Profile

After this week's cabinet reshuffle Mark Coles profiles Nicky Morgan. Who exactly is the new education secretary? Producer: Smita Patel.

Elizabeth Butler-Sloss has been chosen this week to lead a major enquiry into abuse allegations. But the choice has proved controversial, with claims that she is too close to the establishment. A specialist in family law who became a high-ranking judge, she's been involved in many important decisions. Mary-Ann Sieghart looks at her life and career.Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Speculation abounded this week as to whether Elizabeth Warren hopes to be the Democratic candidate in the next US election.Elizabeth Warren has had a rapid rise to prominence since her election as Senator for Massachusetts in 2012. Her interrogation of key figures from the banking sector during the financial crisis earned her nicknames such as the 'Sheriff of Wall Street' and the 'Matriarch of Mayhem'.On Profile this week Chris Bowlby looks at the life and character of the woman who is said to make many Wall Street executives shiver.Producer: Charlotte Pritchard.

London barrister Amal Alamuddin has become engaged to one of the world's most elusive bachelors, Hollywood A-lister George Clooney. But she is an impressive figure in her own right. As a high-flying human rights lawyer she has defended the likes of Julian Assange of Wikileaks, former Ukrainian president Yulia Tymoshenko and the former head of Libyan intelligence Abdallah Al Senussi. She has also been an adviser to Kofi Annan of the UN on Syria and to the UN tribunal on the assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri. Mark Coles talks to those who know her well.Produced by Rebecca Kesby and Arlene Gregorius.

The owners of Manchester United find themselves under the spotlight once again following the sacking of manager David Moyes, Alex Ferguson's replacement. American billionaire Malcolm Glazer and his family faced a hostile reaction from many fans when they took over the club in 2005. The Glazers control a large business empire in the US including shopping centres and an American football team, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They have attempted to keep their liives private but have been unable to avoid media attention. Jo Fidgen talks to friends, foes and observers. Produced by Rebecca Kesby.

Mark Coles profiles new Culture Secretary, Sajid Javid. Son of 1960s immigrants from Pakistan, after a stellar banking career he's now in the Cabinet. What's behind his rise? And what kind of Culture Secretary will he be?Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Narendra Modi is tipped to become the next Prime Minister of India but he's a controversial character, both loved and loathed. In this edition of Profile, Ritula Shah travels to India to find out more about the son of a tea seller who has become a formidable politician. She speaks to the brother he left behind and the tailor who gives him his signature style.Producer: Laura Gray Presenter: Ritula Shah.

Sir Alan Ayckbourn is about to turn 75 years old and one of his best-known plays is currently running at the National Theatre in London. Known for his acerbic social observation and exploration of human relationships, his works are as thought provoking as they are funny. But who is the man behind them? Notoriously reticent, he often prefers his written words to speak for him. In this edition of Profile, Becky Milligan speaks to Sir Alan's close friends and family to find out what drives him, and why.

Mark Coles profiles Noah. As a new Hollywood movie opens starring Russell Crowe, and as part of a celebration of characters on BBC Radio 4, Mark Coles explores the many sides of a figure we keep returning to.

Edward Stourton profiles Matteo Renzi, the new Italian prime minister. He asks if this former boy scout - nicknamed 'demolition man' for his desire to smash the political establishment - can turn around Italy's fortunes. At 39, he is Italy's youngest-ever PM. He wears jeans and a leather jacket and models himself on Tony Blair. Can he live up to his promises?Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Ahead of the budget Mary Ann Sieghart profiles Rupert Harrison. He's the top economic adviser to George Osborne, and the man some call the 'real Chancellor' and 'the most important man you've never heard of'. Those who know him well and have seen his influence grow describe his career and characteristics.Producer: Chris Bowlby Editor: Richard Knight.

Russian president Vladimir Putin's motives and aims are at the heart of the Ukraine crisis.In this week's Profile, Mary Ann Sieghart speaks to those who've watched him closely to explore how his life has shaped his view of the world, and Russia's place in it.We hear about his life as KGB agent, his volatile temper, and the role religion now plays in his life and politics.Producer: Chris Bowlby Editor: Richard Knight.

Janet Yellen is President Obama's choice to replace Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the United States Federal Reserve when his term ends later this month, making her the most powerful central banker in the world and, arguably, the most powerful woman in the world. But who is she? Mary Ann Sieghart finds out - discovering, among other things, how Janet Yellen reacted when an earthquake shook her office.Producer: David Edmonds.

