Inside the Strategy Room

202. Charting your M&A course for 2024

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 i...

201. Seven CEO insights from private equity

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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...

200. A genuine partnership with the board

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 tren...

199. Bringing innovation to a not-for-profit setting

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Innovation in a not-for-profit context involves measuring success in terms of returns on mission rather than returns to shareholders. In this episode,...

198. Six strategies for growth outperformance

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

197. Growth, AI, and the future of finance: An interview with Workday’s CFO Zane Rowe

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Zane Rowe is the CFO of Workday, a California-based company that develops enterprise software for managing finance, HR, and planning. Workday has been...

196. A guide for boards on generative AI: Four questions for management teams

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Boards can play an essential role in engaging management teams to ensure they fully explore the potential of generative AI, even beyond their comfort ...

195. Why strategists should embrace imperfection

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We're joined by Charles Conn and Rob McLean, AM, the co-authors of The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times. Charles is an investo...

194. Driving long-term business transformation

03 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Many companies turn to transformation because their leaders seek to capture untapped potential or realize growth or efficiency gains. Yet transformati...

193. Eight keys to excelling as a chief of staff

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ch...

192. Using M&A to launch a transformation

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

191. Best of 2023 - How to make a strong start as a CEO

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

190. Best of 2023 - Strategies to win in the new ecosystem economy

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This shift from industry sectors to customer-focused ecosystems may be the largest economic reorganization in history. What role will your company pla...

189. CEO perspectives: Scott Wine, CNH Industrial

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scott Wine is the CEO of the multinational equipment manufacturer and services company, CNH Industrial. The company's brands include CASE and New Holl...

188. Leading effectively with the board

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Boards are under increasing pressure to navigate a complex business environment, stay on top of accelerating technological advances, manage growing st...

187. Driving innovation with generative AI

08 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 crea...

186. Palo Alto Networks CFO, Dipak Golechha

30 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dipak Golechha is the Chief Financial Officer of Palo Alto Networks, a leading cybersecurity company. This episode features a conversation between Dip...

185. How to succeed in China's changing economy

23 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

China’s economy and business landscape have been going through significant changes. We speak with three experts who will help us understand those sh...

184. How to manage a successful CEO transition

15 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 M...

183. How mid-tenure CEOs find a new gear

09 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 senio...

182. CEO alpha: How to cultivate great leaders for greater gains

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 partne...

181. Navigating geopolitics with Dr Richard Haass

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dr Richard Haass shares his perspectives on how business leaders can navigate today’s complex geopolitical landscape. Richard is a veteran diplomat ...

180. Implementing transformations for the long-term

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many organizations embark on large-scale transformations, only to end with frustrated leaders and worse-than-expected long-term results. That doesn't ...

179. Hopper: Bringing fintech to travel booking

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hopper has acquired 100 million mobile users by offering consumer-friendly financial products and a gamified app experience, according to cofounder Fr...

178. How Major League Baseball built an innovation machine

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Major League Baseball’s Chief Operating and Strategy Officer Chris Marinak speaks with McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth about how the league is ...

177. How ESG can enhance profitable growth

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Many executives believe making growth sustainable and inclusive requires inscrutable trade-offs, forgoing revenue and profit for the sake of society...

176. Redefining the chief transformation officer's role

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 a...

175. What's next in private markets?

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 tre...

174. Maximizing the impact of your investor relations

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

173. Rewired: Lessons from 200 large-scale digital and AI transformations

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

172. Taking an investor's perspective on your business

19 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

171. The Committed Innovator: How Shopify approaches innovation

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this latest episode in our Committed Innovator series Erik Roth speaks with Harley Finkelstein, an entrepreneur and innovator who is president of t...

170. Building a world-class digital finance function

13 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The finance function and CFO's rope are evolving rapidly as digitization accelerates the pace of change amidst continuing economic and geopolitical vo...

169. Three essentials of successful corporate venture capital

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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?   Tradition...

168. Geopolitical resilience: What it is, why companies need it, and how they can develop it

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode focuses on how companies can manage risks and seize opportunities emerging from shifting geopolitical trends. We’ll talk about why o...

