Behind the Money - podcast cover

Behind the Money

Financial Timesft.com
From hostile takeovers to C-suite intrigue, Behind the Money takes you inside the business and financial stories of the moment with reporting from Financial Times journalists around the world.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

Corporate America's new role

The purpose of the US corporation has evolved over time, from Henry Ford's mission to benefit the carmaker's employees to Milton Friedman's essay on shareholder primacy. The FT's US business editor, Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, reports on the latest thinking, this time from America's largest business lobby, the Business Roundtable.  Read more on the idea of sustainable investing at ft.com/moralmoney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 05, 201920 min

Disrupting Big Ag

Investors poured $17bn into agricultural food and technology startups in 2018, fuelled by threats to the world's food supply, including climate change and a growing global population. We visit one such startup, Indigo Ag, which is working with farmers to trial its microbial products for healthier crops. Indigo Ag provides microbial seed treatments to farmers for free in exchange for data. The company also sells the seed treatments through its standard commercial model.  With guest...

Aug 20, 201920 min

Luxury's resilient market

Amid concerns about a slowdown in global economic growth, there is one industry telling a completely different story: luxury goods. Aimee goes to Paris to find out why. With guests Harriet Agnew, Paris correspondent for the Financial Times, and Robert Burke, chairman and chief executive of the consultancy Robert Burke Associates. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Aug 07, 201922 min

Paying for the Caesars empire

About 10 years ago, two legendary private equity firms, Apollo Global Management and TPG, teamed up to carry out a leveraged buyout of one of the biggest and most iconic gaming companies, then known as Harrah’s. They financed the purchase by taking advantage of Harrah’s real estate. Now, an obscure regional casino group out of Reno, Nevada is set to scoop up what has become the Caesars Entertainment empire in a deal that is making use of a pretty similar kind of financing. The FT’s Sujeet Indap ...

Jul 24, 201926 min

Renault, Nissan and Fiat Chrysler's quest for a deal

When Fiat Chrysler Automobiles withdrew its proposal for a €33bn merger with France’s Renault it reversed plans to create what could have been the world's third-largest carmaker. The FT's David Keohane, Leo Lewis and Rachel Sanderson tell the story of how the bid came together, how it eventually fell apart and what it means for the future of global carmakers.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jun 25, 201924 min

Warren Buffett's cash dilemma

Over the past 54 years, shares in Berkshire Hathaway have outpaced the broader market. But now the conglomerate is holding onto more than $100bn in cash that it would rather be investing. The FT's Eric Platt guides us through the Berkshire Hathaway operation, and how its 88-year old chairman and chief executive is thinking about the company's future. Read more at FT.com.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jun 04, 201927 min

The unicorn IPO

What it means for a generation of tech companies with huge valuations to be making the shift to the public markets, and why some are doing it by unconventional means.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mar 12, 201919 min

Encore: how €200bn of ‘dirty money’ flowed through a Danish bank

How did Denmark’s Danske Bank find itself at the centre of one of the largest money-laundering scandals the world has ever seen? The FT’s Richard Milne explains. This episode was originally published on October 30, 2018. Read the latest on the Nordic money-laundering scandal at  FT.com . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Mar 05, 201917 min

Encore: Huawei and the fight for 5G

The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, followed months of mounting scrutiny of the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker. The FT's Nic Fildes explains how Huawei grew to be such a big player, and why western intelligence officials are warning against working with the Chinese company on the next generation of mobile technology. This episode was originally published on December 18, 2018. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Feb 26, 201920 min

The long courtship between Sprint and T-Mobile

Sprint and T-Mobile have a long on-again, off-again history. Together the companies serve a combined total of about 30 per cent of the US mobile market. Now, after a third attempt at merging, the companies are awaiting regulatory approval from the Trump administration. The decision could shape the telecoms industry and American consumer options for decades to come.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Feb 19, 201924 min

Has the US bank consolidation wave begun?

Two mid-sized American banks are joining forces in a $66bn merger - BB&T and Suntrust. It is the biggest US bank deal since the financial crisis, and analysts say the deal will up the ante on rival banks to consolidate. The FT's Robert Armstrong and James Fontanella Khan dig into the details of the deal, and what it means for the broader industry.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Feb 12, 201922 min

Suspected £40m fraud at Patisserie Valerie

Shares in the British bakery chain more than doubled from the time it listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2014 to late last year, just before it emerged that its accounts were largely fictitious. The FT's retail correspondent Jonathan Eley walks us through what happened. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 05, 201922 min

The leveraged loan market

There is a corner of the credit market that has started to worry regulators - leveraged loans. How does the $1.2tn leveraged loan market work and why do some say it could pose a risk to the financial system? The FT’s Colby Smith and Joe Rennison explain. Read more at FT.com/debtmachine . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 29, 201921 min

What next for Detroit's carmakers

The future is on the line again for the carmakers known as the "big three": Ford, GM and what is now Fiat Chrysler. Ten years ago the question was whether the carmakers would survive the financial crisis. Today, investors wonder if traditional car companies will be able to make the technological shift to an industry of self-driving, electric and service-focused cars. The FT’s Patti Waldmeir reports. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 22, 201919 min

