Hosted by award-winning financial journalist Aimee Keane, the podcast series uncovers the stories behind the deals that made an impact on people’s lives – from the doomed pact that preceded the failed WeWork IPO, to a start-up's battle with Big Pharma titans, to 3G’s takeover of Kraft and Heinz
Innovative content studio Project Brazen in partnership with award-winning public media organization PRX, today announced a new business podcast and franchise, The Closer. Hosted by award-winning financial journalist Aimee Keane, the podcast will debut on Monday, February 6. The first six episodes will debut Mondays and will be released across all major audio platforms for free, with additional seasons planned for this year.
Landmark deals can change everything. Billions of dollars, thousands of jobs, the future of an industry or economy can all be on the line. Inside the stories of these deals, you’ll find tales of revenge, hope, failure, even betrayal. The Closer chronicles the deals that changed the world, as told by Keane and the insiders who know how they went down. Every episode shows how deals impact our lives, from the medications we take, to the flights we book - even the can of beans we buy.
“The business world is the greatest theater on earth, with high stakes deal-making center stage,” said Bradley Hope, co-founder of Project Brazen. “We are excited to build a big audience for this ongoing franchise with Aimee as the perfect host.”
“I'm fascinated by the different ways decisions made in a boardroom work their way into our lives, and I'm thrilled to uncover stories like these with The Closer and our talented Project Brazen production team," said Aimee Keane.
Project Brazen is planning multiple entertaining series to launch under The Closer umbrella in 2023. Alongside the podcast, Project Brazen is also debuting a twice-weekly newsletter by financial journalist Ben Walsh, formerly of Barron's.
The debut episode of The Closer looks at the 2013 tie-up between US Airways and American Airlines. The merger created the world's largest airline, and capped an era of consolidation that ushered in the modern flying experience many people love to hate. With union leader Sara Nelson as guest, Keane explores the pivotal role played by the airlines' labor unions in getting the deal done. Future episodes will delve into the story of the deal that led to the implosion of WeWork, the legacy behind groundbreaking musician David Bowie and banker David Pullman’s financial innovation “Bowie Bonds,” the inside story of Facebook’s biggest acquisition Whatsapp and the dispiriting conflict that roiled the two companies, what went wrong with 3G’s takeover of Kraft and Heinz, and Amazon’s ambitions in the healthcare business.
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Host Aimee Keane is a former “Financial Times” journalist who was the founding executive producer and host of the publication’s first narrative business podcast, “Behind the Money,” which imaginatively explores the stories and personalities behind the biggest financial headlines. Keane is also the co-founder of Bazaar Audio, a podcast production studio where she and co-founder Cardiff Garcia create, host, and produce narrative and conversational podcasts about the economy.
The Closer will be free to listeners everywhere across all major podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, Pocket Casts, and Amazon Music. Subscribers to Brazen+, Project Brazen’s Apple Podcasts channel, will get access to bonus content and extended interviews.
About Project Brazen
Project Brazen is a global journalism studio telling blockbuster stories in every form of media. Founded in 2021 by the best-selling authors behind BILLION DOLLAR WHALE, Bradley Hope and Tom Wright, Project Brazen is a thriving home to the world’s best journalists and creators. Based in London and Singapore, Project Brazen has an active slate of podcasts, documentaries, books, newsletters, as well as scripted film and television. Recent hit projects include the podcasts FAT LEONARD (in-development for scripted TV with SK Global), CORINNA AND THE KING and THE SOUND: Mystery of Havana Syndrome. Project Brazen is represented by a team at United Talent Agency in Los Angeles and Levy Law in New York City.
About PRX
PRX is a non-profit public media company specializing in audio journalism and storytelling. PRX serves independent producers and organizations by helping them connect to their most engaged, supportive audiences. One of the world’s leading podcast publishers, PRX works in partnership with TED, PBS, the Smithsonian, Futuro Media, GBH, Religion of Sports, and more. PRX is also home to Radiotopia, known as one of the most creative and successful podcast networks. In addition, PRX distributes trusted public radio programming to hundreds of stations nationwide, including “The World,” “The Moth Radio Hour,” “This American Life,” “Snap Judgment,” “Reveal,” “The Takeaway,” and “Latino USA.” PRX programs have been recognized by the Peabody Awards, the duPont-Columbia Awards, the IDA Documentary Awards, and the Pulitzer Prizes. In 2022, Futuro Media and PRX won a Pulitzer Prize.