167. How to predict your competitor's next move

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 und...

166. Juvencio Maeztu, Deputy CEO and CFO of Ingka Group (IKEA)

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 sal...

165. Four steps to becoming a high-potential CEO candidate

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 Caro...

164. Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo's senior vice president and chief design office

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

PepsiCo's design chief Mauro Porcini talks about the role of humanity andauthenticity in driving innovation. In today’s episode, Mauro Porcini spea...

163. The strategy leader's evolving mandate

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

162. Why today’s CFOs require ambidexterity

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Teradata’s chief financial officer, Claire Bramley,discusses the evolving role of finance leaders with McKinsey CFO, Eric Kutch...

161. How programmatic M&A leads to long-term resilience

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

New research shows that programmatic M&A helps companies outperform peers more than ever, creating value and resilience, even during a pandemic. I...

160. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck's Ken Frazier. Episode 2.

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

159. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck’s Ken Frazier. Episode 1

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As CEO of Merck, Ken Frazier gained the respect of his employees, shareholders, and the broader community - both through the company’s performance d...

158. Seven mindsets and practices for new CFOs

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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. J...

157. Two former Nike senior executives discuss retail growth strategies

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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...

156. M&A insights and outlook for 2023

23 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 globa...

155. Deciphering the economy’s mixed signals

18 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As volatility persists, companies need to be ready for a range of macroeconomic scenarios. Three authors of a recent article on the economic outlook ...

154. The Committed Innovator: Working with start-ups

06 Apr 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Corporate innovators often turn to Israel and its vibrant start-up ecosystem to meet their goals. In this episode, we continue our Committed Innovator...

153. Strategies to win in the new ecosystem economy

24 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This shift from industry sectors to customer-focused ecosystems may be the largest economic reorganization in history. What role will your company pla...

152. How to make a strong start as a CEO

10 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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, ...

151. Voices of CEO excellence: Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman

02 Mar 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global investment management firm traces his journey as a business leader, financial innovator, and philanthr...

150. Web3: Demystifying the next generation of the internet

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The next generation of the internet contains online capabilities and technologies that promise to transform business models. Our goal today is to demy...

149. Capturing value in digital transformations

10 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

148. Driving growth while decarbonizing: A conversation with E.ON’s Patrick Lammers

03 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We're joined by Patrick Lammers, chief operating officer for customer solutions, at E.ON, one of Europe’s leading energy providers. Patrick explains...

147. The CFO’s role in talent development

27 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ankur Agrawal joins Sean Brown to discuss how finance leaders can help promote talent development within their organizations. Ankur is a partner in ou...

146. Leading with authenticity: A conversation with Bill George

22 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 Le...

145. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian

06 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

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 bu...

144. The Committed Innovator: The future of Israel’s start-up ecosystem

29 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

143. The Committed Innovator: Israel’s start-up ecosystem

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 epi...

142. Taking fear out of innovation

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The risk and ambiguity inherent in innovation can make employees shy away from it. Creating an innovation culture where risk-taking is embraced must s...

141. Artificial intelligence in strategy

09 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 jus...

140. The ten rules of growth

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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....

139. How ambidextrous leaders manage through volatile times

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we discuss strategy in an age of volatility. How are business leaders honing their edge in three critical areas–insights, commitment...

138. The board's role in building resilience

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Corporate resilience requires both protecting against the downside and preparing to capture the upside from any shocks.  In this episode, three exper...

137. Transformational performance management

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The elements of an effective performance-management system are relatively simple, but integrating them into a business’ fundamental operating system...

136. Creating value with M&A: A conversation with XPO CEO Brad Jacobs

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

135. Choosing a blueprint for growth

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Growth is something every CEO and business leader aspires to deliver, but for many, it remains elusive. In this episode, Biljana Cvetanovski, Erik Rot...

134. Richard Rumelt on what separates good strategy from bad

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 Em...

133. How to embed ESG into resource allocation decisions

15 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Resource allocation decisions are one of the clearest manifestations of a company’s strategic choices. By embedding ESG (or environmental, social, a...

