The Ankura Podcast

Are you being watched?! 2025 has witnessed a surge in sophisticated cyberattacks, with ransomware attacks rising by 126% globally. In this episode of The Impact Exchange, John Frehse speaks with Han Lai about the critical importance of cybersecurity and the hidden risks we all face in our connected world.Discover why information security matters and learn the first steps to take if your data is compromised. Han explains the complex nature of cyberattacks, from prolonged system infiltrations to ransomware negotiations, and how he helps clients navigate these challenges.

Dive into the world of global trade in the latest episode of The Impact Exchange with John Frehse as he's joined by trade expert Kate Kalutkiewicz!Kate unpacks the complexities of trade policies and tariffs that are reshaping industries worldwide. From her experiences in the Trump White House Administration to leading trade policy at Amazon, Kate brings unparalleled insights into how these changes affect businesses globally. Discover why tariffs are more than just taxes, how they influence everything from automotive supply chains to pharmaceutical pricing, and what the current trade negotiations mean for the future of international business.

Join John Frehse and Michelle Mader on the latest episode of The Impact Exchange as they explore the future of healthcare. Gain insights into the strategic investments required to shape the future and understand what innovations will benefit society at large.Discover how the healthcare sector is transitioning towards tech-driven home care solutions, enhancing both comfort and cost-efficiency, and learn how modernizing healthcare facilities and investing in emerging trends are essential to address current and future challenges.

Dive into the dynamic world of sports branding on this month's episode of The Business Behind Sport! Join Tom Allwood, co-founder of MATTA, and Jonny Gray as they unravel the secrets of building unforgettable sports brands. From igniting Women's Elite Rugby in the U.S. to revitalizing established brands, Tom shares his strategic insights on turning visions into fan communities. Whether you're starting from scratch or breathing new life into a brand, this episode is packed with transformative tips and expert advice. 

In this episode of the Ankura podcast, Lorynn Demetriades is joined by Rebecca McGregor from Linklaters and Ankura colleague Steven Richards to explore the underlying concerns and pressures that lead auditors to engage more aggressively with the investigative process and best practises that companies can employ when faced with enhanced audit scrutiny related to investigations or issues that are flagged for investigation during the course of their audit.

Why do technology projects often miss the mark?Join John Frehse in this episode of The Impact Exchange as he chats with Mirinda Lowe. Mirinda emphasizes the importance of treating technology implementations as business transformations to ensure success. Key elements for a successful technology rollout include:• A compelling reason for the initiative• Clearly defined roles• A strategic roll-out plan that considers organizational impacts

Our latest episode of the Ankura podcast is out now and features Nitish Upadhyaya, Behavioural Insights Director at Ropes & Gray! Focusing on the importance of organizational culture, Nitish shares his expert insight to help us answer: • What are the main drivers for a shift in how businesses interpret the importance of company culture?• Is culture being prioritized enough at Board level?• What factors contribute the most to poor workplace cultures?• How does a company assess its culture? Find out more about Ropes & Gray Insights Lab and hear more insights from Nitish and his team in their podcast the Culture & Compliance Chronicles.

Dive into this fascinating discussion on the art of discourse in the latest episode of The Impact Exchange with John Frehse and Bret Stephens, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist for the New York Times. In a world of increased polarization, Bret educates us on the discourse of civil society and explores the architecture of argument and the cultural forces shaping our conversations today. 

In this month's episode of The Business Behind Sport, we focus on sports marketing with Luca Massaro, Founder and Chief Executive of WePlay. Sports marketing has changed significantly over time, and global fan engagement is now a key driver for sports organisations. Luca shares his insights with Jonny Gray on how and why sports clubs and athletes are growing their fan base and involvement, in addition to the traditional marketing mix. 

Today, consumers have a relatively positive outlook on the economy, while the economy is showing us signs that we shouldn't. In this episode of The Impact Exchange, John Frehse sits down with Ankura's own Keith Jelinek, performance improvement and retail expert, to discuss the implications of rising consumer debt levels, including the consumer spending index, consumer sentiment and outlook on the market, impacts on the economy and society, and more. 

