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This Milken Institute Global Conference post originally ran May 9, 2018 as part of an annual blog series.

Last week, I attended the exclusive, invitation-only 21st annual Milken Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton Hotel—home of the Golden Globes. This year’s theme was “Navigating a World in Transition.” For three days, attendees heard 740 entertainment, Wall Street, philanthropic, economic, scientific and world political leaders address everything from longevity, philanthropy, gun violence, diversity, politics, investment in Africa … well, you get the idea.

Imagine a scene where guests from all over the world bask in the warm L.A. sunshine from outdoor lounges decorated with plush sofas, cushions monogrammed with the Milken Institute logo, and a jumbo TV screen live-streaming some of the panels, while enjoying plentiful food and drink and unlimited celebrity sightings. Security is tight, and a badge and scannable facial ID are required for admittance. CNBC, Fox News, Facebook, and Bloomberg broadcast their morning programs in the lobby. And nearly 2,000 people move quickly from one session to the next. Fortune 500 CEOs, heads of state and celebrities all mingle without entourages, giving the event a certain buzzy vibe. Although the conference stated the dress code was business casual, most men wore suits, and women wore their best boardroom attire.

Several people have asked me to share what I learned.

The most successful people in the world have a story.

Because I’m in the people business, I’m always curious about what makes a great leader. What is their background? How did they get to where they are now? What were their challenges? How are they using their gifts? Here are four people who surprised, educated, and even inspired me about tough times, leadership, and impact. In a later blog, I will discuss other important discoveries and lessons.

“One has to help African people so they [can] help the animals” — Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall is a British primatologist and anthropologist who is the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees. Goodall is best known for her more than 55-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Tanzania in 1960. She has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare issues. At 84 years old, Goodall is charming and energetic, yet she projects a calm and Zen-like presence. Goodall gave much credit for her success to her mother, who “didn’t yell when I brought spiders to bed with me and who bought me books on animals.” Goodall said she realized from her work in Africa that one has to help African people so they could help the animals. “The most important thing we can give is hope. We can each make a difference every day and, in so doing, make the world a better place.”

Tom Brady

For you football fans, Brady plans to play for the Patriots next year and well into his forties. He respects coach Bill Belichick and acknowledges how much he has learned from him, although he admits Belichick is not easy to play for. And in the manner of a true politician, Brady danced around questions of why cornerback Malcolm Butler was benched—saying he didn’t realize he was benched until after the game and still didn’t know, which many of us found hard to believe.

Brady talked about how it “sucked” to lose the Super Bowl, and that after the game his three children were crying. He told them “Dad doesn’t win them all,” and taught them that part of life was learning to roll with disappointment. I found Brady to be most vulnerable and open when talking about his father, the most important influence in his life: “He taught me so much about working hard for his family—incredible determination, humility, and love—that’s what he was all about.”

Brady also gave some hints about his second career as a motivational coach, helping people in every career maximize their potential. “How can you, if you commit to the right things, be the best you can be?” he asked. And went on to say, “What I am learning as I get older is that it comes from within—joy, motivation, happiness—it comes from the inside.” He was quick to add that in the meantime he wants to “inspire people through his actions and performance.”

Alex Rodriguez

I wasn’t surprised to hear that legendary athlete Alex Rodriguez was speaking at the conference. After all, he is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, appears regularly on ESPN and Fox Sports, and has started A-Rod Corp, an integrated investment firm that manages internal and external capital. What did surprise me was the panel on which he participated (along with Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank): “How to Be A Man in 2018”. The panel’s theme was how men are defining their roles in the march toward gender equality. I was surprised that a man whose success was earned through athletic prowess was so candid about what he considered greater measures of success, such as building great cultures and advocating equality and diversity. But one of the benefits of the Milken Global Conference is that you learn not to make snap judgments about people, and that every person can have a second act.

I was surprised that a man whose success was earned through athletic prowess was so candid about what he considered greater measures of success…

Rodriguez also talked about the influence his mother had on him—how she worked numerous jobs to enable him to pursue a baseball career—as well as the benefits of having strong women in his life including his daughters and “Jennifer” (a reference to current girlfriend Jennifer Lopez).

I was impressed that when talking about why some men take a long time to admit a mistake or vulnerability, he openly discussed his ban from baseball. He committed to apologize to everyone he had wronged and, even though it took him a long time, in doing so he learned the power of being forgiven and was able to use that time to turn inward.

