In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Semafor’s Liz Hoffman debate the backlash against woke CEOs. Did America’s corporate leaders go too far when they embraced broad social and political goals? Does corporate activism ultimately undermine political action? What’s the cost of cutting business ties with corporations that are deemed too woke? Plus, we ask Liz Hoffman about her new book, Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink.

Mihir and Felix think about the current crisis in banking. Why did Silicon Valley Bank fail? Is the demise of Credit Suisse a result of the contagion in the United States? And what’s the future of banking? Will the big banks get even bigger? Even more prone to fail? Would we be better off if all deposits were insured? If banks were kept to a smaller size?

Felix, Mihir and Charlotte Howard of The Economist consider why retailers are buying primary care providers and if wage compression will last and what it means for the economy.

Felix, Mihir and The Economist’s Charlotte Howard debate the merits of a new class of weight-loss drugs that drastically lower a person’s weight. Is this incredible scientific advance the solution to the obesity epidemic that is sweeping the planet? Should health insurance companies cover the pricey drugs? Will obesity become even more prevalent now that we have effective medication? Plus, we discuss the roller coaster that is Moderna. What’s next for one of the pandemic’s biggest winners? Is there a life post generous government support?

Felix, Sarah and Mihir discuss Chat GPT, if AI is truly transformational, the future of search, and how to digitally detox from all this AI talk.

Mihir and Felix are joined by Rawi to talk about the far-reaching consequences of the current turmoil in energy markets. Is Qatar the next Saudi Arabia? Are the oil majors actually saying goodbye to renewables? Are we seeing the de-industrialization of Europe? Plus, we debate the consequences of shrinking populations. Will it blow up social security? Could it be good news?

Felix and Mihir debate the latest phase of meme-stock craziness and the wisdom of retirement planning without annuities.

In our first-ever After Hours sports episode, we ask why sports teams have become so valuable (is it really just the vanity of billionaire owners), debate the merits of paying amateur athletes, and explore why tennis pros receive such a small fraction of the sport’s overall revenue. Can hedge fund icon Bill Ackman save tennis?

In this episode, Felix, Mihir and Sarah consider the merits of the most recent antitrust actions against Google, the ethics of unpaid labor, and the end of Noma.

Felix, Mihir and Frances Frei discuss why many workplace issues seem so vexing—and how to fix them. We also talk about Jacinda Ardern’s resignation as New Zealand’s prime minister. Is she leaving too early? How do you best choose your exit?

Felix and Mihir celebrate Lunar New Year by talking about BYD, Electric Vehicles, and capital allocation in China.

Sarah Green Carmichael and Felix discuss the ban of TikTok by India and the U.S. Federal Government. Do these bans keep us safe? How nervous should we be on social media apps? Is the U.S. next to build a Chinese-style walled garden that keeps out unwanted companies and governments? Also, we review Southwest’s operational collapse during the holidays. Is legacy technology to blame? Did the company really underinvest?

Curious about 2023? Youngme, Mihir and Felix are back with their celebrated predictions episode. Who will acquire Spotify? Will Twitter implode? What’s the trend in inflation and energy prices? Who will top the music charts? Space travel for all? Listen in as the hosts outguess each other what the new year will bring.

In this episode, Youngme, Mihir and Felix share what they loved about 2022. Listen in to get their take on the end of magical thinking, quiet CEOs, the latest in sneaker fashion, and the collapse of FTX. Plus, we have an After Hours poem for you. (And no, we did not write it ourselves. Thank you, ChatGPT!)

Felix and Mihir are joined by The Economist’s Charlotte Howard and they discuss the geopolitical battle over semiconductors and the surprising victories in battling poverty.

Mihir, Felix and Bloomberg’s Sarah Green Carmichael talk about financial regrets. Why are they so widespread? Do people really make grave financial mistakes? Do they lack the information required to make smart choices? Plus, we debate the return of Disney’s Bob Iger. Will he shine once more?

We debate the choice of Qatar as the host of FIFA’s World Cup. Was it a mistake to hold the tournament in a country that criminalizes homosexuality? Was this exactly the right thing to do? Who is to judge? Mihir, Felix and their colleague Tsedal Neeley struggle with the question when to say no to countries’ hosting ambitions. Plus, we debate the ongoing workplace revolution. Where will it all end? Did hybrid really win?

In celebration of Thanksgiving, Felix and Mihir are joined by Youngme to talk about all things food! Join them as they talk about everything from the future of Kellogg’s to the explosion in Korean food around the globe. They also riff on the evolution of restaurant plating, the proliferation of QR menus, the best depictions of food in movies and television, the failure of recycling, and innovations in rice farming. Get ready to have hunger pangs after this one!

Mihir, Felix and Charlotte Howard discuss how companies will respond to political gridlock in the United States. Is it good for business? Will it really lift markets as many observers expect? Also: We speculate how the tech layoffs will influence the job market and the long-term prospects of tech talent.

In this episode, Felix and Mihir are joined by Katy Milkman to discuss workplace surveillance and the value of a fresh start.