Business Daily

Business Daily meets: Joyce and Raissa de Haas Dec 08, 2023

Joyce and Raissa de Hass used to make tonic waters and mixers for their friends. That passion became a university project, which then turned into a successful start-up.

In the early days, the twin co-founders from the Netherlands were releasing batches of products they weren't really keen on, but now they think they've found a winning formula for premium mixers. They've won awards for their drinks, and now stock several premium bars and supermarkets.

In this edition of Business Daily, we hear how Joyce and Raissa turned a passion project into a business, why they believe they're shaking up the drinks industry, and what it's like to run a start-up with your identical twin.

(Picture: Joyce and Raissa de Hass)

Presented and produced by Dougal Shaw

Star Wars: The empire strikes cash Dec 07, 2023

When Star Wars launched, it helped usher in the era of the blockbuster. In the wake of the film, came the figures. Forty years on from their launch, the original toys have now become highly sought after - some fetching a few hundred thousand dollars.

We head to the largest toy fair in Europe dedicated to buying and selling Star Wars figures. We look at how much the toys are now worth and speak to some of the super fans now buying them - and explore how big the market for the vintage figures is.

Presenter/producer: Rowan Bridge

(Photo: Someone dressed in The Mandalorian costume at a Star Wars toy fair, with fans in the background)

Women, sport and business: Merchandise Dec 06, 2023

In this episode of Business Daily, the latest in our series on women, sport and business, it's all about the merch.

We'll explore how important replica tops and kits actually are for women’s sport in terms of fandom, participation and of course money. We ask what female sports fans and participants actually want to wear and whether they're being adequately catered for.

Dr Katie Lebel is Professor at the University of Guelph in Canada and researches gender equity in sports branding and consumer behaviour. She tells us there is a distinct lack of data in this area and as a result sports wear firms are definitely missing out on revenue.

Dana Brookman is founder of the Canadian girl's baseball league and tells us her biggest challenge has been sourcing suitable uniform for her teams, and Sam Fenwick visits sport wear manufacturer Kukri to see what they have available for women and how they're working to improve their offer.

We’re going to explore what’s available and whether half the population is being properly catered for in terms of sports gear...

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Carmel O'Grady (Image: Canadian girls baseball; Credit: Dana Brookman)

The K-rice belt: Seeds for self-sufficiency? Dec 06, 2023

Could Africa reduce its dependency on imported rice with the help of South Korea?

The continent's appetite for rice is growing fast at over 6% per year. And even though rice is grown in about 40 out of 54 countries in Africa, the production only covers about 60% of the demand. This results in 14 to 15 million tonnes of rice being imported each year costing over $6bn.

To remedy this, a new rice variety was developed in co-operation with South Korea: ISRIZ-7 and ISRIZ-8. These high yield rice varieties were bred from the very rice that is credited with bringing self-sufficiency in rice to South Korea in the '70s. Earlier this year 10 African nations launched the ‘Korean Rice Belt’ project to improve rice yields in participating countries.

David Cann looks into the rice co-operation between South Korea and African countries, speaking to the South Korean agricultural minister and farmers in Senegal and The Gambia.

Presenter/producer: David Cann

(Photo: A handful of ISRIZ rice seeds. Credit: Rural Development Administration)

What’s holding women back from work in Sri Lanka? Dec 05, 2023

After the catastrophic financial crisis, early signs of stability are returning to Sri Lanka. But there’s arguably a more entrenched economic dilemma in the country that had the world’s first female prime minister - the lack of women in work.

With first-hand testimony of harassment and social exclusion, this programme examines the barriers holding women back.

Presenter Laura Heighton-Ginns also visits a women-only employer, successful restaurant chain Hela Bojun, and speaks to presidential advisor Priyanee Wijesekera about the path to cultural change.

Presented and produced by Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Image: A woman working in a government back scheme. Credit: Sri Lanka Department of Agriculture)

How to solve fashion’s waste problem Dec 04, 2023

More than a quarter of all clothes made are never actually sold - where do they go?

We look into new legislation being finalised by the EU, to try and make fashion more sustainable.

There will be a ban on the incineration of unsold goods and each product will need a digital passport so it can be tracked and its lifetime monitored.

Hannah Mullane speaks to businesses across Europe about whether they think the industry is ready for these kind of changes.

We also head to Ghana, to the Kantamanto market - the biggest second-hand market in the world, to understand the impact the fashion worlds unsold garments can have.

Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane

(Picture credit: A pair of shoes hang over power lines at the Kantamanto market in Accra, November 2022. REUTERS/Francis Kokoroko)

Business Daily meets: Konrad Bergstrom Dec 01, 2023

Konrad Bergstrom comes from a family of seafarers. And as a business leader, he wants to make navigating the seas environmentally friendly. His business, X Shore, has been dubbed "the Tesla of the seas".

Konrad is now considered one of Sweden's leading entrepreneurs, having also founded Zound industries - the tech company that produces electronics for Marshall Amplification and Adidas.

But it's not all been plain sailing for the businessman.

In this edition of Business Daily, Leanna Byrne finds out how a boy selling hot dogs in his home town went from windsurfer to entrepreneur; how he overcame business failure; and how a business disagreement led Konrad back to his home - the sea.

(Picture: Konrad Bergstrom. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Leanna Byrne

Is the corporate world too close to COP? Nov 30, 2023

Greenhouse gas levels have never been higher. If we're to limit global warming, businesses have a crucial role to play because they operate in sectors that need to radically change, like energy, transport and finance.

Thousands of company bosses are touching down in Dubai for this year's COP28 climate change talks. But environmentalists claim many businesses are not acting fast enough.

They're increasingly concerned about the growing number of fossil fuel companies attending these summits. Are they right to be worried?

(Picture: COP28 venue ahead of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Expo City Dubai. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor

Can China stop its love affair with coal? Nov 29, 2023

It’s the world’s largest user of coal fired energy, and the biggest polluter.

However, China is also the world’s biggest producer of green energy. How can it reconcile the two and keep its next zero promises?

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Image: Thermal power and solar power in Shanghai. Two power generation methods in one photo. Credit: Getty Images)

Asia's air pollution problem Nov 28, 2023

It’s the week of the Climate Change Conference or COP28, and as leaders from around the world meet in the UAE to talk about how to tackle global warming, we take a look at one urgent issue: air pollution.

According to World Health Organisation data, nearly seven million lives are lost prematurely each year due to harmful air.

In this edition. Devina Gupta explores the air problem affecting major cities in Asia - to the cities of Delhi, Lahore, Taipei and Jakarta - to find out how lives and livelihoods are being impacted, and what can be done.

(Picture: The Swaminarayan Akshardham temple under a thick layer of smog in Delhi, India. Credit: Harish Tyagi/Shutterstock)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta.

Why is Spain betting on green hydrogen? Nov 27, 2023

Spain is trying to position itself as the centre of renewable energy production in Europe, particularly in green hydrogen.

The country already boasts one of the first centres worldwide where green hydrogen is produced.

But while it rushes headlong with several projects in the pipeline, we examine the economic viability and the impact of producing green hydrogen.

(Image: A green hydrogen manufacturing facility. Credit: Iberdrola)

Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma

Who is Sultan Al-Jaber? Nov 24, 2023

We find out why he's a controversial appointment for the COP28 presidency.

Sultan Al Jaber’s appointment has been widely questioned because he’s also the boss of Abu Dhabi’s state oil company Adnoc.

But supporters point to his work as founder of the green energy giant Masdar.

Is he compromised or uniquely qualified?

We speak to people who’ve interviewed him, worked with him, and can give us the inside track.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Lexy O'Connor

(Image: Sultan Al-Jaber. Credit: Getty Images)

The world's longest subsea power cable Nov 23, 2023

They are the cables that run along the sea bed to move power where it’s needed for a cheaper price.

Business Daily’s Rick Kelsey goes to the site of The Viking Link - the longest one ever built - just before it goes live between the UK and Demark.

We’ll be hearing what these cables may do for our electricity costs and how safe they are from sabotage. Rebecca Sedler Managing Director for NG Interconnectors tells us how it will save people money, and engineer Oliver Kitching spent four weeks on the cable laying vessel at sea. We also here from the Danish engineers who often have too much power available, plus Dhara Vyas from Energy UK discusses concerns around sabotage.

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey.

Image: The Viking power cable. Credit: National Grid)

Kimchi: Korean food goes global Nov 22, 2023

Kimchi, the tangy fermented vegetable dish, is now being made and sold around the world.

South Korea’s kimchi export value has risen dramatically in the past few years, going far beyond Asia. And it's consumed by not only overseas Koreans but by the locals too.

While kimchi remains a distinctly Korean dish, in recent years, those with little to no connection to the country have been producing and selling kimchi.

What is behind the rise?

In this edition, David Cann looks into the growing popularity of the dish; speaking to kimchi experts, traders and producers.

Presented and produced by David Cann.

(Picture: Kimchi being made at a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea. Credit: Reuters/Kim Hong-Ji)

How to spot a diamond Nov 21, 2023

When is a diamond really a diamond?

When it’s been formed miles underground a billion years ago, or when has it been created in a laboratory, under temperatures close to the heat of the sun? The answer is – both are true. They look and behave exactly the same, but they are very different in price.

The lab-grown diamonds are marketed as kinder to the environment, and they are far cheaper - and that’s led to concern about whether the two kinds have been mixed together, with man-made stones passed off as natural. So, what is the industry doing to give consumers confidence?

(Picture: Close up of man putting engagement ring on girlfriend. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Barbara George

Disruption in the diamond sector Nov 20, 2023

A few years ago you could have assumed all diamonds had been dug out of the ground – but now it’s true that some of them have been created, at unbelievably high temperatures, in just a matter of weeks.

In the first of two Business Daily programmes about the evolving diamond market, Lesley Curwen heads to the glamorous jewellery district of Hatton Garden in London – to see how the jewellery world is being re-shaped by the mass production of laboratory-made stones.

We hear from India how they’re created in temperatures as hot as the sun - and talk to one of the world’s biggest jewellery brands about why they are using only man-made diamonds.

We also look at claims that man-made diamonds are the green and ethical choice.

(Picture: Tweezers holding a diamond. Credit: Getty Images)

Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Barbara George

Business Daily meets: Cycling boss Doug Ryder Nov 17, 2023

The South African former pro rider set up his cycling team in 2007. As MTN Qhubeka they became the first-ever African registered team to ride the Tour de France.

He talks about the challenges of putting together a team from scratch - and the steep learning curve he faced moving from cycling to managing.

After a successful stint on the world stage, a combination of financial and sponsorship problems lead to the team, which by then had gone through multiple name changes, being disbanded in 2021.

Doug Ryder has now put a new team together – we catch up with him at the Q36.5 Pro Cycling HQ in the Netherlands.

Produced and presented by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Doug Ryder. Credit: BBC)

Argentina goes to the polls Nov 16, 2023

There are two candidates: one is the current economy minister who has a wealth of experience in power; the other is a maverick libertarian economist who wants to ditch the country’s currency, the peso, and strip the central bank of its ability to print money.

We speak to his senior economic advisor, and also to a wine producer from the western province of Mendoza, who tells us about the challenges of doing business in a country with two exchange rates, severe restrictions on imports, a heavy tax burden and a shrinking economy.

And we speak to voters in Buenos Aires about what they want from their next president in a nation which seems to lurch from one economic crisis to the next.

Picture: Composite image of Javier Milei (Credit: Luis Robayo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) and Sergio Massa (Credit: Tomas Cuesta/Reuters) in front of an Argentinian flag (Credit: Carl Recine/Reuters)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Biden and Xi to meet in San Francisco Nov 15, 2023

We’re looking ahead to the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco – the first time the two leaders will have met in 12 months.

Diplomatic ties between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year, with tensions rising over Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Meanwhile, there’s been a tit-for-tat trade spat over semiconductors and raw materials. As the presidents meet on the side lines of the APEC summit, Vivienne Nunis takes stock of the relationship between the world’s two largest economies.

Produced and presented by Vivienne Nunis.

(Image: US President Joe Biden and China's President Xi Jinping meet at the G20 Summit in Bali on November 14, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

The classic cars going electric Nov 14, 2023

Some owners are converting their vehicles into EVs.

The idea is to boost the performance of these cars and make them ready for a green future.

The process is not cheap - it requires specialists who can retain the vintage value of these cars while fitting them with a modern electric engine.

Critics feel that such a transition takes away the emotional and engineering legacy of these vehicles. So we travel across the UK to find out about the challenges and the future of this niche business that is helping classic cars go electric.

Produced and presented by Devina Gupta.

(Image: 'Isetta', owned by Aleks Hughes which has been converted to electric. Credit: Richard Heeley, Bite the Hand)

How has war changed the lives of Ukraine’s working women? Nov 13, 2023

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saw millions of Ukrainian women and children flee to safety; causing massive upheaval and hitting the economy hard.

For the women who have stayed, their lives have been transformed; many have taken on new roles, like Tetiana, who is now working underground in a coal mine, and Evgeniya, who is now a sniper on the frontline.

Others, like Alina Kacharovska, have managed to grow their businesses; in this case, shoes and accessories, or are stepping into leadership positions, like Yulia Burmistenko, in the crisis group at energy company D-Tek.

In this edition of Business Daily, we also hear from Iryna Drobovych from the Ukrainian Women’s Congress, and Yuliya Sporysh, founder & CEO of NGO Divchata, on how the war could change things for gender equality in Ukraine.

(Image: Tetyana Ustimenko, manager of underground installations at DTEK. Credit: DTEK)

Presented and produced by Clare Williamson

Business Daily meets: Silvina Moschini Nov 10, 2023

The Argentinian-American tech entrepreneur moved to the US in 1997 and carved out a career in the corporate world before breaking free and setting out on her own.

In late 2020, the remote working company TransparentBusiness, which she co-founded 12 years earlier, achieved a $1bn valuation.

Now she continues to push for gender and racial equality in the workplace, is an investor on the TV show Unicorn Hunters, and has also established a new asset-backed cryptocurrency.

She explains her journey, the setbacks she’s faced along the way and opens up about what keeps her motivated.

Presenter/producer: Sam Clack

(Image: Silvina Moschini. Credit: Dasha Horita)

Last orders for the Irish pub? Nov 09, 2023

Fears are growing for the future of the country's bars - especially in rural areas.

In less than 20 years almost a quarter of Irish pubs have closed, many of them businesses which have been run by the same family for generations. R

Russell Padmore travels across the Emerald Isle to hear how the closure of pubs is a setback for rural communities, but also a worry for the country’s tourism industry.

We hear from owners of pubs in County Donegal, a beer brewing company and a hospitality sector expert in Dublin, and a tourism marketing advisor.

Presenter: Russell Padmore

(Image: A closed pub sign. Credit: Getty Images)

Caste bias in corporate America Nov 08, 2023

There is a growing debate in the US about the caste system - an ancient social ranking system where the community you are born into determines what kind of job you do, who you marry, and much more.

The caste system in India dates back over 3,000 years and divides Hindu society into different social strata. In many South Asian countries, it is outlawed. But members of the South Asian diaspora in the US say this type of caste bias persists, and there is often very little protection at workplaces against it.

For the community, opinions are divided. Seattle in Washington was the first city to ban discrimination based on caste. But the fight continues for activists in California, where a bill that sought to ban discrimination was vetoed in October. Opponents called it a "divisive bill" that "implicitly singles out" South Asians.

In this edition of Business Daily, Devina Gupta speaks to workers who have experienced such discrimination, and explores some of the challenges for lawmakers seeking to ban it.

(Image: A group from Equality Labs at a rally in September 2023, pushing for a law to ban caste discrimination. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Devina Gupta

The Chinese migrants trying to get into the US Nov 07, 2023

We travel to South America to meet the Chinese migrants who are making their way to the United States using an unexpected route - the established migrant trail through South and Central America to the southern border with Mexico.

Citing economic challenges at home - and using inspiration from social media - a growing number are making this perilous trek.

Reporter Shawn Yuan travels along the route speaking to migrants about their journey and their aspirations for the future. Presenter: Shawn Yuan Producer: Shawn Yuan, with additional production from James Graham

(Image: Chinese migrants wait to get inside a bus to continue their route to the US. Credit: Getty Images)

Saudi Arabia's multi-billion dollar football powerhouse bet Nov 06, 2023

The Saudi Pro League has attracted some of the top players from around the world - with transfer fees and salaries amounting to millions of dollars.

We travel to Saudi Arabia to look at the country's ambitious plan to become a global football powerhouse - is it an economic move or simply sportswashing?

With Saudi Arabia now it's looking set to be confirmed as the host of the World Cup in 2034, we look at its relationship with football.

Presenter: Sameer Hashmi

(Image: Saudi football club Al Hilal welcomes Brazilian football star Neymar with an introductory ceremony at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on August 19, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

Why is the French wine industry struggling? Nov 02, 2023

The region of Bordeaux in the south-west of France is perhaps the most famous wine-producing area in the world.

But it’s struggling. While the prestigious, most expensive wines – Saint-Émilions, Pomerols and Margaux are selling well, others are not.

For the producers of the 850 million bottles of the region's famous red wine, it’s a difficult time due to a major decline in consumption.

We look at the reasons for this, the impact it’s having, and what winemakers are doing to help protect their livelihoods.

Presenter: John Laurenson

(Image: A glass of red wine. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily meets: Babbel CEO Arne Schepker Nov 02, 2023

Have you tried learning a language online?

We explore the growth of language learning platforms with Babbel CEO Arne Schepker, and how the Covid pandemic lead to an increase in learning digitally.

Mr Schepker explains how more international working and personal relationships has led to an increase in demand. And how smartphones and the internet have changed that age-old aspiration of gaining fluency in another language.

Presenter: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Arne Schepker. Credit: BBC)

The Crypto King and the journalist Nov 01, 2023

Sam Bankman-Fried, the American crypto entrepreneur who went from billionaire to bankrupt, is on trial in New York for fraud.

The 31-year-old who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX is accused of lying to investors and lenders.

He has denied those charges, and instead says he was acting in good faith but made mistakes. He says he never set out to defraud anyone.

In the coming days, 12 jurors will decide his fate - he could face a life sentence in prison if convicted.

Vivienne Nunis speaks to financial journalist Michael Lewis, who spent hundreds of hours with Sam Bankman-Fried for his new book Going Infinite.

Presenter: Vivienne Nunis

(Image: Sam Bankman-Fried leaving a court hearing in June 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Spook-onomics: the global boost of Halloween Oct 31, 2023

Trick or treat and other traditions are now at the centre of a global multi-billion business.

The ancient Celtic and Pagan festival, which started thousands of years ago in Ireland, was taken by emigrants to North America, where it was turned into a major annual event.

The National Retail Federation in the US tells Russell Padmore how spending by consumers is forecast to be a record of more than $12bn. Jadrain Wooten, an economist at Virginia Tech, says the sales promotions for Halloween are getting earlier every year and lasting at least month.

We hear about the economic benefits of Europe’s biggest Halloween Festival in Derry City in Northern Ireland and visit a pumpkin farm in the region.

An Irish cultural historian, Manchán Magan, tells us about the roots of the festival, which used to be called Samhain and we find out how retailers in Australia are cashing in by selling costumes, pumpkins and other items as consumers enjoy the traditions of Halloween.

Presenter: Russell Padmore

(Image: Children trick or treating in the North East of England. Credit: Getty Images)

The electric car race Oct 30, 2023

Countries around the world are racing to achieve targets on the ban of new petrol and diesel cars - but they are hitting stumbling blocks, meaning some are pulling back on their commitments.

Although global sales of electric cars are rising, some countries are struggling to persuade drivers to make the switch. Reasons given include insufficient or unsuitable charging points, and the price tag: criticism is often put to governments that the shift to electric cars is hardest for the least well off.

In this edition of Business Daily, Rick Kelsey looks at one country which is well ahead of the rest: Norway. The country's aim is that all new car sales in 2025 will be of electric vehicles - a plan being supported by financial incentives and policy changes.

He also speaks to business leaders in the car industry, including a man known as "the Godfather of EV", to find out what's needed if countries are to phase out internal combustion engines.

(Picture: An electric car being charged. Credit: PA/John Walton)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

Elon Musk's X: The Twitter takeover a year on Oct 26, 2023

After many months of news headlines about whether Elon Musk was going to buy Twitter, he eventually completed the purchase on 27 October 2022.

Since then, the company’s been through some big changes; laying off most of its 8000 employees, a rebrand to ‘X’, and reinstating some previously banned accounts on the platform.

Mr Musk describes himself a free speech absolutist and says he bought Twitter – now called X - to create a space where “a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner.” However, the company’s faced criticism over lax content moderation, leading to advertisers halting ads on the service. He hopes to boost revenue by making the site a paid-for platform, setting himself some ambitious financial targets.

In this episode, Sam Fenwick speaks to former employees, business owners and journalists to get a picture of what has happened at X since Elon Musk took over.

(Picture: Elon Musk next to a logo for X - formerly known as Twitter. Credit: Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Produced by Amber Mehmood and Hannah Mullane

Business Daily meets: Akinwumi Adesina Oct 25, 2023

In 2015, Akinwumi Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), and since then he's become a symbol of optimism across the continent. How did he become known as Africa's "optimist-in-chief"?

In this edition of Business Daily, Dr Adesina tells Peter MacJob what has shaped him as an economist, his outlook for the continent and how Africa could determine the future of renewable energy and green minerals.

He says the international financial architecture should be more inclusive and favourable towards African economies, and the global north should compensate the continent for the adverse impacts of climate change on Africa.

(Picture: Dr Akinwunmi Adesina. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Peter MacJob

Short Stories: The amateur trader Oct 23, 2023

Short selling has gone mainstream. Inspired by the noisy success of activist short sellers, amateur investors are now trying this highly risky strategy themselves.

They’re aided by a slew of new trading apps making it possible to short a stock or currency in seconds.

Peter Roscoe is a YouTube investing vlogger who’s experienced the highs and lows of short selling.

We also hear from the UK boss of trading app E-Toro – who says shorting has exploded on the platform.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey Presenter: Leanna Byrne

Short Stories: The CEO Oct 23, 2023

What’s it like to be on the wrong side of a big short? Former CEO Paul Pittman's company was shorted by an anonymous short seller who made false allegations in order to drive its share price down - way down.

This is the story of how Paul and his firm overcame the short attack that cost them millions: and why it’s not just big companies that stand to lose money from rogue shorters on the markets.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey Presenter: Leanna Byrne

Short Stories: The activist short seller Oct 22, 2023

Short selling – the trade where you hope a stock’s value will fall rather than rise. If it does, the trader can win. Big.

That’s led to the growth of what’s called the activist short seller. A trader who comes out to tell the world why a company’s stock should be lower than it is. They’re betting on its failure.

Carson Block from the firm Muddy Waters is one of the most prominent new short sellers – vocal on the news and social media, he explains why the companies he shorts are usually the ones with something to hide.

Producer: Ciaran Tracey Presenter: Leanna Byrne

Business Daily meets: Andre Schwammlein Oct 19, 2023

Andre Schwammlein once wanted to be a pilot – but ended up behind the wheel of a bus and train company instead.

The chief executive and co-founder of Flix – the driving force behind Flixbus and Flixtrain - says he was never much of a traveller, but now leads a company that has changed the way millions of people cross countries and continents.

In just 10 years, Flixbus has gone from German startup to global brand - even taking a piece of American heritage: Greyhound.

In this edition of Business Daily, Theo Leggett finds out how the transport entrepreneur got started, the reasons behind the company’s success, and his plans for growth.

(Picture: André Schwämmlein. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Theo Leggett

What makes a stadium special? Oct 18, 2023

The development of new sports stadiums and facilities can bring regeneration to deprived areas. They hold a special place in the hearts of sports and live music fans. But have some of the new ones lost their spark?

In this edition of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick asks, what gives a stadium its atmosphere and can it be designed in?

Sam speaks to Christopher Lee, whose architecture practice, Populous, has designed 3000 arenas all over the world. He shares his experience of designing iconic grounds like the Yankee Stadium, Wembley Stadium, and Olympic stadiums in Sydney, London and Sochi.

