Trading Up

In this episode of Trading Up Unpacked, host Jim Fitzpatrick and Professor Richard Ramsey analsye how economic realities are overriding culture wars to reshape global political agendas.

The discussion opens in the United States, examining how soaring petrol and diesel costs, Federal Reserve interest rates, and the energy-intensive AI infrastructure boom are impacting political strategy ahead of the US midterms.

Across Europe, economic strain manifests in Spain’s housing-driven election and French public sector protests.

Turning to the UK, the hosts evaluate the Chancellor’s tight £24 billion fiscal headroom, £100 billion annual debt interest burden, and difficult choices between taxation and public spending cuts.

Finally, they spotlight Northern Ireland, where political inertia around a £2 billion wastewater funding gap, record-low housing completions, and 22-year planning delays for the North-South inter-connector threaten long-term economic competitiveness.
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In this episode of Trading Up, host Jim Fitzpatrick sits down with tech entrepreneur Alastair Cameron to explore the raw realities of founder resilience, personal crisis, and starting over.

After a sudden diagnosis of stage 4 bowel and liver cancer, Alastair faced the reality of losing his creative drive and making the difficult decision to wind down his startup platform, Starticus.

Navigating grueling chemotherapy, four major surgeries, and an intense battle with OCD, he learned firsthand why founders must boldly prioritise personal health over business obligations.

Following a two-and-a-half-year hiatus, an unexpected Eureka moment sparked his return, inspiring him to launch Tech Tides - a thriving regional technology conference bringing high-caliber innovation to Derry and Belfast.

Tune in for practical takeaways on managing founder mental health, the vital need for critical illness cover, contingency planning for business owners, and how to reignite your entrepreneurial spark to build sustainable ventures after adversity.

Supported by - Queen’s Business School at Queen’s University Belfast offers world-class undergraduate, postgraduate, and executive education. The mission of Queen’s Business School is to educate and explore for the benefit of business and society. QBS is triple-accredited, an accolade which puts it in the top 1% of business schools in the world. As a member of the Global Business School Network, the School is connected through strategic partnerships across the globe. QBS engages with the business community to develop principled and effective leaders, provide student and graduate talent, and harness innovation through academic expertise.
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In this episode of Trading Up, host Jim Fitzpatrick and economist Professor Richard Ramsey unpack Northern Ireland's dramatic economic split.

While the private sector outperforms the rest of the UK with strong 1% quarterly growth - driven by booming manufacturing, tech, and financial services - the public sector is severely squeezed by tightening budgets.

The hosts analyse Westminster's £1.5 billion funding offer to Stormont, potential welfare reform incentives, and the Fiscal Council’s critical findings on high public sector pay and staffing levels.

They also tackle real-world pressures facing local consumers and businesses, including record diesel prices approaching £2 per litre, global supply chain risks, and the rapid transition to electric vehicles.

Finally, they explore global bond market volatility, 30-year gilt yields, and how rising interest rates directly impact local mortgages and public spending. Essential listening for anyone seeking key insights into Northern Ireland’s economic trajectory, fiscal policy, and business outlook.
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Every successful economy is built on the foundations of a good education system. So what happens when education standards begin to fall and what can Northern Ireland learn from what works elsewhere?

In this episode of Trading Up, host Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by columnist and commentator Newton Emerson to examine the state of education in Northern Ireland. While it has historically prided itself on strong academic outcomes, recent international PISA rankings reveal falling standards that hit disadvantaged pupils hardest.

Newton breaks down why Michael Gove’s evidence-based reforms in England delivered surprisingly progressive outcomes for low-income and immigrant students by reintroducing knowledge-rich curricula, high-stakes exams, and strict discipline. The discussion unpicks Education Minister Paul Givan’s current reform efforts at Stormont, contrasting them with trends in the Republic and England under a new Labour government.

Focusing on what a business audience truly needs, they discuss whether employers require basic academic rigour over vocational qualifications, how AI is altering coursework, and how declining pupil numbers will force structural change across Northern Ireland’s school sectors.

Tune in to explore what works for schools, skills, and economic growth.
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In this latest episode of Trading Up, host Jim Fitzpatrick explores why traditional top-down central control holds scaling businesses back. Featuring business leaders across tech, retail, and travel, the episode reveals how delegating real authority to local teams drives performance and innovation.

Steven McKeown, running Allstate’s European operations in Belfast, explains how shifting from rigid "on time and on budget" management to a product mindset earned them the global Tony Hsieh Award for radical culture change.

Sandra and Scott Corkin of Oasis Travel discuss how handing over leadership after 40 years and investing £60,000–£70,000 annually sending staff around the world builds irreplaceable, authentic customer experiences.

Finally, Trevor Magill of Musgrave - a €5 billion group - shares why giving independent SuperValu and Centra store owners the freedom to stock local dairies and bakeries is critical to community success.

Tune in to discover why sustainable growth requires leaders to stop making every decision and empower their people.
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