What does the high-stakes easyJet takeover bid mean for the future of budget travel? We unpack the intense bidding war between US giants Apollo and Castlelake.

Last Friday, in the latest twist in the saga for takeover of easyJet, Apollo secured an agreement to buy the airline in a £5.7B deal, gazumping an offer from US private credit group Castlelake. Just days earlier, easyJet had agreed to the Castlelake proposal - kicking off a proper takeover battle for one of the UK’s best known consumer brands. 

In this episode, we consider why easyJet has become a target, and what it could mean for the future of the company. 

Guest:

• Tim Jeans, former head of marketing for Ryanair, a former MD of Monarch Airlines

Presenters:

• Dominic O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business correspondent
• Hannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times

Producer: Hope Federico 

Executive Producers: Emily Leahy and Miriam Hall 

Photo Credit: Getty 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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How have UK age restriction laws affected Grindr’s users? What changes will AI bring to the dating app? And where does Madonna fit into all this?

In this episode of The Business, Grindr CEO George Arison joins Dominic O'Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business correspondent, to discuss Grindr’s cultural prominence, the future of the app, and their recent collaboration with the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. 

Launched in 2009, Grindr is the world's number one dating app for gay and bisexual men, with over 15 million active users in 190 countries and territories. 

Grindr CEO George Arison first interacted with the platform as a user, switching from a blackberry to an iPhone in 2009 in order to use the app. In 2022 he joined the company as CEO, believing in its mission to connect gay and bisexual men around the world, and build an online gaybourhood.

Arison discusses his upbringing in the USSR, taking Grindr public a month after joining the company and how he believes leaning into AI, and ensuring an exceptional free service are the best ways of ensuring growth. 

“ Within six to 12 months, Grindr's gonna be an AI first product where AI is gonna be fully integrated into anything that a user does and the experience of that is gonna be exponentially better.”

Arison also describes the effect UK Age restriction laws have had on the country’s Grindr user-base. According to Arison, the restrictions discourage closeted users who are uncomfortable sharing data with the app, removing an important space where these individuals can connect.

Guest:

• George Arison, Chief Executive Officer of Grindr

Presenter:

• Dominic O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business correspondent

Producer: Hope Federico 

Executive Producers: Emily Leahy and Miriam Hall 

Photo Credit: Getty 

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Is the AI bubble bound to pop? How can UK companies prevent the malicious use of AI? And is there a role for increased regulation in the AI industry?

In this bonus episode of The Business, Synthesia CEO and co-founder Victor Riparbelli joins Hannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times, to discuss the company's success in a world of rapidly growing AI companies, the role he thinks regulation should play in AI-generated content, and what the next chancellor should prioritise to strengthen the UK tech industry and boost the UK economy.

Synthesia - the AI video generation platform that allows users to create realistic avatars from plain text - is one of the UK's biggest AI success stories, with a current valuation of $4 billion. 

Headquartered in London, the company is used by 90% of Fortune 100 companies and 70% of the FTSE100, making it one of the most influential businesses shaping the future of enterprise AI.

Riparbelli explains why he believes AI is more than just another technology bubble, despite sky-high valuations across the sector, and why he expects the industry to experience a period of consolidation rather than collapse. He also discusses the rise of deepfakes, the challenges AI poses for businesses and consumers, and why regulation should focus on preventing harmful outcomes without stifling innovation.

The conversation also explores what policymakers can do to attract talent, encourage entrepreneurship and support the next generation of British technology companies. Riparbelli shares his views on AI adoption across Europe, why the UK must move faster to embrace new technology, and how stronger AI adoption could improve productivity and help drive long-term growth across the UK economy.

To hear more about the young entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli and the story behind Synthesia, listen to last week's episode here: https://pod.fo/e/440334

Guest:

• Victor Riparbelli, CEO and co-founder of Synthesia

Presenter:

• Hannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Photo credit: Getty

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we develop an AI ecosystem for UK companies? How can tech startups and scale-ups thrive in the UK and Europe? And how did this UK company nearly double its valuation this year?

In this episode of The Business, Synthesia CEO and co-founder Victor Riparbelli joins Hannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times, to discuss the company’s rapid success, what AI-generated video creation means for creative industries, and why Riparbelli believes Europe must do more to support the growth of its technology sector.