George Takei

Attendees of the Milken Global Conference are encouraged to attend panels featuring ideas and people with whom they are not familiar. I had seen Star Trek many years ago, but it was not my thing, nor is the Howard Stern show where Takei is a regular guest. Takei appeared on a panel discussing the intersection of culture, art and politics.

Takei, a youthful-looking 81-year-old, opened by saying, “We live in a great country.” He then shared the emotional and captivating story of how he and his family were put under curfew, stripped of their bank accounts and then shipped off to a Japanese internment camp in Arkansas during World War II for no other reason than that they were of Japanese ancestry. “At five years old, I was labeled an enemy alien by my government … Yet, in one lifetime, because of the ideals of our democracy, I can sit here and discuss the intersection of culture and art and politics.”

“We as artists have a duty to use our sensitivity and creativity to reflect the time we live in.” — George Takei

Takei concluded by saying, “We as artists have a duty to use our sensitivity and creativity to reflect the time we live in.” The other panelists (actress Sophia Bush, playwright Sarah Gubbins, and screenwriter Damon Lindelof whose credits include “Lost” and “The Leftovers”) also shared how they chose or developed scripts that aligned with their core values, and how films and stories could change the world; but no one was impactful as Takei, who had suffered unspeakable cruelty yet so deeply loves his country.

* photo credit: Milken Institute

Civility and cohesion were the overarching messages from the first day of the Milken Institute Global Conference.

Managing Director Jane Howze is again attending the annual event in Los Angeles, sharing her takeaways and insights from daily sessions featuring thought leaders, politicians, scientists, professional athletes, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and celebrities.

The Milken Institute Global Conference brings together the world’s brightest minds to address the most urgent challenges and unlock the most promising opportunities of our time. The four-day event connects individuals with the capital and influence to drive change with experts and innovators transforming health, finance, business, technology, philanthropy, industry, and society.

“The call for civility really impacts everyone,” Jane said. “Rich Ditizio’s speech was powerful. It’s energizing and hopeful to see people of different geographies and politics come together to listen and learn.”

The 28th annual Global Conference by the numbers:

Four Days
200 Sessions
300+Registered Media
900 Speakers
4,000+ Participants

Milken Institute CEO Richard Ditizio set the tone for the conference during his welcome speech with encouraging words and a plea for civility, despite differences.

“The future will not be built by living within our own echo chambers. It will be built by bold, inclusive coalitions that reflect the world we’re trying to realize,” said Ditizio. “And we have many past successes to lead the way—we see time and again, when capital, innovation, and collaboration come together, remarkable things happen. I know the challenges we face are enormous—but I also know that our capacity to meet them is even greater.”

Listen to Rich’s opening speech here.

Read on for highlights from various panels Jane attended throughout the first day of the Milken Institute Global Conference, covering the economy, the healthcare system and women’s health issues.

A Conversation with US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent spoke at the Milken Institute Global Conference on Monday. Bloomberg Media reporters noted a few key quotes from his speech below.

Bessent says the Trump administration’s goal is to make the US an even more appealing destination for international capital.

“Tariffs are engineered to encourage companies like yours to invest directly in the United States. Hire your workers here. Build your factories here. Make your products here.”

“I hope you can see the bigger picture now. The Trump economic agenda is more than the sum of its parts. Trade, tax cuts and deregulation may be three distinct policies. But each policy is mutually reinforcing. And acting in concert, they push toward the same goal — to solidify our position as the home of global capital.”

Bessent is sketching out his vision for the American dream. Asked what the next 250 years should look like, he says, “To me, it’s equal opportunity for great outcomes.”

From Experience to Excellence: Women Redefining Business and Financial Wellness

Led by Sheryl WuDunn, Co-Founder of FullSky Partners and co-owner of Kristof Wines, the session explored the impact women are having on the entrepreneurial segment, thanks to trailblazing female founders, high-profile celebrities, Fortune 500 executives, and private sector leaders. It delved into safeguarding women’s cognitive health and the importance of adopting lifelong strategies for optimizing healthy longevity.

Jane was struck by the power and information shared during this “amazing talk.”

“The old script of how women are supposed to age is broken. Women are tearing it up midlife is no longer a winding down but actually gearing up.

Women are living longer than men, earning more degrees, starting more businesses at twice the rate of men and the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs are women over 45. That’s not a footnote that’s a power shift.

Why?

