Talking Business

The world faces monumental challenges over food security, climate change and access to clean and affordable energy. But we produce more food than ever before, and we are continually exploiting more renewable sources of energy. That's down to the rapid advance of new technologies - including AI. Talking Business comes from the CES convention in Las Vegas. How can businesses harness tech to address the big questions?

How much damage are the Red Sea attacks doing to the global economy? The crisis for the global shipping industry is pushing prices up as vessels are forced to take the longer route.

The global cosmetic giants are under attack from a battery of direct to consumer startups. These independents, often owned by a celebrity use social media to talk directly to their customers.

How can Germany's economy get growing again? Europe's powerhouse shrank last year and is on course for a recession, but why is it struggling so much?

Can Europe lead the race to regulate artificial intelligence? The fast moving technology is already affecting everything from healthcare to banking but what checks and balances are needed to keep us safe? The European Union's 27 members have given their backing to new laws which will put the bloc at the forefront of regulation but the challenge is not to stifle innovation.

Around the world 12 billion days are lost to poor mental health a year costing the global economy $1trillion in productivity. Tadhg Enright talks to a Silicon Valley founder who stepped aside as CEO when his mental health issues became overwhelming and the expert of Mental Health at Work at the World Health Organisation.

Can the global trade system keep making us better off? Rules on agriculture, fishing and online commerce are all on the agenda as the World Trade Organization meets in Abu Dhabi. Without agreement the cost of streaming services could go up, but can meaningful progress be made in a world that seems increasingly divided.

Should the west confiscate Russian assets to pay Ukraine's bills? More than $300bn of Russian cash is frozen in the west and there are growing calls for it be used to help Kyiv fight the war and deal with the huge repair bill caused by two years of war. Estonia's Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna tells Aaron Heslehurst it could make supporting Ukraine more palatable for taxpayers around the world, and Eastern Europe Analyst Alexander Kolyandr explains why it's a risky strategy. Plus, to find out how Ukraine is navigating the financial strain of war and how it might rebuild its economy Aaron speaks to Alexander Rodnyansky, economic advisor to President Zelensky.

In recent weeks, Germany became the latest European country to legislate to allow the possession and consumption of cannabis. It's already widely used in Europe and it's big industry in North America. That's under a backdrop of concerns over public safety. Talking Business takes a closer look at the rapidly emerging market for cannabis and its products.

As farmers protests continue why are they struggling to make ends meet? Across Europe and India farmers have been taking to the streets with complaints ranging from low prices for the products to the power of supermarkets, excessive rules and unfair competition from abroad. Dr Andrea Porro, Secretary General of the World Farmers Organisation explains to Aaron Heslehurst why the finances don't add up for an industry that is crucial to human survival as well as economies everywhere. Former supermarket buyer Ged Futter sheds some light on the sometimes difficult relationship between the farmers and the supermarkets who sell their produce to the rest of us. Plus, the boss of WordPress VIP, Nick Gernert, tells us how the free to use software is helping companies becomes less reliant on social networks.

Counting the cost of the global obesity epidemic. More than a billion people across the world are obese with warnings the disease is on track to drain trillions of dollars from the global economy. The head of the World Obesity Federation explains the size of the problem. And the Chief Medical Officer from WeightWatchers discusses solutions and the latest weight-loss drugs. Plus, providing the nuts and bolts to power the AI revolution, we hear from the boss of Cisco Systems, Chuck Robbins, on the latest moves in the world of machine learning.

It's the latest trend sweeping the world of retail. Live stream shopping is a fusion of ecommerce and live video entertainment that lets you shop while you watch. First launched in China in 2016, live shopping really took off during the pandemic. And while China continues to dominate the live shopping market, it's also fast becoming the most convenient way to buy online in the US, Europe and around the world. Talking Business takes a look at just why it's so popular and whether it looks set to change the way we shop forever.

Renewable energy is about to become the biggest source of power in the world and one country, China, is dominating the sector. In this episode of Talking Business Aaron Heslehurst talks to a panel of global leaders in the green energy sector to ask if Europe and the United States can ever catch up and should they put up barriers to cheap Chinese imports?

