On Friday morning, Axios hosted a virtual event on how business and government leaders can work together for social good in the midst of a global pandemic.
Axios co-founder and CEO Jim VandeHei discussed how companies are adapting to the current state of affairs with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and how businesses can prioritize their employees with Edelman Global CEO Richard Edelman.
- Cuban on the opportunities that this moment presents: "This is a complete reset. All those things you were wondering about ... now you get a chance to try them ... we have a chance to go into America 2.0."
- Cuban on the possibility of restarting the NBA season this year: "I hope so. I really do. But again, the NBA will put safety first. ... I’m hopeful, let’s just put it that way."
- Edelman on the responsibility of companies in this moment of crisis: "Companies have to speak up now because they are actually the most trusted sources of information. ... Brands are expected to say how they're helping to solve the problem and also what they're doing to help employees specifically keep their jobs."
VandeHei and Axios cities correspondent Kim Hart honed in on the impact of this crisis on city leaders and how they're communicating and collaborating with other cities and the governors of their respective states.
- Hart on what cities are focusing on at this moment: "A pandemic was never really something that was on their list. They're trying to figure out not only how to keep their people safe, but also afloat economically."
- Hart on how mayors are learning from other leaders: "[Mayors] are relying on text message chains ... on fairly regular conference calls just to check in with city leaders of other cities that are of comparable size ... to see what have they learned, what are their lessons. ... It also comes down to how they're working directly with state governors."
Thank you, Anheuser-Busch for sponsoring this event.