Latest Interviews
Showing 1501–1515 of 1,758 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 4m
Debating Online Higher Education: Sebastian Thrun and Niall Ferguson
Sebastian Thrun, Niall Ferguson, Tom Stewart, Martin Splitt, David Leonhardt Jr., Robb Boyd Jr., Peter Barron, Sachit Egan, David Baddielski, Gerhard Hoffstaedtersen, David Levinson, Sebastian Wehrmann, Iran, Christian Brinkhoff, Serena Rosso, Martha Hutton, Alan Seales, Jonathan Zittrain
A debate between Sebastian Thrun and Neil Ferguson examines the disruptive potential of online higher education, highlighting Thrun's data on Udacity's cost-effective, high-performing models against Ferguson's counter-arguments regarding the irreplaceable value of campus-based Socratic learning. Participants discuss how hybrid business models and specialized content delivery aim to solve completion rate issues while serving 400,000 waitlisted U.S. students, though historical precedents suggest technology alone cannot guarantee commercial success. The conversation concludes with predictions that online platforms will not replace traditional universities but will instead expand access to the 80% of the global workforce lacking degrees, potentially stabilizing an industry currently plagued by financial crises and adjunctification.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Pension Funds and the Economics of Retirement: Demographics Drive Evolution
Andrew Clearhout, Josh Gottbaum, Dan Houston, Brian Pellegrino
A recent panel discussion highlighted the resurgence of defined benefit pension plans in 2013, citing improved funded ratios for Fortune 1000 companies and the robust growth of major entities like Ontario Teachers and UPS. The analysis detailed how these funds utilize alternative asset allocations and direct investment governance to target superior returns while navigating regulatory pressures from the PBGC and tax inefficiencies that currently favor defined contribution models. Experts concluded that despite demographic shifts and longevity risks, a hybrid "barbell" system is emerging where robust DB structures provide security for long-tenure employees while DC plans serve those with fluid career paths.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Nutrition and Fitness: Living Well Forever
Howard Sewell, David Heber, Walter Longo, Jacob Rafer, Sarah Mullen
Experts convened to analyze how lifestyle modifications can prevent the majority of chronic illnesses, emphasizing that 70% of physician-treated conditions are avoidable through targeted interventions in diet, exercise, and hormonal health. The discussion highlighted specific mechanisms such as using protein timing and eccentric resistance training to combat metabolic syndrome, while debating the nuanced roles of intermittent fasting and testosterone replacement therapy in extending healthspan. Consensus emerged that exercise is a medical necessity and that combining lifestyle changes with monitored medical treatments offers the most effective strategy for reducing global healthcare costs and improving mortality outcomes.
- Milken Institute59 min
Activist Investors and the Search for Alpha
Chris Ellman, Cliff, Jeff, Barry
A panel of leading activist investors including CalSTRS's Chris Ellman and Cliff Icahn's Blue Harbor argues that the industry has shifted from hostile raids to constructive, long-term partnerships focused on intrinsic value. Participants detail strategic tactics such as securing single board seats to influence management while avoiding public proxy fights, emphasizing capital allocation that favors sustainable growth over short-term financial engineering. With seven consecutive deals at one firm requiring only private CEO engagement, the consensus projects a bifurcated future where experienced firms drive 20% IRRs by correcting operational inefficiencies rather than pursuing media-driven volatility.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
U.S. Cities Leading the Way
Josh Terengel, Walter Robb, Kathy Wilde, Gavin Newsom, Tony Hsieh, Andy Cohn
Led by prominent figures such as Gavin Newsom and Tony Hsieh, this event examines how U.S. cities are leveraging public-private partnerships to drive economic growth amidst federal funding gaps and restrictive immigration policies. The discussion highlights transformative local initiatives like Detroit's Whole Foods collaboration and Las Vegas's Downtown Project, which prioritize community engagement and "Return on Community" over traditional financial metrics. Despite these innovations, the panel also addresses the critical challenges of gentrification and affordable housing, advocating for substantive corporate stewardship and new fiscal mechanisms to ensure equitable urban development.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Southeast Asia: Roaring and Ready for Investment and Regional Integration
Laura D. Lacey, Michael, Paul Wolfowitz, Kurt, Chiron, Scott
A panel discussion highlights the ASEAN region's emergence as a critical global economic force, noting its $2.5 trillion GDP, massive consumer market, and strategic position in the "China Plus One" supply chain shift. While acknowledging significant challenges such as regulatory fragmentation, political instability, and infrastructure disparities, the experts emphasize substantial investment opportunities in aviation, healthcare, and agricultural technology driven by a youthful demographic. The consensus advises multinational corporations to leverage Singapore or Kuala Lumpur as regional hubs to navigate the complex landscape, anticipating that the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community launch will accelerate long-term growth and integration.