In this episode of The Impact Exchange, John Frehse catches up with Head of Ankura's Disputes & Economics practice in Australia, Christine Oliver, on all things valuation.How do company stories play into valuations? What do the numbers tell us about what a business is worth? What company data does Christine consider when performing valuations work?

Dive into the world of sports law in this month's episode of The Business Behind Sport. Jonny Gray speaks with Sean Cottrell, CEO of LawInSport who shares his expert insights on:The dynamic growth and transformation of sports lawThe issues currently impacting the industry‘Lawfare' in football and explore how sports law is poised to evolve with competition lawFuture trends

In this episode, Charli Curran speaks with legal and reputation management experts Sarah Henchoz (A&O Shearman) and Antony Dunkels (Brunswick) to explore the multi-faceted challenges when organizations are faced with allegations of harassment, abuse, and discrimination involving executives or high-profile representatives.Key insights include:• Collaboration between external experts in investigations, employment counsel, and crisis communications• Internal and public strategy for managing stakeholders• The increased risk of leaks in sensitive matters throughout the lifecycle of the investigation• Rebuilding trust to protect culture and reputationA must-listen for those operating in General Counsel and People Office functions, as well as members of the Board.

In this episode, John sits down with Ankura colleague and sovereign debt restructuring expert Spencer Jones to discuss the implications of countries running out of money. Be sure to listen to this fascinating conversation and hear directly from an expert who has advised 30 countries and governments through times of financial distress.

In this first episode of The Impact Exchange, John Frehse sits down with Ankura colleague and change management expert Kevin Cowherd to discuss why change is so important to an organization, why so many of us fail to change and what leaders can do to facilitate effective change.Listen now to hear more on what leaders can do to successfully lead their organizations through change and transformation.

FIFA recently confirmed Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034. In this exclusive interview, Jonny Gray speaks to Polly Handford, General Counsel of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) to discuss the local reactions in the Kingdom to the news, as well as what hosting the World Cup means for Vision 2030 and what the organization of the tournament will look like. 

Dive into the latest episode of the Ankura podcast with Sasi-Kanth Mallela as he hosts a discussion with Satnam Tumani, Partner at Edmonds Marshall McMahon, and Tapan Bebnath, Head of Integrity, Regulatory Affairs & Data Privacy - Process Automation at ABB. These experts, all former members of the Serious Fraud Office, share their invaluable insights on navigating high-stakes investigations and dealing with global authorities. Tune in to discover: How the UK reached its current stance on corporate cooperation with authorities, especially the SFO Real-world experiences of engaging with the authorities Key considerations when deciding to self-report

This month on The Business Behind Sport, Jonny Gray is joined by forensics expert Charli Curran from Ankura and Kat Craig, a multi-award-winning human rights lawyer and the founder and CEO of Athlead, a sports and social impact consultancy.They discuss trauma-informed governance in sport, focussing on the evolution of safeguarding over the last 10 years. They also address where the gaps in safeguarding in sport are, the importance of the correct stakeholders managing safeguarding and trauma issues, priorities to achieve better governance, and what change looks like for survivors and victims of abuse in sport. Subscribe to 'The Business Behind Sport' newsletter. 

Tune into the latest episode of The Business Behind Sport featuring Sarah Lewis OBE OLY, as she shares her journey from Olympic ski racer to influential sports leader, as Secretary General of both the International Ski and Snowboard Federation and the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations. As the snow sports season begins, join hosts Jonny Gray and Torie Hamilton-Wilson as they delve into:❄️ The governance system in international snow sports

In this episode of the Ankura podcast, Lorynn Demetriades sits down with corporate communications and crisis management experts Patricia Rodriguez and Dana White to explore how strategic communication can make or break an investigation's outcome. Key insights include:The role of strategic communications in shaping public perceptionCollaboration between investigations and communications teamsSocial media's impact on corporate transparencyNew strategies in crisis managementA must-listen for anyone in corporate communications, PR, or crisis management. 

This month on The Business Behind Sport podcast, our Ankura experts discuss the creation of The Hundred Cricket competition, and the England and Wales Cricket Board's (or ECB's) plans to invite private investment into the tournament. Join Alecia Futerman, Jonathan Brown, and Torie Hamilton Wilson as they explore the potential implications for the sport and its stakeholders. Listen now to find out more about the history of the sport, as well as the investment process and strategy. 

