Biotechnology is the use of biology in the production of new products, services, and organisms with the aim of improving human health and society. In 2024, the global biotech market was worth $1.68 trillion. By application, the health segment was responsible for just over half of that figure. Not surprising when you think that healthcare focused biotech companies are battling to solve some of our biggest health concerns; turning an ageing society into a longevity society by supporting longer and...
Jun 13, 2025•31 min•Ep. 29
Despite an interconnected and increasingly digitalised world, a historical black cloud has been hanging over an area of finance relied upon by institutions, retail and a billion people associated with migrant work: Cross-border payments. Domestic money transfer has seen a dramatic overhaul due to the digital revolution of recent years. But sending money internationally is a whole different ball game. Each country operates their own payment systems at varying levels of technological maturity and ...
May 14, 2025•32 min•Ep. 28
In today’s competitive global landscape the responsibilities of CFOs are diversifying more than ever. The fast paced digital revolution, geopolitical uncertainty, economic volatility and the environmental impact of climate change means the modern CFO must adapt to future proof the financial health of their organisations. The need to remain agile and requires fleet of foot finance leaders. In the modern world, technology is helping CFOs to gain visibility over their business functions and react t...
Apr 28, 2025•31 min•Ep. 27
The world is grappling with the need to hit the global Net Zero by 2050 target which means the net amount of greenhouse gases emitted into, and removed from, the atmosphere is zero by that date. All the while providing safe, secure and affordable energy for citizens. A tug of war between outcomes is afoot, where difficult decisions and trade-offs will need to be made by governments, energy majors and consumers. Energy security is key for economic resilience. Progress made in the last few decades...
Dec 09, 2024•33 min•Ep. 25
We live in a world of tremendous uncertainty where businesses are increasingly challenged to adapt to a rapidly evolving risk landscape. Economic instability, rising geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, cyber threats and the energy transition, are just some of the concerns for boards and businesses globally. Companies need to prepare for risk and maintain resilience. In this episode of The Next Five, Vince Tizzio, President and CEO of AXIS highlights the important role that the insur...
Dec 02, 2024•27 min•Ep. 26
If money makes the world go round, then data tells you how fast it’s spinning and when it might stop. 90% of all data was generated in the last 2 years and every 2 years the volume of data doubles. With 11 billion devices connected to the internet today, the annual global data generation in 2025 is expected to be 181 zettabytes, that’s 181 trillion gigabytes. To put it in context, we use about 3 gigabytes to stream netflix in high definition for an hour. In other words, the modern world can’t li...
Oct 14, 2024•29 min•Ep. 24
The premium alcohol industry is about more than just indulgence. It’s a category that is garnering greater attention from consumers, investors and collectors. Increased disposable incomes, celebrity culture and social media has created new avenues for brand recognition and sales. Partnerships with other luxury brands also bring cross pollination appeal and is an area top spirit brands are looking to take more advantage of. Investing in premium alcohol is also an area of growth. Brand, age and ra...
Jun 28, 2024•28 min•Ep. 23
Individual creativity and idea construction sets us apart within our own societies, it is a deeply desirable trait, and can give you power and wealth. ‘Gosh, what a great idea!’, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ are often thought and heard. Cue Artificial intelligence, AI can enhance and enable our creativity- giving thousands of creative solutions to our input ideas. Less a brainstorm and more a cosmic tsunami of creation, all in a matter of seconds. It does this without its own personal agenda an...
Apr 03, 2024•26 min•Ep. 22
"Prevention is better than cure” is a fundamental principle of modern healthcare. In this episode of the Next Five, in paid partnership with GSK, we look at health care prevention in ageing societies, with a particular focus on vaccine uptake. Ever since 1796, when Dr. Edward Jenner inoculated an 8-year-old boy against smallpox with a vaccine containing the milder strain cowpox, vaccination has become a part of the preventative medicine armoury. Vaccines have lowered the impact of many diseases,...
Mar 28, 2024•26 min•Ep. 21
After slumping during the pandemic, business travel is picking up pace: it’s expected to hit pre-pandemic levels this year with spending on it slated to reach $1.4tn in 2024. But post-Covid, the landscape of corporate travel is changing, reflecting the evolving global economy, a diverse workforce and the growing importance attached to sustainability. The cost of travel is rising and businesses seeking to balance budgets need to find flexible tools for managing business travel and the variables a...
