Latest Interviews
Showing 1186–1195 of 1,195 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Bank of America9 min
Bank of America tech exec talks to Institutional Investor
A financial institution successfully completed a 15-year strategic initiative to consolidate its US consumer and small business operations onto a single core banking platform, a process culminating in the migration of 10 million customers and 19.5 million accounts in California. This massive transition, executed over two weekends, retired 110 legacy applications and removed approximately 200 non-standard products while adhering to a "rebuild, replace, and reduce" modernization framework. The organization now focuses on shifting from legacy maintenance to future growth through mobile-first solutions, advanced AI analytics, and a revised talent acquisition strategy prioritizing problem-solving skills over specific programming languages.
- Milken Institute9 min
The Euro Zone and the Danger Zone- Next Steps for Solving the Euro Crisis
European Union leaders will convene to address an escalating financial crisis involving five struggling member states, evaluating a binary choice between allowing exits or establishing a comprehensive fiscal and political union. The debate centers on overcoming deep political frictions, particularly Germany's reluctance to enforce collective bailouts and France's fears of dominance, which mirror historical precedents regarding shared financial liability. The outcome of this summit will determine whether the Eurozone transitions toward a centralized banking and fiscal authority or fractures under a domino effect triggered by potential departures.
- Milken Institute13 min
Inside Apple with Adam Lashinsky- Studio Session at Milken Institute
Apple's enduring success stems from Steve Jobs' strategic focus on high-impact innovations and a culture of disciplined secrecy, which competitors now struggle to emulate despite their attempts to integrate hardware and software. Under Tim Cook, the company has adapted its operational model by optimizing global supply chains and addressing labor standards, while shifting capital allocation toward dividends to satisfy shareholders without compromising core product focus. As the enterprise matures into a massive, publicly scrutinized entity, analysts anticipate a transition to a more stable, albeit less explosive, growth phase reminiscent of legacy corporations like Disney.
- Milken Institute7 min
The Global Biomedical Industry: Preserving U.S. Leadership
The Milken Institute's latest report highlights the critical role of the U.S. biomedical sector, which supports over 5 million jobs but faces declining competitiveness due to outdated tax structures and shrinking domestic STEM enrollment. With the era of blockbuster drugs ending and rivals like China rapidly advancing in nanotechnology, the study argues that immediate policy reforms are essential to restore American leadership. Key recommendations include permanently enhancing the R&D tax credit by 25%, reducing the federal corporate tax rate to the advanced economy average of 23%, and increasing funding for the FDA and NIH to better accommodate personalized medicine frameworks.
- Milken Institute10 min
Ross DeVol interviews Paul Kusserow of Humana
Ross DeVol, Paul Kusserow, Ross Duvall, Paul Coussereau
Humana completed an $800 million acquisition of Concentra to integrate occupational health services and shift care to alternative sites, aiming to reduce costly hospitalizations amid a looming global physician shortage. To address demographic pressures and a projected 130,000-physician gap by 2020, the company is leveraging a hybrid model that combines technology like sensor monitoring and telemedicine with expanded roles for nurse practitioners and "health extenders." This strategy seeks to mitigate rising costs for the 15% of members driving the majority of expenses while managing the care needs of an aging population through integrated wellness programs and algorithmic data analysis.
- Milken Institute6 min
Shraga Biran
Shraga Beran, an Israeli attorney and author of *Opportunism*, proposes a fundamental restructuring of intellectual property laws to recognize ideas as primary economic assets rather than outdated relics. His framework challenges current employment norms by advocating for shared ownership of inventions between creators and employers, arguing that human capital should generate direct wealth for individuals. To facilitate this shift, Beran envisions a global public market where compensation is distributed via engagement metrics, effectively creating a universal system for monetizing private goods like artistic and literary works.
- Milken Institute7 min
Raghuram Rajan on the U.S. Economy and Financial Regulation
Raghuram Rajan, Jennifer Manfre
Economic recovery since mid-2009 has been characterized by sluggish job creation and a "boring" trajectory, prompting calls for policy shifts toward long-term competitiveness through education and infrastructure reforms. While the U.S. fiscal position remains distinct from Greece, growing political polarization and unfunded liabilities significantly constrain the ability to enact necessary debt or tax measures. Furthermore, experts argue that isolated financial regulations fail to address the fundamental macroeconomic fault lines identified in the book *Fault Lines*, necessitating a broader structural approach to prevent future crises.
- Milken Institute8 min
Israel Graduates to MSCI Developed Market Index, Glenn Yago on the issues
On May 26, Israel will officially transition from the MSCI Emerging Market Index to the Developed Market Index, a shift projected to reduce its index weighting from over 3% to roughly 0.3% and trigger potential capital outflows of $1.7 billion to $2.5 billion. To secure future investment, the Milken Institute report urges diversification beyond the Information Communication Technology sector and addresses structural hurdles such as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange's low free float and excessive concentration of foreign capital. Although market liquidity remains skewed toward top corporations, Israel's resilient macroeconomic fundamentals, including unemployment rates significantly below crisis-hit peers, continue to position the nation as a relative safe harbor amidst global volatility.
- Milken Institute8 min
European Debt Crisis with Komal Sri-Kumar, Senior Fellow at Milken Institute
Komal Sri-Kumar, Jennifer Manfre, Kamal Shree Kumar
Kamal Shree Kumar, a chief global strategist and Milken Institute fellow, critiques the European Union's flawed €750 billion response to the sovereign debt crisis by identifying solvency issues in nations like Greece and questioning the feasibility of the IMF's funding conditions. With the Euro depreciating and multiple member states violating fiscal discipline caps, the analysis predicts that either forced debt restructuring or the expulsion of marginal countries will likely occur within weeks. These escalating Eurozone instabilities pose direct transmission risks to the United States through reduced export demand, heightened banking exposure, and a potential credit crunch driven by surging US dollar LIBOR rates.
- Milken Institute7 min
2008 State of the State - Funding State Government
This analysis attributes California's budgeting crisis to a deficit in governance capacity driven by structural flaws like term limits, gerrymandered districts, and an overreliance on the initiative process rather than partisan gridlock. It contrasts the state's declining legislative performance with historical bipartisan precedents of fiscal responsibility, advocating for reforms such as multi-year budgeting, strengthened rainy day funds, and an open primary system to restore institutional trust. The presentation concludes that without these structural changes to foster consensus-based leadership, California risks political upheaval and a loss of future competitiveness.