We meet the Chinese property tycoon and multi-millionaire who, along with his then-wife, once moved in the highest echelons of power in Beijing. But the couple fell foul of the Chinese government during Xi Jinping’s inexorable rise to power and in 2017 Desmond’s ex-wife was abducted – he says by the Chinese state. She vanished for two years and even now is restricted in her movements, although she’s never been charged with any crime. Mr Shum now lives in the UK, from where he gave us his extraor...
Sep 12, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The former British colony in South America boasts the world’s fastest-growing economy at the moment – it expanded by 62 per cent last year, according to the International Monetary Fund. The reason is oil. Since 2015, US oil major Exxon and its partners have made a series of massive discoveries in Guyanese waters, catapulting the country into the world’s top 20 in terms of reserves. That’s bringing billions of dollars into the economy but also challenges: how can Guyana avoid the ‘resource curse’...
Sep 10, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Science is all around us but a lot of it can be difficult to understand. Gareth Mitchell speaks to people building careers around helping make science understandable to the general public. We speak to a YouTuber making music about science, a science festival organiser and a science communication consultant who works with different businesses to make science more engaging and easy to access. Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Gareth Mitchell (Image: Ellie Mackay at work. Credit: Ellie Mackay)...
Sep 08, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast It's a rapidly emerging technology that has the potential to solve problems at an incredible pace. At the moment its uses are limited but that hasn’t stopped investment rolling into the sector and businesses from making money as the technology develops around the world. Gareth Mitchell speaks to three different quantum businesses to discuss its viability and its risk. Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane (Image: Quantum entanglement. Credit: Getty Images)...
Sep 07, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We travel to a facility in the south of England to see one of the super-fast computers in action. We’ll find out what quantum computing has the potential to do, what its going to take to make that a reality and importantly whether quantum businesses are making any money... Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Hannah Mullane (Image: A quantum computer. Credit: Oxford Quantum Circuits)
Sep 06, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast For all the exciting developments in the synthetic biology industry, there are also concerns. People can edit genes in their garages these days, so who’s regulating this space? Plus - we’ll hear about the exciting new business models with biology at their core, including one of the first synbio businesses to trade as a public stock - Ginkgo Bioworks. Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield (Image: A petri dish in a lab. Credit: Getty Images)
Sep 05, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s series focusing on business and science, we start things off by looking at the world of synthetic biology. The industry is estimated to be worth around $30bn in the next few years, but how is that money actually made? We speak to businesses across the world to find out how they’ve taken the building blocks of synthetic biology and engineered them into products that we use on a daily basis. Presenter: Gareth Mitchell Producer: Izzy Greenfield (Image: A scientist working with lab gr...
Sep 04, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many of us have drawers and boxes full of beauty products that we never end up finishing. We meet the Nordic start-ups who are trying to cut some of that waste by changing the way we shop. We find out about tech which personalises products, and then makes it 'on demand' rather than in bulk. And will the use of AI actually end up encouraging people to buy more, rather than less? Presented and produced by Maddy Savage (Image: A scientist at Swedish tech start-up Ellure. Credit: BBC)...
Sep 01, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Does the paper industry use too much water? As concern about plastic waste grows, many companies have switched from plastic packaging to paper, but how environmentally friendly is paper production? Uruguay, in South America, has been suffering from drought and its forestry and pulp milling industries are coming under increasing scrutiny for the amount of water used. We’ve been to an enormous new pulp mill in central Uruguay, capable of producing more than two million tonnes of pulp every year, t...