- Milken Institute58 min
Treasure Hunters: Discovering Value in Volatile Markets
Stephen Toy, Jonathan Seaford, Steve Shapiro, Tad Revell, James Reynolds
Panelists including Steven Toy, Tad Revell, and Steve Shapiro characterize the 2013 private equity and credit markets as mid-to-late cycle environments defined by record leverage, tripled GP counts, and compressed risk premiums that mirror pre-crisis excesses. While consensus views plain vanilla high yield as unattractive due to valuation risks, experts identify immediate opportunities in non-auction distressed deals, the U.S. shale energy sector, and undervalued fixed income instruments like non-agency mortgage securities. To prepare for an anticipated wave of defaults and rising interest rates over the next 12 to 24 months, firms such as Golden Tree are raising dedicated distressed funds and advising general partners to secure long-duration capital to exploit the projected market dislocation.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Bridging the Divide: The Rise of Philanthropy in Asia
Rich, Anne, Your Highness, N, Mike, Laurie Milken, Carl, Justin Nix
The Milken Institute established a new Singapore center to analyze the intersection of Asia's rapid wealth accumulation and social needs, highlighting a distinct regional shift toward integrating philanthropy with family business strategies. Key initiatives, including Bhutan's "King's Challenge" and new impact investing funds in Hong Kong and South Korea, are driving a generational move away from traditional secrecy and pure donation models toward measurable, data-driven social returns. This evolving landscape seeks to leverage private capital and intergenerational collaboration to address systemic issues like youth demographics and sustainable economic development across the region.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Financing the Missing Middle Market
Jonathan Bach, Lawrence Golub, Rick Miller, Jim Moglia, Adam Sokoloff, Barry Volpert
Panelists from Golub Capital, TCW, BMO, and Jefferies convened to define the fragmented middle market segment, ranging from $5 million to $50 million in EBITDA, while analyzing significant pricing inefficiencies and strategic opportunities created by post-crisis banking constraints. The discussion highlighted that direct lenders and private equity firms are leveraging superior underwriting discipline and flexible capital structures to outperform large-cap peers, despite rising concerns over credit froth and potential deflationary shocks. Ultimately, the sector's economic significance is underscored by its contribution to 40% of U.S. GDP and 41% of private net job creation, positioning it as a critical engine for growth even as investor demand reaches record highs.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Global Governance: Which System Will Thrive?
Nathan, Mario Monti, Mitch Julis, Frank Fukuyama, Neil Ferguson
Prominent scholars including Mario Monti, Neil Ferguson, and Frank Fukuyama analyze the tension between democratic short-termism and the long-term planning capabilities of autocratic systems, highlighting how institutional decay and generational imbalances threaten Western stability. The discussion further examines the fragility of the European Union, the mispricing of geopolitical risks by financial markets, and the urgent need to revive robust military alliances to counter a resurgent Russia and manage China's rise. Ultimately, the panelists argue that navigating this return to 19th-century power dynamics requires overcoming domestic gridlock through grand coalitions and shifting public focus from immediate consumption to sustainable intergenerational security.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
K-12 Education Reform: Forward or Faltering?
Ron Brownstein, Kevin Huffman, Ruslan Ali, Lowell Milken, Patricia Levesque, Bruce Reed, Brooke Allen, Ted Fenton
A diverse panel of education leaders, including Tennessee Commissioner Kevin Huffman and Lowell Milken, analyzes the stagnant progress of U.S. school reform three decades after *A Nation at Risk* despite growing evidence that teacher quality and accountability drive success. While consensus exists on the necessity of performance-based pay and charter expansion, the discussion highlights a critical barrier: a fractured political landscape where opposition from the far left and right threatens to undermine standards, testing, and the constitutional right to an effective education. The experts conclude that closing persistent achievement gaps requires shifting from incremental funding to scalable, outcome-focused policies that empower parents and align incentives for the teachers serving low-income communities.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Is There Mojo in M&A?
Robert Rankin, Jonathan Coslet, DA, Ray, Steven, Nick, Rosie Greer
A resurgence in global M&A volumes, projected to reach $3.5 trillion this year, is driven by robust financing liquidity and a strategic shift by corporate boards from balance sheet repair to growth-focused acquisitions. While Private Equity participation remains normalized at 5% of total volume, heavy consolidation is occurring in pharmaceuticals, banking, and real estate sectors as firms navigate regulatory constraints and activist investor pressures. This market activity is further shaped by a bifurcated cost of capital that favors investment-grade borrowers and small private credit funds, forcing large deals to rely on alternative capital structures.
- Milken Institute55 min
Adjusting to the Tech Revolution: Surfing the Wave or Swept Away?
Dennis Neal, Mark Benioff, Steve Case, Vivek Wadhwa
Mark Benioff, Steve Case, and Vivek Wadhwa debate the shift from creative destruction to indiscriminate technological disruption, highlighting how automation, robotics, and the "third wave" of internet integration are poised to redefine healthcare, media, and government services. The panelists warn that while these innovations create new economic paradigms, the United States risks losing global innovation leadership if it fails to enact urgent immigration reform and address regulatory barriers. Ultimately, the discussion underscores the necessity for leaders to balance operational management with visionary strategy to navigate hyperdrive disruption and ensure technology benefits society rather than creating deep social inequality.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Unlocking the Mysteries of the Brain
Margaret Anderson, Adam Ghazali, Alan Jones, Jennifer Bristar, Henry Markham, Mark Schnitzer
Driven by a stagnating global disease burden in neuroscience and the limitations of symptom-based diagnostics, major international initiatives from the U.S. and Europe are mobilizing billions in funding to transition the field toward large-scale, data-driven collaboration. These efforts aim to replace fragmented research with shared biological markers and emerging hybrid therapies, such as neuroplasticity software and deep brain stimulation, to address complex disorders like dementia and depression. Ultimately, this paradigm shift seeks to redefine neurological health as a dynamic spectrum while dismantling the silos and stigma that currently hinder effective treatment and public understanding.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Demographic Edge: California's Diversity and Global Business
Kevin Clouden, Kevin de Leon, Deep Nishar, Julia Gao, Joe Green, Sylvia Flores
Prominent leaders, including Senator Kevin de Leon and business executives, convened to address California's paradox of being a global innovation hub while facing severe threats from restrictive immigration policies and high operational costs. The discussion highlighted that while immigrant-founded companies drive over $52 billion in revenue, systemic failures such as H-1B caps and tax structures are fueling a "brain drain" that sends educated talent and corporate relocations to states like Texas and countries like Canada. Panelists urgently called for comprehensive legislative reform to secure a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and retain foreign talent to maintain the state's economic competitiveness against rising global rivals.