PODCAST · business
Good Bad Billionaire
by BBC World Service
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? New episodes include: Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Federer, MrBeast, Luana Lopes Lara, Beyoncé, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Spielberg. Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire. In each episode, BBC Business Editor Simon Jack and journalist and author Zing Tsjeng analyse the lives of the super-rich, and try to understand what motivates billionaires like Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. New season: From singing superstar Beyoncé, to footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Simon and Zing will rate their wealth, power, legacy and associated controversies, putting them to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard. Then they hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Get in touch by email and let us know what you think! The contact details are at the end of these show notes. Ever wondered h
Episodes
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Gautam Adani: The multiple mogul
Gautam Adani’s businesses span almost every part of life in India. From energy to food, ports to mining, and drinks to weapons, the Adani group has widespread influence over millions of people day to day. From his early career as a diamond trader, Gautam built a reputation as always looking for…
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Nelson Peltz: Junk bond activist
Nelson Peltz made his money via some contentious methods - junk bonds, corporate raids, leveraged buyouts and activist investing - but he is most famous because his daughter Nicola married a Beckham. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Peltz’s career from dropping out...
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Prince Alwaleed bin Talal: The billionaire royal
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is a billionaire Saudi prince who insists he’s self-made. He champions women's rights, yet is a member of one of the world’s most traditional ruling families. He built his fortune betting on western giants like Citicorp and Apple, but is a prominent member of the House…
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Sheryl Sandberg: Chief operator
As COO of Facebook, then Meta, Sheryl Sandberg is a rarity among billionaires. She made her money as an employee rather than as a founder, creator, or company owner. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Sandberg’s career, from running aerobics classes in her teens to...
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Lord Sugar: From entrepreneur to Apprentice
It's a classic British rags-to-riches story: Alan Michael Sugar went from selling car aerials from the back of his minivan to becoming one of the most recognisable faces of UK business. First with his consumer electrics company Amstrad, then as the frontman of the UK version of The Apprentice....
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The Batista brothers: Meat and money
From a small Brazilian butcher’s shop to the world’s largest meat empire, Wesley and Joesley Batista built a global powerhouse feeding millions every day. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace the Batista brothers' rise from teenage entrepreneurs learning the family…
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Tao Huabi: Crispy chilli godmother
Tao Huabi grew up in childhood poverty in the province of Guizhou in southwestern China, but would one day become a household name in her home country. Her Lao Gan Ma brand, famous for its crispy chilli oil, is a staple in China and fast becoming one globally. BBC business editor Simon Jack and...
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Sir Paul McCartney: The rich one - Live at Crossed Wires
He enjoyed a spectacular rise in The Beatles, and went on to become a gold-plated member of British music royalty. Hear how Paul McCartney, one of the last century’s defining songwriters, became the UK's first billionaire rock star along the way. But how much of Paul McCartney’s cash comes from...
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Reed Hastings: Netflix’s co-founder and media disruptor
As co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings is responsible for one of the most recognisable brands in the world. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng recount how he evolved Netflix from a DVD-by-mail rental service to the streaming giant responsible for bringing Stranger Things,...
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Roger Federer: The billion-dollar backhand
Roger Federer isn’t just one of the greatest tennis players of all time - he’s also one of the richest. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his journey: from a fiery, racket-smashing junior in Switzerland to the calm, composed global icon who conquered Wimbledon, and...
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Luana Lopes Lara: Prediction market payout
Luana Lopes Lara, the co-founder of prediction market platform Kalshi, went from the Bolshoi ballet school in Brazil to becoming the world’s youngest female self-made billionaire. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how - in today's online world - literally anything...
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MrBeast: The business of going viral
Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, transformed himself from a teenager obsessing over YouTube's algorithms, into one of the most influential digital entrepreneurs on the planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his ascent from making Minecraft videos in his...
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See Good Bad Billionaire live!
Good Bad Billionaire is coming to the Crossed Wires Festival in Sheffield this July. Simon and Zing will be discussing Sir Paul McCartney. Sign up for free tickets to be in the audience at: https://crossedwires.live/podcast/good-bad-billionaire
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Cristiano Ronaldo: Football's first billionaire player
Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in poverty on the remote island of Madeira, but became football's first billionaire player, and one of the most recognisable people on the planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Ronaldo's rise from a homesick kid playing for the academy…
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Steven Spielberg: Directing dreams and deals
Steven Spielberg always felt like an outsider, but became the most commercially successful movie director in history. His hits, including ET, Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park, sent him on his way to becoming one of the first entertainment billionaires. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist...
