Navigating Our World

Powering the Future of AI [Recorded Live at NOW Austin]

Brown Advisory — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 15:44:38 -0500

The race for AI supremacy is dramatically increasing electricity consumption, as hyperscalers, such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon, invest heavily in expanding data center capacity—straining an already outdated U.S. energy grid. In this episode, recorded live at our NOW conference in Austin, Brown Advisory's Katherine Kroll sat down with three experts—Dr. Brian Spears, Dr. Michael Webber and Alex Hernandez—to explore critical questions, including: Is the data center expansion exaggerated? How will it impact the energy transition? What role will nuclear energy play? What are the national security implications?

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client. The views expressed are solely for informational purposes and do not represent an endorsement of any political party or candidate.

National Security and the Frontier of Tech Innovation [Recorded Live at NOW Austin]

Brown Advisory — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:34:03 -0500

In a world fraught with geopolitical risks, the U.S. military is in a race to adapt its technology to the speed of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and increasing autonomy. In this conversation, recorded live at our NOW conference in Austin, Brown Advisory's Brett Gibson sat down with The Honorable Christine Fox and Dr. Casey Perley—ideal guides to explore defense tech innovation and the path to a safer world.

A New World Order: The Shifting Geopolitical Landscape [Recorded Live at NOW Austin]

Brown Advisory — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 22:58:15 -0500

In the wake of the U.S. election, Emily Harding, Robin Niblett and James Harding kicked off the NOW conference in Austin by examining the geopolitical risks, alliances and power dynamics that could drive the global order. It was a provocative discussion, reflecting the precarious state of our world. As you'll hear, Emily and Robin offer some unsettling—and quite illuminating—insights.

The Case for Techno-Optimism | A Conversation with Marc Andreessen

Brown Advisory — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:55:48 -0500

Marc Andreessen is one of the most influential Silicon Valley founders and investors, so when he talks about the future of tech, we want to pay attention. In this conversation, recorded live at our NOW conference in June 2024, Brown Advisory's Elise Liberto sat down with Marc to explore: why he's a techno-optimist, innovation in the age of AI, the state of venture capital, and lots more.

Creating Breakthrough Cultures | A Conversation with Dr. Kim Budil

Brown Advisory — Fri, 08 Nov 2024 01:50:57 -0500

As investors, we are keenly interested in what it takes to create and sustain cultures of excellence. In this conversation, recorded live at our NOW conference in San Francisco in June, Brown Advisory's Karina Funk sat down with Kim Budil, Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For Dr. Budil, stewarding a culture designed for transformational technical breakthroughs--such as fusion ignition--is a matter of national security and global stability.

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone.

Climate Week Bonus Episode | A Conversation with Dr. Ellen Stofan, The Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Science and Research

Brown Advisory — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 09:33:02 -0400

As long-term investors and stewards of our clients’ capital, we seek to uncover and reflect on all kinds of quantitative and qualitative information to optimize our investment decisions. For this special Climate Week episode, Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk sits down with Dr. Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian. They discuss the power of information and collaboration—especially in service of big questions around reducing carbon, promoting biodiversity, creating thriving communities, and discovering life beyond our solar system.

The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

The Global Battle for Chips | A Conversation with Chris Miller

Brown Advisory — Mon, 12 Aug 2024 07:31:06 -0400

Two seismic forces that are shaping our world--deglobalization and digitization--are colliding over a single inflection point: semiconductor chips. Chips are the building blocks of the global economy, an irreplaceable enabler of tens of trillions of dollars of annual economic activity. Geopolitically, the stakes could not be higher.

In this conversation, recorded at the NOW Conference in June 2024, Ben Bayat speaks with Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. They discuss the true marvel that is semiconductor manufacturing, the remarkably complex supply chain and its risks, the CHIPS act, the state of the global semiconductor industry, and the precarious national security implications of our collective reliance on these diminutive components.

A New World Order: China and the Geopolitical Landscape

Brown Advisory — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 12:53:35 -0400

Global world order is shifting. The last four decades have seen a marked rise in the economic power of China and a simultaneous weakening in the stability of liberal democracies the world over. The outlook for the 2020s appears rife with uncertainty.