Join Ankura's Lorynn Demetriades and Danny Mayhew, Global Head of Organisational Justice and Smart Assurance at Sanofi on this episode of The Ankura Podcast where they discuss high-stakes investigations, and, in particular, managing crises as they unfold. They discuss:The importance of being prepared for crisis-led investigationsDeveloping an investigation function within your organisationBuilding a team with the right people and clear responsibilities How to build resilience into an organisation's processes 

Should sports arbitrations and tribunals continue to be held in private?In this episode of The Business Behind Sport we speak with one of the most high-profile sports barristers in England, Nick De Marco to discuss:⚽ The arguments for and against private arbitrations in sports 

At the Paris Olympics last week, Saudi Arabia submitted plans to build 11 stadiums - including one set 350 meters above ground level - as part of the country's bid to host the 2034 World Cup.Listen to this episode of #TheBusinessBehindSport recorded live from London International Disputes Week where Jonny Gray speaks with Helen Waddell, Partner at Pinsent Masons, Richard Liddell KC at 4 New Square Chambers, and Jason Baston from Miller Insurance Services LLP to discuss the interactions between ambition, scale, governance, ESG, media, and commercial pressure in delivering ever-expanding global events like the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games. 

This month on The Business Behind Sport, Jonny Gray speaks to James Stebbing, a Senior Sports Executive who has held General Counsel and Legal roles at Six Nations Rugby, British & Irish Lions, and England Rugby. Throughout his career, he has been at the heart of some of the most pivotal moments in Rugby's recent history, including the impact and response to the Covid crisis and planning for the Nations Cup, a new cross-hemisphere competition launching in 2026, involving 12 of the world's top international teams.They discuss:• The current state of the game• The financial sustainability of the sport• Opportunities for commercial growth• The rise of Women's Rugby

This month on The Business Behind Sport we take another look at safeguarding in the sports industry, this time focusing on investigations. Jonny Gray speaks with Megan Griffiths, Barrister at 12 King's Bench Walk, and Charli Curran, safeguarding and investigations specialist at Ankura, to discuss: • What risks should be discussed when cases of harassment and abuse are raised? • What does a “good” response look like after receiving reports of harassment and abuse?• What might be the consequences for organizations, and individuals, if the wrong approach is taken?

In this episode of The Business Behind, Sport Jonny Gray is joined by “the most powerful woman in African football” Abi Ijasanmi, former Chief Operating Officer of the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This conversation ranges over the landscape of football on the continent, looking closely at integrity and good governance as well as the improvement of infrastructure, the growth of the women's game, and the emerging global appeal of CAF's blue-ribbon events such as the African Cup of Nations; both the male and female editions. 

Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with much of its growth being driven bottom-up by investors. One of those investors, Houman Ashrafzadeh, Founder of Padium, joins Jonny Gray on this episode of #TheBusinessBehindSport to discuss the rise and growth of padel in the UK and worldwide over recent years. Together they discuss: • What makes padel different from other racket sports • The development of the governance of the sport • The commercial opportunities with padel 

Sports are still a very male-dominated space, especially in the boardroom. In this episode of The Business Behind Sport, Jonathan Brown speaks to two female leaders in the sports industry, Monique Choudhuri Board Director at Women in Football and Rowena Samarasinhe, Managing Director at GENSport. During this episode, they explore the progress female sports have made over the years, the challenges they face in their careers, the role diversity, equity, and inclusion plays within the industry, and the future of women's sports as a whole. Subscribe to The Business Behind Sport

Snooker has always been a popular sport, particularly in the UK, but its rapid growth worldwide has led to a potential global audience of 1.8 billion viewers.In this episode of The Business Behind Sport podcast, Jonny Gray speaks to Jason Ferguson, Group Chairman & CEO of The World Professional Billiards & Snooker Association (WPBSA) and Director of the World Snooker Tour to discuss Jason's journey from a player to running the sport worldwide, including his hopes for entry as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles 2028.Subscribe to The Business Behind Sport

Disputes and investigations expert, Jacqui Record, construction expert, Sena Gbedemah, and cybersecurity specialist, Kajen Subramoney, are joined by Bevan Farmer, Construction and Engineering Partner at Addleshaw in this latest episode to discuss the role of AI and its impact on expert evidence, cost implications in construction disputes, and their views on future trends.

