Evan Davis makes up crisis management scenarios to see how three CEOs handle a business emergency. To make it more realistic none of the guests know what the predicaments are before speaking to Evan. Guests: Kathryn Jacob, CEO of Pearl and Dean Dame Inga Beale, former CEO of Lloyd's of London Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury's Production Team: Presenter: Evan Davis Editor: Matt Willis Producer: Simon Tulet & Paige Neal-Holder Sound: Sarah Hockley & Rod Farquhar

A typical career, for many, involves some kind of progression, or at least the expectation of it, until we stop and retire. But is there a better model? Evan Davis and guests discuss whether more of us should think about easing into retirement by taking more junior roles, going part time, or switching profession altogether, instead of stepping off a career cliff edge when we reach pension age. Could this expand the number of job opportunities for older workers, whilst also helping younger...

The UK’s biggest nightclub operator recently announced the closure of around half of its venues, and with them almost 500 jobs. REKOM UK, which owns the Atik and Pryzm brands, blamed the cost of living crisis hurting its customers, along with increased operating costs. But is there something else going on? According to the industry association the number of nightclubs in the UK has more than halved in the last decade, so have younger people – nightclubs’ core customers – lost interest in...

It’s easy for people to say they want to buy a particular product, perhaps in the name of sustainability. But how often do individuals actually follow through with these well-meaning intentions? Academics regularly observe a difference between what consumers say they want to do and what they actually do. The gap can cause problems for businesses when they're trying to figure out how to serve their customers. Evan Davis is joined by a panel of business leaders to discuss how they bridge this...

It's useful to know how you're doing at work, but feedback from managers and colleagues can often be unhelpful, upsetting, or even non-existent. So what's the best way to give and receive it? Evan Davis and guests discuss some top techniques, particularly in the tricky area of negative feedback, and the importance of training managers in how to have these conversations. But feedback isn't just about managers - we learn the best ways for employees to receive and act on it. Plus, how...

UK consumers are eating less meat than at any point since records began 50 years ago, according to the latest government figures, so how are farmers, processors and retailers responding? The cost of living crisis is part of the reason for a recent drop-off in demand, but warnings about meat's impact on the planet and our health might also play a role, and plant-based alternatives have been eating into meat’s market share in recent years. So does the industry feel under attack, or are they...

Some major fashion brands have started charging for online returns, or even banning customers who routinely send products back. The companies say that growing levels of returns are hitting their profits, so just how costly is it to process an unwanted dress, and what really happens when we pop it back in the post? Evan Davis and guests take us behind the scenes into the hidden world of returns and the mini-industry that has sprung up to deal with the billions of pounds of items rejected by...

It’s become the mantra of many employers, and the expectation of some employees, but what does bringing your whole or authentic self to work actually mean, and should companies encourage it? Evan Davis and guests discuss the pros and cons of a workplace culture in which staff share their personal beliefs, politics and vulnerabilities with colleagues. What impact does it have on employee satisfaction and business productivity? And, at a time of great political and cultural polarisation, how...

On the agenda for the final programme of the current series is meetings. Virtual or in person, it's difficult to avoid a work meeting. So how do you ensure a good meeting? What should their purpose be, how many people should attend, who should speak and when? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTS Dave Brittain, Business Development Director, Amazon Fashion Europe Phil Jones, MD Brother UK Dr. Sarah Woolley, Senior Research Fellow, Warwick Business School CLIPS Series 3 Episode 3 ...

New medicines with sales in the billions of dollars each year are what every pharmaceutical company dreams of, but how do you create one and can they really justify their often high price tags? Evan Davis and guests discuss the changing origins of so-called 'blockbusters' and their importance to the global drug industry, including recent examples like the obesity and diabetes treatments Wegovy and Ozempic, which have made Novo Nordisk one of the richest companies in Europe. Plus, as outright...

For most people, the aeroplane is the default mode of long distance transport Whilst the UK has only two overnight sleeper services, long distance train travel and sleeper services are experiencing a resurgence in Europe. One company OBB, the Austrian State Railway has just ordered thirty new trains, some of which will be in service from December. But are these services mainly for train aficionados, romantics and those scared of flying, or could they become a serious competitor to the...

Bad behaviour and big mistakes can destroy careers and even entire businesses if they're not addressed quickly, so why do some companies and their leaders try to downplay or even deny them? Evan Davis and guests discuss the culture of defensiveness and denial that exists in some organisations, from the private to the public and charity sectors. A former Oxfam worker describes how she was forced to blow the whistle on widespread sexual exploitation and abuse inside the charity, and the...

