Inside the Strategy Room

McKinsey & Company
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Inside the Strategy Room

We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

  1. 5D AGO

    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

    34 min

  2. JUN 25

    257. The new and timeless truths of valuation

    Measuring value creation is critical, as company leaders grapple with geopolitical shifts, digital disruption, and other trends affecting their businesses. Two co-authors of the new edition of Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies join Sean today to discuss what they’ve learned over the course of writing and updating their book, which is now in its eighth edition, with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide Author Tim Koller is a core leader in our Corporate Finance Practice and a Partner in our Denver office. In more than 40 years of consulting, he’s served clients globally on corporate strategy, capital markets, acquisitions, divestitures, and resource allocation. Co-author Marc Goedhart is a senior expert in our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice based in Amsterdam. He’s also an endowed professor of corporate valuation at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in the Netherlands. Related insights Valuation 8th edition Subscribe to The Valuation Practitioner newsletter on LinkedIn Author Talks: What’s new in Valuation? Bubbles pop, downturns stop Bias Busters: Getting both sides of the story Biases in decision-making: A guide for CFOs Is your ‘conglomerate discount’ a performance discount or a communication problem? Tying short-term decisions to long-term strategy What I learned from Daniel Kahneman 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

    50 min

  3. JUN 19

    256. Doug Parker, former Chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessons

    As CEO challenges go, facing a global threat that is existential not just for your company but for your industry is among the worst possible. American Airlines’ former Chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, has been through this twice while leading an airline, following the 9/11 attacks in New York and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, he speaks with McKinsey Senior Partner Celia Huber about how these experiences helped him become a better leader.  Doug Parker has served as CEO of three airlines: America West, US Airways, and American Airlines. He currently serves on the board of Qantas. Celia Huber is a McKinsey senior partner in our Bay Area office, where she leads our board services work in North America. Related insights Better together: Three ways to boost board–CEO collaboration The State of Aviation 2025 Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative Resilience pulse check: Harnessing collaboration to navigate a volatile world McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance 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

    38 min

  4. JUN 13

    255. Building transformation momentum through working capital optimization

    Holistic transformations are complex and can take a long time to show full results. By optimizing working capital early on, companies can help score early wins to create momentum and excite stakeholders across the organization. In this episode, Sean talks with two McKinsey transformation experts about how to identify and achieve these working capital improvements to maximize the impact of a transformation. Jacob Rüden is a partner in our Transformation Practice, based in Cologne, and he leads our cash excellence work globally. He has more than 20 years of experience serving clients in transformation and on cash and working capital engagements across sectors, including automotive, energy, chemicals, transportation, consumer goods, and retail. And Marvin Denis is an expert in our Transformation Practice, based in New York. He's a core member of our cash excellence service line and co-leader of our cash solutions globally. He works across sectors, including automotive, chemicals, consumer goods, and retail. Related insights Gain transformation momentum early by optimizing working capital Building optionality: Balance sheet discipline is both timely and timeless Succeeding in the AI supply-chain revolution A data-driven approach to improving net working capital McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn McKinsey Insights on Transformation McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn   Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

    42 min

  5. JUN 5

    254. John Stankey, AT&T’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, on embracing long-term vision

    John Stankey has led AT&T as CEO since July 2020, and was elected Chairman of the Board in February this year. Over his 40-year tenure, John has held multiple senior leadership roles across the breadth of AT&T’s businesses, including turns as Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Technology Officer.  In this episode, John speaks with McKinsey senior partner and North America Chair Eric Kutcher about his journey at AT&T. They discuss how John pivoted the portfolio, how he trusted in long-term ‘big bets’ amidst the current wave of economic change, and the meaning of leaving a legacy at a 150-year-old company. Related Insights Becoming CEO, just in time for global crisis: David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO of Carrier Global Corporation 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 Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

    36 min

  6. MAY 29

    253. Private capital gets more alternative

    For many years, the continued rise of private markets has been defined by assets under management (AUM), while the composition of the industry evolved significantly. This week, two of McKinsey’s Private Capital Practice experts are joined by Neil Mehta from Apollo Global Management to discuss the diverse types of non-traditional private capital increasingly being raised by general partners (GPs), and how asset managers will need to continue to adapt to meet this growing complexity and the variety of needs that their investors are looking to them to solve. McKinsey Senior Partner Alexander Edlich is a senior leader in McKinsey’s Private Capital Practice, and is based in New York. He’s the lead author of our 2025 Global Private Markets Review, and has more than two decades of experience advising financial services firms, including alternative asset managers and investors, on how to address ever-changing industry dynamics. McKinsey Partner Paul Maia co-leads McKinsey’s work on advising the C-suite of private capital GPs, as well as the private capital arms of institutional investors, and is based in Washington, D.C. Neil Mehta is a partner and global head of new markets at Apollo Global Management in New York, where he is responsible for driving growth into markets that have historically had limited exposure to private assets, including traditional asset management, defined contribution, and tax advantage strategies. Neil is also a member of Apollo’s leadership team. Related insights Alternative assets get more alternative: The rise of novel AUM forms Global Private Markets Report 2025: Braced for shifting weather Thematic investing: A win–win for private equity and the planet Private capital: The key to boosting European competitiveness McKinsey Insights on Private Capital 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

    59 min

  7. MAY 22

    252. Growth leader mindsets and behaviors

    Although every company wants to grow, only one in four is able to do so profitably and maintain that growth over time. This week, Sean speaks with three of our growth experts about the mindsets and behaviors of successful growth outperformers. Jill Zucker is a senior partner and former managing partner of our New York office. She co-leads our global growth transformation work and serves financial services firms, including wealth managers, asset managers, insurance companies, global banks, and private equity. Rebecca Doherty is a partner in our Bay Area office and co-leader of our global Strategic Growth and Innovation Practice.  She works with healthcare, industrial, and technology clients to define and execute value-creating growth road maps. Kate Siegel is a partner in our Detroit office and a leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. She counsels CEOs and executive teams to develop holistic growth strategies, pursue organic and inorganic M&A, and attain profitable growth aspirations. Related Insights How top performers use innovation to grow within and beyond the core Breaking the mold: Five behaviors of leading growth transformers How to reignite growth through adjacencies Innovative growers: A view from the top Courageous growth: Six strategies for continuous growth outperformance The triple play: Growth, profit, and sustainability Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

    44 min

  8. MAY 15

    251. Driving transformational behavior change at scale

    Transformation is a complex undertaking that relies heavily on achieving behavioral change within an organization. Three McKinsey transformation and organizational health experts talk this week about the common pitfalls companies face when attempting to transform, and share tips for avoiding them. Rajesh Krishnan is a senior partner in our New York office and a leader in our Transformation Practice. He counsels clients on identifying and delivering transformative and sustainable performance improvements, and is a founder of our capability building solution, the Ability to Execute or A2E. Tiffany Vogel is a partner in our Miami office, and is an expert in change management, leadership development, and agile product development. She focuses on financial institutions and state governments, and also serves on the faculty at the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. And Matthew Schrimper is an associate partner in our Boston office. He helps clients improve performance through organizational change, and has expertise in large-scale transformations, culture and change management, as well as talent and operating model design. Related insights Breaking the mold: Five behaviors of leading growth transformers Transformation with a capital T How seven steps can help midsize industrials crack the transformation code What does it take to run a healthy organization? Find out with this quiz Help your employees find purpose—or watch them leave What makes an organization ‘healthy’? The yin and yang of organizational health 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

    39 min
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We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

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  • Creator
    McKinsey & Company
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    404
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 McKinsey & Company
  • Show Website
    Inside the Strategy Room

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