Following the previous The Business Behind Sport episode, we continue our conversation on the club acquisition process, but this month we explore the investment and legal considerations.Jonny Gray is joined by Tom Sheldon, Director at Ovation Corporate Finance, and Ben Hanglin, Partner at Onside Law to look at the deal structure, the legal contemplations throughout the process, and how to deal with any issues that may occur post-acquisition. Subscribe to 'The Business Behind Sport' Newsletter

Thinking of buying a football club? In this special edition of #TheBusinessBehindSport podcast, we are joined by Analytics FC to discuss the steps investors should consider when buying a football club.With institutional investors and individuals showing more interest in purchasing football clubs, Ankura regulatory and financial risk expert Jonathan Brown and Jeremy Steele, Managing Director of Analytics FC, share their insights into the club acquisition process with Jonny Gray, Senior Managing Director and co-host of The Business Behind Sport and Alex Stewart, Head of Content and host of the Analytics FC podcast. Collectively they discuss the commercial considerations, financial and sporting due diligence planning, and the governance and regulatory issues that prospective investors should consider before, during, and after acquiring a football club in Europe.

Can sports really regulate itself? With talk of independent regulators high on the sports agenda, Jonny Gray is joined by Karena Vleck, General Counsel at World Athletics, and Lorynn Demetriades, compliance specialist and Senior Managing Director at Ankura to discuss compliance programs in sport for The Business Behind Sport.  In this frank discussion, they also touch on how organizations hit by scandal, like World Athletics, can emerge with better governance and, perhaps most interestingly, how to get ahead of the scandal in the first place.

In this episode of The Business Behind Sport podcast, Jonathan Brown, Senior Managing Director in Ankura's Sport Advisory team speaks with Richard Bush, Partner in Bird & Bird's Media, Entertainment & Sports Group, and Charli Curran, Senior Director in Ankura's Risk, Forensics and Compliance team to discuss investigating abuse in sport and the practical and legal considerations that need to be taken into account.

The need to digitalize the infrastructure sector has been understood for some time, but progress has been slow and the gap is widening quickly. The sheer pace and accessibility of developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent months – and the alarm that it has caused some tech executives and academics – illustrates its potential power. In this episode, we speak to Jingchao Yang, a software engineering Director in Ankura's New York office, about: How AI can help close the digital gap within the sector. What the appetite is for the use of new digital technologies in infrastructure and construction. How the industry could benefit from technology such as AI.

Following his keynote speech at MENA Information Security Conference 2023, Senior Managing Director and former FBI Special Agent Ted Theisen, speaks with Kajen Subramoney in the latest edition of The Cyber Series. In this episode, they discuss the development of the cybersecurity sector and the evolution of the cyber threat landscape throughout their careers. Ted shares his insights on his top three points on what people should have front of mind when considering their approach to cybersecurity:  Be flexible.Plan as if you are being attacked.Look outside of your organization.

In this episode, Jonny Gray is joined by Mike Laflin, CEO and Founder of Global Sustainable Sport. Together they discuss:• Mike's journey working within the sports industry and what led him to set up Global Sustainable Sport in 2022• What exactly is "sustainable sport?" • The seven pillars of sustainable sport that Mike and his team have established and how these can be measured Global Sustainable Sport provides a range of products and services to help sports organizations and individuals develop their sustainability strategies and promote their outcomes and activities. Their latest Sustainability Survey is out now!

