Behind the Money

Every January a collection of the world’s top business and political leaders head to the Swiss town of Davos for the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum. The event is a week of panels and networking meant to promote dialogue among elites. But a scandal last year threatened to overshadow the 2026 meeting, which begins in a few days. Critics have also questioned the event’s relevance in a changing world. The FT’s Switzerland and Austria correspondent, Mercedes Ruehl, explains the problems the WEF has faced and shares her reporting on how this year’s event is shaping up. Clips from the World Economic Forum, Instagram: @christinelagardeThe FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Microsoft and McKinsey pay up to $1mn each to back Donald Trump’s Davos hub Davos assured Trump ‘woke’ topics were off the agendaThe Davos set in decline: can the World Economic Forum save itself?‘A family enterprise’: WEF founder Klaus Schwab on alleged wrongdoing at Davos - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Mercedes Ruehl on X (@mjruehl), or on Bluesky (@mjruehl.bsky.social) Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more. Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the artificial intelligence bubble to trade policy, Michela asks Martin Wolf, the FT's chief economics commentator, how the biggest stories of last year will affect the economy in 2026. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Forecasting the world in 2026 Why the world should worry about stablecoinsTrump’s tariffs will damage the world- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Martin Wolf on X (@martinwolf_). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The surge in scams, phishing attacks and digital fraud is raising serious liability questions. So who should be doing more? In this live recording from this year’s FT Global Banking Summit, Michela poses that question to executives from Citi, KPMG and Open Banking Excellence. The conversation was recorded on December 2, 2025.The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:We have to be able to hold tech platforms accountable for fraud The rise of deepfake scams — and how not to fall for oneAt Singapore’s anti-fraud convention, even the experts get scammed- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Economists like to model people as rational creatures who make self-interested decisions. But humans don’t act that way. Why do investors, politicians and ordinary people act against their best interests – and how can they be nudged into making better decisions? To find out, FT economics commentator Chris Giles speaks to Richard Thaler, the founding father of behavioural economics. Thaler is a professor at the University of Chicago who won the 2017 Nobel Prize in Economics for his work on how humans make (often irrational) decisions.This is a repeat of an episode published on The Economics Show, a sister podcast of Behind the Money, on November 7, 2025. Subscribe to The Economics Show on Apple, Spotify, Pocket Casts or wherever you listen.Presented by Chris Giles. Produced by Mischa Frankl-Duval. Manuela Saragosa is the executive producer. Original music by Breen Turner. Sound design by Breen Turner and Samantha Giovinco. Our broadcast engineer is Andrew Georgiades. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite its relatively low profile, Fidelity Investments is a sprawling beast when it comes to financial services. Last year, the firm’s revenues surpassed the world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, by more than 50 per cent. The FT’s Emma Dunkley explains how Fidelity has come to dominate the sector, the secrets behind its success, and what hurdles it may have to jump through in the coming years as new challenges for asset managers arise. The FT does not use generative AI to voice its podcasts.- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:Can Fidelity keep its grip on America’s investments?The quiet queen of American financeHow Fidelity’s Ned Johnson defied the curse of the boss’s sonTrump opens US retirement plans to crypto and private equity investments- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow Emma Dunkley on X (@EmDunks). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.