Business Daily

The South African grew up under the racist apartheid system as one of 14 children. He looked set for a life in farming, until a chance event took him down a different path – ultimately becoming CEO of the multinational banking group, Investec. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Elisabeth Mahy(Image: Fani Titi. Credit: Investec)

We head to Switzerland, a small but very successful country with a population of just 9 million.And now coping with some of US President Donald Trump’s highest tariffs. In August the original threat of 31% tariffs was raised to 39%. Two months on, efforts to negotiate with Washington have proved fruitless and the Swiss economy, regularly ranked as the most competitive in the world, is starting to slow down. Produced and presented by Imogen Foulkes(Swiss watch brands, including Zenith and Hublot, in a shopping arcade in Geneva, Switzerland. Credit: Getty Images)

Passengers are suffering more disruption as technology at airports, airlines and air traffic control is failing.But why is aviation software becoming more prone to failure and vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and what is the solution to preventing delays?Presented and produced by Russell Padmore(Image: Passengers wait at Heathrow Airport in London, as European airports experienced disruption due to a cyberattack on the check-in and boarding system in September 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

For the first time in nearly seven years, federal operations have been drastically curtailed as the US government shuts down. As it enters a second week, we look in detail at how the collapse in funding for government services is affecting America at large - from the Federal worker fearing for his job, to the wider concerns of slowing growth and rising inflation. What does this say about the state of the world’s largest economy?Produced and presented by Ed Butler(Image: "Closed" signage in front of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, US, on 5 October 20205. Credit: Getty Images)

We look at how the European country is trying to lure talent back home.It is specifically targeting people from science, technology, engineering and innovation sectors, using tax breaks and a campaign to remind people about the benefits of returning.A number of countries are bringing in similar initiatives, so is it forward thinking? Or will it create a two-tier system?Produced and presented by Daniel Rosney(Picture: Two women relax in a waterfront cafe during the day in the Mediterranean port of Limassol, Cyrpus. Credit: Getty Images)

Women and girls in Afghanistan have been excluded from much of the working world, as well as from the chance to get an education. Many are finding ways to bring in an income for their families, but a 48-hour internet shutdown threatened this recently.We hear the experiences of shopkeepers, tech workers and charity bosses in the country.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukProducer/presenter: Hannah Bewley(Photo: Afghan women in burkas walk along a road in the Argo district of Badakhshan province, 28 August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

Thailand’s Pichaya Soontornyanakij, widely known as Chef Pam, was this year named the best female chef in the world by a panel of more than 1,000 gastronomists assembled by 50 Best, a food and drink sector brand. She’s the first Asian woman to win that award. Gideon Long meets her at her Michelin-starred restaurant in Bangkok, in a building which has deep personal meaning for her and which she and her family have lovingly restored. She takes him on a tour of the gastronomic delights of Bangkok’s Chinatown and tells him about her Thai-Chinese heritage and the challenges of the restaurant business. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Gideon Long (Image: Thai chef Pichaya Soontornyanakij at her restaurant in Bangkok.)

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping subsidies for renewable energy sources like wind and solar power. He has called attempts to boost green energy in the US the "Green New Scam". We head to Middletown, Ohio, where a hydrogen-powered furnace for the steel mill, which was subsidised under the Biden administration, has been cancelled under President Trump. Supporters of the new furnace say it would have made a much cleaner plant in the town and created many jobs. We hear from residents, community leaders, and economists, and ask - what happens when industry clashes with politics?If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Erin Delmore Producer: Nathalie Jimenez(Picture: Cleveland-Cliffs Middletown Works in Middletown, Ohio, in 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

What happens when a controlling partner takes over your income and spending?More countries are now recognising the harm that economic or financial abuse can cause, but it's still a but it’s still a huge problem - particularly for women.Could financial institutions be doing more to help?Produced and presented by Felicity Hannah(Image: A woman lying back in a chair with her head in her hands. Credit: Getty Images)

The country has one of the fastest growing aging populations in the region - we hear how businesses and politicians are adapting to the situation.We visit a cafe exclusively employing women aged over 50, and hear about the sectors trying to change attitudes to maintain productivity.Produced and presented by Jane Chambers(Image: Senior hvac technician checking air conditioning unit pressure with manometer in Chile. Credit: Getty Images)

The French government has launched a campaign against what it calls “the last discrimination”: ageism. It’s one that a lot of people in the country consider to be justified, and which makes it about three times more difficult to get a job interview. But it’s costly.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, please email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by John Laurenson(Picture: Job-seeker, Geraldine Coquand.)

