Latest Interviews

Acid Rain to Asset Reign: The Business Case for Investing in Climate Change Technology

Spyros Kouvelis, Gísli Hauksson, Richard Mattison, Sabrina McCormick, Alisa Swidler, Peter, Abid Kamali, Hannah

A panel of experts and investors addressed the critical "valley of death" between climate policy and implementation by highlighting the shift of global investment gravity toward China and showcasing deep drilling technologies that could make geothermal energy viable worldwide. Case studies of the Lake Chad humanitarian crisis and the Belo Monte Dam illustrated the urgent need to link ocean conservation and robust ESG data to prevent massive financial and social losses. The session concluded with strategic recommendations for integrating these factors into fiduciary duties, utilizing the upcoming EU green taxonomy to de-risk private capital and align short-term market actions with long-term sustainable development goals.

Healthy Living Equals Healthy Aging: How Where We Live, Work and Play Can Impact Our Longevity

Anand Parekh, Catherine Anderson, Frank Diana, Omar Nagji, Allison Silberberg, Pattie Dale Tye

Industry leaders from Humana, Lyft, UnitedHealthcare, and the City of Alexandria convened to address the critical intersection of aging demographics and healthcare access, highlighting how transportation barriers and social isolation drive significant health disparities. The panel detailed strategic partnerships that integrate non-clinical services like housing stability and food security into core care models, demonstrating measurable successes in reducing missed medical appointments and improving community health metrics. By advocating for regulatory agility and cross-sector data integration, these stakeholders outlined a roadmap for shifting from reactive treatment to preventative, community-centric solutions that support healthy life extension.

Global Cities Roundtable: Economic Dynamics from China to California

Henny Sender, Kevin Klowden, Perry Wong

A panel discussion analyzes urbanization as a critical economic strategy for China, contrasting its infrastructure-led growth model with the bureaucratic and political obstacles hindering modernization in the U.S. and India. The conversation highlights divergent regional trajectories, noting how cities like Guiyang and Shenzhen have successfully reinvented themselves through strategic investment and entrepreneurial flexibility while others face stagnation from structural rigidity or talent outflows. Ultimately, the analysis emphasizes that long-term viability depends on a city's capacity to continuously adapt its industrial base and governance to evolving technological and global market demands.

Institutional Investing: The Model for the Future

Nobel Gulati, Mark Konyn, Hugh O'Reilly, Piau-Voon Wang, Bryan Yeo

Industry leaders from GIC, AIA, OP Trust, and NOAA Holdings convened to address structural challenges such as low returns and data overload, proposing that strategic asset allocation and liability-driven approaches yield superior outcomes over traditional manager selection. The panel highlighted a significant shift toward insourcing capabilities, technological integration via satellite and AI, and workforce diversification to maintain agility amidst an expected market consolidation by 2037. Ultimately, participants forecast a future where homegrown Asian institutions leverage retail savings and alternative data to drive performance while ESG integration becomes a non-negotiable standard for long-term sustainability.

The First 100 Days—and the Next 1,000

Carol Lee, Paul Atkins, William Bennett, Richard Haass, Chris Liddell, Andrew Liveris, Bill Bennett

The Office of American Innovation has engaged over 200 business leaders to advance a growth agenda focused on deregulation, legislative reforms like the Financial Choice Act, and workforce modernization to address manufacturing and STEM skills gaps. Concurrently, the administration is restructuring foreign policy by shifting toward fair trade negotiations and withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership while utilizing executive orders to lower regulatory costs for the automotive and banking sectors. Although fiscal concerns persist regarding deficits and political challenges remain from both congressional factions, the strategy emphasizes a transition from consultation to active policy implementation intended to secure a permanent voice for job creators.

How Technology Trends Will Impact Your Portfolio

Scarlet Fu, Nathaniel Barker, Christopher Bartel, Bill Brady, Alex Griffiths, Stephanie von Friedeburg

Experts forecast that the automotive industry will undergo a decade of radical transformation driven by electric vehicles and autonomous technology, creating a market where Tesla's valuation rivals legacy manufacturers while investors increasingly favor supply chain components over traditional automakers facing distress. Parallel disruptions in fintech, retail, and education are reshaping global commerce through mobile banking adoption, direct-to-consumer models, and AI-driven personalized learning, though these sectors face significant hurdles regarding regulatory oversight and valuation risks. By 2035, despite a surge in EV adoption, internal combustion engines will remain dominant in the global vehicle fleet, cementing a transition period defined by infrastructure gaps and the strategic shift from ownership to utility-based services.

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.

