Latest Interviews
Showing 1–15 of 15 transcripts.
Clear all filters- Milken Institute59 min
A Conversation with Bill Clinton, 42nd President of the United States | Global Conference 2024
Bill Clinton, William Jefferson Clinton, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Chelsea, Charlotte, Aidan, Jasper, George H.W. Bush, Mike Milken, Lori, Richard Ditizio, Alan Schwartz
At the Milken Institute Global Conference, executives and attendees emphasized cross-partisan collaboration to address global challenges, highlighting that women currently receive only 2% of global funding despite the critical need for inclusive partnerships. Former President Bill Clinton distinguished between divisive and inclusive tribalism while detailing successful initiatives such as the Clinton Health Access Initiative, which has saved 30 million lives and secured HIV treatment for 80% of children globally. Clinton further advocated for early childhood education strategies and public health reforms, arguing that maximizing generic drug production and leveraging corporate cooperation offer superior returns on investment compared to divisive nationalism or grievance-based politics.
- Milken Institute28 min
A Conversation with Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
Calvin Klein co-founded his global fashion empire with early capital from childhood friend Barry Schwartz, eventually pioneering disruptive marketing strategies like the Brooke Shields "Nothing" campaign and unauthorized product placements to define an American, provocative brand identity. While the partnership with financier Michael Milken provided critical structural discipline during cash crunches, Klein also navigated legal controversies such as the "Kiddie Porn" investigation by prioritizing cultural conversation over traditional safety. Today, he reflects on how social media has compressed the industry timeline, distinguishing between fleeting celebrity brands and enduring legacy companies built on distinct style and consistent messaging.
- Milken Institute1h 1m
Investing with Vision: A Conversation With SoftBank's Rajeev Misra
Rajeev Misra, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
SoftBank Vision Fund has deployed $80 billion across 80 portfolio companies to aggregate fragmented markets through AI-driven platforms and preferential debt financing. Led by Rajiv Mehta, the fund targets 30% long-term returns by applying a minority stake strategy to "fearless" founders while leveraging SoftBank's ecosystem for global expansion. With a second fund planned for immediate launch, the organization aims to capitalize on the transition from internet growth to an AI revolution that restructures industries like transportation and hospitality.
- Milken Institute57 min
MIc'd Up | A Conversation With Steve Ballmer
Steve Ballmer, Michael Milken, Stephen Ballmer, Mike Milken
Former Microsoft CEO Stephen Ballmer leveraged his corporate success to purchase the Los Angeles Clippers in 2014, where he now champions a dedicated arena and implements a player development program focused on life skills and emotional maturity. Concurrently, he and his wife founded the Ballmer Group to drive economic mobility through early childhood education initiatives and the data transparency project USA Facts, which aggregates government financial records to counteract declining social prospects. Drawing on his background as a first-generation American and tech executive, Ballmer argues that investing in pre-K yields superior long-term returns compared to later educational interventions while advocating for AI's potential to lift all societal boats despite short-term displacement concerns.
- Milken Institute1h 40m
Asia Summit 2015 - AIIB and the Evolving Multilateral Lending Landscape
Mike Milken, Lee Kuan Yew, Jin Li-chun, Tommy Koh, Jin Tong, Tadashi Maeda, Clive Kerner, Elena Okorochinko
At a Milken Institute discussion, AIIB President-designate Jin Li-chun outlined the bank's lean, clean, and green operational framework designed to complement existing multilateral development banks in addressing a global infrastructure financing gap of $2 trillion annually. With 57 provisional founding members approved and a target to operationalize by year-end, the institution plans to leverage a 2.5 gearing ratio to reach $250 billion in lending capacity while offering flexible financing stages to bridge the $8 trillion Asian infrastructure demand projected for 2030. Although major economies like the United States and Japan remain cautious, stakeholders including rating agencies and the IFC view the AIIB as a strategic partner capable of enhancing credit quality and mobilizing private capital for sustainable development.
- Milken Institute57 min
Around the World in 60 Minutes: Creating Global Prosperity
Mike Milken, Tony, Strive, Nouriel, Kathy
The 18th annual Milken Institute Global Conference convened 4,000 attendees and global leaders including Tony Blair and Nouriel Roubini to address the dual challenges of global job creation and economic resilience. Key outcomes included the formation of a task force targeting one billion new jobs and strategic imperatives emphasizing migration liberalization, human capital investment, and health infrastructure to counter automation and demographic shifts. By shifting focus from aid to trade and advocating for lifelong learning, the panel established a framework for future prosperity centered on open governance and innovation.
- Milken Institute1h 2m
A Conversation with Ken Griffin and Steve Schwarzman
Ken Griffin, Steve Schwarzman, Mike Milken, Kenneth Griffin, Stephen Schwarzman
Ken Fisher, Steve Schwarzman, and Ken Griffin identify educational deficiencies, excessive regulation, and a mismatch between workforce skills and modern economic demands as primary threats to U.S. competitiveness. These leaders advocate for structural reforms in public schooling, support initiatives like the Schwarzman Scholars Program to bridge global talent gaps, and call for deregulation and energy independence to stimulate small business growth. Furthermore, they contrast the U.S. reliance on capital markets with Europe's bank-centric model, urging immediate action on entitlement reform and fiscal policy to restore long-term human capital and drive job creation.