Thirty years ago, India made its first mobile call. Back then, Rahul Vatts was just starting out at India’s telecom giant, Airtel. Now the company’s Chief Regulatory Officer, he’s witnessed the country transform into one of the world’s largest digital markets. We hear about his career journey and learn how new technology is being rolled out in rural parts of India. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Devina Gupta(Picture: Rahul Vatts.)

Is the dream of home ownership slipping out of reach for many Americans? Prices are climbing, supply can’t keep up with demand, and high interest rates are keeping sellers on the side-lines.Tariffs and rising construction costs are squeezing builders too, piling more pressure on families and the economy. We hear from first-time buyers, builders and real estate agents all trying to navigate the changing market.Produced and presented by Monica Miller(Image: A family look at a new home in the US. Credit: Getty Images)

Once a niche product for runners, footwear that makes you feel like you’re not wearing any is now crossing into the mainstream. We’ll hear from fans chasing everyday health benefits as well as from brands in the UK, India and US. And we’ll ask whether the barefoot movement is here to stay…Produced and presented by Helen Ledwick(Image: Barefoot shoes on display at a 'try on' event in Birmingham, UK)

In the early 2000s, the country had one of the biggest real estate booms seen anywhere in the world - at its peak accounting for 30% of GDP. But in 2020 that quickly started to unravel. Now, the largest Chinese companies are being taken to court and dismantled, and property bought by ordinary citizens who invested in real estate has plummeted in value.What went wrong, and how does the crisis affect the rest of the world?You can get in touch with the programme by emailing us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Matt Lines(Picture: A China Evergrande property development is in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China, in August, 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

Many skilled professionals working within creative fields are unhappy about how AI is impacting their industry. They want to protect their work and the creative process from artificial intelligence because of fears over things like job protection, devaluation of skills, and a loss of control over their work. Some small and medium-sized companies in other industries also say they plan to never use AI technology.We discuss why that is, and ask whether those businesses that don’t embrace the technology may fall behind.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, send us an email to businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Hannah Mullane(Picture: Actress and filmmaker Justine Bateman, who runs the CREDO 23 film festival, which is billed as a non-AI event, in Los Angeles, California. Credit: Steven Meiers Dominguez)

In December 2023, a video was posted on X that generated a lot of attention. Gaining more than five million views in 24 hours, it showed a team of AI-generated TV anchors flawlessly delivering the day’s top headlines.We investigate how the media industry is embracing artificial intelligence; from the outlets using the technology to re-voice presenters, to the start-ups that use it to script entire news reports.We also look at the editorial issues facing journalists, ask about the public appetite for AI news, and speak to those fighting AI disinformation around the world.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton(Picture: An AI-generated female TV news presenter on Channel 1 News. Credit: Channel 1)

When US president Donald Trump visited the Middle East earlier this year, he announced a number of deals between the US and countries in the region. One major deal was for a partnership to build a massive data centre in Abu Dhabi that is expected to be the largest artificial intelligence (AI) campus outside the US. We ask whether the Gulf can become a major AI power - and at what geopolitical cost?Produced and presented by Sameer Hashmi(Image: US president Donald Trump and UAE president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan unveiled a model of the AI campus. Credit: WAM)

The US and China dominate the field of artificial intelligence - between them they’re responsible for 90% of the world’s AI infrastructure. Where does this leave the rest of the world? We speak to an AI business in Kenya, a country that doesn’t benefit from lots of investment in the sector. We discuss the difficulties of trying to innovate in Argentina. And we explore the divide between regions seeing a lot of investment in the industry compared to those that aren’t, and what this could mean for the future.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Hannah Mullane(Picture: Computer science professor Nicolas Wolovick, in Argentina, next to a supercomputer. Credit: Nicolas Wolovick)

Entry level jobs are likely to be the most affected by artificial intelligence. AI can already do a lot of tasks typically given to junior staff, and businesses are already looking at their hiring policies as a result. We speak to recruiters, businesses, and graduates about what the job search is like right now, and how the world of work could be shaped by advances in technology in the future.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, email us at businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Hannah Mullane(Picture: A team of young people in a modern office discussing their project. Credit: Getty Images)