Latest Interviews
Showing 1066–1080 of 1,205 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute1h 12m
Reading the Tea Leaves: Where Are Markets Headed? (updated)
John Calamos Sr., Anne Casscells, George Evans, J. Todd Morley, John Rogers Jr., Christopher Ailman, Chris Ailman
Moderated by CalSTRS CIO Chris Ailman, a panel of prominent investment leaders including John Rogers, Todd Morley, and John Calamos debated diverging economic forecasts regarding US growth trajectories and the sustainability of current market valuations. Participants articulated contrasting strategies ranging from Ann Cassells' focus on demographic-driven deleveraging to John Rogers' prediction of a resurgence in traditional equity growth driven by pent-up housing demand. The discussion concluded with specific asset allocation recommendations, such as Todd Morley's pivot toward hard commodities and John Rogers' long positions in consumer brands, while warning against the risks of prolonged quantitative easing and sovereign debt devaluation.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Bioscience Discoveries That Will Blow Your Mind (updated)
Jack Andraka, David Baltimore, Francis Collins, Tejal Desai, Aydogan Ozcan, Margaret Anderson
Prominent figures including Jack Andraka, Tejal Desai, and NIH Director Francis Collins present breakthroughs in nanotechnology, genomics, and cellular engineering that promise to revolutionize early cancer detection, drug delivery, and precision medicine. While these innovations leverage falling sequencing costs, portable diagnostic devices, and adaptive sensor platforms to bridge the gap between molecular discovery and clinical treatment, panelists express deep concern over a 20% decline in real research funding. The collective discourse underscores an urgent need to redirect resources toward young innovators and high-risk projects to sustain the momentum of this biological renaissance.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
When Past Performance Is a Guide: Using History to Make Sense of the Post-Crisis World
Daniel Arbess, Ben Funnell, Mitchell Julis, Peter Thiel, Niall Ferguson, Mitch Julis
Peter Thiel, Mitch Julis, Ben Funnell, and Dan Arbus analyze a global economic landscape defined by stagnating technological innovation, regulatory bottlenecks, and a lack of non-IT productivity growth compared to the 1930s. The panelists converge on severe structural headwinds, including demographic shifts, deep income inequality, and a "balance sheet recession" where monetary stimuli have disproportionately benefited the top 1% without restoring broad real asset inflation. While diverging on immediate solutions—ranging from overt monetary finance to capital redeployment by legacy wealth—the group agrees that the U.S. faces a critical risk of entering a stationary state akin to Japan's predicament absent significant reforms to regulatory and innovation frameworks.
- Milken Institute1h 18m
MI Forum: Silicon Rally: L.A.'s Thriving Tech Scene (HD)
Walter Driver, Susan Feldman, Michael Jones, Dana Settle, Mike Jones
The Los Angeles tech ecosystem, known as "Silicon Beach," is distinguished by a culture of entrepreneurial hustling and rapid venture capital growth that has historically outpaced Boston, New York, and the Bay Area. Panelists Mike Jones, Susan Feldman, and Walter Driver discuss how local startups must prioritize immediate monetization due to a lack of late-stage capital and limited acquisition targets, while noting that the region faces significant challenges in talent retention and university industry connections. To succeed, founders are advised to leverage deep personal expertise and build strategic "connective tissue" with broader national communities, as the local landscape currently demands sustainable business models over high-risk visionary plays.
- Milken Institute1h 16m
Chinese Market Culture: How Well Can You Know a Company? (updated)
David Bonderman, Howard Chao, Benjamin Fanger, John Pattar, James McGregor
This panel explored the structural complexities of China's corporate landscape, ranging from the historical dominance of Township and Village Enterprises to the persistent legal ambiguities of Variable Interest Entity (VIE) structures. Participants detailed how severe challenges in financial transparency necessitate "forensic" due diligence and asset-holding strategies akin to a pawn shop to mitigate enforcement risks in a judicial system lacking full independence. Ultimately, the discussion emphasized that navigating this high-risk environment requires investors to bypass reported earnings for cash flow analysis while closely monitoring specific political reform indicators to anticipate regulatory shifts.
