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.44 MBWe look at the implications as the Latin American country gradually reduces from 45 hours. In April 2023 politicians approved a law in congress saying that businesses need to move towards cutting their hours to help get a better work life balance for employees. This reduction is happening gradually, and the working week is getting shorter by at least one hour per year, over a maximum of five years. We speak to workers and businesses in Chile about the impact - good and bad - that this is...
How Sweden led the way on parental leave
February 26, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.45 MBIt's been 50 years since Sweden introduced state-funded parental leave, designed for couples to share. We hear how the pioneering policy has impacted families and businesses - and ask whether Sweden really deserves its reputation for gender equality. And we meet one of the first dads to take paid parental leave, back in the 1970s. Produced and presented by Maddy Savage (Image: A man holding a small child. Credit: Getty Images)
Business Daily meets: Ingrid Robeyns
February 23, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.4 MBToday, the richest 10 per cent of the world’s population own more than three quarters of its wealth, while the bottom half have 2%. To halt the growing wealth gap, one economic philosopher, Ingrid Robeyns, has come up with a striking proposal - to impose legally enforced limits on people’s personal wealth. No one individual, Professor Robeyns suggests, should be allowed to have more than 10 million dollars. It's a provocative idea. And would it work in practice? (Picture: Ingrid Robeyns. ...
Ukraine's economic rollercoaster
February 22, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBThe Russian invasion sparked the worst recession in the country’s recent history. Yet 2023 saw growth which is projected to continue. So how are businesses actually faring? The economy is heavily reliant on foreign aid and there is uncertainty whether that will continue, notably from the US. We hear from businesses and workers who give us a mixed picture of Ukraine's economic health: Chef Zhenya Mykhailenko the CEO of FVSM which runs a group of Ramen restaurants in Kyiv and a military kit...
Peak profits
February 21, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBThe Olympics in Tokyo, some jaw dropping films, and a hardwired desire to be in the great outdoors. These are just some of the reasons credited with boosting the popularity of climbing. Hundreds of indoor bouldering gyms have cropped up in the US since the 1990s, and the sport is spreading across the world. Although still concentrated in North America and Europe, more and more countries are joining the International Federation of Sport Climbing, and the millions of people taking part are a...
What happens when you run out of coins?
February 20, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.42 MBThe Philippines is experiencing an artificial coin shortage. It’s artificial because there are plenty of coins - it’s just that people are using them less so they fall out of circulation and end up collecting in jars at home. Hannah Mullane investigates why this is happening and what impact it’s having on consumer behaviour. And reporter Camille Elemia speaks to businesses and shoppers in Quezon city to find out how Filipino’s are changing the way they spend. (Picture: A jeepney driver,...
Global trade’s new normal?
February 19, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.39 MBThree months ago, Houthi fighters from Yemen hijacked a cargo ship in the Red Sea and took the crew captive. It was the group’s first attack on commercial shipping in response to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Around 30 similar assaults have followed and the US and UK have retaliated with air strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. The Houthi attacks have wreaked havoc with shipping in the Red Sea, forcing hundreds of ships to re-route and make the much longer journey around the bott...
Business Daily meets: Tony Fernandes
February 16, 2024 13:40 - 18 minutes - 8.28 MBTony Fernandes has worked in the music industry, owned a formula one team and co-owned a professional London football club, but these days he’s concentrating on his core business as the CEO of the parent company of AirAsia, a Malaysia-based budget airline he co-founded that has transformed travel in South East Asia. We speak to him about his varied career, the airline industry’s recovery from the Covid pandemic, and the recent safety issues at Boeing. (Picture: Tony Fernandes. Credit: EPA-...
The making of a billionaire athlete
February 15, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.41 MBOnly four sportspeople have turned success on the field to success in business, making it to the 10 figure club. Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Magic Johnson, the last to join in October 2023, according to the wealth-tracking business magazine, Forbes. Matt Lines finds out the secrets behind the fortunes of these four athletes and who could be joining the list in future. (Picture: L-R: Tiger Woods. Credit: Reinhold Matay/USA Today Sports. Magic Johnson. Credit: Allison Dinn...
A scary business
February 13, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.4 MBScaring people has become big business. There’s even a catch-all term for the trend: dark tourism, where thrill seekers visit the scenes or replicate the experiences of horrendous moments in history. Elizabeth Hotson goes to investigate. (Picture: Someone wearing a skeleton mask, pointing at the camera. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson
The content moderators taking Big Tech to court
February 12, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.38 MBWe hear from former moderator Daniel Motaung, who has taken Meta and their outsourcing partner, Sama, to an employment tribunal in Nairobi. US lawyer Cori Crider, from tech justice NGO Foxglove - which supports Daniel and others who have taken legal action - believes that content moderation is one of the most important tech jobs, particularly when there is a conflict in the region. The recent war in Ethiopia and some of the posts made on Facebook were the catalyst for another lawsuit chall...
Business Daily meets: Jagan Chapagain
February 09, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.31 MBThe secretary general of the world’s biggest humanitarian network – the International Federation of the Red Cross - rose from humble beginnings in Nepal. We hear how Jagan Chapagain became involved in humanitarian work, and how he deals with all of the current global crises, whilst remaining politically neutral. (Picture: Jagan Chapagain. Credit: Getty Images) Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Olie D'Albertanson
The global quest to boost productivity
February 08, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.43 MBFrom tackling the long commute to sleeping on the job - we head to Lagos, New York, Tokyo, Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) and Dublin to look at the diverse ways businesses are attempting to boost productivity and therefore also boost profits. We hear from businesses installing sleep pods in the office and others using technology to boost production on their farms and in their factories but are these techniques really working? Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Leanne Byrne (Image: Bui...