132. Digital ecosystems: Creating value in the new age of sectors without borders

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

131. Tim Koller reflects on 20 years of McKinsey on Finance

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

130. The timeless truths of corporate finance–and three challenges ahead

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode we celebrate the 20th anniversary of our quarterly journal, McKinsey on Finance. We discuss the timeless truths of corporate finance, ...

129. The CEO’s guide to managing inflation

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

128. The Committed Innovator: DBS Bank’s Han Kwee Juan

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

127. Four front foot strategies to help create value in the net-zero transition

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Companies have a critical role to play in achieving the global aspiration of net-zero emissions—one that comes with vast business opportunities. In ...

126. Juergen Esser on creating value while advancing sustainability at Danone

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 36:58) >  In this episode, we are joined by Juergen Esser, the chief financia...

125. Charles Lowrey on putting purpose at the heart of Prudential Financial’s transformation

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Over the past three years, Charles Lowrey, chairman and CEO of Prudential Financial, has led a transformation of the 150-year-old insurance and invest...

124. IBM’s CFO and senior vice president Jim Kavanaugh on how to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Our friends at the Future of America podcast recently published a conversation between IBM CFO and senior vice president Jim Kavanaugh, and McKinsey s...

123. How to make good ideas great and great ideas scale with John A. List

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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...

122. How companies can turn the ‘Great Resignation’ into the ‘Great Attraction’

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We discuss what’s commonly referred to as The Great Resignation–a phenomenon sweeping through many industries and countries. As the pandemic has m...

121. MassMutual’s Roger Crandall on disrupting your own industry

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, Roger Crandall, chairman, president, and CEO of MassMutual, speaks with Pradip Patiath, a leader in McKin...

120. Voices of CEO Excellence: James Gorman, Morgan Stanley. Part 2.

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 ...

119. Voices of CEO Excellence: James Gorman, Morgan Stanley. Part 1.

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Vik Malhotra and Asheet Mehta, McKinsey senior partners, talk with James Gorman, chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley about how he reshaped the global f...

118. The Committed Innovator: Temasek’s Pradyumna Agrawal

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 b...

117. The four fundamental factors of win-win spin offs

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Spin-offs can give both companies more freedom and improve their performance if executives systematically consider the growth strategies, operations, ...

116. New Zealand Rugby President Bill Osborne on strategy and leadership

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:40) >  Bill Osborne, the president of New Zealand Rugby and celebrated All...

115. Understanding the SEC’s proposed climate risk disclosure rule

29 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 42:53) >  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has a proposed a ...

114. The path to sustainable and inclusive growth

24 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

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 challe...

113. The Committed Innovator: Keho founder Tekla Back

03 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Disruptive food start-ups have increasingly grabbed headlines and the attention of large consumer packaged goods companies. The plant-based keto snack...

112. The role of the board in preparing for extraordinary risk

24 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The pandemic has been a stark reminder for many organizations that they are insufficiently prepared for crises that could not merely destabilize them ...

111. Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs. Ep 2

15 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best CEOs from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership l...

110. Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs. Ep 1

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best CEOs from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership l...

109. Brendan Whitworth on Anheuser-Busch's next phase of growth

01 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 28:15) >  We hear from Brendan Whitworth, Chief Executive Officer of Anheuser...

108. Programmatic M&A: Winning in the new normal

13 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 25:01) >  Two experts discuss programmatic M&A, an approach to mergers and ac...

107. Emphasizing the ‘S’ in ESG

16 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 31:31) >  While environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues increasing...

106. Putting stakeholder capitalism into practice

09 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

“Stakeholder capitalism” is the buzzword du jour for business practices that strive to achieve more than profits and a high stock price. B...

105. The role of ESG and purpose

02 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 33:46) >  Purpose and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) i...

104. The race to create a vaccine: A conversation with Pfizer’s Frank D’Amelio

01 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 24:41) >  Frank D’Amelio has been the CFO of Pfizer for 14 years, but the p...

103. Kevin Hostetler of Rotork on accelerating growth

11 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:41) >  When Kevin Hostetler took the reins of Rotork, a UK-based company t...