Latest Interviews

Talks at GS – Dr. Vivek Murthy: The Global Epidemic of Addiction

Dr. Vivek Murthy

Former Surgeon General Dr. Murthy reflects on his tenure while highlighting the opioid epidemic as a defining global crisis exacerbated by historical medical misinformation and aggressive pharmaceutical expansion. He advocates for a shift in public health strategy from merely treating mental illness to proactively fostering emotional well-being through social connection and contemplative practices. Ultimately, Murthy emphasizes that building a culture of trust and openness requires top-down leadership to protect both employee health and organizational performance.

Lessons from Lloyd: Advice to Our Summer Interns

Lloyd Blankfein

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon reflects on his 35-year tenure, tracing his path from a Harvard law graduate who rejected initial offers to a strategic leader who leverages the firm's risk management expertise for its new consumer lending division. He champions diverse corporate policies, including support for marriage equality, while addressing global economic resilience and the market anxieties surrounding an extended economic cycle. Solomon concludes by warning of geopolitical tensions like the Thucydides Trap and emphasizing the importance of a well-rounded background alongside technical acumen for long-term professional success.

Talks at GS – Eddie Huang: Food, Culture, Identity

Eddie Huang

Executive Producer and author Nahnatchka Khan reflects on her memoir *Fresh Off the Boat* and the television adaptation as pivotal moments in transitioning from defensive survival mechanisms to intentional identity formation. She critiques the show for diluting authentic Asian experiences into universal white narratives while rejecting the "model minority" stereotype through her personal journey of culinary preservation and leadership at her restaurant, Bauhaus. Ultimately, she advocates for a cultural shift that prioritizes shared humanity over differences, utilizing a management philosophy that blends high performance with deep personal care to foster genuine employee loyalty.

Talks at GS – Julia Steyn: Car Sharing and the Future of Auto

Julia Steyn, Michael

GM is pivoting from a traditional manufacturing model to a service-oriented strategy through its Maven brand, which targets younger urban demographics with integrated car-sharing and rideshare solutions. CEO Mary Barra oversees this multi-billion dollar investment in artificial intelligence, autonomous technology, and electric vehicles to address the mismatch between slow automotive engineering cycles and rapid consumer tech adoption. The initiative aims to secure lifetime customer value by adapting to shifting urban habits while acknowledging that personal vehicle ownership will persist in rural markets.

Talks at GS – Adam Grant: The Psychology of Resilience

Adam Grant, Sheryl Sandberg

Organizations Psychologist Adam Grant and Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg discuss how originality functions as a portfolio strategy requiring high failure rates and how prioritizing employees over shareholders drives sustainable corporate success over decades. Their collaboration on *Option B* emerged from Sandberg's grief after her husband's death, leading to insights on how leadership transparency and early organizational engagement foster resilience and continuous improvement. Grant further emphasizes that leaders should normalize vulnerability by sharing their own performance reviews, a practice exemplified by Carolyn Iverson at Facebook, while advising individuals to focus on executing decisions rather than merely making the right ones.

Talks at GS – Robert Smith: The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Robert Smith, David

Vista Equity Partners Chairman and CEO Robert Smith leveraged his early Bell Labs experience and Goldman Sachs tenure to launch a private equity firm that redefines enterprise software investment by shifting focus from single products to long-term ecosystem control. Operating within the framework of the fourth industrial revolution, Smith's strategy prioritizes building platform moats over decades to dominate specific geographic or sectoral markets rather than competing for short-term product advantages. His approach combines a rigorous evaluation of industry equilibrium with a cultural emphasis on innovation, aiming to transform capital deployment from asset aggregation into deep, value-creating partnerships with software leaders.

Talks at GS – John Mackey: Conscious Capitalism, Conscious Eating

John Mackey, Kathy

This event details the strategic expansion of Whole Foods from a small collective to a 470-store global enterprise while presenting a comprehensive case for plant-based nutrition and environmental sustainability. Speakers advocate for the "Conscious Capitalism" framework, arguing that purpose-driven leadership and stakeholder focus drive both human health recovery in corporate wellness programs and long-term business viability. The discussion concludes that reducing animal food consumption is essential for ecological balance and that successful entrepreneurship relies on cultivating team-based communities rather than relying solely on individual heroism.

Talks at GS - Marc Metrick: Authenticity, the “New Luxury”

Marc Metrick, Mark, Jennifer

Saks Fifth Avenue is pivoting from traditional ostentation to a strategy of "new luxury" defined by authenticity, personalized technology, and open retail environments that mirror the service standards of brands like Starbucks. This agile approach includes the launch of amenity-driven standalone men's locations featuring barber shops and coffee bars, alongside a rapid, entrepreneurial product model that enabled a LeBron James-collaborated sweatshirt to sell out in 45 minutes. By ensuring a seamless omni-channel experience where 75% of sales are digitally influenced, the retailer is effectively shifting from exclusivity to accessibility to meet modern consumer demands.