After playing Baltimore drug boss Stringer Bell in The Wire, and Detective John Luther on British television, Idris Elba is now appearing in a very different role - Nelson Mandela in Long Walk to Freedom. Chris Bowlby profiles the British actor who some think will one day be the first black James Bond.Producer: Smita Patel.

As the drama of street protests in Ukraine continues, Mark Coles profiles 'Dr Ironfist', the world boxing champion turned opposition political leader Vitali Klitschko. He's the son of a Soviet air force officer, one of two top boxers with a PhD (the other is his brother Vladimir) and he's nice to his mum. But can he make it in the murky world of Ukrainian politics?Producers: Chris Bowlby, Laura Gray.

Edward Stourton profiles the Michelle Bachelet, the favourite in this weekend's presidential election in Chile. If Bachelet wins as expected, then it will be her second term as president of a country which elected her to office in 2006. Bachelet took 47 per cent of the vote, almost twice as much as her rival, in the first round but it was not enough to secure an outright victory.Bachelet's family were victims of the coup in Chile under General Pinochet in 1973. Her father, an Air Force general who refused to go along with the actions of his brother officers, died after being tortured. The regime also tortured Bachelet herself - and her mother - before allowing them to go into exile, first to Australia and then to East Germany, where they joined many of their compatriots.Profile talks to a fellow Chilean exile who knew Bachelet when she was a student in the GDR, the speechwriter who helped her to victory seven years ago and a British diplomat who helped to sell Chile some second hand frigates and was impressed by Bachelet's plain-dealing.Producer: Mark Savage.

He was one of the poster boys for London 2012 - a contributor to Team GB's medal haul, admired for his perfect mid-flight somersaults and skimpy swimwear.British Olympic diver Tom Daley has lived his life in the public eye since first attracting attention aged ten, when he became Britain's youngest diver to win the national championships.Tom Daley is in the media spotlight more than ever this week after announcing on YouTube that he is dating a man, provoking much discussion not only of the announcement but of the public's reaction to it. Mark Coles tells his story.Producer: Charlotte Pritchard.

With the SNP announcing its plans for an independent Scotland this week, Lesley Curwen profiles Nicola Sturgeon - a figure who may be key to the party's chances of success.She's deputy to Alex Salmond but is central to the party's campaign, and she's playing a major but perhaps under-reported role in negotiating with London too. How did she achieve such a rapid rise to political prominence? And why is she so obsessed with the TV drama Borgen?Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Chris Bowlby.

Bill de Blasio, sometime supporter of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, will soon take over as mayor of New York. He's overcome the suicide of his war veteran father, created the most famous multiracial family in the US and now has to persuade Wall Street to fund his radical plans to overcome inequality in the Big Apple. Ed Miliband is said to be watching carefully. Mark Coles profiles a politician attracting global attention.Producers: Ben Crighton, Chris Bowlby Editor: Richard Knight.

India means Sachin and Sachin means India. So how did a shy 16-year-old cricketer come to embody a nation and its hopes and dreams? Sachin Tendulkar's career spanned a period of remarkable change in what is now one of the world's biggest developing economies. As he plays his 200th and final test match, Tim Franks looks at how Sachin's progress mirrored and even inspired India's over a quarter of a century.

She's been described as the UK's most experienced criminal prosecutor, responsible for bringing some of the most infamous criminals to justice. But she also has a passion for cooking and entertaining. Becky Milligan profiles Alison Saunders, who this week became the new Director of Public Prosecutions.Producer: Ben Crighton.

He is one of a small number of people who has made it to both the North Pole and the South Pole. He runs ultramarathons. He climbs mountains. Oh, and he is a billionaire, one of the country's richest men, who has reluctantly been making the headlines. Jim Ratcliffe, who recently threatened to close the huge Grangemouth petrochemical plant in Scotland - which he owns through his company Ineos - is often described as 'reclusive'. Certainly he doesn't seek publicity. In Profile this week, Jo Fidgen talks to those who know him best, to find out what makes Jim Ratcliffe tick.

Last year, long-standing Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell was forced to resign his new job as Chief Whip after being accused of calling police officers guarding the Downing Street gates "plebs." The so-called 'Plebgate' saga has hit the headlines once again this week after a committee of MPs summoned three senior police officers to explain their inquiry into the incident. While last year Andrew Mitchell was the focus of controversy, the Rugby and Cambridge-educated disciplinarian is now eliciting sympathy in many quarters. Becky Milligan looks at the life of a man caught in the eye of a political storm.Producer: Ben Crighton.

