Latest Interviews
Showing 1816–1830 of 2,089 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 0m
Progress vs. Pessimism in the Middle East
Doyle McManus, Robin Wright, Tony Blair, Robert Ford, Ted Deutch
Host Doyle McManus convened a panel of global experts including Robin Wright, Tony Blair, and Ted Deutch to analyze the strategic perils of Middle Eastern fragmentation and the ideological clash between Islamism and pluralism. The discussion highlighted critical security threats from ungoverned spaces in Syria and Iraq while debating the viability of a nuclear deal with Iran and the governance crises in Egypt. Participants concluded that U.S. policy must prioritize national security and democratic values over regime affinity, advocating for engagement with secular civil society to foster long-term stability.
- Milken Institute49 min
Trust and the Markets: A Debate on High-Frequency Trading
Jim McCoggin, Rishi Narang, Katie, Amy Goodman, David Brooks, Jim Lecinski, Mark Blyth, Jr., Steve
Industry experts Jim McCoggin and Rishi Narang debated the evolution of high-frequency trading, analyzing how regulatory milestones like Decimalization and Reg NMS drove an arms race in automation while compressing profit margins to less than 0.1% of trade face value. The discussion highlighted a stark divide regarding market transparency, with McCoggin advocating for the elimination of dark pools and payment for order flow while Narang defended them as necessary tools for institutional protection. Both agreed that current market conduct rules have failed to keep pace with technology, necessitating SEC intervention to equalize data speeds and penalize excessive order cancellations without banning the practice itself.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
A Conversation with Cherie Blair: Empowering Women, Driving Growth
Cherie Blair, the first woman from her family to attend university and a former Queen's Counsel, leads the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women to empower female entrepreneurs in Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East through business training and mentoring. By addressing the critical "mid-range capital gap" that hinders women's access to $10,000–$100,000 in funding, the Foundation has already supported over 100,000 women across 50 countries, with partnerships including Google and Bank of America enhancing professional growth and job creation. Blair advocates for structural political and cultural shifts to overcome systemic barriers, citing Rwanda's high female parliamentary representation as a model for improving global economic inclusion.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
Look, Ma, No Hands! The Future of Cars
John Cassessa, Chris Gerdes, Raj Nair, Chris Urmson, Kevin Vincent, Eric Schmidt, Eric Schwartzmann, Eric Schuartzmond, Carl Harris, Joe Greener
Led by John Cassessa, a panel of industry and government leaders including executives from Ford, Google, and Stanford, along with NHTSA officials, confirmed that the automotive sector has reached a critical inflection point for autonomous vehicle adoption. The group outlined a roadmap where rapid technological progress in sensor integration and Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication will soon drive significant safety gains, fuel efficiency through platooning, and reduced traffic congestion. While timelines for widespread consumer availability vary between Google's near-term deployment and Ford's two-decade horizon, the panel emphasized that successful implementation depends on resolving regulatory mandates, ethical programming dilemmas, and shifting consumer trust levels.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
The Upside of Aging: A Conversation in the Pavilion
Mike Morseberger, Barry Rand, Frida Lewis, Steve Knapp, Mark Friedman, Hasi Cohen, Henry Cisneros, Bob Wheelan, Brooke, Jeff Schatz, Andrew, Rita, Gary, Britta
This panel identifies the global demographic shift toward an aging population as a critical challenge comparable to climate change, highlighting that current societal structures fail to utilize the substantial human capital of older adults. Experts argue that sustainable solutions require integrating age-friendly urban planning, reforming higher education to serve lifelong learners, and implementing financial policies that secure retirement and workforce participation. Ultimately, the discussion advocates for a cultural transition from viewing aging as decline to recognizing it as a generative force, with predictions of widespread adoption of "village" support networks and expanded health technologies within the next decade.
- Milken Institute59 min
What's Silicon Valley Got to Do With It?
