The Bottom Line

BBC Radio 4

Evan Davis hosts the business conversation show with people at the top giving insight into what matters

  1. 6 gg fa

    Trainer Wars

    The 2026 London Marathon saw new world record times set in both the men's and women's events. Eyes weren't just on the winning athletes but also on the Adidas trainers they were wearing. So what goes into designing and making a pair of trainers and why have some of them become so expensive to buy? Global sales for trainers are in the tens of billions of dollars with hundreds of new styles being produced every year. How does the industry keep up with demand and stay on trend? Giant companies like Nike and Adidas, who dominated the industry for decades, can no longer take anything for granted. Newer brands like On and Hoka have managed to break through and are shaking things up. How have they managed to do it? Evan Davis gets some insights and answers from people who work in the industry. Guests: Tony Evans: Managing Director of Jacobson Group Tom Astrella: Co-founder The Footsoldiers Wayne Edy: Founder and CEO of Inov8 Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Sally Abrahams & Nick Holland Sounds: Dave O'Neill and Frank McWeeny Editor: Sam Bonham

    37 min

  2. 5 mar

    Entrepreneurs: Your Questions Answered

    Evan is joined by a panel of top entrepreneurs to answer your listener questions. How do you make your business stand out in a crowded market? Where can you find the information you need to start your own business? Why don't we hear about the failures along the way to success? And how do you know which risks are worth taking? Evan and his guests answer listeners' questions and discuss the ins and outs of starting your own business, as well as the unique challenges of being an entrepreneur. Guests: Trinny Woodall, CEO and founder of Trinny London Sarah Willingham, CEO and founder of Nightcap Brent Hoberman, serial entrepreneur and investor Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Jack Graysmark and Dave O'Neill Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    37 min

  3. 26 feb

    Product Innovation: Better, Or Just New?

    From smartphones to trainers, confectionary and cleaning products, we live in a culture of constant updates. Companies reformulate, redesign and refresh their products in a continuous race to stay ahead. But how are those decisions made? What counts as meaningful improvement and how much is designed to make last year’s version feel old? Evan Davis and guests discuss how products evolve and why standing still is the fastest way to fall behind. Guests: Tom Moody, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, P&G (Proctor & Gamble) Northern Europe Dr Garry Moppett, Senior Director of Research & Development at Mars Dave Ward, UK and International Managing Director, Amazon Ring. Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Sally Abrahams Sound engineers: Lee Wilson and Donald MacDonald Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    32 min

  4. 19 feb

    How Do You Deal with a Workplace Bully?

    Across our professional careers, many of us will come into contact with a difficult colleague or hard-to-please superior. But what happens when difficult behaviour crosses over into bullying at work? What effect does this have, not only on our wellbeing, but on our workplace as a whole? Evidence suggests that bullying may be on the rise in the UK. A 2025 survey of British workers conducted by ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) found that 44% of respondents had experienced conflict at work in the last 12 months. And on the global stage, the resurgence of ‘strong man’ leadership has reignited a debate: does bullying behaviour get you what you want? Evan and the panel look at what workplace bullying is, when and why bullying can occur, and the steps individuals and organisations can take to tackle this behaviour in the workplace. Guests: Jason Warner, Managing Director (UK and EMEA) at SBS Kevin Rowan, Director of Dispute Resolution at ACAS Kara Ng, Senior Lecturer in Organisational Psychology at Alliance Manchester Business School, University of Manchester Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: James Beard and Neil Churchill Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    32 min

  5. 12 feb

    Private Renting: Who Wants to Be a Landlord?

    The UK’s private rental market has grown dramatically over recent decades, creating what often feels like a tale of two nations: ‘Generation Rent’ who are priced out of home ownership and unable to access social housing; and buy-to-let investors who view property as a reliable income stream or pension plan. Rising rents, poor conditions and fierce competition for homes have fuelled frustration with landlords, prompting political efforts to strengthen protections for tenants and increase tax pressure on property owners. Now the sector is facing a turning point – with large institutional investors, backed by pension funds, for example, playing an increasing role. Evan Davis and guests discuss the state of the UK rental market and where it might be heading. Guests: Ashley Winston, Director of Palmdale Car Finders Andy Graham, Host, HMO Podcast Polly Simpson, Head of multi-family development at Savills Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Ben Andrews and Tim Heffer Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    35 min

  6. 5 feb

    Dynamic Pricing: Who Profits?

    Everyone wants to get the best price they can when they buy, whether that’s a product, a service or an experience. But the ‘best price’ can look different for different people, and at different times. Surge pricing, tiered prices, off-peak discounts, time-of-use pricing- technology has enabled more industries to employ dynamic pricing to get the best prices for their products by altering them depending on a range of sophisticated considerations. But this has made pricing less predictable and left customers feeling like the prices are often stacked against them; most notably after the Oasis reunion tour ticket sales in 2024. Is dynamic pricing really as bad as we all think? Evan and guests look at the psychology behind consumer perceptions of dynamic pricing, and ask how different industries can utilise the pricing model to benefit themselves and their customers. Guests: Richard Howle, founder of RH Insights Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy for Business Marco Bertini, Professor of Marketing at Esade Business School Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Daniel Fox and Steve Greenwood Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    35 min

  7. 29 gen

    What Happens When Brands Change Hands?

    From headline deals like Vodafone-Three or home builder, Barratt buying rival, Redrow, corporate mergers and takeovers are on the rise. Evan Davis and guests take a fresh look at what happens when companies combine. They discuss why deal-making is growing, why execs turn to M&A, what can go wrong and whether mergers deliver growth or simply disguise deeper problems. Guests: Vittorio Colao, CEO at Vodafone Group 2008-2018, and now Vice Chairman, EMEA, General Atlantic Pip Hulbert, CCO for International Markets at VML Farshid Azadegan, Director of BEC Distribution Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Russell Newlove and Andy Garratt Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    33 min

  8. 22 gen

    Airport Lounges: For the Many or the Few?

    In the years after the COVID pandemic we are travelling more and expecting more from our journeys. Travel is increasingly viewed as an end-to-end experience that begins before you even set foot on board your flight. As people look to inject luxury into their travel, airport lounge usage has boomed. But lounges’ rise in popularity has created a unique problem for their operators: how do you grow your customer base whilst maintaining a degree of exclusivity? Evan Davis speaks to industry operators and experts about balancing the scales. Guests: Mignon Buckingham, CEO of Airport Dimensions Claude Roussel, VP of Sky Clubs and Lounge Experience at Delta Airlines Nicky Kelvin, Senior Director of Content at The Points Guy Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Mhairi MacKenzie Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Dave O’Neill and Tim Heffer Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University

    33 min
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Descrizione

Evan Davis hosts the business conversation show with people at the top giving insight into what matters

Informazioni

  • Creatore
    BBC Radio 4
  • Anni di attività
    2007 - 2026
  • Puntate
    427
  • Classificazione
    Contenuti adatti a tutti
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Sito web del podcast
    The Bottom Line
  • Fornitore

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