A persistent Gender Pay Gap and � sexism in the city� as bad as ever, is there much for the Business World to celebrate . And, groomed for success how the pampered pooches at crufts are part of a booming pet economy tipped to hit half a trillion dollars by 2030. A very warm welcome to the programme. The greatest Comeback Story never told thats how President Biden has described his handling of the us economy, as he delivered his state of the Union Address in the last few hours. It is a Comeback Story for sure. Since the president took office in 2021, the us has put the pandemic firmly behind it, performing better than most other developed economies, with strong jobs growth and buoyant consumer spending. But that is not how Many Americans see it. Soaring inflation means the cost of living is simply much higher than when he took office. And the polls reflect that. President biden� s average Approval Ratings are at a record low ofjust 38 . When asked in an nbc poll who would do a betterjob handling the economy, just 33 chose President Biden. And 55 chose his likely election rival, donald trump. More on that in a moment. But lets just hear a bit of what the president had to say. Turning set back into comeback, Thatis Turning Set back into comeback, that is what america does, that is america does applause folks, i inherited an economy that was on the brink, now our economy is the envy of the world. 50 million newjobs in just three years, a record. A record. Unemployment. Applause at 50 year low. Applause. A record 60 million americans starting Small Businesses and each one is a little act of hope. Chris campbell is a former us Assistant Treasury Secretary during the trump administration, now ceo of the Strategic Advisory firm, incamera solutions. Thank you very much forjoining us here. Ijust want thank you very much forjoining us here. I just want to thank you very much forjoining us here. Ijust want to get your reaction to that speech and how convincing a performance it was. President biden making the reaches of society pay around 8 of tax, less than Sanitation Workers and Public School teachers. I think what is clear is the president has outlined the proposal today that clearly it is going to be a populist agenda. We are marching towards populist campaigns on both sides. They will be very long campaigns of each side talking to their base. I think with the president s speech tonight, here in the states, was that he has some challenges with his base and because of that he outline arrays in corporations, a novel raise on wealth on billionaires and putting those into a new government programmes. All of that would be inflationary which is something the president has one of the Biggest Challenges he has in the economy. There is an angel saying in the us, president s famously asking the question, are you better off today than you were four years ago . And that is the head when the president is going to have. Many americans feel worse off today because of inflation that has gripped our economy over the last 3. 5 years. He has gripped our economy over the last 3. 5 years. The last 3. 5 years. He also double down the last 3. 5 years. He also double down that the last 3. 5 years. He also double down that he the last 3. 5 years. He also double down that he was i the last 3. 5 years. He also i double down that he was on the last 3. 5 years. He also double down that he was on the side of the worker, the president of the autofocus mission, saying he was on the picket lines and we won taking on car companies. The president has clearly on car companies. The president has clearly tried on car companies. The president has clearly tried to on car companies. The president has clearly tried to work on car companies. The president has clearly tried to work to has clearly tried to work to try to transform the economy to more of a Green Energy Economy and with that change, suddenly with auto workers, and Electric Vehicles require fewer workers to put together than other vehicles put in danger their jobs but the president has tried to transform those jobs and to now the creation of the production of Electric Vehicle batteries which many of these workers have been retrained to do in the us and irrespective of what the president is, jobs is a good things. We want a better economy for us and the whole world and the us tends to be the economic engine of the world because of the American Consumer and were very grateful the consumer remains resilient even in the face of significant inflation. Ihe resilient even in the face of significant inflation. He needs to move the significant inflation. He needs to move the data significant inflation. He needs to move the data in significant inflation. He needs to move the data in terms significant inflation. He needs to move the data in terms ofl to move the data in terms of his popularity. How do you think his mentions of price gouging, talking about the sneakers but costing the same but getting smaller, blaming republicans for the woes in the economy. I republicans for the woes in the econom. ~ republicans for the woes in the econom. ~ ,. , economy. I think everyone is auoin to economy. I think everyone is going to want economy. I think everyone is going to want a economy. I think everyone is going to want a booking economy. I think everyone is going to want a booking man economy. I think everyone is going to want a booking man and everyone is going to want to blame for what has happened. Boogie man. The issue is around the kitchen table. They tend to be driven by the economy first on social issues at stake if the American People do not feel good about the economy or the economic outlook, it tends not to go well for the incumbent of the country and i think there are significant headwinds. 