John Coates: Most Americans aren’t aware of how concentrated the financial sector has gotten

Join us for an insightful discussion with John Coates, Professor of Law and Economics at Harvard Law School, as he explores the growing influence of index funds and private equity in the U.S. economy. Coates provides valuable insights into how these financial entities are reshaping the corporate landscape and the potential implications for investors, workers, and society at large.


Key topics covered:
0:30 The concentration of power in finance
1:52 The evolution of private equity
3:29 The role of pension funds in private equity
4:29 Public interest in private equity investments
6:02 The growth of private equity since 2000
7:16 Private equity's expansion into service industries
10:08 The origins and growth of index funds
13:16 The future of index fund ownership
15:34 The need for increased transparency in index funds
18:19 Differences in disclosure between index funds and private equity
20:01 The impact of private equity and index funds on social issues
22:34 The potential for disclosure in private equity
24:20 The trend towards voluntary and mandatory ESG disclosures
26:59 The importance of disclosure in corporate governance
27:48 Public perception of private equity and index funds
29:29 KKR's approach to employee ownership
30:23 The growing importance of sustainability in analyst calls

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