Business Daily

Latest Episodes:

Can battery-swapping boost electric car sales? Nov 20, 2024

Show notes

We’re in Madrid to discover a new way to power urban electric vehicles. No longer charging but swapping your batteries, or charging at your desk.

We meet the people trying it out, and speak to leading motor journalists to see if this really is a game changer in electric vehicle driving in cities.

(Picture: Black Electric SUV swapping battery pack in battery swap station. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rick Kelsey

The plan to rescue the Commonwealth Games Nov 19, 2024

Show notes

A year ago, the Commonwealth Games looked dead and buried. The Australian state of Victoria had pulled out of hosting the 2026 edition due to spiralling costs, and in Canada, the province of Alberta had stepped back from bidding for the 2030 edition.

But now Scotland’s biggest city, Glasgow, has ridden to the rescue, agreeing to host the 2026 Games. It says its scaled back, lower-budget model for doing so could encourage poorer countries to do the same in the future.

How realistic is that? Is Glasgow 2026 the last hurrah for an anachronistic sporting event, inextricably tied to the British empire, or does it really represent a fresh start?

(Picture: A Commonwealth Games Glasgow 2026 delegation in Glasgow, UK. Credit: BBC)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Egypt's economy under pressure Nov 17, 2024

Show notes

The Suez Canal was once one of the busiest global shipping routes – a third of the world's shipping containers normally pass through it.

Since the Houthis began to attack passing ships last year, the volume of vessels going through has declined rapidly.

The canal is run by the Egyptian government, and fewer ships means less foreign currency coming into the economy.

And it’s not just revenue from ships that Egypt is losing, it’s also losing tourists, as many people cancel their trips and spend their dollars elsewhere.

We speak to businesses in Cairo to see how they’re being impacted by these changes, and ask, as Egypt loses out, are other countries winning? Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane (Image: A ship transits the Suez Canal towards the Red Sea on November 3, 2024 in Egypt. Credit: Getty Images)

Battling the world's most invasive aquatic plant Nov 15, 2024

Show notes

It was on a university trip that Kenyan entrepreneur Joseph Nguthiru first came across water hyacinth in Lake Naivasha.

It is an incredibly harmful and invasive weed that is currently blocking waterways and devastating fish populations all over the world.

Joseph, who was an engineering student at the time, tells us how he came up with a solution to use the plant as a material for making packaging - and how he's founded a successful business, HyaPak Ecotech, as a result.

Produced and presented by Zawadi Mudibo

(Image: Fishermen removing water hyacinth from the net in Lake Victoria in Kisumu, western Kenya in 2018)

How we fell for Fall Nov 14, 2024

Show notes

From spiced lattes to scented candles, autumn has become a staple in marketing calendars and on social media. We speak to businesses who thrive at this time of year; hear from content creators fuelling fall fever; and look at how the season is embraced in parts of the world without autumnal temperatures.

(Picture: Friends Amina, Ayesha and Noor in front of some pumpkins at Downey’s Farm, near Toronto, Canada. Every year they go to recreate a photo in the pumpkin patch. Credit: Megan Lawton/BBC)

Presenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet

What’s holding back France and Germany? Nov 13, 2024

Show notes

We look at the issues facing two of Europe’s major economies.

Germany’s downturn has deepened with existential fears about its major export industries. And now, political turmoil means industry leaders are calling for a snap election as soon as possible.

Meanwhile in France, there is weak growth as consumers feel poorer and politicians can’t agree on spending.

(Picture: French and German flags waving next to each other. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Rob Young

The wine industry's biggest challenge Nov 12, 2024

Show notes

Climate change is changing the way winemakers plan, harvest and make their product.

On the Greek island of Santorini we find out how new techniques of vine planting are helping to preserve water amid more frequent drought conditions.

Investors in England have realised areas in the south of country have similar weather conditions to Champagne in France, 30 years ago.

Plus we hear from experts in France and Australia to discover different methods the industry is using, and find out how new businesses are advising the global wine industry to ensure its survival in a changing world.

Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney

(Image: A picker throws the collected grapes from the vine in a tank at the Gusbourne Estate, Appledore near Ashford, England on October 28, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Argentina: Libertarian paradise? Nov 11, 2024

Show notes

Attracted by Argentina’s right-wing libertarian president Javier Milei, and fearful of political breakdown and even the prospect of a widescale war in the northern hemisphere, some US citizens say they are planning to move to the South American nation to start afresh.

We speak to a few of them, and to an Argentine tech entrepreneur who left his country years ago due to its political and economic instability, but who is now spending more time there – attracted by Milei’s promises to slash the state.

What will these converts to Argentina find there, and will it match their expectations?

(Picture: Argentina's president, Javier Milei, on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Natalio Cosoy

Business Daily meets: Astronaut Chris Hadfield Nov 08, 2024

Show notes

Colonel Chris Hadfield is a former fighter pilot who became an astronaut and served as a commander of the International Space Station (ISS).

While in orbit he became a social media star, posting breath-taking pictures of earth, as well as videos demonstrating practical science and playing his guitar. These days, the Canadian invests in businesses and has written several best-selling fiction and non-fiction books.

In this programme, Chris Hadfield tells Russell Padmore how he was influenced by Star Trek, and the Apollo missions to the moon, as a child. He outlines why he welcomes private investment in space and he explains how he has become known for being the musical star in orbit.

(Picture: Chris Hadfield with a night sky in the background. Credit: Getty Images)

Presented and produced by Russell Padmore

Building the superyachts Nov 07, 2024

Show notes

They’re the kind of mega vessels which only a handful of people on the planet can afford.

We go to the Netherlands, where building and maintaining the most expensive yachts in the world is big business.

We visit Dutch yacht builder Heesen to look at the intricate design of these vessels, their opulence, and the huge amounts of money involved in building and selling them.

Plus we hear from those who actually help put the boats together.

And we get an expert view on the importance of the Superyacht sector to the country's overall maritime industry, and hear how politics, public perceptions, regulation and international sanctions have impacted the industry in recent years.

Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon

(Image: Vida superyacht 55m built by Heesen Yachts and owned by Brooks Smith moored in Malaga, Spain in April 2023 (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected