This week, Sandy Boss, Senior Managing Director at global investment firm BlackRock and Chair of BlackRock UK, joins us on the podcast. In a conversation with Michael Birshan, a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice, Sandy shares her insights on geopolitics and the energy transition as well as her ‘five Cs’ for CFOs looking to take an investor’s perspective. We recorded their conversation at a recent gathering for CFOs in London.  Related Insights What your most important investors need to knowValuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th editionDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Companies have endless initiatives and plans, all with the promise to transform the organization and deliver attractive financial returns. However experience indicates companies should focus on building an institutional capability that has the power to separate them from the rest. To discuss how to build this superpower we’re joined by Brad Mendelson, a senior partner based in our Cleveland Ohio office, and Tova Katzir, a partner in our New York office. Related insightsBuilding a superpower: What can we learn from the Magnificent Seven? What’s your superpower? How companies can build an institutional capability to achieve competitive advantage  Discover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We’re joined by three McKinsey M&A experts to discuss the ways that generative AI is being used to streamline and improve the M&A process, from target identification to deal execution. Ben Ellencweig leads our work in M&A, alliances, and partnerships globally for QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey. Rui Silva helps lead our work across a range of M&A topics, including how to execute large and complex integrations. Kyle Lefler helps clients with M&A strategy and execution across sectors including technology, digital intelligence, and consumer goods.   Related insights:  Gen AI: Opportunities in M&A  Rewired  The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontierDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we’re joined by senior partners Kurt Strovink and Ramesh Srinivasan, coauthors, along with Hans-Werner Kaas and Dana Maor, of a new McKinsey book, The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out. It is the first-ever look behind the curtain at McKinsey’s step-by-step approach to helping leaders transform both professionally and personally. It introduces a new, more human-centric approach that is helping some of the best leaders achieve results by cultivating humility, confidence, vulnerability, and resilience in themselves and others. Related insights: The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out Author Talks: A transformational approach to leadershipDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we’re joined by Scott Herren, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cisco Systems, and Eric Kutcher, Senior Partner and Chair of McKinsey & Company, North America. They discuss the rationale for Cisco's recent acquisition, the role of CFOs in driving change within a company, the impact of AI on finance, and the current geopolitical and economic climate. Related insights: The Seasons of the CFO Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFODiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we return to the CFO journey and discuss how CFOs can drive outperformance in the middle years of their tenure. We’re joined by Ankur Agrawal, a partner in our New York office, a leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance and Healthcare practices, and the leader of our CFO and finance service line in the Americas. Christian Grube is a partner in our Munich office, leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, and the leader of our CFO and finance service line in Europe. Arun Nayar’s career in finance spans more than 40 years. He was the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tyco International, the former CFO of global operations at PepsiCo, and he currently sits on the boards of GFL Environmental, Amcor, and Rite Aid. Related insights: Faster, smarter, bolder: How midtenure CFOs shift into a higher gear The seasons of the CFODiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we discuss how companies can create value in today’s complex business environment and communicate that value effectively to investors by demonstrating strategic clarity and consistency amid uncertainty. Our guests are Justin Sanders, a partner in New York and a leader in our Corporate Finance Practice, and Cassandre Danoux, a partner in London who leads our Joint Ventures and Alliances Practice.  Related insights What your most important investors need to know Maximizing the impact of your investor relations Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we are joined by John Di Bert, CFO of Air Canada, and John Kelleher, a senior partner based in Toronto and the global co-leader of our Finance and Capital Markets service line. Recorded at our recent CFO forum in London, this discussion delves into how Air Canada is positioning itself for sustainable growth and stability, the key financial strategies that other CFOs can apply in similarly complex industries, the financial leadership required to navigate the inherent uncertainties of the airline industry, and the strategic vision necessary for long-term value creation. Related InsightsCorporate finance and the CFO roleThe Seasons of the CFO (including How to prepare for the CFO role) Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we delve into a McKinsey.com report on family-owned businesses (FOBs) that demonstrates how, by combining four critical mindsets with five strategic actions, FOBs have a chance to quadruple their value in the next decade while maintaining resilience. Our guests are Eduardo Asaf who is a partner in McKinsey’s Mexico City office, Acha Leke, who is a senior partner in our Johannesburg office, and Francesco Malatesta, who is an associate partner in our Dubai office. Related insights: The secrets of outperforming family-owned businesses: How they create value—and how you can become one Insights on Private CapitalDiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, Yuval Atsmon, the newly appointed head of McKinsey's finance function, joins us to share his perspectives on the chief finance role. Yuval is also a client-serving senior partner in our firm's Technology, Media & Telecommunications, and Consumer Packaged Goods practices, where he’s focused on helping companies with growth-led transformations. Yuval is based in London, where we recorded our conversation during our 22nd annual global CFO forum. Our conversation delves into the evolving role of CFOs and the challenges today’s finance leaders face, from managing uncertainty and volatility to strategic planning and performance management. We’ll also discuss the impact of generative AI on finance, exploring how it can transform traditional processes and decision-making. Related Insights The Seasons of the CFO Artificial intelligence in strategyDiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Leading the finance function of a large company comes with a broad mandate requiring wide-ranging capabilities and experience. This week, three experts join us to explain how CFO hopefuls can acquire the credentials that matter most today.Ankur Agrawal is a partner in our New York office and a leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance and Healthcare Practices. He also heads our CFO and Finance Practice in the Americas Dr Karolina Sauer-Sidor is a partner in our Madrid office and a leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance, and Technology, Media, and Telecom Practices. She has led several finance transformations and supported multiple CFOs as they have started in the role. Chris Halmy is the former Chief Financial Officer of Ally Financial. Chris was instrumental in restructuring Ally into a leading U.S. digital bank and consumer lender. Now retired from Ally, Chris sits on the boards of directors at Burford Capital, Western Alliance Bank, and Mercury Financial, and serves as a special advisor to McKinsey. Related insights: The Seasons of the CFO How to prepare for the CFO role Starting up ad a new CFO Faster, smarter, bolder: How midtenure CFOs shift into a higher gear Episode 162. Why today’s CFOs require ambidexterity Episode 158. Seven mindsets and practices for new CFOs Episode 147. The CFO’s role in talent development  Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In today's episode, we discuss the top 10 questions boards should ask to ensure comprehensive cybersecurity oversight. We’re joined by Justin Greis, a partner in our Chicago office who leads McKinsey’s cybersecurity work in North America; Daniel Wallance, a senior expert in our New York office who focuses on cybersecurity and technology resilience in financial institutions, critical infrastructure companies, and public sector organizations; and Vinnie Liu, who is the CEO and co-founder of the cybersecurity firm Bishop Fox.  Related reading Risk and Resilience insights  McKinsey technology insights  What is cybersecurity?  Want to know more about cybersecurity? Talk to us. Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We discuss the challenges and opportunities of building new businesses within an organization during a transformation. How should business leaders balance the need for transformation with pursuing new business ventures? What is the role of strategy in business reinvention? What evidence is there that optimizing the core business and building new businesses translates into higher performance?  Our guests are senior partner Chris Hagedorn and partners Matt Banholzer, and Ryan Nguyen. Related insights: Listen to episode 187. Driving innovation with generative AI with Matt Banholzer and Laura LaBerge  Stay up to date with the latest insights from McKinsey Transformation on McKinsey.com Join the McKinsey Transformation LinkedIn community  Discover the latest insights from our Strategic Growth & Innovation Practice on McKinsey.com Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Innovation in online gaming requires keeping up with a broad mix of changes, including digital advances, audience desires, and artistic trends. In this episode, McKinsey innovation expert Erik Roth talks with Mihir Vaidya, the chief strategy officer of Electronic Arts, about these unique aspects of innovating in the gaming industry.   We hope Erik and Mihir’s conversation will be valuable for all executives grappling with the challenges of dynamic and strategic resource allocation and the need to balance investment in growth with sustaining operations. Related Insights Listen to The Committed Innovator  Read the edited transcript of this episode Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In today's episode, we delve into practical strategies that organizations can implement to effectively manage and adapt during times of uncertainty. We explore a range of approaches, including scenario planning, risk management, cultivating leadership skills, and leveraging technology. Our guests also underscore the critical need for agility and swift decision-making when facing unpredictable conditions. We are joined by McKinsey senior advisor Rear Admiral Wyman Howard III (ret.), Mihir Mysore, a partner in our Houston office who founded and leads our Crisis Response and Resilience Practices globally, Alex Panas, a senior partner in our Boston office who co-leads our Advanced Industries Practice, and Gregory D. Smith, Chairman of American Airlines.   Related reading  How to manage in uncertaintyDiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We are excited to present a special bonus episode of the Deal Volume podcast, which is produced by our Private Capital Practice. Our guest host for this episode is Brian Vickery, a partner in the practice who is joined by the practice's leaders, senior partners Fredrik Dahlqvist and David Quigley, to discuss key insights from the 2024 edition of our Global Private Markets Review. We hope you enjoy this discussion on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the private capital landscape. Related insights: McKinsey Global Private Markets Review 2024: Private markets in a slower era Listen to the Deal Volume podcastDiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Today’s discussion covers several topics from our recent report on top M&A trends. We’re joined by senior partners Jake Henry and Mieke Van Oostende, who co-lead our M&A work globally, and senior partners Michael Birshan and Andy West, who co-lead our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. We discuss the changing landscape of M&A, the shift from consolidation to growth and capability building, the importance of integration planning, the role of private equity, and the impact of regulatory review cycles. We also touch upon the concept of 'transact to transform' and the increasing trend of alliances and joint ventures. Related reading Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals Gen AI: Opportunities in M&ADiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The need for board-level strategic conversations on geopolitical risk is urgent. To discuss how boards can guide companies through an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, we’re joined by Jon Huntsman Jr. Jon is a former US governor and diplomat who has spent nearly two decades in US public service at the state, national, and international levels. He sits on the boards of Ford, Mobileye, and Chevron, and is also the Vice Chairman of MasterCard. We're also joined by Ziad Haider, a partner in our Singapore office who co-leads our Geopolitics Practice, and Celia Huber, a senior partner in our Bay Area location who leads our North American Board Services Practice. Further reading: Black swans, gray rhinos, and silver linings: Anticipating geopolitical risks (and openings) How global companies can manage geopolitical risk  Boards can guide companies through geopolitical headwinds Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative How three global companies navigate geopolitical risk to build resilienceDiscover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Midcap companies have vast opportunities to increase their performance and scale if they reinvent how they work. Midsize companies don’t dominate the headlines and investor attention the way large corporations do, but they represent more than 40 percent of the global workforce and account for approximately one-third of most economies’ GDP. However, the productivity of small and midsize businesses is only half that of large companies, and lower in emerging economies. These businesses have vast opportunities to increase their performance and scale. In this episode, we discuss how midcaps can seize the opportunity to transform themselves and reach a significantly higher level of performance. Joining us are Zakir Gaibi, a senior partner in McKinsey’s Johannesburg office, Mauricio Janauskas a senior partner in the Santiago office, and Kedar Naik is a partner in the Brussels office. You can read their article Unleashing the power of midcap companies on McKinsey.com Join the McKinsey Transformation community on LinkedIn.Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Generative AI poses both risks and opportunities. Ida Kristensen and Oliver Bevan join us to discuss how we can mitigate the former while moving to capture the latter from day one. Ida Kristensen is a senior partner in our New York office. She coleads the Risk & Resilience Practice and advises leading financial institutions on cybersecurity, strategies for risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational improvement. Oliver Bevan is a partner in our Chicago office and a leader in our Risk and Resilience and Technology Practices. He leads our client work at the intersection of technology and risk, focusing on generative AI, data privacy, third party management, and trust and safety. Ida and Oliver’s article, Implementing generative AI with speed and safety is available on McKinsey.com Related reading: The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

M&A dealmakers have been on a wild ride. From the pandemic-fueled rout in 2020 to 2021’s record-breaking recovery, followed by a steep decline in 2023, the global M&A market has offered something of a masterclass in volatility. In this episode, we are joined by senior partners Jake Henry, Mieke Van Oostende, and Andy West to discuss the trends in the global M&A environment in 2024 and what they mean for business leaders. Jake and Mieke recently published a report on McKinsey.com, Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals, which forms the basis for our discussion. The report also includes a compendium of articles analyzing deal activity in the chemicals, tech media and telecom, life sciences, financial services, consumer goods, and transport and logistics industries in 2023.   Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Private equity firms have a well-earned reputation for elevating the performance of the companies they invest in. A cornerstone of their strategy is a relentless pursuit of operational excellence to drive efficiency and productivity. In this episode, we analyze what public company CEOs can glean from the private equity playbook to enhance their own company's performance. Our guests are John Kelleher and Radhika Ray.    John is a senior partner in our Private Equity Special Operations group and serves as an interim in-house executive helping companies execute large PE-style transformations. John has served in multiple executive roles in the private equity industry—including as CEO—and is co-founder of the PE-CEO Alpha Institute, a partnership between McKinsey and Harvard Business School to train private equity portfolio company CEOs.  Radhika is a partner in our Private Equity group and has over 15 years of experience in the private equity sector. She helps our clients with large-scale transformations and oversees the service line, implementing rapid labor productivity improvements.Discover our latest insights and join more than 90,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community.: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

