Inside the Strategy Room

CEO
Inside the Strategy Room goes beyond surface-level discussions.

Basic Member

Latest Episodes

266. Transforming procurement to transform your business

266. Transforming procurement to transform your business

Procurement can play a crucial role in driving a company's transformation, and leaders are now recognizing its potential to be a strategic enabler of change. In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, we explore the key findings from our recent McKinsey.com article titled “Aim higher and move faster for successful procurement-led transformation”. Teresa George, a partner in our Chicago office, Raul Santos, a partner in our Madrid office, and Cole Wirpel, an associate partner in our Atlanta office, join Sean to share insights on how procurement can be a catalyst for company-wide transformation and the essential capabilities required to achieve this goal.

Related insights

Aim higher and move faster for successful procurement-led transformation

How procurement leaders can bring metals and mining up to speed

The digital spend control tower: Shift spending mindsets at scale

Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation

McKinsey Insights on Transformation

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

265. The Josh Harris playbook: building cultures of excellence in business and sports

265. The Josh Harris playbook: building cultures of excellence in business and sports

In 2022, Josh Harris founded 26North, an alternative asset management firm that has reached close to $30 billion in assets under management in its first 3 years. Josh also co-founded Apollo Global Management and Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HSBE) and is a prominent figure in the sports management arena. He has stakes in the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Crystal Palace Football Club, amongst other teams.

In this episode, Josh speaks with our North America Chair and senior partner Eric Kutcher, sharing insights that span his high school wrestling years, to starting anew at the age of 55 with 26North. His thoughts on leadership, culture, and resilience traverse both the worlds of investment and sports.

Related insights 

A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership
CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest
The Strategic CEO newsletter
Doug Parker, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessons
John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&T

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

264. Creating value through separations

264. Creating value through separations

Divestiture is one of the least discussed aspects of M&A, and yet separations can be a highly effective way of creating value. In this week’s episode, Sean speaks with two McKinsey experts on separations and spin-offs about their latest research on the subject. Jamie Koenig coleads our separations and spin-off client work globally and is a partner in our New York office. He has more than a decade of experience helping clients navigate complex transactions, having worked on hundreds of deals, and has a particular passion for building new companies via spin-offs. Anna Mattsson is the global co-lead of our separations and spin-offs client service line. She is a partner in our Zurich office and has 20 years of experience helping clients deliver value through M&A, divestitures, and spin-offs. The two are co-authors of our recent article on separations.

Related insights

When separating businesses, people are the key to unleashing value

The cost of (un)doing business

Why speed matters in divestitures 

What it takes to make separations a competitive difference-maker

M&A Annual Report: Is the wave finally arriving?

Active portfolio management: Five practical insights for value creation

The equity story you need for the long-term investors you want

McKinsey Insights on M&A

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

263. How Strategy Champions win

263. How Strategy Champions win

In this episode, Sean talks with four strategy experts who share the findings of their new research into the practices that separate companies that succeed at building and executing an excellent strategy from those that do not. You can read more about their research in the new McKinsey Quarterly article titled, How Strategy Champions win

Alex D'Amico co-leads our strategy work globally and leads it in North America. He is a senior partner in our Connecticut office where he helps companies across industries shape enterprise strategy, undertake cultural transformations, rapidly boost performance, and redesign organizations to sustain results. Alejandro Krell co-leads our strategy work globally with Alex and leads our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice in Latin America. He is a senior partner in our Panama City office where he advises companies across the financial services, manufacturing, mining, retail, and telecom sectors on addressing strategic challenges and making lasting performance improvements. Semyon Yakovlev leads our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice across Asia and is a senior partner in our Seoul office. He serves clients on strategic and performance improvement programs, working with major banking groups, insurance companies, tech companies, and public sector institutions. Whitney Zimmerman is a core leader of our strategy work and an associate partner in our London office. He also leads our work on the role of the chief strategy officer, helping CSOs define and succeed in their roles, and he led our latest research on strategy capabilities and practices.

Related insights

Have you tested your strategy lately?

How programmatic M&A fosters long-term resilience

How AI is transforming strategy development

Strategy to beat the odds

The strategy leader’s evolving mandate

Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick

Rewired: The McKinsey guide to outcompeting in the age of digital and AI

McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

 

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

262. Workday’s CEO on driving growth and transformation in the age of AI

262. Workday’s CEO on driving growth and transformation in the age of AI

Carl Eschenbach joined Workday in December 2022 to serve as co-CEO alongside Co-Founder Aneel Bhusri before becoming sole CEO in February 2024. In this episode, our North America Chair and senior partner, Eric Kutcher, talks with Carl about taking a ‘co-existence’ view of the role of AI in the workforce as a source of productivity, building an endurable company with a growth mindset culture, and the responsibility of leaders to serve the success of others.

Related Insights

Becoming CEO—just in time for a global crisis: David Gitlin

How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through uncertainty and technological evolution

Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFO

Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate

The Strategic CEO newsletter

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

261. Retired US Navy Admiral Eric Olson: Leading effectively in uncertain times

261. Retired US Navy Admiral Eric Olson: Leading effectively in uncertain times

In this episode, we speak with Eric Olson, a retired US Navy Admiral with a distinguished career in special operations, about the key principles of effective leadership, particularly in times of uncertainty. Eric shares insights from his experiences leading high-performing teams and organizations through complex challenges, offering valuable leadership lessons for executives in today's rapidly changing business landscape. 