And we hear from BBC World Service listeners, who tell us what makes their favourite sports grounds so special.

(Picture: Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Brayan Bello (66) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the third inning at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. Credit: David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick

Why is the US building electric car battery factories? Oct 17, 2023

We’re in Kentucky, where an area which had long ago been abandoned as an industrial site is once again coming to life.

US manufacturer Ascend Elements has chosen the site to build a factory for electric car batteries made from recycled ones - an industry previously almost entirely based in China.

We explore the government incentives that have drawn the company to build here with US Climate Envoy John Kerry.

And we hear from the local mining community which is hoping the new green manufacturing facility may provide much needed jobs.

Presenter: Faisal Islam Producer: Priya Patel

(Image: A worker at the factory building site in Kentucky. Credit: BBC)

Bottles or balsa: What should wind turbine blades be made from? Oct 17, 2023

For years, balsa wood has been a key component in the giant rotor blades on the top of wind turbines. Most of it comes from the rain forests of South America and, in particular, from Ecuador.

As the world transitions to green energy, lots of countries – particularly China – have been looking for more balsa to make blades. That pushed up prices, raised questions over sustainability and prompted some companies to look for alternatives to balsa wood. One alternative is PET, a foam made from recycled plastic bottles.

So what should we be using to make the wind turbine blades of the future – biodegradable balsa wood or plastic foam made from old bottles?

We talk to people on both sides of the debate and visit a wind farm in rural England to see the blades in action.

(Picture: Crook Hill wind farm in Rochdale, north of England.)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

The impact of India's rice export ban Oct 16, 2023

In an effort to insulate domestic prices, India has banned exports of non basmati white rice - its largest rice category.

We ask what the impact of this is on large importing countries.

A rice mill owner in Northern Nigeria tells us how the country is expanding its domestic rice production as a result of India’s curb, and we hear from a retailer in the UAE about the purchasing restriction it placed on customers as soon as the announcement was made.

We look at whether other countries can meet the shortfall of rice in global supply and what this could mean for global food security.

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Amber Mehmood

Business Daily meets: Durreen Shahnaz Oct 13, 2023

From Bangladesh to Wall Street and back again, the founder and CEO of Impact Investment Exchange talks to Devina Gupta.

Durreen Shahnaz explains how her childhood in socialist Bangladesh and then move to a job on Wall Street in the 1980s shaped the person and businesswoman she is today.

From trading stamps with her friends and buying pickles with the profit, she moved on to bigger trades at the heart of capitalism. What she learnt there set her up for a life dedicated to trying to make the financial system work for those most in need.

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producer: Hannah Bewley

(Image: Durreen Shahnaz. Credit: Durreen Shahnaz)

Dumb Money: Unpicking the GameStop saga Oct 12, 2023

Shares in GameStop, the video game store, experienced a dramatic rise in early in 2021. The stock had captured the imagination of many individual investors who heard about it on social media platforms such as TikTok and Reddit.

Some investors made a lot of money, while some hedge funds, who had bet against the stock, lost billions. Eventually, though, GameStop shares crashed back to earth and many investors lost the lot.

The story has been dramatised by Hollywood in ‘Dumb Money’, currently screening in cinemas.

Vivienne Nunis sits down with the film’s director Craig Gillespie and financial journalist Matt Levine to investigate what the GameStop saga teaches us about the power of social media when it comes to influencing the movements of the stock market.

(Picture: Paul Dano as Keith Gill in 'Dumb Money'. Credit: Sony Pictures)

Presented and produced by Vivienne Nunis

The rising price of fuel in Nigeria Oct 11, 2023

In May this year, Nigerian president Bola Tinubu took office – and announced an end to fuel subsidies.

He said the move would free up money for investment in public services and infrastructure projects, but it caused a spike in prices and, in some cases, triggered street protests.

We explore the impact of removing the subsidy on residents and businesses, and the knock on-effect for neighbouring countries like Cameroon.

Presenter/producer: Bisi Adebayo

(Image: Members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) holds a placard during a march in Abuja on August 2, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

Fire-proofing California’s wine industry Oct 10, 2023

In 2020, Napa Valley experienced its most destructive wildfire ever. Vineyards burned, leaving not only direct damage, but more long lasting impact with wine affected by smoke taint.

We hear how the perennial presence of wildfires means local businesses face a harsh reality of living with the risk of fire. Sophie Long visits wine makers who are using inflammable materials to build new wineries, changing growing techniques and using technology to deal with tainted wine.

And she meets local residents learning firefighting techniques - all to keep smoke out of your wine glass and the billion dollar industry thriving.

Presenter: Sophie Long Producer: Samantha Granville

(Image: Burned grapes hang on a damaged vine at a vineyard as the Glass fire continues to burn in Calistoga, California on October 1, 2020. Credit: Getty Images)

The Commonwealth Games in crisis? Oct 09, 2023

The event is facing its biggest financing challenge in its 93-year history.

There is no host city for the next edition in 2026, and the Commonwealth Games Federation is struggling to persuade other cities to host after that.

We speak to academics who say the model of structuring and paying for the Games is broken. Some observers go further – saying the Games and the Commonwealth itself are relics of the British Empire and should be wound up.

We also hear from athletes who have competed at the Games and highlight their importance for their respective sports and countries.

And we look at one city that has hosted with relative success – within budget and with long-lasting benefits to civic infrastructure.

Producer/Presenter: Gideon Long

(Image: The closing ceremony of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. Credit: Getty Images)

Fashion: Becoming a designer Oct 06, 2023

We speak to Greek designer Dimitra Petsa - founder of Di Petsa - a brand which has been worn by celebrities around the world.

She graduated from fashion school five years ago and since then has launched her own fashion brand.

Very few make it in the fashion world - Dimitra explains how she did it from mentors and getting exposure to creating business plans and coming up with business strategies.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Models wearing Di Petsa clothing. Credit Di Petsa)

Fashion: Paying less for the wedding dress? Oct 05, 2023

In the UK, brides spend an average of £1,400 on a dress for the big day.

But inflation and the rising cost of living means that's starting to change. We look at the trend of spending less on wedding dresses - buying them ready-to-wear from a boutique in London, or even from a supermarket.

And we're in India where some brides are starting to spend less - not always easy when spending lavishly on weddings is often the expectation.

Produced and presented by Deborah Weitzmann with additional presenting from Devina Gupta.

(Image: Ruth in her second hand wedding gown. Image credit: Greg Milner)

Fashion: Doing business in Paris Oct 04, 2023

Paris is the most visited city in the world and one of the things it’s known for, is fashion. But what is it about the City of Light that makes it a popular destination for businesses?

In this programme, Hannah Mullane speaks to a personal shopper, who relies on fashion tourists for her business, as well as fashion start-ups choosing to base themselves in Paris.

Hannah also meets a stylist and fashion agent, who moved from Italy to Paris, to make the most of the opportunities that the fashion industry has to offer.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Two women holding shopping bags. Credit: Fabulous You Paris)

Fashion: Dupe culture Oct 03, 2023

Duplicate products, or dupes, are flooding social media.

Dupes are clothes, beauty products, homeware that are cheaper than the recognisable brand, but still look similar.

We hear from shoppers and fashion experts about this growing trend and its impact on the market.

And we speak to athleisure wear company Lululemon, who are trying to work out how to respond to the number of dupes of their products that are now on the market.

Producer/presenter: Deborah Weitzmann

(Image: Leggings on mannequins. Credit: Getty Images)

Fashion: The rise of sports brands Oct 02, 2023

Twenty-five years ago Puma became the first big sports brand to collaborate with a fashion house.

Since then all of the big players have been collaborating with celebrities, sports stars and high fashion brands.

Hannah Mullane speaks to Heiko Desens, the creative director at Puma about how these big collaborations work behind the scenes and what they mean for business, and fashion designer Alejandro Gómez Palomo explains how collaborating with a sports brand has elevated his business.

Presenter/Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Picture: Rihanna at the Puma fashion show. Credit: Getty Images)

Is green methanol the future of shipping? Sep 29, 2023

The shipping industry is looking for solutions to it's emissions problem.

Shipping giant Maersk has just unveiled the world’s first container ship to run on green methanol - is this the answer?

We hear from Maersk’s CEO about why they’ think this is the best bet.

And we find out more about some of the different options in development, such as hydrogen and green ammonia, all vying to become the future fuel for the world's ships.

Presenter/producer: Adrienne Murray

(Image: Maersk's first green methanol container ship. Credit: Maersk)

Where next for China’s Belt and Road? Sep 28, 2023

Xi Jinping announced a massive building project along the ‘New Silk Road’ to very little fanfare in Kazakhstan 10 years ago this month.

Infrastructure including railways, roads and ports have been built in 165 countries to date, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Billions of dollars has been lent to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.

Some are now struggling to afford the payments and China is reducing the amount being loaned.

We look at what this means for Beijing’s finances and for countries with huge projects underway, but with no means of meeting the repayments.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Hannah Bewley Additional reporting: Michael Kaloki

(Picture: Xi Jinping waits for a photo call at the China-Central Asia Summit in Xian, China in May 2023: Credit: Florence Lo/Reuters)

The industry that saved an animal from extinction Sep 27, 2023

You may not be familiar with the vicuna, but in Peru, where it's the national animal, the smallest relative of the llama is revered - particularly for its fine and insulating coat.

In this programme, Stefania Gozzer travels to the Peruvian Andes, to meet the animals that produce one of the most expensive wools in the world. Demand for their coveted fleece once led them near extinction, but now it has become the best tool to preserve them.

Stefania visits Pampa Galeras, to talk to the scientists that work in the largest natural reserve created to protect vicunas. She learns how farming communities engage in the conservation of this species while making a profit, and hears why the business model that once saved vicunas is now at risk.

Presented and produced by Stefania Gozzer

(Image: A vicuna. Credit: Getty Images)

The growth of tattoo removal Sep 26, 2023

What used to be a fairly niche industry is now on the increase, with companies setting up removal clinics around the world.

And no surprise – as more people get tattoos, more people night change their minds and want them removing.

We meet the regretful clients and the companies cashing in, and also explore the world of cosmetic and medical tattooing.

Presenter and producer: Elizabeth Hotson

(Image: A laser tattoo removal. Credit: Getty Images)

Meet the 'Finfluencers' Sep 25, 2023

Where do you go to get financial advice? More and more people are turning to Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for money matters. David Harper meets the ‘Finfluencers’ – financial influencers entertaining and educating young people around the world, and bringing in big numbers in the process. Caleb Hammer is a YouTuber with over 600,000 subscribers who conducts financial audits on the forensic financial details of individuals in the hope of helping them to budget better.

He also speaks to Hannah Rimm and Alexandra Koster, who run the Money Diaries feature at online magazine Refinery 29. They are deluged with submissions every week.

And we hear from Sharan Hegde, from Bangalore in India. He has over 4 million subscribers on Instagram and YouTube combined.

Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings

Business Daily meets the Queen of Biscuits Sep 22, 2023

How do you make an artisan product at scale?

We head to the UK factory of Biscuiteers, where millions of biscuits are hand-iced every year, from treats shaped like designer bags to edible versions of favourite cartoon characters.

Harriet Hastings is the co-founder of the company - in this episode, she shares her business advice, explains why marketing is key and talks about running a business with her husband.

Producer / presenter: Sam Everett

(Image: A ballerina biscuit being iced. Credit: BBC)

Is India ready for Tesla? Sep 21, 2023

It’s been a long wait for tech billionaire Elon Musk to push into India’s EV market.

High import duties have kept Tesla out of India so far. Mr Musk has repeatedly sought to lower those duties, but the government wants the company to manufacture cars locally before considering tax breaks.

Now there seems to be an agreement on the horizon.

But is India’s EV ecosystem ready for it?

Presenter/producer: Devina Gupta

The cost of migration: Europe's response Sep 20, 2023

In the third and final programme of this series on the economics of irregular migration across the Mediterranean, the BBC’s Frey Lindsay sits down with two spokespeople from the European Commission to discuss how irregular crossings across the Mediterranean affect European States, and how the bloc is using its resources to attempt to stop them.

Presenter: Frey Lindsay

(Image: Italian coast guard vessels patrol alongside the SOS Méditerranée rescue ship The Ocean Viking, near the Italian port of Ravenna. Image credit: BBC)

The cost of migration: The rescue boats Sep 19, 2023

In the second of three programmes, we’ll hear about the increasing running costs facing charities involved in running search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea.

Inflated fuel prices, cost of living crises and political interference are all driving the costs of the operation up. So can the boats continue to operate?

Presenter: Frey Lindsay

(Photo: Search and rescue crew onboard the SOS Méditerranée rescue ship The Ocean Viking)

The cost of migration: The journey Sep 18, 2023

In the first of three programmes, the BBC’s Frey Lindsay accompanies the charity rescue vessel the Ocean Viking to explore the myriad costs involved in irregular migration across the Mediterranean.

Each year hundreds of thousands of people attempt the extremely dangerous crossing from Libya to Italy, paying smugglers thousands of dollars. We meet some of those people and find out how and why they're making the journey.

Presenter/producer: Frey Lindsay

(Picture: Rescuees huddle onboard the SOS Méditerranée rescue ship The Ocean Viking. Credit: BBC)

Business Daily meets: Mohit Lad Sep 15, 2023

From losing his job in the 2008 financial crash, to a billion dollar idea.

We speak to Mohit Lad, who teamed up with his old college friend Ricardo to trawl through the trash cans of shuttered businesses in Silicon Valley to get the first server for their tech start-up, ThousandEyes.

A combination of grit, determination and a shortage of ready cash saw them think outside the box for solutions to grow the business and get customers.

Twelve years later, the company described as the 'Google Maps' of the internet is now part of Cisco and is still going strong today.

Listen to the full story behind the business and learn about Mohit's vision for a connected world.

Presented and produced by Sam Clack.

(Image: Mohit Lad speaks during a keynote address on June 07, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit: Getty Images)

Syria's broken economy Sep 14, 2023

We hear from people protesting in the government-controlled city of Sweida.

Criticism of President Bashar al-Assad has been growing in Sweida since demonstrations began in mid-August over the removal of fuel subsidies. It's the latest measure that has put a strain on people suffering from an economic meltdown.

A resident and activist tells us what life is like for him living in the city, plus we hear from a Syrian economist, and a form adviser to President al_Assad now based in the US.

Presenter: Ed Butler

(Image: People protest in the Syria's southern city of Sweida on September 1, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

K-Pop: Going green? Sep 13, 2023

K-Pop, short for Korean Popular music, has become a global phenomenon with millions of fans worldwide.

It’s a multi-billion dollar industry with 80 million units of physical albums sold in 2022. But a huge chunk of it goes straight to landfill.

Why are the fans buying so many albums just to throw them away?

We hear from fans, artists and tech companies who are trying to make the industry greener.

Presenter: David Cann

(Picture: Victon; Credit: IST Entertainment)

Business Daily meets: Desmond Shum Sep 12, 2023

We meet the Chinese property tycoon and multi-millionaire who, along with his then-wife, once moved in the highest echelons of power in Beijing.

But the couple fell foul of the Chinese government during Xi Jinping’s inexorable rise to power and in 2017 Desmond’s ex-wife was abducted – he says by the Chinese state. She vanished for two years and even now is restricted in her movements, although she’s never been charged with any crime. Mr Shum now lives in the UK, from where he gave us his extraordinary account of business life at the highest level in China. And he tells us why he thinks the current Chinese economy is rotten to the core. Presenter: Ed Butler

(Image: Desmond Shum. Credit: Desmond Shum)

Guyana: The world’s fastest-growing economy Sep 10, 2023

The former British colony in South America boasts the world’s fastest-growing economy at the moment – it expanded by 62 per cent last year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The reason is oil. Since 2015, US oil major Exxon and its partners have made a series of massive discoveries in Guyanese waters, catapulting the country into the world’s top 20 in terms of reserves.

That’s bringing billions of dollars into the economy but also challenges: how can Guyana avoid the ‘resource curse’ - the mismanagement and corruption that have afflicted other commodity-rich nations? How can it exploit the oil bonanza with a population of less than a million people? And has the oil come too late anyway – just as the world move away from fossil fuels?

We talk to the country’s president Irfaan Ali.

Presenter and producer: Gideon Long

(Image: President Irfaan Ali. Credit: Keon Blades/ Office of the President Guyana)

Business and Science: Communicating science Sep 08, 2023

Science is all around us but a lot of it can be difficult to understand.

Gareth Mitchell speaks to people building careers around helping make science understandable to the general public.

We speak to a YouTuber making music about science, a science festival organiser and a science communication consultant who works with different businesses to make science more engaging and easy to access.

Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Gareth Mitchell

(Image: Ellie Mackay at work. Credit: Ellie Mackay)

Business and science: Quantum computing around the world Sep 07, 2023

It's a rapidly emerging technology that has the potential to solve problems at an incredible pace.

At the moment its uses are limited but that hasn’t stopped investment rolling into the sector and businesses from making money as the technology develops around the world.

Gareth Mitchell speaks to three different quantum businesses to discuss its viability and its risk.

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Image: Quantum entanglement. Credit: Getty Images)

Business and science: What is quantum computing? Sep 06, 2023

We travel to a facility in the south of England to see one of the super-fast computers in action.

We’ll find out what quantum computing has the potential to do, what its going to take to make that a reality and importantly whether quantum businesses are making any money...

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Image: A quantum computer. Credit: Oxford Quantum Circuits)

Business and science: How risky is SynBio? Sep 05, 2023

For all the exciting developments in the synthetic biology industry, there are also concerns.

People can edit genes in their garages these days, so who’s regulating this space?

Plus - we’ll hear about the exciting new business models with biology at their core, including one of the first synbio businesses to trade as a public stock - Ginkgo Bioworks.

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: A petri dish in a lab. Credit: Getty Images)

Business and science: What you need to know about SynBio Sep 04, 2023

In this week’s series focusing on business and science, we start things off by looking at the world of synthetic biology.

The industry is estimated to be worth around $30bn in the next few years, but how is that money actually made?

We speak to businesses across the world to find out how they’ve taken the building blocks of synthetic biology and engineered them into products that we use on a daily basis.

Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: A scientist working with lab grown meat. Credit: Getty Images)

Cutting waste in the beauty industry Sep 01, 2023

Many of us have drawers and boxes full of beauty products that we never end up finishing.

We meet the Nordic start-ups who are trying to cut some of that waste by changing the way we shop.

We find out about tech which personalises products, and then makes it 'on demand' rather than in bulk.

And will the use of AI actually end up encouraging people to buy more, rather than less?

Presented and produced by Maddy Savage

(Image: A scientist at Swedish tech start-up Ellure. Credit: BBC)

The row over Uruguay's pulp mills Aug 31, 2023

Does the paper industry use too much water? As concern about plastic waste grows, many companies have switched from plastic packaging to paper, but how environmentally friendly is paper production?

Uruguay, in South America, has been suffering from drought and its forestry and pulp milling industries are coming under increasing scrutiny for the amount of water used.

We’ve been to an enormous new pulp mill in central Uruguay, capable of producing more than two million tonnes of pulp every year, to find out more.

Producer / presenter: Grace Livingstone

(Image: Water protests in Uruguay; Credit: BBC)

The importance of sleep Aug 30, 2023

How does sleep relate to your job, your income, or your socio-economic status?

We look at the impact of a good, and bad night’s rest. We discuss the factors affecting sleep, including access to health care, where and how you live, and how that might influence other aspects of your life.

Plus we look at the growing market in devices to ‘cure’ sleep problems.

Producer and presenter: Elizabeth Hotson

(Image: A man in bed in a deep sleep. Credit: Getty Images)

The UNESCO effect Aug 29, 2023

Delegates will soon descend on Saudi Arabia for perhaps the most consequential meeting in UNESCO’s history. With an extended agenda after last year’s cancellation, it’s the first World Heritage Committee meeting to be held in-person for four years.

In this episode we examine the so-called ‘UNESCO effect’ - and hear from entrepreneurs around Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, about the mixed consequences of its listing. We also hear from officials in Liverpool, in England, about UNESCO's decision to remove World Heritage status from the city's historic centre and docklands.

Presenter / producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns Image: Angkor Wat; Credit: Getty Images

Ireland's data centre boom Aug 28, 2023

These tech powerhouses bring in money and jobs but can be environmentally problematic and in Ireland data centres account for almost a fifth of the electricity consumption.

We explore how Ireland can keep hold of this valuable industry and make sure it's energy supply isn't affected.

Producer / presenter: Leanna Byrne

(Image: Data centre; Credit: Getty Images)

Swiftonomics Aug 25, 2023

Taylor Swift's Eras tour is predicted to make a record $1 billion - but how?

As countries around the world grapple with high inflation, how has Taylor Swift been able to persuade fans to spend money?

Olivia Wilson speaks to Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans, to understand the role Swiftomania has played in her commercial and financial success.

Tyler Morse is the CEO of MCR, the third largest hotel owner-operator in the United States. He explains how Taylor Swift’s concerts have had a significant impact on the local economies of the cities she has toured in – including some of his hotels in Phoenix, Arizona.

Presented and produced by Olivia Wilson.

(Image: Taylor Swift performing in Seattle. Credit: Getty Images)

The end of the office? Aug 24, 2023

Many of us started working from home in the coronavirus pandemic - and never went back.

Now, office space in many cities around the world is standing empty. We visit Mumbai, New York and London, where an increase in home working means buildings in business districts standing empty. And Singapore, which seems to be bucking the trend, with demand as high as ever.

We also hear from the CEO of US-based commercial real estate company Remax - are we witnessing the end of the traditional office?

Produced and presented by Alex Bell.

The return of the wine cork Aug 23, 2023

The humble wine cork, once the main way to stop a bottle of wine, had its market share decimated in the 1990’s when screw caps were favoured. However, the problem of 'corked' wine has been almost completely solved and cork is recognised as a more sustainable, if slightly less convenient material for wine makers to use.

In this episode we visit the world’s largest cork producing region in Portugal to find out more about how the cork industry has hit the good times once again. We explore which wines taste better with cork and how supermarkets are cutting down on wine packaging.

Presenter / producer: Rick Kelsey Additional reporting: Alastair Leithead Image: Cork production; Credit: Getty Images

What should I eat on a night shift? Aug 22, 2023

Working irregular hours, including overnight, means meal times can be disrupted.

So what impact does this have on the body and overall health?

We hear from workers in Mumbai and Lagos about their experiences, plus get advice from a dietician about what and when you should be eating.

Produced and presented by Marie Keyworth.

(Image: Workers in a construction camp cutting metal at night. Credit: Getty Images)

Is Bangladesh ready for digital only banks? Aug 21, 2023

The government in Bangladesh is trying to modernise its economy and has announced a policy to create digital only banks. The idea is to move away from traditional bricks and mortar banks and provide more financial services to people in remote areas.

For fintech companies that operate digital wallets – this is a gamechanger. However, many people in the country don’t have access to smartphones or the internet, so how will these banks work for them and for Bangladesh’s economy?

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Money exchange; Credit: Getty Images

Picture perfect cakes and cafes Aug 18, 2023

Dive into a world of amazing cakes and cafes, where look and taste combine in the hope of tempting customers to part with their cash for sweet treats.

Explore how our tastes and habits are changing when it comes to buying and eating cakes and puddings – and find out why social media is now crucial to the baking and dessert café industry.

Presenter / producer: Emb Hashmi Image: Forever Rose cafe; Credit: Ebraheem Al Samadi

Giving cash directly - the future of aid? Aug 17, 2023

What’s the best way to help people in need?

In the past, humanitarian aid has focused on providing shelter and food, but there’s a growing move towards direct cash payments.

We'll take you to Syria, Egypt and Kenya to find out how it works and why it's being embraced.

We speak to Rory Stewart, president of the US charity Give Directly, which is based entirely on direct cash payments. And hear from two women who’ve used some of that money to develop their own small businesses in Kenya.

Elias Abu Ata explains how the International Rescue Committee used cash in the wake of the earthquake in Syria earlier this year, and Rasha Batarseh, UNHCR cash programme officer for Egypt tells us how it’s being used to help refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan.

Finally, is cash assistance more vulnerable to fraud? Oliver May, former head of counter fraud at Oxfam, gives his view.

