Latest Interviews
Showing 2311–2325 of 2,590 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute31 min
MIc'd Up | Part 2: A Conversation with Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas Kristof
Sheryl WuDunn, Nicholas Kristof, Nick Kristof
Columnist Nicholas Kristof and author Sheryl Sandberg discuss their bestsellers' findings on the "empathy gap," illustrating how focusing on individual stories rather than abstract statistics drives charitable giving and policy support. Kristof further argues that effective global leadership requires prioritizing economic growth through job creation and early childhood investment while urging corporations and governments to align with Environmental, Social, and Governance values. The conversation concludes with a warning that retreating from U.S. global hegemony invites a "Kindleberger trap" of international instability and preventable human suffering.
- Milken Institute58 min
The Hunt for Yield: Risk-Free Return or Return-Free Risk?
James Mackintosh, Scott Evans, Robert Kricheff, AJ Murphy, Anne Walsh, Andrew Whittaker, James McInstosh, Bob Krychev
A panel of institutional investors and asset managers characterizes the fixed-income market as being in a late-stage bull phase with historically tight spreads, prompting a strategic shift toward defensive positioning despite a consensus that the environment remains distinct from the speculative excesses of 2007-2008. While participants are reducing exposure to overvalued assets like U.S. agency mortgage-backed securities and wary of liquidity risks from passive investing and covenant-lite debt, they continue seeking yield premiums in sector-specific opportunities such as second-lien loans and selective high-yield issuers. This cautious approach reflects concerns that corporate leverage remains elevated and that potential macroeconomic catalysts, including fiscal policy changes and geopolitical shifts, could abruptly alter the trajectory of an otherwise extended credit cycle.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
India's Great Strides
Reuben Abraham, Nisha Biswal, Raju Narisetti, Irfan Nooruddin, Anand Shah
Raju Rajagopal founded *Mint* in 2007 to introduce Western journalistic ethics to India's growing business sector, capitalizing on demographic shifts that would eventually make it the country's second-largest newspaper. The publication's success occurred alongside a strategic transformation in US-India relations under Narendra Modi, characterized by heightened diplomatic engagement and a "dynamic" partnership despite anticipated transactional tensions. Simultaneously, India leveraged digital infrastructure like the "India Stack" and Aadhaar to bypass traditional banking hurdles, driving massive financial inclusion while navigating complex domestic reforms such as the Goods and Services Tax.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Framework for Investing for the Long Term
Colin le Duc, Brian Gildea, Steven Goulart, Jingdong Hua, Jean Hynes, Arif Naqvi
A diverse panel of institutional investors from firms including MetLife, Generation, and the IFC identified a critical misalignment between long-term asset requirements and current quarterly measurement frameworks that hinders sustainable capital deployment. To address these structural barriers, participants detailed innovative incentive models and de-risking strategies, such as IFC first-loss provisions and Wellington Management's decoupled compensation structures, designed to unlock the $30 trillion opportunity within the Sustainable Development Goals. The group concluded that overcoming regulatory bottlenecks and standardizing impact metrics is essential for mobilizing idle capital into emerging markets and infrastructure projects while shifting asset allocation toward holistic value creation.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
A Conversation with Sherry Lansing
Sherry Lansing, Stephen Galloway
Former 20th Century Fox and Paramount Pictures chairman Sherry Lansing spent 25 years leading Hollywood's most prominent studios, producing blockbusters like *Titanic* and *Forrest Gump* while overcoming gender bias and high-pressure production crises. In 2003, she transitioned from film to philanthropy, founding the Sherry Lansing Foundation to advance cancer research and education after a pivotal meeting with Jimmy Carter. Now 72, Lansing reports greater authenticity and joy in her charitable work than in her decades of studio management, with plans to remain active until age 100.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Quality Assurance: Why Women Lead Most Health-Care Decisions
Kelly Close, Lynn Goldman, Dariush Mozaffarian, Deneen Vojta
A strategic public health initiative addresses the global nutrition crisis and declining U.S. health outcomes by leveraging women's decision-making power while countering misinformation with evidence-based interventions. Experts propose systemic reforms including price transparency, Medicare incentives for healthy eating, and the integration of nutrition as a vital sign in electronic health records to shift focus from acute care to preventive "soft healing." The plan further outlines the deployment of automated monitoring technologies and community health workers to reduce chronic disease rates, aiming to transform healthcare delivery into a scalable, consumer-oriented model within the next decade.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Commissioners of Sport: Agile Leadership in a Competitive World
Jim Gray, Gary Bettman, Don Garber, Robert Manfred Jr., Adam Silver
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, NHL's Gary Bettman, MLS's Don Garber, and MLB's Rob Manfred discussed critical challenges facing major sports leagues, including balancing owner interests with fan experiences and navigating digital disruption. The commissioners highlighted significant policy decisions ranging from implementing strict concussion protocols and youth safety measures to managing international competition costs and substance use regulations. Furthermore, the leaders addressed roster management strategies like strategic player resting and the complexities of integrating social issues into the apolitical nature of professional sports while aiming to drive global growth and demographic shifts.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS – Eddie Huang: Food, Culture, Identity
Executive Producer and author Nahnatchka Khan reflects on her memoir *Fresh Off the Boat* and the television adaptation as pivotal moments in transitioning from defensive survival mechanisms to intentional identity formation. She critiques the show for diluting authentic Asian experiences into universal white narratives while rejecting the "model minority" stereotype through her personal journey of culinary preservation and leadership at her restaurant, Bauhaus. Ultimately, she advocates for a cultural shift that prioritizes shared humanity over differences, utilizing a management philosophy that blends high performance with deep personal care to foster genuine employee loyalty.
