Latest Interviews

David Attenborough talks about his new Netflix film

David Attenborough, Sir David Attenborough, Anne McElvoy

Sir David Attenborough returns with *A Life on Our Planet* to transition his legacy from celebrating natural wonder to demanding urgent behavioral adaptation against humanity's 100-to-200-year ecological decline. He deliberately targets democratic voters rather than entrenched political leaders, arguing that establishing the intrinsic value of nature is a prerequisite for motivating the public action necessary to avert a prolonged environmental catastrophe. While endorsing the goals of youth activists like Greta Thunberg, the 93-year-old broadcaster warns that lawful compliance is essential for long-term success, emphasizing that systemic change requires shifting public opinion before legislation can effectively alter global behavior.

Stephen Hawthornthwaite, Chairman and CEO of Rothy’s

Stephen Hawthornthwaite, Jennifer Davis, Stephen Hawthorne-Puig

Founded in 2012 by finance professionals Stephen Hawthorne-Puig and Roth Martin, Rothy's revolutionized the footwear market by launching seamless, machine-washable shoes produced from recycled plastic through a vertically integrated supply chain. The company achieved profitability in 2016 while remaining self-funded, leveraging 3D knitting technology and a core sustainability strategy to build a loyal customer base that drives over half of its traffic through word-of-mouth. Now expanding into handbags and exploring international growth and physical retail, Rothy's maintains a robust research pipeline for men's footwear while continuing to prioritize long-term sustainability over rapid scaling.

Edtech Faces the Test

Adam Nordin, Liz

Driven by pandemic-induced necessity, education technology has matured into critical infrastructure, prompting a rapid 40% to 100% demand surge that is fueling aggressive capital deployment and intensifying market consolidation among established and innovative players. While higher education and K-12 sectors face distinct fiscal pressures ranging from enrollment deferrals to state tax declines, accelerated procurement cycles have dismantled traditional bureaucratic friction to facilitate immediate adoption of AI-driven adaptive learning platforms. These structural shifts, characterized by faster decision-making and holistic solution integration, are redefining the sector's operational rhythm and creating a resilient, scale-oriented market despite ongoing economic headwinds.

Thoughts on Joe Rogan's New Texas Studio | Lex Fridman

Joe Rogan, Lex Fridman

Following their fifth appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience in the new Austin studio, the speaker praised the intimate design and single-display setup for enhancing conversational focus and non-verbal connection. Producer Jamie Varner is credited as the engineering lead behind this upgrade, with the speaker specifically lauding his humility and capacity for rapid iterative improvement in managing complex audio-visual workflows. While the new environment faces potential initial criticism similar to the Cybertruck, the speaker predicts the production quality will quickly mature into a public favorite and plans to feature Varner on their own podcast to discuss his philosophy.

ESG in the Food & Beverage and Alcohol & Tobacco Sectors

Sandra Lawson, Liz

Goldman Sachs Research launched the ESG Roadmap Project to analyze sector-specific risks and opportunities using a methodology that synthesizes data, corporate statements, and analyst insights for 12 to 36-month horizons. The inaugural report on food, beverage, alcohol, and tobacco sectors reveals robust plastic reduction progress while highlighting critical gaps in labor enforcement, deforestation, and the fact that fewer than 25% of firms currently link executive pay to ESG performance. Anticipated regulatory and consumer pressures are expected to drive widespread adoption of science-based emissions targets and compensation structures focused on reducing food waste and Scope 3 emissions across the industry.

George Roberts, Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of KKR

George Roberts, Alison

KKR Co-Chairman Peter Roberts outlines the firm's strategic pivot from pandemic liquidity preservation to an offensive deployment of capital across healthcare, technology, and infrastructure sectors. He recounts the firm's 1976 origins, the transformative lessons learned from the RJR Nabisco leveraged buyout regarding market fallibility, and his enduring philosophy that prioritizes character and proactive talent assessment. Looking forward, Roberts forecasts a rising S&P 500 and continued geopolitical divergence between the US and China while emphasizing the critical importance of mentors who foster opportunity rather than just wealth.

Jon Gray, President and COO of The Blackstone Group

Jon Gray, Alison

In early 2020, Blackstone deployed approximately $11 billion into distressed public REITs, energy MLPs, and leveraged loans before the market stabilized, a move the firm later regretted as undercapitalized due to the rapid recovery. Looking ahead, the firm targets long-term themes including e-commerce, digital infrastructure, and life sciences while favoring the U.S. and Chinese markets despite projected tensions. With a culture rooted in high-conviction decision-making and nearly $100 billion in warehoused assets, Blackstone aims to navigate elevated valuations by taking calculated risks on sectors poised for post-pandemic rebound.