Producer/presenter James Graham Additional production support from Chrystal Onkeo

(Image: Rory Stewart from Give Directly visiting a project in Malawi. Credit: Give Directly.)

Business daily meets: Ida Tin Aug 16, 2023

Ida Tin coined the term Femtech after she founded the period tracking app, Clue, which has since been downloaded more than 100 million times.

We hear how she managed to turn her idea into a business, how she went about funding it over her 10 year stint as CEO and how she sees it evolving as technology becomes more advanced.

Producer/Presenter: Hannah Mullane Photo: Ida Tin Credit: Ida Tin

China's rising youth unemployment: Part 2 Aug 15, 2023

The country is not just facing record-high levels of youth unemployment - more than 20% of 16-24 year olds in urban areas at the latest count.

It is also facing growing discontent among many young people about the type of work they can find, often involving long hours, no overtime pay, and insecure contracts.

It is prompting some to opt out of the rat race altogether. And many experts think the current problems aren't just prompted by the global slowdown. They're structural.

Even the government's economic advisors think it may be time for a new economic plan if China is to avoid years of stagnation.

That change could slow and painful though. Will Xi Jinping and the country's other Communist Party leaders go for it?

Produced and presented by Ed Butler.

(Image: College students choose jobs at a job fair for 2023 graduates in Huai 'an City, East China's Jiangsu Province. 01/07/23. Photo credit: CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Image)

China's rising youth unemployment: Part 1 Aug 14, 2023

Is trouble brewing for the world’s second largest economy?

China’s exports are down, the property market’s creaking, and millions of young people - more than one in five - are officially classed as unemployed.

It's not just the lack of jobs, it's the quality of employment that's now on offer - much of it informal in sectors like hospitality or food delivery.

In the first of two programmes assessing the economic challenges, Ed Butler asks, what's gone wrong?

Produced and presented by Ed Butler.

(Image: A job-seeker look for employment at a job fair for college graduates in Nanjing in east China's Jiangsu province in Feb 2023. Credit: ZHONG NAN / Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Business Daily meets: The rum distillers Aug 11, 2023

Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa tell us how they turned a side hustle into a full-time business.

In 2017 they moved their family from London to Scotland to set up their distillery, creating an African-Scottish business.

Presenter/producer Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa. Credit: BBC)

Business Daily meets: Mattel's CEO Aug 10, 2023

Ynon Kreiz explains how they transformed Barbie, the well-loved and sometimes controversial doll, into a movie.

The boss of one of the world's biggest toy companies also talks about the need to bring more diversity into the Barbie brand, and expand products beyond the toy aisles.

Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken in a still from the movie. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Business Daily meets: Sir Robin Millar Aug 09, 2023

We meet one of the UKs most successful record producers, who was behind hits such as Smooth Operator.

He talks to Dougal Shaw about his career so far, his record label, and the future of music.

Sir Robin Millar is blind - his sight had totally gone by his mid-thirties - and he talks about the impact that has had on him.

And he talks about AI in music.

Producer/presenter: Dougal Shaw

Business Daily meets: Kelly Hoppen Aug 08, 2023

We meet one of the world's leading interior designers.

Kelly Hoppen finds design solutions for celebrities including the Beckhams, but also works with luxury brands and businesses too.

And she is enthusiastic about people achieving good design on a budget. She talks about growing up in South Africa, and explains how music inspires her work.

Producer/presenter Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Kelly Hoppen. Credit: BBC)

Business Daily meets: The founders of Seatfrog Aug 07, 2023

Iain Griffin and Dirk Stewart formed their company after a mutual need for more leg room inspired a brainwave.

They created the Seatfrog app for train travel, which is disrupting the industry.

Dougal Shaw meets them (on a train), and finds out why their business changed from air travel to trains, and moved from Sydney to London.

Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Iain Griffin and Dirk Stewart. Credit: BBC)

The price for Mexican heritage Aug 04, 2023

We look into Mexico’s drive to get historical artefacts returned. Find out more about a famous quetzal feather crown believed to have been worn by the great Aztec emperor Moctezuma, it is currently in Austria and we hear from those who want to keep it there, and those campaigning for its return.

Presenter / producer: Beth Timmins Image: Moctezuma's headdress; Getty Images

Rebuilding Turkey after the earthquake Aug 03, 2023

On Sunday 6 August 2023 it will be six months since the devastating event which killed more than 50,000 people, injured tens of thousands more, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless.

For Business Daily, Victoria Craig travels to the worst affected region of Hatay. When President Erdoğan visited the disaster area back in February, he vowed to rebuild within a year, so can he keep that promise?

Victoria speaks to residents who are still waiting to hear about permanent homes.

And we ask whether new homes will be safe enough to survive another natural disaster?

Presenter: Victoria Craig Producer: Gonca Tokyol

(Image: Reconstruction in Hatay)

Is it possible to grow food on the Moon? Aug 02, 2023

Space agencies and billionaire investors plan to have people living on the Moon or Mars. But those lunar and martian residents will have to grow their own food to survive.

Find out how biologists from Florida, Norway and the Netherlands are experimenting to grow crops in regolith, the kind of soil found on the Moon and Mars. It could be very profitable enterprise.

Presenter / producer: Russell Padmore Image: Moon and crops; Credit: Getty Images

Working at altitude Aug 01, 2023

From Tibet to the Andes to the highlands of Ethiopia, around 150 million people around the world work at high altitude. Many were born there, but in a globalized world of mass migration, many weren’t, and are toiling in environments that their bodies maybe aren’t accustomed to.

What does that mean for their health and for the companies that employ them? We go to a high altitude copper mine in the Chilean Andes and talk to doctors about the potential risks of working on top of the world.

Producer / presenter: Gideon Long

(Image: A mine high in the Andes. Credit: Getty Images)

Is France leading the way on nuclear? Jul 31, 2023

The country produces 70% of it's electricity this way - and is the global leader.

It's aiming to prolong the lifespan of its 56 existing nuclear reactors – and construct additional ones.

President Macron is calling it "the nuclear renaissance" of France.

However some people still have concerns over the safety measures in place.

So how much sense does France's nuclear strategy make, economically speaking?

Produced and presented by Lisa Louis.

Image:

European Para Championships: A new sporting event Jul 28, 2023

What does it take to host a brand new multi-sport competition?

We're in Rotterdam which is hosting the inaugural European Para Championships 2023.

It's hoped that holding events at the same time will raise the profile of para sports - and be more cost effective.

What does it take to get a fresh idea like this off the ground?

Producer/Presenter: Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Archer Roy Klaassen aiming his bow. Credit: European Para Championships / Rutger Pauw)

Business daily meets: Janelle Jones Jul 27, 2023

Janelle Jones is currently the chief economist of one of the biggest union movements in America and before that she worked in White House. Janelle was the first black woman to serve as chief economist in the Labor department. She tells us about her time there, how she got into economics and what keeps her grounded.

Presenter: Devina Gupta Production: Sam Clack and Carmel O'Grady Image:

The chocolate village Jul 26, 2023

Peter MacJob visits Eti-Oni village in south-west Nigeria, home to the oldest cocoa plantation in the country. It's king, HRH Oba Dokun Thompson, is on a mission to transform the economy of the community by manufacturing chocolates and selling in some of the finest shops across Europe.

Over 90% of Eti-Oni's inhabitants are cocoa farmers and although the cocoa industry is worth almost $130bn a year the money does not flow back to cocoa farmers. To try and change this King Thompson has partnered with Beech's fine chocolate in Preston in the north-west of England.

Presenter / producer: Peter MacJob Image: HRH Oba Dokun Thompson; Credit: HRH Oba Dokun Thompson

The new Panama Canal? Jul 25, 2023

The Bioceanic Highway, aims to link Chile's Pacific coast with Brazil's Atlantic coastline.

We’re in landlocked Paraguay to find out how one of the world’s biggest infrastructure projects, could change how people there do business, especially the Mennonites, a powerful, religious farming community who live directly in the new highways' path.

Presenter / producer: Jane Chambers Image: Bioceanic highway in Paraguay; Credit: Bob Howard

Is Georgia benefitting from Russian money? Jul 24, 2023

Georgia has seen huge economic growth but is there a cost to doing business with Russia?

Tens of thousands of Russians moved to the small South Caucasus nation since the war began and they brought along their money and their ideas. In this programme we hear from some of those who have made the move and set up homes and businesses in Georgia.

We'll also hear what Georgians, who fought their own war with Russia in 2008, make of the huge growth in trade and economic relations between the two countries.

Presenter / producer: Rayhan Demytrie Image: Anti-Russian protests in Georgia; Credit: BBC

Women's football: Life after retirement Jul 21, 2023

Remember Brandi Chastain? She scored the winning goal in the 1999 Women's World Cup final. She celebrated the goal by whipping off her shirt and swinging it round her head. The image of Brandi in a sports bra was on the cover of newspapers around the world.

Now she’s joined forces with former team mates Leslie Osborne, Aly Wagner and Danielle Slaton to create a team, Bay FC, which will play in the US National Women’s Soccer League in 2024. They’re part of a growing trend in women’s football of players who are willing to invest money earned while playing the game back to help the next generation of players.

We also hear from former England player Karen Carney who is helping retired footballers find a career in business.

Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick

(Image: Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner, Leslie Osborne and Danielle Slaton launch Bay Area Football Club. Credit: Bay FC)

Women’s football boots: A bad fit? Jul 20, 2023

Questions are being asked about the footwear that is currently on offer to women and girls.

Men and women's feet are very different, so why have large sports companies only just started to do research into women’s football boots?

And is this why more high-profile players are succumbing to injury?

Olivia Wilson speaks to Laura Youngson, the co-Founder of Ida Sports, one of the only companies that designs and produces female-specific football boots.

And Hyde United Women’s football club in the North West of England share what they’re looking for when it comes to buying football boots.

Presenter/producer: Olivia Wilson

(Photo: Woman about to kick ball. Credit: Getty Images)

Women's football in South America Jul 19, 2023

South America is football crazy, but its women’s teams have never enjoyed the same success as the men’s. Brazil have never won the Women’s World Cup. Argentina have never even won a match at the tournament.

Why is that? A lack of investment, TV revenue and sponsors, or deep-seated cultural issues and prejudices?

We look at the poor state of finances in the South American women’s game, and hear from women who are trying to change attitudes. They say that if broadcasters and potential sponsors don’t take women’s football seriously, they’re not only ignoring half the people on the continent – they’re missing out on a great business opportunity.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long

Image: Brazil goalkeeper Barbara after being knocked out of the 2019 Women's World Cup (Credit: Zhizhao Wu/Getty Images)

Australia and New Zealand: The perfect sporting hosts? Jul 18, 2023

As the countries prepare to host the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup for the first time, we find out why they were chosen, and what the legacy of the games will be for them.

We take a look at the hospitality sector, including a café owner in New Zealand, who are hoping for a big boost from overseas visitors. How will they make the most of the opportunity, and cope with the influx of people coming into the town.

And we hear from an architect about the new training ground that the Australian women's football team, The Matilda's, will call home.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Barbara George

(Photo: Sydney Olympic Stadium. Credit: Getty Images)

Is women’s football a good investment? Jul 17, 2023

Ahead of the 2023 Women's World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, we look at the business case for growing the sport.

Investment in women's football is increasing, in line with greater confidence in its popularity, and higher expectations from players and fans.

We ask where the commercial opportunities lie, how much money is coming into the game, and what does the future hold at such a pivotal moment?

Presenter and producer: Sam Fenwick

(Image: The USA team celebrating winning the 2019 Women's World Cup. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily Meets: Gary Neville Jul 14, 2023

The eight-time Premier League winner on his successes and failures in business.

Gary Neville tells us why building companies in his home city of Manchester matters to him and explains what level of investment he'd like to see at his former club Manchester United.

Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Carmel O'Grady Image: Gary Neville; Credit: BBC

Spanish election: How will young people vote? Jul 13, 2023

Youth unemployment in Spain is still very high, with 29.3% of working people under 25 out of work.

Ahead of the snap General Election which will take place on Sunday 23 July, we speak to new voters and voters in their twenties who are just starting out in their careers. What policies appeal to them, how do they feel about an increasing right-wing presence, and what do they think of politicians using social media and podcasts to try and win their support?

We’ll also hear from a young entrepreneur who is looking to see what advantages they can get from a potential change of government.

Produced and presented by: Ashish Sharma Image:

The celebrities investing in alcohol brands Jul 12, 2023

We're in Hollywood, where a rising number of stars are putting their names on wine and liquor products. Is it a sensible investment? Or is the market reaching saturation point?

Reporter KJ Matthews speaks to Bethenny Frankel, businesswoman, philanthropist and star of The Real Housewives of New York.

She launched a pre-packaged margarita line, named Skinnygirl Margarita, in 2009.

Plus we explore the potential of the growing non-alcoholic market for celebrities.

Presenter: KJ Matthews Producers: KJ Matthews and Helen Thomas

(Image: Bethenny Frankel giving a demonstration 2014. Credit: Getty Images)

Turkey: Fixing a broken economy Jul 11, 2023

A month on from the election in Turkey President Erdogan has promised to fix the economy.

In this programme we find out more about Mehmet Simsek, the new finance minister, who says he'll return Turkey to rational economics and reduce inflation. We also hear from those running businesses in Turkey about what they need to stay afloat.

Presenter / producer: Victoria Craig Image: Lira in a cash register; Credit: BBC

AI: Looking to the future Jul 10, 2023

It’s been claimed artificial intelligence will be as revolutionary as mobile phones or the internet, but there are fears that developments in AI could come at the cost of jobs. We assess the pros and cons of this rapidly-evolving technology, with insight from Marc Raibert, Executive Director of the Boston Dynamics AI Institute. We also consider the impact of generative AI on the arts, with Matt Bellamy from British rock band Muse teasing a potential future collaboration with a humanoid robot.

Presented and produced by Sam Clack. Image: Ameca robot at the International Conference on Robotics and Automation, London. Credit: Sam Clack / BBC

Investing in Africa: Who benefits? Jul 07, 2023

How are loans and grants distributed? And how high are the returns?

According to the IMF, Africa’s growth prospect will be amongst the highest in the world and sectors such as fintech and telecoms are the drivers of the current economic growth, offering huge investment opportunities for foreign businesses.

Peter MacJob speaks to Faith Adesemowo, CEO of Social Lender, a company which helps individuals build credit ratings through their social status.

Presenter: Peter MacJob Productions: Peter MacJob and Barbara George Image: Social Lender / Credit: Social Lender

Investing in Africa: US and AGOA Jul 06, 2023

The African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, gives duty-free access for exports to the American market, and has done for 23 years.

South Africa is one of the countries that has benefitted – but now its inclusion in doubt due to allegations from the US that it has violated its neutrality and supplied weapons to Russia - something South Africa denies. So what would being pushed out of AGOA mean for the country?

Plus we hear from Ethiopia – it has been suspended from AGOA due to the the war in Tigray - we hear from an economist in Addis Ababa who disputes the benefits of these trade agreements to Africa.

Presented by Ahmed Adan with reporting by Russell Padmore.

(Image: An Ivory Coast stand at the 2019 AGOA forum, showcasing products on the market. Credit: Getty Images)

Investing in Africa: Media Jul 05, 2023

We look into the growth of foreign investment in Africa’s media space. Africa is generating a huge amount of localized content as international streaming platforms and global media organisations battle to gain a foothold in the market.

We find out what’s driving the interest and whether it’s working.

Producer / presenter: Bisi Adebayo Image: Reporters in Nairobi; Credit: Getty Images

Investing in Africa: Russia and the CAR Jul 04, 2023

For almost a decade, the Central African Republic has seen growing investment and influence from the Russian mercenary group Wagner. It stretches from education and religion to business and military.

The recent mutiny has led to speculation about what the future of Russia's status in the CAR will be.

We explore Russia’s role in the CAR, and ask what it means for that country, the continent of Africa and the wider world?

Produced and presented by Peter MacJob, additional production from Zigoto Tchaya Tchameni.

(Image: A demonstrator holds a Russian flag during a march in support of Russia and China's presence in the Central African Republic. Credit: Getty Images)

Investing in Africa: What needs to change? Jul 03, 2023

Large parts of sub-Saharan Africa are facing dire economic circumstances. The World Bank says more than one in three countries are either in severe financial distress, or are close to default. What’s gone wrong?

In the first of a week of programmes, Ed Butler taking the pulse of investment in Africa and looking at ways the situation needs to change.

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Mine in Guinea; Credit: BBC

Uorfi Javed: India's most controversial influencer Jun 30, 2023

Uorfi Javed is one of the most searched for social media stars in Asia, but despite huge fame and popularity she says she struggles to get work as big brands refuse to sign her.

Uorfi Javed started out as a TV actress and became famous after wearing a dress made out of bin bags while in the Big Brother house. In this interview she tells us why she continues to dress however she likes despite criticism, how she works with paparazzi photographers to boost her profile and how much money she makes from her huge social media accounts.

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Uorfi Javed; Credit: Leh Studios

Do you like a noisy or quiet workplace? Jun 29, 2023

Many companies are urging staff to return to the office instead of working remotely, but noise levels are rising in workplaces, which can cause stress and undermine productivity.

This means offices are now being built or redesigned to control noise, Russell Padmore visits one in Ireland.

Producer / presenter: Russell Padmore Image: Office space; Credit: Getty images

Why big projects go wrong Jun 28, 2023

From the Sydney Opera House to a basic kitchen renovation there are thousands of examples of construction projects large and small which go horribly over budget.

Professor Bent Flyvbjerg has compiled a database of 16,000 projects, and by his reckoning only 8.5% them meet their initial estimates of cost and time. He talks to Sam Fenwick about his new book, “How Big Things Get Done”.

Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Sydney opera house; Credit: Getty Images

La Palma: Rebuilding after a volcano Jun 27, 2023

In September 2021, a volcano erupted on the Spanish Canary Island. It lasted nearly three months.

Red hot lava spilled out and destroyed homes, businesses and everything in its path before reaching the sea 10 days later. It split the island in half.

Eighteen months on, we travel back to La Palma to see how the islanders are rebuilding their livelihoods and infrastructure.

Presented and produced by Ashish Sharma.

(Image:Karin Bansberg watering plants outside her temporary wooden home. Credit: BBC)

Deep sea mining Jun 26, 2023

The rush to extract battery metals from the bottom of the ocean and what that could cost financially and environmentally.

Michelle Fleury sees a specialist mining robot in action and hears the arguments for and against deep sea mining.

Presenter / producer: Michelle Fleury Image

Paris Air Show: The future of aviation Jun 23, 2023

We’re at the Paris Air Show - a huge gathering of the biggest names in the global aerospace industry.

We will hear about the latest innovations in hypersonic passenger planes and how the sector can address environmental concerns.

Plus we speak to the defence sector about the latest developments in AI.

Presenter: Theo Leggett Producer: Hannah Mullane

(Image: People queuing to see an aircraft at the Paris Air Show. Credit: Reuters)

Business Daily meets: Iñaki Ereño Jun 22, 2023

The CEO of the international private healthcare firm Bupa started the role in January 2021, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He speaks to Dougal Shaw about the challenges the company faced, and about lessons learnt for the future.

Plus we find out how routine helps to keep Mr Ereño grounded.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.,

Image: Iñaki Ereño. Credit: BBC)

Tackling India's heatwaves Jun 21, 2023

Every year, India faces blistering heatwaves. In many parts of the country the temperatures are soaring, making it difficult for people to go about their daily lives.

It’s the poor who are the most affected. They live in congested slums and have to step out in the heat to earn money. We explore what is being done, and what more could be done, to help them.

Presenter / producer: Davina Gupta Image: Woman in Chennai; Credit: EPA/Idrees Mohammed

Portugal’s digital nomads Jun 20, 2023

Portugal has welcomed thousands of high value, short stay workers with an attractive new visa.

They’re the so called Digital Nomads, who can live and work where they please - but the locals say they’re skewing the economy, we find out why.

Producer / presenter: Ciaran Tracey Image: Flexible working: Credit: PA

The rising popularity of surrogacy in Georgia Jun 19, 2023

The small Caucasian country, which borders Russia, has experienced increased demand for surrogates after the war in Ukraine meant that Russia and Ukraine were no longer options for couples wanting a baby. Those countries used to be international hubs for surrogacy - when a woman carries a pregnancy for another couple or individual.

In Georgia, commercial surrogacy is legal, and regulations are extremely liberal. Affordable prices make Georgia an even more attractive alternative. We hear from clinics who say they are struggling to keep up with demand, plus from a surrogate mother who says it has been life-changing for her financially.

Producer and presenter: Khatia Shamanauri (Image: A pregnant woman looking at her phone. Credit: Getty Images)

Tourism: Emily in Paris Jun 16, 2023

How TV series, films and social media can impact the travel industry.

We are in Paris to explore how the Netflix show Emily in Paris has changed tourism in the city. We also hear from a tour guide in New Zealand who changed his business when the Lord of the Rings film series became more popular.

Presenter / producer: Nina Pasquini Image: Paris; Credit: BBC

Tourism: Speciality cruises Jun 15, 2023

How special interest cruises for fans of music, yoga and sci-fi are revamping the industry.

Deborah Weitzmann goes on a blues cruise to find out how the speciality cruise industry works and why it's growing in popularity. She also heads off the ship to find out what happens to on-shore businesses when all the entertainment is on the ship.

Presenter / producer: Deborah Weitzmann Image: Legendary Rhythm and blues cruise; Credit: BBC

Tourism: The economics of the all inclusive Jun 14, 2023

The number of all inclusive resorts is growing but do they help local businesses?

All-inclusive holidays now make up more than half of all package holiday sales in the UK for the first time, and across Europe and North America the amount of resorts available is growing. Rick Kelsey explores whether these resorts are good for local economies and communities.

Presenter / producer: Rick Kelsey Images: Sun loungers; Credit: BBC

Tourism: Africa bouncing back Jun 13, 2023

Why African tourists are key to helping the travel sector recover post-pandemic.

We hear from businesses in Gambia, Tanzania and Zambia to explore how well these countries recovered after Covid-19 lockdowns. We also explore why promoting tourism within Africa could be key to keeping global visitor numbers going up.

Presenter / producer: Bisi Adebayo Image: Gambia; Credit: Getty Images

Tourism: Halal holidays Jun 12, 2023

Find out about the destinations that are top of the list for Muslims travellers wanting to go on holiday without compromising their religious beliefs and practices.

Explore what resorts and tour operators have to put in place to be certified halal friendly and examine why this is such a growth area for the global travel industry.

Presenter / producer: Emb Hashmi Image: Zahra Rose and friends on holiday; Credit: Zahra Rose

Business Daily Meets: Iyinoluwa Aboyeji Jun 09, 2023

The Nigerian tech entrepreneur on how he built two billion dollar businesses.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji co-founded talent marketplace Andela and payments company Flutterwave, both of which have been valued at more than a billion dollars.

He tells Rob Young he wants to use his wealth to help Africa achieve its economic potential.

Presenter / producer: Rob Young Image: Iyinoluwa Aboyeji; Credit: Getty Images

The tech supporting women's health Jun 08, 2023

Femtech, or businesses building technology to support women’s health are growing fast but how much of that growth is supporting women in the parts of the world where access to healthcare can sometimes be difficult?

Hannah Mullane speaks to businesses who are providing technology to support women’s health in low income countries.

We hear how apps are adapted to work in places where internet is intermittent and access to electricity can be limited and we discuss how a business operates when the consumer doesn’t always have the means to pay.

Producer/Presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Image: Two of the users of one of the apps. Credit: Grace Health)

Money and love: Your questions Jun 07, 2023

When high inflation has hit all our budgets has the way we date changed? Are we approaching finding a potential partner differently? When is the right time to ask about money and their approach to their finances? Are you asking the right questions?

Our experts answer your questions on money and love and offer their advice on how to marry the two.

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Heart and cash; Credit: Getty Images

Inside Europe's biggest LNG terminal Jun 06, 2023

This is the story of liquefied natural gas (LNG), and how in the last year it has played an enormous role in keeping the lights on in Europe

This special edition of Business Daily comes from inside the biggest LNG terminal in Europe. Rick Kelsey looks into the role the fuel is playing as sanctions mean gas pipelines from Russia into Europe are restricted.

