Latest Interviews
Showing 616–630 of 1,089 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 3m
Power Play: Closing the Immense Energy Gap in Sub-Saharan Africa
Todd Moss, Joseph Boateng, Justin DeAngelis, A.B.C. Orjiako, Kate Steel, Robert Stoner, Rob Stoner, Glenn Yago, Miguel Acevedo, Paul Hinks
Experts emphasize that while small-scale solutions address immediate needs, large-scale grid infrastructure is essential for Africa's long-term economic growth and industrial competitiveness, particularly given Nigeria's massive generation deficit and projected population surge. Investment strategies are shifting toward hybrid microgrid models and localized resource utilization to bridge the $835 billion funding gap, though success depends on resolving regulatory friction and aligning institutional return expectations with realistic market yields. With 600 million Africans currently lacking electricity access, the sector's future relies on holistic planning that combines government political will, subnational initiatives, and the mobilization of trillions in underutilized local pension assets.
- Milken Institute59 min
Eating Right: Achieving Maximum Wellness Through Nutrition
Alexia Brue, Shane Emmett, Nick Green, Mark Hyman, Patrick Smith, Nick Orloveyski, Mark Blyth, JR.
At the Milken Conference, a panel moderated by Alexia Brew of Well and Good brought together Dr. Mark Hyman and industry leaders Nick Orlove, Shane Emmett, and Patrick Smith to address systemic failures in nutrition caused by industry-conflicted science and outdated government guidelines. The group synthesized diverse solutions ranging from Hyman's "pegan" dietary framework and emerging data on keto's therapeutic potential to business models by Thrive Market, Health Warrior, and Territory that aim to democratize access to whole foods. Ultimately, the panelists identified a critical inflection point where private innovation and a growing public demand for personalized nutrition are converging to disrupt a food system historically skewed by subsidies for processed commodities.
- Milken Institute56 min
Global Overview: Navigating a World in Transition
Gillian Tett, Thomas Barrack, Lord Mandelson, Hiro Mizuno, Ed Royce, Peter Mandelson, Bill Hanway, Richard Blum
Global leaders Tom Barrack, Lord Mandelson, and Ed Royce convened to analyze existential threats including systemic cyber vulnerability, nuclear proliferation, and political fragmentation eroding the post-WWII order. Panelist Hiro Mizuno and others highlighted divergent strategies ranging from "dynamite diplomacy" to target rule violators against calls for systemic reform, while also noting a historic pivot in the Japanese pension fund away from government bonds toward global equities. The discussion culminated in a focus on legislative countermeasures like the BUILD Act and new African development initiatives to counter China's predatory trade models and mitigate long-term human capital failures.
- Milken Institute56 min
The Global M&A Outlook
Dana Mattioli, Leon Kalvaria, Navid Mahmoodzadegan, James Sprayregen, Chris Stadler, John Waldron
With year-to-date M&A activity reaching a record $1.6 trillion driven by tax reforms, activist pressure, and technological disruption, corporations are increasingly pursuing de-conglomeration and offshore consolidation despite regulatory uncertainties. Industry leaders are prioritizing cultural due diligence and capital allocation efficiency to navigate a landscape defined by aggressive private equity competition and a shift toward relational retail models. While panelists forecast a robust remainder of the year fueled by strong valuations and low rates, they caution that geopolitical shocks and potential regulatory blockages could disrupt the current market euphoria.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Women's Reception | Building Meaningful Lives: Women at the Forefront
Richard Ditizio, Emily Chang, Jane Goodall, Goldie Hawn, Sheila Marcelo
Hosted by the Milken Institute, this session featured speakers Goldie Hawn, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, and Jane Goodall launching the MI Equality Pledge and the MindUp program to advance gender parity through corporate transparency and neuroscience-based education. The panelists shared personal entrepreneurial journeys while addressing systemic biases in Silicon Valley and linking women's economic empowerment to global conservation goals through initiatives like the Takami microcredit program. Their unified conclusion emphasized a collaborative leadership model that rejects sameness for equality, urging the audience to eliminate fear and foster respect across all genders and generations.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today
Rick Newman, Pradeep Khosla, Daphne Kis, Chauncy Lennon, Jane Oates
Driven by a paradox of low unemployment and stagnant labor force participation, the U.S. is confronting structural flaws in its outdated training systems and opaque credentialing infrastructure. In response, initiatives like Credential Engine are deploying transparency databases while educational models such as P-TECH and Swiss-style apprenticeships are scaling to align workforce skills with industry demands. Despite these reforms, experts warn that addressing equity gaps and a looming faculty shortage remains critical to transitioning from a degree-centric culture to one focused on long-term adaptability and competency-based matching.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Ready Player All? Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Realities
Charles Melcher, Nonny de la Peña, Colin Decker, Molly DeWolf Swenson, Brian Seth Hurst, Jake Zim
Industry leaders and investors from Sony Pictures, Within, and Immomatic discuss the transition of immersive media from a hardware-limited novelty to a mature sector projected to attract over $200 billion by 2021. The panel highlights a strategic pivot toward standalone hardware enabled by 5G and narrative innovations that guide audience attention, expanding applications from cinematic storytelling to critical uses in education, journalism, and healthcare. Despite persistent adoption barriers like headset weight and cost, experts emphasize an ethical responsibility to prioritize emotional connection and informed collaboration between storytellers and technologists.