This entrepreneur story charts the rise of one of Britain’s most valuable AI companies and explores what it takes to build a global business in the UK. Riparbelli argues that if Britain wants to grow the UK economy, it must create a stronger AI ecosystem that helps startups and scale-ups access investment, attract talent and compete internationally.

Synthesia, the AI video generation platform that allows users to generate avatars from plain text, is one of the UK’s biggest AI success stories, with a current valuation of $4 billion.

Headquartered in London, the company is used by 90% of Fortune 100 companies, and 70% of the FTSE100, making Synthesia a major player in the AI video generation space and a leading example of innovation in the tech industry.

Riparbelli also explains why he sees little incentive for fast-growing technology companies to list on the London Stock Exchange rather than the Nasdaq and argues that Europe's cautious approach to innovation risks leaving it behind in the global AI race. He discusses what policymakers, investors and founders can do to create an environment where the next generation of AI startups and scale-ups can flourish.

"I'm not sure what we really believe in in Europe," Riparbelli says. "In the US, they believe in capitalism. In China, they believe in technology. I'm not sure what we really believe in in Europe."

Guest:

• Victor Riparbelli, CEO and co-founder of Synthesia

Presenter:

• Hannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Photo credit: Synthesia Limited

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sir Keir Starmer has resigned, and all eyes are on Andy Burnham as likely new Prime Minister. On The Times Business podcast, Richard Fletcher, business editor of The Times, and Mehreen Khan, economics editor at the paper, join the show to examine what a new Prime Minister might do for the UK economy, the business community and the world of entrepreneurship.

Andy Burnham was educated at Cambridge and previously worked as a journalist at two trade publications - Tank World and Passenger World Management - before going into politics. He became an MP in 2001, and had ministerial jobs under Gordon Brown. He tried twice for the Labour leadership in 2010 and 2015, and went on to become Mayor of Greater Manchester. Now, after winning the Makerfield by-election, he is all but the anointed successor to Starmer.

In this episode, we examine what business should expect from our likely new leader and, crucially, who will be his chancellor?

"Keir Starmer was not interested in economics - he had no political economy; Andy Burnham does. We're not really sure what it is, but he does care," journalist Mehreen Khan says on the show. "But the relationship between Number 10 and Number 11 has always been the crux of how this country governs itself … I would probably argue it probably doesn't matter so much if it's Miliband or Wes Streeting [for chancellor]."

"I think the idea that there is this huge ideological gap between them is not gonna be true because actually it's gonna be Burnham that is driving much more policy from Number 10, and his chancellor will just have to bend to his will because he's the most popular politician in the country."

Presenters:

• Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times
• Dominc O’Connell, Times columnist and Times Radio business reporter

Guests:

• Richard Fletcher, Business Editor, The Times 
• Mehreen Khan, Economics Editor, The Times 

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Photo credit: Getty

Get in touch: [email protected]

Clips: Sky News, PoliticsJOE, The Independent, TimesRadio, BBC News, BBC News (Newscast)

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What will it take to see growth in the British economy again? In this bonus episode of The Business, Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, sets out her answer. 

Recorded live at The Times CEO Summit, which brings together business leaders and policy makers to discuss current economic challenges and opportunities, Badenoch joined Fraser Nelson to talk growth, regulation and the future of Britain's economy. 

Badenoch reflects on the Conservative Party's path back to power, and Labour's record  of treating business "as if it's a problem to be managed rather than an asset to be championed."

In this live interview with Times columnist, Fraser Nelson, Badenoch says the UK needs an "economic revolution" to reverse years of stagnation, outlining plans to cut red tape, lower energy costs and encourage greater risk-taking across business and government.

Presenter:

Fraser Nelson, Times Columnist 

Guest: 

Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Opposition 

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Photo credit: Getty

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on The Business, our sister series, The Times Tech Podcast is taking over the feed. Find full episodes wherever you get your podcasts.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a ban on social media for under-16s, due to come into effect next year. But questions remain over how it will be enforced, and whether it will actually work. Mark Sellman joins Katie Prescott to answer the key questions.

In the US, the Trump administration has banned two of Anthropic’s most powerful AI models which include the controversial 'Mythos', intensifying calls for Europe to build sovereign AI systems of its own. If America can restrict access to critical AI technology at short notice, what does that mean for the rest of the world? Plus, Katie has been at Founders Forum, where she interviewed Katie King, the founder and CEO of BioOrbit, a company building a pharmaceutical lab in space to transform the way we treat cancer.