CEOs and CFOs are redefining their interactions with the board to ensure success in an era of rapid change. Joining us to delve into this growing trend of collaboration between CEOs, management teams, and boards are Celia Huber, leader of our North American board services practice, along with Michael Birshan and Andy West, the co-leaders of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice.    Related reading:  The board’s role in building resilience https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-boards-role-in-building-resilience Five ways to increase your board’s long-term impact https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/five-ways-to-increase-your-boards-long-term-impact The role of the board in preparing for extraordinary risk https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-role-of-the-board-in-preparing-for-extraordinary-risk Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 membersJoin 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Innovation in a not-for-profit context involves measuring success in terms of returns on mission rather than returns to shareholders. In this episode, McKinsey innovation expert Erik Roth talks with Sajit Joseph, the chief innovation officer of the American Red Cross, about how the 142-year-old institution began and continues to carry out its innovation journey.Explore other episodes of The Committed Innovator: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/inside-the-strategy-room-podcast/innovation Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Fewer than one in four companies outpace their industry peers on revenue and profit growth. We discuss new research that reveals the six mindsets and strategies that set these growth outperformers apart. We're joined by Rebecca Doherty, a partner in our Bay Area office and co-leader of our Strategic Growth and Innovation practice, Jill Zucker, a senior partner who co-leads our global growth transformation work, and Kate Seigel, a partner in our Detroit office who advises clients on growth strategy and execution using M&A and organic approaches. Related reading:  Courageous growth: Six strategies for continuous growth outperformance Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Zane Rowe is the CFO of Workday, a California-based company that develops enterprise software for managing finance, HR, and planning. Workday has been growing rapidly, and its growth-oriented culture is a central theme of the discussion we recorded between Zane and McKinsey's CFO Eric Kutcher Listen to Eric's conversation with Palo Alto Network's CFO, Dipak Golechha: https://link.chtbl.com/SgZPqa6t Listen to Eric's conversation with Teradata CFO Claire Bramley: https://link.chtbl.com/w3ustEBP Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. Related reading:  Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFO Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate Gen AI: A guide for CFOs Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Boards can play an essential role in engaging management teams to ensure they fully explore the potential of generative AI, even beyond their comfort zone. In this episode, we discuss the most important questions boards need to ask senior executives as their companies move to adopt this technology. Our guests are experienced in both technology and board practices.  Frithjof Lund is our managing partner in Norway and leads our firm’s Board Services Practice globally.  Douglas Merrill is a partner in our Southern California office and was the Chief Information Officer and VP of Engineering at Google before joining McKinsey.  Alexander Sukharevsky is a senior partner in London and the global leader of QuantumBlack, McKinsey's AI arm.Aaron Rosenberg is a partner at Radical Ventures where he leads the firm's European and London investment activities and operations.  Related reading:  Four essential questions for boards to ask about generative AI The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier What every CEO should know about generative AI Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community of over 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We're joined by Charles Conn and Rob McLean, AM, the co-authors of The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times. Charles is an investor, environmentalist, and entrepreneur. He co-founded Monograph, a venture firm, and was previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust in Oxford. He is the Board Chair of Patagonia and sits on The Nature Conservancy European Council. He was the founding CEO of Ticketmaster-Citysearch and a partner at McKinsey & Company. Rob is a Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Australia and Asia, and a Director of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic foundation. He is the former Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. Rob and Charles' books can be found here: https://bulletproofproblemsolving.com/ You can also listen to their previous interview on Inside the Strategy Room or read the edited transcript on McKinsey.com.  Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community of over 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Many companies turn to transformation because their leaders seek to capture untapped potential or realize growth or efficiency gains. Yet transformations take work to get right. Our research shows less than a third of transformations reach their goals to improve organizational performance and sustain these improvements over time. To discuss how to beat those odds and sustain a holistic business transformation over the long term, we are joined by Roman Regelman and Kevin Carmody.   Roman is Senior Executive Vice President and Global Head of Securities Services and Digital at US-based financial company BNY Mellon. Kevin is a senior partner in our Transformation Practice with over twenty years of experience serving clients across Europe and North and South America.   Follow our Transformation Practice on LinkedIn Visit our Transformation Practice on McKinsey.com  Join our Strategy and Corporate Finance  LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

A chief of staff can be instrumental to a CEO's success while also advancing their own career. While the role’s variability and intensity make it challenging, they also make it exciting. We're joined by Blair Epstein, Poppy Johnson, and Connor Rochford to discuss the eight pieces of advice they have distilled from hundreds of interviews with those who have mastered the role. Read the McKinsey.com article, Seeing around corners: How to excel as a chief of staff, by Eleanor Bensley, Andrew Goodman, Poppy Johnson, and Connor Rochford Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We discuss the role M&A can play in the launch and success of large-scale transformations. Our guests are Chris Hagedorn and Alex Liu. Chris is a leader in our Transformation Practice, where he designs and executes comprehensive transformations, including M&A integration and value capture to achieve rapid and sustainable performance improvement for clients. Alex is a leader in our M&A Practice. He works closely with senior leadership teams on large-scale mergers and brings expertise in realizing revenue-based synergies.  Chris and Alex's recent McKinsey.com article: When a transaction forges a transformation Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we share advice and insights for new CEOs about how they can make a strong start in the role. Sean Brown is joined by Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner in our San Francisco office who is the founder and co-leader of our CEO Excellence Practice. She is also a co-author of last year’s NY Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. Joining Carolyn is Kurt Strovink, a senior partner in our New York office and co-leader of our global CEO initiative. He serves as a counselor to CEOs across industries and is a co-author, with Carolyn, of the Mckinsey.com article, Starting strong: Making your CEO transition a catalyst for renewal. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This shift from industry sectors to customer-focused ecosystems may be the largest economic reorganization in history. What role will your company play? Global ecosystems are breaking down barriers separating traditional industries and organizing the economy around key customer needs. In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, the co-authors of the new book The Ecosystem Economy: How to Lead in the New Age of Sectors Without Borders, explain how companies can secure their place in the ecosystem evolution. Miklós Dietz leads McKinsey’s strategy and corporate finance work within our Financial Services practice and Venkat Atluri heads up our Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice. Listen to episode 133. Digital ecosystems: Creating value in the new age of sectors without borders Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Scott Wine is the CEO of the multinational equipment manufacturer and services company, CNH Industrial. The company's brands include CASE and New Holland. Scott reflects on the challenges of leading a globally dispersed business, the critical importance of technology to agriculture, and what he learned from running the executive dining room for General Colin Powell. He spoke with senior partner Celia Huber during our recent global strategy and leadership event in New York.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Boards are under increasing pressure to navigate greater business complexity, stay on top of accelerating technological advances, manage growing stakeholder expectations, and in some cases, set the organization's ambition level to catalyze change in close collaboration with management.  To discuss how the role of the board is developing in light of these challenges we're joined by Karen McLoughlin, a former CFO who is a long-time board director for Best Buy, among other companies, Steven Sterin, who serves on the boards of DuPont and Kosmos Energy, and Frithjof Lund, a senior partner in our Oslo office and global leader of our Board Services practice. Related Insights Starting your board journey: Six steps to guide director hopefuls The board’s role in building resilience  ‘Spotlight’ on board diversity: McKinsey and Goldman Sachs move the needle Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Generative AI has been the hottest technology and business topic of 2023. Everyone knows that gen AI could be important, but how do you use it to create innovation that will genuinely advance your business? Joining us to address that question are Laura LaBerge and Matt Banholzer. Laura is the Global Director of our Growth Strategy and Innovation practice based in our Stamford, Connecticut office. She works with clients on digitally driven innovations, strategies, and transformations. You can contact Laura on LinkedIn here. Matt is a partner in our Chicago office who co-leads the Growth Strategy and Innovation Practice. Matt serves organizations on innovation strategy across a range of sectors, including energy, basic materials, and agriculture. You can contact Matt here.   Related Insights I'd like you to please read about the research this conversation was based on in the McKinsey.com article: Companies with innovative cultures have a big edge with generative AI. Innovation: Your solution for weathering uncertainty The Committed Innovator The eight essentials of innovation Taking fear out of innovation (podcast) Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Dipak Golechha is the Chief Financial Officer of Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity company. This episode features a conversation between Dipak and Eric Kutcher, our own CFO. Dipak and Eric discuss their experiences around the expanding CFO mandate, what it’s like to lead the finance function in a highly volatile business environment, and how they’re grappling with AI and other new technologies. Related InsightsEric's interview with Claire Bramley, CFO of Terradata.  The new CFO mandate What is cybersecurity?  Boards and cybersecurity  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

China’s economy and business landscape have been going through significant changes. We speak with three experts who will help us understand those shifts and how multinationals can adapt their strategies to succeed in China. Our guests are Franck Le Deu, a leader of our Life Sciences Practice in China, Joe Ngai, chairman of our offices in Greater China, and Junna Shi, a partner who advises Chinese government institutions on industrial development, regional economic planning, and integrated regional development topics.    Related Insights The McKinsey Global Institute report we refer to in this episode: https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/the-china-imperative-for-multinational-companiesMGI on LinkedIn Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Great CEOs know that the transition to their successor will define their legacy and cement the strength of what they’ve built. We speak with three McKinsey experts about how the best CEOs prepare for the final phase of their tenure. We're joined by Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner in our Bay Area office, Blair Epstein, a partner also based in San Fransisco, and Kurt Strovink, a senior partner in our New York office.  Related Insights Sending it forward: Successfully transitioning out of the CEO role CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders From the Rest   The CEO Journey Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The best CEOs find a new gear and sustain momentum and high performance after the heady first years in the job. We're joined by Kurt Strovink, a senior partner in our New York office, and Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner in our Bay Area office, to discuss the four ways CEOs can avoid complacency and create even more value in their mid-tenure.  Related InsightsStaying ahead: How the best CEOs continually improve performance  CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders From the Rest   The CEO Journey Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

For any company, having a CEO who makes effective, strategic decisions can help teams go far. CEOs who excel at this have what McKinsey senior partner Sacha Ghai calls “CEO alpha.” In today’s episode, Sacha speaks with Brian Vickery, a partner in our Boston office who hosts our Deal Volume podcast which is focused on private capital. During today’s discussion, they’ll cover a range of topics, including the implications of CEO Alpha for chief executives who are leading private equity portfolio companies, the different mandates these CEOs face, the steps they can take to create alpha, and how they are navigating an increasingly volatile economic and geopolitical environment.   Related reading: The CEO alpha: The advantages of exceptional leadership CEO alpha: A new approach to generating private equity outperformance CEO Excellence collection Related listening: Deal Volume on Apple Podcasts Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com.   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Dr Richard Haass shares his perspectives on how business leaders can navigate today’s complex geopolitical landscape. Richard is a veteran diplomat and respected scholar of international relations. He has deep experience in geopolitics. His diplomatic service includes counseling Colin Powell in talks in Afghanistan and three years as the US envoy on peace negotiations in Northern Ireland. Richard led the United States Council on Foreign Relations for twenty years and is now president emeritus. He has taken on a new role as senior counselor at the investment banking advisory firm Centerview Partners. Richard has also written 17 books and in his most recent, Bill of Obligations: Ten Habits of Good Citizens, he makes the case that for American democracy to survive and hopefully thrive, the very idea of citizenship must be revised and expanded. Related insights: Richard’s book: Bill of Obligations: Ten Habits of Good Citizens Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative How three global companies navigate geopolitical risk to build resilience Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Many organizations embark on large-scale transformations, only to end with frustrated leaders and worse-than-expected long-term results. That doesn't have to be the case. Success is attainable and organizations that excel at implementation tend to outperform their peers financially. What sets these top performers apart? Olalla Montes, Nick Robson, and Nick Waugh join us to answer that question.  Related Insights  How to implement transformations for long-term impact  Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Hopper has acquired 100 million mobile users by offering consumer-friendly financial products and a gamified app experience, according to cofounder Frederic Lalonde. In this episode, Frederic takes us on a journey and explains how Hopper transformed from a company with the bulk of its initial revenue coming from airline ticket sales into a travel fintech business—selling algorithmically enabled financial products such as price-freezing capabilities and cancellation insurance. We’ll also discuss consumer psychology, the power of gamification and social commerce, and the trade-offs involved in targeting younger travelers.   Related insights:  Travel Disruptors: Bringing fintech to travel booking What is digital transformation? Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Major League Baseball’s Chief Operating and Strategy Officer Chris Marinak speaks with McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth about how the league is using fan feedback, experimentation, and data to change a game steeped in tradition and culture to reach the next generation of fans. This season, MLB implemented rules changes that fundamentally altered the pace and action of the game and continues to embrace innovation and technology to improve the game and the overall fan experience. Related Insights   Follow The Committed Innovator podcast Read and listen to past episodes of The Committed Innovator Join our LinkedIn community of more than 91,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Many executives believe making growth sustainable and inclusive requires inscrutable trade-offs, forgoing revenue and profit for the sake of society and the planet. That is not always the case. Our new analysis indicates financially successful companies that integrate environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) priorities into their growth strategies outperform their peers—provided they also outperform on the fundamentals. The message is clear: not only can you do well while doing good—you can do better. Our guests are Rebecca Doherty, Claudia Kampel, and Werner Rehm.    Related insights: The triple play: Growth, profit and sustainability Five ways that ESG creates value Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The role of chief transformation officer (CTO) is often linked with cost-cutting. In this episode, we discuss how this is a misleadingly narrow view and explain why and how CTOs should correct that misconception and redefine the role. Our guests are Kevin Carmody, a senior partner in our Boston office, AD Bhatia, a partner in our New Jersey office, and Emily Rizzi, an associate partner based in our Pittsburgh office.  Related insights Meet the newest member of the consumer C-suite: The chief transformation officer How companies can transform with workers’ insights Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com         Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We speak  Brian Vickery and John Spivey, two authors of the 2023 McKinsey Global Private Markets Review. Brian and John join us to explore recent trends in private markets. They analyze why the markets have enjoyed strong tailwinds since the depths of the Global Financial Crisis and look at the origins of the recent slowdown. Will private markets continue to face headwinds? How did private market performance compare to public markets? That’s what we’re here to find out. Related insights McKinsey Global Private Markets Review: Private markets turn down the volume Follow Brian's new podcast, Deal Volume Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com    Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we explore the core principles of a successful investor relations strategy. We're joined by Werner Rehm, a partner in our New Jersey office, Jay Gelb, a partner in our New York office, David Honigmann, a senior expert in our London office, and Karl Mahler, a senior adviser to McKinsey based in Zurich who brings over 30 years of experience as a healthcare executive, including as head of investor relations at Hoffmann-La Roche.  We discuss why you should focus communication on the large intrinsic investors that matter the most, how to communicate with those intrinsic investors, and how to take a one-story approach that ensures communication is consistent across all groups. Related insights: Should you start issuing EPS guidance again?A better investor story for insurers Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Our guest is Eric Lamarre, a senior partner in our Boston office and coauthor of the new book, Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI. Eric and his coauthors, fellow senior partners Kate Smaje and Rodney Zemmel, based their book on the results of more than 200 large-scale digital transformations, creating a detailed guide for companies seeking to outcompete in the age of digital and AI. They’ve found that to increase the odds of long-term success in a digital transformation, the C-suite must make fundamental changes to the company’s talent, operating model, technology and data capabilities. In this episode, we speak to Eric about those changes and discuss how executives can leverage them to ensure that their digital transformation is a success. Related insights: Rewired: The McKinsey guide to outcompeting in the age of digital and AI The Wall Street Journal article mentioned by Eric: It’s Time to Get Rid of the IT DepartmentRewired for value: Digital and AI transformations that work Rewired to outcompete Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode we explore why and how business leaders, and CFO’s in particular, should try to see their businesses as investors see them.   We're joined by Chantal Beck, a partner in our London office whose client work has focused on large scale performance transformations in the energy sector. She also leads our work on the energy transition globally. Also joining us is Justin Sanders, a partner in our New York office who co-leads our shareholder teardown team, bringing a private equity investor perspective to corporate clients. Justin also founded our work helping clients prepare for, and respond to, activist investors.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this latest episode in our Committed Innovator series Erik Roth speaks with Harley Finkelstein, an entrepreneur and innovator who is president of the multichannel commerce platform, Shopify. Their conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in learning how to create and build a business that scales. Harley and Erik speak about what it means to be an entrepreneur, why starting a side business makes sense, Shopify's company culture, and how the t-shirt business Harley started in college led directly to him serving as the president of Shopify. Related insights The Committed Innovator podcast The transcript for this episode  The Committed Innovator on McKinsey.com  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The finance function and CFO's rope are evolving rapidly as digitization accelerates the pace of change amidst continuing economic and geopolitical volatility. Two expert colleagues join us to discuss how CFOs can help build world-class finance functions capable of withstanding external shocks and staying ahead of the competition.  Bjørnar Jensen is a senior partner in our Zurich office, and Liz Fasciana, is a senior partner in our London office. Both work extensively with CFOs around the world. They spoke with Sean at McKinsey’s CFO Forum in London in June. Related insights:   CFOs and the evolving finance function Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode we talk about corporate venture capital: Why should you do it? How should you do it? And what should you expect from it?   Traditionally, established corporations have tended to view start-ups as undisciplined and naive, while start-ups might dismiss incumbents as stodgy and behind the times. It’s (mostly) not like that anymore, as both sides increasingly recognize each other’s strengths and the value of collaborating. In fact, large companies are now involved in about a third of all venture deals—an all-time high. More than three-quarters of the Fortune 100 are active in the venture capital (VC) space and half have a VC arm set up as a subsidiary, not including companies with internal VC business units.  Joining us to discuss this innovation and investment landscape are Matt Banholzer and Sid Ramtri. Matt is a partner in our Chicago office who heads up innovation at McKinsey and is a leader in our growth and LEAP business building practices. Sid is an associate partner in our São Paulo office and a core member of our private equity and venture capital practices.   Related insights:   How to make investments in start-ups pay off  How to build a unicorn: Lessons from venture capitalists and start-ups  The Ecosystem Economy   Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Today's episode focuses on how companies can manage risks and seize opportunities emerging from shifting geopolitical trends. We’ll talk about why organizations need to strategically invest in capabilities, people, processes, structures, and technology to navigate the risks arising from an evolving and fraught geopolitical landscape. Joining us is Ziad Haider, McKinsey's global director of geopolitical risk, Leo Geddes, a partner based in London who co-leads our geopolitics client service globally, and Olivia White, a senior partner in our Bay Area office who is also a director of the McKinsey Global Institute. Related insights: How to navigate geopolitical risk amid a fragmenting global order How three global companies navigate geopolitical risk to build resilience How to build geopolitical resilience amid a fragmenting global order  War in Ukraine: Twelve disruptions changing the world  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Joining us for this episode is John Horn, author of the new book Inside the Competitor's Mindset. John’s book analyzes how businesses can better understand their competitors and maximize the value of their competitive insights. He is a Professor of Practice in Economics at the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. We also have Emma Gibbs with us. Emma is a partner in our London office, and head of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice in the U.K., Ireland, and Israel. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Juvencio Maeztu is Deputy CEO and CFO of Ingka Group. Ingka Group is IKEA’s primary retail organization and represents roughly 90% of its global sales. Juvencio joined IKEA in 2001 and prior to starting his current role, he led IKEA India as CEO for over 6 years. Juvencio sat down with Sean Brown in London to discuss the company's triple bottom line: successfully meeting customer needs, achieving financial outperformance, and ensuring a sustainable environmental footprint. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The road to becoming CEO is a difficult ascent for even the most seasoned leaders. We discuss the four keys to making that journey a success with Carolyn Dewar and Vik Malhotra, two of the authors of the New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence.    Carolyn is a senior partner in our San Francisco office who founded and co-leads our CEO Excellence Practice. She works directly with Fortunate 100 client CEOs to help them maximize their effectiveness in the role. Vik is a senior partner in our New York office, who is one of our firm’s most senior client advisors. Vik has served on our board of directors and as our Managing Partner of the Americas, and he currently focuses on counselling CEOs and boards. Our Voices of CEO Excellence interviews with: James Gorman Stephen Schwarzmann, and Ken Frazier Our previous episodes on CEO excellence: Starting strong: Making your CEO transition a catalyst for renewal Leadership lessons from the world's best CEOs Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

