Thursday, 24 October 2024

Series launches with Lee Child, creator of the Jack Reacher novels and one of the most commercially successful writers of all time, on the biggest decision he ever made.

Upcoming guests include Lord Karan Bilimoria (founder of Cobra Beer), Sharmadean Reid (beauty and tech entrepreneur and the first woman to raise venture capital of over £1 million), Sir Brad Fried (former Bank of England governor), Liv Boree (one of the world’s most successful female poker players) and Asbjørn Rachlew (who led the investigation into serial killer, Anders Breivik).


LONDON - 24 OCTOBER 2024 - The internet says we make more than 35,000 decisions every day - from what to wear to who to marry to when to change jobs. These decisions shape our lives but how much do we know about the process of making them? And how do we make the right choices?


In a new podcast, The Art of Deciding, award-winning journalist Bruce Whitfield meets a wide range of decision makers - from a criminal investigator to successful entrepreneurs, from one of the most commercially successful authors of all time and a champion poker player.


Bruce talks to each of them about the most crucial decisions they’ve made, how they made them, their decision-making philosophy, how they cope with making the wrong choice and their best choices and their worst mistakes. The series brings together some of the best advice from people whose decisions have had far-reaching consequences, so that listeners can perfect their own ‘art of deciding’.


Kicking off The Art of Deciding, the first episode features best-selling author Lee Child, creator of former military police officer Jack Reacher. To coincide with the launch of his latest Reacher novel In Too Deep - the 29th in the acclaimed series - Child speaks to Bruce about his decision to write his way out of financial ruin – and then the ultimate choice – how and when will Reacher die?

Upcoming guests in the series include:

Founder and chairman of The Cobra Beer Partnership, Lord Karan Bilimoria. Today, a cross-party peer in the House of Lords and a key figure in trade between the UK and India, the country of his birth. Bilimoria shares with Bruce his insights into knowing what to ignore and how to recognise when to grab an opportunity and when to let it pass you by.

Entrepreneur, innovator and feminist champion, Sharmadean Reid, who talks about what inspired her decisions that led to a reimagining of the way the beauty industry works - especially for the women in it - and about why it is that women are often forced to make decisions that don't serve their own interests.

Former chair of the Court of the Bank of England, Sir Brad Fried on how he gets the best out of his teams and how the power of giving agency to teams of smart, capable people means leaders can guide and mentor rather than instruct.

Former world poker champion, Liv Boree. Hear how Boree studied astrophysics but entered a reality TV show and found herself thrust into the world of competitive card playing which earned her millions over a decade before she gave it up. An expert on calculating probability, how do you ensure that you make the best choice, fast?

Norwegian police superintendent Asbjørn Rachlew who has worked as a homicide detective for eight years, including as advisor to the team interviewing Anders Breivik, the man who carried out two domestic terror attacks in Oslo and Utøya in 2011. His work has seen the development of global standards for investigative interviewing which are the antithesis of the stereotypical fist-slamming interrogation of the Hollywood cop drama. He bases his decisions on one key principle: “What if the opposite is true?


Bruce Whitfield, host of The Art of Deciding with Bruce Whitfield, said: “We live In a world where nothing is certain or guaranteed, and where people constantly prevaricate and procrastinate to the point of distraction. I’m fascinated by people and what motivates us. The decisions we all make in a myriad of ways each day have immediate and long term consequences but how do we make them? What factors determine our decisions? Through these revealing and insightful conversations, I’m excited to see if we can find out with the most brilliant guests in The Art of Deciding and I can’t wait to share them with you.”

Access the preview to the first episode here, press images here and artwork here.

All episodes to be published here.

You can follow Bruce on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Facebook

ENDS
Notes to Editors
About Bruce Whitfield
Bruce Whitfield is a business speaker, journalist, author and moderator who interprets the noise at the murky intersection of business, politics and society. He has the extraordinary ability to bring clarity, humour, and insight to complex issues.
This fresh perspective helps his audience understand how we can choose to fix the future.
As a sought-after keynote speaker, he is backed by nearly three decades of impeccable journalistic credentials. He is as comfortable on a stage as he is on camera or behind the microphone. He has shared platforms with Bill and Hillary Clinton, Nouriel Roubini, Charlize Theron, Lord Mervyn King, and hundreds of business and political luminaries and personalities.
Bruce is an award-winning journalist, who, for the last 20 years has continuously hosted a nightly radio show, condensing the complex world of money, economics, and business amidst the noise and clutter of a confusing world. Bruce has also hosted numerous TV programs, is a Contributing Editor to business publications and a foreign correspondent to multiple international news providers.
He has spoken and facilitated discussions as a media leader at the World Economic Forum in Davos and delivers content to audiences around the world.
Bruce’s keynote themes draw on the most critical lessons he has distilled through analysing successful global businesses for more than two decades. These include the importance of strategic decision making in an uncertain and rapidly changing world, navigating the noise of a negative news cycle, resilience, strategic opportunism, high functioning behaviour in dysfunctional environments, grit, and realistic optimism.
His content shifts perspectives, leaving audiences feeling empowered to make better decisions, and to act on these, to deliver their desired outcome.
His podcast series, Genius: How to Thrive at the Edge of Chaos, based on his bestselling book of the same name, examines what it takes to thrive in an increasingly complex, fast-paced, divisive global environment. His bestselling first book, The Upside of Down, focuses on how chaos and uncertainty breed opportunity. His latest book, The One Thing, shares a range of single ideas from a number of brilliant minds that have the potential to change South Africa’s fortunes.
He presents an executive education course on Speaking in Public, Storytelling, Influence & Presence on EdX and has worked with a number of corporate leaders to improve their communication skills and media presence.
Bruce is London based but travels extensively, and is available as a business speaker, MC, or moderator for audiences looking to be entertained, informed and inspired by true stories and decades of studying great leaders and successful companies.

Notes to Editors:
Media Contact:
Sabrina Johnson
sabrina@powpr.co.uk