LNG terminals which were half empty are now full, but should the cutting usage of Russian gas automatically mean importing more gas from elsewhere in the world? Is there a greener option?

Presenter / producer: Rick Kelsey (Image: Isle of Grain terminal, Kent; Credit: National Grid)

The US banking system on life support Jun 05, 2023

In March 2023 Silicon Valley Bank collapsed. It was the second largest banking failure in US history. The regulator, the FDIC, fired the management team and brought in a new person to run the institution while a buyer was found.

As the former CEO of Fannie Mae, Tim Mayopoulus has experience of steering a bank through financial turmoil.

He speaks to Sam Fenwick about how he steadied the nerves of SVB employees, customers and the global banking sector.

Producer/presenter: Sam Fenwick

(Photo: Man walking past SVB branch. Credit: Getty Images)

The 'right to repair' movement Jun 02, 2023

With the cost of living crisis forcing many of us to try and limit what we spend, more and more people are looking to repair the things they own. It’s giving momentum to an international network of ‘repair cafes’ and a global campaign for manufacturers to make products fixable.

In this episode, we hear from World Service listeners about their do-it-yourself repairs - some more successful than others.

Laura Heighton-Ginns visits a bustling repair cafe, where all sorts of household and sentimental items are given new life, including Rosebud, a doll who was first played with 70 years ago.

Laura also speaks to Ugo Vallauri, co-director of the international Restart Project, about the need for durability to be built back into product design.

Presenter/producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns

The economics of cocaine Jun 01, 2023

The cocaine trade generates billions of dollars for criminal gangs right around the world but most of the supply of the drug comes from Colombia. Some the money made in this illegal economy does filter into the legal one and by some estimates the cocaine business now accounts for 4% of Colombian gross domestic product.

How does the cocaine business generate so much money and for who? We also ask what would happen in places like Colombia if the world legalised the cocaine trade, if it could be taxed and revenue earned by Governments much in the same way as products like tobacco and alcohol. We hear from a former Colombian president and Nobel Prize winner who says it should.

Presenter/producer: Gideon Long

(Image: Coca plants. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily Meets: Tony Elumelu May 31, 2023

Nigeria's most well-known economist Tony Elumelu tells us why Africa needs to rethink it's relationship with business.

He explains "Africapitalism", the idea that the private sector can transform Africa's economy and society for the better.

He also discusses a number problems slowing economic growth in Africa, including young, well-educated people leaving for better opportunities elsewhere and a lack of investment in the tech sector.

Presenter / producer: Peter MacJob (Image: Tony Elumelu: Credit: Getty Images)

Microfinance in Sri Lanka: part 2 May 30, 2023

We hear about one Sri Lankan woman’s struggle with debt after taking out a small loan - what does her story tell us about how to lend to people unable to access finance through banks all over the world?

In a special two-part Business Daily report, Ed Butler investigates what's gone wrong with microfinance. It was once seen as a progressive way to help people like Renuka Ratnayake improve their lives, but has it led to a new wave of predatory lending?

If you are affected by any of the issues covered in this programme, you can find information at www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Renuka Ratnayake; Credit: BBC

Microfinance in Sri Lanka part 1 May 29, 2023

Offering small unsecured loans to the world’s poorest was meant to transform the lives of millions but in Sri Lanka microfinance has left many women with debts they simply can't repay.

In a special two-part Business Daily report, Ed Butler visits the villages in Sri Lanka where many of those otherwise excluded from organised finance have taken small loans only for their finances to spiral into debt.

What's gone wrong with mircofinance? Has it led to a new wave of predatory lending?

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Women in Welioya; Credit: BBC

Music and business: Gigging May 26, 2023

Musicians, promoters and comedians take us inside the grass roots gigging industry.

David Reid speaks to guitar band Vernons Future about their experience gigging at small venues in the UK and getting their music out to international audiences via streaming platforms.

We also hear from gig promotions company Bugbear about organising gigs and comedians trying their luck at an open mic night, hoping to make it onto the comedy circuit.

Presenter / producer: David Reid Image: Vernons Future; Credit: BBC

Music and business: Gospel May 24, 2023

Gospel: Is the spiritual message of the music getting lost in the world of commercialism?

It's the two billion dollar music industry with faith at the forefront. We investigate whether mainstream music artists are diluting an industry that dedicates itself to the word of god.

Hear from one of gospel's best selling artists, Marvin Sapp, and a gospel choir leader in Rwanda.

Presenter / producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: Marvin Sapp; Credit: Marvin Sapp

Music and business: Breaking in May 23, 2023

The music industry is worth billions of dollars and creates thousands of jobs across the world, but how do you become part of such a lucrative but exclusive industry?

The global head of music operations at Tik Tok tells us how the app has become a game-changer in the industry. Kenyan DJ Coco Em talks about about the barriers African artists have to overcome and British rapper Aitch’s manager explains how he came to work with one of the biggest rap artists in Europe.

Presenter / producer: Izzy Greenfield Image: Coco Em; Credit: Jente Vanbrabant

Jason Derulo: Music and business May 22, 2023

All this week on Business Daily, we’re focusing on the music industry, which is worth $26 billion a year globally. Today, we’re joined by the hugely successful musician, content creator and businessman Jason Derulo. He tells us what it takes to build a brand as successful as his, and about the unlikely investment that's made him millions of dollars.

Presenter/producer: Izzy Greenfield

Image: Jason Derulo (Credit: Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images)

The game that shocked the world May 19, 2023

Grand Theft Auto changed gaming forever. In this programme we find out how.

Chris Warburton meets the creative team from Dundee in Scotland who came up with the concept for Grand Theft Auto 25 years ago. We look into how it was picked up, marketed and ultimately sold to millions and millions of us.

Grand Theft Auto was revolutionary, but it was also controversial with its depictions of shocking, graphic violence. This is the story of how the game and its makers overcame moral panic, political opposition and naysayers to become one of the most successful entertainment brands of a generation.

Presenter: Chris Warburton Producer: Ciaran Tracey Image: GTA: Credit: Getty Images

The world's fastest EV May 18, 2023

Mate Rimac tells us how he designed and now produces the world's fastest electric car.

He started out converting petrol racing cars to run on electricity and proving those vehicles could achieve top speeds. Mate Rimac then built a business to produce the car from scratch, with little money and no experience.

His company is now valued at more than 2 billion dollars after securing investment last year from Porsche. He's also managed to build a new car manufacturing industry in Croatia.

Presenter/producer: Theo Leggett

(Photo: Mate Rimac leaning against a blue electric car in a showroom. Credit: Getty Images)

Is a four-day working week the future? May 17, 2023

Would you like to work fewer days, but get paid the same? The biggest global trial of the four day week has just come to an end in the UK.

We hear from some of the companies who took part, including employees making the most of their extra day off, and employers looking closely at productivity figures.

It’s an idea that other countries are looking at closely, so we’ll be looking at the global implications of moving away from the traditional five days on, two days off model.

Presenter: Emma Simpson Producers: Helen Thomas and Esyllt Carr

(Image: Bethany with her dog Otis. Credit: BBC)

Leaving Sri Lanka May 16, 2023

In the past year, Sri Lanka has endured political pandemonium and the worst economic crisis in its modern history. The situation has led to the highest number of people leaving the country on record.

The Sri Lankan government has secured an IMF bailout - but will that help stop the exodus?

In this episode we’ll hear from entrepreneur Brindha Selvadurai Gnanam, who has stayed put – as well as from students Meshith Ariyawansa and Ravishan Nethsara, who feel they need to leave for a good standard of living.

Presenter / producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns Image: Sandy's classroom; Credit: BBC

A new coal mine for the UK May 15, 2023

A new coal mine in the north west of England could bring much-needed jobs and investment to the area. However there are concerns from environmentalists about the impact on the climate.

The mine, in the Whitehaven area of Cumbria, is the first deep mine approved by the UK government for 30 years, and will provide fuel for steel-making.

Rowan Bridge travels to Whitehaven, the town next to the site of the mine, to hear the arguments for and against.

Presenter and producer: Rowan Bridge

(Image: The former Woodhouse Colliery site where West Cumbria Mining have been granted government approval to extract coal in Whitehaven. Credit: Getty Images)

Eurovision 2023 heads to Liverpool May 12, 2023

As 150,000 extra visitors are poised to descend on Liverpool in the north-west of England for the Eurovision Song Contest, Olivia Wilson heads to the city to see how businesses are preparing.

Plus, we speak to fans travelling from across the world about how much it costs them to go to the event.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

Reporter: Olivia Wilson

(Image: Eurovision 2023 logo. Credit: Eurovision)

Turkey election: Young people and the economy May 11, 2023

Turkey election: 5 million young people are expected to vote for the first time this weekend. We explore how the state of the economy will affect their decisions.

Victoria Craig heads to Antalya a swing city with a young population to hear how they are managing to make a living in difficult economic circumstances and how they plan to use their vote.

Presenter / Producer: Victoria Craig Image: Antalya; Credit: BBC

Northern Ireland and American investment May 10, 2023

Joe Biden says American firms are ready to triple investment in Northern Ireland, we look into whether that's really likely to happen.

Leanna Byrne is in Northern Ireland to take a look at the current levels of investment and speak to those businesses already benefitting from their relationship with the US. She also explores how Brexit and domestic politics could impact what happens next.

Presenter / producer: Leanna Byrne Image: Joe Biden in Belfast; Credit: Getty Images

The dominance of the US dollar May 09, 2023

For over 80 years the US dollar has been king when it comes to global trade, is that beginning to change?

We look at how the US dollar came to dominate global trade, ask what happens when a country runs out of dollars and explore why countries like China, India and Russia are starting to increase trade in their local currencies.

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: US dollars; Credit: Getty Images

Bridging the gap between creative and tech May 08, 2023

Some see them as polar opposites, but more people than you might think are moving between the creative and technology industries; using the skills from one to further success in the other. But how easy is it to cross between art and engineering?

David Harper meets Jan Harlan, who started his career in the embryonic IT industry of the 1960s. The precision and planning skills he developed would help him in a 30-year career as a producer for one of the world’s greatest film directors: Stanley Kubrick.

David also speaks to Thomas Dolby, famous as a pop star in the 1980s synthpop scene, who later headed to Silicon Valley - using his enthusiasm for emerging technology to create new opportunities, including an infamous mobile phone ringtone.

And we hear from Lyndsey Scott, an actress, former model and computer coder who develops iOS apps while simultaneously juggling an acting career. Despite her successes, she sometimes finds it difficult to be taken seriously in a male-dominated technology business.

Presenter: David Harper Producers: David Harper and Victoria Hastings

(Image: Lyndsey Scott. Credit: Paul Smith)

Business Daily meets: Sir John Hegarty May 05, 2023

What's the future of the advertising industry? The industry veteran who was behind some of the most memorable ads of the 80s and 90s speaks to Dougal Shaw about the rise of digital platforms and social media.

Hegarty is a revered figure in advertising because of the famous brands he helped to build. He was a founding partner of Saatchi & Saatchi and co-founder of Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH). These days he is creative director of The Garage Soho, which invests in start-ups and helps to build brands.

And Sir John also uses his own experiences of previous recessions to explain how he thinks companies can survive, and in some cases benefit from, a recession.

Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Sir John Hegarty. Credit: Getty Images)

Making money and doing good May 04, 2023

Social entrepreneurship is often borne out of the need to address social issues, but it is fast becoming a major contributor to economic growth – contributing billions of dollars to global economies and providing millions of jobs whilst maintaining its core altruistic values of making the world a better place.

We meet Zimbabwean born Max Zimani – who runs an African/Middle-Eastern restaurant in Slovenia, created out of the need for inclusion of the migrant communities in an homogenous society like Slovenia. Skukhna offers a global cuisine and brings communities together through exotic dining.

Simona Simulyte is a serial entrepreneur and CEO Tech4Good. She runs an ecosystem in Lithuania that brings together people with ideas for social businesses, provides mentorship and help source for funds which enables these start-ups become self-sufficient.

And Moses Onitilo is the co-founder of a company known as Jamborow - a blockchain driven fintech platform focused on financial inclusion and grassroot empowerment, specifically targeting the unbanked and the lower income and rural communities within Africa.

The Jamborow eco-system cuts across seven African countries including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Botswana, Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda

Presenter/producer Peter MacJob

(Image: These members of a small savings group in Kenya now have access to e-wallets via mobile phones. Photo Credit: Moses Onitilo)

Female electrical line workers May 03, 2023

Electrical line workers work all kinds of hours in very challenging conditions to keep electricity flowing to our homes and businesses. It's traditionally been a very male occupation but that's changing as more women break into the industry.

We speak to Colombia’s first ever intake of female apprentice line workers about their intensive training experience, and Rosa Vasquez – one of the first women to do the job in Texas in 1978. Over in Kansas, Amy Fischbach, the Field Editor for T&D World magazine, is raising awareness of the trade in a podcast about women in line work. We also head to Pakistan where there are currently no women in this line of work, and head to Kansas hear from

Presenter / producer: Olivia Wilson Image: Apprentice line workers in Colombia; Credit: ISA

Recycling heat from kitchens to keep restaurants warm May 02, 2023

The Swedish start-up that's worked out how to use hot fumes from kitchens to heat restaurants.

Hear from the entrepreneurs who've developed this new technology. They tell us how it works and how it can help restaurants lower bills and carbon emissions.

However this technology is expensive for restaurant owners, especially at a time when hiring workers and buying ingredients has got a lot more costly. One small business tells us about the benefits and challenges of investing in new equipment.

Producer / presenter: Maddy Savage Image: Annika Lyndfors; Credit: BBC

The homes only locals can buy May 01, 2023

We meet the Londoners moving into their first flats thanks to a ownership scheme which started in the US in the 1960s.

Community land trust properties can only be bought by local people, and the price is set by average local income levels, not the open market. Dougal Shaw goes to a block of flats in Lewisham where buyers are just settling in.

He speaks to a lawyer and community activist in the US – the idea started as part of the civil rights movement. And a property expert explains some of the potential long-term issues.

Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Christian Codjoe is moving into a two-bed flat in Citizens House with his brother. Credit: BBC)

(Image: Artists impression of the flats. Credit: French & Tie)

Business Daily meets: Tim O'Reilly Apr 28, 2023

The Silicon Valley veteran created the first commercial website to support advertising in 1993.

He is a publisher and author and now runs an online learning platform. He talks to Ed Butler about the recent dips in tech stocks, and the future of AI.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Olivia Wilson

(Image: Tim O'Reilly. Credit: Getty Images)

GM mustard in India Apr 27, 2023

Could growing genetically modified mustard be the answer to oil shortages in India? Each year India spends billions of dollars importing 70 percent of its cooking oil from other countries like Argentina, Malaysia and Brazil.

We speak to a farmer struggling to make a profit growing un-modified mustard crops. We also explore the debate in India around genetically modified food crops and speak to one farmer already growing genetically modified cotton.

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Cotton farmer Ganesh Nanote; Credit: Ganesh Nanote

Peru’s blueberry boom Apr 26, 2023

How Peru went from having virtually no blueberry plantations to being the world's top exporter in just ten years.

In this episode Stefania Gozzer visits a plantation in the region of Ica and hears from experts, firms and farmers about the key developments that made blueberries growing such a success, despite Peru’s ongoing political crises.

Presenter / producer: Stefania Gozzer Image: Blueberry farmer; Credit: BBC

Quiet quitting in France Apr 25, 2023

Why are so many young French people feeling demotivated and quitting their jobs?

Sabrina Teresi had a high-paying job as an engineer. She’d studied for years to qualify. She enjoyed the job at first but soon felt demotivated and after 3 years decided to quit.

Polls show more and more young workers are struggling to find the energy to do their job, suffering from boredom and quitting their jobs. Is France facing an epidemic of laziness? Or are companies simply not adapting fast enough to new ways of working?

Presenter / producer: Joshua Thorpe Image: Sabrina Teresi; Credit: Sabrina Teresi

Is Mexico benefiting from the US-China trade war? Apr 24, 2023

Increasingly, US companies are 'nearshoring' - moving their operations closer to home.

Cities in the north of Mexico, like Monterrey, are seeing a manufacturing boom.

We speak to some of the companies who are cashing in, and ask, is this a renaissance that will last?

Plus we look at other countries who are trying to get a share of the market.

Presenter/producer: Samira Hussain

(Image: Truck at the Mexico/US border. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily meets: Athletic Brewing CEO Bill Shufelt Apr 21, 2023

Non-alcoholic and low alcohol beer is a rapidly growing market, as consumers search for healthy alternatives.

Bill Shufelt started Athletic Brewing with his partner, brewmaster John Walker in 2018.

Speaking to Dougal Shaw, Bill Shufelt explains how he sees the alcohol free beer market, and describes his 'career change moment'.

Presenter/producer Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Bill Shufelt at his brewery. Credit: Getty Images)

Counting the cost of Iftar Apr 20, 2023

As the price of food increases, we speak to Muslims to find out how it has affected their Iftar - the fast-breaking evening meal during the holy month of Ramadan. It is often a lavish family meal, but price rises mean that people are having to make changes.

We hear from women in Somalia, Canada, Pakistan and the UK who are all facing a slightly different Ramadan, and Eid, this year.

Presented by Emb Hashmi with reporting from Ahmed Adan Editors: Carmel O'Grady and Helen Thomas

(Photo: Fatuma and her family in Somalia. Credit: BBC)

Argentina: Still a nation of beef lovers? Apr 19, 2023

The South American country is famous for its steaks, ribs, and milanesa. It is the second largest home market for beef in the world, and the fifth biggest exporter.

But with soaring inflation, this much loved staple is becoming unaffordable for ordinary people.

We look at the country’s love affair with beef and what measures the government is taking to protect it.

Producer/presenter: Natalio Cosoy

(Image: Porfirio Dávalos at his Friday barbecue. Credit: BBC)

Why are African flights so expensive? Apr 18, 2023

Prices are around 45% more expensive than equivalent trips elsewhere, and it's often cheaper to fly out of the continent and back in.

We look at the reasons Africans are paying higher fares for both internal and international flights, the impact this is having on business and tourism, plus the wider impact on the African economy.

Producer/ presenter: Rebecca Kesby

(Image: A plane on a runway in Nothern Africa. Credit: Getty Images)

How Covid shifted US tipping Apr 17, 2023

Has people using less cash and higher tip suggestions on pay terminals increased expectation on customers?

Tipping has a long history in the United States, but there is evidence that the coronavirus pandemic has changed the culture and percentages involved.

Presenter Rick Kelsey speaks to waiting staff in New York, travel experts and explores the legal rules around tipping.

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

(Image: Someone placing dollars into a tip jar. Credit: Getty Images)

Bringing the Tasmanian Tiger back from extinction Apr 14, 2023

It sounds like a movie script, like Jurassic Park, but Australian scientists are actually aiming to 'de-extinct' an animal.

The Tasmanian Tiger, or Thylacine, became extinct in 1936, nearly 90 years ago.

It's native to Australia, and thanks to millions of dollars of funding via a US-based biotech company, Colossal Biosciences, research is underway which could bring it back to life.

Sam Clack finds out why the project has attracted funding from a host of celebrity backers and asks whether science fiction could become reality?

Produced and presented by Sam Clack.

(Image: Tasmanian Tigers. Credit: Getty Images)

The Phantom of the Opera: Goodbye Broadway Apr 13, 2023

How did the musical manage to run for a record breaking 35 years? And why is it closing?

As the curtain comes down on the Phantom in New York's famous Broadway theatre district, we look at what this means for the theatre industry.

The Phantom of the Opera has played to more than 140 million people around the world, it’s sold 20 million tickets, and been performed in 33 countries. But whilst the global tours will keep going, this weekend the show is closing in New York.

Actor Jonathan Roxmouth played the Phantom on a world tour, and tells us about the shows impact across the globe.

Matt Rousu is a professor of economics and runs the website ‘Broadway Economics’ - he talks through the fine margins that shows like Phantom operate within.

And Kizzy Cox reports from Broadway where she meets fans, speaks to veteran theatre critic Ben Brantley, and talks to Jan Mullen, an orchestra musician who has been with The Phantom of the Opera since it opened in 1986.

Presenter/ producer: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: Jonathan Roxmouth plays 'The Phantom' and Meghan Picerno plays 'Christine Daae' in The Phantom Of The Opera, 2019 in Singapore. Credit: Getty Images)

Inside the semiconductor factory Apr 12, 2023

Almost everything electronic is powered by chips. But the global semiconductor industry has been beset by the Covid pandemic, conflict, and economic slowdown. Despite the challenges, it's set to become a trillion-dollar industry by 2030.

Alex Bell takes an exclusive look inside one of Europe's biggest chip manufacturing factories - GlobalFoundries' plant in Dresden, Germany - to find out how chipmakers are preparing for the future.

Presenter / producer: Alex Bell

(Picture: The GlobalFoundries plant in Dresden, Germany. Credit: Getty Images.)

The Good Friday Agreement: 25 years on Apr 07, 2023

How has stability in Northern Ireland helped businesses? We look at the impact of the peace deal from the perspective of people within Northern Ireland, and outside, and find out how it has helped the development of manufacturing, foreign investment, tourism, and farming.

We also hear from the former Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, one of the architects of The Good Friday Agreement.

Presented and produced by Russell Padmore.

(Image: Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) and then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern (right). Credit: PA)

Business Daily meets: World Chess CEO Ilya Merenzon Apr 06, 2023

How do you make a game with a conservative image more marketable, and more profitable?

Chess has been played for centuries, two people facing off over chessboard, but now it’s big business online too.

Business Daily’s Dougal Shaw meets the head of World Chess, Ilya Merenzon, to talk about expanding the sport, the opportunities of the digital format, and the challenge of the recent cheating scandals.

Produced and presented by Dougal Shaw.

(Image: Magnus Carlsen at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in January 2021. Credit: Getty Images)

Coffee: Time for a new bean? Apr 05, 2023

The Liberica bean is a species of coffee that growers are hoping will make their crops sustainable in the future as the climate changes.

We speak to farmers struggling to grow the most popular coffee plants and taste test a Liberica brew.

Presenter / producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Image: Martin Kinyua; Credit: Martin Kinyua)

Fair pay for rooibos tea Apr 04, 2023

The Khoi and San people, who discovered rooibos tea, have only recently started receiving a share of the industry's multimillion-pound profits.

They tell us about their fight to get the money they're owed and we hear from the rooibos farmers who are now having to pay out. We also find out what this deal could mean for other indigenous groups in a similar situation.

Presenter: Mohammed Allie Producer: Jo Critcher Image: Princess Chantal Revell from the National Khoi and San Council, drinking rooibos tea; Credit: Princess Chantal Revell

Happy Birthday barcode Apr 03, 2023

The barcode has become an essential part of the modern world. There are 10 billion barcode scans every day and they are used on products in every country.

It started as a few lines drawn in the Florida sand and today it turns 50. It changed the way we shop and trade, without them global supply chains could not function.

Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Barcode; Credit: Getty Images

Population: Your questions answered Mar 31, 2023

As India is poised to overtake China as the world's most populous country, we put questions from World Service listeners to the author of 8 Billion and Counting. Dr Jennifer Sciubba explains how the number of humans is growing in some countries, declining in others, how people are moving around the world and why that matters when it comes to money and work. She also discusses the issue of fertility and birth-rate, and it's close links to factors such as government support and childcare.

Presenter: Devina Gupta Producers: Helen Thomas and Carmel O'Grady

(Image: A mother and child. Credit: Getty Images)

Japan's aging population Mar 30, 2023

Japan is the world’s fastest ageing country, nearly 30% of Japan’s population is already over 65. Devina Gupta looks into what the ever decreasing workforce means for businesses in Japan.

Many companies are pouring resources into developing advanced robots and artificial intelligence to do human work. Mikio Okumura- president of one of Japan’s largest insurance companies - Sompo Holdings, tells us his company has recently started using AI to analyse complex data to predict the health risks of individuals.

