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Big Boss Interview

Big Boss Interview

BBC News 258 episodes Latest May 27, 2026

Big Boss Interview is a podcast where top chief executives and entrepreneurs share their insights and experiences of running major global businesses. Hosted by BBC business journalists Sean Farrington, Felicity Hannah, and Will Bain, each episode explores the daily challenges and opportunities of leading a large organization. The series is produced by BBC News and draws on the hosts' experience from BBC Radio 4's Today programme and BBC 5 Live's Wake Up To Money.

Episodes

#44 TSMC: Humanoid Robots Will Look After the Elderly Jun 11, 2026 1360 The next great wave of demand for artificial intelligence chips could come not from chatbots, but from humanoid robots caring for ageing populations. That is the prediction of Wendell Huang, chief financial officer of TSMC, the Taiwanese company that manufactures the world’s most advanced semiconductors. As countries grapple with rapidly ageing societies, Huang sees robot carers and autonomous veh
#43 Debenhams Group CEO: Our Fightback Against China's Fast Fashion Jun 9, 2026 2305 Debenhams was once one of the biggest names on the British high street. Founded in 1778, it collapsed into administration before being rescued in 2024 and rebuilt as a digital-only marketplace. Now, under chief executive Dan Finley, Debenhams Group is back to growth after reporting a £350 million loss in the year to February 2025. Finley argues the business is now one of the biggest turnarounds in
#42 Hinge CEO: The Cost of Living Crunch Is Changing How We Date Jun 3, 2026 3459 Jackie Jantos, CEO of Hinge, says the cost of living is reshaping dating habits, with daytime meet-ups becoming more common and traditional drinks dates becoming less popular as younger people look for cheaper ways to meet in person.She argues that AI should help users express themselves rather than speak on their behalf, rejecting suggestions that AI is making online dating less authentic. Hinge
#41 Barratt Redrow CEO: Bricklaying Robots & Echoes of 2008 May 27, 2026 2885 David Thomas, the outgoing chief executive of Barratt Redrow, says bricklaying robots are already being deployed on commercial building sites and predicts a revolution in how homes are built over the next decade.Factory-built timber frames, off-site manufacturing and “brick-simulation” cladding are beginning to reshape the construction industry, reducing the amount of labour required on site and c
#40 Next CEO: The Crisis Facing Entry-Level Employment May 25, 2026 1774 Lord Wolfson, Chief Executive of Next and a Conservative peer, warns Britain is facing a crisis in entry-level employment. Applicants for every shop vacancy at Next have almost doubled from 10 to 19 in just two years — a trend he describes as “indicative of just how big the crisis is in youth unemployment.” Across retail and the wider economy, he says there has been “a dramatic fall in entry-level
#39 Amazon UK Boss: Make Work Experience Mandatory for Over-16s May 21, 2026 2971 Amazon's UK boss has called for work experience to be made mandatory for everyone aged sixteen and over, describing it as "the most transformative thing" he has seen for young people entering the workforce. John Boumphrey argues that the education system is not producing work-ready school leavers and that the blame should fall on the system rather than on young people themselves.The cost of living
#38 Raspberry Pi Founder: People Overestimate What AI Can Do May 14, 2026 2727 Eben Upton, founder and chief executive of Raspberry Pi, joins the Big Boss Interview to discuss artificial intelligence, British manufacturing, semiconductors and why he believes there is a growing tendency to overestimate what AI tools can currently do. AI tools are “genuinely incredible”, Upton says, and he uses them regularly himself. But he warns against assuming they remove the need for huma
#37 Standard Life CEO: British Aren't Sufficiently Financially Literate May 7, 2026 2248 Andy Briggs, chief executive of Standard Life, joins the Big Boss Interview to discuss the war in Iran, pension reform,and the growing risk that millions of people are not putting enough aside for later life.Briggs says pension savers should not panic about the conflict in the Middle East, arguing that most economists expect short-term volatility rather than lasting structural damage to investment
#36 Bank of England: Private Credit Has Echoes of Great Financial Crisis Apr 27, 2026 1425 Sarah Breeden, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England for financial stability, joins Big Boss Interview to discuss risks in the global financial system, the rapid growth of private credit, and whether markets are prepared for the next economic shock.She tells BBC Business Editor, Simon Jack the private credit market has grown to around $2.5 trillion in less than two decades, and says the BoE is wa
#35 Pret CEO: Inflation From War Starting to Bite Apr 22, 2026 2955 Pano Christou, CEO of Pret, joins Sean Farrington for this episode of Big Boss Interview to discuss fuel volatility, salads, and subscriptions.Pret is starting to see inflation from the war in the Middle East, with fuel price volatility affecting the business. Prices aren’t currently set to rise, but he says they may have to if disruption continues. Some exports into the Middle East business are t
#34 Autotrader CEO: Chinese Car Growth is "Mind-boggling" Apr 8, 2026 2456 Nathan Coe, CEO of Autotrader, joins Sean Farrington for this episode of Big Boss Interview to discuss how rising fuel prices, the rapid growth of Chinese carmakers and advances in AI are reshaping the UK car market.Coe says the recent spike in petrol prices has triggered an immediate shift towards electric vehicles, with enquiries on Autotrader up 30% month-on-month. He says higher fuel costs are
#33 Octopus CEO: Energy Bills Likely to Rise From July Mar 29, 2026 2515 Wholesale gas prices have roughly doubled in three weeks amid instability in the Middle East, and Greg Jackson, co-founder and Chief Executive of Octopus Energy, the UK's biggest household energy supplier, says it is "very likely" that energy bills will rise from July. The energy price cap is set to fall in April due to government tax cuts on electricity, but Jackson warns that fixed tariffs and b

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