The Closer brings you the inside story of deals changing the world, as told by the people who know how it all went down.Understand the human motivations behind groundbreaking business decisions, and learn dealmaking lessons through a deep dive into one deal each week, with host Aimee Keane.The Closer is a Project Brazen production. For more thrilling storytelling, search for the Brazen channel on Apple Podcasts or visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works. From landmark business deals to international espionage and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> to and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. For the latest from Brazen delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe to our newsletters at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/newsletters" target="_blank">brazen.fm/newsletters</a>.

Last summer, a Mexican beer overtook the longtime favorite Bud Light as America’s best-selling beer. It happened amid a customer boycott against Bud Light for a marketing campaign featuring transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney. But the story of how Modelo knocked Bud Light from its perch is about much more than a marketing u-turn. It’s an antitrust tale that includes the Department of Justice, and one lawyer in particular, along with a once little-known wine and spirits company from upstate New York. Featuring Ina Verstl, a Munich-based journalist who covers the global beer industry.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Last summer, a Mexican beer overtook the longtime favorite Bud Light as America’s best-selling beer. It happened amid a customer boycott against Bud Light for a marketing campaign featuring transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney. But the story of how Modelo knocked Bud Light from its perch is about much more than a marketing u-turn. It’s an antitrust tale that includes the Department of Justice, and one lawyer in particular, along with a once little-known wine and spirits company from upstate New York. Featuring Ina Verstl, a Munich-based journalist who covers the global beer industry.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The story of how Modelo replaced Bud Light as America’s #1 beer is about much more than a marketing u-turn.

How Modelo became America’s #1 beer. And it’s not what you might think.

Florida owns a massive property insurance company that’s been gobbling up policies while rates rise and some private insurers leave the state. A deal struck by the state legislature last year aims to fix this insurance market meltdown. To understand what’s happening – and what’s being done to fix it – we talked to former State Senator Jeff Brandes and insurance industry expert Mark Friedlander.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Florida owns a massive property insurance company that’s been gobbling up policies while rates rise and some private insurers leave the state. A deal struck by the state legislature last year aims to fix this insurance market meltdown. To understand what’s happening – and what’s being done to fix it – we talked to former State Senator Jeff Brandes and insurance industry expert Mark Friedlander.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Why Florida’s home insurance market is in meltdown. 

Inside Florida’s home insurance meltdown

The Disney we know today came about in a series of game-changing deals led by CEO Bob Iger. But before the entertainment juggernaut bought properties like Pixar and Marvel, Disney, and former CEO Michael Eisner, inked an $19 billion deal for Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. The acquisition kick-started Disney’s transformation from a theme park and animated film business to one of the largest companies in the world. In this episode, media journalist Anna Nicolaou tells us why Iger is now faced with potentially having to sell some of the very assets that fueled his growth spree.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Disney we know today came about in a series of game-changing deals led by CEO Bob Iger. But before the entertainment juggernaut bought properties like Pixar and Marvel, Disney, and former CEO Michael Eisner, inked an $19 billion deal for Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. The acquisition kick-started Disney’s transformation from a theme park and animated film business to one of the largest companies in the world. In this episode, media journalist Anna Nicolaou tells us why Iger is now faced with potentially having to sell some of the very assets that fueled his growth spree.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Disney’s acquisition of ABC/ Capital Cities kick-started its transformation to one of the largest companies in the world.

ABC and ESPN made Disney into an entertainment powerhouse. It’s now at a crossroads.

Ray Dalio founded the firm that became the world’s largest hedge fund more than 40 years ago. For years, he promised to retire. Rob Copeland, author of The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend, takes us inside the fight to succeed him – a negotiation that lasted almost two decades – exposing Bridgewater’s bizarre culture and Dalio’s leadership failures.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Ray Dalio founded the firm that became the world’s largest hedge fund more than 40 years ago. For years, he promised to retire. Rob Copeland, author of The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend, takes us inside the fight to succeed him – a negotiation that lasted almost two decades – exposing Bridgewater’s bizarre culture and Dalio’s leadership failures.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Rob Copeland, author of The Fund: Ray Dalio, Bridgewater Associates, and the Unraveling of a Wall Street Legend, takes us inside the fight to succeed Ray Dalio. 

The fight to lead the world’s largest hedge fund

Once a “unicorn”, WeWork has filed for bankruptcy. The co-working company was once valued at $47 billion, but it’s had a rocky few years, including a failed IPO (it later went public through a special purpose acquisition company) and was battered by the pandemic. But what set WeWork on this falling-from-grace path can be traced back to a failed deal between co-founder Adam Neumann and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son at the end of 2018. This is the story of Project Fortitude. This episode originally aired on February 13, 2023.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Once a “unicorn”, WeWork has filed for bankruptcy. The co-working company was once valued at $47 billion, but it’s had a rocky few years, including a failed IPO (it later went public through a special purpose acquisition company) and was battered by the pandemic. But what set WeWork on this falling-from-grace path can be traced back to a failed deal between co-founder Adam Neumann and SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son at the end of 2018. This is the story of Project Fortitude. This episode originally aired on February 13, 2023.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

What set WeWork on the path to bankruptcy can be traced to another failed deal called Project Fortitude.

The Failed Deal that Led to WeWork’s Downfall

Back in 2019, an unlikely deal took Wall Street and the oil industry by surprise. Occidental Petroleum, commonly called Oxy, acquired Anadarko for $38 billion, beating out oil supermajor Chevron. But before the company triumphed, CEO Vicki Hollub chased Anadarko for nearly two years in pursuit of further expanding Oxy’s footprint in the Permian Basin. Hear how Hollub stunned the oil world and closed the deal in the eleventh hour. Featuring Jordan Blum, Editorial Director for Hart Energy.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Back in 2019, an unlikely deal took Wall Street and the oil industry by surprise. Occidental Petroleum, commonly called Oxy, acquired Anadarko for $38 billion, beating out oil supermajor Chevron. But before the company triumphed, CEO Vicki Hollub chased Anadarko for nearly two years in pursuit of further expanding Oxy’s footprint in the Permian Basin. Hear how Hollub stunned the oil world and closed the deal in the eleventh hour. Featuring Jordan Blum, Editorial Director for Hart Energy.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

How Occidental Petroleum stunned the oil industry by beating out Chevron

How Occidental Petroleum beat an oil giant in a high stakes acquisition

Google’s path to going public was rather untraditional from the start. The IPO included secret meetings at Denny’s, an infamous Playboy interview and something known as a “dirty” Dutch Auction. The listing ruffled feathers on Wall Street, and set new precedents for tech companies making their market debuts. Featuring Lise Buyer, partner and founder of Class V Group and one of the architects of Google’s IPO.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Google’s path to going public was rather untraditional from the start. The IPO included secret meetings at Denny’s, an infamous Playboy interview and something known as a “dirty” Dutch Auction. The listing ruffled feathers on Wall Street, and set new precedents for tech companies making their market debuts. Featuring Lise Buyer, partner and founder of Class V Group and one of the architects of Google’s IPO.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

 Lise Buyer, ‘IPO Whisperer’ who helped take Google public, talks about how it all went down.

The inside story of how Google went public

When luxury behemoth LVMH tapped Marc Jacobs to lead Louis Vuitton back in 1997, it also acquired the designer’s eponymous label. Hear how the double deal set a new precedent in the industry and helped usher in the era of celebrity and pop culture within the world of high fashion. Featuring Lauren Sherman, fashion journalist for Puck and writer of the Line Sheet newsletter.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

When luxury behemoth LVMH tapped Marc Jacobs to lead Louis Vuitton back in 1997, it also acquired the designer’s eponymous label. Hear how the double deal set a new precedent in the industry and helped usher in the era of celebrity and pop culture within the world of high fashion. Featuring Lauren Sherman, fashion journalist for Puck and writer of the Line Sheet newsletter.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

How a LVMH deal set a new precedent in the industry and helped usher in the era of celebrity in high fashion. 

How 90s cool kid Marc Jacobs changed the fashion business

Fearing an energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a little-known policy wonk convinced the Biden Administration to help drive down oil prices by using the US’s government emergency supply of oil in a radical new way. Featuring Skanda Amarnath (<a href="https://twitter.com/IrvingSwisher?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@IrvingSwisher</a>), Executive Director of the think tank, Employ America.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Fearing an energy crisis following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a little-known policy wonk convinced the Biden Administration to help drive down oil prices by using the US’s government emergency supply of oil in a radical new way. Featuring Skanda Amarnath (@IrvingSwisher), Executive Director of the think tank, Employ America.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

How a little-known policy wonk convinced Biden to drive down oil prices in a radical new way.

How one policy wonk convinced the Biden Administration to get into the oil trading business 

The story of <a href="http://jet.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Jet.com</a>, its founder Marc Lore, and how the startup helped retail giant Walmart sharpen its ecommerce edge against Amazon. Featuring Jason Del Rey, author of Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart and the battle for our wallets.

For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit <a href="http://www.thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The story of Jet.com, its founder Marc Lore, and how the startup helped retail giant Walmart sharpen its ecommerce edge against Amazon. Featuring Jason Del Rey, author of Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart and the battle for our wallets.
For more from The Closer and to subscribe to our newsletter, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The story of Jet.com, its founder Marc Lore, and how the startup helped retail giant Walmart sharpen its ecommerce edge against Amazon.

How Walmart bought Jet.com and went up against Amazon

Deals change the world, and season 3 of The Closer brings you the inside story of those deals, as told by the people who know how it all went down. Each episode features the story of one deal, as host Aimee Keane talks to guests who bring insight into how and why the deal was done, and its broader impact.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Deals change the world, and season 3 of The Closer brings you the inside story of those deals, as told by the people who know how it all went down. Each episode features the story of one deal, as host Aimee Keane talks to guests who bring insight into how and why the deal was done, and its broader impact.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Closer returns with ten dramatic new stories of groundbreaking deals.

Introducing The Closer: Season 3

There’s a new season of The Closer coming soon — but before it does, we have a special episode to share from our friends over at The Negotiators podcast.

Last season, we talked to Jeffrey Kessler, the lawyer who represented the US Women's National Team in their equal pay lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation. He said one of the main obstacles was bad leadership. Until it changed.

Today, Cindy Parlow Cohn is president of the federation. After taking up the leadership role, she worked across from Kessler in grueling negotiations to make gender parity a reality for the women's and men's national teams.

She spoke with our friends at The Negotiators, which is a podcast collaboration between Doha debates and Foreign Policy. 

For more episodes, search for The Negotiators wherever you listen to podcasts.

There’s a new season of The Closer coming soon — but before it does, we have a special episode to share from our friends over at The Negotiators podcast.
Last season, we talked to Jeffrey Kessler, the lawyer who represented the US Women's National Team in their equal pay lawsuit against the US Soccer Federation. He said one of the main obstacles was bad leadership. Until it changed.
Today, Cindy Parlow Cohn is president of the federation. After taking up the leadership role, she worked across from Kessler in grueling negotiations to make gender parity a reality for the women's and men's national teams.
She spoke with our friends at The Negotiators, which is a podcast collaboration between Doha debates and Foreign Policy. 
For more episodes, search for The Negotiators wherever you listen to podcasts.

There’s a new season of The Closer coming soon — but before it does, we have a special episode to share from our friends over at The Negotiators podcast.

Introducing The Negotiators podcast

Season 3 of The Closer is coming very soon — and we want to know what you want to hear this season, and why? 

It can be a specific deal, or it can be something broad, like a takeover by an underdog, or a question, like: what’s the strangest thing a CEO has said at a closing dinner? You give us a prompt or a challenge and we’ll see if we can find that story for you.

Send us a voice memo now to <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> and we just might include it in the show!

<a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>

Season 3 of The Closer is coming very soon — and we want to know what you want to hear this season, and why? 
It can be a specific deal, or it can be something broad, like a takeover by an underdog, or a question, like: what’s the strangest thing a CEO has said at a closing dinner? You give us a prompt or a challenge and we’ll see if we can find that story for you.
Send us a voice memo now to hello@thecloser.fm and we just might include it in the show!
www.thecloser.fm

A special request from Aimee and The Closer team as we gear up for a new season of the show.

We want to hear from you!

Vince McMahon took over his father’s regional wrestling business in the 1980s, and made it into an international media and entertainment juggernaut valued at billions of dollars. This is the story of how McMahon cleverly bulldozed competitors, acquired rivals and capitalized on the public’s hatred of his tactics, as told by writer Abraham Josephine Riesman.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Vince McMahon took over his father’s regional wrestling business in the 1980s, and made it into an international media and entertainment juggernaut valued at billions of dollars. This is the story of how McMahon cleverly bulldozed competitors, acquired rivals and capitalized on the public’s hatred of his tactics, as told by writer Abraham Josephine Riesman.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Vince McMahon took over his father’s regional wrestling business in the 1980s, and made it into an international media and entertainment juggernaut valued at billions of dollars. 

S2 E6: How Vince McMahon built an entertainment empire

The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, has quietly built a deal-making machine that's gobbling up apartments in desirable and gentrifying neighborhoods. A real estate broker working at the center of these deals takes us inside the machine as we explore the trends driving this big bet on scarce, expensive housing.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, has quietly built a deal-making machine that's gobbling up apartments in desirable and gentrifying neighborhoods. A real estate broker working at the center of these deals takes us inside the machine as we explore the trends driving this big bet on scarce, expensive housing.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private equity firms, has quietly built a deal-making machine that's gobbling up apartments in desirable and gentrifying neighborhoods.

S2 E5: Inside The Private Equity Deal-Machine That’s Buying Apartments

In early 2020, the home-sharing platform was poised to make a splashy debut on the public markets later that year. But within just a few weeks, coronavirus brought travel - and Airbnb business - to a halt. Journalist Liz Hoffman takes us inside the financing that saved the Silicon Valley darling and became one of the defining Wall Street deals of the pandemic.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

In early 2020, the home-sharing platform was poised to make a splashy debut on the public markets later that year. But within just a few weeks, coronavirus brought travel - and Airbnb business - to a halt. Journalist Liz Hoffman takes us inside the financing that saved the Silicon Valley darling and became one of the defining Wall Street deals of the pandemic.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

In early 2020, the home-sharing platform was poised to make a splashy debut on the public markets later that year. 

S2 E4: Airbnb's pandemic turnaround

When private equity-backed PetSmart bought Chewy.com for more than $3bn in 2017, people thought the retailer was doomed. Within just a few years, though, it was one of the most successful private equity turnarounds in history thanks to an executive who stuck to his guns. Reporter Miriam Gottfried takes us inside the transformation.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

When private equity-backed PetSmart bought Chewy.com for more than $3bn in 2017, people thought the retailer was doomed. Within just a few years, though, it was one of the most successful private equity turnarounds in history thanks to an executive who stuck to his guns. Reporter Miriam Gottfried takes us inside the transformation.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

When private equity-backed PetSmart bought Chewy.com for more than $3bn in 2017, people thought the retailer was doomed. 

S2 E3: PetSmart & Chewy: A private equity turnaround story

We take you inside the final days of Toys R Us with Lauren Hirsch, the reporter who first revealed the iconic company’s impending bankruptcy, and explain what drove the company out of business.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

We take you inside the final days of Toys R Us with Lauren Hirsch, the reporter who first revealed the iconic company’s impending bankruptcy, and explain what drove the company out of business.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

We take you inside the final days of Toys R Us with Lauren Hirsch, the reporter who first revealed the iconic company’s impending bankruptcy.

S2 E2: Who Killed Toys R Us?

The US Women's National Soccer Team is among the most decorated teams in the game but, until recently, was paid a fraction of what the men took home. When the players decided to take up the fight for equal pay, they turned to sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who built a career out of representing some of the most high-profile athletes in labor disputes with professional leagues. He takes us inside the team’s strategy and reveals how they got the deal done.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The US Women's National Soccer Team is among the most decorated teams in the game but, until recently, was paid a fraction of what the men took home. When the players decided to take up the fight for equal pay, they turned to sports attorney Jeffrey Kessler, who built a career out of representing some of the most high-profile athletes in labor disputes with professional leagues. He takes us inside the team’s strategy and reveals how they got the deal done.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The US Women's National Soccer Team is among the most decorated teams in the game but, until recently, was paid a fraction of what the men took home. 

S2 E1: How the US Women’s Soccer Team scored their victory for equal pay

From Project Brazen and PRX, this is season 2 of The Closer, out now.

The Closer returns with six dramatic new stories of groundbreaking deals. An epic fight from soccer's biggest stars, a private equity redemption story, the end of a toy empire, and so much more.

For more, visit <a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

From Project Brazen and PRX, this is season 2 of The Closer, out now.
The Closer returns with six dramatic new stories of groundbreaking deals. An epic fight from soccer's biggest stars, a private equity redemption story, the end of a toy empire, and so much more.
For more, visit www.thecloser.fm.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Closer returns this summer with six dramatic new stories of groundbreaking deals. 

Introducing The Closer: Season 2

A new kind of money is flooding into professional sports: sovereign wealth. Aimee and Ben check in on Saudi Arabia's ownership of Newcastle United – who have now qualified for the Champions League – and why sportswashing is so prevalent and successful for these investors.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

A new kind of money is flooding into professional sports: sovereign wealth. Aimee and Ben check in on Saudi Arabia's ownership of Newcastle United – who have now qualified for the Champions League – and why sportswashing is so prevalent and successful for these investors.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

A new kind of money is flooding into professional sports: sovereign wealth. 

The Closer Weekly: The Saudis and the Soccer Team

HBO and Discovery are getting a new streaming home. This week, Warner Bros Discovery rolled out "Max," its new unified app, as part of a push to compete with platforms like Hulu, Netflix and Disney+. Aimee and Ben discuss how it could signal a new front in the competition among streamers.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

HBO and Discovery are getting a new streaming home. This week, Warner Bros Discovery rolled out "Max," its new unified app, as part of a push to compete with platforms like Hulu, Netflix and Disney+. Aimee and Ben discuss how it could signal a new front in the competition among streamers.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

HBO and Discovery are getting a new streaming home. 

The Closer Weekly: Discovering Max: HBO's App Gets a New Home

Hundreds of thousands of Japanese companies have a problem – their founders are aging without a successor in sight. One entrepreneur has built his $1.3 billion fortune on a solution.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Hundreds of thousands of Japanese companies have a problem – their founders are aging without a successor in sight. One entrepreneur has built his $1.3 billion fortune on a solution.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Hundreds of thousands of Japanese companies have a problem – their founders are aging without a successor in sight.

The Closer Weekly: How AI is helping solve Japan's succession crisis

The Oakland A’s are one step closer to a move to Las Vegas, reaching a deal this week for a new plot of land that would house a brand new ballpark. Aimee and Ben discuss the developing deal and what it tells us about the state of the business of professional sports.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Oakland A’s are one step closer to a move to Las Vegas, reaching a deal this week for a new plot of land that would house a brand new ballpark. Aimee and Ben discuss the developing deal and what it tells us about the state of the business of professional sports.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The Oakland A’s are one step closer to a move to Las Vegas, reaching a deal this week for a new plot of land that would house a brand new ballpark.

The Closer Weekly: Leaving for Las Vegas - The A’s are out of Oakland

The financial press has been reporting on a big trend in dealmaking: it's way down this year, especially in comparison to the M&amp;A activity of 2021. Aimee and Ben discuss the winners and losers of this new environment, and what it might mean for the types of deals to expect in the months to come.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

<a href="https://www.thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.thecloser.fm</a>The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The financial press has been reporting on a big trend in dealmaking: it's way down this year, especially in comparison to the M&A activity of 2021. Aimee and Ben discuss the winners and losers of this new environment, and what it might mean for the types of deals to expect in the months to come.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
www.thecloser.fmThe Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The financial press has been reporting on a big trend in dealmaking: it's way down this year, especially in comparison to the M&A activity of 2021. 

