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 Chicago 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 t...
Sep 18, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 McKinse...
Sep 13, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 t...
Sep 06, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Aug 29, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, we explore why and how business leaders, and CFOs in particular, should try to see their businesses as investors see them. We're joined by Chantal Lorbeer , a partner in our Munich office who advises global chemicals companies on their strategy, growth transformations, as well as their operating models and portfolio moves. Chantal co-leads our Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice in Germany was well as chemicals capital-markets perspective globally. Also joining us is Justi...
Aug 19, 2023•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Aug 18, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. ...
Aug 13, 2023•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a...
Aug 09, 2023•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 glob...
Aug 03, 2023•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jul 21, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 comm...
Jul 13, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Yo...
Jul 07, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast PepsiCo's design chief Mauro Porcini talks about the role of humanity and authenticity 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 unleas...
Jun 28, 2023•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jun 23, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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, discu...
Jun 16, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 capab...
Jun 09, 2023•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 gr...
Jun 02, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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, t...
May 23, 2023•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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, ...
May 12, 2023•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
May 05, 2023•23 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Apr 23, 2023•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 strat...
Apr 18, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Apr 06, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ecosyst...
Mar 24, 2023•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Mar 10, 2023•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 Amer...
Mar 02, 2023•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 an...
Feb 17, 2023•55 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 episo...
Feb 10, 2023•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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. ...
Feb 03, 2023•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 beh...
Jan 27, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
