Good morning everyone. I'm deeply honored to be a commencement speaker. Distinguished faculty, alumni, parents, family members, friends, and most of all, Wharton Class of 2026. Congratulations, you did it.
I know firsthand that joy that all your parents feel at this moment because my eldest daughter is here graduating today alongside you. I asked her if she had any advice for my speech and she said, 'Please just don't lecture us on AI.' The truth is, you don't need to be lectured on anything. Yes, you're entering the real world at a time of extraordinary transformation, but there is one thing I'm absolutely sure of. For all the uncertainty, all of you are more than prepared for this moment.
Every generation is faced with its share of crisis, and remarkably, every generation finds a way to meet and surmount them. More than three decades ago, I was in your shoes. I graduated from college while a war was raging in the Middle East. Then the internet .com bubble threatened to bring the world economy to its knees. Well, it didn't.
Reflecting back on some of my life lessons, I have three stories to share that I hope will inspire you to navigate your journey regardless of any direction you take.
It's 2018. I had recently joined Mattel's board and became the company's fourth CEO in four years. Lots of things needed to change. What excited me was the opportunity to transform Mattel from a toy manufacturer making items to an intellectual property company managing franchises, and to think of people who buy our products not just as consumers, but as fans that have an emotional connection with our brands.
To realize this vision, we needed a big tentpole project that would define the strategy, and there was no higher bar to start with than making a movie based on our biggest brand, Barbie. Yes, three weeks into my new job, I set up a meeting with Margot Robbie, soon to be Barbie herself and our co-producer. From the start I was clear, this was not about making a movie to sell toys, and in fact, it wasn't even about making a movie. It was about creating a cultural event.
After getting Warner Brothers on board, we partnered with Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach to write the screenplay, and for Greta to ultimately direct the movie. At the time, Greta was a young up-and-coming independent filmmaker who had not directed a big-budget large commercial movie before, but her prior films were critically acclaimed and most importantly, she was an innovator and a pioneer.
So imagine you are me, and the script you've been anxiously waiting for finally lands in your inbox. And in that script, your number one brand is called Fascist. Your company is portrayed as the worst in corporate America and you the CEO are a chauvinist buffoon. Now imagine not only saying yes to this film but stake your company's strategic vision on it. On paper, most brand experts would think you were crazy. After all, several previous attempts to make a Barbie movie had failed.
I've been asked countless times, how did you let this movie happen? The answer is, it's not that we let it happen. We wanted it to happen and we not only accept it, but embraced it and amplified it. To be successful, we needed to stand apart, be original, be authentic, and break conventions. It was about trusting the creative process and the creator herself, and I was never in doubt.
Here's what gave me confidence along the way. One of the common practices in Hollywood is to find a comparable movie for every project or as they call it in the industry, a comp. Comps help the studios set the budget, choose the cast, plan the marketing campaign, and even make financial projections. In the case of the Barbie movie, no one could find a comp. Was it 'Lego Movie,' 'Legally Blonde,' or 'Clueless'? Was it 'Little Mermaid,' or 'Enchanted,' or even the 'Grand Budapest Hotel'? It was none of those. It was its own thing, completely original. That made a lot of people nervous. To me, it was a sign that we were on the right path, and this movie could be very special.
'Barbie' went on to be nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. It won an Oscar and became the highest-grossing movie of the year and the biggest film ever in Warner Brothers history. The film with no comp became the film everyone is trying to make. The lesson of the Barbie movie is this: don't be afraid to break conventions. Not every good idea has a comp. If you're looking for precedents, you will not be the one setting them.
On a very personal note, in the midst of the Barbie movie rush, my mother was fighting cancer. I just left her bedside in Tel Aviv the night before the 'Barbie' premiere, and as I landed back in Los Angeles at 6:00 AM, my sister called with the news that she had passed away. By 5:00 PM I had to be on the pink carpet hosting our guests and giving press interviews. Within less than 12 hours, I experienced a stark reminder that in life there are many ups and downs and sometimes they intertwine and you carry on. It was obvious what my mother would have wanted me to do, and knowing her, she probably would have wanted to be there herself.