We kicked off our NOW conference in San Francisco with two China experts in conversation about the changing geopolitical landscape and the future of U.S.-China relations--covering topics that included Xi Jinping's vision, the rise of national security over economic interests, multinational business engagement in China, Taiwan, and more.

Fault Lines and Frontiers: A New Cold War?

Brown Advisory — Mon, 03 Jun 2024 08:00:49 -0400

Global world order is shifting. The last four decades have seen a marked rise in the economic power of China, and a simultaneous weakening in the stability of liberal democracies the world over.

As investors, how should we be thinking about the geopolitical outlook—and what might be on the horizon?

In the lead-up to Brown Advisory's "Navigating Our World" conference in San Francisco, Meredith Shuey Etherington sat down with leading foreign policy expert Sir Robin Niblett for insights into current hot and cold conflicts and long-term geopolitical risks, and how they may shape the context for our investment decisions.

Future of Energy: Expanding the Landscape

Brown Advisory — Tue, 21 May 2024 08:16:56 -0400

According to the IEA, one in 10 people around the world lacks access to reliable energy. A third of the world’s population lacks access to clean cooking fuels—a major health risk. At some point, renewable energy sources may fill these gaps—but until then, Steve Riney, President and CFO of Apache, argues that we need more of every form of energy to connect people to the global economy. In this episode, Erika Pagel sits down with Steve to discuss changes in the energy industry, conventional vs. unconventional production, energy poverty, sustainability, and “doing the right thing” in a politicized environment.

Future of Energy: The Essential Role of Lithium

Brown Advisory — Tue, 05 Dec 2023 08:25:32 -0500

Lithium is the lightest metal, so soft that you can cut it with a knife. Its structure gives it the ability to store large amounts of energy, making it ideal for manufacturing batteries. As the world moves to create a lower-carbon economy, it is not an overstatement to say that the future of energy may hinge on lithium.

To learn more about lithium, how it is produced, and its role in electrification and the shift to renewable energy sources, Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel sits down with Eric Norris, President of Energy Storage at Albemarle—the largest producer of lithium in the world.

Future of Energy: Is "New" Nuclear the Answer?

Brown Advisory — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 22:17:00 -0400

Nuclear power has had a controversial history. Today, however, it is often considered an essential energy source for a lower-carbon future. In a continuation of our NOW series on the future of energy, Erika Pagel sits down with Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, the leading operator of nuclear power plants in the US. Joe and Erika discuss progress in shifting to a lower-carbon economy, where nuclear fits in, and promising innovations.

Future of Energy: Why Solar?

Brown Advisory — Mon, 21 Nov 2022 10:41:58 -0500

As investors, we know that we must consider the complexity of today’s energy ecosystem. As we think about driving toward a stable, lower carbon global economy, we want to understand different opportunities and perspectives across the energy landscape. In this episode we are diving into renewables, and specifically into solar power. Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel sits down with Raghu Belur, the Co-founder and Chief Products Officer of Enphase Energy, which has revolutionized the solar industry with its microinverter-based technology. Erika and Raghu explore solar—in terms of economics, job creation, energy security and climate action.

The Future of Energy

Brown Advisory — Fri, 23 Sep 2022 13:05:11 -0400

We are launching the first episode in our multi-part NOW podcast series on the future of energy. In this first episode, Brown Advisory’s Erika Pagel sits down with Dr. Atul Arya, the Chief Energy Strategist of S&P Global. They cover the impact of the war in Ukraine, the role of traditional energy companies, and the promise of technology and innovation.

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Getting Ethical AI Right—And Why It Matters to Us as Investors

Brown Advisory — Fri, 03 Dec 2021 07:16:21 -0500

Artificial intelligence appears poised to disrupt industries, improve customer outcomes, and enhance lives, and solutions based on AI are projected to contribute as much as $15 trillion to the global economy in 2030—more than the current output of China and India combined. The problem-solving potential of AI is seemingly limitless, and it may well change the way we work, travel, power our cities, diagnose disease, and organize our society.

