Latest Interviews
Showing 1681–1695 of 1,991 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute58 min
Infrastructure as an Asset Class
Stacey Worden, Andrew McAfee, Brian Chase, Katao Kiuna, Glenn Ireland, Chinelo Anohu-Amuzu
Global infrastructure leaders address a massive financing shortfall that currently stifles growth in developed nations and adds significant costs to trade in emerging markets. While institutional participation has surged from roughly fifteen entities to 250, experts highlight that unlocking capital requires navigating complex regulatory landscapes, optimizing risk management through local partnerships, and capitalizing on asset recycling trends. Consequently, the sector is pivoting toward high-yield opportunities in power, transportation, and social infrastructure, particularly within Africa, by unbundling resource assets and leveraging new financing models to bridge the gap between supply and demand.
- Milken Institute54 min
The Art of Art Collecting
Don Marin, Eric Schmidt, Philippe Rigollet, Mitch Rales, Kavita
Former MoMA president Don Marin moderates a panel featuring Philippe Rigollet, Mitch Rales, and Kavita Pande to analyze the tension between the rapid global expansion of museums and the scarcity of historically significant artists. The experts debate the risks of institutions prioritizing commercial entertainment and high-frequency visitor numbers over artistic integrity, while highlighting a dramatic surge in collector investment where art now comprises up to 50% of net worth. Participants conclude that despite booming market values for specific African and contemporary works, only a tiny fraction of creators achieve the longevity required to shape art history.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Going Over the Top: New Currents in the Digital Stream
Ken Rakowski, Mark Greenberg, Chad Gutstein, Andy Schoen, Tom Beers
Industry leaders at this panel discussion emphasized that content-only strategies are failing in favor of models integrating distribution control, curation, and hybrid monetization tactics like transactional entertainment and micro-subscriptions. Key figures such as Tom Beers of Fremantle Media and Chad Gutstein of Machinima outlined a strategic shift where legacy IP migrates to OTT platforms, production costs diversify between high-budget originals and high-volume social video, and regulatory arbitrage creates new competitive dynamics. The event concluded with projections that the next five years will be defined by augmented reality integration, app-based discovery replacing linear channels, and significant market consolidation around entities that successfully combine intellectual property ownership with direct-to-consumer pipelines.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Leadership on the Front Lines
Joel Kurtzman, Nikesh Arora, Eric Cantor, Sherry Lansing, Judy Smith, Don Peebles
A panel of prominent leaders from government, business, and non-profit sectors, including Nikesh Arora and Sherry Lansing, established that effective leadership requires pairing inherent passion with learnable execution skills to inspire followers toward transformative goals. The discussion highlighted how digital acceleration has compressed decision-making timelines while democratizing global opportunity, necessitating greater authenticity and strategic self-discipline to navigate instant scrutiny and crisis. Ultimately, the experts concluded that true leadership is defined by character and the ability to convert individual drive into a collective vision that empowers others to act despite internal fears or external pressures.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
Reading the Tea Leaves: Markets on the Edge of Order and Chaos
Nora Everett, John Calamos, Sarah Ketterer, Bob Krischef, Morris Mark, Cliff Robbins
Prominent investment strategists including John Calamos, Bob Krischef, and Cliff Robbins analyze the U.S. economy as a mid-cycle environment characterized by shallow recovery and persistent low rates rather than imminent recession. The panel identifies key themes for 2015-16 such as "friendly" corporate activism, the deconglomerization of firms, and demographic shifts driving demand in healthcare and defense, while highlighting specific opportunities in investment-grade CLOs and high-quality energy debt. Final recommendations include selecting companies with fortress balance sheets like Investors Bank Corp and Apple, or utilizing convertible bonds and utilities to navigate volatility in rising interest rate environments.
