Good Bad Billionaire

We're back – but with a difference! Find out how some of the world's most famous dead billionaires made their money. Meet five billionaires who helped build the United States of America. First up: oil tycoon John D Rockefeller, the world's first billionaire. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng also revisit the lives of motor magnate Henry Ford, the aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Hetty Green - once dubbed “The Witch of Wall Street”. These iconic billionaires may be dead, but their fingerprints are everywhere in modern industry - in business trusts, IPOs, and mass production. They did it all first, but how did they make their billions? Season 4 of Good Bad Dead billionaire starts on Monday 7 July 2025. And this season, we really want to know what you think - are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.co.uk or send a voice message or text to 001 917 686 1176. Don't forget to leave your name. We might read your comments out.

Mining magnate Eike Batista was once Brazil's richest person, but corruption led to his downfall. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng lift the lid on a flashy and eccentric former billionaire who started out in gold mining. Batista then oversaw huge oil, gas and logistics projects but, after his investments crashed, the authorities ordered his arrest. The podcast that tells tales of titans of technology, Wall Street moguls, pop stars, sporting legends, CEOs and entrepreneurs discusses how Batista built the world's seventh biggest personal fortune while becoming a celebrity playboy in Brazil. Then Simon and Zing decide if he is good, bad, or just another billionaire.

LeBron James was selling out basketball arenas while still in high school. At just 18, he said he was offered a $10 million cheque from Reebok - on the spot - if he agreed not to meet any other brands. It was a life-changing sum for a teenager living with his mum in the projects. But LeBron turned it down. He was willing to hedge his bets. He's won four NBA championships, four Most Valuable Player titles, three Olympic golds, and scored more points than anyone in league history. Yet, as BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng reveal, most of his fortune hasn't come from basketball. With a lifetime deal from Nike, plus investments, endorsements, and savvy business moves, LeBron has built an empire way beyond the court, becoming one of sport's richest ever people.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Investor Masayoshi Son became notorious for making huge bets on technology companies. He once lost 96% of his fortune, but he's still a billionaire thanks to successes like Yahoo! and Alibaba. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the tale of the billionaire who founded the conglomerate SoftBank and was once, very briefly, the richest person in the world. As the child of Korean immigrants in Japan, Son's childhood took in sharing a home with pigs, an obsession with the businessman who brought McDonald's to Japan, and a move to study in the USA aged 16. The podcast that tells tales of titans of technology, Wall Street moguls, pop stars, sporting legends, CEOs and entrepreneurs also explain how Son overcame a diagnosis that meant he was once given just two years to live. Then Simon and Zing decide if Son is good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Telecoms magnate Strive Masiyiwa escaped kidnap to become Zimbabwe's first billionaire.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell Masiyiwa's story from a youth fleeing post-colonial conflict, through education in the UK, to enormous wealth delivering mobile phone and internet technology across Africa.The podcast that tells tales of titans of technology, Wall Street moguls, pop stars, sporting legends, CEOs and entrepreneurs also details Masiyiwa's many court battles and run-ins with Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe. Then Simon and Zing decide if Masiyiwa is good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Former Marvel CEO & Chairman Isaac "Ike" Perlmutter brought Marvel back from the brink of ruin and helped launch the Marvel cinematic universe. He brought Iron Man, The Hulk and The Avengers to our screens, and arguably changed the future of cinema, with a fixation on franchises. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng delve into Ike Perlmutter's backstory, from arriving in the US with only $250 in his pocket to attending premieres in disguise. For more than three decades, the Marvel mogul avoided any public photos – that is, until he helped fund his buddy Donald Trump's election campaign in 2016 and was caught on camera once more. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?Audio for this episode was updated on 20 May 2025.

