The Business

BONUS: Kemi Badenoch on UK economic growth at The Times CEO Summit 20.06.2026 15m

What will it take to see growth in the British economy again? In this bonus episode of The Business, Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, sets out her answer. Recorded live at The Times CEO Summit, which brings together business leaders and policy makers to discuss current economic challenges and opportunities, Badenoch joined Fraser Nelson to talk growth, regulation and the future of Britain's economy. Badenoch reflects on the Conservative Party's path back to power, and Labour's record of treating business "as if it's a problem to be managed rather than an asset to be championed."In this live interview with Times columnist, Fraser Nelson, Badenoch says the UK needs an "economic revolution" to reverse years of stagnation, outlining plans to cut red tape, lower energy costs and encourage greater risk-taking across business and government.Presenter:Fraser Nelson, Times Columnist Guest: Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.comHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Inside Keir Starmer's social media ban 19.06.2026 34m

This week on The Business, our sister series, The Times Tech Podcast is taking over the feed. Find full episodes wherever you get your podcasts.Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media for under-16s, due to come into effect next year. But questions remain over how it will be enforced, and whether it will actually work. Mark Sellman joins Katie Prescott to answer the key questions.In the US, the Trump administration has banned two of Anthropic’s most powerful AI models which include the controversial 'Mythos', intensifying calls for Europe to build sovereign AI systems of its own. If America can restrict access to critical AI technology at short notice, what does that mean for the rest of the world? Plus, Katie has been at Founders Forum, where she interviewed Katie King, the founder and CEO of BioOrbit, a company building a pharmaceutical lab in space to transform the way we treat cancer.Do you agree with the social media ban? Get in touch: techpod@thetimes.co.ukProducers: Marnie Duke & Ethan SillsExecutive Producer: Priyanka DeladiaImage: Getty Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: How UK companies can land their big, American break 17.06.2026 16m

What does it take for a British business to make it in the United States? In this episode, we hear from the people who’ve managed to pull it off. UK chief executive of the PR firm Grayling, Heather Blundell, is alongside the Berry co-founder Ryan Burnham and designer Freya Rose Archer for this special episode recorded in Los Angeles at the 2026 Greater Together LA summit. They discuss the opportunities and challenges facing UK companies in the world's largest consumer market.As Britain continues to redefine its place in the global economy post Brexit, host Hannah Prevett explores the importance of UK trade with the United States and the role British businesses can play in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. In this conversation, the group examines why the US remains such an important market for ambitious British businesses looking to expand internationally, and what growth could mean for the wider UK economy. Archer encourages company founders to lean into their individuality, as an important way of reaching consumers across the Atlantic. “The heritage that we have in Britain with creativity and the passion for craftsmanship really resonates with the US customer," she says on the show. From creative industries and communications to luxury retail and consumer products, they discuss the opportunities available to UK companies seeking growth in the American market. They also explore the power of Britain's global reputation and ask whether the UK's much-discussed soft power can translate into commercial success. Guests share lessons on entrepreneurship, international expansion and what UK companies can learn from the confidence and ambition often associated with the US market.“It's like nothing I've ever experienced from a client before," Blundell says on the program in regards to her partnerships with US businesses. "They run towards things that others would run away from. They buy distressed assets, rebuild and invest." Presenter:- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesGuests: - Heather Blundell, UK CEO Grayling - Ryan Burnham, Co-Founder of The Berry - Freya Rose Archer, Founder and Designer of Freya Rose London Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rivals or partners? What the US relationship means for UK business 15.06.2026 29m

This episode is sponsored by PwC. Is the so-called 'special relationship’ between the United Kingdom and United States alive and well? Amid political tensions, have these ties frayed - and what does this mean for the business community?In an episode recorded at the UK Government’s Greater Together LA programme, we take a practical look at what growth and opportunities are available to UK businesses looking to leverage in the US.Presenter:- Hannah Prevett, Associate business editor, The Sunday TimesGuests: - Marco Amitrano, Senior Partner PwC UK and Middle East- Michael Frohlich, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, WPPProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: ARIA's Kathleen Fisher on AI in business, risk-taking and the future of the UK economy 13.06.2026 12m