- Milken Institute58 min
Patients: The New Economy of Healthcare
Cynthia Grossman, David Feinberg, Jen Horonjeff, Freda Lewis-Hall, Michael Loeb, Jessica Mega, Cindy Grossman
Addressing a healthcare system where 18% of US GDP is spent with inferior life expectancy outcomes, industry leaders from Pfizer, Geisinger, Verily, and Savvy Cooperative advocate a structural shift toward patient-centric B2P models. These initiatives leverage data democratization, anticipatory medicine, and direct pharmacy discounts to decouple revenue from volume while integrating social determinants of health into clinical care. This transformation aims to eliminate systemic friction and replace traditional waiting rooms with home-based, outcome-driven services that prioritize "years lived well" over mere enrollment metrics.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Solving for Gen-X: High Achievers and the New Midlife Crisis
Jennifer Deal, Ada Calhoun, Matthew Hennessey, Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Danica Lo
Following the viral impact of Ada Calhoun's article on Gen X midlife experiences, a panel convened to analyze how conflicting cultural mandates, biological perimenopause, and digital workplace pressures have created unique stressors for high-achieving Gen X women. Experts like Susan Krauss-Whitbourne and Deborah Lupnitz reframed the "midlife crisis" not as a pathological age-based event, but as a manageable reaction to systemic failures including the "bait and switch" of analog-digital transition and social media-induced comparison. The discussion concluded by advocating for concrete coping strategies such as narrative reframing, workplace coalition building, and prioritizing mental health to address the specific anxieties of this "neglected middle child" generation.
- Milken Institute57 min
India as a Driver of Global Growth
Reuben Abraham, Alyssa Ayres, Nisha Biswal, Ankur Jain, Mohit Joshi, Seema Kumar
Projected to become the world's third-largest economy within a decade, India is transitioning from a regional balancer to a leading global power driven by a unique demographic dividend and the rapid expansion of its "India Stack" digital infrastructure. Despite significant internal disparities and regulatory hurdles that currently limit foreign direct investment and female labor participation, the nation's IT sector and emerging consumer markets are generating substantial economic momentum. This strategic evolution is poised to redefine global economic narratives, with experts like Larry Summers identifying the rise of India alongside China as the defining historical event of the coming century.
- Milken Institute59 min
Meat and More: The Future of Protein
Kathleen Merrigan, Ethan Brown, Tom Hayes, Ashley Koff, Uma Valeti
A panel of industry leaders from Memphis Meats, Beyond Meat, and Tyson outlined strategies to address global protein demand sustainability challenges and rising health costs through cultured, plant-based, and conventional food innovations. Key figures emphasized a collaborative "Yes and" approach where traditional agriculture partners with cellular and plant sciences to improve resource efficiency, reduce antibiotic use, and offer consumers diverse, higher-quality dietary choices. The discussion highlighted that while current prices for alternative proteins remain higher due to scaling limitations, rapid technological advancements and global expansion plans aim to make these options cost-competitive and environmentally superior within the next decade.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Developing Capital Markets: Financing the Future in Frontier and Emerging Markets
John Schellhase, Hedi Ben Mlouka, Afsaneh Beschloss, Claver Gatete, Megan McDonald, Stephanie von Friedeburg, Eden Mabilana, Leah Kusensela, Zane
The Milken Institute, IFC, and developing nation governments convened a panel featuring leaders from Rwanda, Standard Bank, and major asset managers to address capital markets as a primary constraint on economic growth in frontier and emerging markets. The discussion highlighted Rwanda's successful sovereign bond issuance and regional integration strategy alongside the IFC's shift toward creating market infrastructure to mobilize $7 billion in local currency financing. Despite persistent challenges regarding liquidity and corporate supply, the panelists advocated for regulatory reforms and mobile technology adoption to unlock the high-growth potential of African and other frontier economies.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Investing With Impact in Underserved Small Businesses
Aron Betru, Maria Contreras-Sweet, Kimberlee Cornett, Annie Donovan, John Lettieri, Kim Saunders, Aaron Better
Experts at a panel discussion analyzed the stark racial wealth gaps and the critical role of Community Development Financial Institutions in filling banking deserts left by post-2008 regulations. The dialogue highlighted policy mechanisms like Opportunity Zones and SBA loan guarantees while warning that deregulation or a shift toward real estate over small business investment could jeopardize capital for underserved demographics. Ultimately, the speakers framed the successful mobilization of capital for these communities as essential to preventing economic stagnation and maintaining U.S. global competitiveness against international rivals.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
The Case for Investing in Migrants and Refugees
Caroline Fairchild, Kerry Kennedy, Jeff Maggioncalda, Gideon Maltz, Saed Moujtahed, John Kluge
A diverse panel of experts, including representatives from RFK Human Rights, the Tent Foundation, and Coursera, convened to address the global displacement of over 20 million people by analyzing root causes like geopolitical instability and highlighting the economic inefficiencies of current aid models. Speakers detailed how private sector innovations, such as Google's IT certification programs and Starbucks' hiring commitments, are successfully countering credential barriers while proving that refugees yield a two-to-one return on investment within five years. Despite significant administrative hurdles and inadequate government support, the consensus emphasizes a strategic shift toward impact investing, educational access, and sustained political advocacy to integrate refugees into global supply chains and economies.
- Milken Institute58 min
Innovating the Future of Food: Disruptors Leading a Health Revolution
Mehmet Oz, Matt Barnard, Nicolas Jammet, James Rogers, Tina Sharkey, Will Rosenzweig, Sasha, Jamie Shen
Leaders from Plenty, Sweetgreen, Appeal, and Brandless outlined transformative strategies to overhaul the food supply chain by replacing transport-heavy logistics with indoor farming, molecular shelf-life extension, and direct-to-consumer digital models. These innovators aim to slash the 33–50% industry food waste rate while shifting consumer behavior from health mandates to desirable palatability through technologies that eliminate the need for traditional cold chains. Collectively, the panelists advocate for modernized agricultural policies and supply chain redesigns that prioritize biodiversity and transparency over the current system's reliance on crops bred for durability rather than flavor.