What does EU membership mean for UK business and how might that change if Britain votes to leave? Business leaders join Evan Davis to discuss how trade agreements and red tape can both help and hinder corporate success. What can Switzerland teach us about trading with Europe and beyond, despite being outside the EU? Guests: Jan Atteslander, EconomieSuisse Julia Gash, CEO, Bidbi Christopher Nieper, Managing Director, David Nieper Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO, Virgin Money Jon Moynihan, Chairman, Ipex C...
May 26, 2016•28 min
Whether it's creating Angry Birds, the best-selling mobile app, or developing the best-selling Alzheimer's drug or discovering one of the world's biggest oil fields in recent years, every company dreams of blockbuster success. But what happens after you hit the jackpot? How do you sustain that level of success? And what's needed to adapt from small start-up to big business? Evan Davis and guests share the secrets of success and explore their experiences of trying to maintain their market positio...
Apr 04, 2016•28 min
Many senior executives now employ personal coaches to help them through their toughest business challenges. Coaches can provide confidential, independent support for senior managers who find life lonely at the top. But shouldn't the boss be capable of making decisions on his or her own? And are coaches sometimes the hidden power behind the senior executive throne? Guests: Gavin Patterson, CEO of BT Group Melanie Richards, Vice Chairman and Partner of KPMG UK Jonathan Bowman-Perks, Coach and Ment...
Mar 17, 2016•28 min
Horse racing is the second most popular spectator sport in the UK but it is also a business. Presenter Evan Davis and guests discuss who makes the money: the horse owners, the jockeys, the race courses or the bookmakers? Guests: Simon Bazalgette, Chief Executive, The Jockey Club Rachel Hood, Director, The Horsemen's Group Ciaran O'Brien, Group Communications Director, William Hill bookmakers Producer: Julie Ball.
Mar 10, 2016•28 min
Global firms like Amazon, Google and Starbucks have been criticised for using clever accounting tricks to reduce their tax bills in the UK. But how much tax should they be paying? Evan Davis and guests discuss the whys and wherefores of the international tax regime, including the role of tax havens. Along the way, they'll digest the "Dutch sandwich" and the "double Irish" tax avoidance devices used by some multinationals. And given the widespread perception that many firms don't pay their fair s...
Mar 03, 2016•28 min
The Bottom Line first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in February 2006. At the time, Tony Blair was Prime Minister, interest rates were 4.5%, petrol was 90 pence a litre and a first class stamp cost 32p (half today's price). In a special edition, to mark ten years since the programme came on air, Evan Davis and guests discuss some of the big changes that have happened in the past decade, including: the global recession, record high and record low oil prices, a technology boom and China's extraordinary ...
Feb 25, 2016•28 min
When you enter personal details onto any website or smartphone app, what happens to it? Where does it get stored, who owns it and who has access to it? These questions are becoming more relevant to ask as we put more details about every facet of our lives onto the internet. With a new piece of legislation passed in the EU dealing with this precise issue, businesses need to be up to speed with their knowledge on effective privacy management Evan Davis and guests discuss why personal data is so va...
Feb 18, 2016•28 min
All businesses rely on customers. So, why do some businesses bend over backwards to keep customers happy, and why do some of them appear not to care? What is the impact of poor customer service on a business and how much does it cost them to invest in improving their infrastructure? Evan Davis discusses dos and don'ts of customer service with an airline, an energy company and a retailer, all of which have tried to completely overhaul their image. Has it worked? Guests: Kenny Jacobs, Chief Market...
Feb 11, 2016•28 min
After the Paris summit on climate change and the global commitment to cut carbon emissions, The Bottom Line is going green - with businesses that generate energy from the sun, the wind - and from cheese. And, whilst the government is committed to getting more of its energy from renewables, Evan Davis and guests discuss why green firms are seeing red over cuts to subsidies they say are vital to update ageing infrastructure. Guests: Juliet Davenport, CEO, Good Energy Jeremy Leggett, Founder, Solar...
Feb 04, 2016•28 min
After recent corporate scandals like VW's emissions' cheating, Tesco's accounting irregularities, Barclays interest-rate rigging, many asked why company board members failed to act. What happened to the checks and balances designed to curb management excesses? Evan Davis and guests look at how company boards operate and how to make them work effectively. They discuss the role of company directors, the skills and experience required and examine why some say 'Beware the charismatic CEO'. Guests: S...