What’s Next for European Capital Goods

Daniela Costa, Liz

The capital goods sector faced an immediate 15% organic revenue decline during the pandemic, yet delivered second-quarter margins 20% higher than analyst estimates due to flexible cost structures and government support. Strategic priorities have since pivoted toward localized production and factory automation to ensure resilient supply chains, contrasting with the volume-driven losses seen in automotive and aerospace markets. While global capital expenditure is projected to fall by nearly 20% this year, long-term investment is accelerating in green capex and digitization, with recovery trajectories in China, the U.S., and Europe showing significant variance across industrial segments.

Public Debt: how much is too much?

Ryan Avent

Between April and June 2020, the United States borrowed a record $3 trillion while the global economy saw public debt surge by an estimated $300 billion due to pandemic-related spending. Historical precedents and favorable conditions, such as low interest rates, have traditionally allowed nations to sustain high debt levels, though experts warn that a potential rise in rates could threaten financial stability. Consequently, economists maintain that despite these risks, continued deficit spending remains essential to prevent lasting damage to the global recovery.

In Memory of My Grandmother

In a tribute to his late grandmother Anne, a 91-year-old survivor of the Holodomor and World War II, the speaker outlines five core lessons on resilience, strength, and unconditional love. These teachings, drawn from her endurance of historical catastrophes and her stoic character, include mental fortitude against suffering, a redefinition of physical power, and the courage to dream big despite self-doubt. Concluding the remembrance with a reading of Stepan Shipachev's poem and a toast to the departed, the speaker affirms a personal commitment to upholding these values of hard work and deep connection.

China v America: why universities are on the front line

Ketan, David Rennie

Driven by a historical precedent established in 1978, the modern exodus of Chinese students has created a financial interdependence for Western universities while exposing both parties to acute geopolitical leverage. This relationship now faces a dual crisis as rising security concerns, border restrictions, and potential state surveillance threaten to sever the academic exchanges that fueled China's economic rise. Consequently, institutions grapple with the strategic dilemma of maintaining vital revenue streams against the escalating risks to academic freedom and diplomatic stability.

America’s stimulus package: is it working?

John Fassman, Callum Williams

The United States is financing its expansive stimulus through low-cost global borrowing, resulting in record-high household incomes and stabilized poverty rates despite a shrinking economy. While federal executive orders have added $300 weekly to unemployment benefits, creaky state infrastructure and impending fund depletion create processing delays and financial uncertainty for the coming fall. Political analysts caution that future fiscal support depends on Democratic legislative control, even though current measures successfully prevented inflation by encouraging cash conservation among households and businesses.

Investing Insights from Big Data

Nicholas Chan, Nick, Liz

Goldman Sachs utilizes machine learning and natural language processing to ingest unstructured alternative data, such as credit card transactions and geolocation metrics, for investment strategies that supplement traditional financial analysis. The firm specifically addresses pandemic-driven market volatility by constructing a quantitative "COVID basket" that evaluates revenue exposure, supply chains, and industry classifications to neutralize sector-specific risks. This approach leverages real-time indicators to forecast shifts in high-impact sectors like home improvement and digital entertainment while mitigating exposure in travel and leisure industries.

Financing Higher Education During a Time of Disruption

Diana Hoadley, Liz

Higher education institutions have issued approximately $45 billion in taxable and tax-exempt debt to secure budgetary flexibility amid pandemic disruptions, with proceeds targeting refinancing and capital projects. As universities navigate varied fall learning models and significant revenue risks from reduced auxiliary income and athletic postponements, they are exploring asset monetization, program adjustments, and strategic mergers to mitigate financial strain. While investors remain confident in well-endowed institutions, rating agencies express growing concern over smaller public and rural universities facing declining state support and shrinking enrollment pipelines.

China’s New Infrastructure

Jacqueline Du, Liz

China is launching a $2.1 trillion infrastructure initiative spanning 2020 to 2025 that prioritizes digital transformation across seven key sectors, including 5G networks, data centers, and artificial intelligence. The project executes a three-phase rollout designed to first build communication systems, then ramp up industrial IoT penetration to 45%, and finally deliver economic benefits to the real economy starting in 2023. This strategy aims to create over 200,000 engineering jobs annually and generate $700 billion in manufacturing cost savings by integrating digital grids, smart transit, and cloud-based enterprise operations.