The Bottom Line

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.Evan and his guests consider the perils and possibilities of doing business in an overcrowded market, with too many products chasing too few customers. And ahead of the arrival of the latest James Bond film, they swap thoughts on product placement and celebrity endorsement. How do you ensure your products are seen in all the right places and none of the wrong ones?In the studio are Willie Walsh, Chief Executive of International Airlines Group; fashion and retail expert Kim Winser; Peter Bamford, Chairman of Supergroup.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Innes Bowen.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.Evan's guests delve into the concept of quality in business - how to get it high, and why it might end up low. They also compare notes on their respective weaknesses. Who do they turn to for help should they need it?In the studio are Jon Moulton, founder and chairman of private equity firm Better Capital; entrepreneur and investor Deborah Meaden; David Haines, chief executive of German sanitary fittings manufacturer Grohe.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Innes Bowen.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Stephanie Flanders, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.Stephanie's guests reveal the secrets of the boardroom and offer their tips for mastering boardroom politics - from hidden agendas and clashing egos, to a simple failure to agree.They also swap thoughts on the risks and rewards of running large incumbent companies as opposed to smaller startups. In the studio are Stuart Fletcher, Chief Executive of private healthcare company Bupa; Eileen Gittins, founder and Chief Executive of creative self-publishing platform Blurb; Ken Olisa, chairman of boutique technology merchant bank Restoration Partners.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Innes Bowen.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.If business is about anything, it's about products. Evan's guests come from companies that invent them, manufacture them and sell them and they each tell the story of a product that has shaped the fortunes of their business in some way.They also discuss the art of dismissal. How easy should it be to fire an employee?In the studio are Sir George Buckley, former Chief Executive of 3M, the US company behind the Post-it Note and Scotch Tape, and now Chairman of private equity firm Arle Capital; Clara Gaymard, Chief Executive of the French arm of US company General Electric; Ian Cheshire, Chief Executive of home improvement retailer Kingfisher, whose brands include B&Q and Screwfix.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Innes Bowen.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies.The mere mention of the word "Europe" in the media these days conjures up images of economic crisis - riots, bailouts, 12-figure debts, emergency summits. And yet the European Union remains the world's largest economy, its GDP some 10 per cent larger than that of the US. So is the idea that Europe is in terminal decline exaggerated? Evan asks his guests if Europe's current woes are just bumps on the road towards greater prosperity.And on a lighter note - silos, those invisible barriers which often develop inside organisations. Conventional wisdom says that they inhibit communication and can lead to dysfunctional, isolated units. Evan's guests debate whether they're such a bad thing after all.In the studio are Rachel Lomax, former Deputy Governor of the Bank of England and non-executive director of several companies including HSBC and BAA; Moray MacLennan, Chief Executive of advertising agency M&C Saatchi Worldwide; Phil Bentley, Managing Director of British Gas.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Innes Bowen.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and BBC News Channel TV.Evan and his executive panel discuss the business of building and running infrastructure - how good is the UK at developing and delivering it? They also swap thoughts on the pros and cons of media training. Joining Evan in the studio are Steve Holliday, chief executive of international electricity and gas company National Grid plc; Nicola Shaw, chief executive of High Speed One, the Channel Tunnel high-speed rail line; Philip Dilley, chairman of global design, engineering and consulting company Arup Group.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Stephen Chilcott.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and BBC News Channel TV.Evan and his executive guests discuss the evolution and hierarchy of brands. Who has the upper hand in the many battles being fought between big consumer brands and shops' own-labels? They also consider consumer tastes - do their own customers have good taste, or do they just buy what they're given? Joining Evan in the studio are Justin King, chief executive of supermarket chain Sainsbury's; Cecile Bonnefond, chief executive of French champagne house Piper-Heidsieck; Geoff Cooper, chief executive of builders merchant Travis Perkins.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Stephen Chilcott.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and BBC News Channel TV.Evan and his executive guests consider how well the market works at allocating investment capital to the right businesses. Do deserving companies get enough, do the undeserving get more than they should?Joining Evan in the studio are Terry Smith, chief executive of stockbrokers Tullett Prebon; Israeli serial entrepreneur and investor Yossi Vardi; Ken Olisa, chairman of boutique technology merchant bank Restoration Partners.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Stephen Chilcott.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and BBC News Channel TV.Evan Davis asks his executive guests how they spend their time each day. What does the activity of running a company really involve, and what do the guests' diaries tell us about the nature of their jobs? They also swap thoughts on the so-called Shareholder Spring - how investors are rebelling against corporate pay.Joining Evan in the studio are Jackie Hunt, chief financial officer of insurance giant Standard Life; John Vincent, entrepreneur and co-founder of Leon Restaurants; Harriet Green, outgoing chief executive of Premier Farnell who takes up her new role as chief executive of travel company Thomas Cook in July. Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Stephen Chilcott.

The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC World Service Radio, BBC World News TV and BBC News Channel TV.Evan Davis asks his executive guests about instant gratification. Much of our economy is devoted to providing instant pleasure to consumers, rather than long-term satisfaction. But how far should companies restrain themselves when they do so? They also examine the psychology of competition in business - how focussed are companies on their rivals?Joining Evan in the studio are Richard Evans, President PepsiCo UK and Ireland; Rita Clifton, chairman of branding consultancy Interbrand; Nathalie Gaveau, founder and chief executive of social shopping application Shopcade.Producer: Ben Crighton Editor: Stephen Chilcott.