Squawk Pod

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The Microsoft-Activision Blizzard Deal, Done, with ATVI CEO Bobby Kotick 10/13/23 Oct 13, 2023

Show notes

After 22 months, Microsoft has closed its $69.5B acquisition of Activision Blizzard. So what now? Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick reflects on the long road to regulatory approval, and what’s next for gaming and for Activision-turned-Microsoft employees. After building Activision into the gaming giant it is today, Kotick considers his own next chapter and his legacy as CEO. And the White House is taking on junk fees. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra is co-leading the effort, and he explains what they are and how the administration is planning on curbing them. Plus, NBC’s Kelly Kobiella is in Jerusalem, reporting on the 1m+ Palestinians attempting to flee Gaza after the Israeli Defense Forces ordered an evacuation. In Washington DC, CNBC’s Emily Wilkins explains the House’s ongoing search for a Speaker, after Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA) ended his bid for the position.

Rohit Chopra - 11:38

Bobby Kotick - 22:19

In this episode:

Kelly Cobiella, @KellyCobiella

Emily Wilkins, @emrwilkins

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How Hamas Fundraised Crypto & Why Apollo CEO Calls UPenn ‘Morally Confused’ 10/12/23 Oct 12, 2023

Show notes

How is Hamas funded? TRM Labs Head of Global Policy and former federal prosecutor Ari Redbord discusses how his company tracks Hamas fundraising on the blockchain, and how Israeli and US law enforcement are tracing terror financing on crypto networks. Plus, Apollo Global Management CEO Marc Rowan, a University of Pennsylvania alumni and Chairman of its Wharton School board, is urging fellow alumni to halt donations to the university. Rowan calls the university’s response to the Israel-Hamas War, in conjunction with the school’s controversial bookings at its Palestinian literary festival last month, ‘morally confused and bankrupt.’ He’s pushing back on what he says is the university’s failure to condemn antisemitism, and he is not alone in critiquing universities and corporations for their leadership on Hamas’s attack on Israel. Other business headlines of the day include CPI data, post-IPO Birkenstock, and the drama at the trial of Sam Bankman-Fried.

Ari Redbord - 18:14

Marc Rowan - 27:18

In this episode:

Kate Rooney, @Kr00ney

Robert Frank, @robtfrank

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Exxon Mobil’s $59.5B Deal & CEOs Speaking Up Against Antisemitism 10/11/23 Oct 11, 2023

Show notes

Exxon Mobil has struck a $59.5 billion deal to acquire Pioneer Natural Resources in an all-stock merger. Pioneer Natural Resources CEO Scott Sheffield and Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods discuss how the deal came about, potential regulatory hurdles, and what role fossil fuels will play in our future. Incidents of religious-based hate and discrimination are on the rise as the fifth day of fighting in the Israel-Hamas War is underway. Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt explains why Fortune 500 CEOs should sign the ADL’s pledge to condemn antisemitism, and what American corporations can do to support their Jewish employees. Plus, Novo Nordisk stock is popping on more Ozempic success, Congress is seeking a new House Speaker, the White House wants to crack down on junk fees, and testimony at Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial illuminates the internal goings-on of FTX before its collapse.

Darren Woods and Scott Sheffield - 15:04

Jonathan Greenblatt - 28:19

In this episode:
Jonathan Greenblatt, @JGreenblattADL

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Paul Tudor Jones, Geopolitics, & Israel’s Flow of Business 10/10/23 Oct 10, 2023

Show notes

Founder of both the Tudor Investment and the Robin Hood Foundation Paul Tudor Jones shares his perspective on the economy and the markets, from interest rates and bond yields to equities prices and crypto. The billionaire hedge funder weighs in on America’s greatest geopolitical and economic challenges. Jones also explains Robin Hood’s work to support asylum seekers in NYC and highlights the nonprofit’s Investors Conference coming up on October 24-25th. Plus, we’re on the ground in Jerusalem with Jon Medved, founder and CEO of OurCrowd, which is one of Israel’s largest venture investing vehicles. The investor discusses Israeli sentiment and the flow of business amid the country’s war with Hamas.

Paul Tudor Jones - 3:20

Jon Medved - 34:53

In this episode:

Paul Tudor Jones, @ptj_official

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin

Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Israel, at War with Hamas: Ripples in Geopolitics, Oil, & Business 10/9/23 Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

Thousands have been killed and injured in the wake of Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel over the weekend. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman considers reports that Iran played a role in the assault and weighs concerns of an expanded conflict involving Lebanon and Hezbollah. Friedman highlights how this conflict could impact Russia’s strategic objectives and the pipeline of U.S. military aid to Ukraine. Coauthor of “Startup Nation” and former political advisor Dan Senor offers the Wall Street view: how the conflict impacts Israel’s business ecosystem, and how multinational corporations with operations there will keep up business–or not. Plus, NBC’s Kelly Cobiella reports on the ground in Tel Aviv, and Again Capital Founder John Kilduff explains how the Israel-Hamas conflict affects the oil markets.