It's 40 years since the National Theatre was led by someone who wasn't a Cambridge graduate, but this week it was announced that Rufus Norris - who spent his late teens as a painter and decorator - would succeed Sir Nicholas Hytner as the theatre's director. So why is Norris such a popular choice for British theatre's top job? Mary Ann Sieghart looks at the making of a director whose work includes collaborations with Damon Albarn and the London Community Gospel Choir and a musical about a real-life serial killer.

This week saw the surprising exit from the English Defence League of its leaders Tommy Robinson and Kevin Carroll. Instrumental in their decision to leave was Essex-born Maajid Nawaz, a former activist for the Islamist organisation Hizb ut-Tahrir. Arrested in 2001 for attempting to revive the group in Egypt, he served four years in a Cairo jail. Today, he has renounced his old beliefs and now runs the Quilliam Foundation, a 'counter extremism' think tank run by former activists. He has also been selected by the Liberal Democrats to fight a marginal parliamentary seat in 2015. Mark Coles looks at his life.Producer: Ben Crighton.

A gifted journalist with his finger on the pulse of Middle England? Or 'the most dangerous man in Britain' as the Guardian newspaper has described him? Mark Coles profiles the powerful and influential Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre.Producers: Ben Crighton and Simon Maybin.

Iran's new president Hassan Rouhani has been centre of attention at the UN this week. He's promising a new approach to talks with the West over his country's nuclear programme.He is certainly a change from his abrasive anti-Western predecessor. Rouhani studied in Britain, loves Bogart films and Thomas Hardy novels and is fond of designer clerical robes.So, Mary Ann Sieghart asks, is all that merely a matter of presentation? Or is he a completely new kind of Iranian leader?Producer: Heba Ayoub Editor: Richard Knight.

Comedian Billy Connolly has announced new film and touring plans despite facing ill health. Mark Coles explores how Connolly has long used humour to defy serious adversity. Childhood abuse and alcoholism have been countered by a rich musical, comedy and acting career.In this profile of the Glasgow welder who became a global star, Connolly's own performances and voice are mixed with the thoughts of those who know him well - including singer Barbara Dickson and producer John Lloyd.Producers: Heba Ayoub, Chris Bowlby.

Mark Coles profiles Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, a key figure in the Syria crisis. Has this chain-smoking, vodka-loving diplomat managed to restore Russian power?Those who've dealt with him tell us just why he's such a formidable opponent, and how he survived the collapse of the Soviet Union to put Russian diplomacy back at the centre of world affairs.Producers: Chris Bowlby and Smita Patel.

Chris Bowlby profiles German Chancellor Angela Merkel - always underestimated, physicist and ruthless politician, the woman at the centre of the eurozone crisis. What has shaped a figure who grew up under East German communism, came to dominate united German politics and proclaims her love of football and opera? And as her friendship with David Cameron deepens, might she be key to Britain's EU future?Producer: Chris Bowlby Editor: Richard Knight.

Mark Coles explores the life of US Secretary of State, John Kerry, who is taking a global leadership role over Syria.As President Obama said when he nominated him for Secretary of State, "Kerry's entire life prepared him for this role."One of his childhood friends tells us that Secretary Kerry has kept the same principles he held as a young man at Yale. But others see him as a man of contradictions: a Vietnam veteran who lead the anti-war movement, then voted for war in Iraq.What are his guiding principles and motivations? Is he ready to handle the unfolding crisis in Syria?Producer: Helena Merriman.

Edward Stourton profiles the Commander of Egypt's Armed Forces, General Abdul Fattah al-Sisi, now the most powerful man in Egypt. General al-Sisi was appointed Defence Minister and Head of the Army by President Morsi in August 2012, and he was thought by many to be sympathetic to the Muslim Brotherhood.But he was instrumental in Morsi's downfall in July and oversaw the subsequent violent suppression of Muslim Brotherhood supporters.His former teacher from the US Army War College is among those who tell us more about this elusive former military intelligence chief.Producer: Helena Merriman.

Jane Deith profiles Mo Farah.This week he became the first British man - and only second man ever - to hold the Olympic and World 10,000m and 5,000m titles.He was born in Somalia and moved to Britain as a young boy, where his athletic journey began. But it was an unusual one for such a successful athlete - he needed cajoling, ran the wrong way in cross-country races and enjoyed playing to the crowd.Mo Farah was born to run. But he wasn't destined to win. Producer: Helena Merriman.

Chris Bowlby profiles the new governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, who unveiled his economic strategy this week.Heralded as 'the outstanding central banker of his generation' by George Osborne, Mr Carney now faces the task of guiding the UK's economy towards full recovery. Since arriving in London he has caused a stir by arriving to work on his first day by tube and unveiling Jane Austen as the face on the new £10 notes.He has come a long way from his roots in the remoteness of Canada's Northern Territories, a journey which included time at Harvard and Oxford Universities and a successful career at Goldman Sachs.Producer: Lucy Proctor.