PepsiCo's design chief Mauro Porcini talks about the role of humanity andauthenticity in driving innovation. In today’s episode, Mauro Porcini speaks with senior partner Erik Roth as part of our Committed Innovator series of discussions. Mauro is an enthusiastic innovator and design evangelist. He recently published The Human Side of Innovation: The Power of People in Love with People where he describes the power of design to drive sustainable and inclusive growth. He is passionate about unleashing people’s natural innovative tendencies. In his discussion with Erik, Mauro demonstrates how the best innovations go beyond the need to make a profit and come from an authentic motivation to create something extraordinary for people. He also shares the five different phases that are essential for building an innovative mindset and culture in any organization. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The chief strategy officer’s role has expanded significantly over the past decade. We look at what it takes to be a successful strategist today. In this episode we discuss the ways in which strategy leaders’ responsibilities have expanded significantly over the past decade, with many adding other functions to their roles. Sean is joined by Emma Gibbs, a partner in our London office who leads our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice in the U.K., Ireland, and Israel. Emma serves institutions in highly regulated industries, helping develop strategies at the interface of the public and private sectors. Na'ama Alpert, a consultant in our Southern California office whose client experience spans private equity, technology, and electric vehicles. And Whitney Zimmerman, an associate partner in our London office. Whitney leads our research on the role of the chief strategy officer and strategy organizations. He helps client CSOs define their role and mandate.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In today's episode, Teradata’s chief financial officer, Claire Bramley,discusses the evolving role of finance leaders with McKinsey CFO, Eric Kutcher. Today, being a CFO requires harnessing the power of the “and” across many mandates: Playing offense and defense, leading the finance function, partnering with the broader C-suite, navigating short-term budget reallocation, and investing in strategic bets for the future, like investments in sustainability. Claire Bramley, CFO of Teradata, discusses what it takes to navigate the macro and micro forces driving today’s unpredictable environment with McKinsey’s CFO Eric Kutcher. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com    See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

New research shows that programmatic M&A helps companies outperform peers more than ever, creating value and resilience, even during a pandemic. In this episode the authors of our recent research on M&A discuss their latest findings that programmatic M&A—doing many small and midsize deals—helps build resilience in addition to outperformance over peers. Jeff Rudnicki and Tobias Lundberg lead our M&A strategy work globally, and Patrick McCurdy is global co-lead of our M&A capability building work. They were joined by Joanna Stone Herman, a partner at the M&A advisory firm Oaklins DeSilva+Phillips.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com    See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this second episode of our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Ken Frazier, the former executive chairman and CEO of Merck candidly reflects on how he managed past crises. Frazier discusses his decision-making process around the litigation trial concerning Merck’s pain-relief drug Vioxx, and how his employees ensured that a potentially crippling cyber attack did not stop production of critical medicines. He also speaks about how his most important advisor, his wife Andrea, has kept him grounded.  Frazier spoke with Vik Malhotra, former chairman of McKinsey’s Americas region and co-author of last year’s New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest and Steve Van Kuiken, a former leader in our Life Sciences Practice and global leader of McKinsey Technology.  Listen to other episodes in our Voices of CEO Excellence series: Blackstone’s chairman, CEO, and cofounder, Stephen Schwarzman Morgan Stanley’s chairman and CEO, James Gorman Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com Take a masterclass with 67 of the world’s highest-performing CEOs and order your copy of the New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As CEO of Merck, Ken Frazier gained the respect of his employees, shareholders, and the broader community - both through the company’s performance during his 11-year tenure and also through his handling of several tests of his leadership. Now Merck’s former executive chairman, he recently shared how his experience growing up during the Civil Rights Movement shaped his career, how he ensured that science stayed at the core of Merck’s mission, and how he sees business’s role in society. In this, the first of two new episodes Frazier recorded for our Voices of CEO Excellence series, he spoke with Vik Malhotra, former chairman of our Americas region and co-author of last year’s New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest and Steve Van Kuiken, a former leader in our Life Sciences Practice and global leader of McKinsey Technology.  Listen to other episodes in our Voices of CEO Excellence series: Blackstone’s chairman, CEO, and cofounder, Stephen Schwarzman Morgan Stanley’s chairman and CEO, James Gorman Join our LinkedIn community of nearly 90,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com Take a masterclass with 67 of the world’s highest-performing CEOs and order your copy of the New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest.    See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Congratulations, you’re a new CFO—now hit the ground running with these seven key mindsets and practices that effective CFOs adopt from day one. Joining Sean for this episode is Andy West, the global co-leader of McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, Ankur Agrawal, a partner based in our New York office who leads our CFO and Capital Markets Practice in the Americas, Christian Grube, a partner in our Munich office, and he leads our CFO and Capital Markets practice across Europe, and Lauren Cooks Levitan, the CFO of Faire, a global wholesale e-commerce marketplace. Articles mentioned in this episode:  Starting up as a CFO The evolution of the CFO The Bias Busters Collection  The new CFO mandate: Prioritize, transform, repeat Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

What does purposeful growth look like in the retail sector? In this episode, McKinsey’s Brian Gregg speaks with two former senior executives at Nike, Christiana Shi and Stuart Hogue, about the strategies that enabled them to lead productive teams in the retail sector. The conversation touches on the importance of nurturing talent, building diverse teams, and identifying opportunities for individual and organizational growth. We are sharing today’s episode as part of an ongoing collaboration with our Growth, Marketing, and Sales Practice on the topic of growth strategy.  It is also the second episode of the Practice's new podcast called C-Suite Growth Talks, which will feature conversations with leading executives about how they are successfully choosing growth, by aligning around a shared mindset, strategy, and capabilities.   Links:  Episode transcript C-Suite Growth Talks podcast Mckinsey.com article: 'Choosing to grow: The leader’s blueprint' Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Today's episode comes directly from our recent European M&A Conference in London, which we co-hosted with Goldman Sachs. Sean spoke with the global leaders of our M&A practice after the conference to get their read on the climate for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Mieke Van Oostende is a senior partner based in Brussels whose client work is focused on financial institutions, and Jake Henry is a senior partner in Chicago who previously co-led our work in life sciences. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As volatility persists, companies need to be ready for a range of macroeconomic scenarios. Three authors of a recent article on the economic outlook for 2023 and beyond discuss how businesses can prepare for what may be a challenging couple of years. Michael Birshan is the global co-leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice and serves on the McKinsey Global Institute Council. Ezra Greenberg leads our work on macroeconomic scenarios and trends globally and is co-leader of strategic transformation services in North America. Ida Kristensen is global co-leader of the Risk and Resilience Practice.   Join our LinkedIn community of more than 89,000 members. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Corporate innovators often turn to Israel and its vibrant start-up ecosystem to meet their goals. In this episode, we continue our Committed Innovator series on Israel, talking with innovators from three large organizations about how they approach their relations with start-ups. Roi Bar-Kat is head of Intel Capital in Israel, Neta-Li Meiri is chief of global tech innovation for the Israeli food company Strauss Group, and David Schwartz is vice president of tech innovation for PepsiCo Labs. They spoke with innovation leader and McKinsey senior partner Erik Roth about the intersection of corporate innovation and start-up lead innovation, and how the two functions can support each other. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 88,000 members. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This shift from industry sectors to customer-focused ecosystems may be the largest economic reorganization in history. What role will your company play? Global ecosystems are breaking down barriers separating traditional industries and organizing the economy around key customer needs. In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, the co-authors of the new book The Ecosystem Economy: How to Lead in the New Age of Sectors Without Borders, explain how companies can secure their place in the ecosystem evolution. Miklós Dietz leads McKinsey’s strategy and corporate finance work within our Financial Services practice and Venkat Atluri heads up our Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice. Listen to episode 133. Digital ecosystems: Creating value in the new age of sectors without borders Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we share advice and insights for new CEOs about how they can make a strong start in the role. Sean Brown is joined by Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner in our San Francisco office who is the founder and co-leader of our CEO Excellence Practice. She is also a co-author of last year’s NY Times bestseller, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest. Joining Carolyn today is Kurt Strovink, a senior partner in our New York office and co-leader of our global CEO initiative. He serves as a counselor to CEOs across industries and is a co-author, with Carolyn, of the Mckinsey.com article, Starting strong: Making your CEO transition a catalyst for renewal. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up at McKinsey.com/scf See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global investment management firm traces his journey as a business leader, financial innovator, and philanthropist. Stephen Schwarzman co-founded The Blackstone Group in 1985 and grew it into one of the largest investment firms in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management and businesses in private equity, real estate, and credit, among other areas. In this episode, Schwarzman talks with Vik Malhotra, former chairman of McKinsey’s Americas region, and senior partner David Schoeman about his approach to leadership and talent and how he assesses investment opportunities.  You can listen to or read our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Morgan Stanley's James Gorman.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The next generation of the internet contains online capabilities and technologies that promise to transform business models. Our goal today is to demystify these technologies, interrogate the many myths around Web3, and discover where the current and future business opportunities lie. Joining us are Ian De Bode, who leads our Web3 efforts in North America, and Matt Higginson, a partner in our Boston office and a leader in our Financial Services and Risk Practices who heads up our blockchain and digital assets initiatives globally. Ian and Matt are co-authors of the Mckinsey.com article, Web3 beyond the hype. We are also joined by Julian Sevillano, a partner in San Francisco who advises financial institutions, digital assets firms, and regulatory agencies on the risk and compliance implications of launching, scaling, and supervising digital assets businesses. We hope you enjoy the episode. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

