Latest Interviews
Showing 376–390 of 573 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Goldman Sachs29 min
Dominique Ansel, Author of "Everyone Can Bake"
Chef Dominique Ansel leveraged his Michelin-starred experience and mentorship-focused kitchen culture to pivot his business toward delivery and digital engagement during the pandemic, ultimately publishing *Everyone Can Bake* to teach foundational techniques through a "choose your own adventure" methodology. The event details his strategic evolution from the viral success of the one-flavor-per-month Cronut to recent adaptations like global recipe replication and specialized home-baking tutorials. Ansel emphasizes creating emotional connections through portable, multi-sensory desserts while demystifying the scientific precision required for baking.
- Goldman Sachs25 min
Rodney McMullen, Chairman and CEO of The Kroger Company
Kroger's leadership navigated the pandemic by implementing immediate safety protocols and a "Restock" digital strategy that drove online sales growth from 30-50% to over 100%, ultimately securing a 92% quarterly increase. The retailer leveraged its in-house manufacturing and temporary hiring of 40,000 associates to manage supply volatility while simultaneously accelerating diversity initiatives through $3.4 billion in minority-owned business procurement. Looking forward, the company is restructuring its inventory targets and capacity to permanently support enduring shifts toward home cooking and plant-based consumption.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, OBE
Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence of Clarendon, Kyle Williams
At Goldman Sachs' "Talks at GS" event, Kyle Williams hosted Baroness Doreen Lawrence to discuss the disproportionate impact of the Coronavirus on BAME communities and the ongoing legacy of the Macpherson Inquiry. Lawrence detailed how historical institutional racism necessitated legislative reforms like the Double Jeopardy clause, yet highlighted that current police recruitment standards and a lack of colonial history education continue to fuel racial profiling and discrimination. She concluded by advocating for comprehensive educational reform and promoting the Stephen Lawrence Scholarship to ensure future generations grow up free from systemic bias.
- Goldman Sachs33 min
Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Professor of History, Race and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School
Dr. Khalil Gibran Muhammad, Dan Hibbert
Harvard historian Khalil Gibran Muhammad joined Goldman Sachs to dissect the historical roots of systemic racism, tracing modern policing to slave patrols and explaining how racial capitalism sustains a ten-to-one wealth gap between Black and white families. Muhammad distinguished current protests from the Civil Rights era by their unprecedented white participation and argued that lasting change requires the private sector to move beyond reputational philanthropy toward dismantling the political power structures that protect inequality. He concluded that bridging this divide demands a national confrontation with American history, urging universal bias education and the transfer of power from police institutions to local communities to address the true causes of social stratification.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
Cori “Coco” Gauff, Professional Tennis Player
Tennis champion Coco Gauff, drawing inspiration from the Williams Sisters and her family's encounter with police brutality, integrates racial justice advocacy into her professional life by urging allies to use their platforms for change. Following a record-breaking Wimbledon debut against Venus Williams, Gauff manages high-pressure expectations by treating her career as a long-term marathon while maintaining that off-court activism fuels her on-court performance. She plans to resume international travel and daily practice despite pandemic restrictions, balancing competitive demands with lessons on mental health and the power of representation.
- Goldman Sachs26 min
John Dickerson, Author of 'The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency"
In *The Hardest Job in the World*, journalist John Dickerson argues that the modern presidency has evolved from a constitutionally limited office into an unmanageable entity due to expanded security threats, legislative abdication, and inflated public expectations. Dickerson critiques the current selection process for prioritizing campaign theater over governance skills, citing the Trump administration's pandemic response as evidence that effective leadership requires rigorous operational testing rather than solo heroics. By highlighting the disconnect between campaign narratives and the complex reality of decision-making, the author urges a shift in media and voter focus toward substantive management capabilities and the feasibility of policy implementation.
- Goldman Sachs33 min
Zachary Carter, Author "The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy, and the Life of John Maynard Keynes"
Zachary Carter, John Maynard Keynes, Tim O'Neill
This event redefines John Maynard Keynes not merely as a proponent of deficit spending but as a philosopher of crises whose work integrated social harmony, war, and culture into economic theory. It traces his journey from resigning in protest against the Versailles Treaty to architecting the National Health Service, highlighting his conviction that money serves as a tool of governance rather than a natural medium of exchange. Ultimately, the presentation argues that applying his original vision to modern challenges like climate change and public health would require shifting focus from debt metrics to managing uncertainty and ensuring social stability through massive international cooperation.
