As the festive season approaches, the perennial question for many in professional circles resurfaces: what is the perfect gift for the high-achieving executive? Simon Hunt, City Editor, has sifted through nearly fifty titles published this year to curate a definitive list of the most compelling and insightful business books of 2025.
Unflinching Exposés and Powerful Memoirs
The list leads with two standout titles that pull back the curtain on power and prejudice. First is Sarah Wynn-Williams's "Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism". This blistering exposé of Meta, Facebook's parent company, draws on the author's insider experience as a whistleblower. The book reportedly offers a stark portrait of Mark Zuckerberg and his inner circle, prompting such concern from Meta that the firm attempted to limit its promotion. Published by Macmillan, it is priced at £18.99.
Equally gripping is "Without Prejudice: A Memoir" by Tidjane Thiam. This is no ordinary corporate biography. The former FTSE 100 chief executive recounts an extraordinary life journey, from witnessing his father's imprisonment on corruption charges to surviving a military coup at gunpoint and confronting racial prejudice at the pinnacle of global finance. Published by William Collins for £22, it is a powerful narrative for business leaders and general readers alike.
Decoding Our Deteriorating Digital and Global Systems
Two books offer sharp analysis on why fundamental systems seem to be failing. Author and activist Cory Doctorow presents "Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What To Do About It". He argues that the decline in internet quality—buried under ads and AI-generated content—is a deliberate outcome of Big Tech's incentives, a process he names 'enshittification'. While he proposes policy fixes, the book sceptically questions whether governments are listening. It is available from Verso Books for £18.99.
Meanwhile, former Newsnight economics editor Ben Chu tackles the fraying world order in "Exile Economics: What Happens if Globalisation Fails". The book dissects the high stakes involved in the unravelling of global trade, a trend epitomised by the tariff policies of former US President Donald Trump. It serves as an essential primer for understanding the economic headlines of a turbulent year. John Murray Press publishes it for £25.
Inside the AI Race and Blueprints for Abundance
For those seeking to understand the artificial intelligence revolution, Karen Hao's "Empire of AI: Inside the reckless race for total domination" is the standout choice. Among a crowded field of AI titles, Hao's work shines due to her exclusive access to OpenAI. Her reporting reveals a reality of internal chaos that starkly contrasts with the company's polished public image. Published by Penguin, it costs £25.
Finally, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson offer a constructive vision in "Abundance: How We Build a Better Future". They diagnose a chronic inability in Western governments to deliver major projects—citing the UK's over-budget High Speed 2 rail and California's cancelled high-speed line—and contrast it with China's rapid infrastructure development. Their solution is a pro-abundance agenda: tearing up red tape to build more houses, energy, and infrastructure through public-private collaboration. Published by Profile Books for £16.99, it is a persuasive call for radical pragmatism.
This selection provides not just holiday gift ideas but crucial insights into the forces shaping business, technology, and society in 2025 and beyond.
