Latest Interviews
Showing 6256–6270 of 9,658 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Goldman Sachs7 min
Tracking US Infrastructure Investing
Goldman Sachs analysts and D.C. teams project that while U.S. public construction represents a stable $300 billion market, recent spending has decelerated due to completed major projects and pandemic-related traffic declines creating a $30 billion revenue gap. Despite this short-term contraction driven by regional disparities and stalled public-private partnerships, the sector faces a broader $100 billion annual infrastructure deficit against historical tax revenue averages. Anticipated stimulus spending is expected to bridge the immediate fiscal hole, yet closing the long-term investment gap will require sustained revenue increases from state and local governments.
- Lex Fridman1h 9m
Peter Singer: Suffering in Humans, Animals, and AI | Lex Fridman Podcast #107
Philosopher Peter Singer draws on his Holocaust-survivor family history to articulate a utilitarian framework that prioritizes the reduction of conscious suffering across humans, animals, and potentially future artificial intelligences. He defines speciesism as a moral bias analogous to racism, arguing that the capacity to suffer is the sole criterion for moral consideration while advocating for effective altruism strategies to address immediate global crises. Although he remains skeptical of imminent existential risks from superintelligence, Singer emphasizes the ethical imperative to donate a portion of income and pursue high-impact careers to maximize positive utility in a finite world.
- Milken Institute26 min
A Conversation with US Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson
Ben Carson, Aron Betru, Aaron Bedrou
This session details HUD's strategic interventions to address racial wealth gaps and COVID-19 disparities through housing reforms, Opportunity Zone tax incentives, and the Family Self-Sufficiency program. Key outcomes include liability piloting to reduce landlord resistance, set-asides for minority-owned businesses, and simplified Section 3 requirements designed to boost local hiring and economic mobility. Secretary Carson emphasized that closing these systemic inequities could unlock over $1 trillion in productivity, urging communities to foster internal capital circulation and unity as essential drivers of national stability.
- Milken Institute27 min
A Conversation with FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn
Dr. Hahn and the FDA are managing an unprecedented 250-treatment pipeline and 170 vaccine candidates while maintaining regulatory independence amid a surge in applications. The agency has authorized specific therapies like remdesivir and dexamethasone based on robust data analysis and is implementing clinical trial flexibilities to ensure diverse demographic inclusion. Despite the high stakes, FDA officials emphasize that safety and evidence-based decision-making remain paramount as they navigate supply chain logistics and monitor real-world outcomes for public health.
- Goldman Sachs26 min
Leslie Odom Jr., Original Cast Member of Hamilton
Leslie Odom Jr. sacrificed a lucrative television contract to portray Aaron Burr in the developmental stages of *Hamilton*, prioritizing artistic growth and personal transformation over immediate financial gain. As the filmed version of the musical launched on Disney+ in July 2020, Odom reflected on how the show reinterpreted historical tragedy and served as a vital tool for fostering empathy across racial divides during the pandemic. He further argues that the performance's enduring social relevance extends into activism, urging audiences to live authentically and challenge systemic unfairness rather than waiting for tragedy to drive change.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Mental Health Innovations for the 21st Century
Joanne Kenen, LaTese Briggs, Arjun Desai, Kabir Nath, Richard Pops
A diverse panel of experts analyzed the pandemic's multifaceted impact on mental health, highlighting the rise of new crises among isolated populations and the limitations of telemedicine for complex addiction cases. Industry leaders and policymakers discussed critical reforms needed to address skewed pharmaceutical incentives, fund community-based workers, and shift corporate priorities toward genuine employee well-being. The discussion concluded with a consensus that lasting systemic change requires overhauling reimbursement models and increasing workforce diversity to support a post-pandemic world where mental health adaptation becomes permanent.
- Milken Institute56 min
China’s Economic Outlook
Eugene Tang, Eric Chen, Jianguang Shen, Jane Jie Sun
At a panel featuring Trip.com CEO Jane Sun, SoftBank's Eric Chen, and JD Digits Chief Economist Dr. Shen, leaders analyzed the V-shaped trajectory of China's post-pandemic economy driven by $4 billion in relief funds and a strategic shift toward digital "new infrastructure." The discussion highlighted how government-issued consumer vouchers and mandatory bank lending to SMEs have accelerated a 4.5% rise in industrial production while leaving travel and leisure sectors to rebound more slowly alongside the entry of eight million graduates into the job market. Despite supply chain shifts toward risk mitigation, the consensus points to long-term growth anchored in 5G, AI, and the digital transformation of domestic consumption rather than traditional heavy infrastructure.