And yet there are reasons to be cautious. Information is power, and that power can be used for good or for ill. In this episode, Brown Advisory’s Katherine Kroll explores the investor case for “ethical AI” and why failing to proactively ensure AI is used to help, not harm, is a material and salient risk not only to investment performance but to our society’s ability to thrive. She speaks with three of the foremost experts on ethical AI: Aza Raskin, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology; Arathi Sethumadhavan, Ph.D., Head of User Research for Ethics & Society at Microsoft; and Kay Firth-Butterfield, Head of AI and Machine Learning, World Economic Forum.

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Capitalism Needs an Upgrade: A Conversation with Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal

Brown Advisory, PayPal, Dan Schulman, Ken Coe — Thu, 28 Oct 2021 08:19:29 -0400

Fortune recently ranked Dan Schulman, CEO of PayPal, near the top of its annual World’s Greatest Leaders list, and as long-term shareholders of PayPal, we agree with their assessment. We have watched Dan lead PayPal’s ongoing growth into a digital platform responsible for more than $1 trillion in payments globally last year. In addition, he has been steadfast and outspoken about the role of business in society and the need to modify capitalism.

We were thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with Dan during our latest episode of the NOW Podcast. Brown Advisory's Ken Coe spoke with Dan about how he views his employees as his number one constituency; PayPal's role in providing working capital and creating virtuous cycles in low-income neighborhoods; the future of financial technology; the need for all of us to rise above our own self-interest to drive progress for all, and more.

To wrap up the discussion, Ken brought in Jake Cusack and Efe Braimah from our frontier markets partner, CrossBoundary, to continue the conversation about opportunities in the fintech sector and making a difference.

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Investing in Nature-Based Climate Solutions: A Climate Week Conversation with M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International

Brown Advisory, Karina Funk, M. Sanjayan, Conservation International — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:13:13 -0400

Nature-based factors and challenges have a real impact on our economies, lives and investments. Brown Advisory's Karina Funk sits down with Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, for a special Climate Week episode. They discuss the critical need to invest in biodiversity; in the irrecoverable carbon in mangroves, tropical forests and peat lands; and in the indigenous communities that depend on these natural ecosystems to protect commodities, supply chains, public health and the planet.

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Blockchains and Cryptocurrencies: Power, Potential and Pitfalls

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 09:40:11 -0400

Blockchain technology offers the promise of a new era of secure, decentralized transfer of value on the internet—a future less reliant on trusted intermediaries and gatekeepers. Some have described blockchain as Web 3.0, unlocking the true vision of what the internet was meant to be, where users of applications are also the owners. Despite their recent—and signature—volatility, digital assets have grown into a $2 trillion market that extends well beyond Bitcoin and is attracting entrepreneurs, investors and corporate support at an accelerating rate. There is clearly a lot of innovation both in digital assets—or cryptocurrencies—as well as with the underlying blockchain technology. But how much is legitimate excitement about this revolutionary technology, and how much is inflated exuberance?

To explore the potential, and examine some of the questions hanging over the industry, Brown Advisory’s Sid Ahl sat down with three crypto experts: Joe Lallouz, Founder and CEO of Bison Trails (acquired by Coinbase); Ash Egan, Partner, Accomplice; and Ria Bhutoria, Principal, Castle Island Ventures.

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The Future of Cities: What We Can Learn from San Francisco

Fred Blackwell, Craig Young, Meredith Shuey Etherington, Amy Hauter, JJ Baylin — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Brown Advisory’s Meredith Shuey Etherington, a San Francisco-based portfolio manager, speaks with Fred Blackwell, CEO of the San Francisco Foundation, and Craig Young, Managing Principal of Tidewater Capital, to examine whether the Bay Area and San Francisco can retain and even enhance their identity as the home of the innovation economy.

San Francisco has been a paradox for decades—at once a stunningly beautiful city at the epicenter of high-tech innovation, and a fragile community grappling with various social crises, the highest cost of living in the U.S. and a vast wealth gap. The pandemic intensified many of the city’s problems, and recent headlines have revealed a string of companies moving their headquarters from the Bay Area to Austin, Miami and elsewhere. Our conversation looks at the challenges and opportunities that will shape San Francisco’s future. Later in the podcast, Brown Advisory’s JJ Baylin and Amy Hauter join Meredith to discuss how we are investing in the future of cities for our clients.
We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW@brownadvisory.com to get in touch.

