Latest Interviews

Keir eye for the FDI: an interview with Britain’s PM

Keir Starmer, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Matthew Holhouse, Jeff Carr, Rebecca Jackson

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer launched an International Investment Summit aiming to reverse the UK's decades-long low investment status by streamlining bureaucracy and integrating the Office for Investment directly into Number 10 under Poppy Gustafson. While the strategy offers planning reforms and policy predictability to attract capital, it simultaneously introduces stricter labor market regulations and potential capital taxes through the Employment Rights Bill and October budget. This economic pivot seeks to balance investor needs with worker protections to stimulate productivity, though critics note the risks of a more regulated environment offsetting planning benefits.

Yuan for the money: China stimulates its economy

Sally Rooney, Rosie Bloor, Simon Cox, Aaron Braun, Andrew Miller

China's central bank implemented aggressive economic easing measures, including interest rate cuts and a proposed 2 trillion yuan bond issuance, to counteract deflation and shift ideology toward direct consumer support following the US Federal Reserve's policy adjustments. The United States' presidential election campaign in the decisive swing state of Arizona features a toss-up race where Kamala Harris attempts to secure Latino voters by adopting a stricter border security stance while confronting economic concerns over inflation and housing costs. Meanwhile, Sally Rooney's latest novel *Intermezzo* departs from her previous romantic narratives to explore the fraternal bond between two grieving brothers through fragmented stream-of-consciousness techniques that simulate depression.

Spring a leaker: Assange goes free

Assange, Peter Navarro, Donald Trump, Rosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, Shashank Joshi, Simon Rabinovich, Varinia Sardines, Lizzie Peet, Mei Liao, Melanie Bartelm, Becca Milstein

Former Wikileaks founder Julian Assange secured a plea deal with the United States to avoid prison time for disclosing classified documents on Iraq, Afghanistan, and the 2016 election, ending a seven-year legal saga that raised concerns over journalistic freedom under the Espionage Act. In the realm of economic policy, former Trump advisor Peter Navarro is championing a protectionist agenda for a potential second administration that prioritizes aggressive global tariffs over subsidies to counter Chinese influence, despite widespread expert criticism regarding the inflationary impact on consumers. Simultaneously, a luxury shift in the American food market has rebranded canned fish as a premium consumer good, driven by social media influencers and nostalgic packaging to push sales of high-end tins to over $3 billion while challenging traditional perceptions of canned goods as mere hardship rations.

Power surge: AI, renewable energy, and the future of electricity

Carly Davenport, Alberto Gandolfi, Brian Singer, Allison Nathan

Global power demand is surging due to generative AI and data center expansion, with US growth forecast to accelerate to a 2.5% CAGR by 2030 while Europe faces similar pressure from electrification plans. Goldman Sachs predicts an "all-of-the-above" generation strategy dominated by natural gas and renewables to support an estimated $50 billion in new US infrastructure investment, even as nuclear adoption shifts toward direct power purchase agreements and small modular reactors. This transition faces significant bottlenecks including multi-year permitting delays, equipment shortages, and grid modernization needs, positioning the sector for a generational investment boom over the next decade.

Is China’s rebound for real?

Hui Shan, Kinger Lau, Alison Nathan, Kendra Lau

Goldman Sachs attributes the recent 30% rally in Chinese offshore equities and 15% domestic gain to strong Q1 GDP growth, direct "national team" market intervention, and a strategic policy shift that has successfully priced out fears of a property crash. While investors remain cautious due to pending housing reforms and escalating US tariffs on green technology, analysts project a near-term 10% upside for the CSI 300 index driven by conservative valuations and anticipated earnings improvements in the internet and consumer sectors. The firm maintains a constructive outlook on A-shares over offshore markets, anticipating that domestic policy easing and governance reforms will outpace geopolitical headwinds in the coming months.

Global transit & trade: in rough waters

Admiral James Stavridis, Tobias Meyer, Alison Nathan, James Stavridis

Admiral James Stavridis warns that maritime risks have reached unprecedented levels due to great power competition, state-sponsored terrorism, and vulnerabilities in undersea internet infrastructure, while Tobias Mayer analyzes supply chain shifts driven by regulatory complexity rather than physical disruptions. Despite Houthi attacks in the Red Sea causing a 10–20% rise in logistics costs, the global shipping fleet remains resilient enough to absorb reroutes without systemic failure as companies adopt omnishoring strategies to diversify assembly locations. Ultimately, the convergence of these geopolitical tensions and evolving trade patterns suggests a future where security coalitions must balance military deterrence against China and Russia while adapting commercial networks to manage increased operational costs and regulatory fragmentation.

How AI is generating a revolution in entertainment

Alfie, Ankit, Tobias, Harry Yeff, Marcus Hutton, Tom Wainwright

The event details how artificial intelligence is reshaping the music, film, and entertainment industries through data-driven discovery, generative creation tools, and predictive analytics like Cinelytic. While these technologies promise trillions in economic growth and lower barriers for under-resourced creators, they simultaneously spark significant labor disputes over job displacement and intense legal battles regarding copyright and consent. Stakeholders remain divided on whether these advancements will ultimately enrich human creativity or lead to a market flooded with derivative content.

