Latest Interviews
Showing 5221–5235 of 5,331 transcripts.
Clear all filters- 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 3m
American Politics 2013
Major Garrett, Senator Warner, Senator Moran, Congresswoman Morris-Rogers, Senator Casey
A panel of Senators Bob Casey, Jerry Moran, and Mark Warner, alongside Congresswoman Kathy Hall, analyzed the implementation challenges of the Affordable Care Act and the legislative prospects for immigration reform amidst growing political polarization. The discussion highlighted concerns regarding ACA rollout glitches, sequestration's impact on federal jobs, and the divergent strategies between the Senate and House for passing comprehensive legislation on guns and the budget. Ultimately, the speakers emphasized a critical demographic and technological shift in American politics that has eroded moderate bipartisanship, leaving lawmakers to navigate complex electoral math and media-driven conflict.
- 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 Institute1h 1m
The Big Picture for Global Media
Gale Anne Hurd, Michael Lynton, Leslie Moonves, Robert Pittman, Julia Boorstin, Bob Pittman, Les Moonves, Gail Ann Hurd
Executives from CBS, Sony, and iHeartRadio convened to analyze how mobile and social technologies are reshaping global media economics while reinforcing Sumner Redstone's principle that quality content remains the dominant asset. The panelists highlighted specific strategic shifts, including the use of real-time social engagement to drive live viewership for shows like *The Walking Dead*, the legal battle against the illegal signal theft practiced by Aereo, and the competitive tension between traditional broadcasters and streaming giants like Netflix. Despite the volatile nature of digital word-of-mouth and the uncertainty of future technologies, the industry remains focused on adapting distribution models to international markets and mid-budget films to sustain revenue growth.
- 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.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
In the 21st Century, Data Is King
Paul Kudrowski, Kevin Slavin, DJ, Jim Messina, Frank Cooper, Michael Chewy, Michael D
Experts from sectors ranging from PepsiCo and the 2012 Obama campaign to venture capital firms analyzed how the convergence of cloud infrastructure and advanced analytics is replacing intuition-based decision-making with rigorous data experimentation. These case studies illustrate a global shift where organizations leverage massive datasets for real-time optimization, though this transition introduces significant risks regarding privacy, algorithmic bias, and the potential displacement of human creativity. To succeed in this environment, leaders must bridge technical data with strategic intuition while navigating ethical challenges to avoid the pitfalls of signal noise and regulatory constraints.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Gaining a Foothold in Russia
Sean Glodek, Steven Hellman, Paul Heth, Mark Stiles, Alexander Kovaler, Alex Covalar
Moderated by Alex Covalar, a panel of four expatriate experts with over a century of combined Russian experience analyzes the nation's transformation from a resource-dependent economy into a consumer-services powerhouse. The discussion highlights specific success stories in cinema and real estate while detailing the Russian Direct Investment Fund's strategy to co-invest with sovereign wealth entities and mitigate geopolitical risks through transparency. Participants project Russia to become Europe's largest economy by 2020, driven by a growing middle class, structural reforms, and strategic shifts toward technology, healthcare, and light manufacturing.
- Milken Institute51 min
Dinner Program - To Infinity and Beyond: Jeff Skoll Talks with Elon and Kimbal Musk
Jeff Skoll, Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk
Following the 1999 sale of their pioneering internet company Zip2 for over $300 million, brothers Elon and Kimball Musk launched distinct ventures that have reshaped global industries. Elon Musk directed his capital into transformative technology firms including PayPal, SpaceX, and Tesla, aiming to revolutionize transportation and enable human colonization of Mars, while Kimball Musk established The Kitchen restaurant and a nonprofit Learning Garden program that significantly improves student nutrition and science test scores. Their divergent paths in high-tech engineering and community-focused agriculture are united by a shared philosophy of personal risk-taking and a commitment to pushing humanity forward.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Will Natural Gas Fuel the Future?
Ralph Eads III, Rick Grafton, Yossie Hollander, Shaia Hosseinzadeh, Nathaniel Keohane, Brian Sullivan
Experts analyze the U.S. natural gas sector's pivotal shift from resource scarcity to infrastructure bottlenecks, driven by a $500 billion annual investment need and intense regulatory debates over methane leakage controls. Industry leaders face a management crisis with frequent executive turnover as capital flows toward high-return liquid plays despite a structural requirement to maintain declining well production. Simultaneously, the potential for natural gas to decarbonize heavy transportation through methanol and LNG remains constrained by legal barriers and capital intensity, even as international precedents suggest significant long-term fuel substitution opportunities.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Indonesia: The Emerging Secret
Robert Gelbard, Luhut Panjaitan, Patrick Buluyo, Dino Jalal, Ahmad Korniati
Former Ambassador Robert Gelbard moderated a panel confirming Indonesia's successful transition into a stable, third-largest democracy with a 6.5% annual economic growth rate driven by a domestic consumption-based model and a booming middle class. While the upcoming 2014 elections and structural hurdles like corruption and human capital gaps present risks, the government's aggressive pursuit of downstream industries and streamlined investment processes signal a maturing market ready for foreign capital. Experts advise investors to navigate complex local regulations through trusted partners while anticipating a shift from export-focused nationalism to a more open, pluralistic economic framework.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
A Matter of Degrees: How Education Enriches Us All
Ernest Wilson, Ross Duvall, Greg, Governor, Farah Doon, Udita Srimushnam, Brooke Allen, Noah
The panel "A Matter of Degrees" convened experts including Dean Ernest Wilson, economist Ross Duvall, and former Governor Gray Davis to address the widening skills gap and financial risks threatening the U.S. higher education system. Participants analyzed data showing declining U.S. educational competitiveness among younger generations and debated transformative solutions such as competency-based credentials, co-op work models, and private-public research partnerships to align academic output with market demands. The discussion concluded with a consensus that without structural reforms prioritizing transparency and employer-defined skills, the sector will fail to mitigate inequality or sustain long-term economic growth.
- Milken Institute1h 7m
Full Circle: Manufacturing Migrates Around the Globe
John Paul MacDonald, Damien Chan, Zachary Caravelle, Ron Kirk, John Manley, Eyal Afair
Panelists including Ron Kirk, Damien Chan, and John Manley dissect the paradox of modern manufacturing, noting that while U.S. output rises through automation, employment share has dropped to 8% and global trade statistics often misrepresent true value creation. The discussion highlights critical challenges such as a severe skills gap in developed nations, the rapid urbanization of China's middle class, and the efficiency threats posed by rising protectionist measures like "Buy America" clauses. Ultimately, the experts agree that future economic resilience depends on shifting national focus from volume-based production to investing in education, intellectual property protection, and high-value R&D ecosystems.