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Additional episodes: https://www.brownadvisory.com/now

Making a Living While Making a Life: The Power of Microbusinesses with Etsy and GoDaddy

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:00:00 -0400

Microbusinesses are becoming a way of life for more and more people; these very small businesses are often sole proprietorships or have just a few employees, yet can provide meaningful household income for millions of people. Digital platforms make many of these businesses possible, and companies like Etsy and GoDaddy have been an essential backbone for microbusinesses, especially during the pandemic (Etsy sellers contributed $13 billion and almost 3 million jobs to the economy last year).

For this NOW episode, Brown Advisory technology analyst and portfolio manager Emmy Wachtmeister sat down with Althea Erickson, VP of Global Public Policy & Impact at Etsy, and Alex Rosen, Director of GoDaddy's Venture Forward project, to discuss the evolution of microbusinesses, and what they mean for the growth and resilience of our communities. Later, David Powell, co-portfolio manager of Brown Advisory's Large-Cap Sustainable Growth strategy, joined Emmy to discuss takeaways for investors (36:18).

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Solving World Hunger through Innovation | Part 2

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 02:00:00 -0500

Solving world hunger—or “food insecurity”—is really hard. The solutions are not particularly sexy, and they require a very long-term outlook. We wanted to learn more about the problem and the innovators who are working to solve it.

In part 1 of this conversation, Brown Advisory's Emily High Daniels sat down with two leaders at opposite ends of the impact spectrum. Barron Segar, President and CEO of the World Food Program USA (the program was awarded the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize), is driving innovation and progress on a massive global scale. Mira Mehta is the Founder and CEO of Tomato Jos, a for-profit social enterprise whose mission is to make farming profitable and sustainable for smallholder farmers, while moving their communities toward the middle class.

In this episode—part 2—we welcome two more entrepreneurs. Ezinne Uzo-Okuro, CEO of Terraformers, is using her background as a NASA scientist to empower people to grow healthy food and create sustainable livelihoods. Manuela Zierau, Global Lead of H2Grow, works with communities to grow food—and well-being—in impossible places. Private Client CIO Sid Ahl and CrossBoundary’s Kirtika Challa join Emily to discuss investment takeaways.

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Solving World Hunger through Innovation | Part 1

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 02:00:00 -0500

Featuring Barron Segar, USA CEO of Nobel Peace Prizewinner World Food Program, and Mira Mehta, Founder/CEO, Tomato Jos

In part 2, we welcome two additional entrepreneurs (Ezinne Uzo-Okuro, CEO of Terraformers, and Manuela Zierau, Global Lead of H2Grow). Then Emily sits down with Brown Advisory’s Sid Ahl and Kirtika Challa, who leads the Tunisian advisory practice for frontier-market advisor CrossBoundary, to discuss the investment implications for clients.

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Additional episodes: https://www.brownadvisory.com/now

Exploring the Future of Energy with Daniel Yergin

Daniel Yergin, Dan Yergin, Jane Korhonen, Paul Chew — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 08:55:02 -0500

In our latest episode, Dr. Daniel Yergin—a leading global authority on energy, economics and geopolitics, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author—sits down with Brown Advisory’s Jane Korhonen to discuss the future of energy, and how that future may shape innovation, international relations and the economy in the years ahead. The stakes are high: Climate change is creating an urgent need for a lower-carbon economy, and the incoming Biden administration will face the daunting challenge of reigniting the U.S. economy in the wake of the pandemic, and energy may be a critical catalyst of that recovery.

We are grateful to Dr. Yergin for sharing his insights with us. The episode also includes a follow-up conversation between Jane and Brown Advisory’s Chief Investment Officer, Paul Chew, in which they discuss some of the implications for investors.

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Alan Jope Discusses the Secrets of Building a Purpose-Driven Business that Does Good and Performs Well

Brown Advisory, Alan Jope, Mick Dillon, Katherine Kroll — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 06:29:29 -0500

Thinking that you have to trade off financial performance and sustainability is a “false dichotomy” and a “ridiculous mindset,” according to Alan Jope, CEO of Unilever, one of the largest consumer goods companies on the planet. Jope wants Unilever to be famous for three things: creating an envied portfolio of purpose-driven brands, proving the link between sustainable business and better financial outcomes, and serving as a beacon for diversity and inclusion—and he believes that radical transparency is the way to get there.

