The Big Interview

In our first episode of a special series on the US election, Monocle’s Tomos Lewis sits down with Ben Rhodes, the former speechwriter, foreign-policy adviser and deputy national security adviser to President Barack Obama. He talks about how the US has changed since the Obama years and about his new podcast “Missing America”. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For more than 40 years, the Swiss artist and photographer has worked for all the major fashion houses and publications including ‘Vogue’ and ‘Vanity Fair’. The subject of his forthcoming book is his grandfather, Alfred Comte, a legendary Swiss aviation pioneer. He sits down with Tyler Brûlé to reflect on the golden age of commercial air travel and on the extraordinary life and achievements of his grandfather.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now a columnist for ‘The New Yorker’, the prize-winning journalist and author spent over two decades covering the resurgence of totalitarianism in Russia. Gessen’s latest book ‘Surviving Autocracy’, turns a lens on the US. Andrew Mueller spoke to Gessen about meeting Putin, Donald Trump’s America and how to find the tools, and the language, to recognise an autocracy, and survive it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the greatest ever players of Australian Rules football, former Sydney Swans captain Adam Goodes was also named Australian of the Year in 2014 for his advocacy for his fellow Indigenous Australians. In a rare interview, he talks to Andrew Mueller about connecting with his aboriginal roots, confronting racism on and off the football field and about changing things for the better for future generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Philosopher and author AC Grayling is one of the foremost thinkers of our time. He is founder of and master at the New College of the Humanities and has written and edited more than 30 books. He sat down with Monocle’s Georgina Godwin to talk religion, humanism and the role ethics can play in our lives, electoral reform and more. All of which are discussed in his latest book, ‘The Good State: On the Principles of Democracy’.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The twice former prime minister of Australia speaks to Andrew Mueller about his life in politics – the stakes, the achievements and how precarious the job of PM can be. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter is one of the world’s pre-eminent classical soloists. For 40 years the German performer has collaborated with distinguished composers and musicians, winning numerous awards. She talks to Monocle’s Robert Bound about Beethoven, her Stradivarius and sending biscuits to John Williams. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Monocle editor in chief Tyler Brûlé asks leading drivers of change what challenges and opportunities lie ahead. In this week’s episode, Bernd Bauer, CEO of Swiss premium leisure carrier, Edelweiss Air, discusses risk mitigation as we take to the skies again and how to get the aviation industry’s optimism back. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, Peter Maurer, joins Tyler Brûlé to discuss the shifting funding models for international institutions, the importance of brand on the frontline and reshaping humanitarian aid and diplomacy in a post-coronavirus world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.