Taking Stock

With the Covid Emergency now being officially deemed ‘over ‘many countries are now assessing how they managed their response to the Pandemic. This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell about their book ‘Pandemonium: Power, Politics and Ireland’s Pandemic’. Often seen as a ‘dirty word’, Sales has a bad reputation in the business world – but selling is a fundamental skill for any founder to successfully drive revenue and business growth. Mandy talks to Rob King the author of ‘Selling Creativity: How Creatives and Agencies can Grow their Business through the Art of Sales’ And ahead of the European Anti-Financial Crime Summit 2023 in Dublin next week Mandy talks to Caroline Costello who is Financial Crime Leader with Deloitte about trends in fraud and money laundering and how to combat the fraudsters.

Some of the big four companies are having to train new recruits with basic communications skills necessary for the workforce. Is it because students were shut off during Covid or is there something more? This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to Caroline Reidy of the HR Suite about what young people may have lost. With the EU’s highest court set to hold a hearing at later this month on the €13 Billion Euro - Apple tax case, Lorcan Allen of the Sunday Business Post reminds us of the background, and assess what might be in the final ruling on the world’s biggest-ever antitrust case. And finally, Machines are learning more than before, while humans learn less. The issue is already hitting Hollywood hills as writers’ strike for safeguards to stop its members’ work being replaced by AI in the future. Mandy talks to Marina Fang of the Huffington Post.

On this week's Taking Stock: Harry Dempsey, commodities correspondent for the Financial Times joins Mandy to discuss Chile's move to take state control of important lithium projects and together they explore what that might mean for it and other South American economies in the years to come. Mandy speaks with Will Hutton, Political economist and writer for the Observer and the Guardian about how the British people's relationship with the monarchy has changed over the decades and asks how relevant the institution actually is in a 21st-century UK. Dr. Ashley Morgan, Senior lecturer in the School of Art and Design, Cardiff Metropolitan University joins Mandy to discuss the legacy of Tiffany's & its multi-million dollar makeover.

What’s going on with Global Sport? This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston is joined by Nathan Murphy from ‘Off the Ball’ to discuss if the incredible levels of investment in sports nowadays actually make us consumers rather than fans. Mandy talks to the author of “Beyond the wall” - a new book which chronicles the short life of East Germany. It's a book that's getting rave reviews and reveals a colourful history that is full of surprises. And finally, as Tucker Carlson exits Fox News stage right Mandy examines the man, his influence, his departure and what might happen next in a media career that has been defined by politics and division.

It’s shaping up to be the great question of our time; AI is moving at a pace that its creators never really expected. This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston asks can we control it before it controls us when she talks to Sarah Mayer West of the AI Now Institute. And back home, as organised crime featured large in the news this week, Mandy looks at the figures involved and where and how criminal gangs are stashing their money in the modern era with John Mooney of the Sunday Times. And finally bumper revenues and exports were outlined this week by Government and Enterprise Ireland. Mandy is joined by Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times to outline what this might mean for the future and if tax cuts will be a major discussion point in the months ahead for the Government.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston takes a closer look at fraud in the art world, where counterfeit work now accounts for one fifth of all art in circulation. Mandy chats to Barbara Dawson the Director of the Hugh Lane Gallery. This week the International Monetary Fund issued a warning of a possible “hard landing” for the global economy if higher inflation keeps interest rates keep going. Mandy talks to Colby Smithy the US Economics Editor of the Financial Times. Plus after the recent Beijing ‘simulated’ bombing raids on the island of Taiwan Mandy talk to Amy Hawkins of the Guardian about what is happening in the South China Sea and why it is of such strategic importance in global politics.

It seems the skies over America are in a strange state and this week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston is talking about UFOs and Chinese Balloons and Aerial Mysteries - with Jeff Wise a scientific journalist about the strange goings on in American skies. And back on the ground Donald Trump was in the dock and Mandy talks to Joe Miller of the Financial Times in NYC who had a front row seat. And author Helen Edwards talks about her new book ‘From Marginal to Mainstream,’ where she examined 50 behaviours to understand why some business ideas take off and others don't.

It’s not personal, just business! This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston chats about the hit series everyone is glued to; ‘Succession’ and explores the history of family business in the media and beyond. Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times discusses the ESRI's & Irish Fiscal Advisory Council's recent musings on the Irish economy and why the Government are considering a ‘top-up tax’ for big business. Mandy also talks Tom Wainwright of the Economist magazine about their major study that looks at how prevalent ‘gaming’ is now in our economy and society.

Boris was back in the dock this week. The Ex-PM was hauled in front of the parliamentary privileges committee as part of the investigation into whether he had deliberately misled the Commons. This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to Stephen Castle who is the London Correspondent for the New York Times to get the low down on the testimony Boris gave. Mandy also discusses the issue of losing a very high profile job; being made redundant can be a difficult experience for anyone, but when it happens to those in the C-Suite, it can be very public. And finally, what’s going on with TikTok and why are countries banning it?

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to Howard Schneider the Federal Reserve correspondent with Reuters about the chaos being caused by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. Former Ambassador to the US Michael Collins chats to Mandy about what President Biden's visit to Ireland means metaphorically and logistically. Plus Mandy talks to Ciara Sugrue who is the head of Festivals and Events with Failte Ireland about the changing nature of the Irish Festival.