Latest Interviews
Showing 2446–2460 of 3,056 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 1m
Accelerating Democracy: Creating Pathways to Prosperity
Felix Salmon, Cheryl Dorsey, Ed Foster-Simeon, Andrea Hoffman, Rosie Rios, Jose Antonio Vargas
This panel convened diverse leaders including U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios and Echoing Green's Cheryl Dorsey to connect systemic racial inequality with stalled U.S. economic growth. Participants detailed specific mechanisms for progress, ranging from currency redesigns featuring Harriet Tubman to evidence-based mentorship programs targeting the 9 million at-risk children. The discussion concluded with a strategic framework that prioritizes closing capital formation gaps and shifting narratives to foster a society where inclusivity becomes the default economic engine.
- Milken Institute58 min
The Alchemy of Capital Structure
Erik Schatzker, Joshua Friedman, Joshua Harris, Carey Lathrop, Jonathan Sokoloff, John Sokoloff, Kerry Lathrop
A panel of financial experts analyzes the current high-yield debt market, identifying a late-cycle environment where record leverage multiples and covenant erosion have created a fragile "refinancing wall" for overextended issuers. Drawing on historical shifts from the Drexel era to post-2008 regulatory constraints, the discussion highlights specific vulnerabilities in the energy sector and warns that passive investing has exacerbated liquidity mismatches. Consequently, the experts advise investors to maintain selective discipline and prioritize senior secured positions while urging corporate leaders to extend debt maturities and fortify balance sheets against an anticipated rise in borrowing costs and subsequent restructuring wave.
- Milken Institute1h 16m
U.S. Overview: Will Recovery Prevail?
Ross DeVol, Monty Bennett, Juan Enriquez, Fred Hochberg, Judith McKenna, Bluford Putnam
A panel of economic experts analyzes the mixed signals of U.S. growth in early 2016, where weak Q1 GDP and corporate profit declines were partially offset by a resilient housing sector and significant household savings from lower gasoline prices. While stagnant wage growth and regulatory constraints like Dodd-Frank continue to dampen capital goods orders and business confidence, the consumer remains a bright spot driven by deleveraging and the incoming spending power of Millennials. Long-term prospects rely on innovation to sustain a projected 2% growth cap, with global commodity stabilization and the U.S. role as a swing producer expected to support export-driven gains in the service sector.
- Milken Institute56 min
Outlook for High-Yield and Leveraged Finance
Tom Braithwaite, Christopher Boyle, Peter Budko, Henry Chyung, Robert Kricheff, Andrew Whittaker
Global macroeconomic analysis characterizes the current environment as a late-stage credit cycle driven by unprecedented central bank interventions, including negative interest rates and massive sovereign debt issuance, which have created a distorted market feedback loop. Analysts observe a sharp bifurcation in high-yield securities where defensive sectors outperform cyclical energy and mining industries facing significant downgrades, while passive investing amplifies short-term volatility and liquidity illusions. Consequently, investment strategies favor active management and diversification to navigate the risks of over-leveraged balance sheets and potential default spikes, as financial engineering rather than organic growth currently underpins market expansion.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Governors Address Challenges Facing States
Eric Schmidt, John Hickenlooper, Terry McAuliffe, Rick Scott, Scott Walker
Governors Rick Scott, Scott Walker, John Hickenlooper, and Terry McAuliffe convened to discuss distinct state-level strategies for economic growth, ranging from Florida's tax-cut model and Wisconsin's fiscal stabilization to Colorado's workforce adaptability and Virginia's international trade focus. Despite operating in opposing partisan environments, these leaders emphasized a unified shift from job creation to filling vacancies by prioritizing apprenticeships, dismantling federal mandates on healthcare and infrastructure, and challenging anti-capitalist sentiment through high-wage employment. The panel concluded that states must serve as "laboratories of democracy" to craft granular solutions for environmental and social issues while advocating for federal devolution of authority to maximize efficiency in workforce development and public safety.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
The Blockchain: A Revolution You Need to Understand
Marc Hochstein, Brian Forde, Jalak Jobanputra, Leanne Kemp, Margaret Liu, Steve Wager
A diverse panel of academics, venture capitalists, and regulators from the MIT Media Lab, Future Perfect Ventures, Everledger, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors examines blockchain's potential to reduce financial friction through decentralized ledgers and instant settlements. The discussion details specific use cases in diamond supply chain integrity and global identity while contrasting the trade-offs between public permissionless networks and private regulatory-friendly architectures. Ultimately, the group projects that while energy consumption and AML compliance remain critical challenges, the technology is transitioning from experimental concepts to production-ready infrastructure for securities and commodities by 2017.
