Latest Interviews
Showing 1261–1275 of 1,932 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute27 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn
Dr. Hahn and the FDA are managing an unprecedented 250-treatment pipeline and 170 vaccine candidates while maintaining regulatory independence amid a surge in applications. The agency has authorized specific therapies like remdesivir and dexamethasone based on robust data analysis and is implementing clinical trial flexibilities to ensure diverse demographic inclusion. Despite the high stakes, FDA officials emphasize that safety and evidence-based decision-making remain paramount as they navigate supply chain logistics and monitor real-world outcomes for public health.
- 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.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Sarah Friar, CEO, Nextdoor
Between February and May 2020, Nextdoor experienced an 80% surge in usage and a permanent shift to daily engagement across 265,000 neighborhoods while deploying safety features like the Help Map and verified residency checks to support local commerce and counter misinformation. CEO Sarah Levison pivoted the platform toward a stakeholder model that leveraged psychological research to reduce racial profiling by 70% and introduced transparency measures to foster grassroots social change. These strategic adaptations addressed a 100% revenue drop for small businesses and aligned with emerging long-term trends in local commerce, virtual healthcare, and hybrid work environments.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Ray Dalio Founder, Co-Chairman and Co-CIO, Bridgewater Associates
Ray Dalio identifies a convergence of the long-term debt cycle, extreme wealth inequality, and a structural rivalry between the U.S. and China that mirrors the geopolitical tensions of the 1930s. This framework signals a shift toward monetary and fiscal coordination that depreciates cash and currency while inflating asset prices, rendering the traditional 60/40 investment strategy ineffective. Consequently, investors are urged to pivot away from bonds and cash toward diversified holdings like gold and inflation-protected securities to preserve wealth against inevitable currency devaluation and heightened political risk.
- Milken Institute26 min
A Conversation with Muriel Bowser, Mayor of Washington, DC
Muriel Bowser, Ryan Shadrick Wilson
Mayor Muriel Bowser guides Washington D.C. through Phase 2 of reopening while launching a strategic economic recovery plan led by Susan Rice and Michael Chertoff to retain jobs and address severe health disparities affecting African American residents. The administration has simultaneously fortified food security networks, confronted federal overreach during protests, and advanced D.C. statehood momentum by drafting a constitution modeled after Tennessee. These multifaceted efforts aim to balance public health safety with long-term social equity and financial stability following an initial $800 million budget gap caused by pandemic shutdowns.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
Val Ackerman, Commissioner of the Big East Conference
On March 12, the Big East Conference suspended its tournament quarterfinals following a strategic assessment by its Board of Directors amidst state mandates on large gatherings and the broader coronavirus response. Under the leadership of President Val Ackerman, the conference simultaneously launched a diversity working group across its 11 member schools and advocated for NCAA rule changes permitting student-athletes to monetize their names, images, and likenesses. With UConn's recent addition strengthening its competitive profile and an expanded digital network, the conference is navigating complex return-to-play logistics while leveraging its status as the largest producer of collegiate women's sports programming.
- Lex Fridman27 min
Sophia is not AGI (Ben Goertzel) | AI Podcast Clips with Lex Fridman
Sophia, Ben Goertzel, Lex Fridman
Speakers David Hanson and the host established Hanson Robotics to develop Sophia as a testbed for Benevolent AGI, blending emotional mimicry with abstract cognitive algorithms to bridge the gap between human-like interaction and machine learning. The resulting platform utilizes a hybrid system of hand-coded rules and neural networks to maintain narrative coherence in dialogue, while the speaker subsequently pivoted to co-founding SingularityNet to create a decentralized marketplace for these AI capabilities. Future applications prioritize ethical use cases in elder care and therapy, where a controlled "benevolent illusion" is deemed necessary to maximize patient psychological comfort and guide AGI development toward compassion.
- Goldman Sachs27 min
Right Honourable David Lammy, Member of Parliament for Tottenham
David Lammy analyzes the Windrush scandal, systemic racism in the criminal justice system, and the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on BAME communities to highlight a "burning injustice" where only 60 of 5,000 affected individuals have received compensation. He critiques the government's failure to adopt his review's recommendations and notes rising ethnic minority representation in prisons despite low diversity in policing and the judiciary. To combat this "new tribalism," Lammy proposes a national civic service to foster an encounter culture, urging a shift from identity politics to a shared human identity that addresses global challenges and repairs fractured social unity.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
Peter Oppenheimer, Goldman Sachs Chief Global Equity Strategist
This analysis classifies twenty-seven bear markets since 1880 into structural, cyclical, and event-driven categories, noting that event-driven crises now trigger faster recoveries due to unprecedentedly rapid policy responses. While the simultaneous monetary and fiscal stimulus of 2020 accelerated the economic rebound, the resulting record debt levels constrain future crisis tools and signal a long-term environment of lower growth and returns. Consequently, investors are advised to focus on dividend-paying assets and structural opportunities in digitalization and decarbonization, maintaining a long-term horizon to capture the best risk-adjusted returns within a low-volatility cycle.
- Milken Institute33 min
A Conversation with Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President and CEO James Bullard
St. Louis Fed President James Bullard explains that the U.S. economy is adapting to pandemic risks through endogenous behavioral changes rather than broad lockdowns, projecting output recovery to 90% of normal levels despite historical quarterly declines. Bullard contrasts his view of a new steady state with host Josh Barrow's concern over permanently lower living standards, while addressing the dual policy challenge of balancing business preservation with market dynamism. Furthermore, Bullard highlights the strategic necessity of preventing a secondary financial crisis and identifies eliminating racial unemployment gaps as a critical metric for ideal monetary policy outcomes.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
Eric Yuan, Founder and CEO of Zoom
Zoom CEO Eric Wan details the platform's unprecedented growth to 300 million daily users and the company's simultaneous infrastructure expansion and security overhauls in response to the crisis. Beyond operational challenges, Wan outlines a strategic pivot toward deeper B2B integration and a future vision where video conferencing incorporates AI translation and haptic feedback. He concludes by noting that while remote work may boost productivity, it necessitates new cultural policies to address mental fatigue and promote sustainable employee happiness.