The Business

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BUSINESS
UPDATED WEEKLY

Hannah Prevett and Dominic O’Connell bring you one big business story you need to know every week. Uncovering the personalities, power plays, boardroom dramas and sheer ambition that drive the world of business, Hannah and Dominic get the inside story from the people who are in the room when the deal goes down - from start-ups to tech titans, market movers to City CEOs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3 DAYS AGO

The curious case of Mike Lynch

British tech billionaire Mike Lynch died in August 2024, on board The Bayesian, his luxury superyacht, sunk by a freak storm as it was moored off Sicily. He’d been there with his family and closest associates to celebrate his acquittal of criminal fraud charges in the US. It was a tragic end to the story of a self-made business man - a man who was one of Britain’s biggest titans of tech. So, who exactly was Mike Lynch? How did he manage to build such a huge tech success story? And how did it all come crashing down? As we end the year, Dom and Hannah have each picked their ‘business book of 2025’. In today’s episode Hannah sits down with Katie Prescott, Times colleague and author of The Curious Case of Mike Lynch. Host: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday Times. Guest: Katie Prescott, Technology Business editor for The Times, presenter on The Tech Podcast and author of ‘the curious case of Mike Lynch’ Clips: Getty Photo: Getty Producer: Miriam Hall Executive producer: Kate Ford Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com You can buy The Curious Case of Mike Lynch by Katie Prescott at the Times Bookshop. Listen to The Times Tech Podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

1h 4m
25/12/2025

Musk vs Bezos: The new race for space

In space, a battle between big business is taking place as two of the world’s wealthiest men vie for dominance. Elon Musk’s Space X and Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin have taken the space industry in the US out of the hands of government and into the hands of the private sector. But what are the consequences? Who will win the commercial race to extract crucial minerals from outer space? And who will police space if the rivalry between China and the US extends into orbit? As we end the year, Dom and Hannah have each picked their ‘business book of 2025’. In today’s episode Dom sits down with Christian Davenport, author of Rocket Dreams. Host: Dominic O’Connell, business columnist at The Times and business presenter on Times Radio Guest: Christian Davenport, Washington Post journalist and author, Rocket Dreams Clips: Getty Photo: Getty Producer: Julia Johnson Executive producer: Kate Ford Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com You can buy Rocket Dreams by Christian Davenport at the Times Bookshop. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

39 min
18/12/2025

The battle of the fat jabs

2025 has been a wild ride of big pharma - driven by explosive use of revolutionary weight-loss medication - pushing one of the biggest manufacturers, Eli Lilly, to a trillion-dollar valuation. A dramatic takeover war also saw Denmark’s pharma darling Novo Nordisk trumped by US giant Pfizer. Now, while Novo’s share price is down 50% over the course of the year, Lilly is in the stratosphere normally reserved for the likes of tech firms. But the story’s not over. These, and smaller, challenger companies are slogging it out for market dominance. Who can nail the science for the next holy grail in weight loss meds – an oral pill. And what does investor behaviour tell us about where the market is going? Presenters: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesRichard Fletcher, Business Editor, The Times Guests: Eleanor Hayward, Health Editor, The TimesPaul Major, portfolio manager at Bellevue Asset management Producer: Miriam Hall Senior Producer: Julia Johnson Executive Producer: Kate Ford Photo credit: Getty Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

52 min
11/12/2025

Gold Rush: Boom or bubble?

Gold, the world's oldest asset, is experiencing a remarkable boom. Its value has surged from just over £2000 per ounce a year ago to well over £3000 today, reaching highs not seen since the 1970s. This rapid rise is unusual because gold typically peaks when stock markets decline, yet this rally has coincided with booming equity markets. So, what is driving the value up? Have we reached the peak, or is there more growth to come? Guests: Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times.James Ashley Morrison, Associate Professor, Department of International Relations and Associate Director of the Phelan United States Centre at the London School of Economics & Political Science.Jim Luke, Portfolio Manager of Schroders Global Gold Fund. Producer: Miriam Hall Senior Producer: Julia Johnson Executive Producer: Kate Ford Photo credit: Getty Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

37 min
08/12/2025

Bonus: AI - Reshaping Britain’s workforce

This episode of The Business is sponsored by PwC. As AI rapidly reshapes the world of work, businesses face the biggest transformation since the industrial revolution. While 90% of CEOs surveyed are investing in AI, only 15% are currently getting the value. So, what are the tools driving productivity gains? How can companies move AI from an IT project to one that’s truly integrated across the business? And how exactly are the UK’s largest employers preparing their workforces for the future? In this special bonus episode of The Business, recorded at the Times Tech Summit, Dominic O'Connell chairs a discussion with those at the forefront of this new technology. Guests: Dr Seth Dobrin, CEO, Qantm AIDanielle Gilliam-Moore, Director, Global Public Policy, SalesforceUmang Paw, Chief Technology Officer, PwC Hosts: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business reporter, Times Radio Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

