Latest Interviews
Showing 1–15 of 334 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute55 min
The European Opportunity | Global Conference 2026
Gillian Tett, Martin Blessing, Hendrik Brandis, Thomas Buberl, Pascal Cagni, Anne-Christine Champion, Michele Giddens
Key European financial and political leaders are driving a comprehensive reform agenda to bridge the US-Europe productivity gap by establishing a €500 billion German defense fund, transitioning Germany toward a funded pension model, and accelerating France's software entrepreneurship through a simplified "28th regime." To unlock trapped savings and scale unicorns, proponents like AXA CEO Thomas Buhl are advocating for a rapid Capital Markets Union and "military-style" project execution to redirect hundreds of billions into growth investments. Simultaneously, the region is pivoting its technological advantage from abstract AI models to physical industrial applications while leveraging sovereign defense initiatives to create new dual-use supply chains independent of US reliance.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Author Talk: Arthur C. Brooks, "The Meaning of Your Life" | Global Conference 2026
Arthur C. Brooks, Conrad Kiechel
Arthur Brooks, the author of a recent bestseller and former Harvard professor, addresses a psychogenic epidemic of mental distress by attributing rising loneliness and anxiety to a societal over-reliance on technology and "left-brain" complexity at the expense of human connection and "right-brain" meaning. Drawing on neurobiological research and logotherapy, Brooks advocates for a three-step digital detox and a shift toward vertical and lateral transcendence to reclaim fulfillment, arguing that lasting satisfaction stems from managing desire and cultivating relationships rather than chasing the elusive goal of happiness. His analysis further distinguishes between the damaging pursuit of "specialness" and the liberating reality that love is an unearned gift, offering a framework for individuals to navigate the AI-driven economy by prioritizing complex human problems over complicated technical solutions.
- Milken Institute57 min
Rewriting the Rules: Scaling Innovation for Rare Diseases | Global Conference 2026
Becky Quick, Nicola Blackwood, David Fajgenbaum, Michael Hund, Neil Kumar, William H. Lewis
Panelists including David, Will Osborn, and Michael discussed how AI-driven repurposing of generic drugs and patient-led "venture cure" models are accelerating the discovery of treatments for the over 300 million people globally affected by rare diseases. The dialogue highlighted transformative regulatory shifts, such as the UK's newborn sequencing trials and FDA-authorized umbrella CRISPR studies, which aim to bypass traditional trial inefficiencies while addressing barriers like pricing models that stifle global drug launches. Ultimately, the event concluded that converging data infrastructure with proactive patient advocacy is essential to de-risk development and deliver rapid therapeutic interventions for currently untreatable conditions.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
India Ahead: Growth, Investment, and Global Ambition | Global Conference 2026
Karan Bilimoria, Haigreve Khaitan, Vivek Lall, Ajay Piramal, Suneeta Reddy
India's economy, now the world's fourth or sixth largest with a $4 trillion GDP, targets third-place status by 2031 through aggressive manufacturing incentives, digital infrastructure expansion, and a robust legal framework that recently restored its Triple-B+ credit rating. Driven by a youthful demographic, rapid financial inclusion via the Aadhaar system, and strategic shifts in defense and space sectors, the nation has lifted 300 to 400 million people out of poverty while attracting significant foreign investment despite challenges regarding energy security and workforce upskilling. With stable democratic institutions and ambitious reforms in taxation and bankruptcy codes, India is positioning itself as a global innovation hub capable of sustaining long-term growth even as it navigates currency fluctuations and climate resilience needs.
- Milken Institute53 min
Catalyzing Capital, Innovation, and Impact to Advance Women's Health | Global Conference 2026
Esther Krofah, Jill Biden, Diana Ramos, Kalahn Taylor-Clark, Afton Vechery
The Women's Health Network, comprising 170 organizations, launched a $1 billion funding initiative led by Merck's Health Catalytic Fund to address century-old data gaps and the $2 billion annual productivity loss caused by menopause. Driven by strategic partnerships like California's PRIMA screening tool and private sector innovations such as Modern Fertility, the coalition is leveraging artificial intelligence and capital to de-risk early-stage commercialization while targeting a 50% reduction in maternal mortality. This convergence of philanthropic resources and consumer demand aims to shift medical research from male-centric models to comprehensive care for the 51% of the global population that women represent.