Many small and medium businesses owners nearing retirement age are also struggling to find successors. Japan’s trade ministry has warned that by 2025 over half a million profitable businesses could close, costing the economy $165 billion. Tsuneo Watanabe, a director of Nihon M&A Center, a company that specializes in finding buyers for such enterprises tells us how they're trying to solve the problem.

Producer / presenter: Devina Gupta Image: Senior citizens advertising in Tokyo; Credit: Getty Images

Nigeria's brain drain Mar 29, 2023

Bisi Adebayo investigates why so many young, highly skilled people leave Nigeria, known in the country as Japa.

Bisi hears from journalist Victoria Idowu who re-located to Canada with her family and a teacher in Lagos who is about to pack her bags and move to the UK.

We also hear from an expert in employment data Babajide Ogunsanwo who tells us how much this costs Nigeria and Wale Smart an employer who explains how tricky it is to find and retain staff.

Presenter / producer: Bisi Adebayo Image: Graduating students of the American University of Nigeria; Credit: Getty Images

Italy's low birth rate Mar 28, 2023

Italy’s population has decreased by approximately one million residents in the space of one year and forecasts predict that this is likely to worsen.

Hannah Mullane speaks to a mother in Rome about what it’s like to start a family in Italy and a business that’s implementing its own policies to support staff who choose to have children.

We take a look at what the government is planning to do to encourage more people to have children and head to the north of Italy to the Bolzano region, the only part of the country where births are increasing to see what they’re doing differently.

Presenter/producer: Hannah Mullane Image: Melissa and Cosmo; Credit: Melissa Panarello

India's growing population Mar 27, 2023

Devina Gupta reports on India's growing population and what that means for people living, working and running businesses there.

66 year old Radha Gupta and her daughter Aashima Gupta live in India’s capital city, Delhi. They tell us how population dynamics have changed their lifestyle over the years, and business woman Vineeta Singh tells us how she has capitalised on a growing number of consumers in India and how this is attracting global finance.

Presenter / producer: Devina Gupta Image: Kolkata market: Credit: Getty Images

The business of returning treasures Mar 24, 2023

David Reid delves into the debate around the repatriation of problematic art and treasures. He visits one museum in the north-west of England attempting to decolonise its collection by returning thousands of items to the countries and communities they were taken from.

In this episode we meet curators like Dr Njabulo Chipangura, from Manchester Museum, who says the best way to guarantee the future of collections is to give parts of them away. Also, Professor Kim A. Wagner from the University of London tells us the story of the skull of Alum Bheg, which he would dearly like to return to India.

Is this ultimately the right way to treat problematic artefacts and treasures? Or could this movement end up destroying hard to acquire expertise and render Museums meaningless and economically unviable?

Producer/presenter: David Reid

(Photo: The skull of Alum Bheg: Credit: Kim Wagner)

Venezuela: 10 years on Mar 23, 2023

Ten years ago this month, in March 2013, Venezuela’s charismatic socialist leader Hugo Chavez died and current president Nicolas Maduro took over.

In the decade since, the South American nation suffered an extraordinary economic collapse – the economy shrunk by two thirds, inflation hit six digits, the government chopped 11 zeros off the bank notes, oil production slumped and millions of people fled abroad to escape economic hardship.

We talk to Venezuelans who lived through that collapse, from a shopkeeper who went bankrupt to a university professor whose salary in the local currency, bolivars, is worth just 25 US dollars a month.

We also ask if the worst is over and what the future holds for this once wealthy nation – a founding member of Opec that sits on some of the world’s largest oil reserves.

Producer and presented by Gideon Long Additional reporting: Vanessa Silva in Caracas

(Image: A Venezuelan man holding a Chavez/Maduro balloon. Credit: Getty Images)

Chatbots and business Mar 22, 2023

AI chatbots are everywhere at the moment - but how are they being used by business? Business Daily presenter Rick Kelsey heads to one of the world's financial hubs, Canary Wharf in London, to find out how this technology is changing jobs.

Sarah Kunst, the managing director of Cleo Capital, which invests in tech companies in San Francisco, tells us how some start-ups are using AI bots to deep search the internet, but also about her concerns with misinformation.

Chante Venter is from Wise Move, a removal firm in South Africa. She has recently started using the chatbot for communication with customers and says that it's helping her team enjoy their work more. Rochelle Garrad from Chards, a coin and bullion dealer in Blackpool in the north west of England, talks about how chatbots can create content like blogs and YouTube scripts very quickly, but sometimes less accurately.

Producer / presenter: Rick Kelsey Image

Afrobeats: A multi-million dollar industry Mar 21, 2023

Arguably the fastest growing music genre in the world, Afrobeats artists are playing to sold out crowds in the most coveted venues across the globe.

What started as an umbrella term in London, UK, to encapsulate pop music of African extraction has become a major force in pop culture.

But is Afrobeats able to emerge as a major economic force within the continent and can it leverage on its global appeal to boost other sectors including fashion and the arts?

We hear from the pioneers like Abass Tijani, one of the very first DJs to play Afrobeats in UK clubs and Ayo Shonaiya who created the first TV show featuring musicians from Nigeria and Ghana.

We also hear from Weird MC and Paul Play Dairo – two artists whose experimentation of sound in the mid-1990s contributed immensely to the growth and appeal of the genre.

Produced and presented by Peter MacJob.

(Image: Burna Boy performing at the NBA All Star game 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

Antibiotics: How to fix a broken market Mar 20, 2023

Antibiotics stopped providing big gains for pharmaceutical companies decades ago, but as bacteria become more resistant to drugs, the world needs new classes of antibiotics to be discovered if we want to prevent the next global health crisis.

Dr Tina Joshi, Associate Professor of Molecular Microbiology at the University of Plymouth explains that it’s more likely antimicrobial resistance will kill large numbers of human beings before climate change does. Kasim Kutay, CEO of the investment fund Novo Holdings tells us that for big pharma companies, antibiotics are seen as a contribution to society rather than an investment that can provide a profit.

How can firms be convinced to invest in an unprofitable product? We hear how Netflix might provide a good model and we explore research in Phages - a bacteria specialised in eating other bacteria. Phages are being championed by some as a potential substitute for antibiotics. One patient in Minnesota tells us Phages saved his life.

Presenter / producer: Stefania Gozzer Image: Dr Tina Joshi; Credit: Lloyd Russell

Business Daily Meets: Sarah Willingham Mar 17, 2023

The hospitality entrepreneur Sarah Willingham has worked extensively across the UK restaurant and bar industry. She also featured as a Dragon on the BBC TV show, Dragon's Den (the UK equivalent of Shark Tank).

Sarah took a bet at the height of the coronavirus pandemic that cocktail bars would thrive again - and is now CEO of UK-based hospitality group Nightcap, a rapidly expanding drinks-led investment firm which she started with her husband in 2020.

The company has acquired around 20 cocktail and party bars across the country, employing more than 1,000 staff.

Sarah talks to Dougal Shaw about the difficulties of entrepreneurship in lockdown, some of the current challenges facing the hospitality industry and about the imposter syndrome she felt earlier in her career.

Presenter and producer: Dougal Shaw

(Image - Sarah Willingham. Credit: Getty Images)

What is Rumble? The streaming platform building an alternative internet Mar 15, 2023

If you don’t like the way online speech is regulated, can you build your own internet where you make the rules? This is the story of Rumble, the new king of alt-tech.

Rumble started as a small video streaming platform, hoping to rival YouTube. Recently, it has become the site of choice for Americans frustrated with YouTube moderation, and moved its headquarters to Florida - hailed by some as the new Silicon Valley.

Rumble had been eligible for an economic development incentive grant as part of the move, but the package was scrapped following protests from some locals and Rumble did not receive taxpayer money.

Now, the company is seeking to build the infrastructure for an internet ecosystem that is “immune to cancel culture”. In this episode, we trace the company’s journey from Canadian start-up to Floridian big tech challenger, and ask what this means for the future of public debate online.

Producer/presenter: Ellie House Additional reporting: Annie Phrommayon Sound mix: James Beard

(Photo: Person using phone looking at Rumble app. Credit: Getty Images)

Syria's child labour problem: Abdullah's story Mar 14, 2023

Abdullah lives in northern Syria. He is 14, he lost his mother and brothers to the Syrian civil war. For years now Abdullah has been working to feed the rest of his family, and he's just survived one of the world’s most devastating earthquakes.

In this episode of Business Daily Ed Butler hears Abdullah's story.

Abdullah works at the Harakat Tarhin oil refinery outside Al Bab in north-west Syria. It's a makeshift oil refinery and they make fuel to feed the cars, trucks and heaters on which the region depends.

Oil is usually refined in massive industrial buildings, run by multi-national firms, but where Abdullah works it’s cooked in the back yard. He tells us he knows how dangerous his job is but that he has no choice and must carry on working.

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: Abdullah; Credit: BBC

Syria: Life after the earthquake Mar 13, 2023

Last month’s devastating earthquake didn’t just claim thousands of Turkish lives, it ravaged northern Syria as well. International help for that region has struggled to get through. In this episode of Business Daily Ed Butler looks at how the region is battling to pick up the pieces, and whether local business-people are helping or simply profiting from the crisis.

Amnat Soueif, a mother of two, tells Ed how she's providing for her children. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a senior fellow at the New Lines Institute, tells us about conversations she's having with families in the region about their trauma.

Abu Amer runs a vegetable stall in the Idlib area - he tells us how commodity prices have been affected by the earthquake and Bassam Abu Muhammad, a blacksmith, tells us that since the earthquake he's moved into making and selling tents.

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler Image: A displaced Syrian child; Credit: Getty images

How wearing glasses can improve the economy Mar 11, 2023

Without being able to see clearly, people in low and middle income countries can find it difficult to secure a job or support their family.

Globally around one billion people need to wear glasses but do not have access to them. We look at what’s being done to help.

Producer / presenter: Sam Fenwick

(Image: Ankit Sharma; Credit: Ankit Sharma)

The modern pilgrimage boom Mar 10, 2023

We follow in the footsteps of a Viking Saint who's legacy is bringing visitors and their cash to remote areas from Sweden and Norway.

More and more people are choosing to go on modern day pilgrimages, we walk part of the world's most northern pilgrimage trail to find out how businesses on the route are benefitting.

Producer / presenter: Robert Walker

(Image: People walking on grassland. Credit: Getty Images)

Oscars: Celebrity gifting suites Mar 10, 2023

Ahead of the Oscars, Business Daily goes behind the scenes of a celebrity gifting suite. Before the ceremony and the parties, celebrities are often invited to hotel suites, usually close to where the awards ceremony will happen. The rooms are filled with skincare products, makeup, jewellery, clothes, shoes, bags, you name it.

Celebrities can take the gifts away for free - all companies want in return is a superstar endorsement.

In this episode entertainment reporter KJ Matthews finds out how this business actually works with Nathalie Dubois who has been running these suites for almost 20 years.

We also hear from Nthenya Mwendwa, a designer from Kenya who's bracelet bag was recently chose by a celebrity at a gifting suite and worn on the red carpet. Hear what that photos and the exposure has done for her small business.

Presenter: KJ Matthews Producer: Carmel O'Grady Image: Sharon Stone at a gifting suite in Cannes: Credit: Nathalie Dubois

Health apps: Are we sharing too much? Mar 09, 2023

The digital health market is growing rapidly - in 2021 the sector was valued at 195 billion US dollars.

Companies offer apps and devices to monitor our vital statistics, our activity, our nutrition, our hormones. And those apps collect a lot of data about us.

Presenter Marie Keyworth visits Web Summit, a large tech conference in Lisbon, to find out what is happening to this information.

And asks how consumers can get the most out of health apps whilst feeling comfortable about data privacy...

Plus Marie explores the aftermath of the Roe v Wade ruling which raised concerns that law enforcement officials could subpoena abortion-related data from data companies and women's health apps, to use in a prosecution.

Eirini Rapti, the founder of the menstrual cycle tracking app Inne tells Marie how her company responded to Roe v Wade, and the impact it might have on international growth.

Russell Glass, the CEO of Headspace Health which started as a mindfulness app, says they follow robust privacy and security rules, but a lot of the burden is falling on the consumer too because regulation can't always keep up.

Presenter and producer: Marie Keyworth

(Image: Woman using mobile phone. Credit: Getty Images)

The unbanked Mar 09, 2023

Oscar Bilayin Kudor runs a business in Ghana producing cassava flour. He wants to grow his business but traditional banks are reluctant to lend him the money to buy expensive machinery.

1.4 billion people around the world people can't get access to formal banking. Two thirds of them live in low and middle income countries.

One of Ghana’s largest banks, Absa Bank thinks it has a solution. It’s giving small businesses grants to help them access formal banking facilities.

Having a bank account makes it easier for households to budget and businesses are more likely to thrive. In this episode we also look at how digital banks are helping more people get bank accounts and why access to banking is key to empowering women.

Producer/Presenter: Sam Fenwick Image: Oscar Bilayin Kudor; Credit: Oscar Bilayin Kudor

Do attractive people earn more? Mar 08, 2023

How much better off are the better looking? A growing body of research seems to confirm that life is simply easier and more lucrative for attractive people.

Labour economist Daniel Hamermesh has been studying this for years and says beautiful people do get paid more, have less difficulty securing bank loans and are typically offered more jobs, opportunities and perks.

South African fashion model Marike tells us very candidly how her looks means she often gets things for free - meals, experiences, perks. She also talks about the role social media advertising plays in this. She says you can make millions of dollars through social media if you are pretty.

We also hear from author Emily Lauren Dick about how unconscious bias around attractiveness and particularly weight can impact recruitment or promotion opportunities in the workplace.

Producer/presenter: Deborah Weitzmann

(Photo: South African fashion model Marike: Credit: Marike)

Opening up Uzbekistan: Part 2 Mar 07, 2023

BBC journalist Rayhan Demytrie is from Uzbekistan and was recently invited back to her country to explore how after almost 30 years the government is opening up the country and it's economy.

In part two of this two part Business Daily special Rayhan hears how young entrepreneurs are pushing to grow their businesses and increase exports. Rayhan also finds out how digital only banking companies are transforming access to financial services for many Uzbek people.

In the capital city of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Rayhan explores how the city has developed and changed in recent years and finds out more about the corruption that continues to cause problems for businesses.

Presenter / producer: Rayhan Demytrie Image: Tashkent bazaar; Credit: Getty Images

Opening up Uzbekistan: Part 1 Mar 06, 2023

BBC journalist Rayhan Demytrie is from Uzbekistan and was recently invited back to her country to explore how after almost 30 years the government is opening up the country and it's economy.

In part one of this two part Business Daily special Rayhan hears how tourists are encouraging business growth in the famous Silk Road city of Samarkand. In an interview with the Uzbek deputy finance minister, Odilbek Isakov, Rayhan asks about selling and privatising state owed assets like a Coca-Cola bottling plant and whether doing this is profitable for the country.

We also hear how important ties with Russia are in Uzbekistan and how a very cold winter has put pressure on energy supplies and the economic revival of this former Soviet country.

Presenter / producer: Rayhan Demytrie Image: Mosque in Samarkand: Credit: Getty Images

Trains in the USA: Your take Mar 03, 2023

A few months ago we covered the story about the renovation of Penn Street railway station in New York. So many World Service listeners got in touch with us about their experiences of using the railway network in America we decided to make a programme based on their views.

Omar Deen, who lives in Toledo, Ohio tells us he feels disadvantaged by the dominance of car travel in the United States and says he would like to have an alternative to driving or flying to get around.

Another listener, Bill Potter in Alabama tells us there are no train tracks where he lives and to make rail an option for him, miles and miles of track would have to be laid.

Under President Joe Biden, the US government has increased funding for trains, but the network is patchy – there are major cities and entire states with no passenger rail services. Kristen Lewis, co-director of Measure of America at the Social Science Research Council says it is possible for America to have a better rail transport network and that's a goal the country should be working towards.

Presenter/producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns

(Photo: Omar Deen stands on a railway platform. Credit: Omar Deen)

A story of modern slavery in the UK Mar 02, 2023

Ayo is a victim of trafficking and modern slavery and tells us his story of being taken from Nigeria to the UK and forced to work.

We also hear from Emily Kenway, a former policy adviser to the UK’s first anti-slavery commissioner and author of The Truth About Modern Slavery, who explains what modern slavery actually is.

Sara Thornton, who was the UK’s independent anti-slavery commissioner until April 2022, explains some of the reasons behind an increase in the number of people being recognised as victims of modern slavery in the UK.

We also explore some incoming changes to the UK’s world-leading anti-slavery legislation, changes that Kate Roberts, head of policy at the London-based anti-trafficking charity Focus on Labour Exploitation, tells us she is very concerned about.

Producer/presenter: Frey Lindsay

(Photo: Child behind wooden crate. Credit: Getty Images)

How Portugal is cycling to success Mar 01, 2023

The global bicycle market is set to grow by 5% every year over the next decade. Demand has been rising, particularly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic as people look for an alternative to crowded public transport. Concern for climate change and rising fuel prices have also helped to push people onto bikes. Portugal is the biggest bicycle manufacturer in Europe. According to Eurostat, it produced 2.9 million bicycles in 2021, with exports generating around 594 million euros - almost 610 million US dollars - and sales are up 49% this year.

The Secretary General of the industry group Abimota, Gil Nadais, explains how Portugal has benefitted from EU import tariffs.

Pedro Araújo, the CEO of Polisport Group tells us how the industry is working together to cope with rising energy prices and to overcome supply chain problems and staff shortages.

Portugal's Secretary of State for Urban Transport, Jorge Delgado explains how the government is trying to encourage more people to cycle in Portugal, where there’s been a historical reluctance, by investing more in infrastructure and giving free bikes to school children.

Presenter/producer: Lisa Louis

(Photo: Ironman 70.3 Portugal Cascais. Credit; Getty Images)

Unionising the US workforce Feb 28, 2023

There has been a surge in the number of workplaces in the United States voting to join a labour union. Amid this wave of unionisation, companies are pushing back hard. We find out what is happening in the US and how businesses and politicians are reacting.

We hear from a worker at outdoor clothing co-operative REI where staff have voted to unionise, plus Michelle Miller, who runs Co-worker, an organisation that supports employees who want union representation. Michael Strain, an economist at the centre-right policy organisation, the American Enterprise Institute, explains that workers are actually doing quite well at the moment as unemployment is low. And have you heard of union-busting? Rebecca Givan is an associate professor of Labor Studies and Employment Relations at Rutgers University in New Jersey - she explains what is happening.

Producer/presenter: Rob Young

(Photo: Workers on strike from the New York Times. Credit: Getty Images)

Syria: Starting a business in a warzone Feb 27, 2023

How do you launch a successful start-up in a country where there’s been more than a decade of civil war? In this episode of Business Daily Maddy Savage hears how an entrepreneur from Syria was inspired by Scandinavia’s tech scene. Khaled Moustafa founded Syria’s first ride-sharing app, Yalla Go, in 2019. The platform now has hundreds of thousands of users who can book taxis on their smartphones to get around Syria's biggest cities.

Khaled shares his story with Maddy and talks about some of the challenges, and benefits, of launching a business during a time of conflict. We also hear from a Yalla Go driver and get a glimpse into Syria’s emerging tech scene.

Presenter/producer: Maddy Savage

(Photo: Khaled Moustafa. Credit: Khaled Moustafa)

The importance of handmade products Feb 24, 2023

The market for real handmade products is reported to have surged in recent years.

Initiatives such as Australia's Seasons of New England Expo and Makers Markets in the UK have led to a revival in small artisanal businesses. Online platforms also give skilful craftspeople a vast market to sell to.

Business Daily's David Reid hears from sellers in Manchester making things as diverse as balloon animals and mushroom growing kits. We also hear about the benefits of working with your hands.

The philosopher and motor mechanic, Matthew Crawford, is the author of 'The Case for Working with your Hands' and 'The World Beyond Your Head' – he tells us why office work and current management practices have removed judgement and decision making from our day-to-day efforts and alienated us from the real results of the work we do.

Produced and presented by David Reid.

(Image: A potter making a pot using a wheel. Credit: Getty Images)

Ukraine war: Preserving culture Feb 23, 2023

In this epsiode of Business Daily Ashish Sharma looks at how the art world has tried to preserve Ukraine´s cultural and artistic heritage from the ongoing war.

Hear the story of how valuable Ukrainian paintings were put on trucks and sneaked out of Ukraine as Russia began heavily bombing the country. Thanks to the idea of one art collector they are now on display in a museum in Madrid.

Ashish also managed to link up with Kyiv to speak to the Director of the National Art Museum of Ukraine, Yulia Lytvynets and Nadia Tymchuk the CEO of the Museum´s Charitable Foundation about how they are trying to protect important artefacts and preserve Ukrainian culture.

Presenter/producer: Ashish Sharma (Photo: Exhibition of Ukrainian art in Spain. Credit: Getty Images)

Ukraine war: Refugees and resilience Feb 22, 2023

It is estimated almost eight million people have left Ukraine in the past 12 months. They have all had to start again - finding housing, schools and a way to earn a living.

In this episode we hear from Ukrainians who are staying resilient through huge changes to their lives. They tell us about making sure they can provide for their families, run businesses and help their employees.

Konstantin Klyagin is an IT and software entrepreneur from Kyiv. When the war started he was on a flight and unable to land in Ukraine. He now lives in Lisbon, Portugal and tells us about helping his employees relocate with him. Vadim Rogovskiy runs an company developing AI software for use in online shopping. Vadim now lives between New York and Poland. He relocated his whole team to Warsaw, Poland on the day of the invasion.

Presenter / producer: Alex Bell (Image: Konstantin Klyagin; Credit: Konstantin Klyagin)

Ukraine war: Refugees starting again Feb 21, 2023

It is estimated almost eight million people have left Ukraine in the past 12 months. They have all had to start again, finding housing, schools and a way to earn a living. Some have managed to carry on running their businesses and others have set up new companies in the countries they now call home.

Business Daily has been hearing some of their stories of remarkable resilience. Volodymyr and Regina Razumovskaya, now living in Perth, Western Australia, tell us about first leaving Donetsk in 2014 only to be forced to leave their new home and business in Kyiv eight years later.

Polina Salabay describes the moment she realised she had to leave her home and dance school business behind in Lviv. She now lives in Canada and runs Polli’s Dance teaching Canadian and Ukrainian children. And Anastasia Kozmina and boyfriend Oleksiyy Danko, tell us how they turned their side hustle into a business when they moved to England.

Presenter / producer: Alex Bell (Image: Polli's Dance: Credit: Polina Salabay)

Ukraine war: Economic fallout Feb 20, 2023

Nearly a year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ed Butler examines the real state of the Russian economy.

Ami Daniel, chief executive of Windward, a maritime data company, tells Ed about the Russian oil tankers transferring millions of tonnes of crude oil between ships to bypass sanctions.

As the war continues, millions of euros worth of Russian assets remain frozen as a result of sanctions. Urmas Reinsalu, the Estonian foreign minister, tells us about an initiative Estonia is leading to actually seize and exploit some of Russian’s frozen billions for the benefit of Ukraine.

Presenter / producer: Ed Butler (Image: A market in Kyiv; Credit: Getty Images)

Turkey earthquake: What is the future for young people? Feb 16, 2023

As the rescue and recovery effort from the devastating earthquake continues, young people who survived are making tough decisions about the future. With Turkey already struggling economically even before the disaster, do they leave and start again in a new region, or a new country? Or stay and help rebuild? Victoria Craig travels to Ankara where she meets Berkay, a second year design student from Gaziantep, one of the most badly affected cities. He drove for 12 hours with his family to reach the Turkish capital. He says he's not sure what the future holds, and he is considering moving to another European country. Roger Kelly is the lead regional economist for Turkey at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. He explains how youth unemployment is a particular challenge for southern Turkey, and says it's difficult to say whether people who have been displaced will return when areas are rebuilt. And Professor Güneş Aşık from TOBB Economics and Technical University says students affected by the earthquake might not find it that easy - they might have to drop out of university to support their families. Produced and presented by Victoria Craig. Additional production by Anil Ergın. (Image: A rescue centre in Ankara. Credit: Getty Images)

Nigeria's election and the economy Feb 15, 2023

Nigerians head to the polls very soon, in what's expected to be a very closely-contested election. In this episode of Business Daily Rob Young explores how the economy could impact the vote.