Jan 28, 2016•28 min
Can the Northern Powerhouse solve Britain's North-South economic divide? For now, the Northern Powerhouse is a concept: an idea that towns and cities in the north can unite, forming their own economic hub to rival London and the south east. So how to turn it into a reality? Evan Davis and guests are with an audience at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to discuss what kind of businesses will settle in the north of England and what needs to be done to encourage them to make the move. The...
Nov 19, 2015•28 min
Rewriting the rules: what does it take to be a non-conformist? Evan Davis is joined by a banker, a brewer and a tech entrepreneur as they discuss how success can mean challenging the orthodox way of doing things. Guests: James Watt - Founder, Brewdog Ltd Sarah Wood - Co-founder, Unruly Media Anders Bouvin, CEO, Handelsbanken UK.
Nov 12, 2015•28 min
What does a financial engineer do? A mechanical engineer may design a machine, one that does a task or overcomes an obstacle, but what problems does modern finance solve? Can the clever manipulation of debt, equity or derivatives, really make human beings better off? Some think finance is a bit of a racket, designed to extract money from the enterprise of others; others think modern finance is a miracle that can create value from nothing. Evan Davis and guests try to get to the bottom of this ar...
Nov 06, 2015•28 min
From the design desk to the shop window, how do fast fashion brands deliver the latest trends in double-quick time? Evan Davis and guests discuss fabric, factories and a nimble supply chain. Guests: Catarina Midby, Sustainability manager, H & M; Carol Kane, Co-founder and Joint CEO, Boohoo; Kim Winser, Founder and CEO, Winser London. Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Nov 05, 2015•28 min
Whether it's high-profile sports events or blockbuster art exhibitions, companies like Adidas and Unilever spend millions of pounds on sponsorship - to get their brand associated with sporting or artistic excellence. The global sponsorship market is worth more than 30 billion pounds a year, but what happens when negative publicity - like Fifa's World Cup corruption scandal - starts to tarnish a brand? Evan Davis and guests discuss whether sponsors should walk away or use their influence to press...
Oct 22, 2015•28 min
Companies like Royal Mail, Saga and the AA have recently listed their shares on the stock market. It gives them access to plenty of money to help them grow, but also means they're subject to public scrutiny. Evan Davis and guests discuss why firms decide to float and how they must adapt to becoming a plc. Guests: Martin Clarke, CFO, the AA; Dan Wagner, CEO, Powa Technologies; Gillian Karran-Cumberlege, Co-Founder, Fidelio Partners. Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Oct 15, 2015•28 min
Volkswagen is dealing with a corporate crisis following the emissions rigging scandal. Evan Davis and guests discuss. Guests: Sir John Egan, former CEO, Jaguar, former Chairman, Severn Trent Lord Browne, former CEO, BP Lucy Marcus, CEO, Marcus Venture Consulting Arndt Ellinghorst, Senior MD, Evercore ISI Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Oct 07, 2015•43 min
How do you value something like a painting? What makes one artist worth more than another? Who decides what is in vogue and why do they have so much power in the art world? Evan Davis presents a discussion on taste and value in the art world with a panel including the British artist Grayson Perry. Guests: Grayson Perry - Artist Valeria Napoleone - Collector and Patron Ralph Taylor - Director, UK Board Contemporary Art, Bonhams.
Oct 01, 2015•28 min
Food deflation, the rise of the discount grocers and continuing price wars. Evan Davis and guests discuss who are the long-term winners in the supermarkets' battle to gain market share. Guests: Mark Price, Managing Director, Waitrose Steve Murrells, CEO, Co-operative Foods Kevin Gunter, Chairman, Fulton's Foods Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Jul 23, 2015•28 min
Who needs qualifications for success? Three business leaders tell Evan Davis how they made it to the top after leaving school with just one A'Level between them all. Two of the guests explain how, having dyslexia and being labelled failures at school, made them even more determined to make a success of their lives. And they'll explore whether the skills to be an entrepreneur can be taught in the classroom. Guests: Jo Malone, CEO, Jo Loves Gary Grant, CEO, The Entertainer Mark Featherstone-Witty,...
