Latest Interviews
Showing 1246–1260 of 2,089 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute58 min
White Swans, Grey Swans and Black Swans for the Global Economy
Dennis Berman, Bill Gross, Jim McCaughan, Ross Perot, Jr., Nouriel Roubini
Nouriel Roubini and panelists analyze a divergent global economy where technological expansion and stable oil prices coexist with severe structural risks, including labor displacement by AI, European financial fragility, and rising geopolitical tensions. The discussion highlights critical policy failures in monetary and fiscal spheres, warning that low interest rates and populist backlashes may precipitate a "Lehman-type" crisis or a hard landing in China. Despite these challenges, the dialogue concludes with a long-term optimistic view that historical innovation will ultimately create new employment paradigms to counteract current demographic and social divides.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Medical Marijuana: Health and (Financial) Wellness
Tara Kelly, Lynn Honderd, Ben Kovler, Brian Reynolds, Juan Sartori
A panel of industry leaders from Green Thumb Industries, Mary's Medicinals, and International Cannabis Corporation discussed a rapidly expanding cannabis market projected to reach $45 billion in legal demand as 70% of U.S. states move toward medical legalization. Panelists highlighted significant arbitrage opportunities driven by vertical integration and global export potential, while noting that federal restrictions, specifically IRS Code 280E and banking prohibitions, currently create a temporary regulatory moat for private capital. The discussion concluded with a strategic outlook favoring branded consumer products and pharmaceutical applications over commodity flower, anticipating a transition to a regulated global agricultural sector once domestic policy alignment occurs.
- Milken Institute58 min
A New Breed: FinTech's Fusion with Alternative Investing
Rob Copeland, Jeff Assaf, Peter Early, Brendan Ross, Richard Sandor
This panel featured industry leaders Brendan, Peter, Richard, and investors Jeff and Eric Schmidt debating FinTech business models that range from regulatory premium lending to tech-enabled consumer banking. While proponents highlighted proprietary deal flow and superior credit metrics in segments like student loans, skeptics warned that traditional banks would eventually reclaim market share, compressing yields during economic downturns. The discussion concluded that long-term viability depends on proving underwriting resilience across full credit cycles and navigating the transition from niche platforms to cleared, standardized capital markets.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
Charting New Frontiers in Asset Ownership
Thomas Finke, Christopher Ailman, Hiromichi Mizuno, Jagdeep Singh Bachher, Carrie Thome
Representatives from CalSTRS, GPIF, WARF, and the UC Regents convened to discuss how massive institutional investors are adapting their portfolios to address aging demographics, declining return assumptions, and the inefficiencies of traditional active equity management. The panelists highlighted strategic shifts toward in-house execution, AI-driven efficiency, and venture capital initiatives that leverage university research, while emphasizing ESG integration as a risk management tool rather than a moral imperative. Ultimately, these leaders outlined a future where asset allocation prioritizes long-term system stability and fee compression, forcing a restructuring of the investment chain to navigate market disruption and the global energy transition.
- Milken Institute59 min
Getting from Financial Inclusion and Literacy to Financial Health
Daniel Gorfine, Louis Beryl, Kari Dohn Decker, Nan Morrison, Jerry Patterson, Jennifer Tescher
Industry leaders and policymakers convened to redefine financial progress from mere access to holistic "financial health," emphasizing that resilience requires both institutional products and behavioral support. While fintech innovations like automated savings tools and transparent lending platforms have demonstrated success in reducing costs and defaults, speakers agreed that traditional financial literacy education is insufficient without early, habitual curriculum integration and behavioral design nudges. The discussion concluded with urgent policy recommendations to standardize retirement portability, mandate national financial standards, and establish a federal framework akin to public health to close the generational gap in financial capability.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
The Road Less Traveled: Investing in Special Situations
Julian Salisbury, Maria Boyazny, Justin Chang, Jeff Robinson, David Leonhardt Jr.
Major credit and real estate managers including Bain Capital Credit, Colony Northstar, and MB Global are pivoting from shrinking US liquid markets toward illiquid assets in Southern Europe and the Asia-Pacific region to exploit a turning credit cycle and lower institutional competition. While European opportunities offer massive non-performing loan volumes, investors demand deep discounts to offset judicial delays and political uncertainty, whereas Asian markets present structural immaturity despite significant regulatory barriers to capital repatriation. To navigate these complexities, firms are shifting capital from traditional secondary trading to direct lending, digital infrastructure, and niche distressed strategies that provide downside protection amid rising macroeconomic instability and protectionist trends.
- Milken Institute1h 3m
Act Now! Making Culture a Force for Change
Ralph Simon, Haifaa al-Mansour, Laura Dawn, Moby, Gina Otto, Tina Wells
At the Milken Global Conference, a panel of cultural leaders including Laura Dorn, Moby, and Haifa Al-Mansour discussed leveraging creative industries as a form of soft power to drive social change without direct confrontation. Participants defined the "factivist" approach as merging data-driven insights with cultural narratives to mobilize audiences on critical issues such as climate action, animal rights, and gender equality. The session concluded with strategic consensus that sustainable progress in both conservative and progressive markets requires engaging children early, utilizing influencer networks, and integrating female leadership to solve global crises.