Brown Advisory’s Mick Dillon, Co-Portfolio Manager of the Global Leaders equity strategy, sat down with Jope to discuss radical transparency, attracting the next generation of consumers and employees, shaping social and environmental change, the power of capitalism and the need to evolve it. And then Mick and sustainability specialist Katherine Kroll sat down the next day to consider their takeaways as investors.

Navigating Our World is the podcast where we seek insights about some of the most pressing questions that we face as investors and as a society. We examine “what’s next”—the forces shaping the post-pandemic world, moving capital and raising the future—with the thoughtful experts across our network. These conversations help us make better decisions for our clients, and we welcome you to join us. Stay tuned at the end of each episode for our investment team’s observations and analysis.

Guest:
Alan Jope, CEO, Unilever

Host:
Mick Dillon, CFA
Portfolio Manager, Brown Advisory

Katherine Kroll
Senior Institutional Sustainable Investing Specialist, Brown Advisory

Background Reading:

The Circular Economy: A Transformative Covid-19 Recovery Strategy, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, October 27, 2020
Unilever is Using Geolocation Data and Satellite Imagery to Check for Deforestation in Its Supply Chain, CNBC, September 24, 2020
Global Leaders Strategy: 2019 ESG Transparency Report, July 14, 2020
Dove Self-Esteem Project | Our Mission in Action, April 22, 2020

If you would like to explore this issue in more depth, visit the sustainable investing section of our website, where you can find thought pieces by our ESG analysts.

Thank you for joining us on our podcast journey. To stay in touch about future podcasts, please sign up here.

We want to hear from you! Send a note to NOW2020@brownadvisory.com to get in touch.

Fighting Fire: Investing in Climate Resilience

Brown Advisory, Kate Gordon, Karina Funk — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 02:00:00 -0400

With devastating wild fires and floods filling our news feeds, the consequences of a changing climate have rarely felt more acute or urgent. In the midst of Climate Week, Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk sat down with Kate Gordon, who leads climate policy for the state of California and is one of the world’s foremost authorities on the intersection of business and climate.

As investors, we are constantly looking for opportunities to mitigate climate risk and support climate solutions. If we can help improve outcomes for the people impacted by climate change, we can generate returns for all of our stakeholders—our clients, colleagues and communities. With California as an epicenter of both climate-based tragedy and innovation, Karina and Kate talk about the ongoing crisis, investing in solutions, and the state’s announcement this week to move toward selling only zero-emissions vehicles by 2035.

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Widening the Aperture in Venture Capital: A Conversation about Expanding Diversity & Inclusion in Silicon Valley and Beyond

Keith Stone, Brown Advisory, Charles Hudson, Monique Woodard, Richard Kerby — Thu, 30 Jul 2020 07:55:19 -0400

The data tell the story: Less than 1% of venture capital in the United States is invested in companies led by Black entrepreneurs. Add "female" as a data filter and it drops to 0.2%. Amid reckoning with legacies of racial injustice, we wanted to examine how a lack of representation in the startup ecosystem hinders access to capital for diverse founders. Brown Advisory’s Keith Stone sits down with three thought leaders in the venture industry—Charles Hudson, Richard Kerby and Monique Woodard—to explore paths to a growth economy where an expanded set of innovators and ideas can thrive.

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“We're In It Together”: Why partnership is the key to understanding the universe and protecting our shared future

Brown Advisory, Ken Stuzin, Jason Kalirai — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 02:00:00 -0400

Speaking with astrophysicist Jason Kalirai is a lesson in perspective. In this episode, Brown Advisory’s Ken Stuzin sits down with Dr. Kalirai to learn how he collaborates across national boundaries to explore the vastness of the universe and find answers to existential questions. As Dr. Kalirai points out, when you look at our planet from space, you see one world with no borders—just land, ocean, air and life—which provides a great antidote to our often polarized experience on Earth.