Pharma raises its bet on biotech

In the past month pharmaceutical companies have spent almost $100bn acquiring biotech companies. The FT's Sarah Neville explains why big pharma is raising its bet on the drug pipelines owned by biotechs, and why analysts expect more consolidation in 2019.  Read more from Sarah at FT.com . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 15, 201919 min

China's Didi adds finance to the mix

In 2017, the Chinese ride-hailing app was the highest valued start-up in the world at $56bn. But after a difficult period in 2018 following the murder of two passengers on its platform and a government crackdown, Didi has made a move to diversify by offering financial services. The FT's Yuan Yang reports.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Jan 08, 201921 min

Huawei and the fight for 5G

The arrest of Meng Wanzhou, Huawei's chief financial officer, followed months of mounting scrutiny of the world's biggest telecoms equipment maker. The FT's Nic Fildes explains how Huawei grew to be such a big player, and why western intelligence officials are warning against working with the Chinese company on the next generation of mobile technology.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 18, 201821 min

IBM's next move

In October, IBM announced it would acquire open source software pioneer Red Hat for $34bn. The deal resonated with Wall Street, but making the two companies work together will be another challenge. The FT’s Richard Waters digs into IBM's history and what its tie-up with Red Hat signals about the future.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Dec 04, 201820 min

The oil sell-off explained

Oil prices plunged below $63 a barrel on Tuesday after weeks of steady declines. The FT's Anjli Raval explains what is behind the souring mood among investors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 21, 201817 min

Investors fear 'peak iPhone'

Apple shares have taken a hit this month amid fears that demand for the iPhone has peaked. Tim Bradshaw explains what is worrying investors.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nov 13, 201821 min

The future of dealmaking with Saudi Arabia

Some of the world’s most influential financiers and executives have spent the past three years courting Saudi Arabia’s dealmaker-in-chief Mohammed bin Salman and his $300bn state investment fund. But the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has turned the pursuit of trophy deals into an exercise in crisis management. The FT's Arash Massoudi explains how the crown prince sought to modernise the Saudi economy with support of the global business elite, and...

Oct 16, 201819 min

The rise and fall of General Electric

GE is one of the greatest names in American business. It was an original member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and at its peak the industrial conglomerate had a market capitalisation of nearly $600bn. But after decades of dealmaking, a weakening power sector is forcing the group's executives to consider radical changes. The FT's Ed Crooks explains.  Review clips: Bloomberg, CNBC, Fox Business Network, PBS News, Euro News.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

Oct 10, 201822 min

Tune in Wednesday

This week's episode of Behind The Money will be available on Wednesday morning, instead of our usual time on Tuesday. Be sure to check back Wednesday morning for a brand episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 08, 201831 sec

Private equity's debt mountain (encore episode)

Private equity has flooded the deal market in recent years, in part due to an era of cheap debt and fund managers on the hunt for greater investment returns. Firms are scooping up stakes in oil pipelines and newspapers — and even dental clinics. With a record $1.8tn in pension and sovereign wealth fund money waiting to be invested, some analysts are asking when private equity’s winning run will come to an end. With the FT's Javier Espinoza. ...

Oct 02, 201820 min

Tilray and the cannabis trade

The Canadian company was the first cannabis producer to make an initial public offering on a US stock exchange, and, after a week of volatile trading, some analysts are asking if investor excitement has gotten ahead of reality. The FT's Nicole Bullock explains. Review clips: Fox Business Network, ABC, CBS, BNN Bloomberg, CNBC, Bloomberg. Music by Podington Bear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 25, 201817 min

On the front lines of the crisis

Nick was a regulator at the London Stock Exchange. Julia was an entrepreneur whose home was foreclosed. Ten years on from the collapse of Lehman Brothers we talk to two people with different perspectives on the lessons of the global financial crisis. Review clips: AP, CBS. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Sep 18, 201824 min

Purdue Pharma's 'one-two' punch

The name “Sackler” adorns museums and art galleries around the world. But the family name has also become tainted by its association with the US opioid crisis, amid accusations that OxyContin, more than any other drug, is responsible for sparking one of the worst public health epidemics of modern times. The FT's David Crow explains how the Sackler family company Purdue Pharma got its hold on the opioid market.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inform...

Sep 11, 201821 min

Following the cannabis money trail (encore episode)

Medical marijuana is legal in 21 countries. In Canada, residents expect they will be able to buy cannabis from dispensaries and pharmacies across the country later this year. Some analysts have valued the legal business at anywhere between $7bn-$20bn, attracting a host of entrepreneurs and investors trying to get in on the action before the market takes off. We talk to two entrepreneurs with two very different plans to capitalise on the boom.  This episode was originally published on June 1...

Sep 04, 201820 min

Khosrowshahi's year at the wheel

A little more than a year ago, Uber's board was in search of a new chief executive. Co-founder Travis Kalanick had resigned from the top job amid allegations of a toxic and sexist company culture, and the board was looking for someone to fix the group's operations and ready it for what is expected to be the tech world's biggest public offering. Behind The Money looks at Dara Khosrowshahi's first year at the helm. With the FT's Shannon Bond.  Review clips: ABC News, WSJ, NBC News, ...

Aug 28, 201820 min