Alec Ellison, Andrew Auerbach, Eric Drummond, Kate Mitchell, John Ruffalo, Eric Schmidt, Andrew Lovett
A panel consensus establishes that while Silicon Valley remains the global leader in technology clustering and venture capital, its unique managerial ecosystem is difficult to replicate, forcing other regions to leverage distinct local assets rather than attempting direct imitation. Success outside the Valley depends on aligning specific industry strengths—such as clean tech in Colorado, agtech in St. Louis, or software in Provo, Utah—with appropriate capital types and a culture that tolerates risk and embraces immigration. Looking ahead, the innovation center of gravity is shifting toward life sciences and regional verticals, with emerging hubs in the Rocky Mountains, New England, and Israel positioned to capitalize on these specialized sectors and evolving government tax policies.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Immunotherapy: The Silver Bullet Against Cancer?
Dr. Jonathan Simons, Jed Wolchuk, Pam Sharma, Dr. Charles Drake, Elliot Siegel, TJ Sharp, Mary, Dr. William Coley, Jim Allison, Keith Black, Don Coffey, Magic Johnson, Tom Frye, Eleanor Roosevelt, Adlai Stevenson, Dr. Howard Sewell, Carl June, Drew Pardola
Hosted by Prostate Cancer Foundation President Dr. Jonathan Simons, a panel of leading oncologists and industry experts detailed the transformative impact of checkpoint inhibitors, which extended survival for terminal melanoma patients from months to years and triggered 20% cure rates. While the discussion highlighted expanding efficacy in lung and kidney cancers, the group identified critical barriers regarding "cold" tumors, inefficient serial trial designs, and federal funding disparities that threaten early-career research. The panelists concluded by advocating for parallel testing of combination therapies, revised FDA endpoints to accelerate approvals, and increased government investment to bridge the gap between immunological discovery and clinical application.
- Milken Institute57 min
Redefining the Middle East: A Game-Changing Energy Alternative from the Eastern Mediterranean
Glenn Yago, Senator Landrieu, Lawson Freeman, Ron Prosser, Mehmet Sadam
A Milken Institute panel led by Senator Mary Landrieu and Ambassador Ron Prosor redefined the Eastern Mediterranean as a strategic energy hub, leveraging massive Tamar and Leviathan gas discoveries to transform Israel from an importer into a net exporter. The discussion detailed how a $3 billion Tamar project and emerging reserves in Cyprus and Lebanon are fostering regional integration through export deals with Jordan and the Palestinian Authority while establishing a sovereign wealth fund to diversify Israel's economy. Experts concluded that ensuring fiscal regime stability and transferring US Gulf Coast technology are critical to overcoming political barriers and securing a stable, energy-independent Eastern Mediterranean against Russian influence.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Living Healthy: Education, Access and Activity
Alex Witt, Robert Egger, Sam Cass, Michel Nishan, Rachel Poplack, Larry Soler, Robert Blendon, Natasha, Harlan Weissman
A coalition of federal agencies and major corporations is implementing a multi-faceted strategy to reverse obesity trends by codifying SNAP incentives, mandating healthy options in schools and vending machines, and reformulating product lines to remove trillions of calories. Simultaneously, innovative programs are expanding food access in underserved communities through technical aid for corner stores, mobile produce vendors, and culinary education initiatives that leverage cultural relevance and entertainment partnerships. Despite these advancements, stakeholders warn that without shifting financial sector priorities to long-term health strategies and addressing the projected diabetes crisis among seniors and youth, the current healthcare economic model remains unsustainable.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
The Big Shift: Diversity as a Business Rationale
Pamela, Alexandra, Richard, Javier, Margaret Anderson
Credit Suisse panelists and executives detailed the launch of their "New Markets" business unit designed to target women, African-Americans, and the LGBT community, citing a $12 trillion combined investment opportunity that remains underserved by current financial services. Speakers highlighted the necessity of executive sponsorship and internal data showing these segments generate outperforming returns while emphasizing that authentic progress requires top-down cultural shifts rather than quota-based hiring mandates. The discussion further explored strategic approaches to mentorship, advocacy, and the evolving legal landscape driving Fortune 500 engagement with these historically marginalized demographics.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Are Renewables Still Relevant?