Talks at GS – David Robinson: “The Admiral” on Leading From the Front

David Robinson

Ten-time NBA All-Star and Naval Academy graduate David Robinson details his transformation from a developing athlete to a transformative leader who built the San Antonio Spurs into a perennial championship franchise. He explains how his military discipline and faith guided the creation of the Admiral Capital venture fund and the Carver Academy partnership, which now operates 14 schools serving 5,500 students with plans to expand to 20. Robinson concludes by outlining his philosophy that true greatness involves a "rising tide" effect, where leaders foster an environment of mutual elevation through unconditional love and strategic sacrifice.

Talks at GS - Dr. Ellen Chesler: Toward Work-Life Balance – Feminism’s Next Wave?

Dr. Ellen Chesler, Peter van de Ven

Historian Tanya Cushman outlines the historical trajectory of the modern women's movement, highlighting how economic necessity and landmark legislation like the 1964 Civil Rights Act initially accelerated female participation in education and the workforce. While global advancements in literacy and reproductive rights have improved child welfare and national development, the United States currently faces stagnation in upward mobility and political representation due to a lack of paid leave and childcare infrastructure. Cushman proposes that future progress requires statutory mandates such as legislative quotas, universal paid leave for both genders, and cultural shifts to dismantle patriarchal structures preventing career continuity.

Talks at GS – Dr. John J. DeGioia and Dr. Ruth Simmons: Confronting the Legacy of Slavery

Dr. John J. DeGioia, Dr. Ruth Simmons, Jack DeGioia

Georgetown University and Brown University have undertaken rigorous historical investigations that revealed their founding and financial stability were directly tied to the transatlantic slave trade and the sale of enslaved people. In response to these findings, Georgetown has initiated a renaming project to honor specific individuals from the 1838 sale, while Brown's leadership emphasizes that the legacy of slavery remains an active, unresolved force in contemporary society. Both institutions reject silence as a moral failure, positioning their transparency and ethical reckoning as essential models for addressing historical atrocities and their enduring social consequences.

Talks at GS – Altuzarra and the Art of Fashion

Joseph Altuzarra

Designer Joséphine Altuzarra launched her New York-based brand in 2008 to provide fashion-forward, feminine professional attire for women across their adult lifecycles. The collection merges French sophistication with American practicality, featuring themes of protection inspired by Macbeth and designs tailored for active lifestyles like commuting and childcare. By prioritizing commercial longevity and brand integrity over fleeting trends or contractual celebrity placements, the label has established a unique aesthetic that balances artistic expression with daily wearability.

Talks at GS - Dr. Richard Haass: “World Order 2.0”

Dr. Richard Haass

The event analyzes the escalating global disarray driven by the mismatch between rapid globalization and outdated Westphalian sovereignty, highlighting acute crises in the Middle East, Europe, and Asia. Speakers assess specific threats from Vladimir Putin's unconstrained foreign policy and China's nuclear ambitions while proposing a "World Order 2.0" framework where states accept obligations to prevent cross-border harm from activities within their territories. Strategic recommendations conclude that the United States must recalibrate its approach to avoid total disengagement in the Middle East while prioritizing the preservation of European stability against the rising chaos.

10,000 Small Businesses UK Participants Share Experiences of Time on Programme

Launched in 2012, this intensive program guided struggling entrepreneurs through a rigorous diagnostic process that identified critical financial leaks and strategic pivots from B2B to B2C models. By pairing founders with growth experts and fostering a transparent cohort of vetted peers, participants transformed their ventures from loss-making entities into cash-positive businesses generating up to £1.5 million in revenue. The initiative delivered a transformative return on investment, enabling companies to hire strategically, secure major capital projects, and establish a lasting support network that continues to drive long-term operational efficiency.

Jeff Immelt: The Transformation to a Digital Industrial Company - Talks at GS

Jeff Immelt

Under Jeff Immelt's leadership, General Electric transformed from a centralized entity into a decentralized organization leveraging its $2 trillion installed asset base to drive the Industrial Internet strategy. Facing stagnant industrial productivity, the company now competes against tech giants by prioritizing data-driven solutions and balancing active listening with decisive action. This approach supports a globalization model focused on local market access rather than wage arbitrage, attracting top talent through a meritocratic culture that empowers young leaders to manage major engineering projects.