Aug 31, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast How does sleep relate to your job, your income, or your socio-economic status? We look at the impact of a good, and bad night’s rest. We discuss the factors affecting sleep, including access to health care, where and how you live, and how that might influence other aspects of your life. Plus we look at the growing market in devices to ‘cure’ sleep problems. Producer and presenter: Elizabeth Hotson (Image: A man in bed in a deep sleep. Credit: Getty Images)
Aug 30, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast Delegates will soon descend on Saudi Arabia for perhaps the most consequential meeting in UNESCO’s history. With an extended agenda after last year’s cancellation, it’s the first World Heritage Committee meeting to be held in-person for four years. In this episode we examine the so-called ‘UNESCO effect’ - and hear from entrepreneurs around Angkor Wat, in Cambodia, about the mixed consequences of its listing. We also hear from officials in Liverpool, in England, about UNESCO's decision to remove...
Aug 29, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast These tech powerhouses bring in money and jobs but can be environmentally problematic and in Ireland data centres account for almost a fifth of the electricity consumption. We explore how Ireland can keep hold of this valuable industry and make sure it's energy supply isn't affected. Producer / presenter: Leanna Byrne (Image: Data centre; Credit: Getty Images)
Aug 28, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Taylor Swift's Eras tour is predicted to make a record $1 billion - but how? As countries around the world grapple with high inflation, how has Taylor Swift been able to persuade fans to spend money? Olivia Wilson speaks to Brittany Hodak, author of Creating Superfans, to understand the role Swiftomania has played in her commercial and financial success. Tyler Morse is the CEO of MCR, the third largest hotel owner-operator in the United States. He explains how Taylor Swift’s concerts have had a ...
Aug 25, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Many of us started working from home in the coronavirus pandemic - and never went back. Now, office space in many cities around the world is standing empty. We visit Mumbai, New York and London, where an increase in home working means buildings in business districts standing empty. And Singapore, which seems to be bucking the trend, with demand as high as ever. We also hear from the CEO of US-based commercial real estate company Remax - are we witnessing the end of the traditional office? Produc...
Aug 24, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The humble wine cork, once the main way to stop a bottle of wine, had its market share decimated in the 1990’s when screw caps were favoured. However, the problem of 'corked' wine has been almost completely solved and cork is recognised as a more sustainable, if slightly less convenient material for wine makers to use. In this episode we visit the world’s largest cork producing region in Portugal to find out more about how the cork industry has hit the good times once again. We explore which win...
Aug 23, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Working irregular hours, including overnight, means meal times can be disrupted. So what impact does this have on the body and overall health? We hear from workers in Mumbai and Lagos about their experiences, plus get advice from a dietician about what and when you should be eating. Produced and presented by Marie Keyworth. (Image: Workers in a construction camp cutting metal at night. Credit: Getty Images)
Aug 22, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast The government in Bangladesh is trying to modernise its economy and has announced a policy to create digital only banks. The idea is to move away from traditional bricks and mortar banks and provide more financial services to people in remote areas. For fintech companies that operate digital wallets – this is a gamechanger. However, many people in the country don’t have access to smartphones or the internet, so how will these banks work for them and for Bangladesh’s economy? Presenter / producer...
Aug 21, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dive into a world of amazing cakes and cafes, where look and taste combine in the hope of tempting customers to part with their cash for sweet treats. Explore how our tastes and habits are changing when it comes to buying and eating cakes and puddings – and find out why social media is now crucial to the baking and dessert café industry. Presenter / producer: Emb Hashmi Image: Forever Rose cafe; Credit: Ebraheem Al Samadi
Aug 18, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast What’s the best way to help people in need? In the past, humanitarian aid has focused on providing shelter and food, but there’s a growing move towards direct cash payments. We'll take you to Syria, Egypt and Kenya to find out how it works and why it's being embraced. We speak to Rory Stewart, president of the US charity Give Directly, which is based entirely on direct cash payments. And hear from two women who’ve used some of that money to develop their own small businesses in Kenya. Elias Abu ...