Mar 04, 2024•28 min•Ep. 20
Cybersecurity has never been more important; Everything is now connected to a network, and rapid technological advancements are being met with new and novel cyber threats, however cutting-edge advancements in AI within cybersecurity are rising to meet them, empowering individuals, businesses, and governments to build a safer, more secure online future. In this podcast, we examine the importance of collaboration between public and private players to safeguard society, critical infrastructure and ...
Jan 28, 2024•24 min•Ep. 19
The EU must prioritise digital skills development, bridge the existing skills gap, and foster an innovation-driven environment. By embracing AI and equipping its citizens with the necessary skills, the EU can navigate current challenges and secure its position as a global leader in the digital era. In the third episode of this five-part miniseries, we look at AI's role in workplace and productivity. In this episode we speak with Andrea Renda, Head of Global Governance, Regulation, Innovation and...
Jan 04, 2024•25 min•Ep. 18
We are in the sixth mass extinction phase and it’s primarily driven by human activity. Globally, 1.2 million species are at risk of extinction and around 70% of the planet's ice-free land has already been altered, primarily for agricultural use. In the second episode of this five-part miniseries, we look at AI's role in sustainability and how it can help us better understand the natural world. In Europe, unsustainable farming and forestry, urban sprawl and pollution are predominantly to blame fo...
Nov 28, 2023•26 min•Ep. 17
The advent and speed of advancement in AI has far reaching consequences for multiple industries. This five-part miniseries will spotlight various industry sectors where AI has a significant and growing impact, with this particular episode centering on AI's role in healthcare. AI in healthcare offers life changing benefits as well as raising far reaching concerns. In the medical arena, various AI programmes like Large Language Models and Foundation Models are being used in many specialities, both...
Oct 28, 2023•30 min•Ep. 16
Oceans cover 71% of the planet’s surface and are a life support system making up 97% of the world’s water and 95% of all space made available for life. Oceans are a key climate regulator, sequestering a third of all carbon emitted by human activity a year, controlling the weather and mediating temperature. With this alone, their importance to our existence is paramount. But oceans also support an entire economy, a ‘blue economy’. Alas, rising sea levels and temperatures due to climate change, ov...
Oct 14, 2023•29 min•Ep. 15
Ever since the emergence of sundials and water clocks in Egypt around 1500 BC, humans have been fascinated by timepieces. Over the centuries, portable clocks, pocket watches and wristwatches gave people the chance to carry time around with them. Many of these became status symbols – the luxury of portable time afforded to only the few. And now, with the advent of wearable tech over the past decade, what is on our wrist has come to tell us much more than simply the time. Whether it's Swiss watche...
Sep 28, 2023•28 min•Ep. 14
EVs are already displacing 1.5million barrels of oil usage per day or 3% of total road fuel demand, however emissions from vehicles are still responsible for between 12-16% of global emissions. But now imagine a world where there are no ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars on the road. That’s the future that is needed if we are to hit net zero targets. To realise this by mid century annual EV sales must hit 138 million units by 2040. In this episode of The Next Five podcast we take a deep-dive ...
Sep 14, 2023•27 min•Ep. 13
The payments industry is undergoing big changes that have a big impact on the global economy. Growth in digital payments over cash has been spurred on by the pandemic, a strong e-commerce market, government support and investor sentiment. In this episode of The Next Five, we explore the future of online retail and payments in a digital world, how consumers are paying for products and services and how businesses are navigating the payments space to build resilience, retain and gain customers. Mar...
Aug 14, 2023•25 min•Ep. 12
Allowing capital flows consistent with a net zero and resilient global economy will require a transformation of the financial system. Since 2016, investments in decarbonisation have been growing at a rate of 5% per annum. At this rate, the 2050 net zero targets will be missed by 20 years. In this episode of The Next Five, we’re talking about financing the transition to net zero, how capital can be moved towards clean energy, and how industry and government need to collaborate for the world to hi...
Jul 28, 2023•29 min•Ep. 11
Advancements in technology to date and the pace of change in the future is far beyond the evolutionary speed of human development. We are building smart cities, smart homes, smart offices but now we, the people, need to be smarter in using technology. How tech is built and how we use it as humans has never been more important. In this episode of The Next Five, we look at the relationship between technology and us, how our automated future and the interactions we have with tools, including AI, wi...
