Freakonomics Radio
The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)
This episode isn’t summarized yet
Create a free account and summarize it. In a few minutes you’ll have the key takeaways and a section-by-section summary.
Show notes
Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. In this updated episode from 2025, journalists Javier Blas and Jack Farchy help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders.
- SOURCES:
- Javier Blas, opinion columnist at Bloomberg News.
- Jack Farchy, energy and commodities senior reporter at Bloomberg News.
- RESOURCES:
- The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources, by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy (2021)
- The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich, by Daniel Ammann (2010).
- EXTRAS:
- "How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Update)" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
- "The First Great American Industry," by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.