** For the uninitiated, Allen & Company, LLC is a small investment bank headquartered in New York. Their Sun Valley Conference is a private media finance convention taking place this week in the exclusive vacation destination of Sun Valley, Idaho. Details about what actually goes on behind closed doors there are so scarce that even the guest list is, at times, a source of speculation. Here are a few of the movers and shakers we know for certain will be in attendance, and here’s a quick primer from last year. **
With two days down and four more to go, investment firm Allen & Company’s annual Sun Valley Conference is drawing the attention of reporters and curious onlookers. The private, so-called “billionaire’s summer camp”, having once again attracted the media and tech worlds’ most influential players to its idyllic and unassuming Idaho setting, is already making headlines for its tantalizing, if sometimes curious, keynotes. That the conference is closed to the public has only seemed to raise its considerable profile, as the hush-hush nature of the presentations is tailor-made for baseless conjecture…which we here at the Ethos3 blog are not above, by the way!
Here are some examples of topics we think and hope attendees in Sun Valley might be discussing as we speak:
Heisenberg Media, via Wikimedia Commons
Elon Musk – The visionary CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX sometimes has ideas that surely even he couldn’t fault most of us for confusing with science fiction. Evidently, his latest keynote, perhaps touching on his plans for the emerging driverless car segment, left some in attendance scratching their heads. While Musk’s expanded opinion on the recent SpaceX failure would likely be fascinating, what we’d really love to hear more about are his views on the possibly problematic future of artificial intelligence.
As Musk looks to the future, which we know is something he loves to do, he would definitely benefit from focusing on the clarity of his presentations…Remember, Mr. Musk, clarity is “Freedom from indistinctness or ambiguity”, so leave nothing to the imagination!
World Economic Forum, via Wikimedia Commons
Marissa Mayer – It may not be fair to describe the helmswoman of fading tech giant Yahoo as ‘embattled’, but the intrigue surrounding Ms. Mayer’s quest to revitalize the gradually diversifying search engine company is undeniable. Given all the clandestine meetings she must be having with potential business partners and strategists, we can only assume such an accomplished executive has already invested in a quality pitch deck. If not, it’s never too late! Even “well-funded, ancient” companies can benefit from a well-crafted pitch presentation with lots of punch. We daresay Yahoo would qualify!
John Kerry – It should go without saying that the main thing we want to hear from the rumored VIP guest Secretary of State is his unfiltered opinion on the Iran nuclear talks, but outside of another “Groundhog Day” joke, there’s probably not much chance of that. Instead, he might be compelled to open up a bit more about the Keystone XL Pipeline. Presenting those documents and reports may end up being a real drag, but a little transparency can go a long way when you’re in front of a critical audience. And don’t forget to stay positive!
Continuing to discuss difficult issues this AM. Working diligently to see if agreement possible. #IranTalksVienna pic.twitter.com/xrrX9hhRFL
— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) July 9, 2015
Valery Marchive, via Wikimedia Commons
Tim Cook – A recent Business Insider article speculates that Apple chief Cook could have as many as 17 staffers reporting directly to him — that’s enough people to field an entire basketball team plus referees, scorekeepers and maybe a few fans in the bleachers! Hopefully Mr. Cook knows how to handle rapid-fire Q&A sessions, since an hour meeting with that gargantuan team would only allow about 3.5 minutes of dialogue per person!
We may not know the details of the seedy underbelly of Allen & Co.’s Sun Valley Conference until some of its deals come to light, if ever, but when it comes to speeches at the highest level, we couldn’t help but speculate. If you think you might be going next year (lucky!) and could use a boost in the fine art of presentations, drop us a line here.