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Children in Crisis: How a Focus on Partnership and Education Can Brighten the Future

Caryl Stern, Dune Thorne, Brown Advisory — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 02:00:00 -0400

Caryl Stern, long-time CEO at UNICEF USA and now executive director at the Walton Family Foundation, has spent her career focused on elevating the well-being of children. While Caryl is deeply concerned about the inequities that the pandemic is exacerbating, she is also profoundly energized about the current innovation, partnerships and social justice movements that can deliver quality education and opportunity for our next generation.

Guest:
Caryl M. Stern
Executive Director, Walton Family Foundation

Host:
Dune Thorne, CTFA, CWS

Head of Private Client Growth and Strategy, Brown Advisory

Background Reading:

The Results are in for Remote Learning: It Didn’t Work, The Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2020
COVID-19 and Student Learning in the United States: The Hurt Could Last a Lifetime, McKinsey, June 1, 2020
The Class Divide: Remote Learning at 2 Schools, Private and Public, The New York Times, May 9, 2020
The Future of Philanthropy, Ford Foundation
I Believe in ZERO: Learning from the World’s Children

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"It’s Okay Not To Be Okay": Shining a Spotlight on Our Mental Health in 2020

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 02:00:00 -0400

The concurrent crises of the pandemic, economic fallout and racial inequities are creating a recipe for another crisis—in mental health. Brown Advisory’s Bertie Thomson sits down with Dr. Ray DePaulo of Johns Hopkins Medicine, Kristen Roby Dimlow of Microsoft and Dr. Richard Frank of Harvard Medical School to gain a deeper understanding of the stressors, as well as solutions, posed by this challenging time.

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Impact Investing: The Importance of Resilience and Engagement in the "Never Normal"

Lynelle Cameron, Brian Rice, Erika Pagel, Brown Advisory — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 02:00:00 -0400

The UN Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework for addressing global challenges related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. Achieving them was never going to be straightforward—and that was before we faced a global pandemic, economic crisis, and the manifestation of centuries of racial violence and injustice. Investors have a particular role to play in pulling levers that make a difference.

Brown Advisory’s CIO of Sustainable Investing, Erika Pagel, sits down with Lynelle Cameron of Autodesk and Brian Rice of CalSTRS, who are each focused on creating long-term sustainable impact through resilience and engagement.

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Citizens of Cyberspace: Who is in charge?

Brown Advisory, Lauren Cahalan — Tue, 09 Jun 2020 02:00:00 -0400

Technology rules the way we communicate, connect, consume and collaborate. For both companies and governments, this provides incredible economic and infrastructure opportunities, but also exposes massive risks to security and privacy.

Brown Advisory’s Lauren Cahalan sits down with one of the nation's leading thinkers on these issues to discuss the challenges posed by technology’s penetration of all aspects of our lives, the responsibility of organizations to identify misinformation and protect our privacy, and how these issues have been heightened by the pandemic.

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Freedom to Read: A conversation with Dr. Carla Hayden, Librarian of Congress

Carla Hayden, Brown Advisory, Jacob Hodes — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 03:30:00 -0400

For Dr. Carla Hayden, libraries are freedom in action: Whether physical or online, libraries provide all people access to information, opportunity and education. As the Librarian of Congress, and the first woman and person of color to hold this position, Dr. Hayden leads the oldest federal cultural institution in the U.S.—yet it is anything but stale. Brown Advisory’s Jacob Hodes talks with Dr. Hayden about digitizing millions of items, creating an app for burgeoning hip hop artists, and turbo-charging the Library’s online resources during the pandemic. In the podcast, Dr. Hayden shares her passion for libraries as pivotal elements of our social infrastructure—they link us to the lessons of the past and bring people together to create the future.

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Click. Connect. Change the World. How Gen Z lives every day on a global scale

Brown Advisory, Ziad Ahmed, Joel Flory, Denise Villa, Katherine Kroll — Tue, 26 May 2020 02:00:00 -0400

Gen Z is the future. Born between 1996 and 2012, this generation is the largest, most diverse cohort on the planet, with over $140 billion in purchasing power. And they may be more impacted by the global pandemic than any other generation. Brown Advisory’s Katherine Kroll speaks with Gen Z experts Ziad Ahmed, Joel Flory and Denise Villa to understand what Gen Zers care about and how their decisions as consumers and as culture-carriers will pave the way for our collective future.