- Milken Institute53 min
The Legacy Play: How Global Sport Shapes Cities, Economies, and Culture | Global Conference 2026
Willow Bay, Jack Alexy, Chris Brearton, Breezy Johnson, Lindsay Taylor, Trisha Worthington
The "Legacy Play" panel convened media leaders, philanthropists, and Olympic gold medalists to analyze the commercial disparities and technological advancements reshaping global sports. Discussion highlighted the United States' unique reliance on private funding compared to state-backed peer nations, while detailing how AI integration and evolving media strategies are democratizing access and enhancing athlete branding. Participants further emphasized the critical role of mental health support and sustainable venue legacies in ensuring long-term career viability and equitable growth for women's sports.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Why Africa, Why Now: Investing in the World's Next Growth Engine | Global Conference 2026
British Robinson, Runa Alam, Qahir Dhanani, Courtney Powell, Ethiopis Tafara, Meg Whitman, Samaila Zubairu
A diverse panel of experts from the World Bank, IFC, and leading private equity firms outlines Africa's shift from a resource-dependent economy to a consumer and technology-driven powerhouse with a projected workforce of 2.5 billion by 2050. Participants highlight that superior recovery rates, decoupled sovereign risk, and undervalued assets make the continent a high-return destination, prompting a strategic pivot toward private equity, green energy supply chains, and fintech. Consequently, institutional investors are urged to bridge local capital gaps through Public-Private Partnerships and to align pension fund mandates with infrastructure projects that address the urgent need to employ the continent's massive youth population.
- Milken Institute58 min
Reinventing Play: The New Frontier of Gaming Technology and Creation | Global Conference 2026
Geoff Keighley, Johanna Faries, Laura Miele, Gregory Milken, Donald Mustard, DAN GALPIN, MANO MARKS, LAURA MURPHY
Industry leaders Johanna Levinson, Gregory Melkin, Donald Mustard, and Laura Miele convened to outline the gaming sector's transition from episodic releases to continuous live-service models driven by AI adoption and transmedia expansion. The panelists agreed that while mobile platforms retain the largest user base, the market is shifting toward flexible pricing strategies and global partnerships that allow small teams to compete with AAA studios through democratized development tools. Furthermore, the consensus emphasizes a strategic pivot where creative integrity and long-term cultural relevance now outweigh short-term monetization, as publishers integrate mobile, cloud, and social features to sustain player engagement across diverse hardware ecosystems.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Leading with Purpose: The Corporate Moral Compass | Global Conference 2026
Diane Brady, Marvin Ellison, Ryan Gellert, Linda Hubbard, Daniel Lubetzky, Hamdi Ulukaya
CEOs from Chobani, Patagonia, Lowe's, Carhartt, and Kind convened to argue that embedding social purpose into core operations, rather than treating it as a trend, is essential for long-term business survival and shareholder value. The panelists detailed specific structural shifts, including Patagonia's profit redistribution, Chobani's employee ownership, and Lowe's massive investment in skilled trades, to demonstrate how authentic purpose drives growth while countering political polarization. Ultimately, the leaders asserted that aligning corporate strategy with community well-being and employee dignity is the only viable path to sustaining economic resilience in a divided society.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Capital in Motion: Repositioning at Scale for the Next Cycle | Global Conference 2026
Sara Eisen, Marcie Frost, Ron O'Hanley, Harvey Schwartz, Daniel Simkowitz
Geopolitical conflicts and tariff pressures are driving a fundamental reprioritization of global capital toward national security, supply chain resilience, and AI infrastructure, fundamentally altering the fifty-year status quo of international markets. Leading institutional investors, including Carlyle, State Street, and Morgan Stanley, characterize the current private credit environment as a healthy cycle transition rather than a systemic risk while deploying significant resources to capture the estimated $3.2 trillion in shifting sovereign wealth and the emerging artificial intelligence sector. As the global economy pivots to prioritize defense and compute capacity, market participants are redefining portfolio allocations to focus on US innovation hubs, robust Asian markets, and rigorous underwriting standards to navigate rising capital demands and potential labor displacement.