Aug 17, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ida Tin coined the term Femtech after she founded the period tracking app, Clue, which has since been downloaded more than 100 million times. We hear how she managed to turn her idea into a business, how she went about funding it over her 10 year stint as CEO and how she sees it evolving as technology becomes more advanced. Producer/Presenter: Hannah Mullane Photo: Ida Tin Credit: Ida Tin
Aug 16, 2023•17 min•Transcript available on Metacast The country is not just facing record-high levels of youth unemployment - more than 20% of 16-24 year olds in urban areas at the latest count. It is also facing growing discontent among many young people about the type of work they can find, often involving long hours, no overtime pay, and insecure contracts. It is prompting some to opt out of the rat race altogether. And many experts think the current problems aren't just prompted by the global slowdown. They're structural. Even the government'...
Aug 15, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is trouble brewing for the world’s second largest economy? China’s exports are down, the property market’s creaking, and millions of young people - more than one in five - are officially classed as unemployed. It's not just the lack of jobs, it's the quality of employment that's now on offer - much of it informal in sectors like hospitality or food delivery. In the first of two programmes assessing the economic challenges, Ed Butler asks, what's gone wrong? Produced and presented by Ed Butler. (...
Aug 14, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa tell us how they turned a side hustle into a full-time business. In 2017 they moved their family from London to Scotland to set up their distillery, creating an African-Scottish business. Presenter/producer Dougal Shaw. (Image: Paul and Jacine Rutasikwa. Credit: BBC)
Aug 11, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ynon Kreiz explains how they transformed Barbie, the well-loved and sometimes controversial doll, into a movie. The boss of one of the world's biggest toy companies also talks about the need to bring more diversity into the Barbie brand, and expand products beyond the toy aisles. Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw (Image: Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken in a still from the movie. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)
Aug 10, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We meet one of the UKs most successful record producers, who was behind hits such as Smooth Operator. He talks to Dougal Shaw about his career so far, his record label, and the future of music. Sir Robin Millar is blind - his sight had totally gone by his mid-thirties - and he talks about the impact that has had on him. And he talks about AI in music. Producer/presenter: Dougal Shaw
Aug 09, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We meet one of the world's leading interior designers. Kelly Hoppen finds design solutions for celebrities including the Beckhams, but also works with luxury brands and businesses too. And she is enthusiastic about people achieving good design on a budget. She talks about growing up in South Africa, and explains how music inspires her work. Producer/presenter Dougal Shaw. (Image: Kelly Hoppen. Credit: BBC)
Aug 08, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Iain Griffin and Dirk Stewart formed their company after a mutual need for more leg room inspired a brainwave. They created the Seatfrog app for train travel, which is disrupting the industry. Dougal Shaw meets them (on a train), and finds out why their business changed from air travel to trains, and moved from Sydney to London. Presenter/producer: Dougal Shaw (Image: Iain Griffin and Dirk Stewart. Credit: BBC)
Aug 07, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast We look into Mexico’s drive to get historical artefacts returned. Find out more about a famous quetzal feather crown believed to have been worn by the great Aztec emperor Moctezuma, it is currently in Austria and we hear from those who want to keep it there, and those campaigning for its return. Presenter / producer: Beth Timmins Image: Moctezuma's headdress; Getty Images
Aug 04, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast On Sunday 6 August 2023 it will be six months since the devastating event which killed more than 50,000 people, injured tens of thousands more, and left hundreds of thousands of people homeless. For Business Daily, Victoria Craig travels to the worst affected region of Hatay. When President Erdoğan visited the disaster area back in February, he vowed to rebuild within a year, so can he keep that promise? Victoria speaks to residents who are still waiting to hear about permanent homes. And we ask...
Aug 03, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast Space agencies and billionaire investors plan to have people living on the Moon or Mars. But those lunar and martian residents will have to grow their own food to survive. Find out how biologists from Florida, Norway and the Netherlands are experimenting to grow crops in regolith, the kind of soil found on the Moon and Mars. It could be very profitable enterprise. Presenter / producer: Russell Padmore Image: Moon and crops; Credit: Getty Images
Aug 02, 2023•18 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
