Milken Institute
Showing 571–585 of 2094 transcripts.
- 1h 2m
The Next Decade: How to Manage Disruption
Scarlet Fu, Beth Ferreira, Gregg Lemkau, Brian Sheth, Chris Stadler
Leading investment experts discuss how the pandemic has accelerated the commoditization of technology and triggered a 28-year high rate of operational disruption, forcing a permanent shift toward hybrid work models and virtual deal-making. The panel highlights unprecedented capital deployment creating a valuation barbell that distorts traditional buying opportunities, while specific sectors like biotech, digital health, and software modernization drive innovation amidst concerns over social cohesion and inequality. Future market dynamics are expected to evolve into a hybrid public exit strategy combining IPOs, SPACs, and direct listings, with management resiliency and ESG integration serving as the primary metrics for long-term investment viability.
- 32 min
A Conversation with US Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar
Health Secretary Alex Azar and federal officials address the current U.S. pandemic surge, which shows a 14% weekly case increase driven by indoor gatherings and mitigation fatigue, while firmly rejecting national mandates in favor of public education and declining to pursue a herd immunity strategy. Clinical and operational updates highlight a mortality rate drop for adults to below 10% due to improved therapeutics and a phased vaccine rollout targeting vulnerable populations by December under Operation Warp Speed, with regulatory approval authority reserved for independent FDA scientists. Despite clinical trial pauses for some candidates to ensure safety, the administration confirms adequate state funding, broad jurisdictional planning, and commercial-scale manufacturing commitments from major pharmaceutical firms to support the upcoming distribution schedule.
- 1h 1m
From Social Pariah to Social Fabric: What Is the Future of Digital Media?
Willow Bay, Hani Farid, Tristan Harris, Karen Kornbluth, Niloufar Razihau
Leading experts and policymakers convened to analyze how social media business models monetize engagement and polarization, creating systemic risks that current voluntary safety measures fail to address. The panel proposed urgent regulatory reforms including independent algorithmic audits, "board of the people" structures, and temporary election "circuit breakers" to mitigate disinformation and protect democratic processes. By treating the attention economy like the financial sector requiring oversight, the discussion concluded that proactive legal frameworks and a cultural shift toward digital literacy are essential to prevent societal collapse.
- 1h 0m
Finance as a Force for Good
Ben White, Kate Barton, Mark Machin, Jeffrey M. Solomon, Andrew Weinberg
Panelists discuss a widening divergence between ebullient financial markets and weak economic fundamentals, driven by $27 trillion in global fiscal stimulus that is largely diverting into asset reflation rather than immediate consumption. The discussion highlights how regulatory shifts toward revenue generation and carbon pricing, alongside the rise of family offices integrating sustainability values, aim to redirect capital toward real economy growth and climate innovation. Experts emphasize that future stability requires pivoting from financial engineering to investing in people and middle-market firms while consolidating fragmented ESG reporting to ensure long-term value creation.
- 45 min
Leading Companies Through the New Digital Reality
Caroline Fairchild, Kevin Jones, Asha Keddy, Jason Maynard, Andrew Paradise
Tech leaders from Oracle, Intel, Rackspace Technology, and Skills convened to detail how pandemic lockdowns catalyzed a permanent shift toward remote-first strategies, multi-cloud infrastructure, and zero-trust security models. Despite economic volatility, these organizations achieved significant milestones including Rackspace's public listing, Skills' 35% growth, and Intel's infrastructure modernization while implementing innovative wellness programs and virtual hiring practices to maintain culture and diversity. Looking forward, executives predict a distributed computing future powered by 5G and AI that will further decentralize office operations and expand global talent acquisition.
- 1h 17m
Part 1: A Conversation with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
Phil Murphy, Edward Greissing, Lynn Goldman, Judith Monroe, David Rhew, Alyssa Rieder
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy detailed the state's data-driven pandemic response, highlighting the establishment of a massive PPE stockpile, the training of surge healthcare workers, and the creation of a $100 million relief fund for small businesses. Alongside First Lady Tammy Murphy, the administration launched the "Nurture NJ" initiative to address systemic disparities in Black maternal infant mortality while advocating for a strengthened national public health infrastructure and increased federal investment in the CDC and NIH. The broader panel emphasized that future preparedness requires modernizing data infrastructure, closing the digital divide, and implementing a holistic strategy that integrates health equity into all policy decisions to prevent a return to pre-pandemic inequities.
- 1h 0m
Are You Willing to Give Up Your Privilege?
Richard Ditizio, Sarah Kate Ellis, Daniel Markovits, Darren Walker, Felicia Wong
A panel of economists, philanthropists, and advocates argues that systemic inequality stems from unaddressed privilege and a rigged meritocracy, highlighting vast wealth gaps and institutional subsidies that favor elite sectors over public institutions. Speakers propose structural interventions including treating broadband as a public utility, mandating diverse corporate governance, and reforming tax exemptions to redistribute resources toward marginalized communities. The group concludes that overcoming this modern caste system requires maintaining political discomfort to forge coalitions capable of unlocking trillions in economic potential while dismantling the barriers that entrench hierarchy.
- 1h 2m
Bridge and Blend: The Role of DFIs in Scaling Sustainable Financing
Alison Harwood, Amit Bouri, Joan Larrea, Nancy Lee, Monish Mahurkar
With the annual financing gap for Sustainable Development Goals in emerging markets estimated at $2.5 trillion, development finance institutions face critical challenges in mobilizing the necessary private capital due to institutional constraints and a historical overconcentration in middle-income regions. To address this disparity, organizations like the International Finance Corporation are shifting strategies by targeting low-income countries with specialized "stretch funds" that absorb early-stage risks and harmonizing global impact metrics to streamline complex deals. Experts emphasize that achieving the 2030 deadlines requires immediate structural reform to transform concessional finance into scalable market infrastructure rather than relying solely on bespoke transactions.