Mary Ann Sieghart profiles Haifaa Al-Mansour, Saudi Arabia's first female film director.Haifaa Al-Mansour directed the recently-released Wadjda, the first film entirely shot in Saudi Arabia. The film follows the dreams of an 11-year-old girl who is desperate to own a bike, and was partly inspired by Al-Mansour's early years, growing up in a small town near Riyadh.After working for an oil company, Haifaa al-Mansour decided to become a film-maker, using some of her 11 willing siblings to help her with her first short films. Her very first short film, 'Who', was about a serial killer disguised as a woman in a burka.She says she doesn't think women can change things in Saudi Arabia if they are "aggressive", but it's better to "have a career and pursue a dream."Producer: Helena Merriman.

Helen Grady profiles Professor Sir Andre Geim who is one of the most unusual scientists working in Britain - perhaps the world - today.This week he was awarded the Royal Society's Copley Medal, believed to be the world's oldest science prize, for his ground-breaking experiments using graphene - thought by many to be the miracle material of the 21st century.He is also a winner of both the Ig Nobel Prize for improbable research and the real Nobel Prize in Physics. "What we should be doing with is Andre," one former boss tells us, "is just give him money to go and play, because by going and playing he's much more likely to come up with something revolutionary".Producer: Mark Savage.

Edward Stourton profiles Samantha Cameron. There's been debate this week about the degree to which her views influence government policy. But what do we actually know about the Prime Minister's wife?The daughter of a baronet with a family estate in Lincolnshire, Samantha Cameron was born Samantha Sheffield. She grew up in Oxfordshire but moved to Marlborough College in Wiltshire, where she took her A' Levels before studying Art at Camberwell College and Bristol Polytechnic.She met David Cameron through his sister - a close schoolfriend - and they married the same year that she started her career at the British luxury accessories brand, Smythson. She has been credited with reinventing the brand by introducing a popular line of handbags.Three years into her role as Prime Minister's wife, how is she handling life in Number 10?

With the Ashes underway, Mark Coles profiles the England cricket captain Alastair Cook. Born on Christmas Day in 1984, Cook's first career was as a chorister at St Paul's Cathedral. A talented musician, he also studied the clarinet and the saxophone but cricket soon took over and he made his England Test debut at 21, scoring a century. He's hit more Test centuries for England than any other player but shuns celebrity and spends his spare time sheep farming.

This week the football world ascended dizzying heights of breathlessness over the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson. But as one footballing titan steps down, another - a man who is, in some ways, the antithesis of Sir Alex - is about to step up to take on one of the highest-profile jobs in world football. Tim Franks profiles Pep Guardiola, and asks whether he could be Sir Alex's successor as perhaps the most successful manager in the game.

As she wages war against tax avoidance, Margaret Hodge - Chair of the Public Accounts Committee - is enjoying a blazing Indian summer in her political life. As Edward Stourton discovers, her political journey is set against the background of a turbulent personal life that began as the daughter of Jewish refugees in Egypt.

Alisher Usmanov has just been named the richest man in Britain. Born in Uzbekistan, Usmanov made his fortune in the collapsing Soviet Union. His empire has stretched from plastic bags to minerals, telecoms, Facebook and Arsenal Football Club. But, as Mark Coles reports, Usmanov's rise has not been straightforward, nor free of controversy.

Mark Coles profiles the long-serving and influential head of the FBI, Robert Mueller. Mueller took on the job one week before the 2001 World Trade Center attacks. Now, as he approaches retirement, the FBI is again dealing with the aftermath of an attack on American soil.The squared-jawed Princeton graduate was decorated for bravery during the Vietnam War before training as a lawyer. Dissatisfied with private practice, he found a government job as assistant US attorney in San Francisco - a move which marked the beginning of a steady climb to the top of law enforcement in America.He transformed the FBI from an organisation that solves crimes into one that also seeks to prevent terrorist attacks. He's now the longest-serving FBI director since J Edgar Hoover. Yet surprisingly little is known about him.

Mary Ann Seighart profiles Elizabeth Llewellyn, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants, who had an obvious talent for singing from an early age. Her school-teachers in south London encouraged her to take lessons and go to concerts, and she won a place at the Royal Northern College of Music. But ill-health forced her to drop out. She then pursued an alternative career in IT recruitment, her talent lying dormant. But when, years later, she joined an amateur choir, her new colleagues urged her to take her voice more seriously. She auditioned for the Glyndebourne chorus and from that point on her rise has been meteoric.

