How do we create more jobs? How can we fix the budget deficit? Is education meeting the needs of the 21st century workplace? How can philanthropists better leverage their social venture investments?
These are just some of the questions that were answered by Milken’s various panels of experts, keynote speakers, and visiting dignitaries last year at the 2011 Milken Institute Global Conference.
More than 3,000 of the world’s top leaders gathered in Beverly Hills to share ideas on the theme, “Shaping the Future.” The purpose of the conference certainly went well beyond sharing ideas, as attendees found themselves putting together real world solutions to some of our nation’s, and world’s, biggest problems.
This conference is one of the world’s leading economic think tanks. The mission of the Milken Institute is to address some of the biggest challenges of our time.
If you are part of the Vistage community you can register for this year’s conference at a discounted rate of 50% off registration by clicking here and entering the discount code VISTAGE-GC12.
If you are interested in learning more about what can be found at the conference in detail, read about some of my favorite panels from last year’s conference (or check out the complete session videos), to learn about solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face in business today:
The Consequences of the First Brain Drain in U.S. History
Sparks fly as lively panel members discuss why top talent is leaving U.S. shores. Craig Barrett, Retired Chairman/CEO of Intel Corp., steals the spotlight as he shares the dismal state of our K-12 system, the importance of cultivating engineers, and three musts for creating wealth in the United States.
The Power and Economics of Social Media
Most of us can no longer deny the massive potential of social media to connect businesses with customers. But does the true economic power lie only within a handful of giant companies—and is the model sustainable? This Milken panel of digital bigwigs shares secrets on how every company can leverage social media today—and how this young frontier may have even more promise than business leaders have grasped so far.
Conversations on Leadership
It’s one thing to read about the practices and principles of leadership in a book—and quite another to watch leaders, who are among the best in their respective fields, share their experiences and insights in such a candid conversation. The panelists include: former Major League Baseball manager Joe Torre, Safeway President and CEO Steven Burd, UCSF Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann, and Wynn Resorts Chairman and CEO Steve Wynn. While their career paths could not have been more different, the common themes about authenticity, matching actions with words, leveraging both the positive and negative aspects of our past, and recognizing the need for more mutual respect in our society could not be more poignant.
Breaking the Gridlock: Do we have the Political Will?
Congress has been on the fence about how to cut the federal budget. Is there any hope of reaching a bipartisan agreement on the budget and on other issues? Is the government corrupt? Why do Congress and the media ignore important issues and solutions that are most important to the general public? This panel includes perspectives of those who have been on the inside as they weigh in on issues surrounding public policy: Former U.S. Senator Norm Colman, Former Congressman Harold Ford Jr., Senior Fellow at Georgetown Public Policy Institute Andy Stern, and Former Congressman Vin Weber.
Gary Becker and Mike Milken on the Marketplace of Ideas
Nobel Prize Laureate Gary Becker is recognized as one of the most influential economists in the world. He has tackled issues such as racial discrimination, the economic motivations behind crime, human capital, time allocation, fertility and the legalization of drugs. According to economist Steven Levitt, “He has come up with the big ideas that have changed how we look at the world.” In this conversation with Michael Milken, Gary Becker discusses how to attack the problems with immigration, social security, human capital, education and various other concerns that we face as American citizens.