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Lenny Mendonca

Lenny Mendonca

51 commentaries
1 videos & podcasts

Lenny Mendonca, Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company, is a former chief economic and business adviser to Governor Gavin Newsom of California and chair of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

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  1. What Critics of American Higher Education Get Wrong
    tyson117_Eros HoaglandGetty Images_UScollege Eros Hoagland/Getty Images

    What Critics of American Higher Education Get Wrong

    Mar 19, 2024 Laura Tyson & Lenny Mendonca show that a college degree is still a wise investment and a key driver of economic mobility in America.

  2. California Leads the Way on Climate
    tyson116_Kevork DjansezianGetty Images_california Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

    California Leads the Way on Climate

    Dec 28, 2023 Laura Tyson & Lenny Mendonca show how the Golden State has made meaningful progress within and beyond its borders by testing new ideas.

  3. To Protect Democracy, Revive Local Journalism
    tyson115_ Chip SomodevillaGetty Images_local reporters Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

    To Protect Democracy, Revive Local Journalism

    Sep 20, 2023 Laura Tyson & Lenny Mendonca identify promising new models and philanthropic initiatives geared toward supporting independent media.

  4. The Local Threat to American Democracy
    tyson114_MARK FELIXAFP via Getty Images_voting Mark Felix/AFP via Getty Images

    The Local Threat to American Democracy

    Jul 18, 2023 Laura Tyson & Lenny Mendonca document widening efforts by Republicans and their allies to stifle the will of voters.

  5. Revitalizing American Democracy Where It Counts
    tyson113_ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDSAFP via Getty Images_USvoting Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    Revitalizing American Democracy Where It Counts

    Feb 21, 2023 Laura Tyson & Lenny Mendonca show how and why ballot initiatives are gaining momentum as a means of overcoming legislative obstruction.

  1. strain27_Philipp von Ditfurthpicture alliance via Getty Images_AIeducation Philipp von Ditfurth/picture alliance via Getty Images

    What the AI Pessimists Are Missing

    Michael R. Strain points out that the technology will help to address many of the risks it creates.
  2. ito37_Spencer PlattGetty Images_columbiaprotests Spencer Platt/Getty Images

    The Innocent Bystanders of College Protests

    Takatoshi Ito laments that a radical minority can disrupt the lives of so many in the broader university community.
  3. lacamera1_Wang DongzhenXinhua via Getty Images_COP28 Wang Dongzhen/Xinhua via Getty Images

    Only Public-Private Cooperation Can Accelerate Decarbonization

    Francesco La Camera & Bruce Douglas explain how to translate political commitments into actual wind turbines and solar panels.
  4. haass167_ANATOLII STEPANOVAFP via Getty Images_ukrainesoldiers Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images

    Defining Success in Ukraine

    Richard Haass

    Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Adviser, has expressed the view that 2025 could be the time for Ukraine to once again mount a counter-offensive against Russian troops. Given the strategic math, that would be a serious mistake.

    calls for a shift to a defensive posture and efforts to bring about a long-term ceasefire.
  5. aslund75_Pierre CromGetty Images_ukraineconflict Pierre Crom/Getty Images

    A Unified Western Strategy for Ukraine

    Anders Åslund proposes a maximalist approach to military aid to replace the current piecemeal injections of old weapons.
  6. khrushcheva180_ContributorGetty Images_shoiguputin Contributor/Getty Images

    Russia’s Battle of the Ministries

    Nina L. Khrushcheva sees a high-ranking official's recent arrest as a sign of declining confidence in Vladimir Putin's leadership.
  7. ghosh77_MANDEL NGANAFP via Getty Images_ajaybanga Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

    The “Billions to Trillions” Charade

    Jayati Ghosh

    Multilateral development banks and international financial institutions argue that mobilizing private investment is crucial to meeting developing economies’ needs for climate and development finance. But boosting government revenues is far more likely to generate the trillions of dollars needed to close these financing gaps.

    explains why using development banks' resources to incentivize private-sector finance is unlikely to succeed.
  8. aljasser1_SEYLLOUAFP via Getty Images_dakarairport Seyllou/AFP via Getty Images

    Leveraging Islamic Finance for Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure

    Muhammad Al Jasser shows how a hybrid financing model could help fund desperately needed projects in the developing world.
  9. GettyImages-1357300450

    Adekeye Adebajo on the Non-Aligned Movement, United Nations peacekeeping, African institution-building, and more

    Adekeye Adebajo argues that Israel’s war in Gaza is accelerating the trend toward global apartheid, highlights the strengths and weaknesses of United Nations peacekeeping missions, criticizes the militarization of US engagement with Africa, and more.

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