Do you agree with the social media ban? Get in touch: [email protected]

Producers: Marnie Duke & Ethan Sills

Executive Producer: Priyanka Deladia

Image: Getty

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What does it take for a British business to make it in the United States? In this episode, we hear from the people who’ve managed to pull it off. 

UK chief executive of the PR firm Grayling, Heather Blundell, is alongside the Berry co-founder Ryan Burnham and designer Freya Rose Archer for this special episode recorded in Los Angeles at the 2026 Greater Together LA summit. They discuss the opportunities and challenges facing UK companies in the world's largest consumer market.

As Britain continues to redefine its place in the global economy post Brexit, host Hannah Prevett explores the importance of UK trade with the United States and the role British businesses can play in strengthening economic ties between the two countries. In this conversation, the group examines why the US remains such an important market for ambitious British businesses looking to expand internationally, and what growth could mean for the wider UK economy. 

Archer encourages company founders to lean into their individuality, as an important way of reaching consumers across the Atlantic. “The heritage that we have in Britain with creativity and the passion for craftsmanship really resonates with the US customer," she says on the show.

From creative industries and communications to luxury retail and consumer products, they discuss the opportunities available to UK companies seeking growth in the American market. They also explore the power of Britain's global reputation and ask whether the UK's much-discussed soft power can translate into commercial success. 

Guests share lessons on entrepreneurship, international expansion and what UK companies can learn from the confidence and ambition often associated with the US market.

“It's like nothing I've ever experienced from a client before," Blundell says on the program in regards to her partnerships with US businesses. "They run towards things that others would run away from. They buy distressed assets, rebuild and invest."

Presenter:

- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times

Guests: 

- Heather Blundell, UK CEO Grayling 

- Ryan Burnham, Co-Founder of The Berry 

- Freya Rose Archer, Founder and Designer of Freya Rose London 

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Photo credit: Getty

Get in touch: [email protected]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is sponsored by PwC. 

Is the so-called 'special relationship’ between the United Kingdom and United States alive and well? Amid political tensions, have these ties frayed - and what does this mean for the business community?

In an episode recorded at the UK Government’s Greater Together LA programme, we take a practical look at what growth and opportunities are available to UK businesses looking to leverage in the US.

Presenter:

- Hannah Prevett, Associate business editor, The Sunday Times

Guests:

- Marco Amitrano, Senior Partner PwC UK and Middle East

- Michael Frohlich, Chief Marketing and Corporate Affairs Officer, WPP

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Get in touch: [email protected]

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Kathleen Fisher, chief executive of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), joins Hannah Prevett for her first major interview since taking charge of the UK's high-risk research agency.

Created in 2023, Aria was the invention of Conservative Party adviser Dominic Cummings. Inspired by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) - where Fisher previously worked - ARIA was designed to back ambitious ideas that could transform industries, accelerate AI in business and strengthen the UK economy.

In this special recording before a live audience for The Times and Sunday Times Reviving the City event, Fisher discusses what it will take for the UK to create the next generation of world-leading tech companies, whether Britain can produce a trillion-dollar business, and why she believes the country must become more comfortable with risk if it wants to compete on the global stage.

The conversation explores the challenges facing UK companies as artificial intelligence reshapes industries, from startups and scale-ups to established FTSE 100 businesses. Fisher explains how AI in business can be used to empower workers rather than replace them, why organisations that fail to adapt risk being left behind, and where Britain has unique advantages in areas such as AI hardware, and quantum technologies.

She also shares lessons from her time at DARPA, outlines ARIA's mission to turn scientific breakthroughs into commercial success, and discusses how the UK can capture more of the value created by its world-class research base. Along the way, she weighs in on venture capital, patient investment, the role of pension funds in backing innovation, and the importance of creating an environment where entrepreneurs can learn from failure.

For anyone interested in investing, startups, scale-ups, AI in business, the future of the UK economy and the prospects for Britain's next generation of tech companies, this is a conversation with one of the most influential figures shaping the country's innovation agenda. 

Presenter:

- Hannah Prevett, associate business editor of The Sunday Times

Guest: 

- Kathleen Fisher, chief executive of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA)

Producer: Hope Federico

Executive Producer: Miriam Hall

Get in touch: [email protected]

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