Share

The Business
The rise of the corporate landlord - with Grainger's Helen Gordon
Labour has gone in hard with a big, bold promise - build 1.5 million homes over the course of this parliament. That means 300,000 homes a year, a target it is already failing to hit. In fact, just this week, Britain’s developers told the Office for Budget Responsibility the end-of-decade building goal will not be met, and its forecast for economic growth from homebuilding is far too optimistic.
On this episode, Helen Gordon, the chief executive of Britain’s largest listed landlord, Grainger, makes the case for Build to Rent and addresses Labour’s attempts to fix this perennial problem: there aren’t enough homes to go around. She tells Hannah and Dom the current model for building affordable housing just doesn’t work, the public sector’s ability to deliver housing has been lost - and the private sector simply cannot fill the void alone.
Guests:
Helen Gordon, Chief Executive of Grainger plc
Melissa York, Assistant Property Editor, The Times and The Sunday Times
Hosts:
- Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday Times
- Dominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business reporter, Times Radio
Producer: Miriam Hall
Senior Producer: Julia Johnson
Development Editor: Sandra Shmueli
Executive Producer: Kate Ford
Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
More episodes
View all episodes

Drill baby drill? The new battle for the North Sea
28:56|As the conflict in the Middle East threatens to whack the world economy with an energy shock - and possibly a huge recession, the debate about the UK’s North Sea has re-ignited. Should we be drilling there to help our energy security in a volatile global market? There’s now a growing chorus of voices, from surprising places, calling on the government to support more North Sea exploration. So, will the government – having banned new licenses as part of net zero drive – now give them the go ahead?Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioEmma Powell, media and telecoms editor, The TimesGuests:Tessa Kahn, founder and executive director, Uplift.Chris Wheaton, energy analyst, Stifel. Producer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
Inside the drone war - With CEO of Modini Nick Sharpe
29:59|Drones are transforming war, from Ukraine to the Middle East - some 80 percent of battlefield casualties in Ukraine are now the result of drone strikes. The devices are cheap to manufacture, are transforming military strategy but represent a massive challenge for the British armed forces as they try to modernise. It is also a business challenge. So, which companies are best-placed to make the drones needed? And how do they get through the complexities of tight budgets, ever-changing technology and tough competition?Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioHannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times Guests:Oliver Gill, Deputy Business Editor at The Sunday TimesNick Sharpe, Chief Executive, ModiniProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
The £50m Club: The hard truth about scaling a business
29:16|While the UK is a breeding ground for brilliant ideas, very few start-ups ever reach "supersize" status. So what are the hurdles preventing British companies from joining the £50M+ revenue club? This week we consider a new report from the Scale-up Institute about female-founded businesses which shows that it may not just be about the funding. Presenters:Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioGuests:Sam Smith, co-founder, Super ScalersHelen Cannon, CEO, Ison TravelProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
Worse than expected? Why Iran could trigger a major energy shock
29:10|The attack on Iran and its consequences have sent shockwaves around the global economy, hitting stock markets, airlines and energy supplies. UK gas prices have nearly doubled and the flow of a fifth of the world’s crude oil supply - which travels through the Strait of Hormuz in tankers - has largely ground to a halt.As the ripple effect is felt across the world, how harsh will the economic fallout be, will inflation - only just under control - rise? And, with gas and oil stores in Europe limited, might there be a major energy shock ahead?Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioHannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times Guest:Richard Fletcher, business editor, The Times Dr Amrita Sen, Founder and Director of Market Intelligence at Energy AspectsRead more: Markets complacent over surge in oil price, warns analystProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
A new era of geopolitics: Leading when you can't see what's coming