- Milken Institute59 min
Private Equity: Value Creation Under New Rate Regimes | Global Conference 2026
Hugh MacArthur, Joe Baratta, Martín Escobari, Raoul Hughes, Meredith Jenkins, Pete Stavros
Leading private equity firms like KKR and Blackstone are pivoting from speculative AI experimentation to targeted operational efficiency, achieving modest EBITDA improvements while redefining software investment criteria to prioritize durable infrastructure over vulnerable point solutions. As the industry confronts extended holding periods and a capital stack constrained by high entry multiples, firms are shifting focus from financial engineering to deep operational value creation, leveraging specialized sourcing and geographic diversification in markets like Japan and Germany. Looking ahead, the sector anticipates a surge in liquidity driven by a wave of maturing assets and a strategic expansion of retail capital access, provided that new vehicles maintain structural parity with institutional standards to avoid conflict-of-interest pitfalls.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Emma Grede "Start with Yourself: A New Vision for Work & Life": Author Talk | Global Conference 2026
Emma Grede, Stephanie Phair, Kristin Juszczyk, Ashley Graham, Jens Grede
Kim Kardashian West shares her core philosophy of radical ownership and direct communication, advocating for visible proximity to decision-makers over the pursuit of work-life balance. Leveraging her experience as a founder of billion-dollar ventures like Skims and Good American, she challenges women to reject performative diversity and embrace strategic partnerships to build sustainable, inclusive businesses. Looking ahead, she aims to facilitate a massive transfer of wealth to the next generation of female leaders by using her platform to fund and mentor women from underprivileged backgrounds.
- Milken Institute59 min
Global Economic Outlook: Navigating Growth, Risk, and Opportunity | Global Conference 2026
Conrad Kiechel, Zanny Minton Beddoes, Kristalina Georgieva, Mohamed Kande, Ariel Szarfsztejn, Mike Wirth
A two-month closure of the Strait of Hormuz has removed 14 million barrels daily from the global market, driving Brent crude near $115 while depleting strategic reserves and forcing the IMF to adopt adverse economic scenarios. Simultaneously, the AI sector has pivoted from generative tools to agentic automation, eliminating entry-level roles and triggering an international cyberarms race. These converging crises create a volatile environment where Europe faces energy and innovation lag, whereas nations securing reliable power and flexible capital markets are positioned to dominate the coming decades.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Global Capital Markets | Global Conference 2026
David Faber, Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, Jon Gray, Jenny Johnson, Robin Vince, James Zelter, Robin Wright
Mubadala CEO Waleed Al-Saad outlines a resilient investment strategy that leverages the UAE's strong domestic cohesion to drive a global V-shaped recovery focused on long-term themes like AI, energy, and healthcare. While the US economy remains insulated by energy independence, unprecedented capital expenditure totaling trillions is reshaping asset markets through a shift from asset-light to heavy models, supported by a record $1.1 trillion in investment-grade issuance. The discussion further projects a labor market surge in blue-collar sectors due to physical AI infrastructure demands, while warning that US debt sustainability and European energy fragility necessitate a multi-faceted, open-architecture approach to funding future growth.
- Milken Institute57 min
Leaders in Asset Management | Global Conference 2025
Michael Milken, Jonathan Gray, Marc Rowan
Over three decades, Blackstone and Apollo have evolved from niche funds into $1.2 trillion powerhouses by pivoting to private credit and emerging markets to fill financing gaps left by constrained banks. These leaders are reshaping the global economy by targeting non-investment grade borrowers and capitalizing on growth in India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East while leveraging long-term ownership to drive wages and human capital initiatives. Looking ahead, both firms aim to dominate the shifting landscape of active asset management and full-service capital solutions, utilizing adaptive cultures and specialized technology to generate excess returns as public markets increasingly index.