If you’re not in the tech industry, developing your own software may seem like an adjacency too far. But it’s just one of the things you may need to do today to execute a successful digital transformation. In this episode, we’re joined by senior partners Rodney Zemmel and Kate Smaje who co-lead McKinsey Digital. We were also joined by Laura LaBerge, a senior expert in our Stamford office, who until recently was the director of capabilities in our Digital Strategy Practice. We recorded this episode with Rodney, Kate, and Laura in 2022. They discussed the findings from their research including why most organizations achieve less than one-third of the impact they expected from digital investments. We talked about what companies can learn from the best digital performers about how to beat the odds today. Mckinsey.com article: Three new mandates for capturing a digital transformation’s full value Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We're joined by Patrick Lammers, chief operating officer for customer solutions, at E.ON, one of Europe’s leading energy providers. Patrick explains how he fosters growth during a historic, industrywide transition to renewable power.E.ON is a German multinational serving more than 50 million customers throughout Europe. Like every other major European utility, E.ON is contending with supply chain disruptions, a continental energy crisis, and the need to decarbonize without sacrificing growth. Lammers sat down with McKinsey’s Sascha Lehmann to explain his growth philosophy, which includes always being ready for growth with the right organizational framework; creating diverse teams full of new talent to encourage fresh thinking; and relentlessly looking for opportunities to automate key parts of the value chain.  We are sharing today’s episode as part of an ongoing collaboration with our Growth, Marketing, and Sales Practice on the topic of growth strategy.  It is also the first episode of the Practice's new podcast called C-Suite Growth Talks, which will feature conversations with leading executives about how they are successfully choosing growth, by aligning around a shared mindset, strategy, and capabilities.   Links:  Episode transcript C-Suite Growth Talks podcast Mckinsey.com article: 'Choosing to grow: The leader’s blueprint' Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Ankur Agrawal joins Sean Brown to discuss how finance leaders can help promote talent development within their organizations. Ankur is a partner in our New York office and one of the leaders of our Healthcare Practice. In this episode, he talks with Sean about how CFOs have access to data, a cross-functional perspective, and an expanding role as value manager and strategy partner. They therefore have a critical role to play in ensuring that companies develop the skills, talent, mindsets, and behavior required for long-term success. Ankur and Sean also discuss the recent MIT Sloan CFO Summit and the emerging trends for CFOs to watch in 2023. We hope you enjoy this episode.  Connect with Ankur on LinkedIn.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Bill George joins us to share his insights on authentic leadership–the theme of the latest edition of his best-selling book True North: Emerging Leader Edition.  Bill is the former chairman and CEO of medical-device company Medtronic and the author of four best-selling books on leadership. He is currently an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School, where he's taught leadership since 2004. Bill currently serves on the boards of Goldman Sachs and the Mayo Clinic, and he is a trustee of the World Economic Forum. Bill recently published a new edition of True North that focuses on emerging leaders. He joined us for an online event with Carolyn Dewar, a senior partner in our San Francisco office who co-leads our CEO Excellence practice and co-authored the New York Times bestseller, CEO Excellence.   Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian joins us Inside the Strategy Room for a wide-ranging conversation where he discusses how he has grown Google's cloud business, how he manages innovation, and how he thinks about talent management. Thomas also shares insights on sustainability and the future of artificial intelligence and machine learning. This episode is an excerpt of a conversation Thomas and Adrian Booth, a senior partner in our Silicon Valley office, had at a recent gathering of global business leaders.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy.  Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Israel’s start-up ecosystem is already a powerhouse—how can the country continue to scale it up? This episode is the second on Israel’s vibrant start-up scene, and a continuation of McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth's conversation with Avi Hasson and Chemi Peres.  Hasson leads a not-for-profit, Startup Nation Central, that promotes Israel’s start-up sector, while Peres leads a venture capital firm, Pitango, and a not-for-profit, The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, that promotes peace and innovation which was started by Chemi’s father, Shimon Peres, the former prime minister of Israel. Follow The Committed Innovator podcast and read the transcript of today's episode.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members and follow us on Twitter @McKStrategy.  Explore Inside the Strategy Room podcast transcripts episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Despite its small domestic market, Israel has managed to build a vibrant start-up scene that competes with those of much larger countries. In this episode, two leaders of Israel’s innovation culture, Avi Hasson and Chemi Peres, talk with McKinsey’s innovation leader Erik Roth in this first in a series of episodes on innovation in Israel. Hasson leads a not-for-profit, Startup Nation Central, that promotes Israel’s start-up sector, while Peres leads a venture capital firm, Pitango, and a not-for-profit, The Peres Center for Peace and Innovation, that promotes peace and innovation which was started by Chemi’s father, Shimon Peres, the former prime minister of Israel. Follow The Committed Innovator podcast and read the transcript of today's episode.  Join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members and follow us on Twitter @McKStrategy.  Explore Inside the Strategy Room podcast transcripts episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The risk and ambiguity inherent in innovation can make employees shy away from it. Creating an innovation culture where risk-taking is embraced must start at the top. Most executives will agree that fear—of criticism, of uncertainty, of career consequences—can paralyze innovation. In this episode, three innovation experts discuss ways to create an environment of psychological safety that rewards creative initiative and destigmatizes failure. Laura Furstenthal, Alex Morris, and Erik Roth, all leaders in McKinsey’s innovation practice, are the co-authors of the recent article, Fear factor: overcoming human barriers to innovation. Join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members.  Explore Inside the Strategy Room podcast transcripts episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

AI tools can help executives avoid biases in decisions, pull insights out of oceans of data, and make strategic choices more quickly. And that’s just the beginning. Can machines automate strategy development? The short answer is no. However, there are numerous aspects of strategists’ work where AI and advanced analytics tools can already bring enormous value. Yuval Atsmon is a senior partner who leads the new McKinsey Center for Strategy Innovation, which studies ways new technologies can augment the timeless principles of strategy. In this episode, he explains how artificial intelligence is already transforming strategy and what’s on the horizon.  Read Yuval's articles on strategic decision-making: Where, how much, and how: Answering the hardest questions of resource allocation  How nimble resource allocation can double your company’s value  Connect with Yuval on LinkedIn.Join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members.  Explore Inside the Strategy Room podcast transcripts episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

One of the surest signs of a thriving enterprise is robust and consistent revenue growth. That has not been easy to accomplish over the past 15 years. Now, with a slowing global economy, rising inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty, growth may become more elusive still. To help business leaders buck these trends, our guests Chris Bradley and Rebecca Doherty conducted an in-depth study of the growth patterns and performance of the world’s 5,000 largest public companies over the past 15 years. Their findings suggest ten rules that should guide organizations seeking to outgrow and outearn their peers.  Chris is a senior partner based in our Sydney office and a director of the McKinsey Global Institute. Rebecca leads our work on growth and innovation and is based in the Bay Area. They joined Sean Brown to discuss how business leaders can unlock the growth code.  Read Chris and Rebecca's article on McKinsey.com Join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members.  Explore Inside the Strategy Room podcast transcripts episode transcripts on McKinsey.com                                  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode we discuss strategy in an age of volatility. How are business leaders honing their edge in three critical areas–insights, commitment, and execution–to successfully navigate this period of uncertainty? How should executives manage the downside while aggressively pursuing the upside in times of crisis and disruption? To answer these questions, Sean Brown is joined by Michael Birshan and Ishaan Seth. Michael and Ishaan recently cowrote an article on this topic with Bob Sternfels, our global managing partner. Michael and Ishaan are the co-leaders of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Ishaan joins us from New York, and his client work has focused banking and securities and financial services. Michael joins us from London, and he works with clients in energy, natural resources, and industrials. He also serves on the McKinsey Global Institute Council, which advises on research on global economic, business, and technology trends.  What if the world’s highest-performing CEOs held a master class to share the skills and practices that have driven their success over the years? Learn more in CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest Unlock big strategy moves to beat the odds in business.  Learn more in Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick. We invite you to join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members. Join us to receive the latest insights on strategy and corporate finance.  You can also explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts on McKinsey.com  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Corporate resilience requires both protecting against the downside and preparing to capture the upside from any shocks.  In this episode, three experts discuss the board's role in building that resilience. Asutosh Padhi is a senior partner in our Chicago office who helps industrial companies with functional, business unit, and enterprise-wide transformations. Celia Huber, a senior partner in our San Francisco Bay Area office, leads our board services work in North America. Finally, Ida Kristensen is a senior partner in our New York office who coleads our Risk and Resilience Practice in North America, as well as our Global Cybersecurity Practice.  Here is the board survey Celia mentions during this episode: How boards have risen to the COVID-19 challenge, and what’s next Here is the episode on board resilience from April 2021. We invite you to join our LinkedIn community of more than 86,000 members. Join us to receive the latest insights on strategy and corporate finance.  You can also explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts on McKinsey.comSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The elements of an effective performance-management system are relatively simple, but integrating them into a business’ fundamental operating system can be more complex than it seems. In this episode, we discuss recent innovations in performance management that business leaders can implement across the planning and performance management cycle. We share best practices for how to incorporate energy transition and ESG themes into performance management, how to adopt an agile goal-setting approach, and we look at how best-in-class companies are adopting a single digital approach to reporting.  Our guests include Christian Grube, who leads our CFO service line in Germany and serves clients in the automotive, healthcare, and manufacturing Industries. Roel Hoyer, who co-leads McKinsey's O&G strategy service line, focusing on serving oil and gas, and OFSE clients, and Rohan Jain, who serves South East Asian clients on sustainability transformations, new business building, and tech-enabled transformations. Join our LinkedIn community at https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts at https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Few business leaders have more experience in M&A than Brad Jacobs. Over a four-decade-plus career, he created several billion-dollar corporations. The most recent three he built largely through acquisitions: United Rentals, an industrial equipment rental company; United Waste Systems, involved in garbage collection; and XPO, the logistics company he currently leads. At both United Rentals and United Waste, he executed more than 200 deals each. At XPO, he has created a digital-forward logistics leader in an industry that has tended to lag in technology adoption. Brad will soon transition from CEO to executive chairman of XPO. We thought it’d be a good time to ask him to share the lessons he has learned over the course of his extensive deal-making experience. Brad sat down with Andy West, a senior partner based in Boston who co-leads McKinsey’s M&A practice globally. Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr Contact Andy West: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-westSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Growth is something every CEO and business leader aspires to deliver, but for many, it remains elusive. In this episode, Biljana Cvetanovski, Erik Roth, and Jill Zucker join Sean Brown to discuss the steps leaders can take to help foster sustainable, inclusive growth within their organizations. Biljana, Erik, and Jill are the co-authors of the recent Mckinsey.com article, ‘Choosing to grow: the leader’s blueprint.’ You can read the article here: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/choosing-to-grow-the-leaders-blueprint Biljana is a partner in our London office who leads our Growth, Marketing, and Sales practice in the U.K., Ireland, and Israel. Erik Roth is a senior partner in our Stamford, Connecticut office. He's a leader in our Innovation practice, and he focuses on helping clients grow through innovation. Jill Zucker is a senior partner and the former managing partner of our New York office. She co-leads our global growth transformation work. Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we hear from Richard Rumelt. Richard has been called, “A giant in the field of strategy.” He is the Harry and Elsa Kunin Chair Emeritus at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and a founding member and former president of the Strategic Management Society. He is also the author of Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why it Matters, and in this episode he’ll explain how to circumvent what he calls, “the contagion of bad strategy.” His reflections are based on his latest book, The Crux: How Leaders Become Strategists. Richard is joined by our communications director, Sean Brown, and Yuval Atsmon, a senior partner based in our London office. Learn more about Richard’s book: https://thecruxbook.com/ Join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Resource allocation decisions are one of the clearest manifestations of a company’s strategic choices. By embedding ESG (or environmental, social, and governance) metrics and targets into those decisions, business leaders can progress from talking about ESG targets to intentionally creating the conditions by which those targets can be achieved. To discuss how to effectively allocate resources towards ESG priorities, Sean Brown is joined by Matt Stone and Fabian Apel. Matt is a partner in our London office and an expert on sustainability and ESG issues. His work focuses on helping companies navigate the energy transition. Fabian is an associate partner also based in London. Join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we hear from McKinsey senior partner Miklós Dietz on the subject of the forthcoming book he has coauthored with Venkat Atluri titled, ‘The Ecosystem Economy: How to Lead in the New Age of Sectors Without Borders.’ The book offers an incisive and eye-opening look at the emerging ecosystem economy and what it means for companies used to familiar sector silos. We recorded Miklós speaking at an event for aspiring CEOs that McKinsey held in San Diego earlier this year. He explored how the most successful companies in the new economy aren’t the ones that have applied old-school best practices but, instead, have adopted entirely new mindsets and approaches for a fundamentally transforming market. Pre-order ‘The Ecosystem Economy: How to Lead in the New Age of Sectors Without Borders’: https://www.amazon.com/Ecosystem-Revolution-Sectors-Without-Borders/dp/1119984785 Contact Miklós Gábor Dietz:https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/miklos-dietz Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts:https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, Tim Koller joins us again for the second of our two-part series celebrating two decades of McKinsey on Finance. Tim is the co-author of the best-selling book, Valuation, and helped to launch and steer our publication, McKinsey on Finance, through 80 issues over the past 20 years. Tim reflects on changes in the corporate finance and valuation landscape that have taken place over the last two decades in a wide-ranging conversation with the editor of McKinsey on Finance, David Schwartz. David is an executive editor at McKinsey based in our Tel Aviv office. Read Tim’s article, ‘Reflections on 20 years of McKinsey on Finance—and three challenges ahead’: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/reflections-on-20-years-of-mckinsey-on-finance-and-three-challenges-ahead Download McKinsey on Finance:https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/mckinsey-on-finance Read ‘Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition’: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/valuation-measuring-and-managing-the-value-of-companies Contact Tim Koller:https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/tim-koller Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our quarterly journal, McKinsey on Finance. We discuss the timeless truths of corporate finance, highlight three urgent challenges facing companies today, and look at how the fundamentals of finance can help business leaders address them. Sean Brown is joined by Tim Koller, a partner in our Denver office who oversees McKinsey on Finance and helps lead our global team of corporate finance consultants. Tim is also co-author of the best-selling book ‘Valuation’, now in its seventh edition with nearly a million copies sold. Joining Tim and Sean for today’s conversation is Obi Ezekoye, a partner in our Minneapolis office and an expert on M&A integrations and divestitures. Obi serves global energy and materials clients. Also with us is Werner Rehm, a partner in our New Jersey office who leads our Strategy Analytics Center and serves high tech, industrial, and pharmaceutical clients. Read Tim’s article, ‘Reflections on 20 years of McKinsey on Finance—and three challenges ahead’: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/reflections-on-20-years-of-mckinsey-on-finance-and-three-challenges-ahead Download McKinsey on Finance:https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/mckinsey-on-finance Listen to episode 111. Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs:https://link.chtbl.com/4AiLXWHV Read ‘CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest’:https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-excellence Read ‘Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition’: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/valuation-measuring-and-managing-the-value-of-companies Contact Tim Koller: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/tim-koller Contact Obi Ezekoye: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/obi-ezekoye Contact Werner Rehm: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/werner-rehm Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts:https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we lay out the challenges that soaring inflation presents for business leaders and chart a path forward. We are joined by two authors of a recent McKinsey Quarterly article, ‘Navigating inflation: A new playbook for CEOs’. Ezra Greenberg is a partner in our Stamford, Connecticut office and co-leads our strategic transformation services work in North America. He also leads our work on macro scenarios and trends globally, helping clients understand how these forces impact strategy and investment decisions. Asutosh Padhi is a senior partner in Chicago. He's also the managing partner for McKinsey across North America. Asutosh is part of our global leadership team and serves clients on strategies related to technology, innovation, and operating model redesign. Read Asutosh Padhi and Ezra Greenberg’s article: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/navigating-inflation-a-new-playbook-for-ceos Contact Asutosh: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/asutosh-padhi Contact Ezra: https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/ezra-greenberg Join our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-financeSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Singapore-based DBS Bank is known for having transformed itself from a local bank to a global leader. The bank has continued its evolution by focusing on digital transformation and building new digital products. DBS’s group head of strategy and planning is Han Kwee Juan. In this episode, Kwee Juan talks with McKinsey’s Erik Roth, a leader in McKinsey’s innovation work globally, about building a company culture that enables and promotes innovation. Subscribe to The Committed Innovator podcast series:https://link.chtbl.com/Committed_Innovator_ Discover previous Committed Innovator podcast episodes:https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/inside-the-strategy-room-podcast/innovationSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Companies have a critical role to play in achieving the global aspiration of net-zero emissions—one that comes with vast business opportunities. In this episode, Michael Birshan, global co-leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, and Anna Moore, who co-leads the Sustainability Strategy practice in Europe, discuss their recent research on ways organizations can seize the initiative to foster, and benefit from, a net-zero future. Read Anna and Michael’s article:https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/sustainability/our-insights/playing-offense-to-create-value-in-the-net-zero-transition Join our LinkedIn community:https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:58) >  In this episode, we are joined by Juergen Esser, the chief financial, technology and data officer of multinational food company Danone–the company behind global brands like Evian water and Danone Yogurt. Juergen assumed his current role in February, 2021 after a 20-year career with the French company. He recently spoke with Clarisse Magnin, the managing partner of McKinsey’s Paris office, during a session that was part of an event for global CFOs. The gathering’s focus was on creating value while transitioning to net-zero emissions.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Over the past three years, Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, has led a transformation of the 150-year-old insurance and investment management company, a journey that has also spanned the entire pandemic. He joins Dame Vivian Hunt, a senior partner in our London office, to talk about how he grounded Prudential’s transformation in the firm’s purpose. Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Our friends at the Future of America podcast recently published a conversation between IBM CFO and senior vice president Jim Kavanaugh, and McKinsey senior partner and CFO Eric Kutcher. Jim and Eric’s discussion focused on how CFOs and other business leaders can continue to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth in the current challenging environment. They discussed the importance of resilience, and imperatives for today’s business leaders around talent, recruitment, and retention. It's our pleasure to share their conversation with you today. Follow the Future of America podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/future-of-america/id1616517376See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

