PODCAST: ‘The Art of Deciding’ with Bruce Whitfield — episode 4

Karan Bilimoria was a Cambridge law student when he discovered that the UK did not have the right beer for his favourite curry.

Ignoring his degree and his family’s military background, he decided to solve the problem by setting up Cobra Beer when he was just 27.

It went on to become one of the most awarded beers in the world.

Since then, he has applied his entrepreneurial mindset to a wide range of organisations, including as president of the Confederation of British Industry, working with the government during the Covid pandemic, when he was the first person to suggest the widespread use of lateral flow testing, which saved thousands of lives. 

He is now Lord Bilimoria, an independent cross-bench life peer, and still just as focused on taking action. How does he approach decision-making? What role does luck play? What is the one thing he thinks everyone should remember when it comes to making choices?

The Art of Deciding is a new podcast series by Bruce Whitfield. It delves into how successful people make big decisions. New episodes will be published on BusinessLIVE every Thursday.

Listen below, or subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Catch up with previous episodes:

Episode 1: With Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

Episode 2: With entrepreneur Sharmadean Reid

Episode 3: With Sir Brad Fried