Because the system wasn’t built for women with ambition and aging parents and mortgages and hot flashes. So instead of waiting for the system to catch up women are building their own. They’re reinventing careers, demanding flexibility and bringing decades of wisdom and grit to the table. They’re not just chasing success, they are defining it on their own terms, that includes health, wealth and purpose. But here’s the kicker. For all this, women still face 2/3 of Alzheimer’s cases, we spend 23% more of our lives in poor health than men and end up with 30% less in retirement.

That’s just not unfair, that’s unsustainable.”

Watch the panel discussion here.

A Conversation with Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz

Q: What have your first set of priorities been at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services?

We’re starting off with the broad reality. We actually have objectives and key results. Start with the people–this is something I did not appreciate from the outside. I’ve never been in government before. These are highly competent, skilled individuals, very mission-driven. They come to work at HHS because they want to make America a healthier place. And many don’t feel like they’ve had the freedom to do that. So just activating the natural talent that we have within the organization is an initial focus of ours.

A: The main way we’ll deal with health care issues in America is by dealing with the 70% of the costs that are driven by chronic illness, much of it, of course, because of lifestyle choices that we’re making, sometimes without complete awareness of the impact it will have on us.

We spend twice as much as any other developed country in the world, twice as much for our health care per capita, and yet our health quality continues to drop. We have the highest mortality rate for moms delivering babies. We have a tragically dropping a differential between Europe and life expectancy. We’re now five years behind. When I was in medical school, we were equal to Europe. So we’re not getting our money’s worth; we can’t just throw money at the problem. We have to use it wisely and judiciously to make sure that vulnerable are cared for, but also we do our fiduciary responsibility to the American taxpayer.

Tap here to download the full transcript.

Follow The Alexander Group on LinkedIn and Instagram for updated information and pictures from the Milken Institute Global Conference.

This February, we’re delving deeper into the origins of Black History Month and welcoming insights from clients and friends of the firm about ways we can honor the mission and vision Dr. Carter G. Woodson established in 1926.

Dr. Carter G. Woodson was a distinguished Black author, editor, publisher, and historian who founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 in Chicago, describing its mission as the scientific study of the “neglected aspects of Negro life and history. Black History Month evolved from that idea and celebrates the historic contributions of Black people. The month has been marked every February since 1976.

Woodson’s parents were illiterate former slaves, and his foundational education was spotty at best. Instead of the classroom, he worked in the West Virginia coal mines and on the family farm. He entered high school at 20 and graduated two years later.

Throughout his lifetime, Woodson became a school supervisor in the Philippines and later traveled throughout Europe and Asia after earning a bachelor’s degree in literature from Berea College in Kentucky.

Dr. Woodson also earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and became the second Black American, after W.E.B. Du Bois, to obtain a Ph.D. from Harvard University. He joined the faculty of Howard University and eventually served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

The February timing of Black History Month was intentional by Dr. Woodson, who launched Negro History Week in the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

More than 100 years later, Black History Month is a significant event, highlighting well-known and less familiar individuals and their accomplishments, innovations and experiences.

The 2025 Black History Month theme of African Americans and Labor focuses on the various and profound ways work and working of all kinds—free and unfree, skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—intersect with Black people’s collective experiences.

As an executive search firm, we understand the importance of work and are privileged to connect our clients with talented leaders across a swath of industries and roles.

We’re honored to have two friends of the firm share what Black History Month means to them and how we can actively participate in the annual event not just in February but every month on the calendar.

William M. Washington III, Global Chief Financial Officer, Baker McKenzie

As an African American CFO, Black History Month holds special significance for me. It is a time to reflect on the rich history, culture, and contributions of African Americans to our society. This month provides an opportunity to engage in meaningful discourse and gain deeper insights into the struggles and triumphs of our community.

During Black History Month, it is important to remember and honor influential figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, Barack Obama, and Maya Angelou. Their contributions have left an indelible mark on American history and continue to inspire us today.

Growing up, my parents taught me the importance of knowing about Black history year-round. They instilled in me the value of understanding our heritage and its impact on our present and future. Black History Month is a reminder of the resilience, strength, and determination that have been the hallmarks of our journey.

By celebrating our history, we acknowledge our progress and the work that still needs to be done to achieve true equality and justice.

As an African American leader, I believe it is my responsibility to mentor and guide others, helping them to rise and achieve their full potential. One quote that resonates deeply with me is from Booker T. Washington: “If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” This quote embodies the spirit of Black History Month for me. It is a call to action to support and uplift one another as we strive for success.