- Milken Institute56 min
Institutional Investors: Patient Capital in an Impatient World
Jay Hooley, Jagdeep Bachar, Janet Carroll, Britt Harris, Hiro Mizuno, Ron Mock, Jack Deeb, Eric Schmidt
Moderated by Jay Hooley, six pension executives representing $1.5 trillion in combined assets discussed strategic shifts from traditional asset classes to risk-factor allocation and alternatives amidst rising valuation pressures. The panel highlighted evolving governance models, such as North Carolina's potential move toward a professional board and Japan's unique sustainability guarantees, while addressing talent retention challenges in the US compared to Canada's competitive business-like structures. With equity allocations doubling in markets like Japan and risk management increasingly viewed as a cultural fiduciary duty, these leaders emphasized the role of pension funds as patient capital capable of weathering liquidity crunches through strong hands and long-term horizons.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
Sustainable Investing: Innovative Plans From a New Generation
Paul Irving, Dave Chen, Chad Reed, Leigh Madeira, Zach Knight, Nick Wobrock, Jim Tolosano, Mark Timski, Micah
At the Milken Institute's London awards, the UC Berkeley Haas School team won the 10th Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge by presenting a finance vehicle that monetizes proactive forest management to mitigate California's drought and wildfire risks. Their "Blue Forest Conservation" model proposes a $67 million pilot project utilizing a 50/50 debt-equity structure to generate returns for water and electric utilities through a pay-for-success framework that increases snowpack retention. Selected from 127 global teams, the four-person group outlined a strategy to scale the initiative into a $1.6 billion green bond while securing critical utility contracts and navigating public land complexities with a $1.8 million bridge raise.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
China's Outbound Investment: A Bid for Influence or Better Returns?
Kevin, Jordi, Jim, Andre, Andrei, David Choe, Andrea Mitchell, Mark Christopher, Michael Kennedy
In 2023, China surpassed the US to become the largest recipient of global foreign direct investment, driven by a $20 trillion money supply and regulatory approvals that unlocked billions for overseas private markets. Major state entities and private firms like Fosun and China Investment Corporation are executing a strategic pivot from resource extraction to service and technology acquisitions, utilizing minority stakes to secure global brands and agricultural security while mitigating political risks. This capital deployment reflects a structural shift where Chinese entities deploy wealth to access consumer markets and distribute infrastructure abroad, effectively creating a "Marshall Plan" dynamic that aligns domestic liquidity with international growth opportunities.
- Milken Institute52 min
The Business of Sports
Larry Baer, Dan Beckerman, Christine Dreesen, Ed Snyder, Peter
Executives from ESPN, AEG, the San Francisco Giants, and Comcast Spectacor convened to analyze the sports industry's trajectory, identifying media rights as the primary driver of franchise valuation while addressing shifts in fan consumption toward mobile platforms and digital engagement. The panel debated critical operational challenges, including the implementation of dynamic pricing to maintain youth affordability, the risks of integrating sports betting on game integrity, and the adoption of rule changes to accelerate play for shorter attention spans. Ultimately, leaders concluded that while technology like VR and analytics will expand market reach and optimize revenue, the core value of live sports remains anchored in physical stadium experiences and the scarcity of franchises within diversified entertainment portfolios.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Where Does Russia Go From Here?