American economist and author John A. List joins us to discuss his new book, ‘The Voltage Effect: How to make good ideas great and great ideas scale’. John is the Kenneth C. Griffin Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago. His research includes over 200 peer-reviewed journal articles and several published textbooks. He has also worked both in government and the private sector as chief economist for Uber, Lyft, and now Walmart. His book argues that scaling is subject to the so-called ‘Anna Karenina principle’–meaning that even if one factor is wrong, the entire endeavor will fail. In this conversation with Yuval Atsmon, a senior partner in our London office, John explores ways in which business leaders can assess whether an idea has the power–or ‘the voltage’ to use his phrase–to successfully scale. You can learn more about John’s book here: https://www.thevoltageeffect.com/ Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We discuss what’s commonly referred to as The Great Resignation–a phenomenon sweeping through many industries and countries. As the pandemic has made many of us rethink what matters most in our lives and careers, workers have been leaving their roles in record numbers. What strategies can employers implement to retain their talent? Can they actually turn this challenge into a talent recruitment opportunity? To answer these questions, we’re joined by Bonnie Dowling and Bryan Hancock. Bonnie is an associate partner in our Denver office. Her client work focuses on organizational transformations, and she has deep expertise in end-to-end talent management. Bryan is a partner in our Washington, D.C. office and the global co-leader of our work on talent. You can read Bonnie and Bryan’s article here: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/great-attrition-or-great-attraction-the-choice-is-yours Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO of MassMutual, speaks with Pradip Patiath, a leader in McKinsey’s digital financial services practice, about embracing the disruption that’s transforming the insurance industry. Roger reflects on the changes in the industry, the risk environment, and the CEO role. Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts: https://www.mckinsey.com/itsrSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In the second part of our conversation with James Gorman, Morgan Stanley’s chairman and CEO, is joined again by Vik Malhotra, a McKinsey senior partner. James reflects on his management style, his relationship with the board, as well as how he nurtures the talent pipeline­–including the “two Cs” that guide his decisions about people. You can find more interviews with the world's top-performing leaders in the acclaimed bestseller, CEO Excellence: The six mindsets that distinguish the best leaders from the rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra.    Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn and Twitter.    Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts at McKinsey.com/itsr.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Vik Malhotra and Asheet Mehta, McKinsey senior partners, talk with James Gorman, chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley about how he reshaped the global financial firm's strategy following the global financial crisis. James also discusses how being an expert poker player helps him think through resource allocation.     You can find more interviews with the world's top-performing leaders in the acclaimed bestseller, CEO Excellence: The six mindsets that distinguish the best leaders from the rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra.    Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn and Twitter.    Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts at McKinsey.com/itsr   See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Pradyumna Agrawal is managing director for blockchain and venture building at Temasek, and as such is very active in searching out new use cases for blockchain and forming partnerships that can help bring products for this to market. Prady talks with McKinsey’s innovation leader Erik Roth about how he approaches his work bringing blockchain-based companies to market.     Subscribe to The Committed Innovator podcast series: https://link.chtbl.com/Temasek  A transcript of today’s episode: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-committed-innovator-a-conversation-with-temaseks-pradyumna-agrawal    Transcripts of our podcasts on innovation: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/inside-the-strategy-room-podcast/innovation  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Spin-offs can give both companies more freedom and improve their performance if executives systematically consider the growth strategies, operations, talent, and cultural changes that each entity will require for a win–win scenario. Four experts join Sean Brown to explain how to best ensure spin-offs create value.  Andy West is a senior partner in our Boston office and co-leads our M&A work globally. He is joined by Jan Krause, a partner based in Cologne who leads our M&A transactions work in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Anthony Luu, an associate partner and expert in M&A strategy development based in our Dallas office, and Anna Mattsson, a partner based in our Zurich office who focuses on M&A strategy, integrations, and divestitures. Andy, Jan and Anthony are also co-authors of the article, “Achieving win-win spin-offs”.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:40) >  Bill Osborne, the president of New Zealand Rugby and celebrated All Black player, is one of the few sports stars who later succeeded at translating their skills to the field of business. He went on to serve in senior roles at New Zealand Post and Quotable Value New Zealand. He also served on corporate and not-for-profit boards, including the 2 Degrees telecommunications company, CoreLogic New Zealand, and the Maori Economic Development Commission. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, he tells expert associate partner Guy Mullarkey how his Maori culture and rugby career shaped his approach to business, leadership, and strategy.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 42:53) >  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has a proposed a new rule that, if adopted, would require public companies to provide detailed reporting of their climate-related risks, emissions, and net-zero transition plans. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, four McKinsey experts explain the ramifications of the proposal for CFOs and other senior leaders. Laura Corb leads the Sustainability Practice in North America while Kimberly Henderson is a core leader in the practice. They are joined by finance expert Tim Koller, co-author of the best-selling book Valuation, and Shally Venugopal, North American lead for McKinsey’s climate advisory firm Vivid Economics.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Sean Brown is joined by the three co-authors of a recent article that articulates the scope and potential solutions for one of the biggest challenges of our times: fostering economic growth for the good of all. Tracy Francis, a member of McKinsey’s global leadership team, leads the firm’s consumer packaged goods and retail work across Latin America. Anu Madgavkar is a member of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) and leads work on labor markets and human capital, technology’s economic impact, and inclusive growth. Sven Smit is co-chair of MGI and co-author of the bestselling book, Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Disruptive food start-ups have increasingly grabbed headlines and the attention of large consumer packaged goods companies. The plant-based keto snack company Keho is continuing this trend by offering its savory “real food” bites to a health-conscious market that includes athletes at one end of a spectrum, and people looking to resolve health problems with diet change on the other. Keho founder and McKinsey adviser Tekla Back has long been a food and keto enthusiast, and started the company after leaving her role at PepsiCo as senior vice president for corporate strategy, where she helped lead the company’s transition to healthier products. The Committed Innovator: https://link.chtbl.com/1Q3Kffno Read the transcript: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-committed-innovator-a-conversation-with-kehos-tekla-backSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The pandemic has been a stark reminder for many organizations that they are insufficiently prepared for crises that could not merely destabilize them but put them out of business. In this episode of our board perspective series, we look at the board’s role in ensuring readiness for such existential risks. Nora Aufreiter is an experienced director, and a McKinsey senior adviser. Celia Huber leads McKinsey’s board services work in North America, and Ophelia Usher works in McKinsey’s global Risk and Resilience practice and co-authored the article “The disaster you could have stopped: Preparing for extraordinary risk”.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best CEOs from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership lessons from 67 CEOs of some of the world’s most successful companies. In this second episode, we discuss culture, managing stakeholders, and how the pandemic has impacted the CEO role. Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller, who co-lead McKinsey’s global CEO Excellence practice, are joined by Vik Malhotra, former chair of our firm’s Americas region.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best CEOs from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership lessons from 67 CEOs of some of the world’s most successful companies. In this episode, the first of two, we will discuss some of the insights from their book, including some great stories from their interviews.  We also discuss how exceptional chief executives rally their teams around the vision and how they engage the board of directors. Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller, who co-lead McKinsey’s global CEO Excellence practice, are joined by Vik Malhotra, former chair of our firm’s Americas region.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:15) >  We hear from Brendan Whitworth, Chief Executive Officer of Anheuser-Busch and Zone President North America of global brewing giant AB InBev. He was appointed to his role in July 2021 after leading sales in the US. Brendan shares his vision for the brewer’s next phase of growth. He spoke with Ed Little, a senior partner in our Dallas office, who serves clients in the consumer goods industry.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:01) >  Two experts discuss programmatic M&A, an approach to mergers and acquisitions that over many years has proven to be the most successful at delivering results—provided you execute it right. Robert Uhlaner, who co-led McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance practice until his retirement this summer, and Liz Wol, the global leader of McKinsey’s work on M&A capability building and programmatic M&A strategy, explain what programmatic M&A is, why it works, and how to do it.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:31) >  While environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues increasingly dominate the executive agenda, not all three elements get equal attention. This episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast—one of three exploring the various challenges around ESG—delves into the element that is most often overlooked, but has been put into a sharp focus by the pandemic: the “S.” Senior partner Dame Vivian Hunt and Bruce Simpson, CEO of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation and senior advisor to McKinsey on E.S.G and purpose, discuss engagement on social issues with Franz Paasche, who heads up corporate affairs globally for PayPal, a role that includes stakeholder management.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

“Stakeholder capitalism” is the buzzword du jour for business practices that strive to achieve more than profits and a high stock price. But what does benefitting all stakeholders really entail? What trade-offs do companies have to make? And how do business leaders put the aspiration into practice? In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast—the second in a series on meeting the challenges of environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) demands—two experts lay out the case for stakeholder capitalism. Dame Vivian Hunt is a senior partner who serves clients on a broad range of strategy topics. Bruce Simpson is CEO of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Foundation, and senior advisor to McKinsey on E.S.G and Purpose.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:46) >  Purpose and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues represent critical challenges for both boards and executive teams. They have become particularly salient since the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced corporations to scrutinize their responsibilities and role in society. In this episode—one of three exploring the various challenges around ESG—two experts who have long studied the connection between purpose and ESG explain how to align these commitments and embed them in organizations’ lived experience. Rupert Younger is the founder of the Centre for Corporate Reputation at Oxford University and chairs the Enacting Purpose Initiative, a multi-institution partnership that works to establish best practices around purpose governance. Robin Nuttall is a leader in McKinsey’s ESG and regulatory strategy practice.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:41) >  Frank D’Amelio has been the CFO of Pfizer for 14 years, but the past 18 months have been like unlike any other. In this episode, he relates how the company addressed the most urgent and massive challenge in its history: developing a vaccine for COVID-19. Working in partnership with BioNTech, Pfizer accomplished that feat in record-breaking time, helping to alleviate the biggest global health crisis in living memory. D’Amelio spoke with Rodney Zemmel, global co leader of McKinsey Digital, during a virtual event we recently hosted for finance executives.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:41) >  When Kevin Hostetler took the reins of Rotork, a UK-based company that makes industrial flow-control equipment, he immediately launched a multi-year transformation to help the company benefit from trends transforming the industries it serves. In this episode he talks with Anna Koivuniemi, co-leader of McKinsey’s work on growth strategy, about the progress Rotork has made and the challenges of changing the culture. This is an edited transcript of the discussion.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As organizations increasingly grapple with digital transformations, large technology investments, and shifts to the cloud, these issues regularly appear on board agendas. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Steve Van Kuiken, global leader of the McKinsey Technology practice and co-author of a recent article about ways boards can shape the cloud agenda, speaks with two experienced directors about the implications of such a move. David Court sits on the boards of pension investment manager PSP Investments, retailer Canadian Tire, and several other organizations. Liz Lempres is an independent director on the boards of General Mills and Great-West Lifeco, among others.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we explore how digital analytics is revolutionizing strategy. Nicholas Northcote, who for years led McKinsey’s research on strategic decision making, is joined by Sagie Davidovich, the co-founder and CEO of SparkBeyond, a McKinsey partner company that operates an AI-driven analytics platform, and Sasha Vesuvala, who leads much of McKinsey’s work in applying advanced analytics to strategy and growth-related questions. Our conversation is based on the recent McKinsey.com article. ‘The strategy-analytics revolution’.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 50:13) >  Companies looking to bring breakthrough innovations to life need the right organizational structures and incentives in place. In his book Loonshots: How to Nurture the Crazy Ideas That Win Wars, Cure Diseases, and Transform Industries (St. Martin’s Press, March 2019), Safi Bahcall, a former biotech CEO who now helps organizations innovate, explains what that requires. In this episode, he talks with Erik Roth, leader of McKinsey’s innovation work globally, about why some great ideas changed the world and others failed to take off.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