Is it worth being a B Corp?
February 07, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.35 MBIt's an exclusive business club with over 8,000 companies, which put environmental and social values at the heart of their work. But the B Corp badge has come under some criticism for taking on some multinational companies - some smaller businesses say that has diluted its values. We hear from Anjli Raval, who reports on what goes on inside the world's biggest companies for the Financial Times. One of the biggest growth areas for B Corps is expected to be Africa. Tahira Nizari is the c...
Denmark: Cashing in on Sweden's Eurovision
February 06, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.45 MBAs Malmö receives the keys to this year's event, we look at how Copenhagen in Denmark could be the real economic winners - without having to pay for it. When the Swedish city last hosted the competition in 2013, officials estimated around a third of overnight stays were in the Danish capital. We speak to officials in both cities - just 30km apart and connected by the Øresund Bridge - to examine what fans can expect, and explore how other nations around the world get in on the action when...
Business Daily meets: Dizzee Rascal
February 05, 2024 10:53 - 18 minutes - 8.45 MBFrom its emergence in London’s underground scene and pirate radios in the early 2000s, to becoming a major music genre, Grime has come a long way – contributing more than £2bn to the UK economy and creating opportunities to members of some of Britain’s most deprived communities. Dylan Kwabela Mills - professionally known as Dizzee Rascal - is someone who has been at the centre of this genre from its inception, and who many credit for Grime’s exposure to pop culture. Twenty years on, the el...
What's holding back Africa's fashion industry?
February 05, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.42 MBThe continent's fashion industry holds all the cards to becoming one of the world’s fashion leaders. It has the natural resources, the workforce and a growing middle class who want to wear African brands. However, there are challenges including poor infrastructure, lack of investment and limited training opportunities in fashion - highlighted in a recent Unesco report. We hear from designers on the continent and overseas to get their opinion on what’s needed to help the industry grow and ...
Business Daily meets: Mahen Kumar Seeruttun
February 02, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.4 MBThe island of Mauritius is well established as a luxury holiday destination with five star hotels, beautiful beaches and clear blue waters. But in the last couple of years it has also become Africa’s financial hub, attracting billions of dollars of investment by leveraging on decades of political and economic stability, a strategic location on the Indian Oean plus a multiple taxation system that incentivise investors. Critics say it’s a tax haven - an allegation the island is keen to put a...
How to shut down a nuclear power station
February 01, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.42 MBWe’re going behind the scenes at two former nuclear power stations – one that’s recently closed, and another that’s been out of action for 25 years. Both are at Hinkley Point in Somerset, in the south of England. What happens when the generators stop? We look into the unique challenges of cleaning up radioactive sites safely. Produced and presented by Theo Leggett (Image: Steam escapes from Hinkley Point B in 2022. Credit: Getty Images)
Should dynamic pricing be regulated?
January 31, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.47 MBIn the second part of the series, in the second part of the series, we look at supermarkets and restaurants. Dynamic pricing it could help cut down on food waste, but would it favour people who can choose when they shop? And we ask why restaurant-goers have yet to develop a taste for it. We also find out how artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have experimented with dynamic pricing to set the prices for their concerts. Finally, we ask if dynamic pricing needs to be regulated m...
The rise of dynamic pricing
January 30, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.52 MBThe retail strategy allows companies to constantly tweak their prices in response to changes in the market. In the first of two programmes, we look at how dynamic pricing works in the airline industry, at ride-hailing companies like Uber and on India’s sprawling rail network. And we speak to a director of e-commerce at US electronics firm Harman International, who tells us how dynamic pricing has enhanced its business, increasing revenue, margins and making the company more efficient. Arc...
How can tourism become more accessible?
January 29, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.42 MBThe tourism sector could be missing out on billions by not adapting to the disabled market. However, some businesses and individuals are trying to change that. Speaking to people in North America, Greece and Spain who are making a difference, we find out the challenges in accessible tourism and the potential revenue if things change. We also travel to Amsterdam to meet a woman helping businesses become more accessible. Presented and produced by Sean Allsop (Picture: Man using a wheel...
Business Daily meets: Masaba Gupta
January 26, 2024 00:01 - 14 minutes - 6.52 MBNot many fashion designers can say they've starred in their own TV series alongside their mother. For this edition of Business Daily, Devina Gupta talks to Indian entrepreneur and social media influencer Masaba Gupta. The daughter of Indian actor Neena Gupta and West Indian cricketer Sir Viv Richards, Masaba discusses how her mixed heritage has inspired the vibrant prints she's become famous for. (Picture: Masaba Gupta) Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Lexy O'Connor
Can the Olympics change an area’s reputation?
January 25, 2024 00:01 - 18 minutes - 8.47 MBWe’re in the Paris suburb of Seine -Saint-Denis which will host most of the games this summer. It’s an area with some of the highest levels of poverty in the whole of France, and a bad reputation. In the minds of most French people, the area conjures up images of drugs, crime and riots. Locals say that reputation is unfair – and they’re hoping the investment of the games, and a place on the world stage, goes some way to changing that. But can it? Presented and produced by John Laurens...