Latest Interviews
Showing 1006–1020 of 1,089 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 2m
The Business of Sports
Jim Gray, Todd Boley, Melinda Whitmer, Wayne Gretzky, Jimmy Connors, Joe Ravitch
Industry leaders including Guggenheim Partners' Todd Boley and Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky convened to analyze the shifting economics of professional sports, where franchise valuations are increasingly driven by real estate and the strategic removal of Regional Sports Network middlemen. The panel highlighted a critical transition toward direct-to-consumer broadcasting models, exemplified by Time Warner Cable's $10 billion investment in Dodgers and Lakers rights, while maintaining that the unique energy of live stadium attendance remains irreplaceable by digital technology. Despite concerns over potential tech giant disruption, the consensus asserts that sports franchises will continue to leverage their status as non-substitutable entertainment anchors to sustain growth and justify rising consumer costs.
- Milken Institute1h 11m
India: How Long a Pause?
Sam Gupta, Nandita Agarwal Parker, Sanjay Patel, Rashesh Shah, Man Jit Singh, Komal Sri-Kumar, Nandita Parker, Sanjay Gupta, Dilip Thakur, John Shulha, Rabindranath Dutta, Vivek Wadhwa, Manju Ganeriwala, Nati Krishna, Vimal
The Indian economy is navigating a temporary 12-to-18-month pause characterized by political gridlock and high corporate leverage, yet retains significant value due to undervalued market cap-to-GDP ratios and robust foreign investment inflows. Amidst a demographic dividend where 75% of the population is under 35, a shifting middle class is driving premium consumer demand and digital adoption, particularly in media and private equity sectors. While infrastructure bottlenecks and governance risks constrain long-term growth potential, analysts project a return to 8–10% GDP expansion as capital expenditure resumes and regional markets mature beyond the current English-dominated internet landscape.
- Milken Institute59 min
Oil, Power and Saudi Arabia: A Conversation with Karen Elliott House and T. Boone Pickens
Karen Elliott House, T. Boone Pickens, Skip Reimer
Organizers Skip Reimer, Jay Rosser, and Saudi expert Karen House hosted a panel with billionaire oilman Boone Pickens to analyze the fragility of Saudi Arabia's energy production, succession crises, and the reliability of its reported 250 billion barrel reserves. The discussion revealed that internal royal fragmentation and economic dependence on high oil prices threaten regional stability, while US experts argued that the nation's military presence in the Persian Gulf is increasingly unjustified given rising domestic energy independence. Consequently, the panelists advocated for a strategic shift toward natural gas infrastructure and a diplomatic move away from unconditional support of the Saudi monarchy to mitigate future geopolitical risks.
- 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 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 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 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 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.
- Milken Institute1h 6m
Pushing the Frontier: How the Space Industry Is Changing the Way We See the World
Gwen Shotwell, Ellen Polakowski, May Jemison, Esther Dyson
The global space sector is undergoing a transformative shift from government dominance to a competitive commercial model driven by private firms like SpaceX and Bigelow Aerospace, which are deploying reusable rocket technology and inflatable orbital habitats to reduce costs and expand capabilities. While the industry navigates growing international competition and contested orbital environments, it simultaneously addresses critical challenges such as asteroid defense and interstellar travel through initiatives like the 100-Year Starship project and NASA's evolving public-private partnerships. This transition is fostering a new economic multiplier effect where commercial innovation in satellite services, synthetic biology, and deep-space exploration generates substantial returns for both national security and global environmental monitoring.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Mid-Market Private Equity
Lauren Leichtman, Brian Reynolds, Ted Virtue, Barry Volpert, Kneeland Youngblood, Adam Sokoloff, Nealon Youngblood
Representatives from major private equity firms including Levine Leichman, Chatham Capital, MidOcean Partners, Crestview Partners, and Ferros Capital convened to analyze the evolving middle-market landscape, defining target valuations between $25M and $2.4B enterprise value while highlighting a surge in refinancing activity driven by robust capital markets. The panelists identified significant competitive pressures from mega-funds capable of paying higher multiples, prompting mid-market strategies that leverage operational expertise, extended hold periods, and strategic co-investments to secure net IRRs of 18% to 20%. Despite a market shakeout driven by Limited Partner demands for higher returns and larger commitments, the industry outlook remains positive as firms anticipate continued consolidation and sustained demand for lower-multiple, value-creating acquisitions.