Big Boss Interview

(Episode 11) Sundar Pichai, chief executive of Google and Alphabet, acknowledges that no company is immune from the risks of an AI investment bubble, including Google itself, and warns that the rapid growth of artificial intelligence will lead to significant societal disruptions. Speaking to BBC Economics Editor Faisal Islam he explains that, despite the company’s scale and diversified approach, overinvestment in artificial intelligence could still require Google to navigate challenging phases, just as any other business would. This admission comes as Google’s annual AI infrastructure spending surpasses $90 billion, reflecting the extraordinary scale and pace of global investment in the sector.

The interview explores the implications of this rapid growth, with Pichai highlighting the unprecedented demand for energy and the need for new sources of power to support AI development. He outlines Google’s efforts to invest in renewables, nuclear, and geothermal energy, and describes the company’s commitment to achieving 95% carbon-free operations in the UK by 2026. Pichai notes that the speed of AI expansion is testing the limits of existing sustainability targets, but maintains that technological progress can support both economic and environmental objectives.

He also addresses the evolution of copyright frameworks, and the responsibilities of technology companies. He discusses the UK’s ambition to become an AI superpower, the importance of scaling energy infrastructure, and the need for responsible development to ensure that the benefits of AI are widely shared.

00:20 Felicity and Faisal set out interview

(Episode 10) Centrica CEO Chris O’Shea provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK energy sector. He begins by addressing the recent collapse of Tomato Energy, emphasising that when energy suppliers fail, the costs are ultimately borne by consumers. He calls for stronger regulation and greater financial resilience among energy companies, criticising Ofgem for a lack of transparency. He argues that the current system allows "profits to be privatised while losses are socialised".

O’Shea discusses the government’s net zero by 2030 target, describing it as “unbelievably ambitious” but necessary to drive progress in the industry. He stresses the importance of a balanced and paced transition, warning that moving too quickly could leave communities behind, as happened with the closure of coal mines in Fife. The interview explores the decline of the North Sea oil industry and its impact on Aberdeen, with O’Shea noting that the full effects on jobs have yet to be felt. He highlights Centrica’s commitment to job creation and apprenticeships, aiming to take on one apprentice every day for the next decade.

Drawing on his own experience of job insecurity as a graduate, he underscores the need for careful planning and investment in skills to ensure a just transition. He also addresses the challenges of the energy transition, acknowledging that it will be neither cheap nor easy, but insisting that it is essential for the country’s future.

Presenter :Sean Farrington

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(Episode 9) Julian Dunkerton co-founded Superdry and took it to a £2billion market cap at its height in 2010 - within years the company was fighting for survival, and in 2018 he walked away. A decision he says he regrets.  But with Superdry now valued at just £8million and looking like it might fail, he returned just one year later and wrestled back control of the company he set up, and began turning it around.  After a restructuring, renegotiating rent, and now a rebrand, Superdry has just turned a profit once again.

This is the story of that turn around.

In it he calls for town centre regeneration and a High Street Renaissance, warning that current policies and Brexit have left British retailers at a disadvantage. He highlights the economic impact of leaving the EU, citing lost free trade and increased costs, and argues that the UK has “gone backwards” since Brexit. In fact he believes a free trade relationship with the EU is possible, and also imperative. 

Dunkerton also challenges the narrative that young people only shop online, stating that teenagers value physical retail and social experiences, and credits this demographic with driving Superdry’s renewed success on the high street.

00:00 Sean Farrington and Will Bain introduce the podcast

Presenter: Will Bain

(Episode 8) Tim Richards is the CEO and Founder of Vue International—one of Europe’s largest cinema groups. He joins Will Bain for the Big Boss Interview to share his remarkable journey from mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lawyer to major Hollywood player, all sparked by a chance ad in the Financial Times. The anonymous job listing turned out to be for a role at Paramount and Universal, leading to first-class travel on Concorde and a front-row seat in the film industry.

Despite the glitz and glamour, Tim recounts a moment of reckoning when he realised his division was in trouble. That prompted him to seek a new venture—and Vue was born. Raising capital and acquiring the Warner Brothers circuit became, pardon the pun, paramount to Vue’s success. In a scene straight out of a Hollywood film, Tim describes a rival cinema boss who, over lunch, threatened to build across the street from every Vue location in a bid to run them out of town.

Tim reflects on how the industry has evolved over his four decades in it, including the catastrophic impact of COVID-19, which forced all Vue cinemas worldwide to close for two years. He describes the experience as an “emotional rollercoaster,” admitting to moments of real struggle.

