Latest Interviews
Showing 91–105 of 121 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute35 min
A Conversation with Chef José Andrés, Founder, World Central Kitchen
Founder Jose Andres leads World Central Kitchen in delivering over 10 million meals across multiple continents through an agile, volunteer-driven model that rejects rigid planning in favor of on-the-ground adaptability. The organization addresses critical needs in disaster zones like the Bahamas and Haiti by deploying innovative logistics such as helicopter fleets and clean cooking stoves, while simultaneously supporting economic recovery through local restaurant support and vocational training. Relying almost exclusively on small-dollar donations to maintain operational speed, WCK challenges traditional relief frameworks by prioritizing fresh food, dietary customization, and long-term solutions to global malnutrition and poverty.
- Milken Institute26 min
A Conversation with Robert Wilkie, Secretary, US Department of Veterans Affairs
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs leverages a legacy of six major medical breakthroughs and a 1.2 million patient network to transform veteran care through the transformative Mission Act and integrated digital health systems. By pioneering genomic research, artificial intelligence partnerships with institutions like Stanford, and a military-integrated nursing model, the agency addresses critical challenges such as prostate cancer and a daily suicide toll of 20 veterans. These efforts have elevated the VA's workforce ranking to sixth among federal departments while fostering broad public-private collaborations to expand access and improve long-term outcomes for the 10 million veterans receiving services.
- Milken Institute25 min
Wednesday Lunch feat. Bill Cassidy
Bill Cassidy, Esther Krofa, Dan Diamond
At the Milken Institute's Future of Health Summit, Senator Bill Cassidy and Faster Cures' Esther Krofa discussed strategies to balance drug affordability with the financial incentives required for medical innovation. Cassidy defended the pharmaceutical industry against claims of excessive profitability while advocating for subscription-based pricing models and rejecting direct government negotiation as a threat to high-risk research. The dialogue highlighted specific legislative successes in closing rebate loopholes and ending gag clauses, concluding with a realistic assessment that a comprehensive drug pricing bill has a 60% probability of enactment by year-end.
- Milken Institute31 min
A Conversation with Mark Bradford and Michael Govan
Art critic and curator Bradford discusses his evolution from abstract expressionism to politically charged installations that challenge institutional norms and address social inequities. The conversation highlights his co-founding of Art + Practice, a non-profit transforming a former beauty parlor into a hybrid gallery and foster youth center in Leimert Park to serve marginalized communities. Through strategic partnerships with LACMA and a rejection of the "colonizing model," Bradford advocates for an integrated approach where artistic practice drives systemic change and resource redistribution.
- Milken Institute28 min
A Conversation with Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
Calvin Klein co-founded his global fashion empire with early capital from childhood friend Barry Schwartz, eventually pioneering disruptive marketing strategies like the Brooke Shields "Nothing" campaign and unauthorized product placements to define an American, provocative brand identity. While the partnership with financier Michael Milken provided critical structural discipline during cash crunches, Klein also navigated legal controversies such as the "Kiddie Porn" investigation by prioritizing cultural conversation over traditional safety. Today, he reflects on how social media has compressed the industry timeline, distinguishing between fleeting celebrity brands and enduring legacy companies built on distinct style and consistent messaging.
- Milken Institute26 min
Across Sectors and Borders | Part 1: Building Tomorrow's Global Workforce
Mina Al-Oraibi, Jeff Maggioncalda, Solveig Nicklos
Established to address the region's 31% youth unemployment, the Abu Dhabi School of Government (ADSG) partnered with Coursera to deploy a localized, mobile-accessible platform delivering 3,000 courses from elite institutions to 60,000 government employees. This initiative integrates competency-based learning into performance management systems and extends "stepping stone" programs to reskill non-government job seekers, aiming to foster a culture of adaptability for future workforces. By shifting focus from static degrees to modular credentialing, the project aspires to serve as a scalable global model for upskilling workforces against rapid technological and economic shifts.
- Milken Institute20 min
Across Sectors and Borders | Part 2: Entrepreneurship, Technology, and Social Investing
Rich Ditizio, Edgar Bronfman Jr., Richard D'Atizio
Bronfman outlines a transformative economic landscape where technology disrupts traditional music distribution, while the Endeavor Global network leverages mentorship to sustainably scale entrepreneurship across 33 countries. Simultaneously, he argues that addressing climate change requires moving beyond emission reduction to mass-scale Direct Air Capture, utilizing modular technology to economically sequester billions of tons of CO2 annually. Together, these strategies exemplify an impact investing philosophy that rejects the compromise between social good and profit, insisting that scalable solutions must generate financial returns to drive global transformation.