Q&A with YC Partners at Startup School SV 2016

Kat, Adora, Tim, Jaredy, Michael, Dalton, Kirsty

This event delivers a comprehensive strategic guide for startup founders, covering critical phases from immediate idea validation and co-founder selection to operational tooling and the YC application process. Key insights emphasize prioritizing genuine passion over impressiveness, balancing product perfection with growth based on specific retention thresholds, and leveraging community support rather than isolating oneself. The session concludes with logistical details for a reception in the sunken garden, offering a direct forum for continued dialogue with the YC partners and staff.

A Conversation with Chief Information Officer Marty Chavez

Marty Chavez

Marty Leverett details a 25-year career trajectory at Goldman Sachs that evolved from a serendipitous biochemistry degree to leading computational trading strategies by leveraging the firm's unique data assets and avoiding the separation of technology from markets. He analyzes how exponential growth in compute power and cloud infrastructure has transformed machine learning from an impractical theory into a vital tool for solving complex financial problems. Beyond his corporate achievements, the discussion highlights his commitment to philanthropy, specifically his leadership in the foundation plan to cure HIV/AIDS and his involvement in the High Line urban development project.

Goldman Sachs Economists on EU Capital Markets Union: Talks at GS Session Highlights

Huw Pill, Jim Esposito, Philippe Ithurbide, William Wright

As European economies transition from crisis management to long-term structural growth, a strategic push is underway to establish a Capital Markets Union that diversifies funding beyond the banking sector. This initiative targets critical barriers such as fragmented exchange infrastructure, inconsistent insolvency laws, and information asymmetries that currently hinder SME access to public markets. Panelists recommend immediate regulatory harmonization and technology-driven standardization to unlock deep pools of long-term capital, ensuring that medium-sized enterprises and infrastructure projects can secure sustainable financing.

Exploring Generational Differences among Small Businesses Owners

Carol Roth, Robb Hilson, Dan Schawbel, Steve Strauss

Hosted by Carol Roth for Bank of America's Small Business Social Series, this panel featured experts Rob Hilsen, Steve Strauss, and Dan Schaubel to analyze intergenerational dynamics in entrepreneurship. The discussion highlighted how Millennials and Boomers can leverage co-mentorship to combine technological innovation with risk-avoidance strategies, while addressing critical financial barriers like credit gaps and diverse funding sources such as crowdfunding versus traditional lending. Ultimately, the speakers urged business owners to build mixed-generational advisory boards and cultivate early banking relationships to navigate an unpredictable market and secure long-term stability.

The Puzzle of Personnel: Recruiting and Retaining Talent

Rich Colgard, Greg Capelli, Wei-Li Chong, Kay Foster Cheek, Paul McKinnon, Larry Kaiser

Industry leaders and researchers address a critical U.S. workforce disconnect where four million unfilled jobs coexist with thirty million unemployed individuals due to credentialism barriers and outdated training pipelines. Organizations such as Apollo Education Group and Onyx Pharmaceuticals are implementing simulation-based matching, decision science, and non-traditional benefits to assess innate capability and align talent strategies with business outcomes. These strategic shifts aim to resolve demographic mismatches, reduce high turnover rates, and replace traditional credentialism with data-driven methods that prioritize skill verification over formal degrees.

Impact Investing in Israel Roundtable

Lorin Fife, Alan Hoffmann, Carl Kaplan, Yaron Neudorfer, Izzy Tapoohi, Davida Lachman-Messer, Shari Birenbach

This panel featured industry leaders including Didi Lachman, Lorraine Alexander, and Alan Hoffman, who advocated for impact investing as a necessary vehicle to scale social funding in Israel by leveraging the 95% of foundation assets not required for annual grants. Key speakers presented diverse financial instruments ranging from social impact bonds and social venture funds to earmarked Israel Bonds, projecting that these mechanisms could generate the required 7% returns while addressing inequalities among underserved populations. The discussion concluded with a roadmap for establishing a social investment bank and standardizing impact measurements to overcome institutional conservatism and mobilize public-private partnerships.

The Awesome Responsibility of Leadership: A Conversation with Harry Reid and Eric Cantor

Harry Reid, Eric Cantor, Michael Milken

Senators Harry Reid and Eric Cantor discussed urgent challenges to federal biomedical funding, public health, and education while outlining a bipartisan strategy for comprehensive immigration reform ahead of the July 4th recess. Reid emphasized the severe impact of sequestration on research institutions and nutrition programs, whereas Cantor advocated for technology-driven wellness initiatives and proposed an "ag worker" immigration measure alongside STEM visa retention. The leaders concluded by pledging continued collaboration through a joint trip to the NIH, future joint fundraising in their home states, and the pursuit of an immigration bill that offers a pathway to citizenship while maintaining the rule of law.