Why the baby business is booming

Jessica, David Smotrich, Nima, Hamish, Alan White, Nick, Emma, Catherine Wade, Mian Ridge

Valued at over $14 billion with projections reaching $130 billion, the global surrogacy industry is rapidly expanding due to rising infertility rates and restrictive laws in home countries that drive demand toward unregulated hubs. While the United States and Ukraine have historically served as major centers, tightening regulations in Asia and safety crises in Africa have forced a geographic shift that exposes gestational surrogates to severe exploitation and high maternal mortality. Experts now advocate for comprehensive international legal frameworks to replace bans with regulated standards, ensuring protections for children, intended parents, and surrogate workers across a market spanning costs from $30,000 to $200,000.

M&A in 2023: A complex but optimistic outlook for deal-making

Stephan Feldgoise, Mark Sorrell, Alison Nathan, Stefan Felgoys

The 2022 M&A market experienced a sharp downturn in the second half driven by rising interest rates and geopolitical uncertainty, which caused private equity activity to slow while strategic deals and mega-transactions remained resilient due to strong balance sheets. As valuation gaps widened between public and private sectors, boards shifted their focus from growth multiples to cost of capital, prompting a surge in structured transactions and increased activism targeting operational improvements. Looking toward 2023, Goldman Sachs projects a recovery fueled by record private capital liquidity and attractive valuations, provided financing markets stabilize enough to allow debt syndication without prolonged deal delays.

What the American Rescue Plan Means for the Economy, Markets, Corporations & Investors

Alec Phillips, Amelia Garnett, Susie Scher, Ashish Shah, Jake Seward

Following the enactment of the $1.84 trillion American Rescue Plan, economists revised U.S. GDP growth forecasts to 8% for 2021 and anticipate further infrastructure legislation funded by corporate tax hikes. Market participants are executing a sector rotation toward value assets while corporate finance activity surges, driven by a $9 trillion pandemic stimulus total that has revitalized M&A and equity issuance. Although inflation expectations and rising yields present headwinds, experts project improved municipal credit quality and consumer balance sheets as stimulus funds flow into the economy through 2022.

The Case for Investing in Black Women

Gizelle George-Joseph, David Solomon, Margaret Anadu, Melissa Bradley, Jake Seward

Goldman Sachs launched the "One Million Black Women" initiative, a three-part program led by CEO David Solomon and Global Head of Sustainability Margaret Anadu to address the $300 billion annual GDP loss stemming from the 90% wealth gap between Black and white women. Centered on research by Giselle George-Joseph and guidance from an advisory council including Melissa Bradley, the investment strategy targets structural barriers in education, capital access, and healthcare to boost Black entrepreneurship and community resilience. By leveraging the firm's Urban Investment Group experience, the initiative uniquely integrates support for Black women as mothers, professionals, and homeowners to drive post-pandemic economic recovery.

Special Episode: The Rise of Retail Investing and Its Impact Across Market Participants

Raj Mahajan, John Marshall, Lizzie Reed, Greg Tuorto, Jake Seward

In early February 2021, a record-breaking surge in retail trading volume reached 24 billion shares as stimulus checks and zero-commission platforms drove participation to 25% of U.S. equity value. This shift toward speculative single-name stocks and options created significant volatility, forcing hedge funds to confront unprecedented short squeezes while compelling institutional investors to adapt risk models to account for coordinated retail activity. Despite these structural challenges, the heightened demand supported a historic $129 billion in global equity issuance, with Goldman Sachs projecting that retail sentiment will remain a critical determinant for future market performance and corporate capital raising.

Covid-19: why vaccine mistrust is growing

Professor Jonathan Heaney, Professor Heidi Larson, Dr Jonathan Kennedy, Kristin Urquiza, Neil Johnson, Fadi Kouran, Slavia Chankova

With over 20 COVID-19 vaccine candidates in development, experts warn that failing to achieve 70% population uptake due to widespread hesitancy could necessitate indefinite social restrictions. This crisis of trust is driven by political polarization, the legacy of the retracted Andrew Wakefield study, and algorithmic amplification of misinformation on social media platforms that have disproportionately spread falsehoods from figures like President Trump. In response, health organizations and tech-savvy clinics are launching counter-misinformation campaigns to protect herd immunity goals against hostile narratives that link political populism with declining public confidence.

The Power of Advocacy: US Mayors

Eric Johnson, Nan Whaley, LaToya Cantrell

Mayors Eric Johnson of Dallas, Andrew Whitaker of Dayton, and LaToya Cantrell of New Orleans collectively addressed the compounding crises of the COVID-19 pandemic and civil unrest while outlining strategies to support small businesses and protect vulnerable populations. These leaders detailed significant public-private financial partnerships, such as Dallas's $10 million recovery fund and New Orleans' $50 million commitment with Goldman Sachs, to mitigate job losses and address systemic inequities. Furthermore, the mayors emphasized an urgent need for federal assistance and collaborative governance to accelerate economic recovery and build more resilient, equitable urban environments.

7 Levels of Coronavirus Attack on Our Society and How We Can Fight Back

This comprehensive analysis examines the multi-layered impacts of a novel pandemic, detailing projected medical outcomes that could range from annual flu-level fatalities to millions of deaths if mitigation strategies fail. The event necessitates a unified global response across biological, psychological, economic, and political spheres, urging swift adoption of social distancing, rapid fiscal stimulus, and the protection of scientific integrity against partisan obstruction. Ultimately, the crisis serves as a critical wake-up call to reform healthcare infrastructure, redefine digital interaction standards, and prioritize collective compassion and existential preparedness against future civilization-threatening threats.