35:20|This episode of The Business is sponsored by PwC. It was recorded before the recent attacks on Iran by the US and Israel.At Davos this year, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke of “a rupture in the world order”. And ahead of the Munich Security Conference, Marco Rubio, United States Secretary of State described “a new era of geopolitics”. What does that new era look like for business? What are the tensions, the traps and the opportunities to look out for? In this episode of The Business, Marco Amitrano, Senior Partner PwC UK and Middle East and Lord Gavin Barwell, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Theresa May, discuss business resilience in an unstable world. Guests Marco Amitrano, Senior Partner PwC UK and Middle East Lord Gavin Barwell, former Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Theresa May Hosts:Hannah Prevett, Associate Business Editor, The Sunday TimesDominic O’Connell, columnist, The Times & business reporter, Times Radio
Will quantum computing change everything? With Quantum Motion CEO
29:56|Quantum computing has been described as “the next big thing “ - a tech revolution to rival AI that could have implications across sectors as diverse as finance, chemicals, life sciences and manufacturing. This cutting-edge tech - which uses quantum physics to solve problems much faster than today’s regular computers - is already being used by HSBC. The bank has trialled IBM’s quantum technology in trading. Over the past few decades the government has been investing heavily in quantum, and many start-ups have spun out of UK universities. We speak to one UK company that is scaling up, Quantum Motion, to ask - how long it will be before this tech sees a breakthrough on the scale of AI? What is the commercial potential and, as some have suggested, will it break the blockchain? Presenters:Katie Prescott, technology business editor, The Times and host of the Tech PodcastDominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioGuest: James Palles-Dimmock, Chief Executive, Quantum MotionProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
A new runway for Heathrow? With IAG boss Luis Gallego
28:00|Making money out of airlines is tough. Warren Buffett once said if he had a time machine he would go back and shoot the Wright Brothers. Luis Gallego made his mark turning around the Spanish airline Iberia and in 2020 he got the top job at International Airlines Group, parent company of Aer Lingus, Iberia, Vueling and British Airways. So how do you run an airline, how did covid supercharge our love of travel and how can Luis navigate the possible development of a third runway at Heathrow - Britain’s biggest airport.Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioHannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times Guest:Luis Gallego, CEO of International Airlines GroupProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
How a ‘creator mindset’ can supercharge your business - With Sidemen manager Jordan Schwarzenberger
36:30|The numbers behind YouTube juggernaut The Sidemen - the seven-strong collective often referred to as the UK’s answer to MrBeast - are nothing short of staggering. What began as a group of friends playing Grand Theft Auto as a hobby and uploading it online is now a nine-figure empire spanning multiple channels, merchandise, a fried chicken chain, a vodka brand and a netflix reality show. The official YouTube channel has more than 22 million subscribers. So, what has driven their stratospheric growth? Jordan Schwarzenberger, CEO of management and venture company Arcade, has managed the group for the last five years and joins the Business to talk over the strategy behind its online presence - and what businesses and individuals can learn from their success. He walks through his career trajectory, the booming creator industry, and why content remains so overlooked in company and career development. Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioHannah Prevett, associate business editor at The Sunday Times Guest:Jordan Schwarzenberger, co-founder of Arcade MediaProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
The ‘secret sauce’ of success - With Octopus Energy CEO, Greg Jackson
34:35|Octopus Energy has gone from market entrant to market leader in just 10 years. Greg Jackson, chief executive and co-founder is at the forefront of this business success story. The secret sauce? It’s nothing to do with energy - it’s the Kraken software that links the company to its customers and suppliers. So how did he do it? Why does he think 'spaghetti stacks' of ancient software are what’s holding so many businesses back? And what plans does he have to float Kraken? From memories of his failed career as a game designer, why corporate life can be addictive - and why he thinks business leaders should be optimistic in a challenging world, Dom and Katie hear his lessons from the frontline.Presenters:Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times RadioKatie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times and host of the Times Tech PodcastGuest:Greg Jackson, CEO and co-founder, Octopus EnergyProducer: Miriam HallSenior Producer: Julia JohnsonExecutive Producer: Kate FordPhoto credit: GettyGet in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com