Here's another very different real-life story. My wife, Anat, who is sitting right there with our family, was pregnant with our fourth child while we were living in London. Everything during the pregnancy went according to plan. Each and every test was fine. Every doctor was happy, everything was great. We thought we had it all under control.
Three days before the due date, Anat started to get contractions. We jumped into my car and drove towards the hospital, which was barely 10 minutes away. At first, I was driving normally, but hearing my wife in the back, I started to drive faster and faster and faster. Two minutes from the hospital, Anat says, 'Stop the car.' I say, 'We're almost there.' She yells, 'Stop the car now.' Now I pull over under a streetlight right in front of Paddington train station. This is one of the busiest places in London. It's 8:10 PM, people are walking everywhere. As I bolt to her side of the car, with the engine still running, I see three guys walking by. I yell at them, 'Call an ambulance,' thinking to myself, this cannot be happening. I didn't even wash my hands. I opened the back door where Anat is lying, and before I know it, I'm pulling out a beautiful baby girl.
My wife is nearly passing out. And I'm standing there holding a newborn in the dark, in the middle of a street full of people in Central London traffic. I could hear the three guys continue to call for help, and eventually, some 20 minutes later, not one but three ambulances showed up. I thought to myself, oh, great. One for the baby, one for my wife, and one for me.
We have nine months to prepare. We've been through three successful textbook deliveries. Thousands of new babies are born every hour. In fact, four babies every second all over the world. But nevertheless, this was something I simply did not expect. And believe me, you cannot get this one wrong.
I bring this up not to embarrass my daughter and not even to brag about my skills as a delivery nurse, but to remind all of you brilliant high achievers: you may think you have everything mapped out, but life often has its own plans. Expect the unexpected and remember that improvisation is part of the plan.
The third story takes us to my local cafe in LA. On weekends, I wake up early and sit there with my laptop to catch up on work. There was a hardworking server always on the ball. While I was drinking my single-shot latte, I would notice his efficiency and engagement with customers. One day I raised my eyes from my laptop and asked him, 'Where are you from?' He shared that he was a refugee from Iran who left his entire family at the age of 21, camped in Turkey for three years to get his US visa, and eventually arrived in America alone, knowing absolutely no one. He taught himself English while working full time and somehow also earned a computer science degree. He didn't know who I was or where I worked, but casually asked if I knew anyone who was looking for interns in cybersecurity.
I asked him to send me his resume, but he had no resume because he had no prior jobs, except for his work as a barista and server. Normally most recruiters and AI systems would reject him due to a lack of any related experience. That is the practical move. Yet, he did share his transcripts, and I saw that he had a very strong GPA and had taken several advanced courses with straight As in challenging subjects like data structures and algorithm engineering. But much more than his grades, this was someone who found the courage to flee a bleak past, to seek a better life, and worked hard on his own with no support to pursue his goals. Someone with that kind of determination was worth taking a chance on. Who wouldn't want a person like that on their team?
I said to him that I may know someone at Mattel and would be happy to make an introduction. Our recruiting team invited him for an interview and ended up offering him to join our internship program. He was one of the highest performers that year. And today, Erfan works full-time at Mattel on our global technology team with a very bright future ahead. And Mattel has a top talent on our side.
In the world of Zoom, working from home, and agentic AI, personal interactions and casual conversations are more important than ever. For all your training, experience, and education, remember, human connection is mankind's greatest superpower. Harness it and you will go very far.
Wharton graduates, you have just received a degree from one of the world's elite academic institutions, which has produced some of the most influential leaders of our time. Now, it's your turn. You're stepping into a world that needs your ideas, your energy, and your leadership. A world that will challenge you, surprise you, and at times test you. But it is also full of opportunities for those who are willing to think differently and act boldly.
Know that the best-made plans are subject to change. And when you need to adapt, you roll up your sleeves and deliver, sometimes literally. And as you embark on your next chapter, know that your character and your values will matter far more than any title you hold.
So Class of 2026, be original and don't look for comps. Expect the unexpected. Look up and make eye contact. And if by some chance someone ever hands you a screenplay where you're portrayed as a buffoon, say yes. I promise it's worth it. Thank you and congratulations.