Kelly Cobiella - 3:47

John Kilduff - 14:39

Thomas Friedman - 19:08

Dan Senor - 30:28

In this episode:

Thomas Friedman, @tomfriedman

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Cameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Michael Dell, Ron DeSantis, & A Hot Jobs Number 10/06/23 Oct 06, 2023

Show notes

Dell Technologies has announced a boost to its buyback plan and to its profit-growth outlook, in a meeting this week with analysts. CEO and founder of the computing giant Michael Dell discusses how AI innovation is slowly building his business’s financial returns, and how he’s planning to diversify his supply chain away from China. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis explains his stance on aiding Ukraine and working with America’s giant corporations like Disney. The Presidential hopeful shares why he believes his strategies in the sunshine state could be implemented nationwide, if he lands in the White House. Plus, the UAW strikes persist, the U.S. labor market is looking strong, Elon Musk is in hot water with the SEC (again), and it’s compliance training season! Get those modules in. If you want even more financial podcasting for your weekend, tune into ‘The Forum,’ the Economic Club of New York’s podcast with Becky Quick.

Michael Dell - 14:57

Gov. Ron DeSantis - 26:53

In this episode:

Ron DeSantis, @RonDeSantis

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Extremely Online Election, A Gavel Up for Grabs, & Money Laundering 10/5/23 Oct 05, 2023

Show notes

X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, has made cuts to its elections and disinformation team, eliminating almost all of the controls that were built after the 2016 election to prevent wide-scale manipulation. Former Facebook chief security officer, Alex Stamos describes the potential dangers ahead for the 2024 U.S. Presidential election. Singaporean authorities have seized more than 150 properties, luxury cars and thousands of gold bars in a family office money laundering scandal that has quickly grown to $2 billion. CNBC’s Wealth Editor Robert Frank reports on the international intrigue. Plus, the job opening in the House of Representatives, it’s already too late to start your holiday shopping and a hack at Clorox leaves a big stain.

Courtney Reagan, 8:12

Alex Stamos, 15:15
Robert Frank, 23:15

In this episode:

Alex Stamos, @alexstamos

Robert Frank, @robtfrank

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Ousted: Who’s Up for Speaker & What’s In for Big Tech 10/04/23 Oct 04, 2023

Show notes

For the first time in U.S. history, the House of Representatives has voted its Speaker Kevn McCarthy (R-CA) out of his leadership seat. 2024 Presidential hopeful Chris Christie, former New Jersey Governor, explains who might be up for the Speaker job and weighs in on the Republican party’s fate, as the Presidential election nears. Plus, the Federal Trade Commission has launched an antitrust case against Amazon, and the Department of Justice has Google parent Alphabet in its sights. Antitrust expert and Columbia Law School Professor Tim Wu explains the regulators’ routes to a competitive marketplace, plus what it means for big tech’s big innovations.
Chris Christie, 16:11

Tim Wu, 31:25
In this episode:
Chris Christie, @GovChristie

Tim Wu, @superwuster

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kevin McCarthy’s Fate, SBF’s Jury, & AI in your Inbox 10/03/23 Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Days after avoiding a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces potential ouster from leadership by his own party. He shares directly with Squawk Box listeners why he is optimistic he’ll prevail. Jury selection kicks off today in the criminal trial of one-time crypto king Sam Bankman-Fried and Microsoft is launching an AI assistant that could transform your work calendar. Steve Kovach reports on the good (?) news that busy office workers can be in two meetings at once.

Rep. Kevin McCarthy - 16:01

Steve Kovach - 28:10

In this episode:

Kevin McCarthy, @SpeakerMcCarthy

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bill Ackman Lights a SPARC & Sam Bankman-Fried Heads to Court 10/02/23 Oct 02, 2023

Show notes

Crisis averted! For 45 days? Congress narrowly avoids a government shutdown, coming up with a weekend deal to fund the government at its current level until November 17th. But the drama doesn’t end with the deal, as Republican members of the House want to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy over working with Democrats. Bill Ackman, Pershing Square Capital Management founder and CEO, discusses his new SPARC, a unique kind of SPAC that allows investors to know which company the vehicle is acquiring before they pledge funds. Ackman weighs in on potential interest in Elon Musk’s X, the state of the U.S. economy, the Fed’s inflation fight, and more. Plus, Jury selection for Sam Bankman-Fried's trial starts tomorrow. CNBC’s Kate Rooney reports on the next chapter following the collapse of his crypto exchange, FTX. Ahead of the trial, some of those impacted most by the bankruptcy are sharing their stories in a CNBC digital documentary. Sheelah Kolhatkar, The New Yorker staff writer, also discusses the upcoming trial of Sam Bankman-Fried and the unique relationship Bankman-Fried’s parents played in FTX.
Bill Ackman - 16:36

Kate Rooney - 34:11

Sheelah Kolhatkar - 37:55

In this episode:

Bill Ackman, @BillAckman

Kate Rooney, @Kr00ney

Sheelah Kolhatkar, @sheelahk

Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin
Joe Kernen, @JoeSquawk
Becky Quick, @BeckyQuick

Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.