Africa’s largest economy, is struggling with soaring prices, fuel shortages and insecurity. We hear from Maty Ukhuegbe Osaro who runs a restaurant in Lagos called The Fish Lady, she tells us how the pandemic and rising prices have affected her business and about her hopes for the outcome of this election.

Economist and financial business boss, Bismarck Rewane, says us the uncertainty around the election has led some large businesses to hold off taking key decisions and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director general of the World Trade Organisation, and former finance minister in Nigeria tells us she's optimistic about Nigeria's economic potential.

Presenter / producer: Rob Young Image :Campaign rally for the Labour Party in Lagos; Credit: Getty Images

Sweden leads green steel race Feb 15, 2023

Boden is a remote town in northern Sweden surrounded by pine forests, it's at the forefront of an initiative to try and clean up one of the world’s dirtiest industries - steel production.

Business Daily presenter Maddy Savage visits the site of a new plant in Boden which aims to cut carbon emissions from the steel making process by 95 percent and bring more jobs and people to a shrinking community.

Andy Turner is the head of construction for H2Green Steel, the start-up behind the plant in Boden, he tells us more about the site and the process of making greener steel and Katinka Lund Waagsaether, senior policy advisor with climate think tank e3g - third generation environmentalism - tells us how well is Sweden doing in the race to make steel production more sustainable.

Producer / presenter: Maddy Savage Image: How the Boden plant is expected to look; Credit: H2Green Steel

What does studying in the UK cost Africans? Feb 14, 2023

Frey Lindsay investigates what some African students are required to do to get a place to study in the UK – and what that costs.

We examine the cost and relevancy of English language tests and explore the visa pathways that exclude some Africans.

Young African academics tell us about their frustrations and the enormous expense involved.

Nigerian policy specialist Ebenezar Wikina tells us about his campaign trying increase inclusion for those Africans who speak English and education scholar Samia Chasi explains why academics and institutions in poorer countries deserve more of a place in global education.

Presenter / Producer: Frey Lindsay Image: Student, Donatus outside Glasgow University; Credit: BBC

Big sporting event, very small town Feb 13, 2023

Business Daily’s Matthew Kenyon visits the Dutch town of Hoogerheide as it hosts the 2023 World Cyclocross Championships.

Tens of thousands of fans will flock into the town, and spend their money on hotels, food and drink. But where does that money go? And what about the costs and disruption of putting on a major sporting event in a small place?

We hear from the head of the local organising committee, Jan Prop, on how he raises and spends his budget; from cycling’s world governing body, the UCI; and from locals and visitors about the spending and disruption that goes with any big sporting event.

Producer / Presenter: Matthew Kenyon Image: Cyclocross 2023; Credit: BBC

Getting into business: Founding a billion dollar firm Feb 10, 2023

Twenty-year-old Aadit Palicha is the man behind India's hottest start up. He was just 18 when he co-founded his quick commerce company Zepto. The firm delivers groceries to its customers in under 10 minutes and is currently valued at over a billion dollars.

Aadit tells the BBC's Nikhil Inamdar where the idea for Zepto came from, how they achieve such fast delivery times and what it has been like building such enormous success so quickly.

Presenter/producer: Nikhil Inamdar

(Photo: Aadit Palicha)

Getting into business: Start-up capital in Africa Feb 09, 2023

The amount of accessible funding for start-ups in Africa is growing fast, but lots of it goes to the more developed economies of South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya. We speak to business owners in Nigeria and Uganda and compare their experiences of getting into business.

Nnamdi Okoh is the co-founder of Terminal Africa, based in Lagos. He explains the process of getting onto an accelerator programme and how the advice and financial support has allowed him and his brother to turn the business from a side hustle to a full time job.

AbdulMalik Fahd investigates why Lagos has become such a hub for new business on the continent and Tom Jackson the co-founder of Disrupt Africa, a hub for start-up news, explains why investment opportunity is growing so quickly and what this means for business.

Kaivan Khalid Satter is the founder of Asaak, an asset financing company for motocyles based in Kampala, Uganda. He explains how tough it was to raise funding at the beginning and tells us how he’s now managed to raise more than 30 million dollars in funding.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Photo: Nnamdi Okoh. Credit: Nnamdi Okoh)

Getting into business: Starting out Feb 08, 2023

Starting a business is never easy, but in the last few years there’s been more than usual to deal with. Many would assume it's not been a great time to start trading but we speak to three business owners who did just that.

Tina Kayoma is the co-founder of Project of Japan in Kyoto. A business that sells products made by Japanese crafts people across the world. She opened her first shop last year.

Maria Jose Hernadez is in Switzerland where she runs a confectionary business called El Caramelo and Lisa Nielson is in Ghana where she runs Tiny Reusers, a business that sells second hand baby items.

They come together in this episode to explain what it's been like setting up a business where they live. They also discuss the good and bad moments they've had and give their tips for anyone else looking to start a business.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Image: Tina Kayoma, Maria Jose Hernadez and Lisa Nielson, with kind permission)

Getting into business: Selling on social media Feb 07, 2023

Some businesses in South East Asia are growing at remarkable rates by using social media to sell. Live streaming on TikTok and live chatting on apps like Whatsapp, Line and Zalo are all being used to increase sales. We find out how.

Nina Dizon-Cabrera is the CEO of make-up brand, Colourette Cosmetics in the Philippines. She explains how her business began on social media and how she can sell thousands of products in just a few hours by live streaming on TikTok.

Joan Aurelia heads to Jakarta in Indonesia. The country has over 100,000 TikTok users, the second biggest market for the app after the United States. She speaks to business owners there about how social media has allowed them to transform their businesses.

Simon Torring is the cofounder of Cube Asia, a market analyst. He explains how much this new way of selling is contributing to the economy and predicts where the next big trends will come.

Presenter/producer: Hannah Mullane

(Photo: Nina Dixon-Cabrera Credit: Colourette Cosmetics)

Getting into business: Mentoring Feb 06, 2023

A mentor can take many different forms but ultimately they’re there to give you advice, put you in touch with contacts they have and support you, whether you’re setting up a new business or looking to make the next step in your career.

We head to Sweden to speak to Caxton Njuki, a professional sports and health coach who is a mentor to Jessika Sillanpää. He supported her for a year as she set up her business Jessikastory. They give us an insight into their mentoring relationship and how the process allowed Jessika to work on her business full time.

Abhishek Nagaraj, an expert in business mentoring at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkley. He discusses the different forms of mentoring and the economic benefits if you have a really good mentor.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane

(Image: Caxton Njuki and Jessika Sillanpää Credit: Caxton Njuki)

What is the cost of lower inflation? Feb 03, 2023

With food and heating prices going up, and wages not rising at the same rate, there is pressure on central bankers across the world to tackle inflation. But is this the right approach? And can it be done without crashing the economy?

Ed Butler hears from parents at a cheerleading class in Castleford in northern England, who are concerned about rising prices. They say it is the food shopping where they have noticed the price rises – with one parent shopping online to stop children asking for more items.

Jason Furman, a Harvard professor and President Obama's chief economic adviser, explains how we have reached this position – largely as a result of the pandemic and resulting government responses, and the invasion of Ukraine.

Former Federal Reserve economist Claudia Sahm explains how prices are rising for the core essentials - hitting poorer households disproportionately which is an issue for the whole economy.

And why do we have a 2% inflation target? Mohamed El-Erian, veteran economist and president of Queen’s College, Cambridge, talks about the historical factors around this 'desirable' number.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

(Photo: Woman with shopping basket. Credit: Getty Images)

ASML: Inside Europe’s most valuable tech company Feb 02, 2023

Presenter Matthew Kenyon visits Dutch tech giant ASML, the company which makes the most advanced machines used in the manufacturing of microchips.

It is Europe’s most valuable tech company and business is booming – ASML expanded its headcount by nearly a third in 2022 – but political pressure from the US to restrict exports to China threatens to disrupt the semiconductor landscape.

We hear from ASML chief executive Peter Wennink, find out more about the process of creating ASML’s remarkable products and consider what the fallout from Washington’s intervention might be.

Presenter/producer: Matthew Kenyon

(Photo: ASML expo in Shanghai. Credit: Getty Images)

My hijab, my way Feb 01, 2023

On World Hijab Day, Business Daily's Emb Hashmi explores the enormous market in modest fashion and in particular the hijab. We meet four women who wear the hijab in their own way and also make a living out of modelling, making and selling hijabs.

Dr Sana Askary, founder of Yumin Hijab tells Emb that when she decided to wear the hijab a few years ago she couldn’t find one she could wear comfortably so she designed her own and now runs a hijab business which she’s hoping to expand this year.

Shazrina Azman aka Mizz Nina was an award winning Malaysian singer songwriter but a chance moment on Hajj pilgrimage made her realise she wanted to dress more modestly. Sharzina adapted her already very successful fashion business to more modest clothing designs and left her free hair look behind to wear the hijab.

Lalla Mariah al-Idrissi is a model and filmmaker and tells us she’s considered a model with hijab she's considered a model with hijab because the hijab is such a significant part of her appearance and Eniya Rana a modest fashion influencer based in London and married mother of 5 describes how she creates very relatable online content for a growing global female audience.

Presenter/producer: Emb Hashmi

(Photo: Dr Sana Askary and friends; Credit: Yumin Hijabs)

The market for military memorabilia Jan 31, 2023

Presenter David Reid explores the huge market in military memorabilia. Enthusiasts recreating historical battles has surged in recent years and driven a boom in the market for military uniforms and artefacts. We speak to dealers and buyers and explore the ethics of what some say is a blood soaked trade.

David reports from a re-enactment event and speaks to John Ruffhead, the co-ordinator for the Royal Navy Beachhead Commando re-enactors, to find out more about those who take part. Charlotte Huxley-James, a World War Two living historian tells us about the military uniforms she has bought over the years and why authenticity really matters.

We also hear from military memorabilia dealer Malcolm Fisher who tells us the market for what he sells is huge and defends the trade in Nazi artefacts.

Producer/presenter: David Reid

(Photo: US Army Sergeant in uniform decorated with medals. Credit: Getty Images)

The boss of Africa's biggest bank Jan 30, 2023

Ade Ayeyemi, the CEO of Ecobank - Africa’s biggest bank - speaks to presenter Peter MacJob about the economic woes facing much of Africa and explores the leadership and policy adjustments needed to turn the continents fortunes around.

In a candid and wide ranging interview Mr Ayeyemi says that African governments need to stop introducing subsidies and start collecting more taxes in order to manage their economies better.

Presenter/producer: Peter MacJob

(Photo: Ade Ayeyemi, CEO Ecobank. Credit: Getty Images)

Cost of living: Dresden, Germany Jan 27, 2023

For the final episode of our cost of living series, the Business Daily team are in Dresden, a manufacturing powerhouse in the east of Germany.

Leanna Byrne speaks to small business owners, students considering taking on extra paid work and a big manufacturing boss about how the rising cost of living is affecting them and their livelihoods.

Detlef Neuhaus, the chief executive of one of Germany's biggest renewables companies - Solarwatt - tells us how the war in Ukraine has changed the mindset of some people when it comes to the value of renewable energy and how their manufacturing costs have gone up in recent months.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Production: Izzy Greenfield and Alex Bell Image: Dresden; Credit: Getty Images

Cost of living: Hospitality Jan 26, 2023

We all know a coffee shop, a restaurant, a greasy spoon, a pub or a fine dining eatery that has closed in the last few months. But why, after two years of forced closures because of the coronavirus pandemic, are hospitality businesses closing now?

Leanna Byrne speaks to hospitality business owners from three different countries to find out how they’re covering their overheads.

Alessandro Borghese is a chef who owns restaurants in Milan and in Venice. He says he’s paying more for everything from food to oils and staff.

And Mandla Mataure is the managing director for the Chimanimani Hotel in Manicaland in eastern Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe ended 2023 reporting a 244% inflation rate. How does Mandla deal with constant price rises when staff are looking for more money?

Oliver Mansaray owns the restaurant, Kink, in Berlin. Oliver opened his first ever hospitality business right before the pandemic struck. Like Mandla, he’s taken on the cost of living challenge by cutting costs elsewhere and trying to be more efficient.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne )Image: Oliver Mansaray in Kink, Berlin/ Credit: Oliver Mansaray)

Cost of living: Housing Jan 25, 2023

Whether renting or buying, housing costs are going up.

Presenter Leanna Byrne takes you back home with her to Dublin, Ireland to discuss what all Dubliners love to moan about: the rising cost of renting.

According to a report by Daft.ie, which lists places to rent or buy in Ireland, at the end of 2022 rent in Dublin had risen to an average $2,446 per month.

And the rising price of renting has seeped into some of Ireland’s other cities, like Cork and Galway, where rents rose by 12% and 16%.

Limerick and Waterford’s rental prices both soared by more than 17%.

We hear from Rebecca, a 32-year-old working in the tech sector in Dublin, who has been renting for 10 years. She says that renting in Dublin is getting harder.

Alex is 31 and works in banking. He got a job in Dublin in January 2022 and was worried about moving there because he heard about the housing horror stories.

And finally, Norman Shapiro, senior mortgage broker with First Israel Mortgages, gives us the view from Israel, where house prices have hit a record 20% year-on-year increase.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne (Image: Houses/ Getty Images)

Cost of living: Childcare Jan 24, 2023

Children aren’t cheap. The cost of living crisis is pushing parents to the edge of their finances, worrying about paying for essentials like food, clothing and, for many, childcare.

We’ll take a look at Chile, which according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), is one of the lowest ranking when it comes to public spending on early childhood education.

Natalia Aránguiz lives in Chile and has two children- she speaks to Leanna Byrne about her rising costs.

Ann Hedgepeth, chief of policy and advocacy at non-profit organisation Child Care Aware of America, says the national average price of childcare was around $10,600 per year. She says one of the main factors is getting the right staff.

Seven thousand miles away in Kampala in Uganda, one childcare business owner is facing the same issues. Manuela Mulondo is chief executive and founder of Cradle, a childcare, lactation and education centre. She says people never think about childcare companies when they are talking about price rises, but says it’s very expensive to look after children.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne (Image: Child and parent. Credit: PA)

Cost of living: Transport Jan 23, 2023

In this first episode of our second series on the cost of living, Business Daily's Leanna Byrne looks into the areas of our lives that are costing us the most.

Today we focus on our public transport systems. Figures from Statista, a market and consumer data platform, puts Auckland, New Zeland as the third most expensive city for public transport, we hear from Jon Reeves who is National Co-Ordinator and Co-Founder of the Public Transport Users Association there.

When the cost of living rises, it rises for everyone. So those working in the transport sector want pay rises to reflect that. Anna Jane Hunter, partner at Winder Phillips Associates, tells Business Daily that there’s a lot of systemic issues in the UK’s transport sector that have only just bubbled to the surface again after two years of us staying at home and not using public transport.

We speak to Gregor Kolbe, who works on transport and consumer politics for the Federation of German Consumer Organisations. Over the summer, Germany encouraged people to use public transport by actually reducing the cost of transport. But prices are back to normal levels now.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne Image: Passengers at Kings Cross Station in London/ Credit: EPA

The resurgence of vinyl records Jan 20, 2023

In 2022, the sale of vinyl records in the UK made more money than CDs. You might think of it as an old fashioned way to listen to music, especially with the dominance of streaming services, but in the last 12 months, artists like Beyonce, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift have all put out major releases on vinyl. So how is the record industry coping with the increased demand?

David Harper visits one of the biggest pressing plants in the world, GZ Media, which is based in the Czech Republic. Company CEO Michal Štěrba tells David that the business model is very different to when he started. He says demand started to grow in around 2003 when some other factories closed, but it hasn't stopped growing.

David speaks to a Japanese record store about why younger people seem to be buying so much vinyl. And we hear from Kenyan film maker and musician Maia Lekow. She records on vinyl but can't find anywhere in Kenya to press the vinyl itself - she's ended up doing it in Australia.

Some smaller independent labels tell us they're struggling to get records pressed. Andy Black owns the Popty Ping Recording company in Wales and says there's now a delay and they need to plan a lot more in advance, which can be hard when bands want to release new music.

Presenter: David Harper Producers: David Harper and Victoria Hastings

(Photo: GZ Media pressing plant. Credit: David Harper)

Long Covid and work Jan 19, 2023

Over a million people in Spain are thought to have long Covid. In this episode of Business Daily Ashish Sharma finds out how the condition is affecting working lives and the wider economy. He also examines the long Covid research projects being undertaken in Spain and how they're funded.

Long Covid patients Blanca Helga and Maria Angeles discuss their symptoms and the work they're lost since having the condition. Beatriz Fernandez, who herself has long Covid, tells Ashish about a long Covid platform and support group she runs and what she's learnt from it.

Maria Jesus Arranz, a geneticist who runs the long Covid research programme at the University Hospital Mutua Terrassa tells us about her work and Carlos Esquivias, the head of Life & Pensions at the Spanish Association of Insurers, UNESPA, tells us how long Covid and Covid in general continues to impact the Spanish economy.

Producer / presenter: Ashish Sharma Image: Blanca Helga; Credit: Blanca Helga

The nappy problem Jan 18, 2023

Billions of disposable nappies, or diapers, are produced every year and sales are booming. Most go to landfill, some pollute rivers and oceans and a baby can get through 4,000-6,000 nappies by the time they are potty trained.

New dad and Business Daily presenter Rick Kelsey looks into whether the available alternatives to disposable nappies are as cheap or convenient for parents. We hear from with nappy innovators Jason and Kim Graham-Nye in Indonesia, who’ve been in the market for 20 years, about how the alternative industry has changed.

The City of Brussels in Belgium is planning to introduce washable, and therefore reusable, nappies in all 40 of its municipal daycare centres by 2026. Arnaud Pinxteren who is leading the scheme tells us how it works. Meanwhile Larissa Copello, who works on the nappy issue for the campaign group Zero Waste Europe, tells us how schemes like the one in Brussels could be scaled up.

Presenter/producer: Rick Kelsey

(Photo: Nappy change. Credit: Getty Images)

Why does India have so many female pilots? Jan 16, 2023

At 12.4%, India has the highest percentage of female pilots in the world. In this episode, Olivia Wilson speaks to female pilots and industry experts to find out why India is leading the way and why other countries are so far behind.

We hear about the achievements of Indian commercial airline pilots, Captain Hana Mohsin Khan and Captain Zoya Agarwal, who became the youngest female pilot to fly a Boeing 777 in 2013 and landed a record-breaking flight over the North Pole on the world's longest air route in 2021.

Michele Halleran, a trained pilot and professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the US, explains the financial and cultural barriers that are in play. Kara Hatzai, the vice president at the International Society of Women Airline Pilots, who provide financial support for women training as pilots, tells us how a scholarship kickstarted her career in the male dominated industry.

Presenter/producer: Olivia Wilson

(Photo: Zoya Agarwal. Credit: Zoya Agarwal)

Tackling the global food crisis in 2023 Jan 16, 2023

The new president of the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development, Alvaro Lario tells us why the pandemic, war in Ukraine and climate change have created a perfect storm for global food security and what can be done about that.

The BBC’s Frey Lindsay hears from people around the world who are dealing with the food crisis. Alvaro Lario explains how food shortages often begin with smallholder farmers. The failure of their crops and livestock means farmers are often left struggling to feed themselves and this then affects entire communities. Lario also discusses his vision for how private finance and multilateral institutions can team up and to avert the worst in the coming 12 months.

Producer/presenter: Frey Lindsay

(Image: Farming fields. Credit: Getty Images)

Why is Nashville a magnet for entrepreneurs? Jan 13, 2023

Small businesses create nearly two-thirds of new jobs in the workforce and account for 44% of US economic activity. So what's the secret to their success? What challenges do they face and which are the best cities and regions for them to thrive?

Samira Hussain visits the city of Nashville in Tennessee, which is a hotbed of new businesses and start ups - there are reportedly four out of every 1000 Nashville residents are CEOs.

Samira meets James Davenport and Mike Hinds, co-founders of the Nashville Barrel company who launched their whiskey company in the city in February 2020. She goes to a business ‘mixer’ where CEO of the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, Jane Allen, gives an overview of Nashville’s appeal.

Tennessee has very low taxes which can encourage new business to the area - Bradley Jackson, president and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry tells Samira how the approach works alongside other incentives.

But what does this mean for the people living there? The state has one of the highest sales taxes in the country. That means everything you buy at the store costs more. Samira speaks to Dick Williams, board member of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, who says this kind of tax scheme ends up hurting the most vulnerable people.

Presented and produced by Samira Hussain Additional production: Rob Cave

(Image: The lights on Broadway in Nashville. Credit: Getty Images)

China's Covid nightmare: Can Beijing bounce back? Jan 12, 2023

China has this week reopened its borders for the first time in nearly three years. There have been scenes of joy and relief for many Chinese citizens after years of isolation.

Ed Butler asks whether this is a turning point, as some are describing. What are the longer term economic threats for the so-called engine of global growth? And how does that impact the rest of the world?

Ed speaks to two young Chinese professionals - one in Beijing and one in Shanghai, who are feeling a mixture of relief and concern about the current situation.

George Magnus is a research associate at Oxford University’s China Centre - he tells Ed that the current Covid infection wave could spread right across the country, to smaller cities and rural areas.

It's difficult to get the true economic picture of what's happening in China, but Shehzad Qazi, managing director of the China Beige Book, the biggest private data collection network on China, says growth turned negative last year, with demand crashing and factories forced to close down.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

(Photo: A woman at an airport in China after restrictions were lifted. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

The return to burning wood Jan 11, 2023

Wood sales for heating have been growing across Europe, but as demand increases people are facing rising prices and reports of firewood theft. Business Daily's Rick Kelsey looks at how people are buying wood burners to heat their homes, so that they don't need to use as much gas this winter.

We speak with Nic Snell, managing director of UK based company Certainly Wood. It sells around 20,000 tonnes of wood every year and Nic tells us who is buying it. Erika Malkin, from the Stove Industry Alliance, tells us sales are now unprecedented and the price of wood has not risen anywhere near as much as other fuels. She estimates that heating the average home with wood is 13% cheaper than using gas.

To prevent theft in Germany, some forestry departments are experimenting with hiding GPS devices in logs. Nicole Fiegler, a spokesperson from the forestry department from North Rhine-Westphalia tells us how it works.

A recent study by the Health Effects Institute warned that the human cost of air pollution in Africa is among the highest on the planet. In sub-Saharan Africa the death rate from air pollution is 155 deaths per 100,000 people, nearly double the global average of 85. Household air pollution, which is linked to the use of solid fuels for cooking, is the largest risk factor for deaths. Dr. KP Asante is a senior researcher on the Ghana Health Service, he talks us through how burning wood could be made more efficient and clean.

Producer/presenter: Rick Kelsey

(Photo: Open log fire; Credit: Getty Images)

Who is Jack Ma? Jan 10, 2023

Jack Ma is China's best-known entrepreneur, an English teacher who became a billionaire, after he founded the e-commerce giant Alibaba.

However in June 2021, Chinese regulators halted the dual stock market debut of his digital payments company Ant Group - an affiliate of Alibaba - in Hong Kong and Shanghai, citing "major issues" over regulating the company. Mr Ma has been laying low ever since.

In January 2023, it was announced that Mr Ma would give up control of the Chinese fintech giant.

So who is Jack Ma? And what does the future hold now? In November 2022, Business Daily’s Rahul Tandon spoke to Brian Wong, a former Alibaba executive and special assistant to Jack Ma at Alibaba who has recently written a book about his time with the company.

He talks about his relationship with Mr Ma, what he was like to work for, and what he thinks the future could hold.

Producer/presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Photo: Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group, speaks during opening ceremony of the 3rd All-China Young Entrepreneurs Summit 2020 in Fuzhou, China. Credit: Lyu Ming/China News Service/Getty Images)

Business and conscription in Russia Jan 09, 2023

Victoriya Holland investigates how businesses in Russia are surviving, as tens of thousands of men of working age are called up by the government to fight in the illegal war against Ukraine.