Selena Gomez is one of the youngest newly minted billionaires, thanks to her Rare Beauty brand. But you likely know her from her Disney kid days on The Wizards of Waverly Place, award-winning turn in Only Murders in the Building, or as the chart-topping singer of Lose You to Love Me.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to Selena's early days on Barney & Friends, through her meteoric rise to fame - and the heavy cost that came with it. From intense tabloid scrutiny and public breakups to mental health struggles and a chronic autoimmune disease. Selena then made it all very public with her documentary My Mind & Me. She's transformed her personal struggles into a mission to destigmatize mental health issues, pledging 1% of proceeds from her Rare Beauty company to the cause.And as you'll find out, there's much more to Selena Gomez's rise, fall, and billion-dollar reinvention than the tabloids ever let on. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Orlando Bravo failed to become a tennis pro, but became richer than any tennis player in history by pivoting to the world of finance. He's the first billionaire from Puerto Rico and earned his fortune with private equity investments in technology. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of an investor who says that forgetting to buy diapers changed the whole way he does business. He provided aid to his homeland in the wake of Hurricane Maria, but also became embroiled in scandals involving cyber security and cryptocurrency. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Vince McMahon made stars out of wrestlers like Hulk Hogan, John Cena and Dwayne ‘The Rock' Johnson. He turned professional wrestling into a $6.8 billion industry with his company World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Vince capitalised on cross-promotion and the spectacle of what he called "sports entertainment" to reach huge audiences before he stepped into the ring himself playing the character Mr. McMahon: a ruthless, bullying, sexually aggressive boss who popularised the catchphrase "You're fired" long before Donald Trump. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of the man who gave wrestling its own Super Bowl - the annual WrestleMania - but then resigned from his own company amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Minecraft is the most successful computer game ever. It's sold 300 million copies, built an active community of fans and there's now even a Minecraft movie. So how did one man - Markus Persson - create it all by himself, before selling it for billions?BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out how a high school dropout, obsessed with Lego and gaming, became a computer game hero. The Swedish programmer, known by the nickname as Notch, built a virtual 3D world where, with the help of a pickaxe, players could harness their creativity to build almost anything, one block at a time. Persson founded the video game development company Mojang Studios, before selling it to Microsoft, but then came a spectacular downfall.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

By reinventing reality TV, John de Mol changed television history and made a billion dollars. He's the father of Big Brother and the man behind The Voice, Deal or No Deal and Fear Factor. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how the Dutch TV producer became a media tycoon, after using his showbiz connections to break into pirate radio, then TV. He went on to found one of the biggest production companies in the world: Endemol.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

A blocked vacuum cleaner led to a billion-dollar idea for British inventor Sir James Dyson. After studying art, then reinventing the wheelbarrow, Dyson struck gold with his iconic bagless vacuum, but only after years of effort.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to the entrepreneur's youth in post-War Norfolk and discover a childhood marked by tragedy. From his years as a jobless inventor, frustrated by existing technology, Dyson's story is one of innovation, ambition and risk, with legal battles once leaving him on the verge of bankruptcy. But the engineer's determination and obsession with perfection paid off, with his company now worth billions. The Dyson name has become synonymous not only with vacuum cleaners, but also fans, heaters, hand dryers and hairdryers. He's even started his own engineering university. Simon and Zing look back at Dyson's success story and find out how he made his fortune, before deciding if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Martha Stewart revolutionised home entertaining with her recipes, home decor and TV shows, becoming one of the world's most successful women in business. Known as the ultimate homemaker and the "original lifestyle influencer", she's also the USA's first ever self-made female billionaire. But while the entrepreneur made her fortune as a domestic goddess, Martha Stewart is no trad wife. It took more than crafts and cookbooks to make her fortune. And then it all came crashing down. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng chart the lifestyle mogul's career, from her influence over millions of American homes, to her time in prison, and her ultimate comeback – as a star of social media and the subject of a Netflix documentary, all with Snoop Dogg at her side. Then they decide if they think she's Good, Bad, or Just Another Billionaire.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they Good, Bad or Just Another Billionaire?

When Charles "Chuck" Feeney first appeared on the world's rich lists in the 1980s, he had built a billion-dollar business selling duty free goods to tourists. But he'd also given most of his money to charity. As Good Bad Billionaire takes a short break until March, Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng revisit the story of the billionaire who wasn't. Feeney's journey takes us from Depression-era New Jersey, through the high life of the Jet Age, and ultimately to $8 billion worth of donations given to causes across the planet. The epic tale of "the James Bond of philanthropy" takes in the Korean War, the 20th Century tourist boom and the Irish peace process. First broadcast 26 September 2023.

