The Bottom Line
BBC Radio 4
The definitive business podcast from the BBC. Each week, the BBC's Evan Davis is joined by bosses, entrepreneurs and industry experts, to lift the lid on how their businesses work, and what it’s like to be in charge. They discuss a big issue, a big challenge, or a big question facing their industry. From managing AI to managing millennials, from supermarkets to supercharging a new product.And our guests will share their stories of success and failure along the way. Podcasts are published every Thursday. And as well as being a podcast, we are also available every Thursday afternoon and Tuesday evening on BBC Radio 4. You can now also listen to The Bottom Line on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play The Bottom Line”. It works on most smart speakers.The Bottom Line has published a spin off series - Decisions That Made Me - where Evan asks entrepreneurs and business leaders about the most crucial moments in their lives and careers. You can watch these episodes here: https://t.ly/oJ8lW. Got a question or a comment? Get in touch with Evan and the team on email at bottomline@bbc.co.uk.The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University and is an EcoAudio certified production.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 14, 2016 • 28min
Brave or Naive?
Is escaping the rat race always a good idea? Many people dream of giving up the day job to start their own business - and we often hear about the success stories. But does everyone have what it takes? Evan Davis and guests compare the dream and the reality. GUESTS:Luke Johnson, Entrepreneur and Founder of Risk Capital PartnersPaula Fry, former Director, Fashion Seeker UK Sarah Meredith, Sole Trader, Rock CakesDeirdre Critchley, former Director, Jammy Cow Producer: Elizabeth Cassin.
Jul 7, 2016 • 28min
The Price of Life
It's hard to put a value on a human life. When you're well, perhaps you don't think about it. But if you're ill, getting access to the right drugs, whatever the cost, is a priority. But the NHS does not have a bottomless pit of money. And some medicines are judged too expensive to be freely available, so patients miss out on treatments that could save or extend their lives. There are usually two villains of the piece: The drugs companies for charging too much; the NHS for not stumping up the cash. In this edition, Evan Davis and guests explore how pharmaceutical companies price their drugs, the role of the NHS in deciding how much the medicines are worth and, in the case of generic or non-branded drugs, they'll ask whether competition is working properly to keep down the NHS medicines bill. Guests:
Erik Nordkamp, Managing Director, Pfizer UKCarole Longson, Director of the Centre for Health Technology Evaluation at NICE, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence Warwick Smith, Director-General, British Generic Manufacturers AssociationProducer: Sally Abrahams.
Jun 30, 2016 • 28min
Life after Brexit
How will the vote to leave the EU affect big and small businesses in the UK? Evan Davis and guests discuss trade deals, tariffs and 'passporting' rights that allow UK-based firms to sell financial products and services from Britain to EU customers. They'll also explore how companies can turn the current economic uncertainty into business opportunities. Guests:Anne Richards, CEO, M & G Investments Juergen Maier, CEO Siemens UKJulia Gash, Founder and CEO, BIDBI Jan Atteslander, EconomieSuisseProducer: Sally Abrahams.
Jun 23, 2016 • 28min
How to Negotiate
Most of us negotiate in some form or other every day - whether it's about who walks the dog, how much screen-time the kids can have or when to visit the in-laws. But too often we treat it like a competitive sport, with only one aim: to win. Which can backfire, especially when you need co-operation later on. It's much the same in business - negotiating to win at all costs is unlikely to result in a long-term, sustainable business relationship. So how to achieve a win-win situation when both sides leave satisfied and ready to do business with each other again? Evan Davis and guests explore the skills that can help settle disputes between individuals, companies and even nations. They'll discuss when to walk away from the negotiating table and they'll find out what happens when doing a deal is literally a matter of life and death. Guests: Tim Cullen, Director, Oxford Programme on Negotiation, Said Business SchoolBridie Warner-Adsetts, COO, Naylor IndustriesSue Williams, Hostage Negotiator Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Jun 16, 2016 • 28min
The Finance of Films
The business of film. Evan Davis follows the money trail from script to screen. With the help of a top independent film producer, a film distributor and the head of a top cinema chain, Evan discovers who takes the risks and who makes the money behind the scenes. GuestsAlex Hamilton, Managing Director, Entertainment One UKElizabeth Karlsen, Producer and co-founder, Number9 FilmsTim Richards, CEO, Vue International.
Jun 9, 2016 • 28min
Old Dog, New Tricks
It is not easy to teach new tricks to the business world's old dogs. The latest fashionable solution for big corporations slowed down by bureaucracy and traditional ways of thinking is to incubate tech start-ups. The idea is that the big corporation benefits from the creativity and "can do" attitude of the start-up. In return the start-up gets funding, professional advice and help navigating the corporate world to reach the top decision makers. The model is known as "corporate acceleration" and it is growing in popularity. Evan Davis hears how it works. GUESTS: Jess Williamson, Director, Techstars with Barclays FinTech AcceleratorDavid Fogel, Head of Accelerator & Deputy Director at Wayra UKEmily Forbes, Founder, SeenitProducer: Julie Ball.
Jun 2, 2016 • 28min
Profit or plunder?
Asset management - or asset stripping? This week Evan Davis asks when making a profit from running a business becomes simple plundering.In business, things go wrong at the best of times ... mistakes are made, luck turns bad. But sometimes things can also go wrong not because of bad luck, but because someone makes money out of failure.The "profit or plunder" question has been raised by events at BHS. It was struggling, facing intense competition in a tough retail environment. But the owner took quite a bit of money out of the company. And the staff pension fund went into deficit. Sir Phillip Green, who was then in charge, sold the business to an inexperienced former bankrupt who didn't make it work and it is now in administration.This has made a lot of people angry - but aside from BHS, how do we distinguish between a case that is bad luck, a bad apple, or a system that is badly designed?Joining Evan Davis in the Bottom Line studio this week are Bruce Davis of peer-to-peer lender Abundance, Breffni Walsh of Brands Are Best and Garry Wilson of private equity firm Endless LLP.
May 26, 2016 • 28min
EU Referendum
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, BidbiChristopher Nieper, Managing Director, David NieperJayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO, Virgin Money Jon Moynihan, Chairman, Ipex Capital Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Apr 4, 2016 • 28min
Life after a Blockbuster
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 position. Guests:Kati Levoranta, CEO, Rovio Entertainment (creators of Angry Birds) Dr David Jefferys, Global Senior Vice President, Eisai PharmaceuticalsJón Ferrier, CEO, Gulf Keystone Petroleum Producer: Sally Abrahams.
Mar 17, 2016 • 28min
Lonely at the Top?
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 GroupMelanie Richards, Vice Chairman and Partner of KPMG UKJonathan Bowman-Perks, Coach and MentorProducer: Ruth Edwards.