- Y Combinator34 min
How Should Business Schools Prepare Students for Startups? – Jeff Bussgang and Michael Seibel
Jeff Bussgang, Michael Seibel, Craig Cannon
YC CEO Michael Seibel and HBS lecturer Jeff Busgang debate the persistent gaps between MBA education and startup execution, identifying technical deficits, lack of commitment, and excessive research as primary reasons for high rejection rates. While Business Schools like Harvard are adapting through physical integration with engineering departments and new joint degrees, the traditional curriculum often fails to instill the immediate traction and hands-on coding skills required by venture capitalists. Ultimately, Seibel advises non-technical founders outside top hubs to prioritize working at early-stage startups over pursuing an MBA, citing real-world experience as superior preparation for building transformational ventures.
- Y Combinator31 min
Building Your Board | Glenn Kelman
Glenn Kelman, Selina Tobaccowala, James Slavitt, Jeff Markowitz, Mark Singer, Emily Melton, Austin Ligon, Reed, Julie Bornstein, Bob Milad, Jason, Janie, Scott, Chris Roski
Redfin CEO Peter van de Ven transformed his company's governance by shifting board relations from adversarial to collaborative, implementing strict communication protocols and off-site retreats to foster honest dialogue and strategic alignment. To ensure operational efficiency, the firm recruited board members based on peer-scale experience and mission alignment rather than corporate prestige, resulting in employed agents who are three times more productive than industry standards. This deliberate restructuring of founder-board dynamics and executive accountability has enabled Redfin to maintain higher Net Promoter Scores while generating hundreds of millions in annual revenue.
- Y Combinator31 min
Scaling Product | Fireside with Joe Gebbia and Reid Hoffman
Airbnb achieved product-market fit by abandoning scalable code solutions in favor of manual, non-scalable actions, such as founders personally photographing listings to overcome trust barriers and reduce user friction. To sustain hyper-growth while maintaining culture and empathy, the company institutionalized practices like hiring for future needs, training core values interviewers, and mandating that employees regularly experience the platform as travelers and hosts. This strategic focus on deep user connection and operational realism eventually enabled the expansion from a simple room-rental service to a comprehensive travel ecosystem featuring Experiences and a global network of professional photographers.
- Goldman Sachs11 min
Talks at GS – Julia Steyn: Car Sharing and the Future of Auto
GM is pivoting from a traditional manufacturing model to a service-oriented strategy through its Maven brand, which targets younger urban demographics with integrated car-sharing and rideshare solutions. CEO Mary Barra oversees this multi-billion dollar investment in artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, and electric vehicles to address the mismatch between slow automotive engineering cycles and rapid consumer tech adoption. The initiative aims to secure lifetime customer value by adapting to shifting urban habits while acknowledging that personal vehicle ownership will persist in rural markets.
- Y Combinator6 min
Ben Huh on Therapy
Ben Ha, founder of Cheeseburger Network and Y Combinator special projects lead, advocates for proactive mental health support to maintain high-performance states rather than reacting to crises. Drawing on his own experience with coaches Jerry Colonna and Khalid Halim, Ha emphasizes a strategy grounded in radical honesty and the "so, so, so what?" mantra to strip away emotional reactivity and clarify core motivational drivers. He asserts that investing in regular therapy yields a significant return on investment for startup founders by optimizing decision-making capabilities and preventing costly burnout.
- Goldman Sachs13 min
Talks at GS – Adam Grant: The Psychology of Resilience
Organizations Psychologist Adam Grant and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg discuss how originality functions as a portfolio strategy requiring high failure rates and how prioritizing employees over shareholders drives sustainable corporate success over decades. Their collaboration on *Option B* emerged from Sandberg's grief after her husband's death, leading to insights on how leadership transparency and early organizational engagement foster resilience and continuous improvement. Grant further emphasizes that leaders should normalize vulnerability by sharing their own performance reviews, a practice exemplified by Carolyn Iverson at Facebook, while advising individuals to focus on executing decisions rather than merely making the right ones.
- Y Combinator41 min
From Startup to Scaleup | Sam Altman and Reid Hoffman
Originating from a Stanford class led by Reid Hoffman and Sam Altman, this event synthesizes the core principles of "blitzscaling" to address how technology startups can rapidly expand while maintaining network effects and organizational coherence. Through discussions on YC's continuity fund and hiring hierarchies that prioritize values over specific skills, the gathering outlines strategies for managing the chaos inherent in growing from twenty to over 500 employees. The session concludes by defining the critical shift from early-stage intuition to structured communication and capital efficiency, emphasizing that sustainable scaling requires leaders to explicitly balance inefficient growth with eventual profitability.