- Milken Institute27 min
A Conversation with Sean Parker, co-founder of Napster, Facebook, and the Parker Foundation
Sean Parker, Hadley Gamble, Katie O'Reilly
Milken Institute leaders and entrepreneur Sean Parker convened at the annual MENA Summit to outline strategic economic initiatives, including upcoming events in Japan and Los Angeles, while addressing critical intersections of healthcare, technology, and ethics. Parker detailed his $400 million commitment to cancer immunotherapy and warned of impending societal crises driven by CRISPR accessibility, predicting that the U.S. will allocate 50% of its GDP to healthcare by 2080 due to aging demographics and biological complexity. The dialogue further examined contrarian investment opportunities in underserved markets, the accelerating convergence of AI and life sciences, and the urgent need for regulatory frameworks to govern germline editing and data privacy.
- Milken Institute24 min
A Conversation with Ben Carson, Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
HUD Secretary Dr. Ben Carson applies a data-driven, surgical approach to dismantling bureaucratic hurdles and redefining the American Dream through integrated housing and workforce initiatives. Under his leadership, the agency has halved veteran homelessness via the HUD-VASH program and launched Envision Centers to consolidate resources for single parents, while prioritizing preventive health measures to mitigate lead exposure, mold-related asthma, and fall risks in aging communities. Looking toward 2025, the Secretary forecasts a strategic shift toward private-sector capital in Opportunity Zones and holistic community redevelopment models to ensure long-term fiscal sustainability amid a shifting demographic landscape.
- Milken Institute27 min
CDC Director Robert Redfield: 'Opioid Epidemic is the public health crisis of our time'
This event details a strategic review of an organization facing significant funding uncertainties and access barriers while pivoting toward social justice, independent scientific research, and multi-year capital market transitions. Key figures addressed the contradiction between current resource limitations and plans to expand operations through federal partnerships over a projected three-year timeline to better manage global crises. Despite ambiguous historical anchors and disjointed narrative segments, the discussion concluded with a commitment to advancing systemic reforms and developing spiritual leadership capabilities among students.
- Milken Institute28 min
A Conversation With U.S. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling
Jeb Hensarling, Eric Kaplan, David Faber
House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling criticized the enduring conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, arguing that the current system concentrates $8 trillion in risk on taxpayers while stifling market discipline. To address these failures, he outlined the "DeMarco-Bright Plan," a legislative framework designed to shift mortgage guarantees to private entities, mandate minimum 5% down payments, and restructure the capital stack to protect public funds. Although Hensarling doubts passage in the current Congress, he urges Democrats to engage in reform negotiations to prevent a potential Trump administration from unilaterally dismantling the existing housing finance model.
- Milken Institute38 min
A Conversation with David Miliband
David Miliband, Jayne Van Hoen, Adam Boulton
At a recent event, International Rescue Committee leader David Miliband outlined the global displacement crisis involving 65 million people while detailing the organization's $100 million initiative to treat child trauma in the Middle East. Miliband sharply critiqued the Trump administration's withdrawal from international agreements and the UK's hard Brexit as destabilizing forces that exacerbate conflict and hinder effective humanitarian aid. He concluded by urging private sector engagement to shift refugee support from emergency relief to sustainable economic integration, arguing that displacement driven by fragile states and climate change will define the 21st century.
- Milken Institute41 min
A Conversation with Steve Ballmer
Steve Ballmer, a Harvard graduate who left Stanford to join Bill Gates at Microsoft, has applied his strategic leadership and data-driven philosophy to diverse sectors including technology, philanthropy, and sports. He founded USAFacts.org to provide nonpartisan government data that holds officials accountable and aims to improve economic mobility, while simultaneously revitalizing the LA Clippers with a focus on championship performance and operational transparency. Ballmer's approach consistently emphasizes the necessity of high performance, clear vision, and measurable outcomes across all his current ventures.
- Milken Institute35 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb
Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb outlines a multifaceted regulatory strategy addressing the opioid epidemic, tobacco addiction, and the aftermath of Hurricane María on Puerto Rico's critical medical manufacturing sector. He emphasizes adapting regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and digital health tools while prioritizing the prevention of medical misinformation and product shortages. The discussion highlights a shift toward reducing review cycles, de-risking early-stage development, and utilizing post-market surveillance to balance safety with innovation.
- Milken Institute34 min
A Conversation with PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi
Indra Nooyi, Michael Milken, Andrew, Mike
PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi transformed the beverage and snack giant through "Performance with Purpose," a strategy that integrated social and environmental sustainability into core operations while shifting the revenue portfolio toward healthier product lines. This cultural overhaul was driven by scientific leadership under Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Mahmood Khan and reinforced by tying executive compensation to specific nutritional and environmental goals. Nooyi further extended the company's impact by forging partnerships with healthcare institutions to improve access for underserved veterans and advocating for systemic policy changes to address chronic disease and nutritional equity.