- Goldman Sachs17 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, Co-Founder, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Leonard S. Schleifer, Marshall
Regeneron, led by CEO Dr. Leonard Schleifer and co-founder George Yancopoulos, accelerated antibody therapy development to five months for Ebola and a new viral threat by utilizing a proprietary mouse platform and a dual-antibody cocktail designed to prevent viral escape mutants. The company targets three distinct patient populations with the goal of reducing viral duration and preventing severe progression, prioritizing high-impact intervention over mass vaccination. This strategy leverages converged wet sciences and rapid sequencing technologies to validate the cocktail's efficacy against variants within hours, with critical clinical data anticipated in late summer.
- Goldman Sachs14 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: David Rubenstein, Co-Founder, The Carlyle Group
David Rubenstein outlines five core leadership principles for navigating national crises, emphasizing that effective governance requires prioritizing national interests over politics and maintaining absolute transparency to preserve public credibility. Distinguishing current pandemics and racial justice movements from historical events by their immediate impact on personal mortality, he warns that leaders must rely on persuasion rather than command to implement difficult decisions amidst a predicted deep recession and soaring national debt. Rubenstein projects accelerated societal shifts toward remote work and healthcare investment while recommending key historical texts to contextualize these challenges and guide future generations.
- Goldman Sachs20 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Mike Roman, Chairman and CEO, 3M
Following the killing of George Floyd, 3M Chairman and CEO Mike Roman prioritized corporate social responsibility through direct engagement with African-American employees and coordinated public-private partnerships to bridge the societal trust gap. Simultaneously, the company rapidly pivoted its operations to address the pandemic by doubling N95 production, forming external alliances with partners like Ford and Cummins, and securing emergency authorizations from the FDA to meet healthcare demand. Roman's leadership strategy now integrates these crisis-driven innovations with a permanent shift toward hybrid work models and an expanded definition of corporate responsibility that treats community engagement as essential to long-term business continuity.
- Goldman Sachs23 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Rick Rieder, CIO of Global Fixed Income, BlackRock
Rick Reader outlines a market environment defined by unprecedented volatility and a structural shift toward equity-heavy allocations as the Federal Reserve maintains zero interest rates and expands its balance sheet to roughly $11 trillion. He forecasts moderate inflation driven by monetary expansion rather than traditional demand, prompting investors to hedge against currency debasement while European markets benefit from a new era of coordinated monetary and fiscal stimulus. To navigate these complex regimes, the investment landscape is evolving into a hybrid model that combines human macroeconomic judgment with BlackRock's aggressive integration of high-frequency data and advanced analytics.
- Goldman Sachs14 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Esther Krofah, Executive Director, FasterCures
Faster Cures currently monitors over 200 SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic candidates and 163 vaccine prospects, with the majority of treatments in Phase 2 or 3 testing and key programs like Moderna's mRNA vaccine and the Oxford/AstraZeneca project advancing rapidly. While early data supports Remdesivir and convalescent plasma as partial solutions, experts anticipate effective cures will likely emerge from combination therapies and require Emergency Use Authorizations between fall 2020 and early 2021. Vaccine availability for frontline workers is targeted for late 2020, though the accelerated 12-to-18-month timeline relies on aggressive manufacturing scaling and successful clinical data readouts expected by autumn.
- Goldman Sachs24 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Chris Kempczinski, President and CEO, McDonald’s
McDonald's CEO Chris Kamczynski detailed how the pandemic accelerated delivery growth and solidified drive-thru capabilities as critical operational assets that enabled the brand to navigate government closures. Leadership emphasized that the decentralized franchise model provided the agility necessary to adapt to regional recovery disparities across Asia, Europe, and North America, while internal diversity metrics and ongoing safety protocols remain central to the company's strategy. Ultimately, the crisis reinforced the long-term value of brand trust and demonstrated that transparent communication and strategic leadership depth are essential for managing unprecedented global complexity.
- Goldman Sachs17 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Kevin Johnson, President and CEO, Starbucks Coffee Company
Starbucks Executive Kevin Johnson described a global crisis response strategy that adapted a China-derived playbook to guide operations across 32,000 stores in 80 countries while prioritizing employee safety and government health guidelines. The company leveraged AI-driven digital dashboards to manage market-specific closures and implemented rigorous health protocols, transitioning from containment to a "monitor and adapt" phase that emphasized mobile ordering and curbside pickup. Concurrently, leadership fostered ongoing racial justice dialogues through virtual family meetings and "pour-over sessions," aiming to balance these social initiatives with a long-term vision that merges the traditional in-store "third place" with convenient digital services.
- Goldman Sachs32 min
From “The Way Forward" Conference: Jon Gray, President and COO, Blackstone
Blackstone leverages its $150 billion in dry powder to capitalize on pandemic-accelerated sectors like logistics and digital infrastructure while navigating short-term headwinds in traditional urban real estate and retail. The firm anticipates a staggered "slow recovery" economy that will permanently alter workplace dynamics and force significant capital adaptation in the retail and hospitality industries. By prioritizing long-term asset resilience over rapid exits, Blackstone aims to generate returns for essential service pension funds while managing a transition toward hybrid work models and more diverse, inclusive corporate cultures.