- 1h 0m
Beyond Financials: The Importance of ESG
Billy Nauman, Daniel Barclay, Pierre Breber, Lori Heinel, Lydie Hudson
Executives from Chevron, BMO Capital Markets, State Street, and Credit Suisse convened at the Milken Institute Global Conference to advocate for an "and" world where financial returns and ESG standards are mutually required. Participants argued that divestment is less effective than strategic engagement and incentive-based financing, with leaders like Pierre Breber defending high-return fossil fuel operations and Laurie Heinel emphasizing the materiality of ESG risks to long-term shareholder value. The panel concluded that despite global regulatory fragmentation and rating inconsistencies, the convergence of values and value is inevitable, positioning sustainable performance as a primary driver of capital allocation and cost of capital in a post-pandemic economy.
- 58 min
Common Sense in Uncommon Times
Michael Milken, Afsaneh Beschloss, George G. Hicks, Jonathan Sokoloff, Neal Wilson
The Milken Institute Global Conference convened investors, policymakers, and corporate leaders to address the pandemic's economic disruption under the theme of "Common Sense for Uncommon Investors," emphasizing the integration of public health and social equity into financial strategy. Key figures including representatives from Leonard Green, Rock Creek, and Vardy Capital detailed adaptive measures such as liquidity tracking, shifts toward private distressed assets, and support for minority depository institutions to navigate volatile markets. The discussion concluded with projections of a K-shaped recovery, anticipated defaults in high-yield bonds, and a permanent acceleration in digital adoption and hybrid work models.
- 1h 0m
Real Estate: In the Eye of the Storm
Carol Massar, Jonathan Goldstein, Richard Mack, David Warren, Xin Zhang
Industry leaders Jonathan Goldstein and David Warren, alongside regional experts, characterize the current real estate landscape as volatile with a projected recovery timeline extending to late 2022 or 2023. The panel identifies a sharp divergence across asset classes, noting residential and logistics sectors driven by supply shortages and e-commerce growth, while hospitality and retail face significant distress. To navigate this environment, participants highlight strategic opportunities in distressed commercial MBS, adaptive reuse of malls, and secondary city investments, while forecasting a permanent shift toward hybrid work models and emphasizing the urgent need for diversity reforms within the sector.
- 1h 1m
Retirement Security: The COVID-19 Wake-Up Call
Rick Newman, Roger W. Ferguson, Jr., Penny Pennington
A comprehensive analysis reveals that pre-pandemic retirement insecurity was exacerbated by a $4 to $7 trillion savings shortfall and the COVID-19 crisis, which forced 11 million fewer Americans into employment and drained the nest eggs of 20% of workers. The crisis has exposed profound racial and gender disparities in wealth accumulation, prompting calls for legislative solutions such as the SECURE Act and Multiple Employer Plans to reduce administrative burdens for small businesses while addressing the projected 2033 depletion of the Social Security Trust Fund. Expert recommendations emphasize a shift toward guaranteed income streams through annuities and the adoption of automatic enrollment mechanisms to counteract longevity risks and behavioral market mistakes that threaten future financial stability.
- 1h 3m
Credit Opportunities: Managing Shifting Tides
Kevin Duignan, Michael Buchanan, Mathieu Chabran, Anne Walsh, Don Young
This expert panel analyzes the rapid credit market recovery driven by aggressive Federal Reserve intervention and the CARES Act, which enabled high-quality issuers to access capital despite a sharp initial bear market. Speakers highlight a growing divergence where private credit and structured products like CLOs offer tailored solutions for mid-market borrowers while sectors like transportation face severe liquidity stress and a rising risk of "zombie" company defaults. Looking forward, the discussion predicts continued market support through the election cycle and vaccine rollout, though participants warn that prolonged monetary expansion may eventually lead to inflationary pressures and a necessary correction of over-leveraged entities.
- 59 min
Leadership and Corporate Culture
David Faber, Ajay Banga, Kevin Johnson, Judith McKenna
Executives Kevin Johnson, Judith McKenna, and Ajay Banga collectively rejected the profit-only paradigm in favor of stakeholder capitalism, establishing new governance models that tie executive compensation to diversity goals and environmental outcomes. The trio outlined concrete strategies where Starbucks links succession planning to inclusion metrics, Walmart shifts to a regenerative business model, and Mastercard accelerates financial inclusion targets to reach one billion people by 2025. By prioritizing a "Decency Quotient" and implementing agile, localized decision-making during the pandemic, these leaders demonstrated that ethical operational shifts drive long-term trust while filling critical gaps left by government inaction.
- 1h 1m
Transforming Finance: Tech Is Everywhere
Matthew Brown, Mohit Joshi, Melissa Koide, Eli Rosner, Munish Varma, Matt Brown
A recent industry summit detailed how the pandemic accelerated digital transformation in financial services, forcing banks to rapidly adapt to unprecedented volume spikes while leveraging cloud infrastructure and remote work to maintain operational resilience. Panelists from firms like Finastra and Infosys highlighted critical shifts toward financial inclusion through automated solutions for the underbanked, alongside emerging "Bank-as-a-Service" models that convert legacy costs into revenue streams. Despite these technological strides, the event emphasized urgent risks regarding algorithmic bias and data privacy, urging diverse leadership teams to integrate ethical considerations into AI development to ensure equitable access to credit and services.