What Next For London?
The What Next for London? podcast is brought to you by BusinessLDN, the capital’s leading business campaign group. Our mission is to make London the best city in the world in which to do business, working for and with the UK. On ‘What Next for London?’ we speak to business leaders from across the capital and get their opinion on the biggest issues facing our city. Music is provided by Coma-Media
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The Value of Global Students to the Capital
05/08/2024
The Value of Global Students to the Capital
Our Policy Delivery Director Mark Hilton sits down with Deputy Vice-Chancellor of London Metropolitan University Gary Davies to discuss the cultural, economic and educational contribution of international students to London. The pair discuss the Government’s current approach to international education, how the UK’s offering compares to other major economies and the potential implications of the Migration Advisory Committee’s forthcoming report on the Graduate Visa.
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The future of Business Improvement Districts
04/03/2024
The future of Business Improvement Districts
Our Programme Director Stephanie Pollitt sits down with Chief Executive Ruth Duston OBE to discuss what the coming years hold for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) in the capital. Launched in the early 2000s, BIDs give businesses within a designated area the power to pool resources to enhance local communities, create opportunities and drive growth. They now cover 100,000 businesses and 800,000 employees across London. Follow us on Twitter or on LinkedIn @ Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Small cells and 5G technology with BT
03/04/2024
Small cells and 5G technology with BT
In today’s episode, we will be discussing small cells and 5G technology in the capital, with BT. Hosted by John Kavanagh, Programme Director for Infrastructure at BusinessLDN, we speak with Ali Akhtar, Head of Acquisitions and Contracts, and Ian Cottingham, Director of Mobile Network Operations and Digital Infrastructure, both from BT Wholesale, about small cells; what they are, how they work and how 5G can bridge the digital divide and drive social inclusion in London. Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Gender Mainstreaming with Turley
11/09/2023
Gender Mainstreaming with Turley
In today’s episode, we will be discussing Gender Mainstreaming in the built environment with the planning and development consultancy Turley. Hosted by Matthew Fell, Director of Competitiveness at BusinessLDN, we speak with Lindsay Hart, Market Research Analyst, to learn more about how the safety and wellbeing of women and girls are key factors in planning and the built environment and understand how it is being adopted in businesses across the capital and UK. Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Thames Super Sewer with Tideway
10/05/2023
Thames Super Sewer with Tideway
In today’s episode, we will be discussing the Thames Tideway Tunnel, also known as the super sewer – an extensive £4.5bn upgrade to London’s sewer system to meet the needs of a growing population, with a current estimated completion date of 2025. Hosted by John Kavanagh, Programme Director for Infrastructure at BusinessLDN, we speak with Andy Mitchelle CBE, Chief Executive at Tideway to explain how this vital project will transform London for the future. Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Economic Briefing with the Bank of England
08/24/2023
Economic Briefing with the Bank of England
This week we sat down with Lai Wah Co, Deputy Agent for Greater London at the Bank of England, for an exclusive podcast recording about the economic forecast for the capital. During the discussion, we asked Lai to share her insight on the economy, growth, employment and wages. She also looks at the long-term picture for the capital and what this means for businesses. Hosted by Matthew Fell, Director of Competitiveness at BusinessLDN, our latest episode explores the economic outlook to help the business community plan for the future. Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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London Planning with our Building London Planning Award Judges
07/13/2023
London Planning with our Building London Planning Award Judges
BusinessLDN advocates for a planning system in London that is pro-growth to support our mission and maintain London’s reputation as a great place to work, live and play. The planning system in London is unique in many ways. We work with the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Planning Officers Society London to ensure the business community’s voice is heard in the planning policy debate and that any national reforms work for the capital. In today’s episode, we will be discussing Planning in the capital as well as the winners of this year’s Building London Planning Awards with Ransford Stewart, from Stewart Management & Planning Solutions Ltd and Mike Kiely, Planning Officers Society London. Follow us on Twitter at @_BusinessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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The Place Commission with Grimshaw and Arup
05/31/2023
The Place Commission with Grimshaw and Arup
BusinessLDN’s flagship Place Commission of cross-sector business leaders has set out a new vision for how the capital’s places and spaces should evolve following the pandemic to enable people to thrive and businesses to succeed. Developed after a year of deliberations with the 20 senior businesses that form the commission and backed by in-depth research and analysis from Deloitte, it explores the evolution of the capital’s urban environment through the lenses of people and spaces, sustainability and innovation. In today’s episode, our Chief Executive, John Dickie, sits down with Commissioners Annelie Kvick-Thompson, Partner at Grimshaw and Kathryn Firth, Director at Arup, to discuss place-making and sustainable design in the capital and our report recommendations. Read the report at Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Build-to-Rent with Dataloft and Apo Group
05/18/2023
Build-to-Rent with Dataloft and Apo Group
Build-to-Rent developments - high quality, professionally managed homes designed specifically for private rent - are now an integral part of London’s housing mix. In today’s episode, we are joined by Sandra Jones from Dataloft and Matthew Pullen at Apo Group to discuss the findings in our latest ‘Who Lives in Build-to-Rent?’ report and share their views on how Build-to-Rent is a vital piece of the housing crisis puzzle. Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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London’s built environment with Deloitte
12/22/2022
London’s built environment with Deloitte
The built environment is the backbone of our city and is vital to London’s economic success and global competitiveness. In today’s episode, we are joined by Simon Burnett and Hayley Parkinson-Roberts at Deloitte to share their views on the challenges and opportunities of the built environment through the lens of spaces and people, innovation and sustainability. Deloitte is BusinessLDN’s research partner for the Place Commission, a group comprised of senior business leaders from across the capital to answer the question: ‘how should London’s built environment evolve to help people thrive and business to succeed?’ Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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London’s built environment with Deloitte
12/22/2022
London’s built environment with Deloitte
The built environment is the backbone of our city and is vital to London’s economic success and global competitiveness. In today’s episode, we are joined by Simon Burnett and Hayley Parkinson-Roberts at Deloitte to share their views on the challenges and opportunities of the built environment through the lens of spaces and people, innovation and sustainability. Deloitte is BusinessLDN’s research partner for the Place Commission, a group comprised of senior business leaders from across the capital to answer the question: ‘how should London’s built environment evolve to help people thrive and business to succeed?’ Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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London’s Next Generation – Episode #2: Planning and Impact
12/11/2022
London’s Next Generation – Episode #2: Planning and Impact
In our latest What Next for London? episode, we’re focusing on the next generation of leaders in a new mini-series, sponsored by Ashurst, that explores the challenges the capital faces and the opportunities on offer from a fresh perspective. Joining us today is Christina Achkarian, Senior Associate at Ashurst and Michelle Letton, Project Director at Lendlease. They shared their views on the speed of planning and the impact this can have on the built environment, and how Gen Z and millennials want to see more action on critical issues such as sustainability.
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Retrofitting Rail Arches with The Arch Company
11/30/2022
Retrofitting Rail Arches with The Arch Company
Retrofitting rail arches with The Arch Company All across London, empty railway arches are vacant spaces that can meet a variety of business needs. Craig McWilliam, Chief Executive at The Arch Company, the UK’s largest small business landlord, joins us on today’s episode to explain how they transform these spaces to operate in a sustainable way that meets the needs of business and rail lines. We discuss the challenges facing retrofitting and what this means for the future of London. For more information, visit: Follow us on Twitter at or search on LinkedIn: Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Building a sustainable London
11/09/2022
Building a sustainable London
In the first episode of our new series, we speak with Peter Hogg, UK Cities Director, and Rebecca Harlow, Net Zero Carbon Proposition Lead from Arcadis, about sustainability in London. Our guests talk about the importance of sustainable travel in London, the challenges of retrofitting a city and reaching net zero and discussing London's global ranking in the Sustainable Cities Index and the lessons London can learn from higher-ranked capitals. For more information, visit: Follow us on Twitter at @_businessLDN or search on LinkedIn: BusinessLDN Music is provided by Coma-Media
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Social Impact in the City
10/20/2022
Social Impact in the City
In our latest episode, we spoke to James Manning, Senior Transformation Manager in Sustainability and Innovation and Nicola Rochfort, Senior Community Engagement Manager at Grosvenor, about the launch of People Positive, their new social impact strategy. They shared insight into how they have developed an insight-led strategy to ensure they work closely with communities to maximise impact. They also shared how having social impact strategy-related personal goals across the organisation is vital to ensure the business moves forward as one.
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PwC Chairman shares view of the future
10/06/2022
PwC Chairman shares view of the future
Ahead of last week’s mini-fiscal event, Kevin Ellis, Chairman and Senior Partner at PwC, talked to BusinessLDN CEO John Dickie about how he sees the future of work, business priorities for the new government and the role of the capital as a global financial centre. Listen in for Kevin’s take on the future of hybrid working, the skills challenge and recruiting at scale across the UK.
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London's Next Generation – Episode #1: Defining a Space - the Cultural and Social Elements
09/29/2022
London's Next Generation – Episode #1: Defining a Space - the Cultural and Social Elements
In our latest What Next for London? episode, we're focusing on the next generation of leaders in a new mini-series, sponsored by Ashurst, that explores the challenges the capital faces and the opportunities on offer from a fresh perspective. In our studio today is Joanna Fox, Planning, Environment & Safety Associate at Ashurst and Andrew Fox, Institute of Classical Studies, School of Advanced Study. They spoke to us about the philosophy of placemaking, the importance of healthy living within a space and how we should consider green and energy-efficient spaces in the future.
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Keeping the capital at the top of its game
09/08/2022
Keeping the capital at the top of its game
We spoke to Laura Citron, CEO of London & Partners, to explore what makes the capital an international success and how it can build on that into the future. Laura shared her insights into making the city a magnet - for talent, investment and creativity - building on the discussion at our Work, Live, Play conference.
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Leadership lessons from the 2012 Olympics
07/14/2022
Leadership lessons from the 2012 Olympics
Jan Walstrom, SVP, Office of Global Climate Response & ESG at Jacobs joins us the day after our celebratory Olympics event to discuss what working on the 2012 Olympic games meant for major projects of the future, for the development of ESG metrics and for her career.
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Place Commission special: What next for London? with Ballymore
07/11/2022
Place Commission special: What next for London? with Ballymore
This episode is our first Place Commission special, talking to John Mulryan, Group Managing Director of Ballymore and a Place Commissioner, about how he sees the future evolution of the capital’s built environment as we look ahead to the future. Listen in for his take on what changing patterns of work, travel and social activity might mean for the city.
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What is the data telling us?
05/18/2022
What is the data telling us?
Virginia Blackman, national head of Avison Young’s Site Assembly and Compulsory Purchase team, talks to us about Avison Young’s Cities Recovery Index and what it is telling us just over two years on from the first lockdown. Taking a look at retail, leisure, footfall and office occupancy trends, Virginia shares what this emerging picture might mean for how we live and work in the city in the future.
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Shopping our way to recovery
03/07/2022
Shopping our way to recovery
We spoke to Paul Barnes, CEO of the Association for International Retail, about the sector’s potential to play a major role in the capital and the UK’s recovery. We touched on what needs to happen now to make that possible, from reinstating tax free shopping for international visitors, to putting shopping into the country’s tourism strategy.
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Levelling up, London and recovery
02/02/2022
Levelling up, London and recovery
London First CEO John Dickie and CEO of Grosvenor Property UK James Raynor discuss the role of the capital in the country's future success, the role for the built environment in recovery and the future of work.
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London Alive – public realm and recovery
01/06/2022
London Alive – public realm and recovery
We spoke to Arup’s Richard de Cani and Cathy Li about the new report, , and how the capital’s public spaces could be reimagined for a post-pandemic future. We were joined by the Northbank BID’s Alison Gregory, who shared her perspective on the evolution of Waterloo Bridge and Charing Cross, as well as the wider role of the Northbank in the city’s renewal.
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Inside the Londoner, Leicester Square
12/02/2021
Inside the Londoner, Leicester Square
Laura Osborne and Mark Hilton spoke to Charles Oak, Hotel Director of the Londoner, a new super-boutique hotel in the heart of the capital. From opening a new 16-storey hotel in uncertain times, through to the importance of its art collection and cultural contribution, Charles shares the highs and lows of bringing this new iconic destination to the capital.
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Getting the capital back on track – what is the data telling us?
11/24/2021
Getting the capital back on track – what is the data telling us?
We spoke to Michele Pittini, Head of GLA Economics, and Graeme Smith and Lee Watson, Managing Directors, London at Alix Partners, on the current picture of London’s recovery, what new data sources are needed to make this more accurate, how the city’s businesses are responding to the unwinding of government support measures, the impact of disrupted supply chains and the importance of planning ahead now.
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Lessons in leadership
11/17/2021
Lessons in leadership
To mark 20 years of the leadership exchange, we are pleased to share this new podcast with Lord Davies and James Stokley, who were paired up via the scheme which brings business and public sector leaders together. Mervyn and James share what they’ve learnt in their very different successful careers, how they see leadership today and the value of grasping opportunities when they arise.
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Navigating the pandemic as a global leader
10/06/2021
Navigating the pandemic as a global leader
Lisa Mayhew is the co-chair of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner (BCLP), an international law firm. She spoke to Mel Hobson and Laura Osborne about the need for consistent messages, the importance of the Government boosting confidence and what the future of work might look like, informed by lessons learnt over the last 18 months. Lisa reflects on the purpose of the office, what work is best done where and the role employers play in their local communities. Lisa also shares how the pandemic has shaped her personal approach to leadership and what she’s changed during that time.
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The flexible future of work with DAC Beachcroft
09/23/2021
The flexible future of work with DAC Beachcroft
DAC Beachcroft Senior Partner Virginia Clegg spoke to London First’s Mel Hobson and Laura Osborne on the difference between emerging short-term work patterns and the longer-term future of work and cities. Virginia shared her experience of leading an international firm through a pandemic, as well as explaining why the firm adopted its Flex Forward initiative. The future is flexible – Virginia gives her take on why.
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Creating a truly inclusive culture
08/10/2021
Creating a truly inclusive culture
Jane Grant, UK Head of Learning and Development for WSP, joins What next for London? for a special edition on diversity and inclusion (I&D). Jane spoke to Laura Osborne about how WSP has approached inclusion, including the publication of its first official I&D strategy earlier this year, and the importance of being able to bring your full authentic self to work in a truly inclusive culture.
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