Latest Interviews
Showing 391–405 of 481 interview transcripts.
Clear all filters- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS – Dan Huttenlocher: Tech and the City – Powering the Future
Cornell Tech Dean Dan Huttenlacher outlined the creation of the Roosevelt Island campus as a strategic response to bridge the gap between university education and the digital economy, mirroring the historic establishment of engineering schools in the 1860s. Drawing on New York's thriving venture capital ecosystem, Huttenlacher distinguished the current technological landscape by emphasizing human dexterity in unstructured scenarios while advocating for AI's efficacy in rule-based tasks. He further addressed the necessity of diversifying the computer science demographic and navigating societal challenges posed by social media and blockchain, urging a corporate framework that prioritizes stakeholders before engaging in proactive societal dialogue.
- Goldman Sachs9 min
Talks at GS – Tony Prophet: Promoting Equality in the Workplace
Salesforce co-founder Tony Profitt describes how the company institutionalized a three-vector innovation model centered on the "1-1-1" philanthropy framework and an "Ohana" culture defined by trust, growth, innovation, and equality. As the organization's first Chief Equality Officer, Profitt outlines a four-lane strategy for societal impact that includes opposing discriminatory legislation, enforcing equal pay, expanding educational access, and mirroring local demographics through inclusive hiring practices. This approach challenges traditional notions of cultural fit to create an environment where diverse talent thrives, positioning long-term societal legacy as a core business objective rather than an afterthought.
- Goldman Sachs12 min
Talks at GS – Ella and Matthew Mills: Deliciously Ella’s Recipe for Success
Following a personal health diagnosis, Ella Mills transformed her recovery blog into Deliciously Ella, a leading international food brand that achieved record-breaking cookbook sales and app downloads without formal marketing or an internal creative team. To scale the operation, co-CEO Matthew Mills joined to provide essential financial expertise, enabling the consolidation of the fragmented free-from market into a single optimistic entity with distribution in 5,500 stores. Driven by Mills' direct daily engagement with 28 million social media followers, the company aims to become the UK's largest health food business by prioritizing general dietary improvement over niche weight loss trends.
- Goldman Sachs46 min
Talks at GS – Ron Chernow: Lessons in Leadership – The Unlikely Rise of Ulysses S. Grant
Ron Chernow, Ulysses S. Grant, Lloyd Blankfein
Biographer Ron Chernow reconstructs Ulysses S. Grant's arc from a failed businessman and dismissed officer to a strategic genius who secured Union victory and championed Reconstruction through the Department of Justice. Chernow utilizes Grant's presidency to challenge the "Lost Cause" narrative, highlighting the passage of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments and the unprecedented political representation of African Americans before the era's eventual collapse. While documenting Grant's tragic financial ruin and his unique psychological capacity for calm under fire, the work reframes the general as a modernizing leader whose legacy has surged from historical obscurity to the center of civil rights history.
- Goldman Sachs14 min
Talks at GS – Henry Kravis: 40 Years of Innovation in Finance
Founded in 1976 by Henry Kravis, George Roberts, and Jerry Colbert, KKR operates as an independent private equity firm distinguished by a long-term investment horizon and a decadal "first day" mindset designed to prevent organizational stagnation. The firm prioritizes active value creation over static financial modeling, leveraging a unique culture of full profit sharing and a leadership philosophy that warns against arrogance while focusing on the 20% of business levers that drive the majority of outcomes. As the firm manages a global portfolio of over 130 companies, its partners emphasize that success relies on identifying evolving market realities rather than adhering to rigid projections, a strategy supported by their enduring partnership and adherence to rigorous operational discipline.
- Goldman Sachs13 min
Talks at GS – Dan Weiss: A Museum for the 21st Century
Danish El-Kholy, the fifth president of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, oversees a global institution with a $320 million budget and 7 million annual visitors while navigating complex debates on repatriation and public monuments. He defends the museum's object-centered preservation mission against political pressures and advocates for historical labeling over the removal of controversial statues to foster civil discourse. El-Kholy concludes by urging leaders to prioritize integrity and ownership of errors, emphasizing that success often relies on acknowledging the role of luck alongside professional responsibility.
- Goldman Sachs8 min
Talks at GS – Dr. Paula Johnson: Advocating for Freedom of Speech and Diversity on Campus
Biomedical research highlights significant disparities in heart disease and neurologic conditions between sexes, necessitating an interdisciplinary approach that integrates sociology, economics, and epigenetics rather than treating biology in isolation. Simultaneously, experts advocate for intentional leadership and data-driven goals to dismantle silos between sex, gender, and race while promoting free speech as a shared value essential for mutual learning across differences. This dual focus calls for conditions where dialogue assumes the potential for understanding opposing viewpoints, ensuring that advancing gender equality and protecting democratic discourse proceed in tandem.