0bviously borne out by the 38 job approval rating. There is only one other president in this part of the cycle that has been this low and that president was unsuccessful in getting real action. President was unsuccessful in getting realaction. It president was unsuccessful in getting real action. It is certainly a significant issue and Many Americans are not feel the Economic Security they think they should have and deserve. ~ think they should have and deserve. , ~ ,. , think they should have and deserve think they should have and deserve. , ~ i. ,. ,. , deserve. Thank you for oining us. To the world of tech now, because a Us Congressional Panel has approved a bill that would force tiktok� s chinese owner to sell the app within six months or face a ban in the us. The measure is backed by the white house but would need to be approved in the senate to become law. Joao da silva has been following this in singapore. Joao, this is all about concerns over National Security . Thats right. This measure was approved unanimously by the energy and commerce committee, showing a huge political momentum behind this crackdown on tiktok in the United States. The bill is expected to go to a full house floor vote next week. The week past despite extensive lot by tiktok against it. Lawmakers in the United States and elsewhere they have beenin states and elsewhere they have been in the head went since donald trump singled it out. The parent company, there is concern that data owned by this company, tiktok uses in the us and around the world, is subjected to chinese law. There is via tiktok could be used as a tool to amplify chinas influence campaigns. All of this is of course denied by tiktok and by the parent company. Tiktok says it has taken steps company. Tiktok says it has ta ken steps to company. Tiktok says it has taken steps to ensure the data by us users is protected. A notification was sent Urging Tiktok as to call that representatives to vote against the measure. 0ne congressional aide told the office had received dozens of calls. All of this suggests there is a strong reaction from younger demographics which is the bulk of tiktok, 170 million users in the us, many of whom will not be too happy about this. Be too happy about this. Thank ou. Today march 8th is International Womens day, a global event celebrating womens achievements in every walk of life but also a Call To Action to reduce gender inequality. In the Business World there is still a lot of work to do. In Chief Executive Roles Men outnumber women by 17 to 1 according to data by morningstar. Just 15 of top us firms are run by women, although that is a major improvement on a few years ago. And it is far better than here in the uk, where over 90 of the Top Public Companies are run by men. Nicola downing is one of the exceptions. Ceo of Office Technology firm ricoh europe which has annual revenues of more than 3 billion euros. Thank you forjoining us this morning. Good morning. It is today about celebrating progress in the workplace or highlighting how much work is still to be done . I highlighting how much work is still to be done . Still to be done . I think a bit of both still to be done . I think a bit of both i still to be done . I think a bit of both. I think still to be done . I think a bit of both. I think we still to be done . I think a bit of both. I think we have still to be done . I think a bit. Of both. I think we have made massive progress. When i think back over my career of 25 years, i started as the only woman in the management team. Now, that is not the case. There is a much better balance of Gender Representation but we have still got a lot to do. I read a report yesterday from the un that said Gender Equality will be achieved in 286 years. Lets celebrate when we have come and where we are but there is still an awful lot to do. J~ ~ but there is still an awful lot todo. , but there is still an awful lot todo. � , but there is still an awful lot todo. 2 , to do. 286 years. Lets focus on the years to do. 286 years. Lets focus on the years rising to do. 286 years. Lets focus on the years rising up to do. 286 years. Lets focus | on the years rising up through the ranks at ricoh that how have things changed in those 20 years . Have things changed in those 20 ears . � ,. ,. ,. , have things changed in those 20 ears . � ,. ,. ,. ,. , years . Theres a lot more women in senior roles years . Theres a lot more women in senior roles and years . Theres a lot more women in senior roles and people years . Theres a lot more women in senior roles and people can in senior roles and people can look up and see themselves perhaps in those positions, whereas for me it was quite rare. I probably had to look externally to ricoh at that time. 40 women on our board and 40 in management so there is that representation. For us and more businesses, a lot more focus on feeble development programmes, particularly around boosting confidence, making women believe they are good enough and that they can do this. And also more balance between Family Responsibilities and progression at work and it is not necessarily a choice anymore, which is great. Why isnt it a choice . Anymore, which is great. Why isnt it a choice . Childcare isnt it a choice . Childcare is . The elephant in the room . Hybrid working, father is becoming more involved . What is changing and what needs to change well . Changing and what needs to chance well . ,. , change well . There is certainly an acceptability change well . There is certainly an acceptability that change well . There is certainly an acceptability that men an acceptability that men should play a greater part in the bringing up of their children. We have senior men in roles that work part time in order to support their Family Responsibilities, which certainly 20 years ago, when i was trying to get my to do that with my baby, it was a no go area and mans careers would be ruined. ~. Ruined. What were the conversations ruined. What were the conversations you ruined. What were the conversations you are | ruined. What were the conversations you are having with him, people would be interested particularly because of where you are now . My grand lan of where you are now . My grand [an was of where you are now . My grand plan was we of where you are now . My grand plan was we would of where you are now . My grand plan was we would work of where you are now . My grand plan was we would work four plan was we would work four days a week and my son would be in a nursery for three days. But my husband said that it would read my career, i would not look committed and look enthusiastic. And i think those barriers have disappeared the one that is a massive issue in the uk and particularly in countries to our other businesses and countries in europe is the cost of childcare is so extortionists here. I was talking to german colleagues and they spent about 5 of their Household Income on childcare and here it can be up to 50 , which is so of so until we can solve that problem, it is a massive barrier to women remaining in the workplace once they have children. You remaining in the workplace once they have children. They have children. You said about your they have children. You said about your company, they have children. You said about your company, we they have children. You said about your company, we counted on our management website, 11 men and four women, a bit less than a0 . Men and four women, a bit less than 40 . At men and four women, a bit less than a0 . At around 30 across europe so parity with that. Less than 50 . What specifically are you finding is making in your company that is changing that . I making in your company that is changing that . Changing that . I think it helps havin changing that . I think it helps having me changing that . I think it helps having me in changing that . I think it helps having me in the changing that . I think it helps having me in the top changing that . I think it helps having me in the topjob, changing that . I think it helps having me in the topjob, for. Having me in the topjob, for sure. It gives people more hope they can get there. We are very flexible around our working hours. 0ne flexible around our working hours. One of my Board Members does work part time, four days a week, who is a woman. We have people coming through all the time. It means we do not promote that it does not mean we do not promote good men and women only want to be promoted on capability and competence are not to be the token woman in the room, thats for sure but there is more flexibility these days but the states show, 30 on board level and 40 on management teams, there is still a long way to go. Still a long way to go. Take ou for still a long way to go. Take you forjoining still a long way to go. Take you forjoining us still a long way to go. Take you forjoining us so still a long way to go. Take you forjoining us so early. Still a long way to go. Take l you forjoining us so early in the morning. Lets stay with that theme because a reportjust out from the Uk Parliament has found that sexism in the city is still rife, with efforts to tackle harrassment and misogyny in the financial industry moving at quote a snail� s pace. Investment is also seen as a male preserve, with just a small fraction of Women Investing in the stock market, according to new research. Susannah streeter is head of money and markets at the Investment CompanyHargreaves Lansdown. Thank you forjoining us. Why do you think, when it comes to sexism in the city and improving the comment is moving at a snail� s pace . Improving the comment is moving at a snails pace . At a snails pace . Well, i think, mainly at a snails pace . Well, i think, mainly as at a snails pace . Well, i | think, mainly as cultural. At a snails pace . Well, i think, mainly as cultural. And you look at the make up of tech heavy financial services, they are dominated by men and i think those and those issues started way back in the education system, with fewer people, fewer women taking the subject needed or showing interest in entering the profession potentially. And obviously this does require cultural change. This report is welcome, it is disappointing that it welcome, it is disappointing thatitis welcome, it is disappointing that it is moving so, so slowly. Its good to see this call for legislation to ban the use of Nondisclosure Agreements in Sexual Harassment cases, stronger protection for whistleblowers, however, ultimately it is just more handwringing about the state of sexism in the city without a concerted plan of action to stop it, to bring in greater protection, more penalties, and guardrails. Protection, more penalties, and guardrails guardrails. And i mentioneds tender guardrails. And i mentioneds Gender Pension guardrails. And i mentioneds Gender Pension the guardrails. And i mentioneds Gender Pension the gap guardrails. And i mentioneds Gender Pension the gap and l Gender Pension the gap and Gende