Latest Interviews

The Agenda: Minouche Shafik discusses education and inequality

Minouche Shafik

Drawing on personal experience from post-revolution Egypt and global economic trends, the speaker argues that nationalization and rigid educational systems have eroded social mobility while lifelong learning gaps disproportionately favor the wealthy. The presentation critiques the failure of traditional models, including German vocational training, to prepare workers for careers that may shift two to five times, a disconnect that fuels public backlash against elitist experts. Consequently, the argument posits that policy reform depends on replacing jargon with accessible communication to bridge the divide between economic realities and public perception.

Populism is reshaping our world

Matteo Renzi, Beppe Grillo, Jeff Siegel, Virginia Raggi, Robert Callista, Russell Hancock, Harry Part Ovi, Sebastian Thrun

Following the 2016 Italian referendum defeat of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the Five Star Movement capitalized on economic stagnation to emerge as the primary opposition party, signaling a broader global surge in populism driven by automation-induced inequality. While experts identify technological displacement, particularly in sectors like trucking, as a root cause of economic dislocation, leaders such as Sebastian Thrun and Harry Part Ovi advocate for systemic reforms including lifelong learning and accessible retraining programs. Ultimately, restoring stability to Western democracies requires political and business leaders to address the grievances of alienated populations through concrete economic solutions rather than allowing technological disruption to fuel further anti-establishment sentiment.

The Revitalization of Detroit - Talks at GS

Mike Duggan, Dan Gilbert, Carla Walker-Miller

Following Detroit's historic 2013 bankruptcy, Mayor Mike Duggan and corporate investor Dan Gilbert spearheaded a recovery strategy combining metrics-driven municipal improvements with aggressive private-sector revitalization that generated nearly 17,000 jobs and eliminated downtown office vacancies. Their public-private partnership executed a phased demolition of vacant properties and the "Rehab and Ready" program to stabilize neighborhoods, resulting in property value increases of up to 50% while transforming the economy from an automotive monoculture to a hybrid of corporate anchors and small businesses. Despite these economic gains, leaders like Carla Walker-Miller emphasize the ongoing challenge of fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem to ensure long-term residents benefit from the city's resurgence rather than facing displacement.

Marni Walden: From Mobile to Media - Transforming Telecom - Talks at GS

Marni Walden

Verizon Executive Vice President Marnie Walden is leading the company's strategic pivot from a connectivity provider to a media and content owner by integrating AOL and Yahoo assets to secure the audience scale necessary for digital advertising dominance. This transformation utilizes Fios, mobile networks, and 5G fixed wireless to deploy proprietary content bundles while expanding a telematics division that leverages automotive partnerships and enterprise fleet services. Driven by a management philosophy rooted in diverse leadership and market revitalization, the initiative aims to monetize network infrastructure directly rather than relying solely on traditional licensing models.

Josh Sapan: TV, Tech, and The Consumer - Talks at GS

Josh Sapan

AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan is pivoting the company away from a direct-to-consumer streaming model to leverage its vast library of original scripted dramas as high-value intellectual property. By producing over a dozen owned shows annually through AMC Studios, the network maximizes long-term revenue by licensing content to global streaming partners in 140 countries while relying on editorial judgment rather than data to maintain its distinct brand identity. Sapan asserts that this strategy of securing "killer writing" will ensure resilience against future technological shifts, citing enduring franchises like *The Walking Dead* as proof that character-driven storytelling transcends delivery platforms.

Discover London: royal shopping and wild-swimming

Megan Clay Jones, James, David Morgan-Hewitt, Peter, Edward Boddenham

London recently welcomed 30 million visitors, solidifying its status as the globe's premier international destination through a unique blend of historic luxury and emerging subcultures. The city showcases this duality via high-end establishments like The Goring hotel, which continues to attract global icons, alongside transformative shifts in East London where former slums have evolved into creative hubs featuring floating businesses and canal-side communities. Beyond the traditional tourist trajectory, London distinguishes itself with extensive green spaces like Hampstead Heath and authentic local experiences such as the Campfire Club and traditional greyhound racing in Romford, offering residents and tourists alike a mix of urban retreat and vibrant social connection.

Discover Osaka: sushi, tattoos, and a flourishing nightlife

Kai Tatsuo, Hori Beni, Kanayo Ueda

Osaka's distinct cultural identity as a rambunctious merchant town is embodied by residents like kappo chef Kai Tatsuo, artist Hori Beni, and poet Kanayo Ueda, who navigate a landscape ranging from the frantic, rock-paper-scissors-decided tuna auctions at its massive fish market to the communal intimacy of its post-war public bathhouses. Despite historical wartime destruction and modern stigmas associating tattoos with organized crime, the city offers a unique culinary and recreational experience through its street food, strategic board games, and extended nightlife in districts like America-mura. Visitors are consistently encouraged by locals to embrace the city's outgoing atmosphere, which contrasts sharply with Japan's typical demeanor and allows newcomers to quickly feel accepted as fellow Osakans.