Elon Musk’s decision to rename Twitter ‘X’ has been met with confusion, and in some cases even anger, but where does it rank amongst the best and worst rebrands? Evan Davis and guests discuss the complexity of changing a company or product name, logo and message, the reasons for doing it, and how to make it a success. These overhauls can be risky, though, and failure expensive – the panel discusses one the UK’s textbook rebranding disasters. Evan is joined by: Lee Rolston, chief growth...

As the UK gets ready to host a major global summit on the safety of artificial intelligence, Evan Davis speaks to one of the technology's leading global figures. Demis Hassabis explains how he went from child chess champion to game developer to co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind, which was bought by Google in 2014. He discusses Google's answer to ChatGPT and AI's ability to create breakthroughs in science, but also its downsides, including the potential extinction of the human...

From plumbers to electricians, plasterers to builders, most of us need to hire a trader at some point. But what's it like to work in the industry, and how has it been affected by changes such as Brexit, the pandemic and inflation? How should you go about finding a trader who is trustworthy and will deliver quality work? In recent decades, going into a 'trade' has not been as strongly encouraged as to going to university, but tradespeople of all kinds are in short supply, so what is being...

Many employers say they are desperate to get staff back into the office more often, but what's the best and fairest way to wean employees off remote working? As companies from tech to banking grapple with this issue, Evan Davis and guests discuss the productivity pros and cons, the impact on company culture and career progression, and the future of the office space itself. With many staff reluctant to give up the flexibility of remote working, is a hybrid model the answer to keeping them...

Is humour the most effective way to get your product noticed? If so, why does it seem that the use of comedy in advertising is in decline? Recent research by Kantar found that 90% of consumers were more likely to remember and purchase a brand if the advert made them smile. So why the downturn? Are multi-national brands looking for a one size fits all approach, or are brands frightened of offending potential customers? Evan Davis and guests discuss. PRESENTER: Evan Davis GUESTS Rory...

England’s water companies are under fire – there’s public anger over sewage spills and leaks, and now regulators and government ministers are worried some of them are drowning in too much debt. So what’s gone wrong, and who will pay the price of fixing the industry? On the face of it, running a water company seems like a licence to print money – there’s guaranteed revenue, and no competition – but there’s a lot of infrastructure to build and maintain, and strict targets that are getting even...

From The Office and Succession to The Apprentice and Dragons' Den, does the portrayal of business on television inspire or is it a total turn off to budding entrepreneurs? And how challenging is it to create great drama from the world of business? Is 'greed, for lack of a better word, good' as Gordon Gekko from Wall Street would have us believe? Or post financial crash, is the world looking to find a more equitable and kind example of the business world on screen? PRESENTER: EVAN...

Demand for pre-loved goods has surged in the UK in recent years, with fashion, books and furniture especially popular. So what’s driving this boom in second-hand sales - the cost of living crisis or the increasingly eco-conscious shopper? And how are companies making money from it? Evan Davis and guests discuss the business of buying and selling pre-loved products, the growing number of online platforms specialising in them, and the bricks-and-mortar retailers looking to get in on the act....

John Lewis Partnership and Waitrose are possibly two of the most trusted brands in retail. This week, Evan Davis interviews Dame Sharon White, who took over as Chair of the Partnership, literally weeks before lockdown. Post lockdown like all retailers the Partnership faces a cost of living crisis and getting customers back to the High Street. How is she facing these challenges and what are her plans for the future of the partnership? GUEST: Dame Sharon White, Chair, John Lewis...

Younger workers want unlimited holiday, refuse to give up remote working, and are constantly looking for their next job, or so the cliché goes. Millennials and those even younger (Generation Z) do typically have different attitudes to work than their older colleagues, but what are they really, and how are they changing workplaces? Is it all about finishing early on Fridays, finding a company with a strong ethical stance, or looking for the quickest possible route to success? And to what...

As Covid restrictions were eased last year, the demand to travel abroad by air overtook the readiness of the industry to cope, leading to thousands of flights being cancelled and enormous queues at several airport terminals because of a shortage of staff across the board from security to baggage handlers and flight attendants. What can passengers expect this year and has the industry been able to address the problems it experienced last year to provide a smooth passenger experience this...

Grocery stores are under pressure – with food inflation still near record highs, some have accused them of profiteering and the UK’s competition watchdog is investigating. So what’s the evidence, if any, that supermarkets and other smaller stores are taking advantage of consumers, and what is a reasonable profit margin in this industry anyway? Food suppliers, large and small, also have a role to play here – we look at how their margins impact prices. And, with government ministers vowing...