On the 21st September 2022, the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, announced a partial mobilisation of 300 thousand reservists to fight in Ukraine. After this announcement thousands of young men fled abroad.

We hear from business owners that have stayed in Russia and now face real difficulties in terms of staffing, and from those who have chosen to relocate their operations entirely.

Presenter / producer: Victoriya Holland Image: Conscripted citizens in Russia; Credit: Getty Images

Women, sport and business: Making NBA history Jan 06, 2023

As part of our mini-series on women, sport and business we meet Cynt Marshall. She's the chief executive officer of the Dallas Mavericks and the first black female CEO in the history of the National Basketball Association, a professional basketball league in the United States.

Cynt tells us about her background, where she found the drive to forge an enormously successful career and how she’s changed a toxic workplace culture when she arrived at the Mavericks.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Production: Helen Thomas and Carmel O’Grady

(Image: Cynt Marshall; Credit: Getty Images)

Women, sport and business: Betting Jan 05, 2023

Gambling has a long and complex relationship with sport. But betting is no longer a man's game. As women's sport grows, many companies are putting big money on its success.

In the next programme in our series looking at women, sport and business, we find out how one football side came back from the brink via a deal with Sweden's main gambling operator, Svenska Spel. And we hear how England's victory in the Women's Euros could be a big win for the British betting sector.

But as other sports look to sponsorship deals, some are calling for tighter controls on how - and to whom - bookmakers can advertise.

Presenter/Producer: Alex Bell

(Image: Kristianstads DFF face their rivals Djurgardens IF DFF in Stockholm, Sweden. Credit: Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images.)

Women, sport and business: Media deals Jan 03, 2023

In the second programme of our series on women, sport and business, we’re looking at the media.

With women’s sport accounting for only around 5% of total sports coverage globally, we find out how some clubs and organisations are moving away from traditional media, and looking at digital and streaming to reach fans instead.

Reporter Sam Fenwick visits Burnley FC Women in the north of England. In 2021 they signed a ground breaking deal with TikTok to show every home game. And we hear from TikTok themselves – Rich Waterworth, General Manager for the UK and Europe explains what’s in it for them.

Sue Anstiss is the author of Game On: The unstoppable rise of women’s sport. She tells us fans of all sports are consuming content differently now, and if women’s sport gets it right, there could be a big opportunity in the digital market.

And Haley Rosen, founder and CEO of digital media company Just Women’s Sports explains her frustration at trying to set up a business in a growing marketplace which is lacking in investment and infrastructure.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Helen Thomas (Image: Burnley FC Women in December 2021. Credit: George Wood/Getty Images)

Women, sport and business: Haley Rosen Jan 02, 2023

This year sees one of the biggest global events in women’s sport – the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. It follows a very successful 2022 for the sector with record crowds watching England win the Women’s European Championship on home soil, Australia claiming the Women’s Rugby League World Cup and in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, South Africa beat hosts Morrocco to take the title.

In Business Daily’s series on women, sport and business, we speak to Haley Rosen, a former pro soccer player who now runs the digital sports media company Just Women’s Sports.

When Haley stopped playing, she realised she couldn't access even basic information about women's sports, including fixtures, scores and all the other statistics available to those following male sports.

Haley tells Sam Fenwick how she set up her digital media platform and secured more than $3.5 million in investment. They also discuss what needs to change to make sure female sporting stars are treated on a par with their male counterparts.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Helen Thomas

(Image: Haley Rosen; Credit: Getty Images)

Review of 2022 Dec 23, 2022

Business Daily reviews one of the most important 12 months for the world of money and work on record. Big economic news has dominated in 2022. We saw war break out in Europe, record high energy, fuel and food prices, increasing interest rates and in parts of the world total financial meltdown.

We look at how Business Daily reported 2022 and spoke to the people at the very sharp end of how the economy has changed lives over the past 12 months.

We hear from businesses right across the world in sectors struggling with prices rises and increasing costs, from the people trying to escape or rebuild broken economies and from those who are harnessing new technology and an ever changing work environment to make money or push for change.

We also saw many sectors bounce back post-Covid, the return of travel and tourism to many countries, sporting events were once again played to full capacity crowds and festivals, concerts and cinema bounced back as audiences came back and spent their cash.

We also look to the year ahead and what might be in store in 2023.

Presenters: Leanna Byrne and Rahul Tandon Producer: Izzy Greenfield Editors: Carmel O'Grady and Helen Thomas

Money jobs: Inside the auction house Dec 16, 2022

It’s the last episode in our five-part Business Daily series all about high-value, high-transaction jobs you might read about, see on the TV or glamorised in films. In episode five, Leanna Byrne interviews some of the oldest and most well-known auction houses in the world.

Bruno Vinciguerra, chief executive of Bonhams, tells us how auctioneers determine what’s worth auctioning off and what’s not.

Jenny Lok, head of business development and operations at Poly Auction Hong Kong, tells us what the day in the life of an auctioneer is really like.

And Kelly Crow, staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, gives an insight into who’s buying all of this really expensive stuff.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne

Image: Jenny Lok; Credit: Poly Auction Hong Kong

Money jobs: The reality for realtors Dec 15, 2022

This is episode four of our Business Daily series all about high value, high transaction jobs you might read about, see on the TV or glamorised in films. And in this episode Leanna Byrne looks at the reality for those people who's job is to sell or rent some of the most expensive homes in the world.

If you’re a fan of Selling Sunset or Million Dollar Listing, with the estate agents as slick as the homes they're selling, then you’re going to love this episode because it lifts the lid on what it’s really like to do these jobs.

Leanna speaks to Hong Kong estate agent Letizia G Casalino, director of Real Estate of OKAY.com about the market there, and why realtors in Hong Kong are expected to do a lot more that just sell. Vivian Chong is a real estate agent in Singapore and tells us about some very exclusive properties and Anna Klenkar, is a real estate agent with Compass, and she's been making TikToks all about the realities of the New York property market.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne Image: Contract signing; Credit: Juan Manuel Brest

Money jobs: The truth about trading Dec 14, 2022

We all love a good financial film, we might not all fully understand what’s going on the whole time, but they’re always really intense with a make or break ending, but is working as a markets trader really like that?

This is the latest episode from our Business Daily’s series on high value, high transaction jobs you might read about, see on the TV or glamorised in films.

In episode three Leanna Byrne looks at how some of the most famous financial films depict working as a commodities trader and compares that with what a real life commodities trader, Warren Goldstein, tells us about working in the industry. If, even as your read this, you’re thinking hang on what’s a commodity trader? Don’t worry, Katie McGarrigle, show host for Options Trading Concepts Live on the tastylive network, is our jargon buster for this episode.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne Image: Traders on the floor; Credit: Getty

Money jobs: Cashing or crashing with crypto Dec 13, 2022

Crypto is a tricky business. Chances are, you know someone or know of someone who's made a bit of money with crypto, and that you’re not too far removed from someone who’s lost money too.

This is episode two in the latest series from Business Daily, all about high value, high transaction jobs you might read about, see on the TV or glamorised in films.

In this episode, Leanna Byrne asks author, speaker and content creator Layah Heilpern what it's really like investing in Bitcoin. Abhishek Sachdev, chief executive of Vedanta Hedging, a traditional trader tells us why he's ring-fenced some of his personal investment fund for crypto trading and Matt Brighton, a property investor, tells us he learned some hard lessons trading crypto.

We also find out that trading isn’t the only way to get involved in the crypto market. Solicitor Charlotte Hill, works at the international law firm Pennington Manches Cooper has been taking on a ballooning caseload coming out of the crypto space.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne Image: Bitcoin logo; Credit: Getty

Money jobs: Making money on the tables Dec 12, 2022

Ever thought about quitting your job and playing poker for a living? Well, today we find out what it’s really like making your living on the tables. This is the latest series from Business Daily, all about high value, high transaction jobs you might read about, see on the TV or glamorised in films.

In episode one, Leanna Byrne interviews professional poker player Dara O’Kearney. Dara explains what a day in the life of a professional poker player is really like and warns, if you’re playing poker professionally, every player goes through what’s known as upswings and downswings.

We also switch sides and find out what it’s like working as a croupier in a casino. Stefano Melani works for Centro Formazione Croupier, which trains croupiers for casinos across Italy, somewhere with one of the worlds largest gambling sectors. He lets us in on the glamorous and not-so-glamorous side of the casinos.

David Schwartz, an academic and gambling historian based in Las Vegas, Nevada, gives us the macro perspective on the gambling industry, detailing the rise of gambling towns across the world.

Presenter/producer: Leanna Byrne

(Photo: Poker table; Credit: Getty images)

The rising stars of football and their money Dec 09, 2022

The World Cup is a catwalk of footballing talent. Lesser known players are thrust into the spot light and launched onto the global soccer scene often with an enormous increase in wages. But how much do those young, impressionable players know about personal finance?

We've all seen the stories of high profile players blowing their fortunes and ending up bankrupt, and players in the English Premier League can expect wages of around $10million a year.

In this episode we hear from two former footballers who now help others manage their money. Swedish footballer, Philip Haglund tells Sam Fenwick how difficult it is not to spend on expensive items when the first pay cheque comes in, and former Manchester United and France International, Louis Saha, explains why players can be overwhelmed by how much they earn and what he’s doing to try and help current and former athletes manage their finances better.

Presenter/producer: Sam Fenwick (Photo: Cody Gakpo of Netherlands vies with Tyler Adams of USA. Credit: Getty Images)

Toy trends: Are people still spending? Dec 08, 2022

Christmas and the holiday season is a crucial time for toy retailers, and hopes will be high for sales to return to pre-pandemic levels. But with the rising cost of living, we find out if families will be cutting back on toy spending this year - and look at the toys topping the popularity charts.

We'll also find out how much does TV and film influence the types of toys in demand.

Frederique Tutt from market research company NPD group explains the trends in toy sales, and how the type of toys that people are buying is changing.

Elizabeth Hotson visits the DreamToys event in London, organised by the toy retailers association. She speaks to Paul Reader, the chair of the DreamToys selection committee about what’s making the top 10 toys list this year.

Hedley Barnes, senior vice president for International from Spin Master, the company behind both the Paw Patrol TV series and toys, explains the valuable link between the show and the merchandise.

Also on the list are Rainbow High Dolls – Sarah Taylor is managing director, UK and Ireland, for MGA entertainment, the company behind the dolls. She tells Elizabeth why diversity, which they champion, appeals to families.

And Alan Simpson, chair of the toy retailers association, says he expects a lot of the ‘old favourites’ like Lego, Barbie, Monopoly and Play Dough to still be really popular.

Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

(Image: A toy in a Christmas box. Credit: Getty)

What's happened to the titans of big tech? Dec 07, 2022

Big tech is facing a big moment. With plummeting stock prices, and mass lay-offs, the likes of Google, Twitter and Meta are all - for different reasons - facing some tough questions over how they're being run.

Some see this as primarily a result of post-pandemic blues, the rise in interest rates, and a general cost-of-living crisis affecting the business environment. However, Twitter and Meta especially have seen wholesale desertions by a number of major advertisers, worried about the regulation of hate speech, and therefore by association the safety of brands' reputations.

Does this mark a deeper crisis for the ad-based business model of the major social media platforms? And what can they do about it?

Presenter / Producer: Ed Butler Image: Phones; Credit: Getty

Nollywood: Nigeria's billion dollar film industry Dec 06, 2022

Nigeria’s film industry, known as Nollywood is the second largest film industry in the world and has overtaken Hollywood in terms of the quantity of films produced – with an annual output of over 2,500 films.

In the early 1990s, the industry was infamous for its low budget, low production films – all of which went straight to VHS cassettes and DVDs, with actors and filmmakers often running at a loss.

However the past decade we've seen Nollywood grow exponentially and the industry now dominates streaming platforms across Africa and in the diaspora.

Filmmaker and distributor Moses Babatope tells us local languages and mythical storylines are the secret of Nollywood’s new found success, coupled with improvement in expertise whilst veteran actress Kate Henshaw says the industry has come a long way since she first graced the screen.

Adunni Ade a first time executive producer is of the opinion more can be done to incentivise the growth of the industry and Nigeria’s biggest film producer Kunle Afolayan advocates the need for improvement in production capacity.

Presenter / producer: Peter MacJob Image: Actors on set; Credit: Adunni Ade

Regulating online gambling Dec 05, 2022

Online gambling’s success has pushed global valuations of the industry to around half a trillion dollars for 2022 - but the accessibility of its digital platforms is forcing regulators around the world into a rethink.

In this programme, Laura Heighton-Ginns visits Fanduel - the market leader in New York - and gets a tour of its vast Meadowlands Sportsbook complex, where punters blend betting with socialising.

Laura also hears from Indian Poker champion Nikita Luther on the distinctions between playing games of skill for money and those of chance and Chrissy Boyce, who became bankrupt and homeless through using digital slot machines, tells Laura about the links between online gambling and addiction.

Presenter / producer: Laura Heighton-Ginns Image: Fanduel Meadowlands; Credit: BBC

Beauty Costs: Girls, beauty and advertising Dec 02, 2022

More than ever girls are bombarded by images that have been curated, filtered and touched up. How can we help girls decode those images and understand that ideals of beauty are constructed by society and change across time and place?

Shelina Janmohamed is an author and advertising executive. Her latest book is designed to help girls aged eight and above build confidence in how they look and show them why what appears to be beautiful isn't as straight forward as it seems.

Shelina tells presenter Rabiya Limbada why her career in advertising led her to write this book and why helping girls become more savvy consumers is good for business. Rabiya also speaks to six girls - Hanaa, Haleemah, Helen, Hana, Sophia and Amatullah - about what they think beautiful is, their experience of filtered images and how confident they feel about how they look.

Presenter: Rabiya Limbada Producer: Carmel O'Grady (Image: Young girl at beauty counter / Credit: Getty Images)

Beauty Costs: Why is Korean skincare so popular? Dec 01, 2022

In today’s episode of our Beauty Costs series, we’re looking at a part of the beauty world that’s worth over ten billion dollars.

K-beauty is one of South Korea’s biggest exports, and in the last couple of years it’s overtaken the United States in becoming the world’s second biggest exporter of beauty products.

So we head to Seoul, where reporter Nina Pasquini finds out why consumers there think it’s infiltrated the mainstream market.

We speak to the founder of one of the biggest K-beauty disruptor brands, Alicia Yoon from Peach & Lily. Sharon Ahn, beauty analyst from global consumer trend forecaster WGSN, tells us why K-beauty is set to become worth twenty billion dollars in the next few years.

South Korea has cultivated an era of cultural dominance, in music, acting and now in beauty. A lot of which has been accessible online, mainly through social media. Youtuber SSIN has over one a and a half million subscribers to her channel, she tells us what K-beauty means to her and her thoughts on its success.

Producer and presenter: Izzy Greenfield (Image: Beige Chuu South Korean beauty influencer / Credit: Getty Images)

Beauty costs: Beauty disruptor brands Nov 30, 2022

The beauty industry was once a world dominated by a handful of names, but quickly and quietly, hundreds of smaller brands have managed to make a name for themselves in an incredibly competitive sector.

We speak to beauty business founders who have built their brands from scratch, and now sell to millions of people across the world; Chaymae Samir is the founder of MadeBySunday.com and Bianca Ingrosso is the founder of CAIA cosmetics.

In a recent report on the cosmetics industry, Deloitte found that “small is the new big” and that “global brands are losing share as small brands and disruptors are gaining”. So why have we fallen out of love with the beauty behemoths, and what do smaller brands have that the bigger ones don’t?

Producer and presenter: Izzy Greenfield (Image: Make-up products / Credit: Getty Images)

Beauty costs: A spotlight on skin lightening Nov 29, 2022

Products that claim to lighten skin are often physically harmful, often containing toxic chemicals and dangerous ingredients. We look at why skin lightening products still exist, speak to people affected by their messaging, and find out why stopping sales is not as simple as it might seem.

We hear from Professor Mire, associate professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at the University of Carleton in Ottawa, Canada. She suggests that terms like "glow" and "brightening," which are increasingly used by cosmetics firms as substitutes, are as steeped in colonial and racial narratives as the words they are replacing. She believes the branding of these products continues to exploit historic and racialised associations between skin tone and status.

Chandana from Mumbai tells us what it was like to live in a society where she was pressured to have lighter skin, and Professor Adbi from the Singapore Business Schools explains why he believes that companies are promoting beauty ideals linked to lighter skin, and fuelling demand that could indirectly put people’s health at risk.

Producer and presenter: Izzy Greenfield (Image: Skin lightening products. Credit: Getty Images)

Beauty costs: How do you create a beauty empire? With Marcia Kilgore Nov 28, 2022

Perhaps you have heard of Marcia Kilgore, or maybe not, but if you’re a woman, a beauty junkie, or just love shoes, you are likely to have heard of one of the five multi-million dollar companies that she has launched over the last two decades.

Marcia is the brains behind the beauty brand BlissSpa, the spa brand Soap&Glory, shoe phenomenon FitFlop, bath and body range Soaper Duper and most recently, Beauty Pie - an affordable luxury make-up and skincare range.

She tells us why she became a serial entrepreneur, and how her career started in a one bedroom-apartment in New York City.

Producer and presenter: Izzy Greenfield

(Image: Marcia Kilgore. Credit: Getty Images)

Business Daily Meets: Krept Nov 25, 2022

UK-based rapper Krept grew up in a culture of gang violence, but has carved out a career for himself as a successful musician and entrepreneur. As one half of rap duo Krept & Konan, his songs, like Waste My Time, G-Love and Freak of the Week, have been streamed millions of times.

Recently Krept – real name Casyo Johnson - has opened a restaurant in south London where he grew up, and the new father has even developed a skincare range for babies.

He tells Dougal Shaw how he juggles the worlds of music and business.

Producer and presenter: Dougal Shaw

(Image: Krept. Credit: BBC)

Growing opposition to mining in Panama Nov 24, 2022

We look at growing opposition to mining in Latin America. The region is a leading producer of copper, silver, iron and lithium. But the environmental and social impact of mining have sparked protests in many countries and several governments have taken action.

Costa Rica outlawed open pit mining in 2002 and in 2017 El Salvador became the first country in the world to ban all metal mining. Earlier this year, Honduras banned open pit mining and there are also calls for a mining moratorium in Panama and I start my report by visiting that country’s largest ever mine, which began operations three years ago.

In this episode Grace Livingstone visits Cobre Panama, an enormous copper mine built in tropical forest on the Caribbean coast of Panama. We also hear from the people who farm the land close to Panama's mines and get the views of local politicians and experts on whether this kind of mining should continue.

Presenter / producer: Grace Livingstone Image: Cobre Panama mine; Credit: BBC

Napping on the job Nov 23, 2022

Deborah Weitzmann explores whether a quick nap break at work could make us all more productive.

We head to Beijing where an employee tells us about her lunchtime ritual of napping beside her colleagues, and we’ll discover how the pandemic may have helped squash the stigma of sleeping in Western workplaces.

Kate Mulligan, the boss of RestSpace, a company that designs innovative spaces to help people nod off at work, shows us their sleep pods. Also, Dr Guy Meadows, co-founder and clinical director at Sleep School, tells us practice makes perfect when it comes to napping.

Presenter / producer: Deborah Weitzmann Image: RestSpace sleep pod; Credit: Kate Mulligan

Floriade: Was it worth it? Nov 22, 2022

Floriade is one of the world's biggest gardening and horticulture expos - and it has cost taxpayers in the Dutch city of Almere nine times as much as originally budgeted.

So why did organisers go ahead with the project, and was it still worth it – despite hugely disappointing visitor numbers?

Matthew Kenyon talks to advocates and critics of an event which may be the last of its kind in the Netherlands. Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon.

(Image: Floriade. Image credit: BBC)

Business Daily Meets: Mathieu Flamini Nov 21, 2022

International footballer Mathieu Flamini started a biotech company when he was still a professional player. Speaking to Sam Fenwick, Flamini reveals what he learnt from top football managers and how that knowledge has helped him perform in the boardroom.

The former Arsenal, AC Milan and Olympique de Marseille player tells us he grew up by the sea and constantly seeing plastic washed up on the shore made him aware of sustainability and climate change. He says as a youngster he had two ambitions in life, to play professional football and become an environmentalist.

In 2008, while still playing top flight football, Flamini co-founded, GFBiochemicals. It produces a chemical called levulinic acid which can be used to replace oil in a range of household products. The industry is worth billions of dollars.

Producer / presenter: Sam Fenwick Image: Mathieu Flamini playing for Arsenal in 2016; Credit: Getty

Business Daily Meets: Patrice Evra Nov 18, 2022

On the eve of the 2022 World Cup Final Sam Fenwick speaks to former professional footballer, Patrice Evra. He made more than 80 appearances for the French national side including captaining his team in the 2010 World Cup which took place in South Africa.

Evra became a multimillionaire playing for teams like Monaco, Manchester United, Juventus and Marseille. He grew up in a poor part of Paris and talks about how this helped motivate him to succeed.

He reflects on player salaries and tells us about what’s he’s doing to make a living since retiring from football in the summer of 2019.

Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Patrice Evra playing for Manchester United in 2014; Credit: Getty

Reinventing recycling in Louisiana Nov 17, 2022

Franziska Trautmann and Max Steitz decided to start a recycling project in New Orleans after realising the city sent all its glass to landfill. Now their social enterprise Glass Half Full diverts hundreds of tonnes from landfill and is using the material to help shore up Louisiana’s eroding coastline.

Franziska tells us how they are expanding the project and we hear from one of their first business customers. We also find out why gaps in the recycling system mean the city’s waste glass can’t easily be turned back into new bottles.

Producer/presenter: James Graham

(Photo: Franziska Trautman and Max Steitz at their base in New Orleans. Credit: Glass Half Full)

The cost of rescuing migrants in the Mediterranean Nov 16, 2022

In this episode of Business Daily we get on board The Ocean Viking, a migrant rescue boat operated by the non-governmental organisations SOS Méditerranée and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

The boat has recently been at the centre of a diplomatic row having been denied permission to dock by the Italian authorities and instead having to travel to France so those onboard could disembark. The BBC's Frey Lindsay spoke to some of the migrants and crew on the boat over the last few weeks.

We’ll also hear from the former mayor of Lampedusa, Giusi Nicolini, on why she thinks European states should cooperate much more to deal with this kind of migration. Sophie Beau and Xavier Lauth of SOS Méditerranée also explain why politics, diplomatic rows, higher prices and compassion fatigue are all increasing the financial pressures on their operations.

Producer / presenter: Frey Lindsay Image: Crew on the Ocean Viking; Credit: Getty

Africa Super League – new dawn for football? Nov 15, 2022

Confederation of African Football, CAF, with the backing of FIFA, has launched a new Super League aimed at injecting much-needed funds to clubs on the continent. CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe promised that the tournament, due to start in 2023, would financially transform African football with $100 million on offer in prize money alone. But, as Ivana Davidovic finds out, there are more questions than answers for many involved in the game on the continent.

The owner of Cape Town City, John Comitis, says that they are in the dark about how the new competition would work in practice and that South African Premier Soccer League, where they were the runners-up last season, would be badly affected by the new Super League.

Nigerian football journalist and the former member of the dissolved FIFA Task Force Against Racism, Osasu Obayiuwana is worried that there are no clear plans where the money would come from for the Super League nor how teams could travel regularly across the vast continent. He also warns that a big problem would be the lack of interest in pan-African club tournaments from broadcasters and sponsors, as it is difficult for many Africans to regularly follow on TV what is happening in football leagues across the continent.

However, the legendary South African striker, UEFA Champions League winner and the current Manchester United first team coach Benni McCarthy believes that the Super League would boost standards across Africa, helping young players compete with the best from around the world.

Produced and presented by Ivana Davidovic

(Image: Mohamed el-Shenawy holds the winner's trophy after the CAF Super Cup Final between El Ahly and Raja Casablanca at Al Rayyan Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar on December 22, 2021. Photo credit: Mohammed Dabbous/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Business Daily Meets: Nico Rosberg Nov 14, 2022

Theo Leggett meets Nico Rosberg, who found fame and fortune in the fossil-fuelled world of F1, but is now reinventing himself as a champion of green technology. As a driver he reached the pinnacle of world motorsport, taking the F1 title in the final race of 2016, and then retired just days afterwards.