Is boom time over for electric vehicles? Rising electricity costs and an end to generous government subsidies in some countries have made running EVs more expensive than driving petrol or diesel - and that's dampened recent sales. Aaron Heslehurst talks to the State Secretary of the Norwegian Ministry of Transport about how Norway is bucking the trend, and the President of car maker, General Motors Europe, about its return to Europe with an all-electric range.

The prosperous world of pampering our pets is set to be worth half a trillion dollars by the end of the decade. The founder of PetCon talks us through the lucrative world of the online pet influencer, and the boss of the world’s biggest pet carer marketplace, Rover, explains why the industry is booming. Also, we hear about the latest artificial intelligence tools from the president of customer service tech giants Salesforce.

Well over half the global population now live in cities and that proportion's growing. Today they generate 70% of the world's pollution and 80% of global GDP.

Artificial intelligence is shaking up the music industry, from songs written by robots to live performances by avatars. But who stands to profit? The artists, the record labels or the tech giants? Aaron Heslehurst talks to the boss of the Swedish entertainment company behind ABBA Voyage. Plus separately he asks the head of the global supplement company H&H what is fuelling our growing appetite for vitamins.

Every day globally, we use 10 billion tonnes of fresh water, and that number's set to get bigger as the world's population grows. One in four of us lives in an area experiencing extremely high water stress. And climate change is just one of the challenges facing our water supply, threatening agriculture, industry and even our drinking water. Talking Business with Aaron Heslehurst explores global water security.

The captivating world of fashion is all about aspiration. It's an industry that thrives on innovation, constantly reinventing itself with the latest trends. But fashion has a dark side. Environmentalists continue to warn us its damaging the planet. Co-founder of Fashion Revolution Orsola de Castro tells Aaron Heslehurst how the industry puts profits before ethics. Fashion designer Kriti Tula, who is also the founder of Doodlage, discusses how she utilises recycled and zero-waste fabrics to create her collections. Plus James Reinhart, boss of thredUP.com tells the programme how he built one of the world’s largest online second-hand resale platforms.

What will it take to fix South Africa's struggling economy? Unemployment, stagnant growth and dysfunctional infrastructure are top priorities.

The global demand for AI is causing a big increase in the use of energy hungry data centres. What more should big tech companies be doing to mitigate their environmental impact?

The global airline industry is soaring as record numbers are expected to take to the skies. Against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and a climate crisis, is it sustainable?

Is global trade facing its biggest crisis since the Cold War? As the EU and US impose tariffs on electric vehicles and other goods from China, the world is increasingly taking sides in terms of trade.

As demand for electricity grows, does the world have enough to keep up with demand? From electric vehicles to AI, and our growing love of gadgets the move away from fossil fuels means there’s an increasing strain on the electricity system, so where will our power come from? The head of the International Energy Agency, Dr Fatih Birol, explains why solar power is leading the charge against climate change. Meanwhile the head of the organisation which represents 3,500 European power firms, Eurelectric’s Kristian Ruby, explains the challenges of finding tens of billions of dollars to keep our power grids working. Plus, Ben Thompson speaks to the boss of the billion dollar start-up, Radia founder Mark Lundstrom, about his plan to build the world's biggest plane to deliver giant turbine blades to some of the most remote places on earth.

A new UK government in a hurry to get the economy growing, with fast-tracked development and a green investment fund. But will it work? We talk trade and tech with the president of the British Chambers of Commerce. Also, find out about the energy transition with the head of green investment at Macquarie, and get the view from the financial world with the chairman of the Canary Wharf Group.

Can Paris make the Olympic Games a lasting legacy? Ben Thompson asks the woman in charge of sustainability and legacy at the International Olympic Committee, plus the man who's produced more Olympic ceremonies than anyone else on what makes the events work and Rebecca Adlington OBE on building a business after winning gold.

