Intelligence Squared: Business

In this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared, Chris Hirst cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership. In this episode, Chris speaks to theatre director Sir Nicholas Hytner. Previously Artistic Director of the National Theatre, his major successes include Miss Saigon, The History Boys, and One Man, Two Guvnors. Under Hytner’s leadership, the National Theatre innovated with Sunday openings, live cinema broadcasts of plays around the world, and reduced price ticket seasons. In 2017, he founded the Bridge Theatre, where he is currently directing Guys and Dolls. Chris and Nicholas discuss his early life in Manchester, the unique challenges of leadership in a rehearsal room, and what is needed to revitalise the arts sector in Britain. Chris Hirst is the author of the award-winning book, No Bullsh*t Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader Is You. Chris’ latest book, No Bullsh*t Change, is published on June 1 2023. His brand new online leadership training programme is available on his website (www.chris-hirst.com) Connect with Chris Hirst on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishirst/), Twitter (@chrishirst) & Instagram (@chrishirst_leadership).Watch exclusive content and original videos from Chris Hirst on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNC4qT90ArKOuKV8B0LWTWA)This podcast was produced and edited by Isabella Soames.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared, Chris Hirst cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership. In this episode, Chris speaks to Kate Mosse, the award winning novelist, playwright and non-fiction writer. She is the author of nine novels and short story collections, and her books have been translated into 38 languages and published in 40 different countries. She’s also the Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Fiction, the largest annual celebration of womens’ writing in the world. She has been Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre and Deputy Chair of the National Theatre. Kate’s latest book, Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries: How Women (Also) Built the World is a celebration of unheard and under-heard women’s history, and she joins Chris to share some of the remarkable stories she uncovered along the way. Chris Hirst is the author of the award-winning book, No Bullsh*t Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader Is You. Chris’ latest book, No Bullsh*t Change, is published on June 1 2023. His brand new online leadership training programme is available on his website (www.chris-hirst.com) Connect with Chris Hirst on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishirst/), Twitter (@chrishirst) & Instagram (@chrishirst_leadership).Watch exclusive content and original videos from Chris Hirst on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNC4qT90ArKOuKV8B0LWTWA)This podcast was produced and edited by Isabella Soames.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the face of it, Michael Welch OBE seems to have it all: he’s the President and CEO of America’s largest tire distributor, and he sold his previous business – Blackcircles – to Michelin for £50 million in 2015. But, Michael’s start in life was not straightforward. Adopted as a baby and stymied by dyslexia and dyscalculia, he ended up working in a local garage, having left school at fifteen with no qualifications. Redundancy followed, but, supported by a grant from the Prince’s Trust, he set up his first business aged seventeen. Michael’s inspirational story is one of resilience, determination, and, crucially, a clear appetite for risk – be it writing a letter to business legend Sir Terry Leahy early in his career, which led to mentorship, friendship, and financial investment; leaving a role running Kwikfit’s e-commerce with only a month’s salary to begin all over again, from scratch; or, moving his young family to the US, compelled by the prospect of cracking a new market. ‘Luck,’ Michael says, ‘follows risk – in almost all cases.’ Join us for the latest episode of the Futureverse in which Y TREE’s Head of Brand and Marketing Harriet Johnston speaks to Michael Welch OBE about his relationship with risk, and his journey as an entrepreneur so far. The Futureverse is brought to you by Intelligence Squared in partnership with Y TREE. The past is in your head. The future is in your hands. For more information visit y-tree.com/futureverse #financialfreedom #financialrisk #personalfinance #transparency #personalrisklevel—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared, Chris Hirst cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership. In this episode, Chris speaks to Justine Roberts, the founder and CEO of Mumsnet to talk about the journey of building Mumsnet into the phenomenon it is today, along with the unique challenges of leading a community driven business. Chris Hirst is the author of the award-winning book, No Bullsh*t Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader Is You. Chris’ latest book, No Bullsh*t Change, is published on June 1 2023. His brand new online leadership training programme is available on his website (www.chris-hirst.com) Connect with Chris Hirst on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishirst/), Twitter (@chrishirst) & Instagram (@chrishirst_leadership).Watch exclusive content and original videos from Chris Hirst on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNC4qT90ArKOuKV8B0LWTWA)This podcast was produced and edited by Isabella Soames.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared today.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is financial risk? Why is it important to set a financial risk level? What is your financial risk level? These are questions we often assume are best avoided – many of us go through life burying our heads in the sand, giving any kind of financial risk as wide a berth as possible.  But, in investing, risk is crucial. In this episode, Harriet Johnston Y TREE’s Head of Brand and Marketing is joined by Johnnie Hampel, Y TREE’s co-founder and Head of Client Relationships and Nic Humphries, Senior Partner and Executive Chairman at Hg Capital, Europe’s largest investor in software and services, to unpack these questions and more. From the outside, both Nic and Johnnie are individuals who seem to have a high appetite for financial risk. But, as this episode reveals, neither think of themselves as such. Both have diminished their risk level through a deep knowledge and understanding of their respective fields. Join us for a fascinating insight into this most fundamental of investment principles – and if this episode prompts you to consider your own personal risk level, visit y-tree.com to find out more about Y TREE helps their clients ensure that they are adopting an approach to risk that fits their life and outlook.