Latest Interviews
Showing 1021–1035 of 1,561 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 5m
Can We Afford to Cure Disease?
Caroline Pearson, Gregg Alton, Peter Bach, Anthony Barrueta, Roy Beveridge, Tony Beretta, Pablo Legoreto
A 2015 panel discussion highlighted a five-fold surge in media mentions of prescription drug prices driven by high-cost therapies for hepatitis C and cancer, while analyzing the structural inefficiencies of the current U.S. market. Experts including Dr. Peter Bock and representatives from Humana and Gilead debated the necessity of value-based frameworks and potential policy interventions to address disparities where inflation-adjusted treatment costs rose from $50,000 to $250,000 per life-year gained. The consensus pointed toward a future shift toward outcomes-based payment models to balance pharmaceutical innovation with the financial sustainability of a healthcare system consuming 18% of U.S. GDP.
- Milken Institute58 min
The Climate Change Agreement: What's Next?
Aimée Christensen, Richard Friend, Hua Jingdong, Fred Krupp, Franklin Orr, Amy Christensen
Building on the Paris Agreement's global framework, 195 nations have committed to Nationally Determined Contributions while specific initiatives like Mission Innovation and the Breakthrough Energy Coalition mobilize 28 investors and 20 governments to double energy R&D funding. Despite these financial mechanisms and a 50% drop in renewable energy costs, current trajectories still project a 2.7°C temperature rise, necessitating an additional $770 billion in annual capital to bridge the gap toward carbon neutrality by 2050. Success now hinges on dismantling regulatory barriers, expanding carbon pricing markets, and addressing the social risks that could push 100 million more people into poverty without targeted climate resilience strategies.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Women Entrepreneurs: A Dynamic Force in Global Growth
Rick Smith, Jessica Alba, Susan Feldman, Sheila Lirio Marcelo, Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, Debbie Wosskow
Featuring founders from Care.com, The Honest Company, and One Kings Lane, this panel examines the stark funding disparity where women start companies at double the male rate yet receive only one in twelve Series A deals. The discussion highlights how structural barriers like investor bias and the misclassification of female-centric solutions as "pleasure" problems hinder growth, while offering concrete strategies such as male allyship and targeted STEM advocacy to close the gap. By analyzing case studies that collectively raised hundreds of millions, the event underscores that achieving gender parity could add $28 trillion to the global economy and requires shifting from passive observation to active championing of women-led ventures.
- Milken Institute54 min
Globalization: Path to Prosperity or Race to the Bottom?
Staci Warden, Victoria Espinel, Tony Fratto, Francisco González Díaz, Clark Roberts, Stefan Selig
Panelists analyzed the economic and political complexities of globalization, highlighting how the Trans-Pacific Partnership addresses modern digital flows while contrasting steady public support for trade with the acute, localized disruptions that drive populist sentiment. Evidence showed that economies integrated into global value chains outperformed protectionist ones, yet the discussion emphasized the urgent need to expand worker retraining programs and shift the policy narrative to explain the benefits of an open economy to younger generations. Ultimately, the dialogue argued that maintaining international connectivity is essential for addressing cross-border threats and sustaining future economic growth despite the challenges of the 2016 political landscape.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Growing Drone Phenomenon: Creating Order Out of Chaos
Gary Shapiro, Russ Burns, Lisa Ellman, Dave Vos, David Windmueller, Eric Schmidt, Jure Vatsuri, Nick Smoot, Robert
Industry leaders and policymakers convened to discuss the rapid expansion of commercial drone technology, highlighted by early adopters like Clayco securing FAA exemptions to revolutionize construction efficiency and Google's vision for automated logistics. Participants outlined a roadmap for integrating unmanned traffic management systems that rely on automated data exchange rather than traditional air traffic control, while addressing regulatory challenges regarding privacy and property rights. The dialogue concluded with an emphasis on how these advancements will drive economic growth through cost savings, reduce carbon footprints via electric delivery models, and enable humanitarian applications in disaster response.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Biotech: Bull Market or Bubble?
Luke Timmerman, Alex Denner, Bob Hugin, Annalisa Jenkins, John Reed
Panelists from major pharmaceutical firms and investment firms analyzed the biotech sector's transition from a 2012–2015 valuation bubble to a value-driven correction that prioritizes clinical utility over speculative hype. Industry leaders emphasized that while technological convergence in genomics and personalized medicine drives innovation, the sector faces critical challenges in pricing models, R&D efficiency, and patient trial enrollment that threaten long-term profitability. Consensus among the executives suggests that future success depends on collaborative regulatory frameworks, demonstrable patient outcomes, and new manufacturing efficiencies to justify the billions required for drug development.
