Straight Talk with Hank Paulson cover art

Deborah Lehr

Straight Talk with Hank Paulson

Ruth Porat on AI, Tech and Sustainability, and Green Finance

Paulson Institute Nature’s Ledger explores how business and conservation can work together for a sustainable and prosperous future. Host Deborah Lehr, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Paulson Institute, speaks with inspiring guests to spotlight people, projects, and solutions that prove nature is an asset we can’t afford to lose. Grounded in the belief that valuing nature is key to resilient economies, the podcast shares bold ideas and real-world actions to regenerate the planet.

Ruth Porat (Chief Financial Officer, Alphabet and Google) joins Hank Paulson to discuss tech’s role in sustainability, how Google has responded to COVID and the challenges facing minority-owned businesses, the power of AI to democratize health care, and lessons learned during the 2008 financial crisis.

Host

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Henry M. Paulson Jr.

Founder and Chairman | Paulson Institute

Henry M. Paulson, Jr., is a business leader, conservationist, statesman, and author who is the founder and chairman of the Paulson Institute and executive chairman of TPG Rise Climate. He served as the 74th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury from 2006 to 2009, where he led the response to the...
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Episode Guest

Ruth Porat

Ruth Porat

President and Chief Investment Officer | Alphabet and Google

Ruth Porat is President and Chief Investment Officer of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, where she oversees the company’s long-term investment strategy and capital allocation. She previously served as Alphabet and Google’s Chief Financial Officer from 2015 through mid-2024, a period marked by increased financial discipline, sharper focus on profitability, and...
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