John Defterios
Showing 1–2 of 2 transcripts.
- Milken Institute42 min
Energy Transition: Critical Minerals, Climate Tech, & Policy Shifts | Middle East and Africa Summit
John Defterios, His Excellency Majid Al Suwaidi, Lucie Berger, Frank Fannon, Oskar Lewnowski, Bob Wilt, Majid Al Suwaidi
Launched by the UAE, the $30 billion Alira Initiative seeks to mobilize $250 billion in private capital by 2030 to bridge the investment gap in the Global South, where 85% of current transition funding flows to the North. The program targets critical bottlenecks in the energy supply chain, specifically addressing the decade-long permitting delays and geopolitical concentration of critical minerals that currently hinder gigafactory development. By combining a de-risked investment structure with a focus on modernizing the mining sector's public image, the initiative aims to secure a resilient, technology-driven future for clean energy while challenging the dominance of existing supply chains.
- Milken Institute56 min
Shifting Tides: A Macroeconomic Outlook
John Defterios, Virginie Afota, Roxanne Davies, Robert A. Gillam, Michael Metcalfe, Alireza Zaimi, Rob, Virginia, Ella Reyes, Brigitte
This macroeconomic forum analyzed how central bank liquidity and media narratives are currently driving asset rallies while emerging markets like China face GDP contraction from trade tensions and viral shocks. Experts contrasted these short-term credit risks with long-term structural themes, including a projected 20% global population growth and the strategic evolution of sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East toward diversified infrastructure and ESG integration. The panel concluded that despite volatile oil prices and inflation concerns, institutional investors are increasingly shifting from tactical trading to decade-long horizons focused on demographic shifts, technological disruption, and sustainable resource allocation in Asia and emerging economies.