Luis Ubinas's guest appearances

Luis Ubinas

Driving Force Podcast

Andy Ramage

Fiona Oakes

Tony Blauer

Christian Graugart

Natalie Walstein

Kyle Robidoux

Ricky Williams

Jake Bullock

Jeff Gothelf

Heidi Strickler

Brandon Green

Meredith Atwood

Karen Smyers

Nicole Ver Kuilen

Michael Buckley

OwlTail

Today’s guest is Luis Ubinas. Luis is someone who’s been driven by a strong sense of responsibility from an early age. He grew up in the projects of the South Bronx in the 1970s, arguably the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States at the time. With the amazing support of others, including individuals and the government, Luis was not only able to survive that upbringing but also thrive in the years that follow. After graduating from Harvard in 1985, Luis went on to work at McKinsey and eventually become Senior Partner, where he developed and led the West Coast Media and Entertainment Practice. Following McKinsey, he became President of the Ford Foundation for 6 years and led a major restructuring of the organization during the Great Recession. Now, he’s a Board Member of numerous large corporations including Electronic Arts, Boston Private, and Mercer. Even with all of this professional success, Luis has always made it a point to look back on his past and make sure that others can have the same opportunities he has had. In this interview, we discuss Luis’ upbringing in South Bronx, how that upbringing shaped him, his work as President of the Ford Foundation, and the impact art and technology can have in driving social change. Timestamps 00:05:31 How the environment he grew up in was a blessing 00:11:43 Why a high proportion of immigrants leads to lower criminality 00:14:27 How he navigated out of the South Bronx 00:17:03 Looking back on your past 00:21:40 Finding purpose 00:29:28 Impact of his time at McKinsey 00:31:55 Advice for people early in their careers 00:33:45 His sense of responsibility as a driving force 00:35:25 Understanding the goodness of what you've done 00:39:37 Taking the Ford Foundation job 00:40:58 Restructuring the Ford Foundation 00:48:02 Making real change happen 00:54:00 Art's large role in his life 00:59:06 Art as a vehicle for social change 01:01:16 Technology driving social change 01:05:54 Economic growth and social inclusion 01:08:27 Income inequality 01:11:00 Opportunities for social change during the pandemic

Today’s guest is Luis Ubinas. Luis is someone who’s been driven by a strong sense of responsibility from an early age. He grew up in the projects of the South Bronx in the 1970s, arguably the most dangerous neighborhood in the United States at the time. With the amazing support of others, including individuals and the government, Luis was not only able to survive that upbringing but also thrive in the years that follow. After graduating from Harvard in 1985, Luis went on to work at McKinsey and eventually become Senior Partner, where he developed and led the West Coast Media and Entertainment Practice. Following McKinsey, he became President of the Ford Foundation for 6 years and led a major restructuring of the organization during the Great Recession. Now, he’s a Board Member of numerous large corporations including Electronic Arts, Boston Private, and Mercer. Even with all of this professional success, Luis has always made it a point to look back on his past and make sure that others can have the same opportunities he has had. In this interview, we discuss Luis’ upbringing in South Bronx, how that upbringing shaped him, his work as President of the Ford Foundation, and the impact art and technology can have in driving social change. Timestamps 00:05:31 How the environment he grew up in was a blessing 00:11:43 Why a high proportion of immigrants leads to lower criminality 00:14:27 How he navigated out of the South Bronx 00:17:03 Looking back on your past 00:21:40 Finding purpose 00:29:28 Impact of his time at McKinsey 00:31:55 Advice for people early in their careers 00:33:45 His sense of responsibility as a driving force 00:35:25 Understanding the goodness of what you've done 00:39:37 Taking the Ford Foundation job 00:40:58 Restructuring the Ford Foundation 00:48:02 Making real change happen 00:54:00 Art's large role in his life 00:59:06 Art as a vehicle for social change 01:01:16 Technology driving social change 01:05:54 Economic growth and social inclusion 01:08:27 Income inequality 01:11:00 Opportunities for social change during the pandemic

Episode 22: Luis Ubinas - Investor, Advisor, Corporate Board Member