
The Bottom Line
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.
Latest episodes

Mar 7, 2024 • 42min
In the eye of a crisis
Evan Davis makes up crisis management scenarios to see how three CEOs handle a business emergency. To make it more realistic none of the guests know what the predicaments are before speaking to Evan.Guests:
Kathryn Jacob, CEO of Pearl and Dean
Dame Inga Beale, former CEO of Lloyd's of London
Justin King, former CEO of Sainsbury'sProduction Team:
Presenter: Evan Davis
Editor: Matt Willis
Producer: Simon Tulet & Paige Neal-Holder
Sound: Sarah Hockley & Rod Farquhar

Feb 29, 2024 • 33min
Rethinking retirement
A typical career, for many, involves some kind of progression, or at least the expectation of it, until we stop and retire. But is there a better model?Evan Davis and guests discuss whether more of us should think about easing into retirement by taking more junior roles, going part time, or switching profession altogether, instead of stepping off a career cliff edge when we reach pension age. Could this expand the number of job opportunities for older workers, whilst also helping younger workers push through the ranks?Stepping back isn’t an option open to all, though, and there could be big implications for pensions, so how should older workers begin to calculate if, or when, it might be possible?
Evan is joined by:Matthew Rideout, founder of Knead & Desire Bakehouse;
Sir Howard Davies, chairman of NatWest Group;
Zoe Ashdown, head of culture and people engagement at AXA UK and Ireland.Thanks also to the listeners who sent in voice notes, and to everyone else who emailed bottomline@bbc.co.ukPRODUCTION TEAM:Producers: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: James Beard and Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: An older man laughing and looking at a laptop with a young woman in a workshop. Credit: Alys Tomlinson/Getty Images)

Feb 22, 2024 • 35min
Where's the life in nightlife?
The UK’s biggest nightclub operator recently announced the closure of around half of its venues, and with them almost 500 jobs. REKOM UK, which owns the Atik and Pryzm brands, blamed the cost of living crisis hurting its customers, along with increased operating costs. But is there something else going on? According to the industry association the number of nightclubs in the UK has more than halved in the last decade, so have younger people – nightclubs’ core customers – lost interest in drinking and dancing the night away? Are landlords eyeing up healthier returns from these enormous spaces by turning them into flats? And how are the remaining venues evolving to attract these, and sometimes older, customers?Evan Davis is joined by:Peter Marks, chairman of REKOM UK;
Mike Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association;
Jo Cox-Brown, CEO of Night Time Economy Solutions.PRODUCTION TEAM:Producers: Simon Tulett and Nick Holland
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A crowd of people dancing and waving their arms in the air. Credit: Getty Images)

Feb 15, 2024 • 41min
Navigating the Say-Do Gap
It’s easy for people to say they want to buy a particular product, perhaps in the name of sustainability. But how often do individuals actually follow through with these well-meaning intentions? Academics regularly observe a difference between what consumers say they want to do and what they actually do.
The gap can cause problems for businesses when they're trying to figure out how to serve their customers. Evan Davis is joined by a panel of business leaders to discuss how they bridge this divide. Guests:
Andreas Chatzidakis, professor of marketing in the centre for research into sustainability, Royal Holloway, University of London
Jake Pickering, senior manager for agriculture, Waitrose
Marsha Smith, deputy CEO, IKEA UK
Toby Clark, vice president of insights, MintelProduction team:
Producers: Simon Tulett, and Nick Holland
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Rosie Strawbridge
The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.

Feb 8, 2024 • 35min
Feedback
It's useful to know how you're doing at work, but feedback from managers and colleagues can often be unhelpful, upsetting, or even non-existent. So what's the best way to give and receive it?Evan Davis and guests discuss some top techniques, particularly in the tricky area of negative feedback, and the importance of training managers in how to have these conversations. But feedback isn't just about managers - we learn the best ways for employees to receive and act on it. Plus, how frequently should an employee's performance be measured - we discuss the pros and cons of the annual appraisal - and whether technology helps or hinders.Evan Davis is joined by:Catherine Hearn, UK HR director, Amazon
Katie Obi, chief people officer, Advanced
Margaret Cheng, HR consultant, executive coach and author of 'Giving Good Feedback'PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Graham Puddifoot and Hal Haines
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A woman and a man talking at a desk. Credit: Vladimir Vladimirov, Getty Images)

Feb 1, 2024 • 34min
Meat
UK consumers are eating less meat than at any point since records began 50 years ago, according to the latest government figures, so how are farmers, processors and retailers responding?The cost of living crisis is part of the reason for a recent drop-off in demand, but warnings about meat's impact on the planet and our health might also play a role, and plant-based alternatives have been eating into meat’s market share in recent years. So does the industry feel under attack, or are they adapting their businesses and their products to meet these challenges? And what does it take to get an animal from a field to our plate anyway?Evan Davis is joined by:Anna Longthorp, of Anna’s Happy Trotters;
Phil Hambling, head of CSR at ABP Food Group;
Charlotte Mitchell, owner of Charlotte’s Butchery. PRODUCTION TEAM:Producer: Simon Tulett
Researcher: Paige Neal-Holder
Editor: Matt Willis
Sound: Rod Farquhar and Neil Churchill
Production co-ordinator: Rosie StrawbridgeThe Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University.(Picture: A butcher arranging meat at store window in Leeds. Credit: Reza Estakhrian/Getty Images)

Jan 25, 2024 • 36min
Many unhappy returns
Major fashion brands are charging for returns or banning customers who frequently return products. The podcast explores the challenges and costs of handling returns in the retail industry, including the impact on profitability. It also discusses what happens to returned items, the issue of wardrobeing and returns fraud, and advocates for a fundamental change in return handling to address negative impacts on the environment and economy.

Jan 18, 2024 • 40min
Bringing your 'whole self' to work
The podcast explores the concept of bringing your authentic self to work and discusses the pros and cons. It delves into the legal aspects of discrimination in the workplace and highlights the importance of embracing individual complexities. The episode also discusses the need for proportionality in implementing workplace rules and explores the concept of headwinds and tailwinds in personal identity. It features the personal experiences of a childhood sexual abuse survivor and emphasizes the importance of supporting conversations and employee well-being.

Nov 16, 2023 • 29min
Meetings
On the agenda for the final programme of the current series is meetings. Virtual or in person, it's difficult to avoid a work meeting. So how do you ensure a good meeting? What should their purpose be, how many people should attend, who should speak and when? Evan Davis and guests discuss. GUESTSDave Brittain, Business Development Director, Amazon Fashion EuropePhil Jones, MD Brother UKDr. Sarah Woolley, Senior Research Fellow, Warwick Business School CLIPS Series 3 Episode 3 W1AWriter: John Morton Rob Mayhew
Brother Meeting Manifesto
Writer: Rob Mayhew PRODUCTION TEAMProducer: Julie Ball
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Rod Farquhar and James Beard
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman

Nov 9, 2023 • 35min
Blockbuster drugs
The podcast discusses the creation and pricing of blockbuster drugs, focusing on recent examples such as Wegovy and Ozempic. It explores the challenges in determining the reasonable price for new medicines. Guests include Sir Patrick Vallance, Ruth McKernan, David Brown, and Natasha Loder. The chapters cover topics like the development of HIV drugs, the story behind Viagra, AI and data analysis in drug development, and the progression of treatments for rare diseases.