A year after first being declared a billionaire, Taylor Swift's rarely been out of the headlines or the charts. The pop superstar's Eras tour finally came to an end, and she's been continuing to break records. Good Bad Billionaire will be back with a new season in March, but until then, here's a quick update on what Taylor's been up to and another chance to hear a classic episode from the archives. Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack uncover the huge public feuds and private legal battles that made the most famous woman in the world. She can change the economy, but is Taylor Swift good, bad, or just another billionaire?First published on 13th February 2024.

What do Airbnb, Facebook, Spotify, and LinkedIn all have in common? Peter Thiel. They made his fortune, but he's since rejected Silicon Valley for being too "woke". He's a contradictory character: a libertarian who made billions from big state surveillance; an intellectual who purports to hate politics, but who's poured millions into political campaigns, including Donald Trump's 2020 bid. Some call him a free-thinking genius, while others say he wants to watch Rome burn. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng tell the intriguing story of Peter Thiel, the man who ousted Elon Musk from their company PayPal, and who's signed up to be cryogenically frozen. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

The woman behind the brand that revolutionised the way the world shopped and dressed. Doris Fisher and her husband Don founded The Gap together and made basics cool – their pocket t-shirt was worn by both Mick Jagger at Live Aid and Marty McFly in Back to the Future, while Sharon Stone donned a $25 Gap black turtleneck for the Oscars. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng follow Doris Fisher and The Gap's rollercoaster story, from its birth in the summer of love selling Levi's jeans, to crashing out of fashion, then rising to dominate the 1990s. Then they decide if they think Doris Fisher's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Carlos Slim Helú's financial might has led some people to nickname his native Mexico ‘Slimlandia'. He dominates the country's businesses, from telecoms to construction. But how did a man whose hero happens to be the Mongol warlord Genghis Khan get to be the richest person in the world? Many have blamed his monopolist business empire for Mexico's slow economic development. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng tell the story of a baseball fan who's calm in a crisis, rushing in to invest while others rush out. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Roman Abramovich was known as the "stealth oligarch" before he stepped into the limelight as Chelsea football club's sugar daddy owner. The man loves a yacht: his largest cost $427m, and has bullet-proof windows and an escape submarine. Abramovich made his fortune from post-Soviet privatisation, aided by a man known as the “Godfather of the Kremlin”, Boris Berezovsky, and close ties to Vladimir Putin in the early years of his presidency. But with recent reports of a suspected poisoning and sanctions against him in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine war, Abramovich's luck might be changing. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track Abramovich's meteoric rise from being a hard-up orphan to making billions from oil and aluminium. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Mukesh Ambani caught the world's attention when he forked out $600m on his son's wedding, including a performance by Rihanna – but how did he become Asia's richest person? Mukesh grew his father's polyester trading company, Reliance Industries, into a conglomerate. But when he died without a will, Mukesh had to fight his brother for control of the family business. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Mukesh Ambani's story from living in a Mumbai slum to building the world's most expensive private residence - featuring an ice cream parlour and an artificial snow room - then decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Metal man and football fan Patrice Motsepe rose out of post-apartheid South Africa to become the country's first black billionaire. Under apartheid, Patrice had to get a special permit to study at an ‘whites-only' university - the same that Nelson Mandela attended in the 1940s - becoming a lawyer before following the gold into the mines. When the racist regime finally crumbled, he benefited from Black Economic Empowerment initiatives that turbo-charged his wealth. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track Patrice's rise from asking to do the worst job in the mines to owning them. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Jack Ma is the king of ecommerce in China. Nicknamed 'Daddy Ma', the former school teacher even appeared alongside martial arts legend Jet Li in a kung fu movie. But how did a scrawny, belligerent child, who was the only person who failed to get hired at his local KFC, become the chairman and CEO of online mega-platform Alibaba? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how a crazy trip to America, where Jack had to flee from a conman, ended up introducing him to the internet, which would make him his fortune. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

