Latest Interviews
Showing 781–795 of 822 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute56 min
A Conversation with Howard Marks and Mike Milken
Howard Marks, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
Oaktree Capital employs historical market cycles and behavioral analysis to teach that asset quality is secondary to valuation, as demonstrated by repeated failures when investors extrapolate linear growth during bubbles like the Nifty Fifty and the 2008 crisis. By emphasizing that risk is often misperceived and that true success requires focusing on knowable fundamentals rather than unknowable macro trends, the firm structures its culture around team-based incentives to ensure long-term survival and client prioritization. This approach positions investors to profit by remaining aggressive when others are terrified and conservative when optimism dominates, effectively navigating market temperatures without relying on specific economic predictions.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Teacher Evaluation and National Testing: Can We Reach Consensus?
Yvonne Chan, Jason Culbertson, Warren Fletcher, Patrice Pujol, Thomas Boysen, Tom Boyce
A multi-organization panel detailed a strategic shift from seniority-based compensation to data-driven teacher effectiveness models, citing the Gates Foundation's MET study and three case studies: Vaughan Learning Center, the United Teachers of Los Angeles, and Ascension Parish Schools. These initiatives replaced rigid testing mandates with comprehensive evaluation systems featuring calibrated peer observations, performance-linked pay, and targeted professional development to address high turnover and achievement gaps. Consensus among educators, union leaders, and administrators emphasizes that successful implementation requires rigorous evaluator training, realistic performance distributions, and a cultural transition from adversarial oversight to collaborative professional communities.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Israel: The Ingenuity Society as Global Laboratory
Yosef Abramowitz, Mark Kahn, Andrew Neff, Amir Peleg, Eyal Rosner, Eugene Kandel, Steven Yeager, Amir Shachar, Yossi Levitini, Jason, Gerhard Hoffstaedter
Israeli industry leaders and government officials outlined a strategic framework positioning the nation as a global laboratory for testing solutions to scarcity-driven challenges in sectors ranging from renewable energy and agritech to water management. Key initiatives include Arava Power Company's expansion of solar infrastructure into Africa, the Alternative Fuel Initiative's push for a 60% reduction in transportation oil consumption by 2025, and Omnivore Partners' pivot toward addressing global commodity crop needs through international research stations. This ecosystem leverages military talent and public-private partnerships to overcome domestic market limitations, aiming to secure significant export markets while mitigating political risks through multilateral financial guarantees.
- Milken Institute1h 14m
Investing in African Prosperity
Tony Blair, Bill Gates, H.E. Paul Kagame, Strive Masiyiwa, Rhonda Zygocki, Michael Milken
Economic and health data reveal that twenty-five African nations have achieved middle-income status, driven by demographic dividends, rapid mobile adoption, and strategic investments from corporations like Chevron and the Agricultural Transformation Agency in Ethiopia. Successful interventions in countries such as Rwanda and Zimbabwe demonstrate that combining local capacity building with global partnerships can eliminate extreme poverty, eradicate diseases like polio, and transform sectors ranging from agriculture to financial services. These outcomes suggest a future where infrastructure leapfrogging and transparent governance create a sustainable win-win scenario for both private investors and African populations.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Reform 3.0: China's Next Direction
Evan Feigenbaum, Robert Hormats, James McGregor, Perry Wong, Mei Fong, Bob Hormats, Jim McGregor
China's leadership is steering "Reform 3.0" to transition the economy from investment-led growth to a consumption-driven model, prioritizing quality and equity over rapid expansion despite structural bottlenecks. Facing a demographic crisis, environmental degradation, and entrenched vested interests, President Xi Jinping has consolidated power to implement experimental pilots in fiscal decentralization and household registration reform. While political liberalization is unlikely, the strategy focuses on converting migrant workers into legal citizens and opening capital markets to sustain long-term stability and international competitiveness.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
Lunch Panel: A Cure for What Ails Us: Celebrating the Impact of Science
Nancy Brown, Francis Collins, Thomas Frieden, Andrew von Eschenbach, Michael Milken
The bioscience forum highlighted the sector's massive contribution to increased global life expectancy and economic growth while emphasizing that flat budgets and inflation have critically reduced NIH grant success rates to below 20%. Distinguished leaders such as Francis Collins and Tom Frieden warned that sustained funding cuts and a 90% treatment-versus-prevention spending imbalance threaten American innovation and the careers of young researchers. Despite these financial constraints, the event underscored significant breakthroughs in areas like genomic medicine and disease eradication, with panelists urging renewed investment to maintain global health leadership and drive future discoveries.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Lunch Panel: A Conversation with Tony Blair and Michael Milken
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair reflected on the psychological demands of executive leadership while outlining his strategies for addressing global challenges including the Eurozone crisis, religious extremism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He emphasized the necessity of structural reforms to drive economic growth and argued that open immigration policies and private-sector innovation are critical for future stability, contrasting his experiences managing unforeseen crises with his current freedom to select specific international causes. Blair concluded by calling for a $6 million initiative to link 1,000 schools globally, aiming to combat radicalization through shared education and the promotion of common values across cultures.
- Milken Institute55 min
A Conversation with Al Gore: Six Drivers of Global Change
Former Vice President Al Gore addresses the corrosive impact of corporate money on American democracy and outlines six drivers of global change, including the shift of economic power to Asia and the accelerating climate crisis. He critiques the reliance on short-term financial metrics while promoting sustainable capitalism through his firm Generation Investment Management as a proven alternative model. Gore concludes by urging immediate global leadership to transition to renewable energy and adopt independent redistricting to restore political integrity.