- Milken Institute52 min
The Business of Sports
Liz Habib, Dan Beckerman, Ed Glazer, Stephanie McMahon, David Nathanson, Andrew Wilson
Leading figures from WWE, EA Sports, AEG, and Fox Sports convened to analyze how digital expansion and gaming have fundamentally reshaped global sports engagement and monetization strategies. The panel emphasized that while platforms like YouTube and FIFA drive massive audience reach, the live in-stadium experience remains the critical "secret sauce" that brands must augment rather than replace. Participants highlighted a collaborative future where data-driven storytelling, diversified distribution, and the inherent business value of on-field winning will define the next era of the sports ecosystem.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Mission Driven: How NextGen Leaders Use Business Tools to Create Social Change
Sonal Shah, Simone Friedman, Alexis Ohanian, Arif Rachmat, Cindy Whitehead, Eva Yazari, Aubrey Ruby, Sandra Kwok, Diane Murphy, Nadia Bachter, Jay Lipman
The "Mission Driven Next-Gen Leaders" panel convened philanthropist Simone Friedman, investor Alexis Ohanian, Indonesian entrepreneur Arif Rahmat, and venture capitalist Cindy Whitehead to advocate for merging social impact directly into core business models rather than treating philanthropy as a separate activity. Panelists detailed specific strategies for systemic change, including Friedman's impact investments in sustainable food systems, Ohanian's platform governance reforms at Reddit, Rahmat's agricultural stewardship in Indonesia, and Whitehead's focus on closing the gender funding gap in health tech. The discussion concluded by highlighting that while traditional grants remain limited, integrating impact into profit generation and addressing regulatory barriers are essential for scaling solutions across emerging markets and diverse sectors.
- Milken Institute58 min
Things That Will Blow Your Mind
Richard Sandler, Ed Boyden, Mary Lou Jepsen, Bryan Johnson, Neal Kassell
A panel of neuroscientists and entrepreneurs led by Dr. Ed Boyden, Dr. Mary Lou Jepson, Dr. Neil Cassell, and Brian Johnson discusses the convergence of neuroscience and engineering to treat disorders like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The group details breakthroughs in non-invasive therapies, including Boyden's expansion microscopy for nanoscale mapping, Jepson's wearable holographic imaging for deep brain monitoring, and Cassell's focused ultrasound for precise tumor and tremor treatment. Beyond immediate clinical applications, the experts warn that failing to augment human cognitive capacity risks a widening gap between biological intelligence and artificial systems, urging rapid investment to manage future geopolitical and societal complexity.
- Milken Institute59 min
Venture Capital 20/20: Trends to Expect in the Years Ahead
Court Coursey, B. Bonin Bough, Nikhil Kalghatgi, Kay Koplovitz, Dave McClure, Mehmet Oz
Venture capitalists Dr. Oz, Bonin Bao, Dave McClure, and Nikhil Kogadi converge to define a sourcing strategy dominated by trusted founder networks while identifying high-potential exits in underserved sectors like healthcare, legacy food brands, and global emerging markets. The panel emphasizes that successful investments require strategic partnerships with major infrastructure providers to scale distribution, illustrated by specific examples ranging from Dr. Oz's Sharecare to Bao's America's Hustle revitalization model. Looking toward long-term disruption, the experts highlight imminent opportunities in neural interfaces, sustainable food systems, and the democratization of capital across diverse geographies to bypass traditional coastal concentration.
- Milken Institute1h 5m
Shaping Skylines and the World: Steve Wynn and Steven Roth
Steven Wynn, a major casino owner and conference benefactor, delivered a broad-ranging discourse at a high-cost event to discuss the urgent need for government efficiency and private-sector-driven solutions to looming mass unemployment. Addressing a diverse array of topics including healthcare reform, education policy, and labor market trends, Wynn advocated for regulatory deregulation, tax incentives for job creation, and a cultural shift in the workplace that prioritizes employee self-esteem over traditional management hierarchies. The session concluded with Wynn expressing optimism about the current administration's capacity for compromise while detailing his personal business philosophy that links corporate profitability directly to the psychological well-being and retention of frontline staff.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Leverage: How Philanthropies Use New Tools to Create Change
Melissa Stevens, Marlo Gottfurcht Longstreet, Thomas Meredith, Brian Sheth, Todd Wagner
A panel of experts from Vista Equity Partners, Charity Network, and The Nature Conservancy convened to argue that traditional philanthropic models are insufficient for addressing systemic global crises, calling for a shift toward disruptive, data-driven strategies. The group advocated for consolidating redundant organizations, adopting market-competitive executive compensation, and leveraging digital technologies to replace inefficient fundraising with measurable outcomes. By prioritizing high-impact scientific research, genetic accessibility, and corporate integration of social purpose, the sector aims to solve "wicked problems" through collaboration between governments, private companies, and evolved investors.
- Milken Institute1h 4m
That's Entertainment: Looking for the Next Stage
Julia Boorstin, Leslie Moonves, Peter Rice, Ted Sarandos, Reese Witherspoon, Jeremy Zimmer, Les Moonves
Major media entities are executing divergent strategies to secure scale and distribution, with Netflix prioritizing global original content volume while Fox and CBS pursue vertical integration and direct-to-consumer platforms. These shifts drive a fundamental restructuring of content economics, emphasizing non-English language production and data-driven advertising to compete against tech giants and redefined theatrical windows. Simultaneously, the industry navigates labor disputes over personal services contracts and regulatory hurdles surrounding major mergers to establish a stable, consolidated market capable of global expansion.
- Milken Institute59 min
Feng Shui Your Life: A Formula for Prosperity
Curtis S. Chin, Naomi Campbell, Sherry Chris, Pun-Yin
Master Ponyin Poon and industry leaders like Sherry Chris convened to define Feng Shui as a universal energy framework that drives high-value real estate transactions, particularly among Asian buyers who now comprise over 30% of international US purchasers. The session detailed practical applications for travelers and business executives, ranging from specific room-clearing rituals to creating "energy zones" that align with current astrological cycles to mitigate stress and enhance decision-making. By shifting the focus from material accumulation to legacy and community healing, the panel advocates for integrating these ancient principles into modern urban development and personal conduct to foster global harmony.