The story of how Yvon Chouinard, a reluctant billionaire who only wanted to climb and surf, harnessed his passions to create outdoor apparel brand Patagonia - before giving it all away to fight climate change. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng discover how the self-proclaimed "existential dirtbag" went from jumping freight trains and eating cat food to leading the charge for businesses to commit to environmental causes. Simon and Zing track the life of a man who claims that calling himself a businessman is as difficult for him as it for others to admit to being an alcoholic or a lawyer. Then they decide if they think Yvon Chouinard is good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Whitney Wolfe Herd, the “queen of the swipes”, launched a female-led dating app after a public scandal around her sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit against Tinder. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow her story from a popular student with a flair for marketing, to carving her own path in the male-dominated tech world. Owning the ‘girlboss' image, she took her company Bumble public aged just 31 with her baby "on her hip", making her the youngest self-made female billionaire. But she wouldn't stay one for long. Simon and Zing explore her story before deciding if they think she's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Industrialist Aliko Dangote is known as a mild-mannered cement tycoon who often drives himself to business meetings. How did he become the world's richest black person? Dangote rapidly dominated Nigeria's cement, sugar, flour and fertiliser markets. He says his mission is to make Nigeria's economy self-reliant, without requiring Western investment or imports. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng look back on Dangote's life - from a childhood selling sweets in the playground to becoming a watchword for success in Nigeria. Then they decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How is freshly minted billionaire Sam Altman shaping our future through his company OpenAI and ChatGPT? He made his fortune by investing in huge tech start-ups like Reddit and Airbnb, before turning his attention to artificial intelligence - being fired and re-hired by his own company in the process. Altman believes that OpenAI, with him in charge, can make the world a better place. Yet he's also preparing for the apocalypse, just in case AI turns on its creators and attacks humanity. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of Sam Altman - the first openly gay billionaire on the podcast so far - before deciding whether they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How did an unassuming software engineer become one of the richest people on the planet? This is the story of how Zhang Yiming transformed social media by creating TikTok, and how the Chinese tech company ByteDance became a multi-billion dollar business. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explore Yiming's various successes with different apps before he hit the jackpot with TikTok. Then they decide whether they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw built a pharmaceutical empire after failing to get a job brewing beer. She also overcame gender bias to become India's first self-made female billionaire. Her company Biocon is now Asia's biggest insulin producer. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow her story, from a childhood living on a brewery compound in Bangalore to adventures in Australia and Ireland. How did Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw go from extracting enzymes from papaya fruit to mass-manufacturing medicines and being named among Time magazine's most influential people in the world? She calls herself an accidental entrepreneur; Simon and Zing decide whether they think she's good, bad or just another billionaire.

George Soros escaped Nazi occupation in Hungary, before becoming one of the most successful investors in history. After making his name on Wall Street and setting up the hedge fund Quantum, he also become known as “the man who broke the Bank of England” after making a billion dollars in a day by “betting against” the pound. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track the incredible life of one of the world's most polarising billionaires, and find out how the philanthropist became the target of countless conspiracy theories. According to Soros himself, he's “a little good, a little bad”. Ultimately, Simon and Zing decide whether they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Jerry Seinfeld has a life-long obsession with jokes, but his smash hit sitcom turned the New York stand-up into the richest comedian of all time. Seinfeld was the most watched programme in America when it ended in in 1998, but it's what came next that made the real Jerry Seinfeld mega rich – streaming and syndication. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng find out how transcendental meditation, a top Hollywood agent, the unexpected death of a parent and an “inability to act” all helped drive his spectacular success, before deciding if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How did Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson become one of only four filmmakers worth a billion dollars, and one of just three billionaires from New Zealand? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out how a childhood obsession with movies led to a booming film industry in Jackson's homeland. From Bad Taste to King Kong and The Hobbit, he went from shooting home movies and directing low budget horror films to running a major special effects house and creating some of cinema's biggest hits. Simon and Zing look back at the life of a Wellywood legend, before deciding if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How a communist mime artist became the billionaire boss of a luxury fashion house. Miuccia Prada changed her name, then made it famous with one of the runway's biggest brands. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how the Italian fashion designer turned her grandfather's shop into a fashion powerhouse. Alongside her husband, she's run her empire from Milan for over four decades, becoming known affectionately known as ‘the master of ugly'. Simon and Zing look back on her life before deciding if they think she's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

By founding Google, tech titan Sergey Brin helped shape the internet. He also got very, very rich, as his company Alphabet became one of the biggest in the world. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of the billionaire who partied on planes after escaping prejudice in Russia. Sergey Brin and his best friend Larry Page became two of history's biggest tech giants by building the planet's most popular search engine. How did their technology startup become one of the world's biggest companies? Simon and Zing find out, before deciding if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