- Milken Institute59 min
Theory to Practice: A New Generation Transforms Impact Investing
Dave Chen, Matt Gee, Tobias Schimmer, Kathleen Schindler, Claire Tramm, Paul Irving, Andrew Tyndale, Candace Klein
Founded by Kellogg Professor Dave Chen, the International Impact Investing Challenge has grown to include 32 schools, showcasing student teams who design innovative financial instruments for social impact rather than traditional service-based businesses. Two 2011 alumni teams presented their models at a recent Milken Institute panel: Upskill Capital, which addresses India's skills gap through salary-based tuition loans targeting an 18-22% IRR, and Effortless Energy, which finances residential upgrades via repayment from guaranteed utility savings to achieve a 12% return. These ventures exemplify a shift in business education where future investors are trained to integrate financial discipline with social outcomes, with both teams now seeking further capital to scale their operations.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
American Politics 2013
Major Garrett, Senator Warner, Senator Moran, Congresswoman Morris-Rogers, Senator Casey
A panel of Senators Bob Casey, Jerry Moran, and Mark Warner, alongside Congresswoman Kathy Hall, analyzed the implementation challenges of the Affordable Care Act and the legislative prospects for immigration reform amidst growing political polarization. The discussion highlighted concerns regarding ACA rollout glitches, sequestration's impact on federal jobs, and the divergent strategies between the Senate and House for passing comprehensive legislation on guns and the budget. Ultimately, the speakers emphasized a critical demographic and technological shift in American politics that has eroded moderate bipartisanship, leaving lawmakers to navigate complex electoral math and media-driven conflict.
- Milken Institute51 min
Dinner Program - To Infinity and Beyond: Jeff Skoll Talks with Elon and Kimbal Musk
Jeff Skoll, Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk
Following the 1999 sale of their pioneering internet company Zip2 for over $300 million, brothers Elon and Kimball Musk launched distinct ventures that have reshaped global industries. Elon Musk directed his capital into transformative technology firms including PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla, aiming to revolutionize transportation and enable human colonization of Mars, while Kimball Musk established The Kitchen restaurant and a nonprofit Learning Garden program that significantly improves student nutrition and science test scores. Their divergent paths in high-tech engineering and community-focused agriculture are united by a shared philosophy of personal risk-taking and a commitment to pushing humanity forward.
- Milken Institute57 min
A Conversation With Gary Becker, David Rubenstein and Robert Rubin
Gary Becker, David Rubenstein, Robert Rubin, Bob Rubin
Panelists Gary Becker and Bob Rubin argue that the U.S. economy can return to a sustainable 3% growth trajectory by leveraging its energy revolution, real estate recovery, and manufacturing expansion while addressing a structural $10 trillion debt burden through entitlement reform and tax loophole elimination. They attribute current stagnation primarily to political gridlock, advocating for open primaries, nonpartisan civic education, and a market-based immigration system to foster compromise. Despite risks from Federal Reserve quantitative easing and inflation, the experts maintain that the American dollar remains the superior long-term investment vehicle provided the political system functions effectively.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Bridging Gaps in Development Finance: New Platforms for Frontier Markets
Anne Heyman, Netanel Oded, Eytan Stibbe, Tally Zingher, Steve Zecher, Tali Zinger, Andrew Taylor
The Milken Institute Israel Center convened experts to address capital gaps in emerging markets by leveraging Israel's innovation ecosystem as a model for economic development in Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Key speakers detailed strategies involving private equity for infrastructure, such as Vital Capital's land-ownership models in Angola, and social innovation frameworks like Anne Heyman's Agahoso Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda. These initiatives collectively advocate for a hybrid approach that combines government R&D subsidies, catalytic philanthropy, and patient private capital to de-risk investments and scale sustainable growth.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Innovators on the Front Lines of the Future
Paul Benda, Freda Lewis-Hall, Megan Smith, Peter Diamandis
Following the XPRIZE Visioneering event, a panel of twelve domain experts finalized ten high-impact prize concepts ranging from happiness gamification to rapid vaccine production and global literacy. Key initiatives include Nicolas Negroponte's $15 million literacy challenge, Tony Robbins' behavior-change prize grounded in Martin Seligman's data, and a $5 million diversity-focused X2 Prize funded by Lynn Tilton. These competitions aim to disrupt traditional R&D models by leveraging private funding and regulatory incentives to solve complex global problems like Alzheimer's diagnostics, atmospheric water extraction, and homeland security screening.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Cash on the Sidelines: How to Unleash $30 Trillion
Alexandra Lebenthal, Mustafa Sagun, Max Stone, James Zelter, Joe Reece
Held at the Milken Institute, a panel of four prominent investment leaders including Mustafa Sagan of Principal Global Investments and Jim Zelter of Apollo Capital Management addressed the dynamics of approximately $30 trillion in idle global capital. The discussion highlighted how corporate tax structures, pension deficits, and low-yield environments are trapping funds in safe assets while alternative lenders increasingly fill the void in small and medium enterprise financing. Panelists unanimously concluded that capital remains constrained by regulatory uncertainty and deflationary fears, predicting a significant shift toward riskier opportunities once yields rise or market volatility stabilizes.