Dr. Vikas Shah MBE DL Interviews the world's leading thinkers, and the people shaping the century.

In 2010, The Economist reported the story of Narsama Anthaiah who’s “…sobbing can be heard throughout her village, Nagaram, in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP).” They continue to explain, “When visitors from Hyderabad, the state capital, some 80km (50 miles) away, cross the threshold of her bare little…

Thought Economics

 

The nature of the global conflict is changing. Until the apocalyptic end of World War II, we had seen a ‘textbook’ approach to war, with ever-increasing competition in the dimensions of firepower, manpower and speed contributing to the success of any given belligerent. Since then, war has moved into its…

Thought Economics

 

In this exclusive interview, we talk to Professor Stefano Mancuso, founder of the study of plant neurobiology, and co-founder of the LINV (the International Laboratory of Plant Neurobiology). We discuss the very fundamental questions surrounding life itself and the profound discoveries he and his team have made about the nature…
Thought Economics

 

In this exclusive interview, we talk to Dr. Sam Pitroda, adviser to the Prime Minister of India on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation with the Rank of Cabinet Minister. Dr. Pitroda takes us on a very personal journey on India's technology driven revolution looking at areas ranging from the impact…
Thought Economics

 

Regardless of whether one agrees with the rationale behind Wikileaks‘ release of thousands of diplomatic cables, one certainty is that their appearance has opened a necessary debate on moral hazard’s in our own democracy. Manifesting Moral Hazard Information Asymmetry is an important concept, usually noted in transactional situations, where one…

Thought Economics

 

At a very fundamental level, war is about defending against a perceived or actual threat.  Such aggressions have been frequently used throughout history to defend ideas, ideologies and territories- but more recently, economies. Unlike any other defence environment, the theatre of nuclear war exists in a state of near-permanent checkmate. …

Thought Economics

 

Hypothetical News, 2013 “Deep in a London slum, 25 people were arrested by the authorities today for not paying their air-bill. A. Person, spokesman for air-aid said, ‘the government must act on this- it is ridiculous that we have a society where some people can afford air, and some people…

Thought Economics

 

In my article of September 01st 2010 “Thinking Ourselves Into Another Recession” I discussed how psychology plays a critical role in the well-being of an economy.  Using the paradigm of eating disorders, we discussed how: “…When we talk of economic confidence, business confidence, or even confidence in global markets, we…

Thought Economics

 

As the Economist reported, “On September 12th the Basel Committee, a club of supervisors and bank regulators, finally reached agreement on how much extra stuffing needs to go into the cushions [of banks] to absorb losses and buffer the financial system against the next crisis.” The “Basel III” recommendations set…

Thought Economics

 

Reporting on the increased perceived risk of a double-dip recession, the Huffington Posted noted how there is “..a growing sense of doom among some prominent economists“.  They went on to cite Nouriel Roubini, the cofounder and chairman of Roubini Global Economics and a professor at New York University’s Stern School…

Thought Economics

 

All Interviews  (600)
In this interview I speak to the Founder of Pret a Manger and itsu, Julian Metcalfe OBE, one of the UK’s most successful hospitality entrepreneurs. We discuss the realities of what it takes to build a scaling business together with his learnings on building some of the UK’s most successful…
Business & Economics  (352)
In this interview I speak to the Founder of Pret a Manger and itsu, Julian Metcalfe OBE, one of the UK’s most successful hospitality entrepreneurs. We discuss the realities of what it takes to build a scaling business together with his learnings on building some of the UK’s most successful…
Culture, Society, Sports & Arts  (241)
In this interview I speak to Sahil Bloom, author of “The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life" which Apple CEO Tim Cook calls, “a powerful call to action to think deeply about what lights you up—and a guide for how to build a life…

In this interview I speak to Nissan Formula E Team Principal, Tommaso Volpe. Formula E is the world’s sole all-electric single-seater FIA World Championship and provides an elite motorsports platform for automotive manufacturers to accelerate EV innovation while delivering races in the heart of some of the world’s most iconic…

Health & Medicine  (68)
Nobel Laureates  (20)
Politics & Policy  (164)
Science & Technology  (123)
Professor Brian Cox is widely recognized as the foremost communicator for science, cosmology and astronomy in the world, and is Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and a Fellow of the Royal Society. In this interview, we discuss…