Matt Winkler, David Bonderman, Ruben Vardanyan, Susan Eisenhower, Carl Theodore, Male Speaker 1
In late 2014, Western sanctions and a 50% collapse in oil prices caused the Russian ruble and MOEX index to become the world's most volatile assets, yet the country began a recovery by early 2015 through stabilized currency values and a 30% growth surge in domestic food retail. Prominent figures including Ruben Vardanyan, David Bonderman, and Susan Eisenhower critique Western policy failures such as NATO expansion and broken agreements, arguing that these actions fueled Russia's strategic drift toward China while leaving the nation without a clear geopolitical identity. The panel warns of escalating nuclear risks due to these tensions but proposes immediate de-escalation through dedicated special envoys, Congressional diplomacy, and the establishment of clear benchmarks for sanction relief.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
Growth on the Frontier: Insights From African Executives
Jonathan Berman, Paul Hanks, Mimi Alamayo, Brian Orjiaku, Bassem Haider, Bob Diamond
A panel of experts analyzed the transformative impact of Nigeria's 2015 democratic transition and the subsequent strategic pivot required to navigate oil price collapses, South Sudan's instability, and volatile commodity markets. While nations like Ethiopia and Rwanda demonstrate the potential for infrastructure-led growth and regulatory reform, regional leaders emphasized that Africa's demographic surge necessitates private sector-led diversification into local manufacturing and food security to avert youth-driven political unrest. The discourse concluded that sustainable development depends on overcoming critical power and logistics deficits through value-added processing and innovative mobile solutions rather than reliance on raw material exports.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Impact Investing 2.0: Finding Value in Doing Good
Tom Hyland, Dimple Sani, Gary White, Kimball Ganzier, Jacqueline Novogratz
This session convened leaders from Acumen, Water.org, and Soros-backed venture capital to establish impact investing as a discipline requiring clear social intention, rigorous measurement, and transparent stakeholder communication. Panelists demonstrated that mission-aligned funds can achieve market-rate returns, citing a 41% IRR for aligned exits and highlighting hybrid financing models that successfully served low-income populations without compromising financial viability. The discussion concluded that the sector is evolving toward segmented strategies driven by generational demand, necessitating permanent capital structures and standardized metrics to scale solutions for persistent global problems.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
The Future of Higher Education
Carol Quinlan, Eduardo Padron, Mitch Daniels, Steve, Ted Mitchell, Jeff, Mike Milken, William Bonvillian, Michael Schrag, Elizabeth Lee, Elizabeth Bell, Mike Downer, Chris Hartz
A panel of higher education leaders including Eduardo Padron, Ted Mitchell, and Carol Quinlan identifies a systemic failure to convert increased student access into degree completion and employability. The discussion highlights critical barriers such as state disinvestment, regulatory rigidity regarding seat time, and a misalignment between curricula and labor market needs. To resolve these issues, experts propose shifting toward student-centric competency portfolios, establishing seamless regional pathways, and renegotiating the sector's social contract to prove tangible value to taxpayers.
- Milken Institute54 min
Beyond the Headlines: Global Leaders Explore Africa's Future
Mindy Silverstein, Bronwyn Nielsen, Tony Blair, H.E. Paul Kagame, Scott Minerd, Patrice Motsepe, Strive Masiwa, Bob Collymore, Jay Ireland, Fred Swannaker, John Rice, President Uhuru Kenyatta
The Milken Institute launched the Africa Business Fellowship Program, a reciprocal exchange initiative partnering with Strive Masiwa, Safaricom, and the Dangote Group to place up to 15 American entrepreneurs in African firms over six months. Supported by high-profile speakers like President Paul Kagame and Tony Blair, the event utilized demographic projections showing Africa's population could double by 2050 to argue that regional integration and private sector infrastructure investments are critical for unlocking a continent identified by the IMF as home to the world's fastest-growing economies. Panelists including Scott Minnert and Patrice Motsepi concluded by dismissing security concerns as manageable barriers and calling for immediate U.S. capital deployment to fuel the rising middle class and consumer industries across Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Economic Implications of Climate Change
Susan Goldburg, Gérard Araud, Amy Christensen, John Cochran, Mark Tercik, John Holdren, Peter Passell, Matt Boghossian, Lawrence Bender, Mark Scotland, Michael Sterling
A diverse panel of policymakers, business leaders, and diplomats established a consensus that a uniform, revenue-neutral carbon price is the most efficient mechanism for global climate mitigation, surpassing current command-and-control regulations in promoting decentralized innovation. This framework aims to accelerate the transition to clean energy while managing security risks, with specific proposals suggesting a tax trajectory starting at $16 per ton to fund an 80% emissions reduction by 2050. The strategy leverages historical U.S.-China alignment and corporate commitments to drive the upcoming Paris Conference, emphasizing that economic incentives must be paired with nature-based adaptation and diplomatic flexibility to accommodate sovereign differences.