Kathleen Fisher, chief executive of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), joins Hannah Prevett for her first major interview since taking charge of the UK's high-risk research agency.Created in 2023, Aria was the invention of Conservative Party adviser Dominic Cummings. Inspired by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - where Fisher previously worked - ARIA was designed to back ambitious ideas that could transform industries, accelerate AI in business and strengthen the UK economy.In this special recording before a live audience for The Times and Sunday Times Reviving the City event, Fisher discusses what it will take for the UK to create the next generation of world-leading tech companies, whether Britain can produce a trillion-dollar business, and why she believes the country must become more comfortable with risk if it wants to compete on the global stage.The conversation explores the challenges facing UK companies as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, from startups and scale-ups to established FTSE 100 businesses. Fisher explains how AI in business can be used to empower workers rather than replace them, why organisations that fail to adapt risk being left behind, and where Britain has unique advantages in areas such as AI hardware, and quantum technologies.She also shares lessons from her time at DARPA, outlines ARIA's mission to turn scientific breakthroughs into commercial success, and discusses how the UK can capture more of the value created by its world-class research base. Along the way, she weighs in on venture capital, patient investment, the role of pension funds in backing innovation, and the importance of creating an environment where entrepreneurs can learn from failure.For anyone interested in investing, startups, scale-ups, AI in business, the future of the UK economy and the prospects for Britain's next generation of tech companies, this is a conversation with one of the most influential figures shaping the country's innovation agenda. Presenter:- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesGuest: - Kathleen Fisher, chief executive of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Business secretary Peter Kyle: how to produce a British SpaceX 11.06.2026 33m

Labour's Secretary of State for Business, Peter Kyle, joins us in the studio to answer some of the most pressing questions facing the UK economy: how does Britain position itself as a legitimate global destination for business, investment, and innovation? “We have the potential to scale fast, but too often companies are leaving this country when they get to a need for a certain size of investment,” Kyle says on the show. “They're going to go and find that in America with a higher risk threshold, and they're gonna find a boldness and an urgency of getting capital into businesses. We have to have an environment here where that is met.” While Labour may be keen to call itself a pro-growth government, there is no secret that the business community - from the small enterprises to the top chief executives - are deeply unimpressed. We ask how the government's relationship with the business community really going? "There is a fundamental issue at the heart of this whole debate, and that's that until we get solid, sustained, sizeable growth into our economy ... Then no business as a sector is going to be able to move forward at the pace at which I would like."And as the world's most valuable tech giants continue their march toward the public markets, the IPO pipeline is overwhelmingly American. SpaceX, Anthropic, OpenAI - the names generating the most excitement among investors are filing to list in New York. The NASDAQ continues to offer valuations that the London Stock Exchange simply cannot match. ""I hope that the plus side for Britain when it comes to these big American IPOs is that it will create a sense of excitement about IPO' ing itself because, of course, most of the trend in recent years has gone from private investment into private companies," he says on the show. The London Stock Exchange is now doing a regular drumbeat of IPOs. It's now back in the business."Presenters:- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times- Dominc O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business reporterGuest: - Peter Kyle, Business Secretary Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IPOs go ‘mega’ – should we be worried? 04.06.2026 34m

The three largest share listings ever are about to happen. SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI are set to sell their shares to the public, and each will be valued at one trillion dollars or more. On this episode of the Business, we ask: How will the markets find the money? Should we be worried about the world stock market being even more dominated by a tiny handful of companies? And will we ever see something like this in the UK?Presenters:- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times- Dominic O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business reporterGuests: Maike Currie, VP of personal finance at PensionBee Check Warner, co-founding partner of Ada Ventures Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nuclear fusion, holy grail of clean energy 29.05.2026 30m

Nuclear fusion proponents believe their technology will supply power through the grid by the 2030s. These hopes come at a time when private investment in the commercial industry exceeds $10bn globally. Is the industry on the cusp of greatness? What companies are getting in early? Presenter:Dominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuests:Warrick Matthews, CEO of Tokamak EnergyDr Melanie Windridge, founder of Fusion Energy Insights, Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: Tokamak EnergyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: Inside the SpaceX monopoly 27.05.2026 7m

SpaceX - which last week confirmed its plans to go public - dominates orbital launches. So what does its monopoly mean for other players in the space tech world? In this bonus episode, part of our recent conversation with Mark Bogett, chief executive of Seraphim Space, we discuss the commercial impacts of SpaceX's market control.Presenter:Dominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuest: Mark Boggett, CEO at Seraphim Space Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could an AI revolution keep Britain working? 26.05.2026 32m

This episode of the Business is sponsored by PwC. Anxiety about how artificial intelligence will impact companies, employees and careers is reaching a fever pitch. Workers are beginning to ask: will technology wipe out entire sections of the employment base? On this episode of The Business, we consider how organisations can turn that uncertainty and fear into hope and opportunity. How can employees make better use of the tools available to drive productivity? How can technology education better prepare the next generation of workers for the workplaces of the future? Presenters: - Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times - Dominic O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business reporter  Guests: - Carol Stubbings, PwC Managing partner - Sir Charlie Mayfield, Lead reviewer, Keep Britain Working Producer: Hope Federico Executive Producer: Miriam Hall Photo credit: Getty Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lift off for the space economy 22.05.2026 30m