The Closer Weekly: The shape of deals to come

Bed Bath &amp; Beyond's decline and fall is complete. The iconic home goods retailer said this week that it was entering bankruptcy and that all of its stores would be shuttered by the end of June. Ben and Aimee discuss Bed Bath &amp; Beyond's collapse, diving into stock sales, failed turnarounds, share buybacks, meme stocks and yes, those iconic blue and white coupons.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Bed Bath & Beyond's decline and fall is complete. The iconic home goods retailer said this week that it was entering bankruptcy and that all of its stores would be shuttered by the end of June. Ben and Aimee discuss Bed Bath & Beyond's collapse, diving into stock sales, failed turnarounds, share buybacks, meme stocks and yes, those iconic blue and white coupons.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Ben and Aimee discuss Bed Bath & Beyond's collapse, diving into stock sales, failed turnarounds, share buybacks, meme stocks and yes, those iconic blue and white coupons.

The Closer Weekly: Bed Bath & Beyond enters bankruptcy

Alongside the release of Netflix's quarterly earnings, the streaming service announced two big pieces of news this week. One, that it would be ending its DVD mailing business, and two, that it would be delaying a crackdown on password sharing in the US. Ben and Aimee discuss the past, present, and future of Netflix's growth ambitions.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Alongside the release of Netflix's quarterly earnings, the streaming service announced two big pieces of news this week. One, that it would be ending its DVD mailing business, and two, that it would be delaying a crackdown on password sharing in the US. Ben and Aimee discuss the past, present, and future of Netflix's growth ambitions.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Ben and Aimee discuss two big pieces of news from Netflix this week. 

The Closer Weekly: A back to the future moment for Netflix

This week, we're looking at a deal one of our listeners on Twitter asked us to cover. It's JetBlue's $3.8bn takeover of discount carrier Spirit Airlines. The deal was approved by Spirit shareholders last fall, but US authorities have sued to block it on antitrust grounds. Ben and Aimee cover how the deal came together, the regulatory concerns, as well as how the deal fits into the bigger picture of consolidation in the industry in the last two decades. For a longer look at the state of consolidation in the airline industry, check out episode 1 of The Closer, The Deal That Made The World's Biggest Airline.

Is there a deal you’d like Aimee and Ben to take a deeper look at? Tweet us at @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

This week, we're looking at a deal one of our listeners on Twitter asked us to cover. It's JetBlue's $3.8bn takeover of discount carrier Spirit Airlines. The deal was approved by Spirit shareholders last fall, but US authorities have sued to block it on antitrust grounds. Ben and Aimee cover how the deal came together, the regulatory concerns, as well as how the deal fits into the bigger picture of consolidation in the industry in the last two decades. For a longer look at the state of consolidation in the airline industry, check out episode 1 of The Closer, The Deal That Made The World's Biggest Airline.
Is there a deal you’d like Aimee and Ben to take a deeper look at? Tweet us at @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

This week, we're looking at a deal suggested by one of listeners: JetBlue's $3.8bn takeover of discount carrier Spirit Airlines. 

The Closer Weekly: What's going on with the JetBlue and Spirit Airlines deal?

Two of the biggest names in fighting, WWE and Endeavor’s UFC, are coming together to form a new, publicly traded entity. It’s a tie-up of larger-than-life personalities in the ring (or octagon) and in the boardroom. Ben and Aimee discuss the roles of three executives at the heart of the deal - Ari Emanuel, Vince McMahon and Dana White - and the potential implications of the merger.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Two of the biggest names in fighting, WWE and Endeavor’s UFC, are coming together to form a new, publicly traded entity. It’s a tie-up of larger-than-life personalities in the ring (or octagon) and in the boardroom. Ben and Aimee discuss the roles of three executives at the heart of the deal - Ari Emanuel, Vince McMahon and Dana White - and the potential implications of the merger.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Two of the biggest names in fighting, WWE and Endeavor’s UFC, are coming together to form a new, publicly traded entity. 

