It’s one of my favorite times of the year: The Milken Institute Global Conference.
Why do I love it? First of all, it’s the Lollapalooza of the financial world, which is the primary world in which my firm, Prosek Partners, operates.
It’s also one of the few conferences in the world, like the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting at Davos and the FII Institute’s October conference, where founders and CEOs don’t fly in and quickly fly out. They stay, mingle, speak, and do business for two and sometimes three full days.
A single ticket costs $50,000, or $25,000 at the early bird rate, but with that price comes exposure to the world’s financial, corporate, and political leaders all in the small Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. It’s almost impossible not to walk away with a new contact or insight.
And unlike the icy-cold schlep and subpar accommodations of Davos, Switzerland, or the jet lag that often comes with the FII Institute conference in Saudi Arabia, Milken is a nearly zero-friction event — no lines, no snow, no slips and falls. Instead, you get luxurious and ample hotels.
If you’re new to Milken-land, here are 7 tips from a 12-time veteran.
Know thy audience – who goes to Milken
Attendees at Milken include CEOs of major financial firms and asset managers, CEOs of tech firms, some Fortune 500s and professional services firms, founders of private equity and private credit firms, institutional investors at the CIO level of pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, family offices.
And then there are those who serve them. That could be chief marketing officers and chief communications officers or heads of investor relations who are supporting their CEOs or founders at the conference.
Policy makers and politicians who care deeply about the economy and the central banking systems globally will be in tow too. This is high-level crowd geared around investing, deal-making, and the global economy.
Don’t miss the health panels
A cancer survivor and major health philanthropist, Michael Milken surrounds himself with the best minds in finance, and also in healthcare.
If you want to know what is possible today with genetics, cancer care, Alzheimer’s treatments, GLP-1s, preventative medicine, healthy aging, or the positive effects of psychedelics, the health content sessions are a must.
I owe Michael Milken the healthiest version of myself because I attended the “How to Live to a Healthy 100” panel almost ten years ago.
Take the private party circuit very seriously
Sometimes, the most valuable part of the conference is what is not on the agenda. There is a healthy party circuit around the Milken conference, and some of the best events are at private homes in Beverly Hills during the evenings.
These events are not publicized, and you have to be a longtime attendee to know what’s happening when and where. My advice is to buddy up with a conference vet and ask for help to figure out the private event circuit. Or hire a firm that is in the know to “concierge” your experience.
Some of my favorite private events have been Goldman Sachs’s women’s lunch, the “Wheelhouse” event at Bette Davis’s former party house, and dinner at Dan Loeb’s home, founder and CEO of Third Point. If you don’t maximize this aspect of the conference, you get only half the value.
Don’t be afraid to approach people in the hallway
Every inch of the Milken conference is filled with someone you should get to know. For the most part, people are easy to approach.
One of my favorite memories at Milken happened 10 years ago when my business was still relatively small. I ran into David Rubenstein, the co-founder and co-chairman of Carlyle Group, in the hallway and had a ten-minute conversation, during which he spent most of the time asking about my business. What a generous man and a magic moment! Little did I know I would represent his firm a few years later.
Prepare to struggle for meeting space
Meeting space at the Beverly Hilton is reserved for those who pay $250,000 at minimum to be sponsors of Milken. If that isn’t you, you’ll struggle to find a place for a meeting on the hotel grounds. There is a restaurant and a café on-site, but lines are long and there’s no guarantee they’ll have space when you need it.
The trick is to reserve a room and/or meeting space at the hotels within walking distance from the Hilton like The Peninsula and the Waldorf Astoria — but you have to do so a year in advance. If you are planning for Milken 2026, book those rooms right at the end of this conference season. Most hotels will move their beds out if you want to transform the space into a meeting room.
Remember that Milken is a nonprofit
The Milken conference can be so commercially productive that many people forget what the Milken Institute actually is — a nonprofit that supports several important educational and health causes.
This year, Michael Milken will open his Center for Advancing the American Dream in Washington, DC to help make sure the American Dream stays alive. Take a moment to study what the Milken Institute does and take advantage of the purpose-driven aspects of being part of the Milken world.
Arrive with a game plan
Make sure you have a “monetizing the mingle” strategy before you go to Milken. Whether you are a single-ticket holder or a sponsor, you are spending a truckload of time and money to attend, so you need goals, a strategy, and a plan to maximize your time on the ground.
Are you trying to meet investors? What kind? Where do they go at the conference? Are you trying to increase your profile? If so, what reporters can you meet on the ground? Can you break news there and secure a coveted slot on CNBC or Bloomberg at the conference?
Too many people I know show up with no plan and waste precious time and money. Don’t be one of them. If you’re doing it right, your return on time and money should be in the green. See you in LA!
Jennifer Prosek is managing partner of Prosek Partners
