Is Greed is Good?
The Bottom Line
BBC
4.6 • 615 Ratings
🗓️ 4 June 2011
⏱️ 24 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
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.
With plenty to worry about in the world economy, Evan asks his panel of influential business leaders whether now is a good time for companies to sit tight and play it safe, or to take a risk or two. They also discuss greed - is there anything wrong with a touch of it in business?
Evan is joined in the studio by Geoff Cooper, chief executive of builders merchant Travis Perkins; Harriet Green, chief executive of electronic components distributor Premier Farnell; serial technology entrepreneur Sir Terry Matthews.
Producer: Ben Crighton.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Thank you for downloading the Bottom Line podcast. In this week's program, Evan Davis asks his panel of top executives whether now is a good time for companies to be bold or to sit tight and play it safe. |
| 0:13.0 | Hello and welcome to a brand new series of The Bottom Line, the Business Conversation Program. We're kicking off with some reflections on the world economy today, |
| 0:21.3 | with so much going on, I'll ask my guests whether now is a good time for business to be bold |
| 0:26.4 | and to take risks, or is this a time to do nothing except hide away under the bed covers? |
| 0:32.5 | And also, is there anything wrong with a touch of greed in business? But before any of that, let's take a few minutes to meet our guests. And first of all, with us today is Jeff Cooper, who's chief executive of the building merchants, Travis Perkins. We've seen Travis Perkins stores around the place, but there are other brand names in the portfolio, aren't there, Jeff? Yeah, we've got about 20. Probably the most well-known will be Wix, the DIY store. |
| 0:56.1 | We've also got a multi-channel business called Tool Station, which people use on the web a lot. And then there's about another 16-17, mainly trade brands. Retail, consumer focus, and trade. Across the piece. Thank you very much. Also with us, again, is Harriet Green, |
| 0:52.8 | who's chief executive of electrical components supplier, Premier Farnel. |
| 1:15.8 | Harriet, last time you were on the program, you talked about succession planning, and you said six to eight years is a good length of service for a chief executive. |
| 1:25.4 | You've done five now at Premier Farn Final. Are you looking to move on soon? |
| 1:29.8 | Well, I think as we talked last time, having systems and processes within the organisation that really |
| 1:35.7 | develop your own talent as well as constantly looking outside for the very best that you can get is |
| 1:42.9 | something that's continued. You're absolutely right. |
| 1:45.0 | Five years in April. |
| 1:47.0 | And that succession work, I think, is powerful for everyone who's a part of it. |
| 1:52.4 | I don't know whether that's a yes or a no. |
| 1:54.6 | Evan, I've been learning from you. |
| 1:56.2 | It's neither a yes nor a no. |
| 1:57.6 | Plan for everything. |
| 1:59.4 | Keep your options open. |
| 2:00.5 | Thank you very much. |
| 2:01.7 | Well, my third guest is serial technology entrepreneur, Sir Terry Matthews. |
| 2:06.7 | Welsh-born, Canadian-based. |
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