To actively participate in Black History Month, consider supporting Black-owned businesses. This helps to promote economic empowerment within the community. Additionally, donating to charities that support Black causes can make a significant impact. Organizations like Black Lives Matter, NAACP, and the ACLU are doing important work that benefits the community. Lastly, participating in local movements and events can provide valuable opportunities to learn and engage with others who are passionate about celebrating Black history and culture.

Black History Month is a time to celebrate our heritage, reflect on our progress, and commit to lifting each other up. It is a reminder that our collective strength lies in our unity and our ability to support one another. Let us continue to honor the legacy of our ancestors and work towards a brighter future for all.

Marjorie Josaphat, Executive Director, Human Resources, Milken Institute

Here are some ways we have honored Black History throughout the year and my 30 years in Human Resources:

Highlighting courses taught by black authors in celebration of Black History Month.

Sharing short, animated clips about Black historical figures with staff.

Encouraging staff to share foods from their diverse backgrounds, including African, Caribbean, and American cuisine.

Sharing short biographies of lesser-known yet impactful Black men and women who have contributed to the formation and elevation of people in America.

At Milken Institute, we honor Black History throughout the year by ensuring diverse speakers and contributors at all our conferences and by fostering a diverse workforce.

Learn More About Black Leaders, Innovators, Educators and Creators:

Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH®)

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

https://naacp.org/

Smithsonian

https://www.si.edu/events/black-history-month

The 27^th annual Milken Institute Global Conference is underway in Los Angeles, drawing the some of the world’s most ardent thought leaders, visionaries and problem solvers. It’s no surprise then, that forever student and The Alexander Group’s Managing Director Jane Howze, is in the mix observing and absorbing the information gleaned from the three-day event.

“This is my eighth year attending and I am honored to have them as a client,” Jane said.

The 2024 theme is “Shaping a Shared Future,” and Milken organizers have gathered more than 4,000 attendees, including 1,000 speakers made up of C-suite executives from Fortune 500 companies, global leaders, experts, and innovators who are rethinking health, finance, technology, philanthropy, sports and media to discuss and explore the topic.

Day one of the annual Milken Institute Global Conference focused on the critical issues of geopolitical hotspots and the ongoing climate crisis to the complexities of artificial intelligence, examining both its potential and impact on global workers, firms, and markets.

With so many sessions and not enough time, Jane focused her energies on specific speakers and topics. Below are their thoughts, her thoughts and up-close pictures only Jane could provide from prime seating at the panel discussions.

Degree or Not Degree: The Higher Education Dilemma

Experts in a vast field of opinions explored the complex interplay between higher education, skills-based hiring, and the sometimes-elusive value of a college degree in today’s workforce. The discussion touched on the relevance of traditional degrees in a job market that increasingly emphasizes practical skills and competencies, the emerging trend toward alternative skill-building pathways and how individuals can navigate the range of choices to align their educational experiences with their career goals, plus the all-encompassing How are US college students and alumni tackling student debt?

Session Highlights:

-The average tenure in a job 25 years ago was 27 years. Today it is four years.

-54% of college students take at least one online course.

– University of Florida President and former Nebraska senator Ben Sasse on college’s biggest cost.

“The biggest cost of college is the opportunity cost.”

Jane’s Takeaways:

“I was particularly impressed with Ben Sasse. He was asked if tenure was important for faculty. He said yes, but being a faculty member today is more than teaching. It is coaching, grading, writing, presenting, etc. and we should specify what we are giving tenure to. All the panelists agreed that for a college education to be worth the cost— both time and money —it must offer skills that would help the graduate be a viable member of the working (profit or nonprofit) community.”

From Pitch to Profit: How Authentic Harnesses the Power of David Beckham’s Global Brand

A decade after retiring from professional football, David Beckham has remained a household name through a variety of high-profile endorsement deals and transformative partnership with Authentic Brands Group. He discussed his brand through strategic endorsements, innovative business models, compelling digital and media partnerships and more.

Session Highlights:

-Beckham talked about starting his business career 10 years before he retired. He will be introducing a clothing line next year. It was a fascinating discussion on branding and his recent documentary on Netflix is part of that branding since his production company made it.

Jane’s Takeaways:

David Beckham was charming and interesting. Goes back to why my business is so important. It is all about the people you choose to work with, and he felt comfortable with and trusting of the CEO of Authentic Brands

Leadership and the State of American Politics

Disagreement and conflict resolution are foundational elements of the United States’ system of governance; divergent views on federalism, checks and balances, the separation of powers, and other such norms have been present since the founding of the country. While there is partisan division on many critical issues facing the US, broad consensus in some areas continues to lead to the enactment of bipartisan policies.

