Bill Ackman on Antisemitism, Stakeholder Activism, and Harvard’s Future 01/12/24

Squawk Pod

CNBC

Investing, Business, News, Business News

4.2 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 12 January 2024

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Pershing Square Founder and CEO Bill Ackman joins Andrew Ross Sorkin for an extended conversation about his activist shareholder strategy on Wall Street and at his alma mater, Harvard. He’s become one of business’s most outspoken voices pushing for an end to antisemitism on college campuses and for the removal of Harvard’s former president, Claudine Gay. Ackman addresses his change-seeking strategies, and the controversial headlines about himself and about his wife’s academic career. Plus, he discusses his political leanings, his expectations for the 2024 election, and his disappointment in America’s current political frontrunners. In this episode: Bill Ackman, @BillAckman Andrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkin Katie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, I'm C. NBC producer Katie Kramer, and this is Squawk Pod. On today's episode, Bill
0:09.2	Ackman, activist investor and hedge-funder now so involved in the fight against anti-Semitism
0:14.6	on college campuses and all the backlash that's followed.
0:17.6	You're going to go out there in the public eye and you're going to make statements,
0:19.6	strong ones about issues that are controversial.
0:22.1	You're going to be criticized. Hopefully you're going to be criticized.
0:23.2	Hopefully you're going to be applauded as well.
0:25.6	When they go after your wife, you know that you're making some progress.
0:28.8	Why he took his Wall Street strategy to his alma mater and beyond, pushing for Harvard President
0:33.8	Clodine Gay's resignation and urging donors of all institutions to speak up.
0:38.0	It's much more important, much more profound, it affects many more people.
0:41.0	It's not just about a company, right? It's about society.
0:44.0	The very active investor, donor, and tweeter responds to headlines and controversies.
0:50.0	I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of being canceled not afraid of losing my job.
0:53.5	Plus where Bill Ackman stands politically.
0:56.5	What left means today is not a party I want to be associated with.
1:00.0	I was a Bill Clinton Democrat and what the party has sort of morphed to is not something I want anything to do with.
1:06.0	And what he sees for election day 2024.
1:09.0	Trump will be our next president if Biden is the candidate for sure.
1:14.4	It's Friday, January 12th.
1:16.4	Squawk Pod begins right now.
1:19.4	Bill Ackman is a hedge fund manager and he's also one of the most outspoken and
	...

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