- Goldman Sachs13 min
Talks at GS – Icarus: Uncovering a Scandal of Olympic Proportions
Bryan Fogel, Dan Cogan, David Fialkow
Director Brian Fogel launched a documentary project that evolved into a high-stakes thriller after scientists suggested anti-doping tests were easily bypassable, leading him to partner with Russian whistleblower Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov. Their collaboration produced the record-breaking film "Icarus," which exposed Russia's state-sponsored doping program and forced Rodchenkov into exile following threats from Vladimir Putin's regime. This pivotal case study demonstrates how a sports investigation transformed into a survival narrative, ultimately setting market benchmarks for documentary valuations and catalyzing the shift toward streaming platforms as the primary distributor for the genre.
- Goldman Sachs19 min
Talks at GS – Edward Norton: Capitalism and Creative Disruption
In a discussion spanning his activist family lineage and career in entertainment, actor Edward Norton analyzes the necessity of treating ecological services as a financial asset class to drive sustainability. He contrasts the late-1990s studio system's willingness to risk new voices, exemplified by *Fight Club*, with the modern disruption caused by streaming services that have dismantled traditional DVD revenue models. Norton further details his transition to founding EDO, a data science firm applying finance-grade ROI analytics to media to replace outdated engagement metrics and align ad spend with actual audience action.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
Talks at GS – Ambassador Christopher Hill: Then & Now – The North Korean Nuclear Crisis
North Korea has shifted from historical negotiation attempts to a strategy under Kim Jong-un that legally enshrines nuclear weapons to decouple U.S. forces from its allies while developing solid-fuel missiles capable of threatening the American mainland. Addressing this evolving threat requires a multi-pronged approach combining stringent U.S.-led sanctions, cyber operations, and renewed diplomatic efforts, all while navigating China's internal conflict between economic interests and security fears of regime collapse. Without sustained global cooperation and military reassurances for South Korea and Japan, the risk of miscalculation remains high as Pyongyang continues to advance its nuclear capabilities.
- Goldman Sachs11 min
Talks at GS – Nitin Nohria: The Responsibility of Leadership
Harvard Business School has evolved from a domestic management focus into a global leadership institution defined by its mission to cultivate individuals with both professional competence and the character to inspire trust. Dean Nitin Nohria emphasizes that this dual focus is critical to avoiding organizational fragility while asserting that profitable, self-sustaining enterprises offer a superior path to social dignity than traditional philanthropy. This strategic shift aligns with changing student demographics who increasingly prioritize meaningful impact and work-life balance, often favoring smaller firms over large corporations to mitigate perceived institutional risks.
- Goldman Sachs11 min
Talks at GS – Richard Armstrong: Redefining Beauty Through Art
Since 2008, Director Richard Armstrong has steered the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum toward a mission prioritizing imagination and the human "quest for beauty" within Frank Lloyd Wright's iconic spiral structure. The institution attracts over one million annual visitors who engage with a curatorial model that rejects rigid data-driven education in favor of challenging, high-risk artistic proposals vetted through a hierarchical directorship process. This approach positions the museum as a sanctuary for eccentricity, aiming to foster visual acuity and societal diversity against the backdrop of modern digital consumption.
- Goldman Sachs21 min
Talks at GS – Tony Blinken: Diplomacy: The First Response
Former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken outlines a foreign policy philosophy where robust diplomacy serves as the essential first response to prevent conflicts from escalating into costly military engagements. He details critical assessments of recent U.S. strategies, noting that the Iran Nuclear Deal effectively delayed nuclear threats while criticizing the withdrawal from that agreement as a strategic error. Blinken further emphasizes that effective statecraft requires balancing humility regarding intervention limits with a commitment to American values of dignity, as seen in his reflection on the failures in Syria and the complexities surrounding North Korea and China.
- Goldman Sachs16 min
Talks at GS – Richard Plepler: Finding the Next Great Voices in Storytelling
Richard Plepler steered HBO from post-*Sopranos* stagnation into growth by reinvesting in differentiated voices like *Game of Thrones* and abandoning legacy sequels to monetize distinction over volume. The leadership cultivated an internal culture of genuine dialogue and non-punitive crisis management, enabling a synchronized response to recent security incidents while fostering an environment where talent takes visceral ownership of their work. By prioritizing human identification and high-stakes storytelling over intellectualization, the network aims to coexist with competitors like Netflix by delivering an addictive content experience rather than chasing sheer audience metrics.
- Goldman Sachs19 min
Talks at GS – Dan Schulman: The Democratization of Finance
PayPal is shifting its global strategy to a mobile-only model that leverages device data and sophisticated algorithms to secure one-touch transactions, addressing high cart abandonment rates and identity theft while democratizing financial services for underserved demographics. Under the leadership of John Donahoe, the company has simultaneously diversified its board to 40% women and minorities and championed an inclusive corporate culture that rejects traditional work-life balance in favor of integrated professional and personal passions. This strategic pivot aims to expand the digital payments addressable market by eliminating complex entry barriers and reducing fees for users who currently spend a significant portion of their disposable income on unnecessary financial costs.