- Milken Institute58 min
Solving the Global Water Challenge
Diane Regas, Christine Cioffe, Monica Ellis, Robert MacLean, Seth Siegel, Gary White
A panel of experts from Water.org, PepsiCo, and California American Water analyzed the global water crisis, highlighting that 660 million people lack basic water access while developed nations face aging infrastructure and pollution. The discussion detailed how innovative financial models like Water Credit leverage private capital to serve low-income populations and how agricultural reforms in places like Israel offer scalable solutions for the 70% of water used globally for farming. Ultimately, participants argued that shifting focus from the cost to the value of water, combined with desalination and climate resilience strategies, is essential to bridge the gap between humanitarian aid and sustainable commercial finance.
- Milken Institute58 min
The Future of Retirement: Redefining Work, Leisure, Money, Purpose and Success
Ina Jaffe, Ken Dychtwald, Paul Irving, Andrew Sieg, Jacqueline (Jackie) Wong, Andy Sieg, Jackie Wong, Martha Minow, Paul Hanson, Judy Woodruff, Nelson Carbonell
A panel of global experts and industry leaders, including Andy Sieg and Ken Deichwald, converges to address the transformative impact of rising life expectancy, which is driving a shift from traditional retirement to a "longevity economy" valued at $7.1 trillion in the US alone. Speakers highlight critical challenges such as ageism, a misaligned healthcare infrastructure, and the "sandwich generation's" dual caregiving burdens while proposing solutions like gerontology-certified financial advising, flexible re-employment policies in Singapore, and democratized lifelong learning models. The discussion ultimately frames this demographic shift as a cultural imperative, urging a transition from viewing retirement as disengagement to embracing continuous work and intergenerational engagement to sustain economic and personal well-being.
- Milken Institute58 min
Investing in Sustainable Development
John McArthur, Reyaz Ahmad, Christopher Ailman, Aimée Christensen, David Rae, Michael Perkins, Chris
Leading institutional investors and development finance experts convened to argue that shifting from moral to economic imperatives is essential for mobilizing the estimated $5 to $7 trillion annually needed to fund global sustainable development. Panelists including Christopher Ailman, David Ray, and representatives from CalSTRS and the IFC discussed specific strategies such as carbon pricing, blended capital, and SASB-standardized metrics to navigate regulatory uncertainty and scale infrastructure in energy, transport, and agriculture. The consensus emphasized that achieving these goals requires integrating sustainability into core business models rather than treating it as corporate social responsibility, ultimately aiming to stabilize long-term capital flows through predictable policy frameworks and transparent risk management.