Bill Cassidy, US Senator, Louisiana, James Lankford, US Senator, Oklahoma, Joe Manchin, US Senator, West Virginia and Krysten Sinema, US Senator, Arizona examined how political leadership plays a role in breaking through the divisive noise and what can be accomplished as we lead up to 2025 and beyond.

Session Highlights:

-Two Democrats and two Republicans

-The group discussed how they have worked together to create bipartisan legislation. They agreed their biggest failure was not pushing immigration through earlier, where it would have had a better chance. There has not been immigration legislation since President Ronald Reagan.

2024 US Election Insights

The 2024 US elections are shaping up to be a rematch between President Biden and President Trump; however, the front-and-center issues today are distinct from the pandemic-dominated 2020 elections. From border security and immigration to the defense of democracy and US policy choices for navigating geo-political turbulence, the issues driving the 2024 elections are causing significant shifts in partisan allegiances and driving political fragmentation in new ways.

Kellyanne Conway, #1 NYT Best Selling Author; President of KAConsulting LLC; Former Senior Counselor to the President, Van Jones, Social Entrepreneur; Bestselling Author; CNN Host; and Founder, Dream Machine Innovation Lab, Chris Liddell, Author, “Year Zero: The Five-Year Presidency”; Former White House Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff, Jim Messina, CEO, The Messina Group; former Obama 2012 Campaign Manager, White House Deputy Chief of Staff and Paul Ryan, 54th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Vice Chairman, Teneo; Partner, Solamere Capital discussed the critical issues that will reverberate across the partisan divide, impacting voters in battleground states crucial to determining the Senate and House majorities—and delivering the electoral votes for the presidency.

Session Highlights:

-Kellyanne Conway said the election is about people’s relation with their government and border security is much more important now. It’s the number one or two issue in all six swing states that will determine the election.

According to her polling, Republicans are more focused on crime, securing borders and making a better living, where Democrats are focused on abortion.

Conway also said the Democrats made a big mistake by not letting Robert F. Kennedy stay in the race as a Democrat and if she were running the Democrats, she would have removed Joe Biden and Kamala Harris off the ticket 18 months ago.

-Jones likened the election to 1968.

Jane’s Takeaways:

Paul Ryan commented he didn’t like Joe Biden’s policies, but he didn’t like Trump’s ethics —-quite a big change from his appearance at the Milken conference years ago when he was running for president and was much more positive about President Trump.

A Conversation with Elon Musk

It was what the title described. Read on for Musk’s thoughts and Jane’s musings.

Session Highlights:

-You want to believe the future will be better than the past.

-First Amendment Discussion:

“You can’t have democratic elections without people being informed.”

-Socialism Discussion

“The government is the DMV at scale. Would you want that?”

(Jane reports this take received a lot of laughter)

-Regulation Discussion

“If there are more regulations passed, eventually everything will be illegal. Tell kids why it is important. Engage kids.”

-Immigration Discussion
“Immigrants are talented, hard working and honest. Legal immigration is a bizarre process. It’s insane. You can pop across the border easily. What’s going on? Need to expedite legal immigration. Need to tighten who gets in.”

-AI Discussion

“How will AI affect our daily lives? Eventually all intelligence will be digital. We need to develop AI that will be beneficial to humanity. Ms. Truth Seeking AI. Truth telling AI. We need to maximize curious AI. AI has not been helpful in space exploration.”

Jane’s Takeaways:

I know a lot of people don’t like Elon Musk for political reasons, but I found him to be incredibly smart, funny, charming and a basic libertarian. The session consisted of Mike Milken, reading back quotes he had made in the past. With every quote, even those 10 years old, he would say “yeah I agree with that” and everyone would laugh, and Mike Milken would laughingly say “Well, it’s good that you agree with yourself. “

He spoke about how important the First Amendment is, and says you can’t have democratic elections without being informed.

Musk shared historically, prosperity and lack of war reduces the birth rate. The richer a civilization, the lower the birth rate. At that point in his talk a woman posed a question (we are all given QR codes to post questions during talks) that said, “Come pick me up on the way to Mars and I’ll give you a baby”.

What keeps him up at night? Musk worries about the fall of civilizations and listens to podcasts mostly at night about this subject. He ended his session by saying “Maybe I need to stop listening to podcasts on dying civilizations at night.”