Podcasts

Thousands of National Lottery players had their online accounts hacked by cyber criminals just last week. More than 100,000 people in the UK had their internet access cut after a string of service providers were hit by what is believed to be a coordinated cyber-attack. TalkTalk, one of Britain's biggest service providers, the Post Office and KCom were all affected by malware, which is spread via compromised computers. To find out what needs to be done by organisations to better protect customers' data and money, Olivia Demetriades spoke to Ryan Rubin, a managing director at Protiviti, the business management consultants.

It's The Bigger Picture with Rishi Patel of FTI consulting. Simon and Rishi discussed: What is the Supreme Court, what is it considering and why are news organisations having so much trouble making it interesting for the rest of us? Why did the Italians vote against their prime minister and what might it for the future of the EU? Why has Time magazine put Nigel Farage on its shortlist for Person of the Year?

John Lloyd, legendary TV producer of QI, Blackadder and much more, joined Simon live in the studio to talk about his new book “1,342 QI facts to leave you flabbergasted”.

Every week on the AIM Show we meet interesting people behind companies listed, or in this case, soon to be listed, on the junior stock market. This week it's the turn of ECSC Group, a Bradford based provider of cyber security services to major blue-chip companies. Simon speaks to Ian Mann, the CEO.

The Financial Conduct Authority has outlined new proposals to crack down on financial spread betting. Financial spread-betting products known as "contracts for difference" are agreements that allow two parties to exchange the difference between the opening price and closing price of a contract. However they are notoriously risky- with an investigation by the FCA finding that 82% of investors lost money on them. Shares in spread betting companies fell dramatically today after the news. To find out more about the measures proposed, Simon was joined by Jake Green Regulation Partner at law firm Ashurst.

Share Radio's Juliette Foster is joined in the studio by John Kay, economist, academic and author of "The Long and the Short of It: A Guide to Finance and Investment for Normally Intelligent People Who Aren't in the Industry". In the book John Kay demonstrates his belief that anyone can be their own investment manager - just as long as they follow some simple rules to develop their own workable strategy. Using humour and case studies, John guides the reader through the complexities of modern finance in order to give them the confidence to take control of their financial destiny.

This is Emerging Opportunities, the only show on radio dedicated to global emerging markets. Hosting today's show are Share Radio's Juliette Foster and managing editor of the Frontier Funds Consultancy, Gavin Serkin. This week they're exploring an industry that's particularly critical in emerging markets: the raising of finance for gas and oil projects. The hosts speak with Andrew Moorfield, who is the head of natural resources at the investment bank, Exotix.

Spread betting firms plunged 30% earlier today after the Financial Conduct Authority announced new regulations for the sector. Chief among their fears was that customers using these products didn't understand them properly and as a result weren't aware of the risks involved. Share Radio's Juliette Foster speaks to Billy Bambrough, City A.M.'s deputy news editor, to help illuminate what these products are, what the new rules entail, and which firms will be affected the most by the change.

Private debt in the UK stands at £1.5 trillion, according to the latest figures from "The Money Charity" which educates people in managing their finances. The average adult now owes almost £30,000 or just over 113% of their annual earnings, while outgoings from mortgages, loans and credit cards constitute 82% of what the entire economy produces in a year. Yet behind the numbers lurk individual stories of hardship along with concerns about the impact of debt on the economy's long-term ability to function. So is it time for governments to change their perception of debt and to stop seeing it as the sole responsibility of those who are struggling to pay their way? Joining Share Radio's Juliette Foster and our economics correspondent Professor John Weeks is Dr. Johanna Montgomerie, Deputy Director at the Political Economy Research Centre at Goldsmiths University.

The Government has announced plans for the first integrated rail franchise separate from Network Rail in decades. East West rail will manage both the tracks and trains of a new link between Oxford and Cambridge - an approach that Number 10 hopes will put Britain's railways back on track. Share Radio's Juliette Foster is joined on the line by Steve Hedley, Senior Assistant General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) to gauge his reaction: is this a positive move?