Elon Musk : How to Build the Future

Elon Musk

Elon Musk identifies artificial intelligence as the most urgent challenge for humanity's future, advocating for its democratization and the development of high-bandwidth brain interfaces to foster a human-AI symbiote. Alongside AI, he prioritizes genetic reprogramming for disease prevention and the establishment of a self-sustaining Mars colony within a decade, while applying his utility-optimization philosophy to engineering efforts at SpaceX and Tesla. His operational strategy focuses on radical innovation and "the machine that builds the machine" to overcome technological entropy, with 80% of his time dedicated to direct engineering design rather than business management.

A Conversation with Chief Information Officer Marty Chavez

Marty Chavez

Marty Leverett details a 25-year career trajectory at Goldman Sachs that evolved from a serendipitous biochemistry degree to leading computational trading strategies by leveraging the firm's unique data assets and avoiding the separation of technology from markets. He analyzes how exponential growth in compute power and cloud infrastructure has transformed machine learning from an impractical theory into a vital tool for solving complex financial problems. Beyond his corporate achievements, the discussion highlights his commitment to philanthropy, specifically his leadership in the foundation plan to cure HIV/AIDS and his involvement in the High Line urban development project.

Alex Tapscott: The Blockchain Revolution - Talks at GS

Alex Tapscott, Tom

Blockchain technology is being promoted as a second-generation Internet infrastructure that replaces centralized intermediaries with a distributed ledger to securely transfer value and establish identity for billions of unbanked individuals. By utilizing Bitcoin as an incentive mechanism to validate transactions, the network currently secures assets ranging from financial instruments to land titles, addressing specific failures in countries like Honduras and Haiti where traditional record-keeping collapsed. While the technology offers a path to resolve systemic poverty and identity crises through immutable registries, industry observers warn that the coming 18 months are critical for shifting from speculative investment to practical, daily-life utility before market momentum evaporates.

Meet Ciiru An Inspiring Entrepreneur from Nairobi

Ciiru, Tiffany Dufu, Shiro Avera-Waidaka

Nairobi-based entrepreneur Shiro Avera-Waidaka founded the children's brand Fun Kids to replace Western-centric narratives with products reflecting local Kenyan culture while navigating export challenges to Uganda through a strategic network of female mentors. Her leadership journey, further accelerated by the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women program, leveraged cross-sector peer accountability and reciprocal business relationships to turn classmates into both suppliers and customers. This approach underscores her philosophy that effective leadership relies on collective vulnerability and self-belief to transform external obstacles into opportunities for growth.

Andrew Bolton: The Intersection of Fashion, Art And Technology - Talks at GS

Andrew Bolton

Following the Costume Institute's establishment as a self-funded department in 1959, the annual Met Gala organized by Anna Wintour has served as its critical financial engine, enabling major exhibitions like the *Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty* retrospective and the current *Manus Ex Machina* display. Curator Andrew Bolton utilizes these platforms to challenge historical barriers to fashion's recognition as art, highlighting the intersection of handmade and machine-made techniques while critiquing the industry's unsustainable, socially accelerated production cycles. Through a strategy that balances educational discourse with public appeal, the Institute aims to slow the fashion pace and foster deeper appreciation for design talent amidst the pressures of modern commercialization.

Bjarke Ingels: Transforming the Skyline: Talks at GS

Bjarke Ingels

Bjarke Ingels, founder of the award-winning BIG firm, discusses his methodology of transforming strict project constraints into generative forces for high-profile projects like the World Trade Center and the Vancouver tower. He further details his approach to the year's Serpentine Summer Pavilion, which utilizes simple materials like fiberglass and aluminum to create a "gigantic shelf" that elevates ordinary elements into an extraordinary form. By treating architectural limitations as variables in a consistent logic, Ingels demonstrates how his firm achieves functional necessity and added value across radically different scales and contexts.

Discover Buenos Aires: slabs of meat, Malbec and polo

Buenos Aires presents a cultural landscape where street art, historical street polo played by rural gauchos, and the communal "asado" ritual define the social fabric alongside a thriving market economy born from the 2001 financial crisis. The city's unique identity is further expressed through politically charged Murga dance groups and a sophisticated nightlife scene of password-protected speakeasies that evolved during times of economic hardship. These diverse elements collectively offer a deep exploration of Argentine heritage, from government-designated notable bars to the world's largest street mural by artist Alfredo Segatore.

Discover Colombo: travel in the fastest-growing city in the world

Sonali Dharmavardana, Darshan Munitasa, Gabby White

Following the end of its civil war, Colombo is rapidly transforming into the world's fastest-growing city destination through a fusion of heritage preservation and modern creative industries. Key figures such as celebrity chef Darshan Muniasami, fashion designer Sonali Dharmavardana, and former cricketer Kumar Sangakkara are driving this renaissance by revitalizing culinary identity and showcasing the unique blend of colonial architecture with contemporary lifestyle in venues like the Ministry of Crab. Local experts and residents now urge immediate international engagement, positioning the current moment as a unique window for travelers to experience the city's authentic cultural depth before these rapid developments become fully mainstream.