Jun 28, 2023•28 min•Ep. 10
With the transcendence of digital money and technology, trade and trade finance is experiencing a major overhaul. A $5.2 trillion global trade finance ecosystem exists today, worth 6% of global GDP, so the sector's performance affects the health of the future world economy. In the latest episode of The Next Five, we look at how emerging technological developments across the financial system, such as tokenisation and the emergence of digital currencies are changing how the world trades. Karin Fli...
Jun 14, 2023•28 min•Ep. 9
The way we work has changed since the pandemic. The modern workforce now, more than ever before, enjoys flexibility in where and when they work. But businesses, leaders and employees are still experimenting with how best to work. In this epsiosde of The Next Five we explore the shifting sands of desk based work, looking at the effect of technology on traditional structures, employee productivity, communication and wellbeing, and ask how the technology led digital HQ might help solve some of the ...
Feb 28, 2023•27 min•Ep. 8
Global supply chains are near breaking point. The pandemic showed their weaknesses and geopolitical tensions, like Ukraine, have exacerbated the issue. And yet the biggest issue facing our world is climate change - and supply chains have a big part to play in the solution. But with complex global supply chains comes challenges - mainly maintaining net zero agendas across multiple partners. Arco Berkenbosch, VP Innovation and Development at Smurfit Kappa tells us how collaboration and experimenta...
Nov 23, 2022•27 min•Ep. 7
The sportswear sector is expected to be worth half a trillion dollars in 2026, up from $366 million in 2021, showing that our appetite for its products is growing. Whether you gym, run, climb, hike, cycle, box, kick, power walk, power lift or simply relax in comfy sportswear, you might not be aware of what makes up your specialist attire, and where it goes after you've thrown it away. In this episode we explore the impact the clothing industry, and the sportswear sector specifically, is having o...
Oct 26, 2022•25 min•Ep. 6
Warren Buffett famously heralded cybercrime as a bigger threat to humanity than nuclear weapons. Whether you agree or not, cybercrime is becoming the number one concern for companies worldwide. In a time of rapid digitalisation, spurred on by the global pandemic, we discuss how vulnerable organisations are to cyber attacks and how they can shore up their defences in the face of sluggish government legislation and ever-advancing cyber adversaries. Mitch Scherr, CEO of Assured Cyber Protection, sh...
May 31, 2022•27 min•Ep. 5
Future energy technologies like fusion and hydrogen promise to be ‘game changers’ that could power our world and fuel our future. Both solutions have been talked about for decades yet remain just out of our grasp - but for how long? Current renewables like wind and solar can’t get us all the way to net zero while decarbonising carbon heavy sectors. Therefore, inventing, innovating and investing in future low carbon energy solutions such as fusion and hydrogen is key to success. But getting new t...
Feb 14, 2022•28 min•Ep. 4
In 1972, with Nixon’s visit to Beijing, the world watched as the political and economic landscape between China and the US changed dramatically. Four decades later, new political heads of state redefined the relationship once again, as Xi Jinping and Donald Trump took power – and aim at each other’s economies. This time, the world is watching ever more eagerly and apprehensively as the top two economic powerhouses vie for supremacy; whatever happens in the next five years will affect everyone in...
Jan 31, 2022•23 min•Ep. 3
A decade ago, ESG was a term deployed as social lip service; now, it’s part of daily boardroom discussions, and top of the agenda for G7 leaders, financial institutions and businesses. The Paris Agreement propelled the conversation to the forefront of everyone’s minds, and today ESG credentials are key to securing anything from bank loans to equity investment. While progress has been made, the sector is still in its infancy and, with new regulation coming in seemingly every month, with its conco...
Jan 31, 2022•23 min•Ep. 2
Artificial Intelligence used to be the stuff of fantasy movies and comics. Now it’s a part of every industry and everyday life. Our use of it is only going to increase in the future as AI becomes more and more intertwined with our day-to-day activities and industries recognise it's boundless potential. However, so far the finance sector has lagged in terms of uptake compared to other industries. Harish Sundaresh joins to discuss the adoption of AI in the finance sector, drawing on comparisons wi...
Nov 11, 2021•22 min•Ep. 1
Our world changes quickly. In the past five years alone, the Paris climate agreement was signed, Donald Trump won (and lost) the US presidency, and a global pandemic transformed the planet. A lot can happen in a short space of time – so what lies ahead? In this series, Tom Parker from the FT Partner Studio asks industry experts how their worlds will change over the next five years, and what impact it will have on our lives. This content is paid for by advertisers and is produced in partnership w...
Sep 17, 2021•2 min