The Closer Weekly: The UFC and WWE join forces

Shares in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba jumped this week after founder Jack Ma made a rare visit to mainland China, and the company announced plans to break itself into six business units. Ben and Aimee discuss the latest in the tense relationship between Chinese authorities and the country's tech sector.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Shares in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba jumped this week after founder Jack Ma made a rare visit to mainland China, and the company announced plans to break itself into six business units. Ben and Aimee discuss the latest in the tense relationship between Chinese authorities and the country's tech sector.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Shares in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba jumped this week after founder Jack Ma made a rare visit to mainland China.

The Closer Weekly: Jack Ma returns, and Alibaba breaks up

JP Morgan Chase thought it owned 54 metric tonnes of nickel, the most highly valued base metal. The bank had reason to believe this nickel was stored in bags at a warehouse in Rotterdam. It turns out these bags are, instead, full of stones. Ben and Aimee discuss the case of JP Morgan's missing nickel and how this story is just the latest drama in the nickel trade.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

JP Morgan Chase thought it owned 54 metric tonnes of nickel, the most highly valued base metal. The bank had reason to believe this nickel was stored in bags at a warehouse in Rotterdam. It turns out these bags are, instead, full of stones. Ben and Aimee discuss the case of JP Morgan's missing nickel and how this story is just the latest drama in the nickel trade.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee and Ben to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts.
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

JP Morgan Chase thought it owned 54 metric tonnes of highly valued nickel, stored in bags at a warehouse in Rotterdam. It turns out these bags are, instead, full of stones. 

The Closer Weekly: The Case of JP Morgan's 54 Tonnes of Fake Nickel

Financial Times journalist Tabby Kinder was one of the first to report on weaknesses at Silicon Valley Bank. In this episode of The Closer, she breaks down the bank's swift collapse and tells us what it's been like covering the story as it unfolds. Read Tabby's reporting at <a href="http://ft.com/tabby-kinder" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ft.com/tabby-kinder</a>

For more from The Closer, visit <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Financial Times journalist Tabby Kinder was one of the first to report on weaknesses at Silicon Valley Bank. In this episode of The Closer, she breaks down the bank's swift collapse and tells us what it's been like covering the story as it unfolds. Read Tabby's reporting at ft.com/tabby-kinder
For more from The Closer, visit TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

Financial Times journalist Tabby Kinder breaks down Silicon Valley Bank's swift collapse and tells us what it's been like covering the story as it unfolds. 

The Closer Weekly: The Collapse of Silicon Valley Bank

David Bowie: ground-breaking musician; artistic shape-shifter; style icon; and ... savvy financial player? We dive into “Bowie Bonds” with the man who created them and unpack their impact on the music business.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

David Bowie: ground-breaking musician; artistic shape-shifter; style icon; and ... savvy financial player? We dive into “Bowie Bonds” with the man who created them and unpack their impact on the music business.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

David Bowie: ground-breaking musician; artistic shape-shifter; style icon; and ... savvy financial player? 

S1 E6: The Banker Who Sold David Bowie Bonds

When Brazilian private investment firm 3G took over Kraft and Heinz, they thought they had a perfect plan. The Closer digs into where it went wrong and who got hurt. It's the story of Ketchup, the evolution of capitalism and the limits of any single successful business strategy.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

When Brazilian private investment firm 3G took over Kraft and Heinz, they thought they had a perfect plan. The Closer digs into where it went wrong and who got hurt. It's the story of Ketchup, the evolution of capitalism and the limits of any single successful business strategy.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

What happens when an eccentric Brazilian investor gets interested in ... Ketchup?

S1 E5: Ketchup Wars: 3G’s Takeover of Kraft and Heinz 

A scrappy startup wanted to help people sort their medications, and in the process took on some of the titans of Big Pharma, and won. But that success made it a target for a tech behemoth obsessed with new customers - Amazon.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

A scrappy startup wanted to help people sort their medications, and in the process took on some of the titans of Big Pharma, and won. But that success made it a target for a tech behemoth obsessed with new customers - Amazon.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

What happened when Amazon came for Big Pharma? 

