Conference Presentation, Panel
Mission Driven: How NextGen Leaders Use Business Tools to Create Social Change
Milken InstituteSonal Shah, Simone Friedman, Alexis Ohanian, Arif Rachmat, Cindy Whitehead, Eva Yazari, Aubrey Ruby, Sandra Kwok, Diane Murphy, Nadia Bachter, Jay Lipman
- Alexis Ohanian anticipates implementing updated content policies and a dedicated enforcement team within two years, expecting no backlash from banning revenge porn while accepting short-term revenue and traffic sacrifices as a long-term investment in platform health.
- Ohanian predicts the end of "poverty porn" giving in favor of software-enabled donor transparency, expects a future where every business requires software as a crucial component, and foresees a tipping point where crowdfunded films win Oscars, normalizing patronage models for creators.
- Ohanian expects documentary films to drive significant change with growing philanthropist interest, notes a post-2016 galvanization of truth-seeking efforts, and anticipates technology will solve health insurance reimbursement pain points.
- Cindy Whitehead expects a competitive advantage in recruiting for companies with a true purpose, believes CEOs must demonstrate social consciousness, and predicts that 90% of wealth generated by women through the Pinkubator will be reinvested into their communities.
- Whitehead anticipates a market shift where founders must resourcefully convince investors rather than waiting for capital, while Ohanian predicts younger generations will increasingly demand authentic brands to combat cynicism.
- Simone Friedman expects a generational merger of grant-making and investment strategies over the next 10 years, notes that IRS rules now allow impact investments to count toward the 5% payout requirement, and believes market solutions are most effective for global food systems.
- Friedman anticipates crowdfunding and social media evolving to help creators sustain their work and predicts a film on factory farming will rival An Inconvenient Truth in impact.
- Arif Rahmat predicts Indonesia could become the fifth richest country by 2030 if social injustice and political instability are addressed, fearing the nation risks becoming a failed state if racism fuels extremism.
- Rahmat plans to introduce matching and tier systems to encourage philanthropy and expects that increasing tolerance and reducing extremism will benefit long-term business operations.
- Rahmat anticipates a catalyst organization is needed to awaken Indonesia's silent majority to counter extremism and expects government intervention is necessary to connect millennials to online education and tolerance.
- Rahmat expects connecting teachers to students via online platforms will de-radicalize students in Islamic boarding schools and predicts novel ideas from the third world will increasingly cross over to the West.
- Ohanian expects that leaders putting money toward social good will foster better industry ideas, while Whitehead notes recent VC investments in problem-solving startups signal a shift away from blind spots.
- Ohanian anticipates technology will adapt to solve global problems where software is essential, expecting that after a specific crowdfunded film wins an Oscar, the model will gain traction.
- Rahmat expects that if Indonesia becomes less extreme, business will improve, and anticipates that connecting teachers via online platforms is necessary to de-radicalize students.