This week, Elon Musk’s satellite and rocket production company SpaceX confirmed its plan to take the company public. As part of the IPO, according to the securities filing, the company plans to offer retail investors the chance to buy stock. Could it all be a game changer for the space sector? And will this mean a wall of money chasing space-related opportunities? Presenter:Dominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuest: Mark Boggett, CEO at Seraphim Space Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new PM? What next for the economy and business 14.05.2026 29m

The uncertainty dominating British politics in the last half decade has ramped up to a full-blown drama in recent days. As uncertainty hangs over Prime MInister Keir Starmer's premiership and a possible leadership challenge looms, we consider: what does this chaos mean for the British business community?Presenter:Dominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuests:Richard Fletcher, business editor, The TimesMehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times Producer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: An insider’s guide to building a LinkedIn following 13.05.2026 6m

LinkedIn is not without its critics, but there is no doubt it provides a great way for professionals and founders to build a following, a presence and to share their ideas. We asked LinkedIn’s chief economic opportunity officer Aneesh Raman about the best ways to use the platform. Read more: Crying videos on LinkedIn? It’s not a good look, says top execPresenter:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesGuests:Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedInProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why honing ‘human’ skills could AI-proof your career 08.05.2026 29m

The impact of Artificial Intelligence on the workplace is inevitable - but are there ways to protect your business and career? Aneesh Raman, chief economic opportunity office and the co-author of Open to Work: How to Get Ahead in the Age of AI tells us why the impact of AI is not pre-determined, and how workers should go about adapting to this rapidly changing environment. Presenters:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesGuests:Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer at LinkedInProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can cinemas survive the doomscroll? 01.05.2026 26m

Cinemas have had a rough fight for audiences ever since television arrived in our homes. The competition is now tougher than ever - streaming services, all kinds of online content available for free, and a culture hooked on short, endlessly scrollable clips. What is cinema’s role in this new entertainment economy - and can it still thrive?Presenter:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesGuests:Suzie Welch, Managing Director UKI & Group Chief People Officer at ODEON Cinemas GroupProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: Are boards turning their backs on ESG-related pay? 29.04.2026 6m

How much pressure is there on companies to dial back on linking pay to ESG -- environment, social and governance -- in light of the Trump administration? Presenters:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuests:Pippa Begg, Board IntelligenceRichard Belfield, WTWProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are UK execs underpaid? Or just greedy? 24.04.2026 30m

British companies have nearly always paid less than the Americans – but as the global war for talent heats up, is lower remuneration costing the UK a competitive edge? Read more:Could US-style 1,000% bonuses be heading to the City?Jaw-dropping salaries put top AI talent out of reach for UK unicornsPresenters:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist at The Times and business correspondent at Times RadioGuests:Pippa Begg, Board IntelligenceRichard Belfield, WTWProducer: Hope FedericoExecutive Producer: Miriam HallPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

BONUS: Young founders on rejecting WFH 22.04.2026 7m

Last week, two successful young UK founders joined The Business - venture capitalist Harry Stebbings, who founded 20VC and Amy knight, whose company Must Have Ideas sells home cleaning products. Both have a full in-office policy, believing it is best for their companies, and the only way for their staff to thrive. In this bonus episode, we talk about why they believe "in-office" is the best, and only way to go.PresenterHannah Prevett, associate business editor, Sunday Times Guests:Harry Stebbings, founder, 20VCAmy Knight, founder, Must Have Ideas Producer: Miriam HallExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How UK's youngest founders made it big 17.04.2026 30m

The Sunday Times Young Power List drops today: 30 of the nation’s most inspiring, influential people who are under the age of 30. On this episode, we’re speaking to two members of the next generation of British business talent about taking a leap, building a company in your early twenties– and what it’s like to launch a venture in the UK today. Is age a barrier to forming a business? Is university degree a waste of time? And is a commitment to hustle culture imperative to making something of your outfit? Read more: The Young Power List 2026  Five successful entrepreneurs share how they made it without a degree PresenterHannah Prevett, associate business editor, Sunday Times Guests:Harry Stebbings, founder, 20VCAmy Knight, founder, Must Have Ideas Producer: Miriam HallExecutive Producer: Kate FordGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does the Iran war mean for your business? 09.04.2026 28m

With stock prices and energy costs reeling as the fragile Middle East ceasefire threatens to shatter, we ask what happens next for global business? And what has the conflict taught us about long-term weaknesses in the British economy?Presenters:Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday TimesRichard Fletcher, business editor of The Times Guests:Simon French, Chief Economist & Head of Research, Panmure LiberumJorge León, Senior Vice President & Head of Geopolitical Analysis, Rystad EnergyProducer: Hope FedericoProducer: Miriam HallExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.