Golfing superstardom made him incredibly rich. Personal disasters nearly took it all away. How did Tiger Woods go from a child golfing prodigy to the world's highest paid athlete for a whole decade? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how one of the greatest golfers of all time broke barriers in his sport, winning 15 major golf championships and 82 PGA Tour events. He's an inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame, won the Masters five times, the PGA Championship four times and both the Open and the US Open three times, as well as helping the US win the Ryder Cup. High-profile sponsorship deals and business ventures made him a billionaire, but then came affairs, car crashes and scandal. Simon and Zing track the spectacular rise of this global sporting superstar, then decide if they think he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

There are now even more billionaires. How did the super-rich become so rich? Good, Bad Billionaire is coming back with season 2 to find out. New episodes released on Mondays from 29 July.We'll discover more about the lives of the people on the planet who have the most money, then Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng will decide if they think they are good, bad, or just another billionaire. Learn how the likes of Jerry Seinfeld, Peter Jackson, Doris Fisher and George Soros came to join the billionaires' club. Explore how Tiger Woods went from a child golfing prodigy to the world's highest paid athlete, how a communist mime artist became the boss of fashion house Prada, and how the Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich bought an English football club. Find out how Mukesh Ambani became Asia's richest person, and how Patrice Motsepe became the first black billionaire in a post-apartheid South Africa. Plus, hear about some of the biggest names behind the technology shaping our world – the founders of TikTok, Google, ChatGPT, Alibaba and Bumble. It's a global journey through huge amounts of cash - on our list are billionaires in the US, the UK, Italy, Mexico, China, New Zealand, India, South Africa Nigeria, and elsewhere around the world. Join Simon Jack, business editor for BBC News, and journalist, author and podcaster Zing Tsjeng as Good, Bad Billionaire unravels tales of fortune, power, ambition and moral responsibility, and invites you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad, or just another billionaire?

How one social media site birthed an empire. The story of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us from his childhood to joining the billionaires club soon after, at just 23, then on to his current status as one of the four richest people on the planet. He dropped out of Harvard to mix with other founders in Silicon Valley and still retains absolute control over his company, now called Meta.From buying up Instagram and WhatsApp, getting investments from Peter Thiel and Bill Gates, they trace Zuckerberg's spectacular rise. Plus discover what was true and what was made up in David Fincher's film about him, The Social Network.

From The Exorcist to owning 400 companies, how music sent the Virgin entrepreneur into space. He's an island owning adventurer, but he's incredibly shy. He's the record label owner who doesn't even like music. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack try to understand a man of many paradoxes and ask whether he's good, bad, or just another billionaire?

He's spent a billion on Manchester United, but how did Jim Ratcliffe become a billionaire?BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng learn how the Premier League club's new co-owner got rich via some daring investments and impressive acquisitions. They learn how he made his name in petrochemicals before founding one of the industry's biggest conglomerates.Simon and Zing also discover that he mortgaged his own house to fund a business, as well as uncovering his investments in cycling, sailing and, of course, football. Then they decide if he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How the Formula One supremo won control of a sport, and how it all came crashing down. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Bernie Ecclestone's unique rise and fall. From modest beginnings selling second hand cars, he built Formula One into a one man empire worth billions. How did he go from the very top to tax fraud, and is good, bad, or just another billionaire?

How mining magnate Gina Rinehart amassed a $30 billion fortune to become Australia's richest person and earn a reputation for being highly litigious.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng uncover a woman who has taken legal action against her father's widow, her own biographer and the biggest mining company in the world, and who has been sued by her own children, twice.They follow Rinehart's story from her outspoken father's discovery of huge deposits of iron ore in Western Australia to inheriting the business and turning it into a multi-billion dollar powerhouse. It's a story that takes in secessionist politics, indigenous land rights and lots and lots of family feuds.

In this special episode, Simon Jack and Zing Tseng bring you the Business Daily podcast, looking at the four sportspeople who've made it big enough in business to become billionaires. Listen as presenter Matt Lines finds out the secrets behind the fortunes of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Magic Johnson. Listen to every episode of Business Daily on BBC Sounds.

