Bloomberg Talks

Catherine Ashton, former EU foreign policy chief and lead negotiator of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, offers her seasoned diplomatic perspective. She discusses whether U.S. aims toward Iran aim at regime change or program degradation. She questions viable alternative leadership in Iran and assesses Europe's ability to reach a consensus and balance ties with the U.S. and Gulf security.

Jamie Siminoff, founder and chief inventor of Ring, known for connected home security products and AI advocacy. He discusses AI in home security and the Super Bowl ad about finding lost pets. Conversation covers user control of video and privacy, AI-enabled threats versus defenses, cybersecurity and encryption, and manufacturing and hiring challenges.

Tom Barkin, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, offers concise economic perspective. He discusses how the Iran conflict could affect gasoline and oil prices. He talks about inflation's recent run, labor market signals, productivity gains, and why policy is currently modestly restrictive. He also reflects on Fed leadership, balance sheet size, and regional outreach.

David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, shares views as a leading Wall Street executive. He talks about market reactions to Middle East tensions. He outlines how global banks manage geopolitical risk and protect staff. He assesses Dubai’s safety, AI investment opportunities and wasted capital, U.S.-China relations, and private credit risks and performance.

Mario Gabelli, founder and CEO of Gabelli Funds and veteran value investor, weighs in on Paramount's win for Warner Bros. Discovery and why the auction worked out. He discusses what this means for Netflix, potential spin-offs and financial engineering, plus overlooked opportunities in auto parts, media splits, sports assets and revived M&A activity.

Antony Blinken, former U.S. Secretary of State and veteran diplomat, discusses Middle East diplomacy and shifting rationales for military strikes. He talks about Iran’s regional retaliation, how markets and munitions could set an off-ramp, risks of arming nonstate groups, nuclear material dangers amid chaos, and gaps in diplomatic expertise and evacuations.

Bruce Richards, Chairman and CEO of Marathon Asset Management and veteran credit investor, warns that highly leveraged software firms face a surge in defaults. He compares AI-driven pricing shifts to past energy shocks. He highlights concentrated direct-lending risk, pressure from redemptions and loan sales, and why asset-backed lending is more attractive now.

Stephen Miran, a Federal Reserve governor who advises on interest rates and policy, offers views on cutting rates amid Middle East tensions. He explains why headline oil shocks are often looked through. He discusses labor market cooling, what ‘modestly restrictive’ policy means, risks of undershooting inflation, private credit limits, and AI-driven job transitions.

Alex Rodriguez, former MLB superstar and three-time AL MVP turned sports investor and team owner. He discusses MLB collective bargaining progress and why baseball can be a contrarian investment. He talks about how labor noise shapes valuations and the appeal of long-term media rights. He also covers principles of sports investing and growing fan revenue.

Connor Teskey, CEO of Brookfield Asset Management, leads a global firm managing over $1 trillion across real assets. He discusses positioning capital in higher rates, the nuances of private credit versus direct lending, and why data centers and infrastructure remain attractive despite geopolitical volatility. Conversation also covers liquidity, vehicle structures, and Brookfield’s partnership moves and AI tailwinds.