Latest Interviews
Showing 1846–1860 of 1,935 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 12m
The Rise of Social Capital Markets: How Will They Change the World?
Alex Friedman, Ron Cordes, Rush Ramsey, Bobby Turner, Gene Case, Mark Rowan, Shari Berenbach, Eva
Social capital markets currently operate as an nascent asset class hindered by regulatory barriers, ambiguous definitions, and institutional resistance, despite a projected trillion-dollar opportunity that could bridge the growing gap between societal needs and declining government funding. Prominent figures like Bobby Turner and Ron Cordes are pioneering strategies to overcome these hurdles, exemplified by the Canyon Agassiz Fund's rapid fundraising success and the creation of public data infrastructure that connects high-net-worth demand with vetted impact managers. As generational values shift and technology enables retail participation through crowdfunding and securitization, the sector anticipates a "10-year overnight success" moment driven by blended finance models and potential regulatory mandates for social performance disclosure.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Bioscience Discoveries That Will Blow Your Mind
Jack Andraka, David Baltimore, Francis Collins, Tejal Desai, Aydogan Ozcan, Margaret Anderson
A panel of leading scientists including Jack Andraka, Tejal Desai, David Baltimore, and Francis Collins outlined breakthrough innovations in cancer detection, gene therapy, and nanotechnology while highlighting the transformative potential of open-access data. Despite rapid advancements in genomic sequencing and portable diagnostics, experts warned of a critical decline in U.S. biomedical funding that is discouraging young researchers from pursuing high-risk scientific careers. The discussion concluded with calls to establish special grant programs for early-career innovators and to restore emphasis on curiosity-driven education to sustain future scientific progress.
- Milken Institute1h 12m
Reading the Tea Leaves: Where Are Markets Headed?
John Calamos Sr., Anne Casscells, George Evans, J. Todd Morley, John Rogers Jr., Christopher Ailman, Chris Ailman
Moderated by CalSTRS CIO Chris Ailman, a panel of five prominent investment leaders debated whether the U.S. economy has settled into a "new normal" of slower growth or is returning to an "old normal" of higher expansion. While Ann Cassells and John Rogers offered divergent GDP forecasts based on demographic shifts and housing recovery, other panelists like Todd Morley and John Calamost warned of imminent violent reflation and market distortions caused by excessive monetary stimulus. Ultimately, the consensus urged investors to abandon traditional 401(k) allocations in favor of hard assets, private credit, and global consumer brands to navigate an era defined by structural market dysfunction and potential currency devaluation.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Impatient Patients: How Disease Organizations Are Accelerating Research
Margaret Anderson, Lou DiGennaro, Jonathan Simons, Gordon Gunn, Deborah Black, John Walsh
Representatives from Faster Cures and five major disease-focused nonprofits outlined how venture philanthropy and patient-led activism accelerate cures by de-risking early-stage research and navigating the "Valley of Death" between discovery and clinical application. Leaders from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Prostate Cancer Foundation, and the Alpha-1 Foundation detailed strategic investments that generated massive financial leverage and established critical infrastructure, such as patient registries and rapid autopsy programs, to overcome funding gaps and accelerate trial recruitment. The panel concluded that sustainable progress requires aligning academia, industry, and regulators while empowering patients to actively define research priorities and drive policy changes for faster approvals and reimbursement.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
How Social Responsibility Inspires Employees and Serves Investors
Jared Carney, Kelly McElhaney, Christine McGrath, Alatha Reddy, Joe Torrey, Aileen Yang, Michael Royce, J.J. Allen, Delilah Rothenberg
A panel of executives from Prudential, Mondelez International, MLB, and Walmart defines modern corporate social responsibility as a core business strategy rather than ancillary philanthropy, emphasizing alignment between CSR initiatives and commercial objectives. Leaders from these organizations illustrate this shift through specific operational models, including Mondelez's $600 million supply chain investment, Prudential's impact investing for UNICEF, and MLB's revenue-funded community programs designed to secure long-term fan bases. The discussion further highlights how investor pressure, millennial talent recruitment, and the need for hyper-transparency have elevated CSR to a critical governance function where the Board and C-Suite actively oversee risk management and strategic outcomes.