Nico tells Theo just what it takes to become a world champion in the white heat of motorsport and how those skills are now being used on a new mission, to protect the planet.

Presenter/producer: Theo Leggett

(Photo: Nico Rosberg of Germany and Mercedes GP celebrates after securing the F1 World Drivers Championship during the Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix. Credit: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Business Daily Meets: Boyan Slat Nov 11, 2022

How do you clean the world's oceans of plastic? 10 years ago, when he was just 18, Dutchman Boyan Slat thought he knew how to do it, and set out his vision at TED talk.

The journey from theory to reality has proved difficult, but he is now extracting plastic from the Pacific and a number of rivers around the world. We speak to Boyan about the scale of the task at hand. Is it even an achievable goal? How is he raising enough money? What does he make of the accusation he’s helping multi-nationals ‘greenwash’ their reputations by taking sponsorship cash?

Presenter/producer: James Graham Image: Boyan Slat on a plastic-strewn beach in Honduras (Credit: The Ocean Cleanup)

Rebuilding lives after flooding in Pakistan Nov 10, 2022

Many communities in Pakistan were completely destroyed when vast areas of the country were hit by catastrophic flooding this summer. 33 million people were affected and in this episode of Business Daily we hear from three of them. Bilawal, Sassi and Abdul Majeed all lost everything in the floods and are now trying to rebuild their lives. We also hear from the charities and business leaders attempting to help rebuild communities, including Jemima Goldsmith, former wife of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan and current UK ambassador for UNICEF.

Presenter / producer: Emb Hashmi

Image: Flood-hit families in Sindh province, Pakistan October 2022; Credit: Getty

The Morality of Machines Nov 08, 2022

From search engines to chatbots to driverless taxis – artificial intelligence is increasingly a part of our daily lives. But is it always ethical? In this episode, Katie Barnfield explores some of the moral questions raised by new developments in smart technology. Leading researcher Dr Kate Crawford tells us about the powerful AI art software that reinforces gender stereotypes. We’ll hear from Bloomberg technology columnist Parmy Olson about the eyebrow raising conversation she had with Meta’s new chatbot. As driverless 'robotaxis' become more popular in China and the US, we’ll look at the difficult moral choices involved in their design. And how would you feel about AI that can read your emotions? We’ll hear why some companies have decided it’s a step too far. Presenter/ producer: Katie Barnfield

(Image: Robot using AI. Credit: Getty)

Africa’s Middlemen: Rent-seekers or cultural brokers? Nov 07, 2022

Middlemen are intermediaries who facilitate business interactions for a commission, but in Africa their role is more complex. Africa's middlemen divide opinion on whether they are predatory rent-seekers or invisible but ever present cultural brokers who are actually crucial to the economy.

We hear from local businessman Bola Omololu - based in Abeokuta, southwest Nigeria, and Tony Alabi an architect also based in Nigeria, in the commercial capital of Lagos. They share their experiences of interacting with middlemen.

Cocoa farmer Dimeji Green holds middlemen directly responsible for the dire conditions of farmers in the multi-billion pounds industry whilst Josephine Favre of the African association of vertical farming thinks middlemen are actually necessary for the economy to thrive.

Presenter / producer: Peter MacJob Image: Bolarinwa Omololu; Credit: Bolarinwa Omololu

How much is it costing fans to go to Qatar? Nov 04, 2022

About 1.5 million fans, a little more than half the population of Qatar, are expected to arrive in the tiny Gulf state for the 2022 World Cup.

Two weeks before the start of tournament, Sam Fenwick speaks to fans about how much they are willing to spend to support their team and hopefully watch them lift the iconic trophy.

There are concerns that fans have been priced out of attending this year’s tournament. The Ghanaian government is subsidising some ticket prices. It will be the first time many Welsh fans have had the opportunity to see their team in a World Cup, they last qualified in 1958. Around 3,000 are expected to travel for the group stages of the competition. Many have spent thousands of dollars on flights, accommodation and tickets. Argentina fans are also spending big to see Lionel Messi line up for his country in a World Cup, possibly for the very last time.

Presenter / producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Welsh football fans; Credit: BBC

Women in business in Qatar Nov 03, 2022

How easy is it for a woman to start and run a business in Qatar?

In the past few years, there have been changes to the constitution and laws which have made it easier for women to work and run businesses.

We ask whether that’s filtered down to 'street level' or whether cultural constraints still restrict women.

We visit a project in Doha where Qatari women have set up a business in a cultural centre, and Sheikha Mayes bint Hamad bin Mohamed bin Jabr al-Thani explains the important role women can play in Qatar's economy.

Rothna Begum, senior women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch explains how things have changed for women in Qatar - and what barriers and challenges still remain.

Presenter and producer: Sam Fenwick

(Image: Women walking through Doha. Credit: Getty)

The footballers transforming their home towns Nov 02, 2022

Sadio Mané and Mo Salah have had a huge impact on the small towns and villages in Senegal and Egypt where they grew up.

We find out how local people have benefited from the money donated and hear about how this type of 'direct giving' is part of a wider trend making a big difference in the aid community.

Presenter: Isaac Fanin Producer: Hannah Bewley

(Image: Mane and Salah celebrating whilst playing for Liverpool. Credit: Getty)

Qatar’s World Cup tourism gamble Nov 01, 2022

Will a boost in visitors for the Qatar World Cup lead to more visitors in the long run?

Qatar has spent over $220bn on preparations for the football World Cup, and there are hopes the tournament will draw visitors for years to come.

We take a tour of Doha, looking at the dow boats and some of the common tourist sites that fans will experience, and hear from Berthold Trenkel, COO of Visit Qatar.

We also hear from economists who think the strategy of hosting a “mega-event” such as this can be a gamble.

Plus Oman Air, which is going to be putting on dozens of extra flights so that fans can commute in for matches, tell us how that matches up with a ‘climate friendly’ World Cup.

Producer/presenter: Hannah Bewley

(Image: Dow boats in Doha. Credit: Getty)

Qatar: The migrant workers behind the World Cup Oct 31, 2022

Workers from countries such as Nepal have done the bulk of the work to build the stadiums and infrastructure for the Qatar World Cup. But there are difficult questions still to be answered about the treatment of these people, and how compensation for those workers who have been badly treated, or even died in Qatar, is being paid.

In this episode, Ed Butler speaks to a man from Nepal who worked on a bus depot project in Doha and an investigative journalist in Nepal who says he is speaking to workers who are being sent home from Qatar because the World Cup is happening.

Human Rights Watch explain the issues with compensation payments that they are still hearing about, and James Dorsey, a specialist on the politics of Middle East football, gives his view on the gamble the Qataris are undertaking to host the event, in a hope that they gain ‘soft power’.

Producer/Presenter: Ed Butler

(Image: A Qatari stadium with workers climbing up. Credit: European Pressphoto Agency)

Business Daily Meets: Jason Bell Oct 28, 2022

Samira Hussain visits the New York studio of one of the most in demand photographers in the world, Jason Bell.

Jason has photographed some of the world’s most famous people - including Angelina Jolie, Leonardo DiCaprio and the British Royal Family. His work has been featured in Vanity Fair and Vogue and he’s shot campaigns for The Crown, Billy Elliot and The Revenant.

Jason takes us behind the lens on some very famous photo shoots, explaining how his career progressed. Plus he gives his top tips for taking a truly memorable photograph.

Presenter: Samira Hussain Producer: Carmel O’Grady

(Photo: Photographer Jason Bell Credit: Getty Images)

Sri Lanka: Life after an economic crisis Oct 27, 2022

In April 2022, Sri Lanka was gripped by a major economic crisis. Prices were rising sharply, protests started in the capital, Colombo,and spread across the country.

Daily power cuts and shortages of basics such as fuel, food and medicines were commonplace.

Inflation was running at more than 50%.

In July, after months of unrest, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country.

Three months on, Rahul Tandon asks whether Sri Lanka's economic situation has improved, and explores how the country could improve its fortunes - when everyone wants to leave.

Rahul hears from people in the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, where there are queues for the passport office, a Colombo business owner, and a Sri Lankan academic now living in the UK who says she's not going back.

Presented and produced by Rahul Tandon.

(Image: Sri Lankan tea seller in the rain. Credit: Getty)

A special interview with the boss of the World Bank Oct 26, 2022

In a wide ranging interview, David Malpass, president of the World Bank, speaks to presenter Sam Fenwick about the global economic situation.

He talks about the consequences of rising global debt and high inflation, and how poorer countries are bearing the brunt of the economic crisis.

Mr Malpass says the debt caused by the coronavirus pandemic will take decades to pay off, and says many of the subsidies were not targeted. He says a similar situation is being created again with the energy crisis.

Presented and produced by Sam Fenwick.

(Image: David Malpass. Credit: Getty)

The rise and fall of the hot tub Oct 25, 2022

In mid-2021 hot tub companies were king. Unprecedented demand through covid pushed up sales as people stayed at home. Some of Europe's well known suppliers boasted up to a 400% increase in sales compared to 2019. Companies simply could not get a hold on enough stock. In China on/off lockdowns caused a part shortage. Waiting lists across Europe went as far as six months. Some of the world's biggest tub producers made record profits.

Then in early 2022 an industry went from its heyday to doomsday in a matter of months. The reason: The cost of electricity. Across Europe, some owners are draining their pools as the cost of living crisis bites. One in five hot tub owners say they now never use them, while a further third said they hardly ever use them, according to a new major survey.

Business Daily's Rick Kelsey speaks to Chris Hayes from BISHTA, the trade association for hot tub installers in the UK and Ireland, about the type of people who can now afford a tub. We travel to Valencia in Spain to hear how health spas are affording to heat their water. Sophie Clarke, who’s selling her tub on a European forum tells us how upset she is to see it go and we hear from international hot tub supplier Christina Mantoura Clarke on how her business survived when so many competitors went bust.

Presented and Produced by Rick Kelsey

(Image: A man and child in a hot tub. Credit: Getty)

Business Daily Meets: Dr Natalie Kenny Oct 21, 2022

When you’re conducting a scientific experiment, you must prepare for it to fail.

Lab researchers work by this motto. But for Dr Natalie Kenny, founder of international lab testing and medical training firm BioGrad, it’s proved true in every aspect of life.

It’s been a whirlwind ride: from growing up in a working-class family in Liverpool, England, to battling tropical diseases in the Amazonian rainforest, and losing almost everything before going on to found a multi-million dollar business.

In this episode of Business Daily, she sits down with Alex Bell to reflect on a remarkable life in science, discussing the pharmaceutical industry, gender equality in the laboratory, and being on the frontlines of the Covid pandemic. as well as the personal tests she’s had to overcome.

(Picture: Dr Natalie Kenny at BioGrad’s headquarters in Liverpool, UK. Credit: BioGrad.)

How social media is changing farming in Kenya Oct 20, 2022

We hear from some of the many small-scale farmers in Kenya who are using apps like What’sApp, Facebook and Instagram to share information about the best way to grow fruit and veg and sell direct to consumers. From the vibrant markets of Nairobi to the lush green slopes of Mount Kenya Sam Fenwick investigates how farming entrepreneurs are using smartphones to grow profits as well as peas. But running a business online can be challenging in Kenya where internet connections can be patchy and data bundles expensive. Safe access to the internet is seen as development goal. At the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly governments, the private sector, philanthropic funds and international organisations agreed that investment in digital infrastructure would help drive growth in emerging economies. US$295 million was committed to advance inclusive digital public infrastructure.

Presenter / Producer: Sam Fenwick Image: Cathy Kamanu; Credit: Cathy Kamanu

How students' right to earn shook up US sport Oct 18, 2022

University sport in the US has become huge business. For decades, students' share of those earnings only came in the form of scholarships. As television contracts got bigger, so did the calls for change - and last year students were granted the right to earn off their name, image and likeness. A year on, Will Bain explores how it’s shaken up college sports, providing opportunities and unforeseen challenges.

Hear from former SMU college football player and professional artist Ra’Sun Kazadi, Texas A&M University Athletic Director Ross Bjork, CEO of MSP Recovery John H Ruiz and Courtney Altemus of Team Altemus, part of the advance group of NIL advisers.

Presenter / producer: Will Bain Image: Quarterback Kellen Mond from Texas A&M; Credit: Getty

Why men don’t want to work any more Oct 17, 2022

As many as 7 million Americans who could work, aren’t. These are people who have dropped out of the workforce - they have given up on finding a job or are simply not looking.

And similar trends can be seen in other wealthy countries. So what is going on?

Ed Butler speaks to Nicholas Eberstadt, a researcher at the American Enterprise Institute.

He’s recently updated a book which examines the extraordinary increase in men – and it is mainly men in the US - who’ve decided they don’t just want to quit their jobs, they want to leave the workplace for good. And it’s something that’s been going on since the 1960s.

Presented and produced by Ed Butler.

(Image: Men on a building site. Credit: Getty)

Greensill: What went wrong? Oct 14, 2022

Greensill Capital was a UK based finance firm and a darling of investors which made its money by lending to businesses. It went into administration in March 2021, leaving investors facing billions in losses.

What went wrong with Greensill? Why did leading politicians like former British Prime Minister David Cameron get involved?

And what does it teach us about the way modern entrepreneurs, like Australian-born Lex Greensill, try and promote themselves?

Ed Butler speaks to Duncan Mavin, a financial journalist who followed the downfall of Greensill – he’s written a book about what happened.

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: James Graham

(Image: Lex Greensill. Credit: Shutterstock)

Will a multibillion dollar project get Americans back on trains? Oct 13, 2022

New York’s Penn Station is the busiest transport hub in the United States - as many as 650,000 people pass through it in a day. But this intercity hub is widely agreed to be outdated and unloved.

Now there are plans to pour billions of dollars into a station facelift - in the hope it will attract Americans back to trains.

In this episode, Laura Heighton-Ginns hears from key stakeholders Amtrak and the Regional Plan Association on why they believe a major overhaul is needed.

Laura also takes a tour of the station and finds out about its much-admired predecessor - the Pennsylvania Station of the early 20th Century.

And she explores the site of the planned demolition work, which controversially includes historical buildings and a busy community church.

Presented and produced by Laura Heighton-Ginns.

(Image: Penn Station scaffolding. Credit: BBC)

Mahira Khan on Pakistan's mental health emergency Oct 12, 2022

In this episode we explore mental health provision in Pakistan. Pakistan has a population of more than 200 million people but only around 500 working psychiatrists. This means around ninety percent of those with common mental health issues go untreated.

We hear from Mahira Kahn, a multi award winning Pakistani actress, in April this year Mahira was appointed as an Ambassador for the British Asian Trust. Mahira works with the trust to promote and support it’s current Peace of Mind campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness of mental health issues and needs in Pakistan. Mahria tells us about her work with the trust and how her job has affected her own mental health.

We also speak to Sanaa Ahmad who is the British Asian Trust's Mental Health programme manager, and Dr Iffa who works with communities in Pakistan providing mental health treatment.

Presenter / production: Emb Hashmi Producer: Carmel O'Grady

Photo: Mahira Khan; Credit: Getty

Can a giant seaweed farm help curb climate change? Oct 11, 2022

A British businessman has come up with a bold plan to turn the floating seaweed sargassum into cash, and tackle global warming at the same time. In this episode, Justin Rowlatt meets John Auckland. He is the man behind Seafields, which aims to create a floating farm 'the size of Croatia' far out in the South Atlantic ocean. The plan is to harvest the seaweed, sink it to the seabed and earn cash from carbon credits. Justin also speaks to Professor Victor Smetacek, an expert in marine biology - the project is based on his ideas. And Dr Nem Vaughan, associate professor in climate change at the University of East Anglia talks Justin through some of her questions around how or whether the project will work. Presenter: Justin Rowlatt Producer: David Reid (Image: Sargassum being harvested. Credit: BBC)

Rent-a-Robot Oct 10, 2022

The use of robots in North American workplaces has increased by 40% since the start of the pandemic and the small to medium sized businesses, which never automated before, are getting in on the act. The robotics industry has responded to the global increased demand by creating more and more customisable robots, which can be leased or hired.

Ivana Davidovic explores what effect this has had - and could have in the future - on the labour markets, innovation, but also on social inequality.

Ivana hears from a small restaurant owner from California who wouldn't be without her server robot Rosie any more, after months of being unable to fill vacancies. Joe Campbell from the Danish company Universal Robots and Tim Warrington from the British company Bots explain how they are taking advantage of the post-pandemic "great resignation" and which industries are next in line for a robotics boom.

Karen Eggleston from Stanford University explains her research into the consequences of the use of robots in over 800 nursing homes in Japan and Daron Acemoglu from MIT discusses whether robots in workplaces will liberate their human colleagues or simply entrench inequality.

Presented and produced by Ivana Davidovic

(Photo: Robot waitress serving dessert and coffee on a tray in a cafe. Credit: Getty Images)

*This episode was originally broadcast on 10 February 2022.

Space: The final food frontier Oct 07, 2022

Is space the final frontier for meat grown from animal stem cells?

Elizabeth Hotson asks whether growing steaks under micro gravity conditions could help in the quest for food security and whether, back on earth, consumers could be persuaded to stomach meat reared in labs.

We hear from Didier Toubia, the CEO of Aleph Farms who defends his space meat mission from accusations of gimmickry.

Seren Kel, the science and technology manager for the Europe region of the Good Food Institute, gives her view on the environmental impact of cell-gown meat and Dr Jason Michael Thomas, senior lecturer in psychology at Aston University explains how reluctant consumers might be persuaded to try new and strange-sounding foods.

Presenter: Elizabeth Hotson Producer: Elizabeth Hotson

(Photo description: The Solar system. Credit: Getty Images)

How to quit Oct 06, 2022

When women's tennis world number one Ash Barty suddenly announced in March 2022 that she was retiring from tennis, it was huge shock.

Barty, a three time grand slam champion, was only 25.

At the time she said she was leaving professional tennis to pursue other life goals.

Quitting is often seen as a negative thing to do, but in this episode we explore the positive side.

PwC’s Global Workforce Hopes and Fears survey of more than 52,000 people in 44 countries showed that one in five workers planned to quit their jobs in 2022.

Marie Keyworth speaks to Moya Dodd, former vice-captain of Australia’s women’s football team - The Matildas. She now works as a lawyer in Sydney and says Barty's decision to 'quit at the top' could be a lesson to us all.

Career coach Sarah Weiler has quit several roles herself, and has now made it her job to help others – how do you know when it’s time to move on?

And Dina Denham Smith is an executive coach based in the San Francisco Bay area. She helps what she calls ‘high performing, high achieving’ people make decisions. She tells Marie how you can improve your situation if quitting isn’t an option.

Presented and produced by Marie Keyworth.

(Image: Ash Barty. Credit: Getty)

Getting backpackers to return to Australia Oct 05, 2022

Now that borders have opened up post pandemic, backpackers have been slow to return to Australia.

Despite a number of initiatives, the number of travellers is low. And that’s having an impact on businesses who need staff.

David Reid explores the Australian working holiday visa scheme, which was set up fifty years ago to encourage young people to travel and work. It's not been without problems, and recently there have been allegations of exploitation and even abuse.

So is the visa scheme the right solution for the Australian labour crunch? Or should government step in and rethink the whole set up?

David speaks to Lee Thurston who runs Miss Moneypenny’s restaurant in Noosa, on the east coast of Queensland. Lee is from the UK but has settled in Australia. Lee said when they came to open up after the pandemic, all the backpackers had gone home. So he’s had to train up local teenagers instead.

Hamish Hill runs Nomad’s hostel in Noosa. He tells David it’s noticeable how many vacancies there are and the impact that’s happening. He’d like fewer regulations on backpackers.

Professor Stephen Howes, director of the development policy centre at the Australian National University, explains how the visa scheme works, and how it’s changed from its original intention.

And David visits a small farm run by Joe Lyons, who has 50 hectares growing avocados and macadamias in Bundaburg near Queensland. He and other farmers are rethinking their reliance on backpackers. They’re currently staffed by 100% Australian labour.

Presenter/producer: David Reid

(Photo: Fruit picking. Credit: Getty Images)

Why food could be the future of fashion Oct 04, 2022

Fashion is one of the world’s most polluting industries – more than half of everything we wear is still made from plastic.

In the search for more sustainable ingredients – designers are now turning to those you would normally find on your plate.

Katie Barnfield travels to Sherwood Forest in England to meet Ashley Granter and Aurélie Fontan from Mykko – a company making leather from mycelium, the root system of mushrooms.

Fancy a food based swimsuit? We talk to Dr Kate Riley from Textile Exchange about new developments in so-called bio synthetics.

And in the race to adopt these new materials, could some brands be accused of greenwashing? Rachel Cernansky from Vogue Business takes us through the controversy.

Produced and presented by Katie Barnfield.

(Image: Mushrooms growing on a tree branch. Credit: Getty)

Are home solar panels the solution? Oct 03, 2022

Home solar – putting panels on your roof or side of your house, used be something fairly unusual. However, rising energy costs means that people are increasingly looking for alternatives.

Presenter Rick Kelsey explores why the trend for solar panels is happening across Europe – and asks whether the industry has the infrastructure to cope with increasing demand.

Rick travels to south east England where panels are being put on the roof, and speaks to installer Scott Burrows. And he meets Linda who rents her home – her landlord has just had solar panels fitted. Linda says she has noticed the reduction in her bills, however her central heating is gas so there might not be as big a reduction over the winter.

Just over 3,000 solar installations are being carried out every week according to the trade association Solar Energy UK. That’s up from 1,000 a week in July 2020.

Michael Schmela and Naomi Chevillard are from Solar Power Europe. They say they are seeing an unprecedented demand in countries across Europe, especially those that rely on gas.

We also hear from a solar project in the Morogoro region of Tanzania, where farmers are using solar to run a farm and a training centre.

And David Shukman, the BBCs former climate editor, talks about the affordability of solar panels and how that’s changed over recent years. How much is the demand and payback time for home solar changing?

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey.

(Image: Solar panels being fitted on a roof. Credit: Getty)

Business Daily meets: Will Butler-Adams Sep 30, 2022

Brompton makes 100,000 foldable bikes in London every year and exports about 75% of them. Chief executive Will Butler-Adams tells us how he grew the business around the world. He also explains how he's navigating inflation, and the prospect of recession. Plus, why he believes his mission is not simply to sell more bikes, but to change how people live in cities around the globe.

Producer/presenter: James Graham Photo: Will Butler-Adams on a Brompton bike at his London factory. Credit: Brompton.

Comic Con economics Sep 29, 2022

Comics are a multi-billion dollar industry and comic conventions - or cons - attract thousands of fans, desperate to meet their heroes and splash some cash.

Elizabeth Hotson visits the MCM event in London to find out what’s hot and what people are spending their hard-earned money on.

We hear from Joëlle Jones, a comic book writer and illustrator, Jenny Martin, Event Director at MCM Comic Con and Michael Loizou from Brotherhood Games.

Plus tattooist Matt Difa shows off his Star Wars inkings and Vincent Zurzolo, the Chief Operating Officer of Metropolis Collectibles in New York looks back on one of his most memorable comic book sales.

Producer: Elizabeth Hotson Presenter: Elizabeth Hotson

Picture Description: Comics at Wellcome Trust Superhero exhibition, Picture Credit: Getty Images

Business Daily Meets: Margrethe Vestager Sep 28, 2022

Margrethe Vestager is the European commissioner for competition.

Ms Vestager has been spearheading the landmark Digital Markets and Digital Services Acts aimed at regulating the global technology industry.

The new rules passed the European Parliament in July and will start to be implemented in the spring.

Victoria Craig sits down with Ms Vestager to ask about the commission’s win against Google in one of Europe’s biggest courts (which resulted in a record fine).

She also explains the importance of her hallmark legislative endeavours on global competition and fairness in the big tech space.

And she talks about how the EC’s Important Projects of Common European Interest programme – which allows joint investments in riskier technologies – could help alleviate Europe’s energy crisis.

Producer: Stephen Ryan Presenter: Victoria Craig

(Image: Margrethe Vestager. Credit: Google)

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