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Beyoncé: The business of Queen B
Beyoncé started out as a little girl competing in local talent shows, but over the course of a 30-year career in music she transformed herself into a mogul worth $1 billion. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Beyoncé’s early years in girl group Girls Tyme, the…
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Trailer
Simon and Zing are back to tell you how another batch of billionaires made their money. From people who've recently joined this most exclusive of clubs - like Beyoncé and Mr Beast - to some of the most established names in entertainment, including Sir Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg, Simon…
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The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part three
Simon and Zing bring you the third episode of Inheritance: Samsung, where a betrayal shakes up the succession. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is...
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The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part two
The second episode of Inheritance: Samsung sees the company grow into a global tech giant. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these...
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The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part one
Simon and Zing introduce the first episode of a brand-new podcast, Inheritance: Samsung. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these...
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Toto Wolff: Mercedes's billion-dollar F1 boss
Toto Wolff is the most successful team principal in Formula One history. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out what drives him. From losing his father and abandoning his own racing dreams, Toto Wolff redirected his love of risk and need for control into venture…
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Ronnie Screwvala: The cable guy
Ronnie Screwvala changed the viewing habits of the world’s most populous country, India - but he started out selling toothbrushes. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart his journey, from knocking on apartment doors in 1980s Mumbai selling cable TV, to building a media...
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Larry Ellison: Winning the database wars
Larry Ellison’s business mantra is simple: “It is not sufficient that I succeed — everyone else must fail.” From humble beginnings as an adopted child in Chicago to becoming one of the richest men in history, BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace the relentless ascent of...
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Elizabeth Holmes: From CEO to criminal
As a new Nathan Fielder documentary is released about Elizabeth Holmes, hear about her Silicon Valley dream in this episode of Good Bad Billionaire. Once hailed as the next Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire after founding Theranos, a startup…
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Peggy Cherng: Engineering a fast-food fortune
Peggy Cherng never set out to work in fast food, but her engineering mindset transformed how millions of Americans eat. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Peggy Cherng’s journey: from electrical engineering and simulating battlefields, to co-founding Panda Express…
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Ben Francis: UK’s youngest billionaire
How Ben Francis went from pizza delivery boy to the UK’s youngest billionaire, by founding sportswear brand Gymshark. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Ben Francis' remarkable rise: from sewing gym vests in his parents’ garage, to innovating in influencer culture.…
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Lucy Guo: The woman training AI
She skateboards to work, has a skydiving license, and was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tell the story of Lucy Guo and trace her trajectory to becoming one of the tech titans. From dropping out of college to join Peter...
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Elon Musk: You decide!
It’s time to hear what you, our listeners, think of Elon Musk. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack read your feedback to our Elon Musk episode: do you think he’s good, bad, or just another billionaire? Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the...
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David Geffen: The Hollywood power broker
David Geffen is the money man behind Crosby, Stills and Nash, Guns N' Roses, Cher, Shrek, Gladiator, and even Cats the musical. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the remarkable story of the Brooklyn boy who conquered Hollywood and became an entertainment mogul. From...
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Sara Blakely: Shaping the world with Spanx
Sara Blakely grew up in Florida and dreamed of becoming a lawyer, but after failing the LSAT twice, she pivoted to sales and later entrepreneurship. Frustrated by uncomfortable hosiery, Blakely cut the feet off her tights and sparked an idea that would change fashion. With no formal business...
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Guy Laliberté: Cirque du Soleil’s clown turned CEO
Guy Laliberté went from busking on the streets of Quebec to entertaining Hollywood celebrities and wearing a clown nose on the International Space Station. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of the Cirque du Soleil founder, and how he turned his passion for...
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Elon Musk: Money, memes and Mars
Elon Musk’s extraordinary rise, from a troubled childhood in apartheid-era South Africa to becoming the first person to amass half a trillion dollars. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart Elon Musk's journey to becoming a multi-billionaire entrepreneur: from tech giant...
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Luciano Benetton: Famous fashion to cultural controversy
Luciano Benetton rose from poverty in postwar Italy to found a chain of 7,000 high street fashion stores and create some of the most controversial advertising campaigns in history, becoming a billionaire along the way. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack discover how it all...
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Tyler Perry: Homeless to Hollywood entrepreneur
From a childhood marked by abuse and trauma, Tyler Perry worked whatever jobs he could to fund his self-written and produced play for six years: sometimes performing to an audience of just one. But then success literally came calling for the future billionaire, and kick-started his rise in…
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Lakshmi Mittal: King of steel
Lakshmi Mittal grew up in Kolkata, where he gained early experience in his father’s steel business before founding his own steel mill in Indonesia in his twenties. By adopting mini-mill technology and electric arc furnaces, Lakshmi Mittal produced steel more efficiently than traditional methods…
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Michael O’Leary: Ryanair’s cost-cutting king
How Michael O’Leary, the outspoken CEO of Ryanair, turned a struggling regional airline into a €28 billion powerhouse by relentlessly cutting costs and embracing controversy. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng uncover how O’Leary - who neither founded Ryanair nor intended…
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Diane Hendricks: Building a fortune
Diane Hendricks rose from a teenage mother on a Wisconsin dairy farm to become America’s richest self-made woman, building a $22 billion fortune through roofing giant ABC Supply. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace her journey from selling homes to leading the largest...