What responsibilities does business have to society and what benefits do companies deliver to stakeholders and society at large? In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, two authors of a new McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report share recent research on how the value companies bring to economies, societies, and households has changed over the past quarter century. Michael Birshan is the global co-leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice while Clarisse Magnin-Mallez leads the Consumer Packaged Goods and Retail practices in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East and is McKinsey’s managing partner in France. The report they co-authored is the first in a series MGI will publish on companies in the 21st century.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In business, breaking up is hard to do. While divesting businesses in a timely manner is an essential aspect of effective portfolio management, companies tend to struggle with separation decisions. In this episode, three experts discuss how to determine which businesses to strengthen and which to divest and explain how to make your M&A strategy nimble enough to keep up with increasingly dynamic markets. Obi Ezekoye, a leader in the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, and Anthony Luu, an expert in M&A and strategy transformations, are co-authors of a recent article, “Divesting with Agility.” They are joined by Andy West, the global co-leader of McKinsey’s M&A practice and co-author of ‘Why you’ve got to put your portfolio on the move.’See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As companies prepare for the recovery from the pandemic, many leaders hope innovation will set them up for the next phase of growth. In this episode, Laura Furstenthal, whose client work focuses on healthcare organizations and innovation transformations, and Erik Roth, leader of McKinsey’s global innovation practice, explain how to establish a sustainable innovation process.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:14) >  The combination of Dow Chemical and DuPont in 2017, followed by a split into three separate companies, was a huge and highly complex transaction that transformed the chemical industry landscape. In this episode, Howard Ungerleider, president and CFO of Dow, explains how the management teams of the two global giants approached the merger that produced three market-leading players. He spoke with John Warner, who co-leads McKinsey’s Global Energy and Materials practice, during a virtual event we recently hosted for finance executives.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:36) >  Board members are increasingly challenging management to ensure the organization’s talent pipeline can meet the needs of the strategy. In this episode, we continue our series on board perspectives by looking at the board’s role in helping organizations develop the right talent and culture. To explore this topic, Frithjof Lund, the global leader of McKinsey’s board services work, speaks with two experts on governance and organization. Hugo Bague, a former group executive at Rio Tinto, is a non-executive director on the board of Jones Lang Lasalle (JLL), a global real estate services firm, where he chairs the compensation committee. Mary Meaney is a globally recognized leader on change management and organizational transformations who until recently co-led the global organization practice and served on McKinsey’s global governance board.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:01) >  The COVID-19 pandemic forced the National Basketball Association (NBA) to develop new ways to engage with fans. Amy Brooks is the NBA’s first chief innovation officer. She oversees innovation initiatives across four leagues—the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), the NBA G League (minor league), and the esports NBA 2K League—and has used the difficulties of the pandemic as an opportunity to experiment. In this episode of our Committed Innovator series, she shares with McKinsey’s innovation leader Erik Roth her organization’s numerous new projects that have spurred growth despite unprecedented constraints around live games.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:48) >  As chairman and CEO of State Street Corporation, Ron O’Hanley oversees one of the largest and oldest American financial institutions, with $38 trillion in assets under custody and administration, and $3.5 trillion in assets under management. In this episode he tells Celia Huber, who leads McKinsey’s board services work in North America, why State Street’s focus on environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) issues has grown dramatically, what gaps in Corporate America’s resilience the pandemic has revealed, and how State Street is disrupting its own business.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:26) >  For Michelle Gass, the CEO of US retail chain Kohl’s, the pandemic delivered an education in the importance of decisive and inclusive leadership. But preparing the company for growth in the recovery, starting with a major partnership with cosmetics brand Sephora, is where her true passion lies. In this episode, she speaks with Sajal Kohli, leader of McKinsey’s global retail and consumer packaged goods work, about using the crisis to reposition the retailer for a new era.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:47) >  As the global leader of GS Accelerate, Goldman Sachs’ internal incubator that identifies, invests in, and develops new businesses, Tanya Baker has been instrumental in helping the financial services giant establish sustainable innovation capabilities. In this episode of the Committed Innovator series, Baker shares her experience evolving the program and fostering entrepreneurial ventures within the firm. Tanya spoke with Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey’s innovation work globally.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Airbnb navigated a major crisis in 2020–the online marketplace went from having its long-term survival questioned to staging a successful IPO several months later. In this episode, James Manyika, a senior partner based in San Francisco who co chairs the McKinsey Global Institute, talks with Brian Chesky about his experience leading Airnbnb through the crisis. Their discussion is based upon an article James recently co-authored titled, ‘It's time to build 21st century companies: Learning to thrive in a radically different world’ and inspired by his conversations and work with CEOs like Brian. You’ll hear James share some of the core insights from the article before Brian discusses how Airbnb addressed the sudden and dramatic plunge in its business, how they adapted their business model to those new realities, and how they led to a reimagination of how Airbnb defines its role in society and the economy. This podcast was recorded during a recent online global CEO event focused on growing out of the crisis.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:59) >  The process of joining a public company’s board tends to be complex and confusing, especially for first-time directors. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Celia Huber, who leads McKinsey’s board services work in North America, speaks with experts on board membership and governance from the executive search and leadership consulting firm Spencer Stuart, based in Chicago, and the independent investment management company Invesco, headquartered in Atlanta. Julie Daum, head of Spencer Stuart’s board practice in North America, and Sarah Beshar, a corporate lawyer who chairs the nomination and corporate governance committee on Invesco’s board, about the preparations and commitments that newcomers to board service should expect.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Crises tend to give rise to remarkable innovations and insights. Today is just such a moment, raising challenges to many long-held beliefs about how companies should operate. In this episode, McKinsey’s global leader Kevin Sneader talks with senior partner Celia Huber about the eight trends that will shape the post-COVID-19 economy, which he writes about in his recent article, ‘The next normal arrives: Trends that will define 2021—and beyond’. Their conversation took place during a recent virtual event featuring conversations with business leaders around the world.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:40) >  As the former CEO of BBA Aviation and a senior executive at GKN, Simon Pryce has led organizations that grew rapidly through acquisitions. Now, as the CEO of Ultra Electronics, a British company that develops technology for defense and security industries, he is overseeing a corporate transformation that aims to position Ultra for future growth. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, he talks with Tanuja Randery, a partner in McKinsey’s Transformation Practice, about the company’s approach to innovation and how Ultra is building an adaptable workforce.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The gaps in performance between different sectors, and the companies within those sectors, increased last year. A major reason is a small group of outperformers that already had massive stock valuations before the COVID-19 crisis and have pulled further ahead since. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, co-authors of a recent article discuss what the performance of capital markets during the pandemic indicates about future economic and investment trends. Tim Koller is a leader in McKinsey & Company’s corporate finance practice and the author of the best-selling book, Valuation. Peter Stumpner leads the corporate performance analytics group within the Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. He is the co-author of another article on which this podcast is based, “The impact of COVID-19 on capital markets, one year in.”See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

An innovation strategy has to be backed with resources and patient follow-through, says Peter Kjellberg, the guest on this episode of the Committed Innovator series, part of our Inside the Strategy Room podcast. In a conversation with Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey & Company’s innovation work globally, the chief marketing officer for the Swedish maker of products for mobile and outdoor living and the home, describes how Dometic Group seized the recent rapid growth in food and beverage delivery to create new products for the industry and consumers.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In a time of crisis, especially one as deep and unique as the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty is extreme and information changes daily. Most organizations realized that they lack the tools to manage effectively in such conditions. In this episode, three McKinsey experts who are helping guide clients through the current crisis share the insights from their recent article, When nothing is normal: Managing in extreme uncertainty. Patrick Finn is a leader in McKinsey & Company’s Healthcare Systems and Services practice, serving management teams on topics ranging from corporate and business unit strategy to risk management and operations. Mihir Mysore is one of McKinsey & Company’s most experienced leaders on crisis response, helping large organizations manage operational risk, stabilize crisis situations, and build resilience. They are joined by Ophelia Usher, an expert on resilience, crisis preparedness, and crisis response and recovery.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:43) >  Boards of directors play a critical role in ensuring that management is well prepared for a wide range of potential shocks. In the fourth episode of our series on board perspectives around the most important issues facing organizations, this podcast looks at the role that boards play in building resilient companies. Frithjof Lund, who heads our board services work, leads a discussion with Gordon Orr, a non executive member of several companies’ boards and a McKinsey senior partner emeritus, and Martin Hirt, the global co-leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. member of several companies’ boards and a McKinsey senior partner emeritus, and Martin Hirt, the global co-leader of McKinsey’s Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 40:13) >  A new report from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) indicates that up to 25 percent more workers than previously estimated may need to switch occupations. This episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast looks at how the pandemic crisis has permanently changed workplace conditions and skillsets needs, and how corporate leaders can prepare for this future. Susan Lund, an MGI leader and expert in global labor markets, is joined by her report co-author Sven Smit, co-chair of MGI, who helps leading companies develop strategies for growth. This is an edited transcript of the discussion.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Misconceptions abound about what corporations and start-ups should expect from their partnerships on innovation projects. Yet these collaborations are growing in importance as companies of all sizes try to rapidly respond to shifts in the marketplace, as our recent article highlights. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Miao Wang, a leader in McKinsey’s innovation practice, is joined by Tawanda Sibanda, a partner with Leap by McKinsey, which helps established organizations build and scale new businesses, and Tobias Henz, who focuses on bringing corporates and start-ups together around digitization and data, to discuss ways to improve the odds of success of such partnerships.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In the past, top business leaders tended to delegate technology and IT priorities to specialists, but that is rapidly changing. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, two McKinsey experts, who recently published an article on the topic, explain why technological investments must now be part of strategic planning at the highest corporate levels. Krish Krishnakanthan is a leader in McKinsey’s application maintenance and development work across North America, focusing on the high-tech and financial services sectors, and Gayatri Shenai helps clients drive transformative change at the intersection of strategy, digital, and operations. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