CrowdStrike's faulty software update caused what may be the largest IT outage in history costing billions of dollars. But is this just the price we pay for being so reliant on digital infrastructure? We talk about the lessons learned with a cyber influencer and author. And how to move forward with the boss of global cyber security firm the NCC Group. Plus what does this all say about our readiness for the latest artificial intelligence breakthroughs? We speak to the 'AI-first' CEO of IT consultants Avanade.

Is cash dead or just dying, and what does the end of paper money mean for the one in four of people around the world who do not have a bank account? As digital finance conquers the globe, Mark Lobel talks to the head of financial inclusion at the World Bank and other experts on how this seismic change is affecting people and businesses everywhere.

Gone are the days when solo female travel was an exception. In fact, adventurous women today are transforming the travel industry and the future is undeniably female. The surge in bookings by solo women travellers is reshaping tourism as they explore the world on their own terms. With women now the fastest-growing segment, why is the tourism sector still lagging behind in catering to this burgeoning market?

During the Covid lockdown, online dating exploded. Now some people are turning back to in-person dating, having fallen out of love with digital dating. Lukwesa Burak goes to a real-life dating event to speak to people about why they are going back to in-person events and we hear from the boss of India's largest dating company about the business of looking for love in one of the most populous and diverse countries in the world.

How important is the US election for the future of cryptocurrencies? Donald Trump wants to make America the crypto capital of the world but Kamala Harris has been less enthusiastic. Whoever wins, new laws seem certain. Some of the biggest names in the business have been sent to jail as part of a big crackdown under president Biden, so will 5th November change the course for crypto? The chair of the US regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gary Gensler explains what’s driven that crackdown and the chief legal officer of one of the biggest exchanges, Coinbase’s Paul Grewal, tells us why the industry is spending millions funding election campaigns. Plus, we hear from the CEO of vaping firm Juul about why his industry has a future even if young people don’t take up the habit.

How much is the right CEO worth to a company? Boeing, Nike and Starbucks are some of the big names to make a big change recently, but what is it they are looking for? And why is that one individual worth a pay packet often measured in tens of millions of dollars? Top executive coach Alisa Cohn, who works with the likes of Google, Etsy and Citibank, explains what it takes to be a CEO and what makes them tick. Mark Lobel also hears from leading expert on CEO pay Sarah Anderson of the Institute for Policy Studies about the damage excessive pay can to do companies and societies. Also, the woman who's done it all. Marcia Kilgore, founder of Fitflop, Beauty Pie and Soap & Glory lays out what it is that only a CEO can do for a company’s success.

As wars now rage in the Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan, and climate change threatens how millions of people live, how do businesses keep their operations going and their people safe? Ben Thompson speaks to, among others, the CEO of Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK about keeping the lights and heating on as winter approaches, while under direct attack from Russia.

The global economy is growing steadily, despite the efforts of many central banks to cool things down. But it's a mixed picture. India is the fastest growing major economy, expected to grow by 7% in 2024. In the Eurozone, it's a more sluggish 0.9%. What does it take to help struggling economies compete with the rest? This week's Talking Business with Tadhg Enright explores global growth.

Housing prices around the world are rising, meaning millions are struggling to find an affordable place to live. Tadhg Enright examines the scope of the problem and discovers some unintended consequences. Plus Tadhg speaks to the boss of Airbnb, Brian Chesky, about ways of expanding the network, ensuring quality rentals, and if the platform is contributing to the housing crisis.

The music industry is a multi-billion-dollar powerhouse that has continuously adapted to technological advancements. But could AI become a disruptive force, posing a threat to the very sound the industry is built on. This comes as artists are sounding the alarm on the unauthorized use of their work. Jennifer Jacobsen, Executive Director of the Artist Rights Alliance, sheds light on the pressing concerns faced by many in the industry. Entertainment lawyer Tal Dickstein tells Ben Thompson why the use of AI urgently requires a legal framework to protect creative rights. While app developer and COO of Starmony Kevin Vesterlund explains how he has launched a product that allows users to ethically make music from scratch using human contributions to AI. Plus Daouda Leonard, the CEO of CreateSafe and Manager of award winning Canadian artist Grimes, discusses how people will make music in the future with a brand new blueprint.