- Milken Institute54 min
Evolving Opportunities in Capital Markets
Mark Antonacio, Colleen Campbell, Lowell Craft, Soren Reinertsen, Justin Slacky
Mark Antonacio, Colleen Campbell, and four other financial experts convened to analyze credit market risks characterized by a potential leveraged loan bubble, deteriorating covenant quality, and an artificially extended cycle driven by Federal Reserve stimulus. The panelists highlighted a structural divergence where record refinancing volumes mask stable leverage metrics, while regulatory shifts force banks out of middle-market lending and onto non-traditional sectors like energy and infrastructure. Ultimately, the discussion identified liquidity constraints and pension fund underfunding as primary near-term threats, prompting a strategic shift toward consolidation in alternative asset management and increased reliance on private credit vehicles.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
The Business of Sports
Jim Gray, Todd Boley, Melinda Whitmer, Wayne Gretzky, Jimmy Connors, Joe Ravitch
Industry leaders including Guggenheim Partners' Todd Boley and Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky convened to analyze the shifting economics of professional sports, where franchise valuations are increasingly driven by real estate and the strategic removal of Regional Sports Network middlemen. The panel highlighted a critical transition toward direct-to-consumer broadcasting models, exemplified by Time Warner Cable's $10 billion investment in Dodgers and Lakers rights, while maintaining that the unique energy of live stadium attendance remains irreplaceable by digital technology. Despite concerns over potential tech giant disruption, the consensus asserts that sports franchises will continue to leverage their status as non-substitutable entertainment anchors to sustain growth and justify rising consumer costs.
- Milken Institute1h 11m
India: How Long a Pause?
Sam Gupta, Nandita Agarwal Parker, Sanjay Patel, Rashesh Shah, Man Jit Singh, Komal Sri-Kumar, Nandita Parker, Sanjay Gupta, Dilip Thakur, John Shulha, Rabindranath Dutta, Vivek Wadhwa, Manju Ganeriwala, Nati Krishna, Vimal
The Indian economy is navigating a temporary 12-to-18-month pause characterized by political gridlock and high corporate leverage, yet retains significant value due to undervalued market cap-to-GDP ratios and robust foreign investment inflows. Amidst a demographic dividend where 75% of the population is under 35, a shifting middle class is driving premium consumer demand and digital adoption, particularly in media and private equity sectors. While infrastructure bottlenecks and governance risks constrain long-term growth potential, analysts project a return to 8–10% GDP expansion as capital expenditure resumes and regional markets mature beyond the current English-dominated internet landscape.
- Milken Institute59 min
Oil, Power and Saudi Arabia: A Conversation with Karen Elliott House and T. Boone Pickens
Karen Elliott House, T. Boone Pickens, Skip Reimer
Organizers Skip Reimer, Jay Rosser, and Saudi expert Karen House hosted a panel with billionaire oilman Boone Pickens to analyze the fragility of Saudi Arabia's energy production, succession crises, and the reliability of its reported 250 billion barrel reserves. The discussion revealed that internal royal fragmentation and economic dependence on high oil prices threaten regional stability, while US experts argued that the nation's military presence in the Persian Gulf is increasingly unjustified given rising domestic energy independence. Consequently, the panelists advocated for a strategic shift toward natural gas infrastructure and a diplomatic move away from unconditional support of the Saudi monarchy to mitigate future geopolitical risks.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Lunch Panel: A Conversation with Tony Blair and Michael Milken
Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair reflected on the psychological demands of executive leadership while outlining his strategies for addressing global challenges including the Eurozone crisis, religious extremism, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He emphasized the necessity of structural reforms to drive economic growth and argued that open immigration policies and private-sector innovation are critical for future stability, contrasting his experiences managing unforeseen crises with his current freedom to select specific international causes. Blair concluded by calling for a $6 million initiative to link 1,000 schools globally, aiming to combat radicalization through shared education and the promotion of common values across cultures.
