Bonus episode: The ‘secret sauce’ of success - With Octopus Energy CEO, Greg Jackson
The Times Tech Podcast
Will Morley
4.8 • 676 Ratings
🗓️ 9 February 2026
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Today’s episode is from The Business – The Times’ flagship podcasts covering business, finance and the economy.
Octopus Energy has gone from market entrant to market leader in just 10 years. Greg Jackson, chief executive and co-founder is at the forefront of this business success story. The secret sauce? It’s nothing to do with energy - it’s the Kraken software that links the company to its customers and suppliers. So how did he do it? Why does he think 'spaghetti stacks' of ancient software are what’s holding so many businesses back? And what plans does he have to float Kraken? From memories of his failed career as a game designer, why corporate life can be addictive - and why he thinks business leaders should be optimistic in a challenging world, Dom and Katie hear his lessons from the frontline.
Presenters:
- Dominic O’Connell, columnist and business presenter, Times Radio
- Katie Prescott, Technology Business Editor, The Times and host of the Times Tech Podcast
Guest:
- Greg Jackson, CEO and co-founder, Octopus Energy
Producer: Miriam Hall
Senior Producer: Julia Johnson
Executive Producer: Kate Ford
Get in touch: thebusiness@thetimes.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Katie Prescott, and we've got a bonus episode for you this morning from another |
| 0:05.7 | Times podcast, The Business, which I stepped in to host this week with my colleague Dominic O'Connell. |
| 0:11.4 | On the business, we talked to the CEO and co-founder of Octopus Energy, Greg Jackson. |
| 0:17.0 | And what's so interesting about his company is, although it sounds like a pure energy business, |
| 0:22.6 | actually its most lucrative product is software. |
| 0:26.2 | Anyway, it's a fascinating conversation and I thought you'd enjoy it. |
| 0:33.7 | How do you go from being a market entrant to market leader in just 10 years? |
| 0:39.5 | Greg Jackson, who's a chief executive and co-founder of Octopus Energy, has done just that. |
| 0:45.5 | Seven million British households now use Octopus, meaning that it's pushed British gas into second place. |
| 0:51.2 | He is a proper disruptor. |
| 0:53.4 | Octopus is still spreading its tentacles, |
| 0:55.7 | going into Europe, moving in to EV charging and heat pump production. But the secret source |
| 1:02.0 | is what you don't see. The software that links the company to its customers and to energy suppliers. |
| 1:08.6 | It's called Cracken. And if you know your Norsephosology, |
| 1:12.0 | the Cracken is a big sort of octopusy monster |
| 1:14.1 | that comes up out of the deep and grabs your sailing ship. |
| 1:17.3 | It sells Cracken software to other utility companies right around the world. |
| 1:21.6 | And now Octopus is going to split in two. |
| 1:24.9 | This Cracken unit is going to be floated as a separate company, which means a whole |
| 1:29.3 | new set of challenges and opportunities and probably a big payday for Mr Jackson. |
| 1:36.0 | So we're going to talk to Greg Jackson today, ask him how he and his team did it, and what |
| 1:41.0 | lessons it might be for entrepreneurs who would like to follow his example. |
... |
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