Top of the Agenda

In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Helen Jenkins sits down with Sir Philip Lowe, who spent over 40 years at the European Commission, to reflect on his career.   From his early work in the 1970s responding to the decline of industries such as coal and steel, Sir Philip’s career spans regional and rural development, building the single market, merger policy reform, European energy infrastructure,...

The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, which has disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, has caused major disruption in global oil and gas supplies, triggering complex economic consequences across industries and markets far beyond the energy sector.   In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Helen Jenkins is joined by Bill Farren-Price, Senior Research Fellow and Head of Gas Research at th...

The European Commission's draft merger guidelines are one of the most important ongoing debates in European policy. Nearly two decades have passed since the guidelines were last reviewed, and the new draft draws upon years of practice and precedent, reassessing core concerns around market power and consumer harm in today's digitalised, networked economy, where innovation is central to sustainable...

In this special edition of Top of the Agenda, we’re diving into the UK water sector to explore the Competition and Markets Authority's (CMA) final determinations: the PR 24 Redetermination process.   In England and Wales, the amount consumers pay for their water is regulated by the Office of Water Regulation (Ofwat). Five water companies: Anglian, Northumbrian, South East, Southern and Wessex disp...

Behavioural economics is all around us — from competition rulings, like the Google Search ruling in the US, to EU regulations targeting online dark patterns. It affects how we combat consumer manipulation, design policy, and even understand the behaviour of music fans. In this latest episode, Helen Jenkins is joined by Hélène Bourguignon, Oxera Partner, to share the highlights of a recent event ho...

Sport is big business. Around a quarter of global spending on TV content is focused on sports rights acquisitions, rising from 38 billion USD in 2018 to 64 billion USD in 2025. Also on the rise are questions as to whether the right rules are in place to ensure that the competitions fans follow are fairly constituted. In the latest episode of Top of the Agenda, Helen Jenkins is joined by Timo Klein...

In the third and final episode demystifying private equity, we explore the world of venture capital. While venture capital has delivered exceptional returns for some investors and founders, it’s also very high risk. So, is vibrant venture capital essential for economies seeking to boost innovation and drive productive growth? In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Dr Helen Jenkins is joined by Tim...

Since the end of the Cold War, Europe has enjoyed a ‘peace dividend’ driven by a reduced perception of military threat. Recent developments — including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — have fundamentally altered this landscape. Europe now faces a hostile military power on its eastern border, while questions remain over the long-term durability of US security guarantees. In response, defence spending...

Over the past decade, the scope of European competition policy has expanded significantly beyond its traditional focus on cartels, mergers, abuses of dominance and state aid controls. Today, it is increasingly expected to contribute to broader policy objectives, including ensuring fair digital markets, supporting sustainability, resilience and strategic sovereignty, and safeguarding Europe’s compe...

Climate change is no longer a future threat, it’s a present-day reality that is reshaping economies, ecosystems, and societies around the world. As mitigation is no longer enough; adaptation is essential. Yet, despite increasing recognition of the need to invest in adaptation, global efforts remain fragmented and underfunded. In our latest episode of Top of the Agenda, guest host Tim Jenkinson is...

The UK government aims to stimulate economic growth by encouraging more investment in British businesses. One potential source of that investment is pension funds, but would such policies truly serve the long-term interests of savers and/or the short-term needs of the economy? In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Dr Helen Jenkins speaks with Julian Franks, Professor of Finance at London Business...

Earlier this year, the European Commission set out its recommendations for implementing its clean industrial deal—aimed at supporting the EU’s decarbonisation goals while maintaining global competitiveness. Although sectors like electricity generation have seen substantial emissions reductions, many industrial areas still face a steep path ahead. In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Dr Helen Jenk...

Despite progress in education, women remain significantly underrepresented in many STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) fields—and those who do enter are more likely to leave mid-career. In the UK, for example, women make up 30% of economics undergraduates, but just 15% of professors . So why are we still failing to retain this highly skilled and educated talent? In this episode of To...

Across developed economies—including the UK, France, Japan, and the US—productivity growth has been slowing for decades. This trend appears to contradict the rapid pace of technological innovation, particularly in AI, and the transformative effects of globalisation. So why, despite all this progress, is economic growth falling? In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Dr Helen Jenkins is joined by Pr...

The green transition isn't just about switching from fossil fuels to renewable or zero-carbon sources—it also requires smarter, more efficient use of energy. By harnessing technology, improving energy efficiency, and generating power closer to where it’s consumed, we can cut both costs and carbon emissions. In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Dr Helen Jenkins is joined by Jonathan Maxwell, found...

In this episode, one year on from their conversation in the very first Top of the Agenda podcast, Dr Helen Jenkins welcomes back Professor Richard Susskind CBE. Together they delve into the themes in Professor Susskind’s new book, ‘How to think about AI: A guide for the perplexed’, and share their thoughts on how we all need to think much more about AI to both harness the opportunities for humanit...

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles have long been a key factor in Boardroom discussions and decisions. However recent political developments—particularly in the US—have sparked a stark change in direction. Is it all over for ESG, or is there a future? In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Doctor Helen Jenkins is joined by Professor Marco Becht, Executive Director and Fellow of E...

The second episode in the Top of the Agenda series on private equity demystifies leveraged buyouts (LBOs); a widely used yet controversial private equity strategy. While LBOs can offer the potential for substantial returns by using debt to finance acquisitions, they also come with significant risks such as excessive debt burdens and aggressive cost-cutting measures. Helen Jenkins and Tim Jenkinson...

When companies engage in price fixing, abuse their market dominance, or form illegal cartels, consumers and businesses can suffer but since 2015 in the UK and 2020 across the EU, collective actions are challenging these anti-competitive practices and are seeking compensation. Many of us may even be members of a class action without even knowing it and could be due some compensation. In this episod...

Will reducing or changing economic regulation kickstart our economy? As policymakers across Europe seek ways to boost economic performance, the role of regulation is under the spotlight. Should economic regulators actively promote growth, or does their core purpose lie elsewhere? In the UK, recent government pressure on regulators to support economic growth has reignited this question.   In this e...

Why should businesses support gender diversity? Oxera and Business in the Community (BITC) have worked together to research the business case for gender equity and diversity. Their findings reveal that companies with higher diversity report increased sales revenue, expanded customer base, and greater profit margins than their competitors. These organisations also saw better decision making, greate...

How can Europe become more innovative to succeed in an increasingly competitive and uncertain global environment? The recent report by Mario Draghi on the future of European competitiveness is a sobering read that highlights the low growth and productivity performance of the EU over the last two decades and proposes major change initiatives, including improving innovation. In this episode of Top o...

What is private equity? What do PE firms do, how do they make their money, and why do companies seek out private equity investment? The term private equity often conjures up images of exclusive deals, high stakes investment, and elite financial circles but plenty of companies use it successfully to supercharge scaling up. In the first of a series of Top of the Agenda episodes on private equity, He...

The debate as to whether or when dynamic pricing is fair and reasonable continues, and there are even calls for it be banned. Dynamic pricing has been in the news recently, with backlash from fans trying to secure a ticket to see Oasis in concert. You will have experienced dynamic pricing when booking a holiday or buying tickets for a concert if you’ve seen prices rising in response to high demand...

In the UK, and across Europe, there are many public-funded areas crying out for more investment. However, the context of low growth, high levels of public debt and public interest payments, mean that tough decisions on spending priorities across public services, infrastructure and social security have to be made. In this episode of Top of the Agenda, Helen Jenkins is joined by Sir Philip Rutnam, C...