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The Fire & The Flood: Managing the threats of a global pandemic and changing climate

Doug Baker, Karina Funk, Brown Advisory — Tue, 19 May 2020 02:00:00 -0400

Our house sits next to a river. We see the water slowly rising year after year and threatening to flood the foundation. Then, a house fire erupts. What do we do? If we don’t act against both the fire and flood, our house will be gone.

Doug Baker, Chairman and CEO of Ecolab, believes climate change is a serious business risk that must be addressed even amidst a burning pandemic, as he describes in his house-on-a-river parable. In conversation with Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk, Baker discusses climate risk and lessons of the pandemic from his vantage point at the helm of Ecolab, which provides technology for clean water, safe food and hygienic environments to three million businesses around the world.

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Friend or Foe?: How the Pandemic is Shaping U.S.-China Relations

Brown Advisory, Porter Schutt, Andy Rothman, Linda Yueh — Tue, 12 May 2020 02:00:00 -0400

The coronavirus pandemic raises many questions about the U.S.-China relationship – including how the two countries will address globalization, supply chains, technology and the environment going forward. Porter Schutt talks with two long-time students of China, Andy Rothman, investment strategist at Matthews Asia, and Linda Yueh, economist at the University of Oxford, to delve into the economic, cultural and geopolitical implications of the crisis.

Is Polarization Killing Democracy?

Yascha Mounk, Brown Advisory, Jordan Wruble — Tue, 05 May 2020 02:00:00 -0400

According to Yascha Mounk, our guest on this week’s episode of Navigating our World, polarization poses an existential threat to democracy. In a conversation with Brown Advisory’s Jordan Wruble, Dr. Mounk examines the forces he feels are undermining our political systems, and discusses how the coronavirus pandemic might have the potential to bring us closer together.

Yascha Mounk is the author of The People vs. Democracy: Why Democracy Is in Danger & How to Save It, a professor at Johns Hopkins University, and a leading expert on global politics.

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The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Brown Advisory. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. The information provided in this podcast is not intended to be and should not be considered a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. There is a risk that some or all of the capital invested in any such securities may be lost. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only, and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client

The Power of Purpose

Tamara Lundgren, Josh Silverman, Brown Advisory, Stephanie McCormick — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 02:00:00 -0400

What does it mean to lead with purpose? Tamara Lundgren, Chairman, President and CEO of Schnitzer Steel, and Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy, have each leveraged the power of purpose to lead significant organizations. Brown Advisory’s Stephanie McCormick sits down with Tamara and Josh to explore the connection between purpose and financial performance, and how being purpose-driven helps them navigate our challenging times.

Our podcast guests join the voices of a number of leading CEOs who are employing the power of purpose to become not only first-rate operating businesses but also deliver on a broader social mission. At the beginning of the episode, you will hear from several of those visionary leaders: Indra Nooyi, former Chairman and CEO, PepsiCo; Paul Polman, former CEO, Unilever; Rose Marcario, CEO, Patagonia; and Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO, BlackRock.

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We've Been Here Before (and Made it Through): A Conversation with Jon Meacham

Jon Meacham, Michael Hankin, Mike Hankin — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 02:00:00 -0400

In an intimate and candid conversation, CEO Mike Hankin sits down with esteemed Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Jon Meacham to draw historical parallels with the current crisis, and discuss lessons we can take from past leaders about navigating challenging times.

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Why NOW: CEO Mike Hankin Introduces the Podcast

Mike Hankin, Michael Hankin, Katie Vanneck-Smith, Brown Advisory — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 11:00:00 -0400

To kick off our Navigating Our World podcast, Brown Advisory CEO Mike Hankin shares his thoughts on why NOW is especially important during this crisis, and on the responsibility of business leaders to address the polarization around challenging issues -- including capitalism, climate change and more -- without taking sides.

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Navigating Our World

Brown Advisory — Tue, 14 Apr 2020 17:00:00 -0400

Navigating Our World: The Podcast

All episodes: https://www.brownadvisory.com/now