Colin Bryar, former vice-president of Amazon and Jeff Bezos' right-hand man, shares the secrets that have transformed Amazon into the world's leading e-commerce company. In this interview, he discusses the philosophy of putting the customer at the centre of all decisions, the importance of analysing the right data to understand and respond to consumer needs, and the steps that led to the company's continuous innovation. From changes in packaging - prompted by direct customer feedback - to...

It's the tightest race for the White House in 60 years. CNN data reporter Harry Enten believes that Pennsylvania will be the state most likely to decide the outcome of the November 5 elections, where Kamala Harris and Donald Trump face off. In this interview, Harry Enten goes through the details of the American elections, explaining how the country's electoral system works, which is very different from those in force in Europe. «In the United States, there are 50 state elections - as...

How does food influence mental well-being? Nutritional psychiatrist and author of the bestseller «This Is Your Brain on Food» Uma Naidoo argues that food is not only crucial for a healthy body, but also essential for a healthy mind. And the Mediterranean diet, known for its physical health benefits, can also help combat mental disorders. According to Naidoo – who leads the first and only Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry Service in a US hospital – many diseases, such as diabetes or...

American activist and author Ashton Applewhite tackles the issue of ageism in this «It's not that simple» interview. With an assertive approach, Applewhite shatters myths about ageing and combats ageism. The activist stresses that ageing is a natural and inevitable process and that we should look at it with a more positive outlook, because «people with positive feelings about ageing live longer».  The author of «This Chair Rocks» explains that ageism manifests itself acutely in the...

In a world increasingly defined by global environmental challenges and changes, the perspective of historian Peter Frankopan, author of the best-selling «The Silk Roads», is crucial to helping us understand a planet in constant change. In this interview, Frankopan discusses the consequences of climate change over time and highlights the importance of human resilience - a constant in human history - which is essential for human adaptation to current challenges. He also emphasizes the...

«The Western world faces more complex challenges today than at any time in the past», says former CIA director David Petraeus. In this «It's not that simple» interview, the american general analyzes the geopolitical context according to his 37 years in the US army and his experience in multiple wars. «We [the US, its allies and partners] are the circus performer who keeps many plates spinning on many sticks», he illustrates. According to Petraeus, the «relationship between the US, the West...

«The European Union is one of the largest and richest consumer markets. And few global companies can afford not to do business in the EU», says Anu Bradford, a specialist in global economics and digital regulation, who coined the term ‘Brussels Effect’ to describe Europe's influence on global markets. In this «It's not that simple» interview, the author of The Brussels Effect: How the European Union Rules the World - considered one of the best books of 2020 by Foreign Affairs magazine -...

«There is nothing more permanent than a temporary migrant. Don't create any illusions that a fair share of migrants in not going to stay», says sociologist Hein de Haas, in this episode of «It's Not That Simples», a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. One of the most enlightened but also thought provocative voices of migrations, Hein de Haas explains that this hot topic of today is neither a phenomenon nor a novelty. «Migration is part and parcel of who we are as human...

Two dollars (about 1.85 euros) per day to cover all needs. This is the benchmark set by the World Bank to define extreme poverty, already accounting for differences in purchasing power among different countries around the globe.  Esther Duflo, awarded with the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2019 for her work on alleviating extreme poverty, provides insights on how to address inequalities. The author advocates for «practical solutions», arguing that "it is much easier to think about the effect...

What’s it like to be a teenager these nowadays? What challenges do they face? How can adults contribute to their well-being? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Lisa Damour in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. A clinical psychologist, Damour is the author of three New York Times best sellers: Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers. She co-hosts the Ask Lisa podcast, works in collaboration...

How important is the European Union? What is its role in today’s world? Is it still too distant from European citizens? How can it better reach out to young people? To answer these questions, José Maria Pimentel interviews the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola, in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. As President of the European Parliament (EP), Roberta Metsola is also the Head of the Partit Nazzjonalista (PN)...

What does the world look like today? What can explain the many wars currently taking place around the globe? Will conflicts like the one in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians ever end? How dangerous is the Russian war against Ukraine? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Simon Sebag Montefiore in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation.  In this episode, Montefiore discusses his latest book The World: A...

What are “Blue Zones”? Where in the world do people live better and healthier lives? What makes them live longer and healthier? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Dan Buettner in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. The author of five books on longevity and happiness, Buettner discovered the five places in the world—dubbed Blue Zones—where people lived the longest, healthiest lives and shared this information with the...

What is scientific knowledge? How can it be relayed to the general public in our era of social media and fake information? What is the role of science in our society? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Brian Cox in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. A renowned experimental physicist, Brian Cox is the Professor of Particle Physics at Manchester University, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science,...

What do we mean by “innovation”? Why do we need it? How can companies and societies encourage it? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Niron Hashai in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. An expert on innovation and entrepreneurship, Hashai is a Full Professor at the Arison School of Business, The Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya, Israel. He currently serves as the school's Dean. Hashai obtained his BSc in Computer...

What do we mean by “human capital”? What is the relationship between democracy, human rights and economic prosperity? Are poor people doomed to remain poor? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews James Heckman in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. A Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences laureate in 2000, Heckman is the Henry Schultz Distinguished Service Professor in Economics at the University of Chicago. His research has...

What is Blockchain? What is it for? How does it work? What kind of impact can it have on our societies? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Don Tapscott in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. One of the world’s leading authorities on the impact of technology on business and society, Tapscott is currently Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute. He is also an Adjunct Professor at...

What is “vetting”? How does it work? Why is it so important to the quality of public service and government? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Alyssa Mastromonaco in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. With many years of experience working in the United States’ government, Mastromonaco served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for operations in the administration of President Barack Obama from 2011 to 2014, the...

For the first-time live in Portugal, the historian and writer Yuval Noah Harari, author of «Sapiens» and «Homo Deus», reflects on the advances of humanity, its major threats, and the way in which artificial intelligence must be regulated to prevent it from becoming a «T-Rex» that will destroy humanity as we know it.  In this interview, with the journalist Pedro Pinto, Harari addresses issues such as the preservation of liberal democracy, the confrontation with artificial intelligence, the...

Is democracy dying? What challenges do democracies around the world face nowadays? How can they overcome such challenges? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Daniel Ziblatt in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. An expert on democracy, Ziblatt is Eaton Professor of Government at Harvard University and is director of the Transformations of Democracy research unit at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center in Berlin,...

What is happiness? Can it be studied? Are there steps we can all take in order to become happy? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Laurie Santos in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. An expert on the science of happiness, Santos is the Chandrika and Ranjan Tandon Professor of Psychology and Head of Silliman College at Yale University. In addition to her work on the evolutionary origins of human cognition, Laurie is...

What will the economy of the future look like? How can we prepare for it? What impact is technology having on work and the job market? Are we heading towards a world without work? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Daniel Susskind in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. An expert on the impact of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, on work and society, Daniel Susskind is a Research Professor of Economics...

What is political polarization? Has social media contributed to its growth? What about Donald Trump? And where does this growing polarization leave “the center” of the political spectrum? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Ezra Klein in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. A perceptive observer of American politics and society, Ezra Klein is a columnist on the New York Times opinion page, host of the award-winning...

How long can human beings live? Will it become increasingly normal for one to live up to 100 years? What impact will aging have in our societies? To answer these questions, Pedro Pinto interviews Andrew J. Scott in this episode of “It’s Not That Simple”, a podcast by the Francisco Manuel dos Santos Foundation. An expert on longevity and aging society, Andrew J. Scott is Professor of Economics at London Business School, having previously held positions at Oxford University, the London School...