John Waldron, President and Chief Operating Officer of Goldman Sachs, joins McKinsey Global Managing Partner, Kevin Sneader, and Senior Partner, Carolyn Dewar to discuss the state of business globally, the growing optimism about the economic recovery, and the numerous other forces driving the recent rapid uptick in M&A activity.   A transcript of this podcast will soon be available on the Inside the Strategy Room podcast collection page on McKinsey.com, where you can also easily explore, filter, and search our library of nearly 50 previous episodes. If you would like to share feedback or an idea for a future podcast, you can reach us at [email protected]. If you would like to receive alerts on our latest insights, you can sign up on the bottom of our podcast collection page on McKinsey.com, follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy, and connect with us on LinkedIn via our McKinsey Strategy and Corporate Finance page.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In the early days of the pandemic, preserving cash was a matter of survival for many companies. The sudden need for liquidity highlighted the critical importance of prudent cash management and inspired business leaders to raise the bar on their cash practices. Cash liquidity is now at the top of the vast majority of CFO and c-suite agendas.   Three finance experts joined us to discuss best practices in cash management. Christian Grube leads our CFO finance practice in Germany and serves clients in the automotive, health care, and manufacturing industries on a broad range of CFO topics.   Sun-You Park - an associate partner in our London office and a core member of our practice in Europe. She leads our cash service line in EMEA, and her client work is focused on cash and transformation topics across the energy, natural resources, and advanced industrials sectors.   Sun-You and Christian recently co-authored an article on cash excellence, which you can find on McKinsey dot com by searching for “Moving from cash preservation to cash excellence for the next normal”.   We are also joined by Hugo Bague. Hugo most recently was group executive of organizational resources at Rio Tinto and is now a senior advisor to McKinsey.  He has more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership roles in human resources and support functions, driving HR transformations, complex merger integrations, and cost and support function transformations.  See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Today we tackle the topic of decision making in the boardroom. What has the pandemic taught board directors about making high-consequence, low-probability decisions?You’ll hear Frithjof Lund, the leader of our board services work, leading a discussion with three experts. Aaron De Smet, who helps organizations improve their performance and agility, and senior expert Leigh Weiss are co-authors of a recent article about decision making in uncertain times. Suzanne Nimocks is a director on the boards of ArcelorMittal, Owens Corning, Ovintiv (formerly Encana) and Valaris (formerly Ensco Rowan), as well as a former senior McKinsey partner. We hope you enjoy the discussion.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:49) >  This is the second part of Erik Roth’s interview with Ireena Vittal. In the first part of their conversation, they discussed the importance of taking a very granular approach to markets in developing countries, the constraints emerging economies place on business models, and the unique role ecosystems play. In this episode, Erik and Ireena dive into the importance of pegging capital investments to the realities of emerging economies and discuss some of the most exciting areas of innovation in those markets, including some fascinating initiatives in the public sector. We hope you enjoy this second part of their discussion.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 18:13) >  In today’s episode, Erik Roth, who leads our innovation work globally, discusses innovation in the context of developing markets with Ireena Vittal. Ireena has spent 30 years helping both multinationals and start-ups grow their businesses, especially in emerging economies. Today, she is one of India’s top advisers on innovation and growth, serving on the boards of some of the country’s largest institutions and assisting governments on issues related to urbanization and agriculture. Their discussion was wide ranging, and we are covering it in two parts. We hope you enjoy this first part of the discussion.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:57) >  This episode examines how business leaders should plan the transition from managing operations through the crisis to establishing a foundation for growth in the post-COVID-19 era. It features two partners who are spearheading our research on these topics. Martin Hirt, the global co-leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, is a co-author of the recent article on the COVID-19 exit and of the book Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick, upon which some of the conversation is based. Anna Koivuniemi co-leads the growth service line globally and is the co-author of recent articles on through-cycle growth out-performers and lessons from growth transformations.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:42) >  This episode explores innovation in the agriculture sector. Erik Roth, leader of McKinsey’s innovation work globally, talks with Neal Gutterson, who recently retired as CTO of agricultural chemical and seed company Corteva. Gutterson explains the transformation he led following a spinoff from DowDuPont to bring together disparate R&D organizations into one cohesive engine of innovation. This is the sixth episode in our ongoing series, The Committed Innovator. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:18) >  In this episode, co-authors of two recent articles—on growth strategies during downturns and the acceleration of trends since the pandemic’s start—help shed light on the reasons behind the widening gap in corporate performance and how companies can position themselves to be among those gaining ground. Rebecca Doherty is a global leader in our growth and innovation practice and serves healthcare, industrial, and technology clients. Nicholas Northcote is a partner currently on a research fellowship focused on corporate growth and setting strategy during the coronavirus pandemic. He was a major contributor to our recent book, Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick, upon which some of this podcast is based.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:27) >  The board agenda has been crowded since the start of the pandemic, and many issues have acquired new urgency. This episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast focuses on board priorities in the new era. Frithjof Lund, a senior partner and the leader of our board services work, speaks with two cybersecurity experts about how boards of directors should help their organizations ensure they are prepared for potential cyberattacks. John Noble is the former director of the United Kingdom’s National Cyber Security Centre, and a board member ofNHS Digital, the national information and technology partner to the country’s National Health Service. Wolf Richter is a McKinsey partner who helps chief information officers capture the benefits and mitigate the risks of tech-enabled transformations.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:18) >  This is the first episode in a new series on board perspectives around high-priority corporate issues. In this session, Frithjof Lund, a senior partner in our Oslo office and leader of our board services work, speaks with Tomas Nauclér, a senior partner in our Stockholm office and leader of our Sustainability Practice, about how boards should engage on issues of sustainability and their organizations’ environmental, social and corporate governance impact.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:49) >  This year has been a challenging one for boards of directors. The pressure on boards has been increasing as they work to manage the continuing impact of the pandemic on the direction and strategies of the organizations they serve. At the same time, board members must simultaneously grapple with the implications of rapid technological shifts, and the need to embrace external perspectives about the role and purpose of the company, both in their communities and in society as a whole. Today we’re pleased to bring you a discussion on the role board directors are playing in navigating this complex environment, with a specific focus on how boards are handling risk. We’ll hear from Celia Huber, a senior partner in our Silicon Valley office, who leads our Board Services work in North America, and Olivia White, a partner in our San Francisco office who leads our work in enterprise risk management.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:48) >  In this episode, Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey’s innovation work globally, talks with Anjali Sud, CEO of Vimeo, about her experience reinventing the online video platform’s business model. It is the fifth episode in our ongoing series, which features interviews with leading innovators across a range of sectors.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 42:15) >  In the past few months, alliances and joint ventures have been essential for many companies to meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. But during crises, strain can emerge even among allies, often revealing underlying problems. In this episode, Ankur Agrawal, a partner in our finance practice in the Americas who focuses on healthcare, and Eileen Kelly Rinaudo, a leader in our work on joint ventures and alliances, discuss the importance of regular partnership check-ins to make sure that, like any relationship, both sides are getting what they need.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 40:30) >  McKinsey senior partner Celia Huber, who leads our board services work in North America, talks with three seasoned board directors about the role boards are playing in guiding their companies toward recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. Nora Aufreiter sits on the board of Scotiabank, supermarket operator Kroger, and real estate developer Cadillac Fairview, as well as a Toronto hospital. Peter Bisson is an independent director on the boards of HR services company ADP and research firm Gartner and Margaret (Peggy) Mulligan serves on the boards of Canadian Western Bank and mining company New Gold. The panel discussion was hosted by Canada’s Institute of Corporate Directors.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 37:50) >  Budgeting for the coming calendar year entails unique challenges, given the uncertainty about the pandemic’s continuing impact. In this episode, Ankur Agrawal, Christian Grube, Matthew Maloney, and Ishaan Seth, all co-authors of the McKinsey.com article, “Memo to the CFO: A new approach to 2021 budgeting starts now,”discuss how CFOs and other business leaders should adapt their budget process for the uncertain times. They were joined by Steven M. Sterin, an independent director on the boards of DuPont and Kosmos Energy, who is the former CFO of two Fortune 500 companies: Endeavor (now a part of Marathon) and Celanese.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:43) >  In recent months, many companies have rushed to build digital businesses to overcome pandemic-induced disruptions and address shifts in customer behavior. In this episode, we explore how to develop a digital offering quickly and effectively despite ongoing economic uncertainty.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:18) >  Senior partner Celia Huber speaks with Laxman Narasimhan, the CEO of Reckitt Benckiser. The UK-based global consumer-goods company focuses on products in health, hygiene, and nutrition categories, some of which saw massive demand spikes during the height of the pandemic. Before joining the company, Narasimhan held various senior roles at PepsiCo, most recently that of global chief commercial officer. He is also a former McKinsey senior partner. In this interview, recorded in early July, he shares his perspective on maintaining resilience through the COVID-19 crisis, staying connected while working remotely, and how the company’s purpose helped it navigate the pandemic.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:54) >  In this episode Simon Mulcahy, Salesforce’s executive vice president and chief innovation officer, discusses the ways the COVID-19 crisis has reshaped the sales function, and how Salesforce orchestrates innovation inside the company and with customers.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:24) >  We hear from two award-winning American economists about how capitalism and corporate purpose could evolve to more broadly benefit society, especially in this current time of crisis. Yuval Atsmon, a senior partner in our London office, spoke with professor Anne Case and Nobel prize winner, Angus Deaton, about their new book, ‘Deaths of Despair and the Future of Capitalism’. Their book, which has been short-listed for the 2020 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year, highlights the social and economic forces negatively impacting the working class, which they argue fosters inequality and undermines society.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:15) >  Nigel Hughes, head of R&D and Innovation at Kellogg Company, speaks with Stacey Haas, who heads up McKinsey’s Consumer Innovation practice, and Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey’s innovation work globally. Hear Nigel’s perspective on the evolution of the CPG industry’s approach to innovation and how Kellogg itself is being solution-based and partnering with other organizations in its pursuit of growthSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 13:52) >  Today we'll cover the two remaining shifts CEOs are making in this moment; embracing stakeholder capitalism and leveraging peer networks. Sharing their insights on this topic with us today are Carolyn Dewar who co-leads our CEO Excellence work, and Monica Murarka who is a senior expert and leader also of the McKinsey’s CEO Excellence work. We are also joined by Kurt Strovink, the leader of McKinsey’s global insurance sector. Kurt has also led McKinsey initiatives for CEOs across industries.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:19) >  The COVID-19 crisis has put CEOs and the organizations they lead under great pressure. At the same time, it has provided a once-in-a-generation opportunity for chief executives to evolve the nature and impact of their role. The authors of a McKinsey Quarterly article, “The CEO moment: Leadership for a new era,” describe the shifts that top-performing CEOs have taken in how they lead—changes that have the potential to permanently transform the CEO role. Carolyn Dewar co-leads our CEO Excellence work, and Monica Murarka is a senior expert and leader also of the Firm’s CEO Excellence work. Kurt Strovink is the leader of McKinsey’s global insurance sector and has led Firm initiatives for CEOs across industriesSee www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:15) >  One of the perennial questions corporate leaders ask is which businesses their company should be in.Our recent article, “Why you’ve got to put your portfolio on the move,” suggests that regularly changing the portfolio mix in response to market trends is the surest path to outperformance. During our European M&A conference in London, which took place earlier this year, two of the article’s authors discussed their research on portfolio transformation, based on an analysis of detailed financial results of more than 1,000 of the world’s largest public companies. Andy West is a senior partner and the global co leader of our M&A practice and Sandra Andersen is an associate partner, also in the M&A practice.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:59) >  In this episode we present a panel discussion on how companies are using corporate purpose to guide their response to the COVID-19 crisis and the nascent recovery. Bruce Simpson, a McKinsey senior partner and co-author of the recent article, “Demonstrating corporate purpose in the time of coronavirus,” talks with four senior executives who have firsthand experience of establishing and driving purpose in their organizations: Rona Hulbert, general manager at British multinational retailer Marks and Spencer Group; Hubert Joly, former CEO and executive chair of Best Buy; Roma McCaig, vice president at Campbell’s Soup Company who leads corporate responsibility and environmental sustainability programs; and Rory Simpson, global chief learning officer at Telefónica and leader of the Telefónica Corporate University.See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:34) >  For many business leaders wrestling with the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic, growth may seem like a distant priority. However, once the health of employees is protected and the business is secured, many executives will quickly shift their focus to restarting the stalled growth engine. A recent McKinsey.com article reports that only one in ten companies manage to outperform on growth both during downturns and during the subsequent recovery. Today we speak with the article’s authors about what these through-cycle outperformers do differently.    Rebecca Doherty is a partner in our San Francisco office, and leads our Growth Strategy service line globally. Anna Koivuniemi is a partner in our Amsterdam office, and leads our Growth Analytics globally. Their article, Rev up your growth engine: Lessons from through cycle outperformers, is available now on mckinsey.com. See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:03) >  As companies focus on navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic, many are putting innovation on the back burner. But as two of McKinsey’s top experts on innovation explain, these organizations may miss out on rare opportunities to reinvent their businesses for the post-crisis era.  We hear from Laura Furstenthal who leads our innovation practice in North America, serving clients in a range of industries on innovation transformations. And Erik Roth, the global leader of McKinsey’s innovation practice who advises companies on innovation strategy, new product development, business model creation, culture change, and R&D management. They are co-authors of the recent article McKinsey.com article, “Innovation in a crisis: Why it is more critical than ever.”Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 15:38) >  Among the many factors companies weigh when embarking on mergers and acquisitions, culture is one that often gets short shrift. Yet it often plays a crucial role in a deal’s success or failure. In this episode Becky Kaetzler, a leader in McKinsey’s M&A practice, explains how to conduct cultural due diligence to help ensure a deal fulfills its goals.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:55) >  In this episode Erik Roth, who leads McKinsey’s global innovation practice, interviews Kevin O’Leary as part of our ongoing series on innovation. The Canadian entrepreneur, best known as one of the investors featured on the American reality TV series Shark Tank, shares his bets on innovation’s next frontier.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode we try to answer two urgent questions: how should governments approach the different possible paths to reopening their economies? And what is needed to spur businesses and consumers to start spending again?  Two McKinsey senior partners who have been deeply involved in helping companies navigate the coronavirus pandemic discuss the current uncertainty and its impact on economic recovery. Penny Dash leads the healthcare systems and services practice in Western Europe while Sven Smit co-chairs the McKinsey Global Institute and is a member of McKinsey’s Shareholders Council.  For more read our recent article, https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/crushing-coronavirus-uncertainty-the-big-unlock-for-our-economies Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 43:54) >  Hubert Joly, the former CEO and now executive chairman of Best Buy, speaks with Becca Coggins, a leader in McKinsey’s global retail practice, about Best Buy’s organizational transformation and how the coronavirus pandemic is changing the key measures of performance.This interview was recorded at the 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which was held online.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:54) >  The coronavirus outbreak is shaping up to be the biggest economic crisis since World War II. The challenges associated with the virus are much larger than companies are used to dealing with, and firms need to have an adaptable operating model that can withstand an extraordinary level of uncertainty. How can companies adjust their business recovery responses according to the shifting time-frames?Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 29:32) >  In early April we sat down with two leaders from the McKinsey Global Institute to discuss their perspectives on how the long-term, structural trends driving global disruption are now intersecting with the current economic and health crisis. Jonathan Woetzel is a senior partner and director of the McKinsey Global Institute. He joined us from his home in the Los Angeles area. Susan Lund is a partner and leads MGI’s research on global financial markets, trade, labor markets, and the macroeconomic outlook. She joined us from her home in Washington, DC. This discussion took place during our 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which we held online this year.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:58) >  In this episode, McKinsey contributor Cam MacKellar talks with two senior partners, Chris Bradley and Wesley Walden, about their research on improving the results of business transformation efforts.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:21) >  The COVID crisis has dominated headlines - and our lives - and it’s still not clear when and how we will return to the world we knew. Many questions remain. How will communities, businesses, and governments continue to respond to the crisis and what are the range of possible scenarios for decision makers to consider?To offer some perspective on these questions we feature a recent conversation between Sven Smit and Francisco Ortega. Sven is a senior partner at McKinsey, based in Amsterdam and is co-chair of the McKinsey Global Institute. He recently co-authored the article “Safeguarding our lives and our livelihoods,” which forms the basis of this discussion. Francisco is a senior partner based in our Buenos Aires office and serves as Managing Partner for Spanish Latin America. Sven and Francisco spoke via video conference in mid-April. This is an edited version of their conversation.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 41:24) >  McKinsey partner Yuval Atsmon talks with three top US Air Force and Navy leaders about what corporate executives can learn from the practices of military commanders. Michael Donley served as the 22nd secretary of the United States Air Force. He has 30 years of experience in the national security community, including service on the staffs of the United States Senate, White House, and Pentagon. Robert Kehleris a retired United States Air Force general who served as commander of the US Strategic Command and of Air Force Space Command, among other positions. Eric Olsonis a retired United States Navy admiral who headed the US Special Operations Command. He is also the first Navy SEAL to be appointed to three-star and four-star flag rank. Yuval Atsmon—himself a former tank commander—is the author of the new article “Lessons from the generals: Decisive action amid the chaos of crisis.”Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 37:07) >  Biases can lead executives to misjudge project potential, ignore potential pitfalls, and leave failures to fester. In this episode, McKinsey partner Tim Koller and University of Sydney professor of business strategy Dan Lovallo speak with McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown about how to bust common biases by avoiding snap judgements, eliciting strong arguments for and against proposals, carrying out project premortems, and using contingency plans to avoid the so-called sunk-cost fallacy.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:12) >  As companies craft their responses to the COVID-19 crisis, CFOs are in the thick of the action. They need to make sure that their organizations weather the immediate business shocks while preparing them to emerge from the crisis in the best possible shape.In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown talks with three of McKinsey’s corporate finance experts about the top imperatives for CFOs today. Ishaan Seth is the leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice in the Americas and heads McKinsey’s Financial Services practice. Ankur Agrawal leads the CFO Finance service line in North America, working primarily in healthcare, and Kapil Chandra heads up our work in Europe on financial transformation in banking.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 27:05) >  During the COVID-19 crisis, a core priority for many companies is preserving cash. In this episode, Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown talks with three of McKinsey’s corporate finance experts about the best ways to ensure liquidity now and manage cash and working capital as the business environment starts to stabilize. Kevin Carmody is one of the founders of McKinsey’s Transformation Practice. Tim Koller is a founder and leader of our Corporate Finance Practice, as well as the lead author of Valuation, the seventh edition of which will be published in May. Allie Owens is a consultant who focuses on growth strategy, working capital, and M&A.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 18:30) >  In this episode we share excerpts from a webcast session on COVID-19’s implications for business resilience. It was recorded at the 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which had been scheduled to take place in New York in early April but was instead held online. In conversation with Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, two McKinsey experts offer their perspectives on how businesses can develop business strategies for responding to the pandemic crisis and preparing for the “next normal.” Mihir Mysore is a leader of McKinsey’s work on crisis response and recently co-authored “Responding to coronavirus: The minimum viable nerve center.” Shubham Singhal is the global leader of the healthcare practice who co-wrote “Beyond coronavirus: The path to the next normal.”Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 23:11) >  In early April 2020 we hosted our annual Global Business Leaders Forum. We held the Forum online and focused the first day on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on business. Martin Hirt, a senior partner in our Greater China Office and the global co-leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, recently co-authored two articles on the crisis titled “Safeguarding our lives and our livelihoods: The imperative of our time” and “Getting ahead of the next stage of the coronavirus crisis.”He opened the Forum with a discussion on COVID-19 and its implications for business and society. Here are the highlights from Martin’s session including his responses to questions he received from Forum attendees.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:34) >  Environmental, social, and governance(ESG) issues are playing an increasing role in companies’ decisions around mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. But how do these factors link to corporate performance and deal potential? In this episode, two experts share their insights on navigating this fast-changing landscape. Sara Bernow, who leads McKinsey’s work in sustainable investing and co-leads the institutional investing practice in Europe, is a co-author of the recent article, “More than values: The values-based sustainability reporting that investors want. ”Robin Nuttall leads our regulatory and government affairs practice and recently co-authored “Five ways that ESG creates value.” They spoke with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown at the European 2020 M&A Conference in London.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:39) >  With the cost of money low and the competition for deals high, revenue synergies are playing a bigger part in the rationale for acquisitions.In this episode, three McKinsey experts discuss the challenges around capturing revenue synergies in mergers.In their conversation with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, partners Alex Liu and Nikolaus Raberger along with associate partner John Chartier, share the key findings from their recent research, featured in their article, “Seven rules to crack the code on revenue synergies and M&A.”Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:05) >  McKinsey senior partners Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller discuss the six dimensions that separate exceptional CEOs from the rest of the pack.They also provide guidance on how current and future leaders can join that elite group.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 16:01) >  Successful mergers and acquisitions require more than just a strong M&A strategy and target list. They also demand well-planned execution, communication, and integration. We talk with two of our leading experts on transactions. Kenneth Bonheure, a senior partner based in Antwerp, leads our merger management work in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Senior partner Peter Kenevan, who is based in Tokyo, is the leader of McKinsey’s Asia-Pacific Corporate Finance and Semiconductors practices. Kenneth and Peter discuss the challenges involved in ensuring successful execution and integration of transactions. They explain the key processes and capabilities companies need to make M&A pay off.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 30:41) >  Beth Comstock, former vice chair of GE, and McKinsey senior partner Erik Roth discuss how a tolerance for risk, patience, and thinking small (where funding is concerned) can lead to innovation breakthroughs. Beth is an innovation leader who spent almost three decades at General Electric, where for a time she headed GE Business Innovations that developed new businesses, markets and service models. She recently published Imagine It Forward: Courage, creativity, and the power of change. Erik leads McKinsey's innovation work globally.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 35:07) >  Senior partner Andy West and partner Jeff Rudnicki, two of McKinsey’s most seasoned M&A experts, discuss what they have learned from their recent work with clients of the Synergy Lab, a new initiative aimed at understanding how to most effectively capture synergies in M&A deals. In their conversation with communications director Sean Brown, they share seven insights, some of which surprised even them.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 41:41) >  Today we’re talking with two McKinsey senior partners about a dilemma that many new CEOs face: should they focus on showing quick results or invest in the company’s long-term future, even at the expense of short-term returns? Carolyn Dewar and Michael Birshan help new leaders grapple with the dual imperatives of producing immediate results while establishing the foundation for lasting success. In their conversation with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, they also share research on the impact of a long-term focus on company performance and CEO fortunes.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 16:46) >  With digital technologies unleashing ever more change in industry structures and company business models, mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures are an important way for companies to reposition their organizations to compete in the digital age. In today’s podcast, Cam MacKellar, a McKinsey contributor, talks with Simon Blackburn, a senior partner in our Sydney office, about the role of M&A in adapting to digital disruption.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:13) >  At our CFO Forum in London, senior partners Celia Huber and Vivian Hunt led a discussion on corporate diversity, sharing insights from McKinsey’s ongoing research and answering questions from attendees. This episode is an edited recording of the session. Celia begins with an introduction of McKinsey’s work with LeanIn.org and theWall Street Journal surveying the state of diversity in the corporate world.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 39:45) >  In this episode you’ll hear from the co-authors of a recent McKinsey Quarterly article, “The drumbeat of digital: How winning teams play.” Tanguy Catlin, a senior partner in our Boston office, and Laura LaBerge, a member of our digital strategy team, will share their research on how fast and boldly companies need to move to win in the digital era. They will also describe some common pitfalls in digital strategy, ways to avoid them, and how digital leaders execute strategic moves with a speed and power that far exceeds those of their peers.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 44:03) >  In this episode Ruth De Backer and Eileen Kelly Rinaudo take us through a detailed masterclass on ways to manage business partnerships successfully. In their conversation with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, they discuss the four key principles that help partners in joint ventures and alliances thrive, which they wrote about in a recent article.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:33) >  We talk with two of our experts about their new research on corporate resilience and what differentiates companies that emerge from economic downturns stronger than they were going in. We'll share insights on preparing your organization for macroeconomic crises and why the next downturn may be very different from earlier ones.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:27) >  We continue our discussion on the factors that most affect a strategy’s odds of success. In our two previous podcasts we discussed how social dynamics and biases can undermine strategy development and explained the Power Curve of economic profit, which shows how well—or how poorly—the strategies of the world’s largest companies are performing. We also heard about the most important strategic moves companies can make to rise up that Power Curve. Today we will share excerpts from a presentation senior partner Chris Bradley gave at our Global Business Leaders Forum in New York. Chris will take us through some of the practical changes companies can make to their strategic planning process to move their performance into high gear.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:39) >  We continue our discussion with three senior partners about their research on the factors that most affect a strategy’s odds of success and the moves companies need to make to boost corporate performance. In our last podcast, we discussed the authors’ Power Curve model, which graphs the world’s largest companies’ performance and shows that the middle 60 percent of them make little, if any, economic profit. Today we’ll try to answer the question: how can these companies rise to the top quintile of performers that earn the lion’s share of the economic profits?Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 19:31) >  In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, McKinsey senior partners Chris Bradley, Martin Hirt, and Sven Smit speak with communications director Sean Brown about their book, Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick. In this first of three podcasts, the co-authors discuss the Power Curve of economic profit and how this empirical analysis can help companies calibrate their performance aspirations and cut through the social dynamics that produce inertia.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 16:41) >  The demands on CFOs are rising, along with the scale and influence of the role. Today’s podcast was recorded at our 2019 CFO Forum, where thetheme was “Reinventing the CFO.” The Forum was hosted by Kapil Chandra, a senior partner in our London office, and Matt Stone, an associate partner also based in London. Jonathan Turton, a McKinsey contributor, sat down with Kapil and Matt after the forum to gather their reflections on the event and how the role ofthe CFO is evolving.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:00) >  In this episodewe share McKinsey global managing partner Kevin Sneader’s recent address to a gathering of CFOs in London. The conference’s theme was around reinventing the role of the CFO and how digital and analytics are helping drive this reinvention. Kevin’s remarks focused on macro disruptions and the implications for business and society. He sets the stage with a historical perspective on the pace of disruptive technological change using the SS Savannah,one of the first hybrid sailing ships that augmented wind power with a steam engine, to highlight that while change is a constant, the pace of disruptive change has risen dramatically—and will continue to do so.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:20) >  Senior partners Tanguy Catlin and Kate Smaje discuss their recent work on digital reinventions at established companies and the role CFOs should play to help them succeed. In their conversation with communications director Sean Brown, they share their insights from recent research on the factors that separate digital winners from the also-rans.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:30) >  While economic downturns are impossible to predict, it is never too early to start thinking about how to weather the next downturn—whenever it comes. Two of our senior partners, Cindy Levy and Martin Hirt, recently talked about how executives can think about this challenge and how this applies not only when there is concern about a downturn but also in the normal course of business.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 13:46) >  When we talk about organizations we often think in terms of their performance and their overall health. Gender diversity tends to be a subject that many relate to the health part of that equation. But new research has uncovered a fascinating correlation between gender diversity and corporate performance. Joining us today to discuss this research are Paula Ramos, a partner with our New Jersey office and Tom Meakin, a partner based in our London office.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:07) >  As the pace of social, economic, and technological change accelerates, organizations everywhere must make increasingly complex decisions in the face of an uncertain future. This is why the value of creative and strategic thinkers capable of solving complex problems has never been higher.   Today’s episode features a conversation between Chris Bradley, a senior partner in our Sydney office, and Rob McLean, a Director Emeritus of the firm, a trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Australia and Asia, and director of Australia’s largest philanthropic foundation, the Paul Ramsay Foundation. Rob, along with Charles Conn, is the co-author of a recently published book called Bulletproof Problem Solving: The One Skill That Changes Everything.  Chris and Rob recently met in our Sydney office to talk about Rob’s new book and how a disciplined and comprehensive approach to problem solving can be applied to almost any kind of problem — from personal decisions through to business strategies, and on to some of most complex challenges facing society today.  We hope you enjoy listening to their conversation. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:13) >  Most CEOs understand that innovation is a team sport. The challenge leaders face is identifying and nurturing the right combination of people within an organization who are capable of developing winning products and taking them to market. Erik Roth and Matt Banholzer join us to share their perspectives on what it takes to field high-performing innovation teams.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:03) >  Andy West on recent trends in mergers and acquisitions and the importance of aligning your transaction strategy with your overall strategy. How do you know when it's the right time to divest? What strategies do top M & A performers employ to gain a competitive advantage? How do you align the board and management team around what businesses you want to be in and why? Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 21:17) >  CFOs are playing an increasingly pivotal role driving change in their companies. How should they balance their traditional responsibilities with the new CFO mandate?Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 9:34) >  Management teams who engage positively with attackers may find activist campaigns bring ideas that create value and improve shareholder performance. We investigate the levers activists pull to improve the performance of target companies, activist investor trends globally, and how companies can respond positively when they are approached by activists.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 34:39) >  Innovation is critical to driving growth. Today we are talking about how large companies can take innovation plays from startups' play books to make them more competitive. We will hear from entrepreneurs and McKinsey experts about the techniques they use to go to market and scale quickly with limited resources. We'll see how larger companies can emulate some of that behaviour. And we will discuss how large companies can leverage what they already do very well and apply it to new growth initiatives. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 14:03) >  Shiny new initiatives can distract you from paying attention to other good but mundane projects and investments. In this episode McKinsey partner Tim Koller, professor of business strategy at the University of Sydney Dan Lovallo, and Sean Brown, discuss why people underinvest in so-called unremarkable projects and how to remedy this bias to ensure all projects receive the resources and attention they deserve.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 15:13) >  It’s common for companies to hang on too long to a number of projects or parts of the business that are underperforming but just won’t die. These projects and business units linger because of emotional or legacy attachments that executives have toward them. In this episode McKinsey partner Tim Koller, professor of business strategy at the University of Sydney Dan Lovallo, and Sean Brown, discuss two effective techniques for understanding when to hold on to an asset and when to let it go.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 18:38) >  Anchoring bias can hold back the budgeting process and influence your targets despite your best efforts. Address it and refocus difficult conversations. In this episode McKinsey partner Tim Koller, professor of business strategy at the University of Sydney Dan Lovallo, and Sean Brown, discuss how to tackle anchoring bias and refocus difficult budget conversations.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 22:05) >  Despite their best intentions, executives fall prey to cognitive and organizational biases that get in the way of good decision making. In our new Bias Busters series, McKinsey partner Tim Koller and Dan Lovallo, an alumnus of McKinsey’s San Francisco office and professor of business strategy at the University of Sydney, will highlight some of the biases that hold sway in the strategy room. They will also offer effective ways to respond. Our topic for this episode? Taking the “outside view.” Tim, Dan, and host Sean Brown discuss how it’s easier than executives might think to make better forecasts by using a set of reference cases to build the “outside view”. They also discuss how the “outside view” can inform everyday decisions and Dan shares a story about his venture to predict the likelihood of a Hollywood movie succeeding at the domestic box office based on little more than the movie’s promotional poster.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 11:56) >  Companies that focus on the long-term outperform their shorter-term peers on a range of economic and financial metrics including revenue and earnings, market capitalization, and job creation. In this episode, Sean Brown is joined by Bruce Simpson, a senior partner in our Toronto office who recently co-authored a chapter in the book, Reimagining Capitalism. Also joining the conversation are Jonathan Godsall and Jack McGinn  from our the New York office.  We discuss how an important part of a successful long-term approach includes a focus on organizational health and culture resulting in higher employee engagement, lower attrition, greater customer loyalty, and trust across stakeholders - as well as superior economic returns. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:35) >  Michael Bender is the global co-leader of McKinsey Digital and Analytics. He spoke with Sean Brown in London about the role CFOs can play in driving digital transformations, the nature of digital transformations more generally, how digital and analytics go hand in hand, and the challenges companies can face when working to adopt both. Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 10:41) >  Working capital is often an under-appreciated source of cash and value creation. Associate partner Matt Stone speaks with Sean Brown in London about how leading companies are unlocking value by implementing effective working capital strategies and world-class advanced analytics and machine learning solutions.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:59) >  There is a wealth of research into how new CEOs should successfully transition into the leading role. Less frequently studied is how top CEOs outperform competitors during the second act of their tenures. Sean Brown talks with senior partner Rodney Zemmel and associate partner Matt Cuddihy about the five themes that emerged from their research into how leading CEOs managed the middle part of their tenures through years three, four, five and beyond.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:25) >  Two simple R & D conversion metrics can help executives measure the value of innovation efforts. Senior partner Erik Roth, and associate partners Guttorm Aase and Sri Swaminathan speak with Sean Brown about how companies can gain valuable insights into innovation performance from a pair of metrics that have been hiding seemingly in plain sight. Their core components — gross margin, R&D, and sales from new products — are not new, but combining them can shed new light on the relative innovation performance of business units, within an organization and relative to external peers.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:51) >  Senior partner Tamim Saleh cuts through the hype around AI in this interview and offers clear guidance for executives looking to make precise strategic decisions about where and how to employ AI in their business. Tamim shares insights on the impact of machine vision on AI, the future of voice recognition, and the latest developments in advanced analytics, virtual assistants, and robotics. He outlines the challenges companies face when adopting AI and the steps CEOs can take to overcome them.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 13:54) >  Celia Huber, Senior Partner in our Silicon Valley office, on how companies can build and benefit from gender diversity on boards.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 23:14) >  Most digital strategies don’t reflect how digital is changing economic fundamentals, industry dynamics, or what it means to compete.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 14:00) >  Deanna Mulligan, president and CEO of Guardian Life Insurance, reflects on how she approaches strategy planning in an industry with strong headwinds.Join 90,000 other members of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information