- Milken Institute55 min
A Conversation with Al Gore: Six Drivers of Global Change
Former Vice President Al Gore addresses the corrosive impact of corporate money on American democracy and outlines six drivers of global change, including the shift of economic power to Asia and the accelerating climate crisis. He critiques the reliance on short-term financial metrics while promoting sustainable capitalism through his firm Generation Investment Management as a proven alternative model. Gore concludes by urging immediate global leadership to transition to renewable energy and adopt independent redistricting to restore political integrity.
- Milken Institute59 min
Theory to Practice: A New Generation Transforms Impact Investing
Dave Chen, Matt Gee, Tobias Schimmer, Kathleen Schindler, Claire Tramm, Paul Irving, Andrew Tyndale, Candace Klein
Founded by Kellogg Professor Dave Chen, the International Impact Investing Challenge has grown to include 32 schools, showcasing student teams who design innovative financial instruments for social impact rather than traditional service-based businesses. Two 2011 alumni teams presented their models at a recent Milken Institute panel: Upskill Capital, which addresses India's skills gap through salary-based tuition loans targeting an 18-22% IRR, and Effortless Energy, which finances residential upgrades via repayment from guaranteed utility savings to achieve a 12% return. These ventures exemplify a shift in business education where future investors are trained to integrate financial discipline with social outcomes, with both teams now seeking further capital to scale their operations.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Institutional Investors: Where in the World Will Returns Come From?
Janet Cowell, Joseph Dear, Michael Sabia, Mauricio Wanderley, Tom Finke, Joe Deere
Moderator Tom Fink led a panel featuring senior executives from CalPERS, the North Carolina Treasurer's office, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, and Datala to discuss institutional portfolio strategies aimed at achieving actuarial returns of 6.7% to 7.5% through a decisive shift toward alternative assets and direct investing. Participants emphasized a strategic pivot away from broad market indices and traditional fee structures, instead prioritizing high selectivity, internal management capabilities, and diversification into private equity, infrastructure, and emerging markets to mitigate tail risks and improve funded status. While regional outlooks varied from U.S. energy opportunities to Brazilian mid-market growth, all panelists warned that distorted central bank rates require rigorous asset selection rooted in the real economy to sustain long-term performance.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Which Model for Latin American Prosperity?
Duncan Wood, Kate Ambrose, David Dreyer, Carlos Elizondo, Eduardo Morón
Convoked at the Milken Conference, a panel led by figures such as David Dreyer and Eduardo Morón evaluated divergent Latin American economic trajectories, contrasting the market-oriented Pacific Alliance with protectionist models like Mercosur and ALBA. The discussion highlighted Mexico's manufacturing surge and macroeconomic stabilization alongside the region's critical human capital deficits, driven by low educational outcomes despite high spending. Experts concluded that capitalizing on Pacific Basin integration and completing structural reforms in education and labor markets is essential to sustain growth before the current window of opportunity closes.
- Milken Institute58 min
Access to Global Capital: Investing in Growth
Seth Marin, Jay Ireland, Jalal, David Bonderman, Bill Pierce, Mindy
The Milken Institute launched its Access to Global Capital Initiative to mobilize private investment into four target nations—Rwanda, Indonesia, Poland, and Colombia—by leveraging improved governance to replicate Singapore's economic transformation over a 20-year horizon. The program addresses a stark capital concentration in the West by prioritizing countries that demonstrate political stability, rule of law, and anti-corruption measures to attract multinational supply chains. Key success factors identified for investors include reliable infrastructure, consistent fiscal policies, and a workforce capable of supporting long-term development, with oversight supported by development finance institutions like OPIC.