- Milken Institute56 min
ISIS and Global Terrorism: What It Will Take to Defeat Them
Michael Weiss, Nada Bakos, Tony Blair, Lindsey Graham, Brett McGurk
A panel of military, political, and diplomatic experts assessed the strategic evolution of ISIS as it pivots from territorial control to global exportation while integrating European nationals into senior leadership roles. Senator Lindsey Graham advocated for expanding U.S. troop levels to 10,000 in both Iraq and Syria to support indigenous forces, whereas Prime Minister Tony Blair emphasized a generational strategy to counter the ideological roots of radicalization rooted in failed multiculturalism. Despite significant progress in degrading ISIS financial networks and targeting senior commanders, the coalition faces enduring hurdles including Arab hesitation to target the Assad regime, internal instability in Iraq, and a projected conflict duration spanning decades.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Food Security: Strengthening the Global Supply Chain
Cristina Alesci, Pierre Ferrari, Marc LePage, Kimbal Musk, Martin Short, Kenneth Simril
Executives from Heifer International, Genome Canada, and The Kitchen convened to address the critical challenge of feeding a growing global population while mitigating climate change impacts. The panelists outlined a strategic shift away from unsustainable industrial commodity farming toward localized systems, genomic breeding, and protein alternatives that enhance smallholder productivity and nutritional security. Speakers emphasized that achieving these goals requires systemic regulatory reform, advanced infrastructure to reduce food waste, and economic incentives to internalize the environmental costs of current agricultural practices.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Reforming Islam: A Conversation With Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Somali-Dutch activist Ayaan Hirsi Ali recounts her journey from a radicalized childhood in Somalia to her intellectual awakening in the Netherlands, where she developed a critical framework for analyzing Islamic doctrine following the September 11 attacks. She proposes a five-point reform agenda targeting the Quran's authority, the infallibility of the Prophet, Sharia law, and the concept of Jihad to reconcile Islam with modern humanism and Western liberal values. While condemning Donald Trump's appropriation of her message for anti-Muslim rhetoric, Ali advocates for distinguishing between critiquing religious ideologies and respecting individuals, urging continued support for the AHA Foundation to combat honor violence and religious tyranny.
- Milken Institute59 min
Impact Investing: Where Are the Deals?
Amit Bouri, John Chiang, Tony Davis, Giles Gunesekera, Deval Patrick, James Gifford, Shiran
Industry leaders from TIAA, Bain Capital, Inherent Group, and the California State Treasurer's office convened to address the critical gap between high consumer interest and the slow deployment of capital in impact investing. Panelists detailed strategic approaches to scaling growth and control investments through specific sectors like affordable housing and inclusive finance, while highlighting the urgent need for standardized measurement frameworks like IRIS to harmonize market expectations. Looking forward, the discussion emphasized that demographic shifts, particularly the impending $40 trillion inheritance by Millennials and increased female financial control, will drive the adoption of regenerative capital models alongside policy reforms to unlock additional tax incentives.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
From Battlefield to Business: Translating Military Skills Into Civilian Success
Susan Fallon Brown, Greg Behrman, Brendan Hart, Christopher Perkins, Blas Villalobos, Chris Perkins, Connie Mielke, Ronald Funderburg, Yolanda Parker, Jim Coleman, Lieutenant Hawley
Hosted by Susan Fallon Brown of Monster and Military.com, this panel featured Chris Perkins of Citi, Brendan Hart of Prosper Labs, and Greg Berman of Nationswell to analyze the transition of 2.5 million veteran-owned businesses into the civilian labor market. The discussion highlighted how public-private partnerships have boosted veteran confidence and job readiness metrics while exposing critical gaps in skills translation and self-advocacy that employers can address through initiatives like Citi's hiring targets or Uber's data-driven recruitment. By addressing barriers such as the delayed timing of Transition Assistance Programs and the need for better support for disabled veterans, the event outlined a strategic shift toward corporate retention and tailored mentorship to leverage military leadership in diverse sectors.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Digital Innovations Transforming India
Reuben Abraham, Sahil Kini, Arvind Pani, Abhishek Sinha, Vivek Wadhwa
A panel of fintech and technology leaders projects that India's rapid smartphone adoption and the India Stack infrastructure will transform its digital economy from cash-dependent to a $2.5 billion mobile payment market by 2025. Key innovations in biometric identity verification and localized language technologies are enabling startups to bypass traditional Western banking and credit card models to serve the unbanked population. Furthermore, experts anticipate these homegrown solutions in health and finance will eventually export globally, disrupting established industries in the United States and other developed nations.