Related insights:

A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets that Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest

The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs learn to lead from the inside out

Trusted advice for effective leadership

The CEO as chief resilience officer

The Strategic CEO newsletter

McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance 

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn 

 

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

260. Boosting growth through innovation

260. Boosting growth through innovation

Even in a highly uncertain business environment, companies that build new businesses and develop new offerings, processes, and business models are better able to capture growth opportunities and hedge against disruption. Our recent survey of more than 1,000 companies around the world reflected this, with the largest share of respondents identifying the ability to innovate as their most important strategic factor for generating growth over the coming 12 months.

To discuss the survey and talk about the innovation activities top performers are focusing on today, Sean Brown is joined by Rebecca Doherty, Matt Banholzer, and Clayton O’Toole. Rebecca co-leads our Strategic Growth and Innovation practice and is a partner in our San Francisco office. She works extensively with health care, industrial, and technology clients to define and execute growth road maps. Matt co-leads our Global Strategic Growth and Innovation practice with Rebecca and is a senior partner in our Chicago office. He also sits on the leadership team of our business-building practice, and serves organizations on innovation strategy across a range of sectors, including energy, materials, and agriculture. Clayton is a leader in our Strategy & Corporate Finance and Consumer Tech and Media practices in North America and is a partner based in our Minnesota office. He serves a wide range of clients including media organizations, sports leagues; food, apparel, and hardlines retailers; consumer packaged goods companies, and principal investors.

Related Insights 

How top performers use innovation to grow within and beyond the core

The eight essentials of innovation

Revolutionary innovations propelling growth

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

259. Risk, Resilience, and Innovation: Insights from AXIS Capital's Vincent Tizzio

259. Risk, Resilience, and Innovation: Insights from AXIS Capital's Vincent Tizzio

Vince Tizzio is President and CEO of AXIS, a specialty insurance and reinsurance company that delivers customized solutions to organizations worldwide. Since taking on the role in May 2023, Vince has led AXIS on an ambitious transformation journey.

In this episode, he speaks with McKinsey senior partner and North America Chair Eric Kutcher about what it means to take on the CEO role, how to lead through significant change with conviction and care, the kind of exposures companies should consider in today’s complex risk landscape, and how to be deliberate about investing in AI.

Related Insights

Becoming CEO, just in time for global crisis: David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO of Carrier Global Corporation

Transforming for growth

Stepping up: Becoming a high-potential CEO candidate

How boards can tackle geopolitical risk

How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through uncertainty and technological evolution

The art of 21st-century leadership: From succession planning to building a leadership factory

Author Talks: IBM’s Ginni Rometty on leading with ‘good power’

Getting fit for growth: The leadership mindsets and behaviors that matter

CEO Perspectives

The Strategic CEO newsletter

McKinsey Insights on Transformation

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

 

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

258. Andy Mattes on the challenges of driving M&A as CEO

258. Andy Mattes on the challenges of driving M&A as CEO

Mergers and acquisitions are among the more complex processes new CEOs have to learn, whether they’re in the role for the first time or taking over at a new company. Andreas “Andy” W. Mattes has navigated this multiple times in his roles as CEO of Siemens Communications, Diebold, and later of Diebold Nixdorf, and now of the laser technology company Coherent. In this discussion with M&A practice leader Jake Henry, Andy talks about the roller-coaster ride that M&A can be, and the critical M&A skills he had to learn as a CEO, including how to best deal with competing bids and making time to commune with other CEOs.

Jake is the global co-leader of McKinsey’s M&A Practice, which includes mergers, acquisitions, integrations, joint ventures, and divestitures. He previously led our Life Sciences Practice globally, where he guided pharmaceutical and medical-technology company executives on matters of corporate strategy, growth strategy, and operational excellence for more than twenty years.

Related insights

CEOs in M&A: Five actions only the chief executive can take

Uncertainty in M&A: Postcards from the new normal

M&A Annual Report: Is the wave finally arriving?

What makes a successful CEO?

The loneliest job? How top CEOs manage dilemmas and vulnerability

CEO excellence: How do leaders assess their own performance?

CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest

The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead From the Inside Out

 

McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

McKinsey Insights on M&A

Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Bio of Inside the Strategy Room

Inside the Strategy Room, is a captivating podcast presented by McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance. 
This thought-provoking series invites listeners to explore the challenges faced by corporate executives and McKinsey partners as they navigate the dynamic landscape of strategy creation in an ever-changing world.

Inside the Strategy Room goes beyond surface-level discussions, delving deep into the minds of these executives to uncover the innovative approaches they employ. Through insightful conversations, this podcast reveals the diverse strategies and visionary thinking that shape the future of organizations.

By examining real-world scenarios and engaging with top-level decision-makers, Inside the Strategy Room provides invaluable perspectives on how organizations adapt to change, seize opportunities, and develop long-lasting strategies for success.

Similar Podcasts

Podcasts

United States

"Small Business Productivity Straight Talk", hosted by Amber De La Garza.

Podcasts

United States

StartUp FASHION: Do It Your Way, hosted by Nicole Giordano.

Startups and Unicorns with Belinda Agnew's podcast discover how to stand out to those who matter most to your business.

Podcasts

United States

Founders Unfound, hosted by Daniel Kihanya.

Podcasts

United States

The Product Startup Podcast, hosted by Kevin Mako.

Podcasts

United States

"Financial Advisors Say The Darndest Things". This podcast is specifically targeted toward Christian investors.

Podcasts

United Kingdom

The Probe Dental Podcast, produced by The Probe magazine.

Podcasts

United States

The Misfit Entrepreneur_Breakthrough Entrepreneurship, hosted by Dave M. Lukas.

"How to be a CEO," a podcast presented by the Evening Standard.

back-to-top