33 min
04/12/2025

Chicken Wars: Can KFC still rule the roost? With KFC's Rob Swain

Fried chicken is booming in Britain - the market is now worth over £3bn a year. Up and down high streets, a whole new generation of fast food chicken restaurants have sprung up, buzzy US imports like Wingstop and Dave’s Hot Chicken, putting pressure on the established brands. In part, it’s down to Gen Z enthusiasm, driven by pop culture hits like Chicken Shop Date as well as viral ASMR videos of crunching, chewing and sizzling. So how can the market leader and established brand KFC maintain its dominance? And what does the fried chicken boom tell us about the way Britain - and British diets - are changing ? Guest: Rob Swain, General Manager, KFC UK & IrelandHosts: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business correspondent, Times Radio Producer: Miriam Hall Senior Producer: Julia Johnson Development Editor: Sandra Shmueli Executive Producer: Kate Ford Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

41 min
27/11/2025

Rachel Reeves’s high tax, high spend budget

It’s being described as a "smorgasbord" of a budget - an offer from Rachel Reeves made up not of big, bold moves but of small, bite-sized titbits. But tax is up, spending is up and debt is still high - so do the measures add up to anything appetising for business at all? We pick over the details, from the big picture to the small tweaks in this budget special. Guests: Helen Miller, Institute for Fiscal StudiesSteve Rigby, Rigby GroupRichard Fletcher, Business Editor, The TimesHosts: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business correspondent, Times Radio Producer: Miriam Hall Senior Producer: Julia Johnson Development Editor: Sandra Shmueli Executive Producer: Kate Ford Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

46 min
20/11/2025

Britain’s biggest bitcoin buyer - with Smarter Web Company's Andrew Webley

More than $1 trillion has been wiped from the Crypto market in just six short weeks, but on The Business we hear from a man who still trusts Bitcoin more than any other currency. While many around the world fret about crypto crooks and markets that can be spooked by vibes alone, what’s it like to be ‘all in’ on Bitcoin? Andrew Webley, the founder and chief executive of the The Smarter Web Company, knows very well. He pivoted his web design agency into a so-called crypto treasury - that’s a company that holds digital assets as opposed to traditional treasury assets like cash or bonds. A long-time Bitcoin investor, Andrew was inspired by the approach of American crypto treasury evangelist Michael Saylor, and the billions he made through his bitcoin treasury company Strategy. The Smarter Web Company floated on the Aquis Stock Exchange in April this year, reaching a billion-pound market capitalisation in the summer. Now, despite the crypto slump, and his own company’s share price plunging by more than 70% since July, Andrew remains a steadfast believer in the future of Bitcoin, and the strength of his company. Guests: Andrew Webley, Smarter Web Company Hosts: Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business correspondent, Times Radio Producer: Miriam Hall Senior Producer: Julia Johnson Development Editor: Sandra Shmueli Executive Producer: Kate Ford Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

44 min

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Introducing The Business

A new weekly podcast all about the world of business starts on Thursday 9th October. Today's biggest companies wield more influence than many countries. The people who run them are visionaries, philanthropists - and sometimes crooks. With new technologies and business opportunities emerging daily, never before has navigating this ever-changing landscape been more important. Uncovering the personalities, power plays, boardroom dramas and sheer ambition that drive the world of business, Hannah Prevett and Dominic O'Connell get the inside story from the people who are in the room when the deal goes down - from start-ups to tech titans, market movers to City CEOs. If you want to know what’s really going on, join Hannah and Dominic for The Business every Thursday. Hannah Prevett is an expert voice on the tech sector, new enterprise and entrepreneurship. Associate business editor of The Sunday Times, Hannah understands the business world inside out. Her contacts include female founders, small business owners and the CEOs of some of the UK’s biggest companies. Dominic O’Connell is an award-winning business journalist, prized for his unmatched knowledge of markets and the corporate world. A Times columnist and Times Radio busines reporter, from a 1999 interview with a fractious Donald Trump, to conversations with leading CEOs, Dom has broken dozens of big stories and reported on booms, busts and boardroom dramas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

02/10/2025

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2 min

Jane Garvey and Fi Glover keep the mics on, grab a cuppa and say what they really think - unencumbered and off air. If you want to contact the show to ask a question and get involved in the conversation then please email us: janeandfi@times.radio and follow our antics away from the mic on Instagram: @janeandfi Follow Off Air with Jane & Fi wherever you get your podcasts, or join us on Times Radio every Monday to Thursday afternoon between 2pm and 4pm on DAB, smart speaker and the Times Radio app: www.thetimes.co.uk/radio/live Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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One remarkable story, told in depth, daily. Manveen Rana and Luke Jones bring you the flagship podcast from The Times and The Sunday Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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A bombing kills 11 people attending the Remembrance Sunday commemorations in the small town of Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. A twelfth victim will die years later in coma. No one has ever been charged. A lifetime later, The Times’s reporter Mario Ledwith returns to his hometown, asking who carried out these bloody murders, how the authorities failed to fully investigate, and why a silence continues to surround what happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Hannah Prevett and Dominic O’Connell bring you one big business story you need to know every week. Uncovering the personalities, power plays, boardroom dramas and sheer ambition that drive the world of business, Hannah and Dominic get the inside story from the people who are in the room when the deal goes down - from start-ups to tech titans, market movers to City CEOs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.