Business Daily

BBC World Service

<p>The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.</p>

  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    The whistleblower who exposed a massive tax scam

    We hear from a man who was once a high-earning, high flyer in the finance industry. But, after he blew the whistle on a major financial scandal, he found himself unemployable and being sued for every cent he owned. Jas Bains tells us his story.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presented and produced by Theo Leggett

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Jas Bains at the height of his career. Credit: Jas Bains)

    30 March 2026, 11:01 pm
  • 17 minutes 48 seconds
    After Liberation Day: Who is footing the tariffs bill?

    For nearly 12 months, a raft of import duties - tariffs - have made it much more expensive to ship consumer goods into the United States. They have shaken up global trade and according to the Federal Reserve, significantly raised inflation. But who is really footing the bill for all of them?

    To get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Ed Butler Producers: Rebecca Smyllie and Craig Henderson

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Photo: US President Donald Trump delivers remarks on reciprocal tariffs as US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick holds a chart during a Make America Wealthy Again event at the White House, Washington DC, 2 April 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

    29 March 2026, 11:01 pm
  • 17 minutes 17 seconds
    Mighty Patch founder Ju Rhyu

    We meet the founder of Hero Cosmetics, the brand behind Mighty Patch, a skin patch that's designed to improve the appearance of acne. Patches like these have become increasingly mainstream.

    We hear how Ju Rhyu went from being jobless during two recessions to creating a global, best-selling product. And we learn why she prefers being an employee now, rather than the boss.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Ju Rhyu, founder of Hero Cosmetics. Credit: Ju Rhyu)

    27 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 27 seconds
    No suits, four-day weeks: Asia's energy crunch

    With a state of emergency in the Philippines and a series of four-day working weeks and fuel rationing across many countries, the global energy crisis caused by the war in Iran is wreaking havoc on Asia's economies.

    We look at why the continent seems so exposed, and what governments and businesses are doing in response, with some extreme steps being taken including four-day weeks and the ditching of office attire.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Will Bain Producers: Rebecca Smyllie and Josh Martin Additional production: Tran Vo in Bangkok Sound mix: Toby James

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Employees of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) queue at lobby elevators at office headquarters in Pasig City, Metro Manila, Philippines. Following a directive from Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., government offices began implementing an interim four-day on-site working week scheme as part of energy conservation efforts. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

    26 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    ICE: Is it chilling the US economy?

    Last year, around 4000 federal officers were deployed in Minneapolis in a major immigration crackdown.

    Local firms say the resulting upheaval and protests didn’t just disrupt local people’s lives, they also damaged the economy. But has the anti-immigration drive had a similar impact across the US?

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Josh Martin

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Masked federal agents wearing a Police ICE jacket, stand in a hallway at the New York Federal Plaza Immigration Court inside the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building in New York on the 17th of March 2026. Credit: Getty Images)

    25 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    Could the Arctic rewrite global trade?

    We explore the potential and the challenges for Arctic shipping. As global warming causes sea ice to retreat, passages are opening up through this vast frozen Arctic Ocean. We explore what these routes are, who’s using them, and examine the players with big ambitions to develop these shipping shortcuts.

    We also take a closer look at the realities of operating in extreme conditions so far north, asking if the rewards really outweigh the risks?

    And we hear from local Arctic leaders, concerned about the growing shipping traffic. Might the global trade map really be redrawn?

    To get in touch with the team, send us an email to [email protected]

    Presented and produced by Adrienne Murray

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Arctic ship leaving Tasiilaq in Greenland after having unloaded at the docks in the harbour. Credit: Getty Images)

    24 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    Can Cuba turn its economy around?

    Cuba is in the grip of a deep economic crisis. The country’s communist government says it will open up the struggling economy to greater private investment in an effort to tackle it. But will these reforms be enough? And can they happen quickly enough to slow the record number of Cubans leaving the country in search of a better life abroad?

    If you'd like to get in the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Craig Henderson

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: A man rides a tricycle at a corner of Havana during a blackout on the 16th of March 2026. Credit: Getty Images)

    23 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 29 seconds
    The struggle to find care that sparked a business

    We meet Chika Madubuko, the founder and CEO of Greymate Care, an online platform that connects people that need support with professional caregivers in Nigeria. It’s a business that was born in 2016 after her family struggled to find a trustworthy carer for her grandmother.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producers: Ahmed Adan and Niamh McDermott

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Chika Madubuko. Credit: Chika Madubuko)

    20 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 17 seconds
    Oil crisis lessons from Iran to Kuwait

    As the world faces another energy crisis, what can past shocks teach us?

    We look back at earlier oil crises to understand how conflict has disrupted global supply - and what that means for markets today.

    We hear from a former boss of one of the world’s biggest oil companies, BP, on the challenges the business faced when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.

    And as many of us are now facing rising prices at the pumps, we explore how reliant we’ve become on oil and whether it’s possible to reduce our dependence on it anytime soon.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is [email protected]

    Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: Rebecca Smyllie and Josh Martin

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, the economic impact of the war in the Middle East, and why bond markets are so powerful.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Plumes of smoke rise over the oil depot tanks hit by joint Israel-US overnight in a station north west of the Iranian capital, Tehran, the 8th of March 2026. Credit: Getty Images)

    19 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    The cost of calling home

    If you’re living thousands of miles from home, how do you keep in touch, especially when your loved ones don’t have reliable internet?

    There’s a growing market across Africa and beyond for apps helping to cut the costs of international calls to older phones. And some operators have much grander ambitions.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Oluseyi Akinnibosun, Nigerian entrepreneur and app developer who's living in the Netherlands, about to make a call.)

    18 March 2026, 12:01 am
  • 17 minutes 28 seconds
    Germany turns to India for skilled workers

    Germany is in the throes of a demographic crisis, in which there are not enough young people entering the labour market to replace those who are retiring.

    There is an annual net loss of 400,000 to the workforce and the shortage is particularly acute in many of the traditional craft industries.

    One solution appears to lie overseas and in particular, India. We hear from young Indians who have signed up for apprenticeships in a range of industries in Germany’s south-west, close to the border with Switzerland.

    If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

    Presented and produced by Tim Mansel

    Business Daily is the home of in-depth audio journalism devoted to the world of money and work. From small startup stories to big corporate takeovers, global economic shifts to trends in technology, we look at the key figures, ideas and events shaping business.

    Each episode is a 17-minute, daily deep dive into a single topic, featuring expert analysis and the people at the heart of the story.

    Recent episodes explore the weight-loss drug revolution, the growth in AI, the cost of living, why bond markets are so powerful, China's property bubble, and Gen Z's experience of the current job market.

    We also feature in-depth interviews with company founders and some of the world's most prominent CEOs. These include Google's Sundar Pichai, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales, and the CEO of Canva, Melanie Perkins.

    (Picture: Ajay Kumar Chandapaka, an apprentice mechanic from India at Dold Spedition, a haulage firm in Buchenbach in the Black Forest in Germany.)

    17 March 2026, 12:01 am
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