Ep. 12: Professor Alex Edmans On How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose And Profit

In this episode, I talk with Professor Alex Edmans from the London Business School. He’s one of the world’s leading academics on company purpose, social value and profits. In fact, he’s just come out with a book on the subject called “Grow the Pie: How Great Companies Deliver Both Purpose and Profit”. We covered lots on the podcast including:

1. Is a company’s sole purpose to deliver profits?
2. How markets do not correctly price in social value in the short-term
3. The problem with restrictions on executive pay
4. Could hedge fund activism be helpful?
5. How the management styles of Continental Europe compare to the Anglo-Saxon model
6. Creating the “growing the pie” mindset
7. How to define purpose and use it to run a business
8. Is the financial sector useful?
9. Is there a place for share buybacks?
10. Does ESG work?
11. How companies should deal with COVID
12. Time management tips!
13. The pitfalls of managing a team in lockdown

You can find Alex’s new book here and website here. You can also follow Alex on Twitter and LinkedIn

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(The commentary contained in the above article does not constitute an offer or a solicitation, or a recommendation to implement or liquidate an investment or to carry out any other transaction. It should not be used as a basis for any investment decision or other decision. Any investment decision should be based on appropriate professional advice specific to your needs.)