Amazon first became the world's biggest bookshop and then went on to revolutionise shopping as we know it. What began in 1994 as a small start-up in a Seattle suburb has become arguably the most significant technology company on the planet. Jeff Bezos, Amazon's founder, is now a billionaire many times over. Bezos rarely makes public pronouncements and avoids media interviews. Those who have worked with him describe him as a hands-on manager, who plans the grand strategy as a well as the tiny details. His wealth has given him the opportunity to pursue a passion for space travel. He has been building research facilities in a remote part of Texas for a secretive space programme. But who exactly is Jeffrey Preston Bezos?Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane.

Mary Ann Sieghart profiles the Reverend Lucy Winkett, Rector of St James's Piccadilly, and a former Canon of St Paul's Cathedral in London. Many inside the Church see her as favourite to become the first female bishop of the Church of England, if the rules change.Lucy Winkett read history at Cambridge before studying theology, and then trained as a soprano at the Royal College of Music for a year, even though she'd already decided to enter the priesthood. She uses her musical and creative side in her ministry, too, and has been known to burst into a rendition of Aretha Franklin's Natural Woman while playing the piano after morning service.Her appointment to St Paul's was controversial at the time and was initially tough for Lucy Winkett. Some couldn't accept the presence of a woman priest, and refused to take communion from her. But today her supporters are, it seems, many.Producer Fiona Leach.

Chris Bowlby looks at the 22-year old Norwegian chess player Magnus Carlsen. He has the highest rating in the world ever and has been called the Mozart of chess.He is currently in London playing the tournament that will determine which top player gets to challenge the reigning world champion, Vishy Anand, for that title. Carlsen has been amazing the world of chess since he was a child. He became a Grandmaster after just four years of playing, when he was thirteen. He also achieved a draw against chess legend Gary Kasparov at that age. His talent and achievements later caught the attention of the fashion world, and he was asked to model for denim brand G-Star Raw, giving the image of chess a make-over in the process. He is said to have a photographic memory, but uses it to remember sports results and trivia more than chess openings. An instinctive and fast player, he also has extraordinary staying power and can change a game five hours in, when his opponents start to flag. Can this chess wunderkind now become world champion? And what is he actually like? Lesley Curwen talks to those who know him best, from his dad and his first coach, to famous chess players like Nigel Short.Producer: Arlene Gregorius.

Chris Bowlby profiles the British-educated Chinese property billionaire Zhang Xin, one of the most powerful women in business. She is in advanced talks to buy 40 per cent of Manhattan's iconic General Motors building.Zhang Xin stands out as the high-profile CEO of the prominent, upmarket property developer SoHoChina, which she founded with her husband. Unusually for Chinese billionaires, she is also a philanthropist and speaks out about issues ranging from democracy to smog, in the international media and on her micro-blog.A rags to riches story, she grew up in very modest circumstances, particularly after her Chinese-Burmese translator parents split up, and her mother moved her from Beijing to a tiny room in Hong Kong, where she worked in a factory.After saving up for the airfare to the UK, she was then educated at Sussex and Cambridge universities, worked for Goldman Sachs, and returned to China where she built up her business with her husband.What motivates this billionaire mother-of-two to carry on working, particularly as property developers are often reviled in China?

Justin Bieber, the 19-year-old Canadian pop star, is an internet phenomenon with 35 million Twitter followers. His first hit is the most-watched video in YouTube history.He has upset fans on his UK tour by keeping them waiting before taking the stage, prompting some to suggest that the pressure of such extraordinary fame, experienced at such a young age, is beginning to show.Although Justin Bieber came to fame as a musical prodigy, who found his audience through the internet, these days his power as a global brand overshadows his reputation as an artist.Business is playing a growing part in his activities as he branches into venture capitalism by buying stakes in tech start-ups like Spotify.

Beppe Grillo has achieved a stunning success in the Italian elections with the performance of the new citizens' protest network - the Five Star Movement. He is its guiding star, a comedian-turned politician. The movement emerged from the web and took its argument into town squares all over Italy. The citizen activists oppose what they regard as the corrupted, self-serving traditional parties - the entire failed political establishment. The movement has connected with huge numbers of Italians who have developed a contempt for the governing elite. Producer Ian MuirCochrane.

Mike Ashley began his business career as a teenager with a single shop in 1980s Maidenhead. Now his international Sports Direct empire makes him millions. Among his more recent acquisitions was Newcastle United football club. Chris Bowlby searches for the secret behind Ashley's huge retail success, and discovers what happened when a southerner who hates publicity tried to win over the Geordie faithful.