- Milken Institute59 min
The Big Picture for Global Media (updated)
Gale Anne Hurd, Michael Lynton, Leslie Moonves, Robert Pittman, Julia Boorstin, Les Moonves
A panel of leading media executives, including Bob Pitman, Les Moonves, Michael Lynne, and Gail Berman, convened to analyze the industry's rapid transformation driven by mobile connectivity, social media engagement, and the global dominance of streaming services like Netflix. The discussion detailed specific strategic shifts such as CBS's legal battles against Aereo, the rise of international box office revenue, and the redefinition of content creation to suit binge-watching and second-screen behaviors. While the group acknowledged the challenges of advertiser adaptation and piracy, they ultimately concluded that the core value of high-quality content remains paramount despite the volatile landscape of digital distribution and potential future consolidation.
- Milken Institute1h 24m
Investing in African Prosperity (updated)
Tony Blair, Bill Gates, H.E. Paul Kagame, Strive Masiyiwa, Rhonda Zygocki, Michael Milken
A panel of government leaders, corporate executives, and development experts convened to analyze Africa's demographic surge and its potential to become a global economic powerhouse despite significant infrastructure and financial gaps. Key speakers highlighted transformative successes in nations like Rwanda and Ethiopia, alongside private sector initiatives by Chevron and the Clinton Foundation that are leveraging mobile technology, transparent governance, and direct operational partnerships to drive sustainable growth. The consensus emphasized that unlocking the continent's future requires multi-stakeholder collaboration that treats Africa as 54 distinct markets while prioritizing human capital investment and local capacity building over traditional aid models.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Institutional Investors: Where in the World Will Returns Come From? (audio/video update)
Janet Cowell, Joseph Dear, Michael Sabia, Mauricio Wanderley, Tom Finke, Joe Deere
Representatives from CalPERS, the North Carolina State Treasurer, the Canadian Caisse de Dépôt, and Brazil's Funcef convened to detail strategies for recovering from financial crises and targeting 6.7% to 7.5% annual returns in a low-yield environment. The panelists emphasized a decisive shift away from benchmark-relative mandates toward direct ownership of real economy assets, with significant capital redeployment into private equity, infrastructure, and emerging markets like China and Brazil to hedge against inflation and fill fixed-income gaps. While noting political and monetary risks in Europe, these leaders projected a moderately offensive posture for 2013, prioritizing internal management to reduce fees and enhance long-term growth despite the scarcity of high-quality investment vehicles.
- Milken Institute1h 18m
MI Forum: Silicon Rally: L.A.'s Thriving Tech Scene (SD)
Walter Driver, Susan Feldman, Michael Jones, Dana Settle, Mike Jones
The Los Angeles tech ecosystem, known as Silicon Beach, sustains approximately $1 billion in annual venture capital while differentiating itself from coastal hubs through an emphasis on immediate revenue generation over delayed monetization. Despite producing major exits like SpaceX and Riot Games, the region faces significant headwinds including a scarcity of local late-stage funding, a shortage of experienced angel investors, and reliance on external Series B capital. To mature into a sustainable platform for multibillion-dollar valuations, the panel advocates for entrepreneurs to leverage personal expertise and tap into underutilized capital pools within diverse community family offices.
- Milken Institute1h 15m
MI Forum: The Grace of Silence
Journalist Michele Norris presented her book *The Grace of Silence* at a KCRW forum, recounting how her family's unspoken trauma regarding her grandmother's "Aunt Jemima" performances and her father's 1946 police shooting in Birmingham revealed the protective function of silence in Black American history. Norris contrasted these personal narratives with systemic racial disparities and the "post-racial" myth, arguing that unaddressed historical trauma continues to shape contemporary inequities in employment and education. The event concluded with Norris advocating for a "National Day of Listening" to preserve such family oral histories, emphasizing that acknowledging these specific stories is essential for understanding national strength rather than dwelling in pain.