Ali Velshi, James Cameron, Richard Saines, Richard Sandor, Jigar Shah
A global panel of energy experts and investors characterizes the current shift toward renewable power as a fundamental restructuring of the energy delivery system, driven by $100 billion in annual solar investments and a transition from centralized fossil fuel generation to distributed smart grids. While consensus confirms renewables as the dominant source of new capacity, significant debate persists regarding the long-term stability of natural gas as a bridge fuel and the fragility of political support compared to permanent legislative mandates. The discussion further highlights that despite abundant capital, the industry faces a bottleneck in finding investable projects and must overcome utility opposition and aging infrastructure to meet the critical 2030 emissions deadline without relying solely on federal policy.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Africa's Energy Landscape
Paul Hinks, Raj Shah, Jay Island, Kola Karim, President Kagame, Tony Elumelu
Launched by President Obama in 2013, the Power Africa initiative seeks to electrify the African continent by leveraging U.S. transactional advocacy to de-risk private sector investments aimed at closing a critical $50 billion to $100 billion energy gap. While the program faces significant hurdles including political instability, payment delays, and lengthy project timelines, it has already attracted substantial capital from global firms like General Electric and enabled local financial institutions to fund major infrastructure projects in priority nations such as Nigeria and Tanzania. By promoting an all-of-the-above energy strategy and accelerating regulatory reforms, the initiative targets the provision of reliable power to 600 million off-grid citizens to support the economic growth of a demographic with 60% of the population under age 25.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
The Natural Gas Economy
Brian Sullivan, Ralph Eads, John Hickenlooper, Stephen Green, Fred Krupp
This industry forum examines the U.S. shale gas sector's critical pivot toward wet gas extraction and LNG exports while addressing the economic and regulatory challenges posed by price volatility and fragmented state laws. Participants discussed the necessity of balancing environmental mandates, such as Colorado's strict methane limits, with the political imperative to maintain thousands of high-paying jobs and ensure affordable energy for consumers. The consensus among energy leaders and policymakers emphasizes that a stable, transparent regulatory compact is essential to unlock the industry's remaining potential and facilitate a natural gas transition from coal.
- Milken Institute53 min
Social Justice, Incarceration and Reentry: New Directions for a Better Way
Mike Romano, Scott Budnick, Reverend Jesse Jackson, Jackie Lacey, Van Jones, Prophet Walker
Facing a U.S. incarceration rate that quadruples the global average, California leaders and bipartisan coalitions are implementing structural reforms such as the 2012 three-strikes ballot measure and ARC's educational pathways to address severe overcrowding and 74% juvenile recidivism. By shifting focus from punitive confinement to community-based treatment, vocational training, and "Pay for Success" social impact bonds, the state aims to reduce costs that consume ten percent of the budget while simultaneously lowering violent crime rates and fostering economic opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals. These initiatives, supported by figures ranging from Newt Gingrich to Reverend Jesse Jackson, seek to replace outdated mandatory minimums with targeted interventions that address the root causes of poverty and systemic racial disparities within the justice system.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Inequality and Mobility in America
Jared Bernstein, Edward Conard, Robert Doerr, Chrystia Freeland
Distinguished economists Jared Bernstein, Edward Conard, and Chrystia Freeland debated the primary drivers of rising U.S. income inequality, with Bernstein attributing it to structural policy failures and financialization while Conard cites global talent shortages and labor supply shifts. The panel further contested empirical data regarding stagnant wages and mobility rates, with Freeland emphasizing the political risks of extreme disparity and Robert Doerr highlighting family structure as a key poverty determinant. To address these challenges, the group proposed divergent solutions ranging from Conard's trade deficit reduction and immigration reforms to Bernstein's full-employment agenda and Freeland's call for inclusive capitalism and universal social safety nets.