Jul 16, 2015•28 min
Despite widespread predictions of their demise and amid falling numbers of readers, newspapers are still with us. How are they adapting to the challenges of digital technologies? The industry is split on the issue of whether or not to charge readers for online. What is the best business model for newspapers to survive and prosper? Evan Davis and guests discuss. The guests this week are: John Ridding, Chief Executive of the Financial Times; Ashley Highfield, Chief Executive of the Johnson Press a...
Jul 09, 2015•28 min
Despite widespread predictions of their demise and amid falling numbers of readers, newspapers are still with us. How are they adapting to the challenges of digital technologies? The industry is split on the issue of whether or not to charge readers for online. What is the best business model for newspapers to survive and prosper? Evan Davis and guests discuss. The guests this week are: John Ridding, Chief Executive of the Financial Times; Ashley Highfield, Chief Executive of the Johnson Press a...
Jul 09, 2015•28 min
The British love fast food. Each year we munch our way through thirty billion pounds worth. On The Bottom Line this week Evan Davis and guests discuss the burgeoning burger market. There are new challengers to the traditional big boys, like Five Guys, who claim to offer better quality burgers and a "casual dining experience." Whilst one old famous brand from the 1970s, Wimpy, is attempting to make a come-back with re-branded restaurants and menu. But what's the recipe for success in this already...
Jul 02, 2015•28 min
How to spot the next Google, Paypal or LinkedIn? Three successful entrepreneurs tell Evan Davis how they use their own money to back promising start-ups. Guests: Sherry Coutu, founder, Cambridge Business Angels Fiona Cruickshank, founder, Gabriel Investors Suzanne Biegel, founder, Clearly Social Angels Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Jun 25, 2015•28 min
Outsourcing has had a bad press over the years: What with taxpayers being charged for tagging offenders who were dead, the fiasco over security at the London Olympics and the earlier trend for companies to shift operations to call centres in India. Evan Davis and guests look beyond the negative headlines to examine the pros and cons of getting an outside supplier to do some of your work. And they'll find out how outsourcing has enabled the creators of a chilli sauce to expand from the garden she...
Jun 18, 2015•28 min
The scandal at FIFA is just the latest story of corporate corruption to dominate the news. What steps can businesses take to avoid getting caught up in corruption, particularly in countries and sectors where bribery is the norm? What is legitimate business conduct and what crosses the line into illegality? Evan Davis and his guests discuss: Emma Sharma, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer for the Supreme Group Hugh Miles of The Al Shafie Miles Consultancy Leo Martin of Good Corporation Producer:...
Jun 11, 2015•28 min
If your business venture doesn't succeed, how can you be sure it's worth trying again before admitting defeat? More than 50% of businesses fail within 5 years, yet for many, failure is a necessary part of success. Even Bill Gates and Steve Jobs didn't get it right first time. Evan Davis's guests discuss the important lessons they've learned from their business mistakes and speak candidly about the personal and financial impact of failing. How do you overcome the stigma of failure and what skills...
Jun 05, 2015•28 min
Why is UK productivity lower than in many other countries? Evan Davis begins a new series of The Bottom Line by looking at the productivity problem. The programme asks what productivity really means and how different sectors go about measuring it. Evan hears from three chief executives in three different sectors: manufacturing; advertising and health. How can productivity be measured and improved in these diverse sectors? How, for example, should the productivity of a doctor or nurse be measured...
May 28, 2015•28 min
Phone hacking, financial mis-selling and fraud: How do companies recover from scandal and negative headlines? Evan Davis and guests discuss the skills and strategy required to bounce back. Guests: Niall Booker, CEO, Co-operative Bank Mike Darcey, CEO, News UK Stephen Hester, CEO, RSA Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Mar 26, 2015•28 min
Premier League Chief Executive Richard Scudamore joins Evan Davis and guests to discuss the economics and business of football. In light of the recent Premier League TV deal, worth a staggering £5 billion pounds, this week Evan and guests discuss its implications for football both in the UK and in other markets. Whilst the top players can expect even bigger salaries, how will the deal impact on fans and clubs outside the top division? Three top football executives discuss including Premier Leagu...
Mar 19, 2015•28 min