- Milken Institute1h 17m
Son of a Gambling Man: My Journey from a Casino Family to the Governor's Mansion
Bob Miller, Joel Kurtzman, Mike Milken
On January 21, 2014, Harvard researchers Aris Aydin and Jean-Baptiste Michel will discuss *Uncharted Big Data as a Lens on Human Culture* alongside former Nevada Governor Bob Miller, who remains at the venue to sign copies of his autobiography. The event contextualizes Miller's career within the broader evolution of Las Vegas, tracing its transformation from a mob-influenced gambling hub into a globally recognized economic leader through the strategic visions of figures like Bugsy Siegel, Howard Hughes, and Steve Wynn. By detailing shifts in financing, regulatory oversight, and infrastructure, the session highlights how legal enforcement and corporate innovation drove Nevada's diversification beyond gaming into fields such as biotechnology, mining, and tech.
- Milken Institute1h 13m
Access to Global Capital Initiative: Corporate and Investor Roundtable
Tony Blair, Paul Kagame, Strive Masiyiwa, Seth Merrin, Mike Milken, Mindy Silverstein
At the Milken Institute's "Investing in Africa" working group, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Tony Blair outlined strategic partnerships with the Institute to accelerate capital flow into emerging markets through the new Access to Global Capital Initiative. The session highlighted Rwanda's 8% annual economic growth and regional integration efforts while presenting data indicating that emerging markets now hold a larger share of the global economy than the US, Europe, and Japan combined. With future plans to expand operations in Indonesia and convene international investors in East Africa, the group aims to leverage governance reforms and renewable energy projects to drive sustainable wealth creation across the continent.
- Milken Institute55 min
A Conversation with Howard Marks and Mike Milken (updated)
Howard Marks, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
Historical analysis of major market crashes, including the 1973 Nifty Fifty collapse and the 2008 financial crisis, reveals that investors often suffer catastrophic losses by ignoring cyclical valuations and overestimating the safety of high-quality assets. The presentation further explains that long-term bond returns depend more on reinvestment rates than initial yields, while successful investing requires focusing on knowable factors like specific companies and demographics rather than unpredictable macro variables. Finally, the discussion highlights how Oaktree Capital Group sustains its long-term success through a firm culture rooted in specific ethical creeds, harmonious teamwork, and a succession strategy that prioritizes the perpetuation of values over individual founder skills.
- Milken Institute1h 0m
MI Forum: Creating a World Without Poverty
Muhammad Yunus, Mike Milken, James McGowan, Betsy Zyman, Ross Duvall, Steve Barth
Founded by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to democratize access to capital, the Grameen Bank operates a unique microfinance model where 7.3 million borrowers, 97% of whom are women, own the institution itself. This structure inverts traditional banking by eliminating collateral and legal enforcement while utilizing social pressure to maintain repayment rates exceeding 98%, thereby extending credit to the world's poorest populations. Building on this foundation, Yunus has expanded into social business ventures like Grameen Danone and Grameen Shakti, which deliver essential services ranging from nutrition to solar energy without relying on external dividends.
- Milken Institute1h 13m
Revolution of Hope: The Life, Faith and Dreams of a Mexican President
Vicente Fox, Mike Milken, Governor Davis
Former Mexican President Vicente Fox joined Milken Institute Chairman Mike Milken for an exclusive dialogue on U.S.-Mexico strategic partnerships, highlighting Mexico's demographic surge, trade achievements under NAFTA, and the economic impact of the region's growing workforce. Fox detailed his administration's record of stabilizing inflation and boosting the stock market while advocating for comprehensive immigration reform and contrasting his cooperative leadership style with isolationist or force-based policies. Looking toward the future, the discussion projected Mexico's rise to become a top-five global economy by 2040 and urged deeper binational integration to counterbalance emerging Asian powers while addressing ongoing security challenges.
- Milken Institute56 min
A Conversation with Howard Marks and Mike Milken
Howard Marks, Mike Milken, Michael Milken
Oaktree Capital employs historical market cycles and behavioral analysis to teach that asset quality is secondary to valuation, as demonstrated by repeated failures when investors extrapolate linear growth during bubbles like the Nifty Fifty and the 2008 crisis. By emphasizing that risk is often misperceived and that true success requires focusing on knowable fundamentals rather than unknowable macro trends, the firm structures its culture around team-based incentives to ensure long-term survival and client prioritization. This approach positions investors to profit by remaining aggressive when others are terrified and conservative when optimism dominates, effectively navigating market temperatures without relying on specific economic predictions.
- Milken Institute1h 15m
The Promise of the Bioscience Century
Paul Irving, Mike Milken, Eric Cantor, Paul Chu, Jeff, Bernardo Zavala, Jr., Bernard Harris, Andy von Eschenbach, Peggy, Francis Collins, Chris Austin
This event analyzes the critical role of bioscience in driving global economic growth and societal well-being while highlighting China's aggressive $308 billion investment program that threatens to surpass U.S. leadership. Panelists discuss strategic institutional responses, such as DARPA's high-risk research model and the FDA's regulatory innovations, which have accelerated breakthroughs in prosthetics, personalized medicine, and disease prevention. However, fiscal constraints and shifting global demographics necessitate sustained bipartisan funding to preserve the United States' status as a central hub for scientific innovation and global health security.
- Milken Institute52 min
Dinner Panel: Mike Milken Interviews Eike Batista and T. Boone Pickens
Mike Milken, Eike Batista, T. Boone Pickens, Michael Milken
Nobel laureates and energy advocates Boone Pickens and Ike Batista identified energy and education as the two primary drivers of global societal challenges, contrasting U.S. legislative gridlock over natural gas solutions with Brazil's stable "unleveraged economy." While Pickens advocates for replacing imported diesel with domestic natural gas to reduce reliance on OPEC, Batista highlights Brazil's massive offshore oil discoveries and strategic investments as a key frontier for global energy needs. The panel further outlined specific economic strategies, including U.S. job creation through fuel conversion and Brazil's $15.5 billion EBX Group expansion, positioning both nations as critical players in the future resource landscape.