In this episode we turn our heads East to put a spotlight on the emerging opportunities for investment in sports in Asia. Senior Managing Director, Jonny Gray speaks to Jean-Baptiste Roy, Co-Founder of Asia Sports Tech, where they discuss: •Where are the growth areas for participation, broadcast rights, sponsorship, and more in the region •What risks should sports and investors think about when considering the market•How can existing western sports teams and clubs maximize their brands in Asia•And more… 

As we hit the halfway point in the international cricket season for 2023 and as the Ashes series is currently underway, Jonathan Brown speaks to Simon Taufel, Former International Cricket Umpire and 5-time International Cricket Council Umpire of the year, in the latest episode of #TheBusinessBehindSport. Listen to the full episode to hear more Simon reflect on his journey in cricket and his expert insights on: •How to achieve excellence •Maintaining focus as an umpire and in general•Dealing with the pressures from players, crowds, TV audiences, officials, and yourself •How sport can fix issues around ethics and integrity

In this episode, Jonny Gray talks to Simon Hallett, majority owner and Chairman of Plymouth Argyle Football Club who was recently promoted into The Championship League. Simon openly discusses everything around owning an English Football League Club and how he and his team managed to take Plymouth Argyle from being a loss-making League 2 (4th Tier) team to one of the most well-run clubs by challenging the "football way" of ownership at every turn. He also speaks about lessons he's learned along the way, and what follows is a masterclass for existing and future investors in English Football and how they can create a beneficial club for the fans, sponsors, and community stakeholders. 

In this episode, Jonathan Roe speaks with Dom O'Donnell, Managing Director at Infrastructure Matters on one of the key themes in our latest report, From Pandemic to Permacrisis: Infrastructure Perspectives 2023, that was produced in collaboration with Infrastructure Matters. Together they discuss how it is taking longer for major infrastructure projects to get off the drawing board and into the ground, and more about the infrastructure sector in the UK and globally.

Brazil is a country renowned for its love of sport, in particular a love of football. In the latest episode Felix Vetter and Reecha Patel speak with Tiago Gomes, Partner at Ambiel, Belfiore, Gomes, Hanna Advogados, to discuss the impact of investment from new developments in football within the country, such as the new breakaway league, as well as initiatives to improve sports betting regulation and wider governance in sport. 

In this episode of the Ankura Cyber Series, Adam Horsman speaks with Danny Howett, a Director in the Ankura Cyber Threat Intelligence Team based in London. Danny explains what he does day to day in his role and how gathering and analyzing information for threat intelligence can benefit companies and mitigate any cyber risks. Following the Breach Forums & Genesis Market being taken down by the FBI last month, Adam and Danny share their view on how Threat Actors are adapting to stay a step ahead when leaking data. 

Our guest on this episode of The Business Behind Sport podcast is Lloyd Thomas, General Counsel at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club. In this conversation, Lloyd shares his career journey working in-house at football clubs, as well as some of the hot topics and challenges in football including; increases in sponsorships and the reputational risks associated with them, the upcoming initiative to bring in an independent regulator for football, and the idea of introducing a European super-league. 

Ankura Data & Technology expert Chris Marks joins Adam Horsman on the Cyber series to discuss Chris' career highlights from his different roles globally, current cybercrime trends that are currently being seen within the Hong Kong region where he is based, and what measures can be made to make sure you or your organization don't fall victim to any cyber threats.Contact Chris to find out more about our capabilities and experience in the region > chris.marks@ankura.com

In this special episode of The Ankura Podcast, Jonny Gray speaks to Mhairi Maclennan, GB International Athlete and co-founder of the Kyniska Advocacy, which champions for new and better policies that protect, respect, and celebrate women and girls in sport. Mhairi shares her story and personal experience of abuse of power within sports and how there needs to be a bigger focus on the need for safeguarding and governance within the sporting industry. Find out more about the work that the Kyniska Advocacy are doing and how you can help. 

In this episode of The Business Behind Sport, Jonathan Brown speaks to Ivan Miljković, former Olympic Gold Winning Serbian volleyball captain, about his professional sporting career and what he's up to now. They also discuss current sports business trends such as the use of NFTs, Web3, blockchain and private equity investment into sports just like we have recently seen in volleyball. 

In this episode of the Ankura Cyber Series, our host Adam Horsman spoke with Bex Nitert, a Senior Director in our Cybersecurity team in Australia. Together they discuss how Bex began her journey into the cyber industry, some of her biggest accomplishments in her career, and trends within the sector.