- Goldman Sachs22 min
Michael Dell, Chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies
Michael Dell outlines how the 2020 crisis accelerated digital transformation and prompted the launch of the "Progress Made Real 2030" ESG strategy, which prioritizes social impact alongside financial performance. The company addressed these shifts through a revised remote work culture that boosted employee engagement, a $100 million philanthropic commitment to digital equity, and a strategic exploration to spin off VMware to create a leading multi-cloud infrastructure entity. Looking ahead, Dell warns that the convergence of 5G, AI, and IoT will generate a data tsunami, necessitating intrinsic security measures and proactive interventions to prevent technology from exacerbating social inequalities.
- Goldman Sachs27 min
David Cote, Former Chairman and CEO of Honeywell
During a 16-year tenure at Honeywell, leadership successfully balanced short-term financial discipline with long-term capital allocation, resulting in sustained stock outperformance through strategic investments in aerospace, digital platforms, and sustainability initiatives. The organization overcame fragmented corporate cultures by replacing internal identity wars with a unified operating system that prioritized "compliance with intent" over metric manipulation, while simultaneously resolving massive legacy liabilities to secure its social license to operate. Looking forward, the strategy shifts toward becoming a "software industrial" leader prepared to navigate demographic pressures, rapid technological revolutions in quantum computing and biotechnology, and evolving global geopolitical landscapes.
- Goldman Sachs28 min
Chris Wallace, Anchor of "Fox News Sunday"
Chris Wallace, anchor of *Fox News Sunday*, discusses his book *Countdown 1945* while contrasting Harry Truman's secret acquisition of the atomic bomb with the unique "firehose" of information generated by the current administration. Wallace analyzes Truman's agonizing decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan and warns that the modern political climate's polarization threatens the unity required for such grave historical choices. In the present day, the anchor notes that the 2020 election will be shaped by divergent campaign strategies regarding public safety and absentee voting, with outcomes heavily dependent on how voters interpret these pandemic-era behaviors.
- Goldman Sachs26 min
Leslie Odom Jr., Original Cast Member of Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr. sacrificed a lucrative television contract to portray Aaron Burr in the developmental stages of *Hamilton*, prioritizing artistic growth and personal transformation over immediate financial gain. As the filmed version of the musical launched on Disney+ in July 2020, Odom reflected on how the show reinterpreted historical tragedy and served as a vital tool for fostering empathy across racial divides during the pandemic. He further argues that the performance's enduring social relevance extends into activism, urging audiences to live authentically and challenge systemic unfairness rather than waiting for tragedy to drive change.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Rick Rieder, CIO of Global Fixed Income, BlackRock
Rick Reader outlines a market environment defined by unprecedented volatility and a structural shift toward equity-heavy allocations as the Federal Reserve maintains zero interest rates and expands its balance sheet to roughly $11 trillion. He forecasts moderate inflation driven by monetary expansion rather than traditional demand, prompting investors to hedge against currency debasement while European markets benefit from a new era of coordinated monetary and fiscal stimulus. To navigate these complex regimes, the investment landscape is evolving into a hybrid model that combines human macroeconomic judgment with BlackRock's aggressive integration of high-frequency data and advanced analytics.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Chris Kempczinski, President and CEO, McDonald’s
McDonald's CEO Chris Kamczynski detailed how the pandemic accelerated delivery growth and solidified drive-thru capabilities as critical operational assets that enabled the brand to navigate government closures. Leadership emphasized that the decentralized franchise model provided the agility necessary to adapt to regional recovery disparities across Asia, Europe, and North America, while internal diversity metrics and ongoing safety protocols remain central to the company's strategy. Ultimately, the crisis reinforced the long-term value of brand trust and demonstrated that transparent communication and strategic leadership depth are essential for managing unprecedented global complexity.
- Goldman Sachs32 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Jon Gray, President and COO, Blackstone
Blackstone leverages its $150 billion in dry powder to capitalize on pandemic-accelerated sectors like logistics and digital infrastructure while navigating short-term headwinds in traditional urban real estate and retail. The firm anticipates a staggered "slow recovery" economy that will permanently alter workplace dynamics and force significant capital adaptation in the retail and hospitality industries. By prioritizing long-term asset resilience over rapid exits, Blackstone aims to generate returns for essential service pension funds while managing a transition toward hybrid work models and more diverse, inclusive corporate cultures.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Adena Friedman, President and CEO, Nasdaq
Adina Friedman outlines how capital markets and cooperative capitalism sustained the economy during the pandemic, enabling resilient IPO growth in the biotech and technology sectors while facilitating critical corporate adjustments. Goldman Sachs and market leaders have simultaneously accelerated diversity mandates and governance reforms, driven by investor pressure and social movements like Black Lives Matter to ensure boards reflect broader societal values. The crisis further transformed leadership expectations, shifting organizational cultures toward transparent, vulnerable communication to foster collective problem-solving and long-term stakeholder alignment.