Big Boss Interview

Nathan Coe, CEO of Autotrader, joins Sean Farrington for this episode of Big Boss Interview to discuss how rising fuel prices, the rapid growth of Chinese carmakers and advances in AI are reshaping the UK car market.Coe says the recent spike in petrol prices has triggered an immediate shift towards electric vehicles, with enquiries on Autotrader up 30% month-on-month. He says higher fuel costs are pushing more buyers to reconsider the total cost of ownership, accelerating interest in EVs.He also highlights the rapid rise of Chinese manufacturers in the UK market, describing their growth as “mind-boggling”. Firms such as BYD, he says, have scaled in a year what took Tesla six to seven, helped by competitive pricing and a shift in consumer behaviour - with EV buyers showing less loyalty to traditional brands.Coe is also asked about the Competition and Markets Authority investigation into online reviews, stressing the company’s focus on acting with integrity.On AI, Coe says Autotrader is working with firms including OpenAI, Google Gemini and Meta, and argues that while investor concerns about AI have weighed on the company’s share price, it has not seen a fall in traffic and believes the technology will strengthen its offering rather than disrupt it.Presenter: Sean FarringtonProducer: Jeevan NerwanEditor: Henry Jones00:12 Fliss and Sean set up interview 01:47 Nathan Coe joins the pod/Iran war impact on EV demand 09:10 Chinese car sales in the UK growing faster than expected 16:08 The UK's EV transition 18:42 CMA investigation 23:53 AI

Wholesale gas prices have roughly doubled in three weeks amid instability in the Middle East, and Greg Jackson, co-founder and Chief Executive of Octopus Energy, the UK's biggest household energy supplier, says it is "very likely" that energy bills will rise from July. The energy price cap is set to fall in April due to government tax cuts on electricity, but Jackson warns that fixed tariffs and business tariffs are expected to climb in the summer quarter. He compares the situation to Groundhog Day — just three years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine triggered a fossil fuel crisis.Consumer behaviour has shifted sharply in the three weeks since the crisis began. Octopus has recorded a 50% increase in rooftop solar sales, a 30% rise in heat pump sales, a 40% jump in heat pump orders, and a 30% increase in demand for electric vehicle charging points. He says a dramatic shift is needed in the UK. China's approach to energy offers a stark contrast. Some 75% of all renewables being built globally are in China, more than half the cars sold there last year were electric, and the Chinese state oil company is planning for no petrol stations by 2040. He describes China's energy investment as "breathtaking" and sees "a lot of talk and no action" in Europe. Octopus has raised around $3 billion in investment, but Jackson reveals that roughly $2.9 billion of that came from outside the UK. He blames pension and fund management regulations introduced around 2000, which he says have caused UK pension funds to cut their allocation to UK equities from about 40% to roughly 3%. The result, he argues, is that British pensioners receive lower returns while overseas investors capture the growth of British companies.Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Olie D'Albertanson Editor: Henry Jones00:13 Fliss and Sean set up interview 02:01 Greg Jackson joins the pod/ Iran war impact on energy. 05:07 Bills likely rising from July. 08:42 Consumer response. 50% solar surge, heat pumps. 14:40 Tesla & Musk's business entering the UK energy market. 16:07 Future of energy and cars. 19:18 Europe "torturing ourselves" over electrification.. 24:33 Overseas investment and UK consequences 27:57 Next election. Reform, Greens, and the future of energy policy 31:22 The entrepreneur. How Jackson became passionate about energy 36:45 AI and the next generation. Impact on young people's prospects 41:39 End of pod

Larry Fink, is Chairman and CEO of BlackRock - the world’s largest asset manager, overseeing more than $14 trillion in investments on behalf of governments, pension funds and individual investors globally. He tells BBC Business Editor Simon Jack that oil prices could remain above $100 a barrel for years — and rise to $150 — if the Iranian conflict is not resolved, a scenario he says would trigger a “stark and steep recession”. Higher energy costs would ripple through agriculture, fertiliser, and global supply chains, acting as a regressive tax that disproportionately affects the poorest.Fink calls for “energy pragmatism”, arguing countries should use all available energy sources — from oil and gas to renewables and nuclear — to build resilience. He highlights Europe’s fragmented power systems as a structural weakness, particularly as energy demand rises with the expansion of AI infrastructure.On trade, Fink says globalisation is being recalibrated rather than reversed. Post-war trading systems that favoured certain economies are shifting towards greater symmetry, though he acknowledges tariffs are inflationary.He dismisses comparisons to the 2008 financial crisis, arguing the $2.2 trillion private credit market is transparent, with clearly defined liquidity limits.Artificial intelligence, he says, will be transformational — driving demand for massive infrastructure investment while creating large numbers of skilled blue-collar jobs. Fink argues societies have overemphasised university education and must reassess the value of skilled trades in the AI economy.Presenter: Simon Jack Producer: Olie D'Albertanson & Ollie Smith00:15 Will Bain and Simon Jack set out who BlackRock/Larry Fink is 03:30 Larry Fink joins the podcast - discuss oil price scenarios 12:04 Globalisation and tariff impact 19:07 Are we reliving the Financial Crisis of 2008? 22:53 AI Investment: Bubble or necessity? 30:28 The case for blue-collar careers 32:58 AI, demographics, and the future of taxation