- Milken Institute1h 51m
The Hot Zone Approach to Battling Gang Violence
Connie Rice, Rev. Jeff Carr, Malcolm Klein, Charlie Beck, Ray Bercini, Father Gregory Boyle, Brian Center, Mike Clouden, Richard Sandler, Father Greg Boyle, Deputy Chief Charles Beck, Detective Ray Bersini, Deputy Mayor Jeff Carr
Panelists led by Dr. Malcolm Klein and Los Angeles officials analyze the city's gang crisis, redefining the problem through five distinct gang types while critiquing the current over-reliance on individual-focused interventions. The discussion highlights a strategic shift toward evidence-based policies, such as the "Summer Night Lights" program and collaboration with organizations like Homeboy Industries, which emphasize community hope and structural economic reform over pure suppression. Despite reporting a drop in homicides from 350 to 167, experts warn that sustained political will and a $40 million investment are essential to address the underground economy and prevent a resurgence of violence.
- Milken Institute1h 24m
Where Is the Economy Headed? A View From the Presidential Campaigns
Michael J. Boskin, Leo Hindery, Jr., John McCain, Barack Obama, Mike Clouden, Peter Purcell
Economic advisors Leo Hendry for the Obama campaign and Michael Boskin for the McCain campaign engaged in a moderated policy dialogue at a Milken Institute event, debating critical issues including income inequality, the causes of the financial crisis, and the efficacy of global trade agreements. The participants presented divergent views on taxation, where Hendry advocated for repealing tax cuts for high earners to reduce deficits, while Boskin argued that such measures would harm the U.S. standard of living and cited technology rather than policy as the primary driver of inequality. Through structured opening statements and rebuttals, the forum highlighted deep disagreements on regulatory approaches to the mortgage crisis and the role of government intervention in stimulating the economy.
- Milken Institute1h 22m
The Future of Biofuels: Can This Green Energy Pay Off - and Save the Planet?
Roger Conway, Daniel Gardenswartz, Richard Hamilton, Glenn Yago, Joel
The Milken Institute's Capital Studies program convened experts from the USDA and private sector to analyze the technical and economic realities of three biofuel generations, emphasizing advanced cellulosic and algal technologies. Panelists highlighted that while government programs like the Biomass Crop Assistance Program are addressing the critical funding gap between research and commercialization, economic parity with fossil fuels is projected within two to three years as yields improve and costs decline. The discussion concluded that a diversified energy portfolio is essential, countering concerns about food security by demonstrating how genetically enhanced crops can sequester carbon and utilize marginal land without displacing food production.
- Milken Institute59 min
Mid-Market Private Equity (updated)
Lauren Leichtman, Brian Reynolds, Ted Virtue, Barry Volpert, Kneeland Youngblood, Adam Sokoloff
Industry leaders including Lauren Leichman, Ted Virtue, and Barry Volpert convened to analyze the current middle-market landscape, highlighting a surge in refinancing activity and secondary buyouts driven by abundant capital and favorable credit conditions. While mega-funds compete on lower IRR mandates, mid-market firms leverage operational expertise and lower leverage to target distinct valuation gaps, particularly in the $200 million to $1 billion enterprise value range. The panel concluded that despite LP demands for concentration and compliance, the sector is poised for sustained growth through strategic carve-outs, cross-border expansion, and a predicted "harvesting wave" of exits over the next five years.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
Leaning In or Pushed Out: Where Are the Senior Women in Business?
Richard Ditizio, Margery Kraus, Sallie Krawcheck, Lauren Leichtman, Liz Claman, Marjorie Kraus, Michelle Kidley, Jeff, Manjuka Nariwala
Despite women comprising over half of college graduates, their representation in senior financial leadership remains stagnant at roughly 16%, a regression driven by systemic biases like the "intellectual honesty" trap and the double-bind of perceived aggression. Panelists highlighted that while diverse management teams generate over 30% higher returns, institutional inertia persists due to regressive maternity policies and a flexibility paradox that sidelines working mothers. To address this, experts recommend leveraging investor pressure through shareholder voting, utilizing regulatory CAMEL ratings to penalize homogenous boards, and fostering mandatory male inclusion to dismantle the status quo.