- Milken Institute58 min
STEM Education: Preparing Kids for Jobs Their Parents Don't Understand
Caroline Fairchild, Kimberly Bryant, Stanley Litlow, Tom Khalil, Brent Bushnell, Doug Mellinger, Gloria Condrup, Precious Baskin
A panel of educators, industry leaders, and policymakers addressed the critical shortage of 1.4 million projected STEM jobs by highlighting severe proficiency gaps and advocating for structural reforms such as universal apprenticeships and mastery-based learning. The discussion highlighted successful models like IBM's P-TECH and Black Girls Code while calling for immediate federal CTE reauthorization to align funding with labor market demands and address teacher retention issues. Ultimately, the consensus emphasizes shifting from age-based promotion to skill verification to ensure a diverse, qualified workforce can fill high-wage positions in fields like data analysis and cloud computing.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Playing Games with Our Children's Education
Gary Weisserman, Nolan Bushnell, Mizuko Ito, Jeff Kupperman, Mimi Ito, Jane McGonigal, John Holly
Experts argue that the traditional classroom's batch-processing model hinders learning by failing to match the neurological engagement of gaming, which activates key brain regions like the hippocampus and caudate. Proponents advocate for "play-to-mastery" systems using tools like Minecraft and VR to enforce full skill acquisition and provide stealth assessments, while also highlighting the need to bridge digital infrastructure gaps and address exclusionary design in the game development industry. Ultimately, the shift toward personalized, game-mediated education aims to reframe learning as an active practice culture that fosters creativity and cognitive longevity across all ages.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Editing the Genome: Promise and Peril
Jonathan Thomas, David Agus, David Baltimore, Amander Clark, Hank Greely, John Thomas
A panel of biomedical experts characterizes the current period as a golden era in biological research, driven by the Supreme Court's decision to ban human gene patents and the rapid deployment of CRISPR-Cas9 technology. While somatic cell editing is already treating conditions like sickle cell disease, the discussion highlights that germline editing remains legally blocked in the U.S. and poses significant technical risks, including off-target mutations. The experts advocate for a global, scientist-led regulatory framework similar to the 1975 Asilomar Conference to address ethical concerns regarding genetic enhancement and security threats from non-human applications.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
Global Retail: Adapting to Changing Tastes
Lyndon Lee, Guilherme, Daniela, Christophe, Sonu, Coral Chung, Michael, Yasmin Chehata, Cameron Sewell
Industry leaders Lyndon Lee, Guilherme, Danielle, and Sonu discussed how millennial consumers are driving a global shift toward authentic, experience-based luxury and digital-first strategies. To counter market disruption and price volatility, these executives detailed pivots such as abandoning wholesale models for direct ownership, maintaining strict non-discounting policies, and integrating omnichannel technologies like virtual reality to preserve brand integrity. The event concluded with a consensus that while emerging markets are rapidly evolving through distinct stages of luxury consumption, success now depends on aligning with values of sustainability, local craftsmanship, and personalized engagement rather than traditional status symbols.
- Milken Institute59 min
The Influencers: How Increasing Longevity Will Shape Our World
Paula Kerger, Marc Freedman, Linda Fried, Ai-jen Poo, Nora Super
A panel of experts addresses the critical demographic shift toward an aging population, highlighting the economic potential of a 25-million-strong "second act" workforce and the systemic gaps in caregiving infrastructure. The discussion contrasts outdated retirement models with emerging intergenerational strategies, such as formalized "gap years" for older adults and technological integration in home care, while noting the urgency of reforming Medicare and Social Security to sustain these changes. By framing longevity as a collective national opportunity rather than a burden, the session urges policymakers to adopt new life-stage categories and invest equally in the quality of extended lives alongside longevity itself.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Great Global Migration: Beyond the Refugee Crisis
Nicholas Kristof, Nancy Aossey, Paul Collier, Peter Laugharn, David Miliband
This panel examines the structural inadequacies of the current humanitarian system in addressing the record 60 million displaced people, emphasizing the shift from temporary crises to long-term urban displacement. Speakers advocate for reconfiguring refugee policy toward economic integration and private sector investment, citing Jordan's industrial zone initiatives and the World Bank's $1 billion funding commitment as models for treating refugees as assets rather than liabilities. The discussion also challenges Western narratives of sole responsibility while highlighting the urgent need to rebalance global resources, noting that 11-month grant cycles and severe underfunding currently fail to support a reality where displacement averages 17 years.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
The Future of Aerospace in California
George Whitesides, Jacob Anziel, Kelly Johnson, Jen Simpson, Brian Kessler
California's aerospace sector, which commands 25% of the U.S. market and concentrates billions in defense spending, faces a critical juncture defined by a aging workforce, high regulatory costs, and the need to retain its supply chain ecosystem. Key players like Virgin Galactic, JPL, and Aerojet Rocketdyne are advancing commercial space tourism, Mars exploration, and additive manufacturing technologies to drive innovation despite a 17% structural cost disadvantage against global competitors. The industry's future growth hinges on legislative reforms to reduce liability burdens and the successful integration of private-sector agility with established government research capabilities to counter emerging geopolitical threats.
- Milken Institute57 min
Common Sense from Uncommon Investors
Sarah, Mark, Kyle, Mitch, Michael
Managers from Causeway, Crescent, Hamana, and Canyon Capital analyze how passive investing strategies and post-2008 regulations have created significant pricing inefficiencies in cyclical equities, sovereign debt, and the shadow banking sector. Experts including Sarah of Causeway, Mark of Crescent, Kyle of Hamana, and Mitch of Canyon highlight specific structural risks in China's banking system and argue that volatility offers active managers opportunities to exploit mispriced assets while avoiding the "risk-free" illusion of state-backed debt. To capitalize on these anomalies, these firms prioritize hiring individuals who combine fundamental insight with complex capital structuring skills to navigate a fragile macroeconomic environment where traditional balance sheets are contracting.
- Milken Institute57 min
Alternative Investing: Cure for Stock and Bond Blues?
Tom Petruno, Jonathan Grunzweig, Jodie Gunzberg, Jonathan Rotolo, Scott Sperling, Carrie Thome, John Rotolo, Jody Gunsberg
Leading asset managers including Scott Sperling, Kerry Tomei, and Jody Gunsberg convened to advocate for shifting from traditional asset-class allocation to risk-based strategies amid expectations of underperformance in equities and bonds. The panelists detailed how private real estate credit, intellectual property, and diversified real assets offer compelling alpha while mitigating volatility through proprietary deal flows and structured liquidity. Despite concerns regarding the risks of packaging illiquid assets into retail vehicles like 401(k)s, the experts emphasized that long-term horizons and operational expertise remain essential for sustaining returns in a complex market environment.