Episodes | Business Diplomacy Today

Why digital payments can help us achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

29/05/202329/05/2023

In this episode, Marjolaine Chaintreau, Head of Private Sector Digital Payment Innovation at the Better than Cash Alliance, and Matthias Catón discuss the evolution, importance, and impact of digital payments and, more broadly, access to financial services.

Measuring and managing ESG performance

18/05/202317/05/2023

This episode of Business Diplomacy Today explores the importance of measuring external impacts in society and how companies can incorporate sustainability practices. Our guest expert, Matthias Mahlendorf, discusses the performance measurement for managing sustainability, performance, and digital transformation of management control.

Corporate strategies for emerging markets

14/04/2023

In this episode, Matthias Catón speaks with Talal Rafi, Senior Global Management Consultant at Deloitte and a Deloitte Global Economist Network member. The discussion investigates how markets, notably emerging markets, can navigate the current economic climate when developing corporate strategies. Talal highlights the importance of supply-chain diversification through different lenses, how democracy can influence investment … Read more

Geoeconomics in the investment industry

13/03/202309/03/2023

Hosted by Matthias Catón, today’s episode is in discussion with Joachim Klement, Head of Strategy, Accounting, and Sustainability at Liberum. We often hear about geopolitics, economics, and our globalized world. In this episode, Joachim introduces us further to geoeconomics. The discussion analyses changes in business models (notably since the pandemic) and the relationship between geopolitical risks and decision-making processes for companies of various sizes and natures.

Climate Diplomacy and Emerging Economies

23/02/2023

Climate Change mitigation is discussed mainly on a political level between countries, both in multilateral fora such as the COP (Conferences of Parties), the G20, or bilaterally. Our guest Dhanasree Jayaram is an expert in these negotiations. She talks with Matthias Catón about different approaches to climate change in developed and developing countries.

International sanctions

09/02/2023

In this episode, Matthias Catón speaks with Julia Grauvogel, Senior Research Fellow at the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA). They discuss the implications of economic sanctions and talk about different types of sanctions and the ways to measure their effects on the “target” (the country receiving the sanctions) and the “sender” (the country imposing the sanctions).

India and China

16/12/202216/12/2022

In this episode, Dr. Matthias Catón interviews Sujan Chinoy, the Director General of the Indian think tank IDSA. The former Ambassador is an expert in Indo-China relations. They discuss the current political situation and the ongoing border conflict between the two countries, which has been going on for decades but is again tense since 2020. Despite the political and military tensions, trade between the two countries has increased over the past years.

Identify and manage political risks

30/11/202227/10/2022

Nicolas Schwank is an expert in political risk. His company monitors and analyzes different risks and briefs business clients. Our host Matthias Catón and Nico (who met when they both studied and worked at the University of Heidelberg), discuss different political risks that can affect business and how business leaders can ensure that they stay on top of things.

ESG Taxonomies

30/11/202222/09/2022

The host Matthias Catón and his guest Karsten Löffler talk about ESG Taxonomies. ESG stands for “Environmental, Social, and Governance” and essentially means how companies “behave” well as corporate citizens. Taxonomies measure this. The best known is the EU Taxonomy, but as we learn, it is by no means the only one in force or being considered worldwide.

Doing business in China

30/11/202208/09/2022

Our host Matthias Catón interviews Horst Löchel, a true expert on China. They talk about the prospects for international companies to do business in China today.

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