As Parliament heads into summer recess, the EmploymentRights Bill continues its journey through the House of Lords, having reached report stage. Meanwhile, the government has released its implementation roadmap, offering a clearer, though still evolving, picture of how these reforms will roll out in practice. With the potential to reshape key aspects of employment law and practice, this Bill is one of the most significant developments for UK employers in recent years.

In this episode, host Ben Walker sits down with Alex Hall-Chen, IoD Principal Policy Advisor for Employment, and Jim Wright CDir, International employment law partner at Knights, to unpack what the Employment Rights Bill means for businesses and business leaders across the UK.

Together they explore how the Bill has been received by employers so far, what concerns have been raised by IoD members, and whether those concerns have been reflected in the government's approach. And from a legal perspective, they dive into the most impactful changes on the horizon and what organisations, particularly SMEs, should be preparing for now.

On the 19 June, we were delighted to publish the first edition of the new Director magazine.

The Summer 2025 edition of Director – HIGH OR DRY: Can Reeves’ growth plan win back business? – features articles including:

• Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds on the government’s plans to boost the British economy
• An interview with TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak on productivity
• IoD Chief Economist Anna Leach on whether the economy is a game of chance
• Professor Andrew Scott on the silver generation and the need for businesses to have an ageing strategy
• Professor Margaret Heffernan on the trouble with AI
• Dr Tim Hames on why geopolitical ignorance will wreck your business

In this episode, the podcast’s host and Director magazine Editor, Ben Walker, is joined by Dr Roger Barker, Hugo Legh and Anna Leach. As members of the IoD Policy Team and the magazine’s Editorial Board, they discuss the contents of the first edition and the thinking that shaped its direction.

As the government prepares to unveil its Spending Reviewthis week, “growth” remains the political buzzword of the moment. But with the UK still struggling to regain economic momentum more than a decade after the financial crisis, are ministers pursuing the right kind of growth—and do they even understand what drives it?

In this episode, host Ben Walker is joined by Anna Leach (IoDChief Economist), and Daniel Susskind (Author of ‘Growth: A Reckoning’ (2024), ‘A World Without Work’ (2020) and Research Professor in Economics at King's College London), to explore what growth really means in today’s economy: why it matters, what’s holding the UK back, and whether our current model is fit for a future shaped by AI, automation, and global competition.

From the legacy of 2008 to the transatlantic growth gap, we unpack the forces shaping prosperity—and ask whether perpetual growth is even a realistic or desirable goal.

Investor confidence in London’s stock market has hit aworrying low, with fund managers warning the government that sentiment is at “rock bottom.”

In a recent Downing Street meeting, industry specialists raised concerns over the state of UK equities - highlighting key challenges such as declining IPOs, a widening valuation gap between UK and US companies, and increasing acquisitions by private equity and foreign buyers. With pension funds consistently reducing their UK equity holdings, a growing number of voices are calling for policy intervention to help revitalise public markets.

In this episode, Ben Walker is joined by Mark Austin CBE (Partner, Latham & Watkins and Capital Markets Industry Taskforce member), Julie Shacklady (Director of Capital Markets, UK Finance) and David Trenchard (Founder and CEO, David Trenchard Consulting Ltd) to unpack the state of public listings in the UK – and what this means for businesses, investors, and the broader economy.

Together they answer: How can investor confidence berestored? Are UK companies undervalued compared to their global counterparts? And what role could pension funds play in revitalising domestic markets?

On the day of his inauguration, President Trump promised todeliver the “most extraordinary first 100 days of any presidency in American history”. True to his word, the first 100 days of his second term have been labelled as some of the most destabilising in the country’s recent past.

In our latest Directors’ Briefing episode, the author of ‘Trump II: Why He Won – What It Means For the World’, Tim Hames, and Overton Advisory founder, Michael Martins, join host Ben Walker to discuss how the first 100 days of President Trump's second term are shaping the future of business globally.

Together, they examine the implications of tariffs, the restructuring of federal bureaucracy, and the strategic decisions facing UK businesses in this evolving landscape.

In today's rapidly changing world, effective risk management is more crucial than ever for boards of directors. As organisations navigate complex economic and geopolitical landscapes, the ability to anticipate, assess, and mitigate risks can make the difference between success and failure.

In this episode, Ben Walker explores the intricacies of risk management with Professor Bryan Foss (Co-Founder and director of the Risk Coalition and Chairman of Hope Macy) and Patrick Dunne (Chair of the Royal Voluntary Service). Both bring a wealth of experience and insights to the table, offering valuable perspectives on how boards can better manage risk.

For further information, read these insightful blogs by our guests that complement the episode, and dive into the topics covered a little deeper:

·  ‘Is my board growth or risk focused?’, by Professor Bryan Foss

·  ‘Thinking about Risk - Time to Change’, by Patrick Dunne

Europe's innovation scene has found itself under the spotlight, with many wondering why it's lagging behind the US. Limited funding for startups, a fragmented market, and tough regulations are often blamed.

In this episode, Dr. Erin Young (IoD Head of Innovation and Technology Policy) and Professor David Beatty OBE (Professor Emeritus of Strategy, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto) join host Ben Walker to explore this further. Together they discuss cultural attitudes towards risk and entrepreneurship, the impact of regulatory rules, and how quickly tech is adopted. The conversation also covers how people view innovation and technology differently in Europe and the US, and the fear factor around new advancements. Drawing on their experience from different sides of the Atlantic, our guests suggest ways to tackle these challenges and boost innovation across Europe.

In the boardroom, directors often face tough decisions thatbalance competing interests and moral norms - impacting employees, customers, shareholders, and society.

These decisions are frequently misunderstood, criticised,and sometimes seen as unethical, potentially harming corporate reputation. Despite their significance, we rarely ask: How are these decisions made? What role do moral norms and identity play? And why do companies sometimes misinterpret these norms so badly?

In this episode, Ben Walker is joined by Prof. Dr. Mijinte Luckerath-Rovers (author of ‘Moral Dilemmas in the Boardroom’) and Dr Roger Barker (IoD Director of Policy and Corporate Governance) to discuss ethical challenges in the boardroom and the decisions that often stem from them. The conversation draws on both the findings of Mijinte’s book, and the IoD’s Code of Conduct for Directors.

The UK’s relationship with the EU is in the spotlight this year, as both sides prepare for the review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. And in light of an unpredictable US Administration, the reset of relations is ever more important. But the politics has always been a barrier to real policy change.

In this episode, Tom Bruffato (Director of Policy & Research at Best for Britain) and Emma Rowland (IoD Trade Policy Advisor) sit down with Ben Walker to discuss what can be realistically done to bring the UK and EU closer. The pair both draw on recent polling conducted by their organisations to propose possible solutions - from closer alignment on regulation to a Youth Mobility Scheme to a veterinary agreement.

At the end of November 2024, IoD members were asked to

Unsurprisingly, domestic concerns ranked high on the list, especially the future outlook for the UK economy and the impact of recent government policy decisions, such as the hike in employers’ national insurance and proposed changes to UK employment law.

However, UK businesses must also navigate a bigger picture

In this episode, Dr Roger Barker (Director of Policy at the Institute of Directors) joins Ben Walker to explore the trends, risks and opportunities facing UK business in 2025.