Inside the Strategy Room

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 Support the show: 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 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.comSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.comSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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.comSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.comSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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-westSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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-financeSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/innovationSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/itsrSupport the show: 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: 36:58) >  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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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/id1616517376Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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/itsrSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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   Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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  Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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”.Support the show: 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: 32:40) >  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.Support the show: 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: 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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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-backSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See 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”.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.  Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.  Support the show: 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: 28:15) >  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.Support the show: 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: 25:01) >  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.Support the show: 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: 31:31) >  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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/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.Support the show: 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: 33:46) >  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.Support the show: 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: 24:41) >  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.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information