S1 E4: How Amazon Disrupted The Drug Business With The Help of a Scrappy Startup

An exec at the center of Whatsapp’s $19 billion sale explains how the deal finally came together and the dispiriting conflict that roiled the companies after the deal closed. We go inside the story of Facebook’s biggest acquisition.

Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at <a href="mailto:hello@thecloser.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">hello@thecloser.fm</a> or find us on <a href="https://twitter.com/thecloserpod" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thecloserpod/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> @thecloserpod.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

An exec at the center of Whatsapp’s $19 billion sale explains how the deal finally came together and the dispiriting conflict that roiled the companies after the deal closed. We go inside the story of Facebook’s biggest acquisition.
Is there a business or deal story that you’d like Aimee to cover? Get in touch! You can email us at hello@thecloser.fm or find us on Twitter or Instagram @thecloserpod.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

WhatsApp and Facebook: not the match made in heaven you might think.

S1 E3: The Inside Story of Facebook’s Biggest Acquisition

WeWork’s failed IPO was a stunning failure that played out in daily – at times, hourly – headlines around the world. But before that disaster there was another deal that fell through in private, putting WeWork and its founder Adam Neumann on course for eventual public humiliation. This is the story of Project Fortitude.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

WeWork’s failed IPO was a stunning failure that played out in daily – at times, hourly – headlines around the world. But before that disaster there was another deal that fell through in private, putting WeWork and its founder Adam Neumann on course for eventual public humiliation. This is the story of Project Fortitude.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The deal behind the failed WeWork IPO.

S1 E2: The Failed Deal That Doomed WeWork (no, not the one you're thinking of)

The 2013 merger between American Airlines and US Airways created the world’s largest airline. But it also marked the ascent of one of the American labor movement’s most visible faces.

To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to <a href="http://thecloser.fm/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">TheCloser.FM</a>.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The 2013 merger between American Airlines and US Airways created the world’s largest airline. But it also marked the ascent of one of the American labor movement’s most visible faces.
To sign up for The Closer newsletter and to read more from our team, go to TheCloser.FM.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The story of the rise of Sara Nelson, one of the leading figures in American labor.

S1 E1: The Deal That Made The World's Biggest Airline

The inside story of the deals that changed the world, as told by the people who know how it all went down. The Closer, out now.

Landmark deals can change everything. They can transform how we live. They can alter the course of the economy. The Closer asks: Who made these deals, and why?

Hosted by Aimee Keane, an award-winning financial journalist, each episode features a deal that made an impact on our lives, and hears from the people who know the inside story of those deals.

This show has a thesis: deals are not only the emotional center of the business world, but the building blocks of the world around us. Behind every one of them are tales of failure, betrayal, high stakes, risks - and especially, big personalities. Basically, everything you’d want in a good drama.

The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at <a href="https://www.brazen.fm/plus" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm/plus</a> and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 

For more fearless storytelling visit <a href="https://www.brazen.fm" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">brazen.fm</a>, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.

The inside story of the deals that changed the world, as told by the people who know how it all went down. The Closer, out now.
Landmark deals can change everything. They can transform how we live. They can alter the course of the economy. The Closer asks: Who made these deals, and why?
Hosted by Aimee Keane, an award-winning financial journalist, each episode features a deal that made an impact on our lives, and hears from the people who know the inside story of those deals.
This show has a thesis: deals are not only the emotional center of the business world, but the building blocks of the world around us. Behind every one of them are tales of failure, betrayal, high stakes, risks - and especially, big personalities. Basically, everything you’d want in a good drama.
The Closer is a Project Brazen production. Subscribe to Brazen+ on Apple Podcasts or at brazen.fm/plus and get exclusive bonus episodes for The Closer and all our shows, as well as ad-free listening and early access to new podcasts. 
For more fearless storytelling visit brazen.fm, home to all our podcasts, documentaries and newsletters. At Brazen, we show you how the world really works – from espionage and corruption to deal-making and organised crime, we’ll take you inside stories from hidden worlds.