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John Fredriksen: Tanker king
Norwegian shipping magnate John Fredriksen once owned the world’s largest fleet of oil tankers. He made billions shipping goods round the globe and was unafraid of high-risk deals. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how Fredriksen began as a ship broker, then…
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Evan Spiegel: Snapchat fratboy
Snapchat co-founder Evan Spiegel dropped out of Stanford Business School when the disappearing messages app made him a millionaire. Four years later, he was named the world’s youngest billionaire at 25. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell Spiegel’s story, from shy...
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Tatyana Kim: Russia’s online retail queen
How Tatyana Kim went from working as an English teacher to running Russia’s largest online retailer, Wildberries, and being Russia’s richest woman. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack piece together how Tatyana Kim built Wildberries into one of Russia’s leading online…
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Arnold Schwarzenegger: Muscles, movies, money
How bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger went from Mr Universe to all-action cinematic superstar and billionaire investor. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to Schwarzenegger’s youth in post-war Austria and a childhood marked by poverty. Bodybuilding gave him a…
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Coming soon: More tales of the mega-rich
Film stars, tech bros, shipping magnates and online retail giants... BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng introduce the latest batch of billionaires whose stories they will uncover in their new season, starting 6 October. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the...
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Encore - Film Stories: George Lucas and Peter Jackson
George Lucas created Star Wars and Peter Jackson directed the Lord of the Rings films, two of the movie world’s most epic adventures. Ahead of a new season of Good Bad Billionaire, presented by Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack, here’s another chance to hear how these two film...
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The dead billionaires: What do you think?
What did you think of John D Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Sam Walton and Hetty Green? These five titans of American industry include an oil tycoon, a motor magnate, an eccentric aviator, the founder of Walmart, and an unsung pioneer of value investment known as the ‘Witch of Wall...
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Hetty Green: The 'witch' of Wall Street
Hetty Green was America’s richest woman, but was renowned as the nation’s biggest miser. But she built her investment fortune in an era before women could even vote. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the forgotten story of a woman guided by Quakerism who loaned money…
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Sam Walton: Walmart’s founder
Sam Walton put discount megastores on the map and built the largest retailer on Earth. He founded Walmart, which now has around 10,500 stores across 19 countries, and 255 million customers a week, thanks to their low prices. They also employ more than two million workers. BBC business editor…
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Howard Hughes: Eccentric aviator
The original weird billionaire, Howard Hughes was a filmmaker, a playboy and a world record-breaking aviator. He was also an obsessive germophobe who died a paranoid recluse. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack tell the story of one of the strangest billionaires in history.…
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Henry Ford: Putting the world on wheels
Henry Ford may not have invented the car, or even the assembly line, but he perfected them. His Model T – nicknamed “Tin Lizzie” – made cars affordable for the average worker, not just the rich. He was a master tinkerer, inventor and even introduced the five-day 40-hour work week – better than…
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John D Rockefeller: The first billionaire
John D Rockefeller built his fortune refining oil and founding Standard Oil. A pioneer of the U.S. business trust, he helped shape the structure of the modern corporation. His influence lives on in companies like Chevron, ExxonMobil, and ConocoPhillips, and in institutions like the Rockefeller...
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Coming soon: Good Bad Dead Billionaire
We’re back – but with a difference! Find out how some of the world's most famous dead billionaires made their money. Meet five billionaires who helped build the United States of America. First up: oil tycoon John D Rockefeller, the world’s first billionaire. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng also…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? New episodes include: Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Federer, MrBeast, Luana Lopes Lara, Beyoncé, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Spielberg.
Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire.
In each episode, BBC Business Editor Simon Jack and journalist and author Zing Tsjeng analyse the lives of the super-rich, and try to understand what motivates billionaires like Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey.
New season: From singing superstar Beyoncé, to footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Simon and Zing will rate their wealth, power, legacy and associated controversies, putting them to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard. Then they hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires?
Get in touch by email and let us know what you think! The contact details are at the end of these show notes.
Ever wondered h
HOSTED BY
BBC World Service
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Good Bad Billionaire have?
Good Bad Billionaire currently has 107 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Good Bad Billionaire about?
How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? New episodes include: Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Federer, MrBeast, Luana Lopes Lara, Beyoncé, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Spielberg. Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire. In each episode,...
How often does Good Bad Billionaire release new episodes?
Good Bad Billionaire publishes regularly with 107 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Good Bad Billionaire?
You can listen to Good Bad Billionaire on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Good Bad Billionaire?
Good Bad Billionaire is created and hosted by BBC World Service.
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