About this episode
The episode explores the implications and outcomes of corporate mergers and acquisitions.
From headline deals like Vodafone-Three or home builder, Barratt buying rival, Redrow, corporate mergers and takeovers are on the rise. Evan Davis and guests take a fresh look at what happens when companies combine. They discuss why deal-making is growing, why execs turn to M&A, what can go wrong and whether mergers deliver growth or simply disguise deeper problems. Guests: Vittorio Colao, CEO at Vodafone Group 2008-2018, and now Vice Chairman, EMEA, General Atlantic Pip Hulbert, CCO for International Markets at VML Farshid Azadegan, Director of BEC Distribution Production team: Presenter: Evan Davis Producer: Sally Abrahams Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison Sound engineers: Russell Newlove and Andy Garratt Editor: Matt Willis The Bottom Line is produced in partnership with The Open University
People in this episode
Host: Evan Davis
Guests: Vittorio Colao, Pip Hulbert, Farshid Azadegan
Topics covered
- corporate mergers
- takeovers
- deal-making
- business growth
- M&A
- executive decisions
Keywords
- mergers
- acquisitions
- Vodafone
- Barratt
- Redrow
- business strategy
- corporate growth
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Vodafone Group, VML, BEC Distribution, The Open University, BBC Radio 4, Barratt, Redrow, Three, Vodafone
More episodes of The Bottom Line
- How the oil industry works · June 11, 2026 · 38 min
- Trainer Wars · June 4, 2026 · 37 min
- Entrepreneurs: Your Questions Answered · March 5, 2026 · 37 min
- Product Innovation: Better, Or Just New? · February 26, 2026 · 32 min
- How Do You Deal with a Workplace Bully? · February 19, 2026 · 32 min
- Private Renting: Who Wants to Be a Landlord? · February 12, 2026 · 35 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Bottom Line podcast page.