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New from Intelligence Squared. Introducing VS, a light-hearted podcast about the little debates that are always a big deal to someone. Arsenal VS Spurs. McDonald’s VS KFC. Peep Show VS The Office. 80s VS 90s. And many more. Our host Coco Khan invites experts and fans to go head-to-head on the timeless debates that form the lifeblood of friendships. Who wins? You decide with our weekly vote. Tune in to new episodes every Friday.Search VS wherever you get your podcasts visit https://intelligencesquared.com/vs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we bring you Episode 1, Season Four of No Bullsh*t Leadership. In this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared, Chris Hirst cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership. In this episode, Chris speaks to Bruce Daisley, a bestselling author and technology leader. Bruce is regarded as one of the most respected thought leaders on the subject of workplace culture and the future of work. His business career saw him spend 12 years running Twitter in Europe, leaving as the most senior leader at the company outside of the US. Bruce is the author of two books: the Sunday Times bestseller Fortitude, and The Joy of Work, which was a Financial Times Book of the Month and was shortlisted for the CMI Management Book of the Year. Chris Hirst is the author of the award-winning book, No Bullsh*t Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader Is You. Chris’ latest book, No Bullsh*t Change, is published on June 1 2023. His brand new online leadership training programme is available on his website (www.chris-hirst.com) Connect with Chris Hirst on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishirst/), Twitter (@chrishirst) & Instagram (@chrishirst_leadership).Watch exclusive content and original videos from Chris Hirst on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNC4qT90ArKOuKV8B0LWTWA)This podcast was produced and edited by Isabella Soames.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The episode is part two of our live event, System Error: Should We Fix Capitalism or Abandon It?Here Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times, Martin Wolf and Greek politician and Economist Yanis Varoufakis continue their debate on the future of capitalism. In his new book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, Wolf argues that democratic capitalism remains the best system for human flourishing, while Varoufakis advocates for a post-capitalist world without banks, billionaires, or tech giants. BBC journalist and broadcaster, Ritula Shah, was our host for the night.Part one of this event came out in our last episode and is available now to all our listeners. Do take a listen to that first if you can.Part three is available exclusively to subscribers, along with a special bonus episode from our series Bright Sparks, where we’ll be hearing from both Yanis and Martin on the creative ideas that make them tick.This event originally took place at the Tabernacle in London on February 9th 2023 and was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye, with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be about. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us at @intelligence2. At Intelligence Squared we’ve got our own online streaming platform, Intelligence Squared+ and we’d love you to give it a go. It’s packed with more than 20 years’ worth of video debates and conversations on the world’s most important topics as well as exclusive podcast content. Tune in to live events, ask your questions or watch on-demand, totally ad-free with hours of discussion to dive into. Visit intelligencesquaredplus.com to start watching today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the UK, more than a third of us struggle to talk to anyone about money, with one in ten not even willing to discuss finances with their partner. Yet, opening up conversations about money, learning the tools and techniques for making these conversations productive, and understanding the pressure points around an individual’s financial situation can be totally life-changing. Wealth gaps between families; financial issues between couples; young people with large inheritances; sudden lifestyle changes; these are just some of the situations in which being able to successfully navigate conversations about money is key to happy and healthy relationships, with each other, and with our finances.In this episode, Y TREE’s CEO Stuart Cash and Head of Brand and Marketing Harriet Johnston are joined by Oliver James, psychologist and author of “Affluenza” and The Family Wealth Mentor, Diana Chambers, who is committed to helping her clients manage their wealth in emotionally intelligent ways to unpick, and shine a light on, some of the thorniest – but so often undiscussed – topics surrounding money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode brings you part one of our live event, System Error: Should We Fix Capitalism or Abandon It?Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times, Martin Wolf, and Greek Politician and Economist, Yanis Varoufakis, debate their views on the future of capitalism. In his new book, The Crisis of Democratic Capitalism, Wolf argues that democratic capitalism remains the best system for human flourishing, while Varoufakis advocates for a post-capitalist world without banks, billionaires, or tech giants. BBC journalist and broadcaster, Ritula Shah, was our host for the night.Parts two and three of this event are available ad-free for subscribers now. For our listeners who don’t subscribe, part two will be available in our next episode. We also have a special bonus episode for subscribers from our series Bright Sparks, where we’ll be hearing from both Yanis and Martin on the creative ideas that make them tick.This event originally took place at the Tabernacle in London on February 9th 2023 and was produced by Executive Producer Hannah Kaye, with editing by Executive Producer Rowan Slaney.—We’d love to hear your feedback and what you think we should talk about next, who we should have on and what our future debates should be. Send us an email or voice note with your thoughts to podcasts@intelligencesquared.com or Tweet us @intelligence2. And if you’d like to support our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations, as well as ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content, early access and much more, become a supporter of Intelligence Squared.Just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices