Business Matters

About Business Matters

Big Boss Interview is where the most high-profile chief executives and entrepreneurs come to give you their insights and experiences of running the world's biggest and well-known businesses. The series is presented by Sean Farrington, Felicity Hannah and Will Bain, who you'd normally hear presenting the business news on BBC Radio 4's Today programme as well as BBC 5 Live's Wake Up To Money. Each week they'll be finding out just what it takes to run a huge organisation and what the day to day challenges and opportunities are. You can get in contact with the team by emailing bigboss@bbc.co.uk (mailto:bigboss@bbc.co.uk)

Publisher

BBC News

Category

business · news

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Dec 2015

Latest episode

6 Nov 2026

Latest episodes

433 of 629 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   6 Nov 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Stubhub Int CEO: Don't Cap Prices, Stop the Bots

   Don’t cap prices, stop the bots. That’s the argument from StubHub International chief executive Bob Kupbens as he challenges plans to restrict ticket resale profits — and questions whether the company could continue operating in the UK under a cap. Would limiting resale prices make live events fairer, or expose fans to new risks? On The Big Boss Interview, Kupbens tells Will Bain that the government should prioritise enforcement against automated ticket-buying tools that scoop up tickets before ordinary fans can get them. He argues that these bots create artificial scarcity, pushing buyers towards the resale market. For anyone who has seen tickets for a sold-out concert reappear online at much higher prices, restricting resale profits may seem an obvious solution. Kupbens disputes that logic. He argues that sellers seeking a higher return would move towards social media and other less protected channels, exposing buyers to scams. But can unrestricted resale prices really put fans first — or do they leave the biggest events increasingly out of reach? Asked what a no-profit cap would mean for StubHub International, he says: “We have to assess whether maintaining a business in the UK makes sense.” He stops short of announcing a departure, saying he hopes the company will still be serving UK fans for the 2028 Euros. A separate dispute concerns the Sporting Events Bill, which would provide a framework for hosting major sporting events in the UK, including rules giving organisers control over who can sell and resell tickets. Kupbens warns that extending these powers to recurring events, such as Wimbledon and the British Grand Prix, risks reducing competition and consumer choice. He also calls for primary ticket sellers and resale platforms to check digital tickets directly with one another. Could better verification and stronger enforcement make buying tickets safer — and would either make seeing your favourite artist or team more affordable? Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Olie D'Albertanson

2. 

   29 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Budget Reaction Special

   Host Sean Farrington interviews AO founder John Roberts, Eileen Burbidge, and Steve Rigby on their reactions to Chancellor John Healey's first Budget, exploring its impact on business and economic growth.

3. 

   19 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Renault CEO: French Unrest & Europe's Moment of Reckoning

   Renault CEO François Provost discusses Europe's industrial reckoning and potential production halving with Theo Leggett, offering insights into global competition and policy.

Inside a recent episode

Stubhub Int CEO: Don't Cap Prices, Stop the Bots

Published 6 Nov 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] Your European business is mainly based out of Madrid, aren't you? Because of the company that you sort of folded into. Is that different, the type of conversations that you have, the working relationships you have with our government compared to, you know, other ones you work with? No, I don't think so. […]

Who has been a guest on Business Matters

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• John Roberts
• Eileen Burbidge
• Steve Rigby
• François Provost
• Brad Smith

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

13,195

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.3 / 5

49 ratings

Spotify

4.4 / 5

58 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 81 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

95

Social presence

0

YouTube

72

Engagement

95

Contact Business Matters

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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• 

  World Business Report

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• 

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• 

  Behind the Money

• 

  Wake Up to Money

Questions about Business Matters