How oilman Charles Koch turned black gold into dark money. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng investigate the feuding family that has shaped US politics for decades. The Koch family battles made “Dallas and Dynasty look like a playpen” with brother against brother, and even twin against twin. But Charles Koch succeeded as heir to the oil fortune, and spent the billions earnt from oil creating a right wing political network dubbed 'The Kochtopus'. So is he good, bad or just another billionaire?

Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack uncover the huge public feuds and private legal battles that made the most famous woman in the world. She can change the economy, but is Taylor Swift good, bad, or just another billionaire?

How Warren Buffett became the richest investor in history, amassing a fortune of over $120 billion, without moving from the Nebraska home he bought in 1958.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng discover how Buffett earned his first money as a six year old, bought his first shares at 11 and filed his first tax return at 13. He went on to formulate his own investment philosophy on the way to becoming incredibly rich.Simon and Zing reveal Buffett's biggest deals and pithiest phrases from his decades if investing, as well as his unconventional love life. Then they decide if he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How NR Narayana Murthy, now known as the father-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, first became known as the father of India's IT boom.Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack explain how Murthy made Infosys, the technology company he founded with six friends and some cash borrowed from his wife, a world leader in outsourcing.Simon and Zing reveal how 20th Century Indian politics, an early passion for computers, and a shocking experience behind the Iron Curtain all played a role in making Murthy spectacularly rich. Then they decide if he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How a young man inherited an Australian newspaper and turned it into a global media empire. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the origin story of the 92-year-old media magnate. He's been called ‘evil' and ‘a cancer', for others he's the champion of free press. He's also one of the most powerful people on the planet. So which Rupert Murdoch is it: is he good bad, or just another billionaire?

The story of Mexican drug lord Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, better known as El Chapo, the leader of one of the world's most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow El Chapo from childhood in the Mexican mountain region of Sinaloa to the very top of the drug business and into the New York prison cell where he now resides.Simon and Zing reveal how El Chapo innovated with tunnels along the US-Mexican border, escaped prison twice, and used extreme violence to gain power. Then they are given the simple task of deciding if he's good, bad, or just another billionaire.

How hip-hop's first billionaire went from grams to Grammys. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack chart Jay-Z's meteoric rise from drug dealing in the projects to sipping champagne in a private jet. Jay-Z turned his aspirational lifestyle into cash, rapping about the champagne that he owned. And the private jet? A gift from his wife, Beyonce.In the podcast that uncovers how the world's wealthiest people made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Zing and Simon judge the man who shot his brother, who signed Kayne West, whose adultery gave use Lemonade, and the man who has been called the greatest rapper of all time.

How did being fired from Wall Street lead Michael Bloomberg to a $96 billion fortune and a failed presidential campaign? Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack try to understand this man of contradictions. A brash playboy and thoughtful data nerd, a lifelong Democrat who became the Republican mayor of New York, a plutocrat who spent $1 billion self-funding a short-lived presidential campaign, and one of the world's greatest philanthropists.In the podcast that uncovers how the world's wealthiest people made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Zing and Simon judge a man whose eponymous Bloomberg terminal sits on desks throughout the finacial world, and helps make people incredibly rich.

Why was a brilliant surgeon and biotech billionaire sued by his brother... and Cher? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace his journey from apartheid South Africa to the upper echelons of LA society.He's tried to cure cancer, diabetes, and COVID-19, and along the way rubbed shoulders with some of the most powerful people on the planet: Joe Biden, the Pope, and Donald Trump. He's made his fortune selling drugs to sick people, but his results have been described as "controversial", "hype" and even “old wine in a new bottle”.In the podcast that uncovers how the world's wealthiest people made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing judge a man who made cold hard cash from controversial cures.

The story of the Microsoft boss who spent over a decade as the richest person in the world after becoming the youngest self-made billionaire in history.Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack follow Bill Gates' journey, from venerated, nerdy entrepreneur to ruthless monopolist, then from generous philanthropist to conspiracy theory magnet and divisive public figure.The podcast that uncovers how the world's wealthiest people made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet reveals the brilliant technology, the crucial deals, and the legal difficulties, along the path to building a software empire.