Business Leader

Who is the leader behind the turnaround of Marks & Spencer? And what does he think are the challenges still ahead?In part two of our interview with Stuart Machin, the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, he discusses his leadership style and why he has concerns about the UK economy and government in 2025.Marks & Spencer is probably the best-known business in Britain. But

Marks & Spencer is probably the best-known business in Britain. But when Stuart Machin joined in 2018 it had been struggling for years. Since then he has led an extraordinary turnaround of the high street retailer. This is the story of how he did it, in his own words.Stuart Machin, the chief executive of M&S, talks to the Business Leader Podcast about how M&S is changin

What can a comedy legend teach you about business? Plenty. In this episode, John Cleese reveals how creativity isn’t just for the arts — it’s a vital skill for problem-solving, strategy and innovation in business. Drawing from a fascination with creativity that spans five decades, Cleese shares how “play” and the “tortoise mind” can unlock ground-breaking ideas, why i

Best-selling author, behavioural scientist and hypnotist Paul McKenna explains the powerful role that manifestation can play in business success and debunks some myths. From Sir Richard Branson's game-changing Virgin Atlantic vision to practical exercises that rewire your brain for achievement, McKenna shows how "manifesting" is simply strategic planning in disguise. In this episod

Docusign made its name in the early 2000s by pioneering the idea of e-signatures in digital contracts. Since then it has grown into a multi-billion dollar tech company. The technology came into its own during the Covid-19 pandemic, helping businesses to keep running when everyone worked remotely. However, that dramatic spike in demand ultimately unsettled the company. Thygesen join

What are the news stories, issues and trends that will matter to businesses in 2025?In this special episode, the Business Leader team - Graham Ruddick, Sarah Vizard, Dougal Shaw and Josh Dornbrack - get together to share what they have been hearing from business leaders, what they are looking forward to in 2025 and what they want businesses to stop doing in the year aheadThe episod

Is being in the details, micro-managing and following your instincts the key to building a business? Has an obsession with professional managers blinded us to what really matters in founding and scaling a business? Welcome to the debate about founder mode v manager mode, which was started by Brian Chesky, the co-founder of Airbnb, and Paul Graham, the co-founder of Y Combinator.Wil

What will the business world look like in 2025? What do big investors think about the UK and UK businesses? Are they optimistic or pessimistic about 2025 given the fall-out from the UK Budget and the election of Donald Trump in the US?Business Leader's editor-in-chief Graham Ruddick gathers three of the biggest investors in UK businesses to discuss these key questions for 2025. The

In this special episode of the Business Leader Podcast, Graham Ruddick, Sarah Vizard and Dougal Shaw get together to discuss what they have learned in 2024 and their top business tips. This includes:-The healthy paranoia that drives successful business leaders-How to really be authentic at work and why it matters-Why you should seek to operate below full capacity to perform at your

Why has Ikea been such a success in the UK? Why did it open its first shop in Warrington, Cheshire? What is "chuck out your chintz" all about? And what does this unique business look for in staff?In part two of our look at how Ikea became one of the biggest retailers in the world, Graham Ruddick speaks to Peter Jelkeby, the chief executive and chief sustainability officer for Ikea