Latest Interviews

Daniel Dae Kim, Actor, Director and Producer

Daniel Dae Kim, Candace Say

Actor and producer Daniel Dae Kim testified twice before the U.S. Congress within six months to demand tangible resources for Asian Americans, citing severe underrepresentation in corporate and entertainment executive roles despite comprising over 12% of Fortune 500 workforces. By highlighting the disparity between the community's workforce presence and their 1.5% share of executive positions, Kim argued that the initial legislative resolution was insufficient to address systemic racism and the "model minority" myth. His advocacy, rooted in personal experiences of prejudice and a career defined by fighting for equal compensation, seeks to advance new bills that provide practical solutions for the nation's 23 million Asian Americans.

The Daily Check-In: China’s Path to Carbon Neutral: Addressing the Upstream

Trina Chen, Liz

China is accelerating its carbon decarbonization strategy by launching an updated national "Carbon Act" and activating an Emissions Trading System to cover over 2,000 power generators, targeting upstream industries that collectively account for 10% of global emissions. While sectors like steel, cement, aluminum, and chemicals face unique hurdles from process-based emissions and the economic strain of retiring 15 trillion yuan in coal assets, major producers such as Baosteel and Anhui Conch are already piloting advanced low-carbon technologies to meet projected 2027 emission peaks. The government anticipates a 2030 emissions intensity reduction of over 30% through renewable integration and efficiency upgrades, with post-2030 net-zero success dependent on scaling unproven innovations like hydrogen, carbon capture, and grid modernization to transition away from coal.

Why DAOs Matter for Digital Art

pplpleasr, People Pleaser

Digital artist People Pleaser transitioned from traditional animation to the cryptocurrency sector, generating a 310 ETH sale for her Uniswap v3 teaser that catalyzed the creation of Pleaser DAO. Led by co-founder Layton Cusack of Pool Together, this decentralized organization functions as a collective patron for DeFi artists while prioritizing charitable donations and innovative financial mechanisms like NFT fractionalization. Building on this mission, Pleaser immediately launched a follow-up NFT titled "Apes Together Strong," which funds autism advocacy and further explores the integration of animation, community governance, and DeFi lending protocols.

Frank Del Rio, President and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Lines

Frank Del Rio, David

Norwegian Cruise Line secured $2.4 billion in emergency financing and established the Healthy Sail Panel with former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb to navigate the 2020 CDC shutdowns and launch vaccination-based safety protocols. As the company plans to reinstate 25% of its fleet by late 2021 with record bookings for 2022 and 2023, it is adjusting its capital strategy to maintain higher cash reserves while leveraging inflationary pricing power. CEO Frank Del Rio projects a potential record year driven by pent-up demand from 50 million displaced cruisers, supported by a strategy focused on fleet expansion and demographic-driven operational governance.

Arriving Now: Retailers’ Solutions for Same Day Delivery

Kate McShane, Liz

Goldman Sachs Research analyzes how pandemic-driven shifts transformed last-mile delivery from a niche restaurant service into a dominant omnichannel strategy leveraging physical inventory for two-hour windows. The report highlights a critical trade-off where retailers balance the profitability and operational efficiency of outsourcing to third-party platforms like Shipt and Instacart against the risks of quality control and data leakage. Ultimately, the convergence of free curbside pickup and paid home delivery is identified as a competitive moat that increases consumer engagement beyond what online-only models can achieve.

The Changing Landscape of ESG Regulation in Europe

Evan Tylenda, Liz

The EU's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation and Taxonomy mandate standardized ESG classifications, forcing asset managers to categorize products as either Article 8 "Light Green" or Article 9 "Deep Green" to address principal adverse impacts. While these frameworks aim to define environmentally sustainable activities across sectors like cement and renewable energy, they currently face significant implementation hurdles due to data deficiencies and the exclusion of non-European reporting entities. As the EU coordinates with global counterparts to prevent regulatory duplication, the market anticipates a shift where non-compliant funds struggle to compete within the European landscape.

Is Myanmar a failed state?

Following a February 1st military coup that has resulted in over 780 deaths and 3,800 arrests, the junta has detained de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi on multiple charges while facing a nascent civil war as the Bamar majority joins ethnic militias in armed resistance. Although international sanctions and diplomatic pressure from the West have targeted senior generals, robust intervention remains blocked by veto power wielded by China and Russia, who prioritize regional infrastructure and strategic arms sales. Consequently, Myanmar risks becoming a failed state plagued by collapsing health systems, uncontrolled drug production, and cross-border refugee flows, while the military inherits a devastated economy despite its current control.

