Behind the Money

In this podcast, The Russian Banker, Part 1: The Raid, the hosts explore the story of Sergei Leontiev, a Russian banker whose life takes a dramatic turn when his banking business is confiscated by corrupt officials. They discuss his asylum application, his fall from grace, the raid on his office, his decision to flee Russia, and the credibility of his story. This three-part miniseries reveals the truth behind Sergei's ordeal.

Who is Sergei Leontiev? To the US asylum system, he’s an exiled Russian banker who was persecuted by the state and forced to flee. To Russia, he’s said to be responsible for massive fraud. On The Russian Banker, a new series from the Financial Times, reporters Courtney Weaver and Stefania Palma try to uncover the truth, and find a story that tells us about Russia today and how people in the west build stories about who’s good and who’s bad. The Russian Banker is a special series that will run on the Behind the Money podcast starting Aug. 30. Listen to The Russian Banker by subscribing to the Behind the Money podcast here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast discusses the downfall of FTX, how Binance struggled to capitalize on it, and its regulatory concerns. It also explores the rise of Binance and its founder's leadership, while discussing the growth and challenges faced by the cryptocurrency exchange.

Share buybacks have become a highly debated topic in financial circles. The podcast explores the reasons behind their popularity, the controversy surrounding their use, and the potential benefits of new regulation. It also discusses the recent decline in share buybacks and the ongoing debate over prioritizing shareholder value versus long-term growth.

For decades, the global centre for oil trading has been Geneva, Switzerland. But Russia’s war in Ukraine changed that. Sanctions have made it harder for western traders to move Russian oil. Now, traders are flocking to a new trading hub that has no restrictions on oil from Russia: the United Arab Emirates. The FT’s energy correspondent Tom Wilson explains how this shift has helped the UAE replace Switzerland, and whether the global energy industry is shifting away from western economies. Plus, do you have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show. Record a voice message here and we may even play it on the show: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07Update: A new version of this episode was uploaded on August 9, 2023 to correct that Fujairah is roughly an hour’s drive east from Dubai, not west.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:How Dubai became ‘the new Geneva’ for Russian oil tradeSwitzerland questions oil trader over sidestep of Russian sanctionsLetter: Energy trading is opaque — and that suits Big OilSwitzerland/Paramount: block loopholes which swerve oil sanctions- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Tom Wilson (@thomas_m_wilson) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s a new club coming to women’s professional football in the United States. Next season will see the debut of Bay FC, out of northern California. Aly Wagner, a former player on the US women’s national team, explains how she helped get the club off the ground with an investment model that has never been used in US professional sports before. We explore how this funding model could change the landscape for American sports. You’ll also hear from the FT’s US sports business correspondent Sara Germano about whether this very European model is moving across the pond.Plus, do you have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show.Record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Sixth Street commits $125mn to buy new US women’s football clubWhy investors are cashing in on women’s sportWhat private equity means for footballUK women’s football needs ‘strategic’ investor to sustain growth- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Sara Germano (@germanotes), Saffeya Ahmed (@saffeya-ahmed) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Under “normal” circumstances, economists and analysts study a variety of specific indicators to understand what’s happening with the US economy. But lately, those indicators have been sending mixed signals. The FT’s US financial commentator Robert Armstrong explains why they’re wonky and how that’s led him to a different data source to help him understand the economy.Plus, have your own burning questions about business or finance? Send us your questions and we may use them in a future show! Record a voice message here: https://sayhi.chat/rmc2b Or, email Michela at michela.tindera@ft.com, or message her on Twitter at @mtindera07- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Recession odds fall, a bitThere is more slack in labour markets than we thinkAn ‘immaculate disinflation’ in the US is not guaranteedStocks rise on robust US bank earnings and ECB rates signalListen to the Unhedged podcastRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

About 30 years ago, an Australian investment company called Macquarie figured out how to turn public utilities into lucrative assets. This strategy helped catapult the company into the biggest infrastructure investor in the world. Now, its services range from delivering tap water to London to transporting gas across the United States. But recently it has emerged that one of Macquarie’s former assets, Thames Water, is struggling, and the utility’s consumers are feeling the consequences. We sit down with the FT’s infrastructure correspondent Gill Plimmer to discuss what we can learn from Thames Water’s troubles and what happens when private investments meet a public necessity. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Managed by Macquarie: the Australian group with a grip on global infrastructureThe dangers of asset managers when it comes to long-term infrastructureHow the Thames Water-gate burstThames Water travails threaten to plunge privatised sector into crisis- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Gill Plimmer (@gillplimmer1) and Topher Forhecz (@ForheczT)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Frances Haugen was just another Silicon Valley tech worker until she decided to speak up about what was happening inside Facebook. Now she’s written a book about her experience titled The Power of One: How I Found the Strength to Tell the Truth and Why I Blew the Whistle on Facebook. Frances talks to Michela about what she’s learned. Clips from CBS, CNBC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Who is Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen?Facebook after the whistleblower: can Zuckerberg reboot the social network?The FT’s 25 most influential women of 2021 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we are revisiting an episode from earlier this year about an obscure firm from the United Arab Emirates: International Holding Company’s share price has jumped 40,000 per cent in just a few years. But little is known about the business, which has investments in everything from Elon Musk’s SpaceX to India’s Adani Group. The FT’s Middle East editor Andrew England travelled to Abu Dhabi to get answers about its rapid growth and its connections to some of the most powerful people in the Gulf. Clips from MSNBC, CBS- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:The UAE business that went from obscurity to a $240bn valuation in 3 yearsThe sheikh’s empire driving Abu Dhabi’s meteoric stock market riseThe Abu Dhabi royal at the nexus of UAE business and national security Groovy girls, typing pools and labour camps: the complicated world of IHC- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - On Twitter, follow Andrew England (@cornishft) and Michela Tindera (@mtindera07)Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.