The conversation shifts to the rise of streaming and the so-called “content wars.” Tim doesn’t see Netflix and Disney+ as direct competitors. Instead, he views other out-of-home entertainment—like theme parks and football matches—as the real rivals. He’s confident there’s room for both streaming and theatrical releases and is optimistic about the future, especially with a new wave of films and innovations on the horizon.

He also addresses the challenge of attracting younger audiences and keeping cinema affordable, while criticising government policies that raise costs for the leisure sector—arguing they often hurt the very people they aim to help.

Despite the hardships the industry has faced, Tim believes 2026 could break all box office records.

His story has all the trappings of blockbuster movie, but it's unlikely to be streamed first.

00:18 Sean Farrington and Will Bain set out who Tim Richards is and give overview of topics

Presenter: Will Bain

(Episode 7) Jo Whitfield, in her first chat since becoming Chair of the British Retail Consortium, tells Sean Farrington how she ended up at the organisation after a career spanning some of the High Street's biggest businesses. She shares why it’s such an important time for retail, and talks about how the sector’s changing—thanks to online shopping, social media, and shifting customer habits—and how retailers are adapting. Jo dives into the pressures businesses face, especially around business rates and taxes, and calls for a fairer system that doesn’t penalize physical stores. There’s also a look at how supermarkets, independents, and online influencers all play a role in today’s retail ecosystem.

01:26 Jo Whitfield’s career and appointment as Chair of the British Retail Consortium

(Picture: Getty)

Presenter: Sean Farrington

(Episode 6) Glenn Fogel, CEO and President of the world's largest online travel platform, Booking.com joins Will Bain to discuss whether the USA is witnessing a downturn in foreign visits due to the policies of the Trump administration. He also outlines his thoughts on issues that affect many Brits on their summer holidays: over-tourism. You’ll also hear how his company is positioning itself in legal disputes over some property listings, and why the rapid rise of AI could reshape the way we plan and experience our trips. Plus find out why Will got offended!

Presenter: Will Bain

00:00 Intro from Fliss and Will

(Picture: Getty)

(Episode 5) Fiona Eastwood, CEO of Merlin Entertainments tells Sean Farrington what it is like running one of the world’s leading entertainment companies. Merlin runs over a hundred theme parks and attractions around the world from Thorpe Park and Chessington World of Adventures, to Sea Life and Madame Tussauds. She explains how the main competition to her business is the amount of screen-time kids have, and how that influences the partnerships that they make with the likes of Lego, Peppa Pig, Bluey and now, most recently, Minecraft. But the industry has been struggling - from covid lockdowns to the cost of living crisis, in fact Merlin's credit rating was recently even downgraded; Fiona addresses this and calls for a reduction in VAT on the Tourism and Leisure industry and says that there is too much red tape when it comes to planning reforms. And despite being the Big Boss, find out which ride Fiona can't stomach.

00:00 Fliss and Sean Intro

(Picture credit: Getty)

(Episode 4) Nick Mackenzie, CEO of Greene King, has issued a direct appeal to the Chancellor ahead of the autumn budget, urging immediate tax relief for Britain’s pubs. He told Felicity Hannah in this week's Big Boss Interview that unlike the last Budget, he hopes there are no surprises this time aound. The hospitality sector has absorbed over £300 million in additional costs since 2019—driven by rising energy, food, labour and tax burdens—and he says without action on business rates and alcohol duty, investment, jobs and vital community spaces are at risk. Mackenzie, who chairs the British Beer and Pub Association, says the government must honour its manifesto pledge to reform business rates and stop blindsiding the industry with surprise tax hikes.

Presenter: Felicity Hannah

00:00 Sean and Felicity introduction

(Episode 3) Jamie Dimon, Chairman and CEO of JPMorgan, is the biggest name in global banking. He has a hotline to world leaders, and what he says matters. In a wide-ranging Big Boss Interview with BBC Business Editor Simon Jack, he shares his concerns about a frothy market fuelled by money boarding the AI hype train. He also admits that the USA has become a less reliable partner due to President Trump’s use of tariffs, but says NATO is a stronger force thanks to the current administration. However, he warns that the war in Ukraine has changed the world.

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(Episode 2) If you want to sell vapes you should be forced to have a licence - that's according to Asli Ertonguc - the UK and Ireland Managing Director of British American Tobacco, or B.A.T as it's called.

They're one of the world's largest tobacco manufacturers and sell the likes of Lucky Strike cigarettes, or Dunhill, and Rothmans.

Asli says this approach will have a far bigger impact on reducing smoking than the Tobacco and Vaping Bill which is currently weaving its way through parliament.

The Bill aims to make it so that anyone born after 2009 cannot legally buy cigarettes.

00:00 Intro from Will and Felicity