From Growth to Value: Where We Are in the Equity Markets

Lou Miller, Liz

Led by market strategist Liz, the discussion outlines an ongoing economic rotation from high-multiple growth stocks to value sectors as vaccine rollouts and reopening drives higher interest rates and commodity prices. The analysis highlights that the market is only halfway through this transition, with significant opportunities remaining in energy, materials, and industrials as U.S. GDP peaks and European or emerging market trades remain in early stages. While retail investor behavior and potential inflation risks pose short-term volatility, the narrative expects sustained performance in "growth at a reasonable price" stocks driven by the anticipated U.S. infrastructure plan and global economic recovery over the next six months.

Real Estate’s Road to Recovery

Nora Creedon, Liz

Driven by vaccination rollouts and economic stimulus, real estate prices have surged 40% over the past year while investors pivot toward high-growth Sunbelt markets and consumer-oriented sectors like leisure travel. Despite this recovery, urban office and multi-family assets in major gateways face persistent headwinds due to shifting work mandates and significant population declines in New York and San Francisco. The sector now navigates a new cycle defined by flexible hybrid work models, demographic migration to affordable regions, and strategic capital deployment toward senior care, affordable housing, and broadband infrastructure initiatives.

Mike Sievert, President and CEO of T-Mobile

Mike Sievert, John

Following a 2012 strategic pivot under former leadership, T-Mobile transformed from a declining carrier into an industry leader through its "Un-carrier" initiative and a renewed focus on customer-centric values. CEO Mike Sievert is now driving a dual focus on restoring in-person collaboration via 5G-enabled telepresence while accelerating social impact through initiatives like Project 10 Million, which has connected over two million students to the internet. The organization further solidifies its market position by committing to the Climate Pledge, aiming to achieve 100% sustainability by year-end while expanding connectivity to rural and marginalized communities.

Mary Dillon, CEO of Ulta Beauty

Mary Dillon, David

Under the leadership of Mary Dillon, Ulta Beauty transformed its market strategy to prioritize multi-ethnic demographics and a hybrid retail model, resulting in a tripling of market capitalization and over 1,200 store locations by 2024. The company has advanced its sustainability goals through the "Conscious Beauty" platform and launched a strategic partnership with Target to establish 100 exclusive shops while maintaining an aggressive expansion in suburban real estate. As Dillon transitions to Executive Chair, she hands the CEO role to Dave Kimball, who will continue to drive innovation and authentic representation to capitalize on the brand's evolving loyalty ecosystem.

The Oil & Gas Industry’s Transformation

Michele Della Vigna, Liz

Goldman Sachs' 18th "Top Projects" report details how decarbonization pressure has halved oil resource life to 25 years, triggering a supply-led bull market driven by deep underinvestment. This capital constraint accelerates industry consolidation and favors major oil firms with superior efficiency, positioning them to replicate the high-return resurgence of the post-regulation tobacco sector. Consequently, the market is bifurcating between stranded asset fears and capital allocation strategies that support "Big Oil" returns while forcing service providers to pivot toward broader energy solutions.

Why Global Insurers Are Leaning Into Risk

Mike Siegel, Jake Seward

Goldman Sachs' 10th annual insurance report surveyed 286 respondents representing over $14 trillion in assets to reveal a global "risk-on" strategy where insurers are shifting allocations toward private equity, private credit, and floating-rate assets to capture illiquidity premiums. While inflation concerns have replaced deflation fears and credit cycle optimism places the market in the middle stage, participants project recessions more than three years away and are increasingly integrating ESG factors into underwriting and investment processes. This widespread appetite for higher yields and impact investing is most pronounced in Asia, where rapid growth contrasts with slower European expansion, fundamentally reshaping capital deployment across life, property casualty, healthcare, and reinsurance sectors.

Dana Perino, Former White House Press Secretary, Fox News Anchor, and Author

Dana Perino

Former White House Press Secretary Dana Perino launches her *New York Times* bestseller *Everything Will Be Okay* to address the persistent anxieties women face in their twenties and thirties regarding career barriers and self-doubt. Drawing from her unplanned ascent from the Justice Department to the White House and her creation of the "Minute Mentoring" program, Perino shares strategies for converting negative feedback into productive energy while advising women to seize roles others avoid. The event culminates in anecdotes about her unexpected appointment and the psychological resilience required to navigate high-stakes government service, emphasizing that success often follows moments of perceived failure.

Australia’s Macro Outlook and Monetary Policy

Andrew Boak, Liz

Driven by near-eradication of virus transmission and massive fiscal stimulus, Australia's economy has rebounded to pre-COVID baselines, prompting Goldman Sachs to forecast 5% growth for 2021. The Reserve Bank of Australia has implemented Yield Curve Control to peg the 3-year bond yield at 0.1% until 2024, a strategy designed to support a housing market reflation that is expected to lift prices by 20% while maintaining ultra-dovish forward guidance. Despite some market skepticism regarding the policy's credibility, the RBA plans a gradual, natural unwind of the program paired with extended quantitative easing to avoid sudden financial disruption.