The legendary investor recently took part in a wide-ranging discussion hosted by Columbia Business School’s Finance Division that covered the five main forces that contribute to the rise and decline of empires, his views on the Chinese economy, insights into his investment philosophy, and the role of AI in the investment industry.

In this episode of Columbia Bizcast, the leader of the country’s oldest airline sat down with CBS Professor Modupe Akinola to explain how building an ethical company culture starts from the top. Since Delta CEO Ed Bastian assumed his role in 2016, he’s kept his email address public and unchanged — an uncommon practice for the leader of a Fortune 100 company. By doing so, Bastian invites both employees and customers alike to reach out with concerns, providing accessibility and visibility from the top down. In a conversation with Modupe Akinola, CBS’s Barbara and David Zalaznick Professor of Business and faculty director of the Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics, Bastian explained how giving employees insight into company strategy is foundational to his values-based leadership approach — as well as Delta’ success. The conversation came as Bastian was awarded the 2024 Botwinick Prize in Business Ethics for exemplifying the highest standard of professional and ethical conduct throughout his career. The event was organized by the School's Bernstein Center for Leadership and Ethics.

Read more about the 2024 Botwinick Prize here. Find us on Instagram and Twitter, where we are @columbia_biz.

The accomplished entrepreneur, executive and investor joined Columbia Business School Dean Costis Maglaras to share lessons from building many of today’s leading consumer businesses and to discuss the future of AI. The event was part of the school’s new Distinguished Speaker Series, co-sponsored by the Digital Future Initiative.

At a recent live event hosted by the Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business at Columbia Business School, Professors Abby Joseph Cohen and Pierre Yared discussed signs that the global economy and financial markets are moving toward a more “normal” state.

In this episode of Columbia Bizcast, listen to a recording of a recent CBS event featuring Chris Wiggins, professor of applied mathematics and systems biology at Columbia University. He speaks about his new book, How Data Happened, co-authored with Matthew Jones. Professor Wiggins explains that the technologies that now shape our daily realities didn’t just appear overnight. They have rich and detailed histories that go back centuries and span the globe.

This event was facilitated by Professor Bruce Kogut, as part of the School’s Business, AI, and Democracy series.

In this episode of Columbia Bizcast, listen to a recording of a recent CBS event featuring Brian Deese, MIT innovation fellow and former director of the National Economic Action Council at the White House. Deese discusses climate action and economic opportunities in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act.