Podcasts · Business

Inside the Strategy Room

McKinsey & Company

300 episodes

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.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. 327. Four strategy myths holding your company back

    · 52 min

    Today’s disruption has created a critical ‘Strategy Moment’ for organizations navigating a fundamentally changing basis of competitive advantage. Carolyn Dewar, Marcus Jacob and Laura LaBerge join us to debunk four…

  2. 326. M&A heading into Q4: How AI is reshaping value creation

    · 47 min

    As we enter the fourth quarter, we look to where M&A stands and how dealmakers can finish strong. We also explore how AI is rewriting the traditional M&A playbook: success no longer comes from scale alone, but from…

  3. 325. Addressing AI Frontier Lab model risks and opportunities

    · 50 min

    As AI models become increasingly sophisticated, organizations and their leaders need to maintain awareness of the opportunities and challenges each new model can present. Specifically, the newest Frontier Lab LLMs are…

  4. 324. How strategy creates value: The four foundations that drive long-term performance

    · 51 min

    Episode description Executives have more data, more frameworks, and more advice than ever, and yet their confidence in their strategies keeps falling. Andy West, Tim Koller, and Whitney Zimmerman, authors of our…

  5. 323. How to drive transformations with rigor

    · 48 min

    McKinsey research finds that companies executing transformations with rigor are much more likely to meet overall organizational transformation goals. Chris Hagedorn, Preeya Mody, and Michel Morenville join us to…

  6. 322. Capturing value in real estate’s new terrain

    · 47 min

    Real estate is moving from stabilization to selective acceleration, with value creation becoming more targeted, operational, and execution-led. As capital concentrates in select sectors and strategies, leaders need…

  7. 321. M&A integration: PE’s new value creation playbook

    · 44 min

    Private equity is navigating one of its most challenging value creation environments in years, and winning firms are using M&A integration as a competitive weapon. Brian Dinneen and Matthew Maloney join us to discuss…

  8. 320. The digital twin: Reimagining non-financial risk management

    · 45 min

    The risk function’s fundamental purpose has not changed in light of AI. What has changed is the nature and pace of risks amplified by AI, as well as the tools available to manage them. Anke Raufuss, Björn Nilsson, and…

  9. 319. Why strategy needs mobilization, especially in this moment

    · 32 min

    As strategy rises to the top of executive agendas, many organizations are struggling to translate bold strategic choices into sustained performance. In this episode, the global coleaders of our Strategy and Corporate…

  10. 318. Inside the 2026 CFO Forum: How finance leaders are preparing for what's next (bonus episode)

    · 18 min

    In this bonus episode, McKinsey CFO practice leaders Kevin Carmody, Matt Maloney, and Christian Grube share their insights from the 2026 CFO Forum in London. Their conversation explores how the CFO role is evolving…

  11. 317. Strategic re-underwriting in private equity

    · 51 min

    Private equity firms are under increasing pressure to create value in a tougher market, with longer hold times and evolving value creation theses. Leading funds are using re-underwriting as a repeatable discipline that…

  12. 316. Your budget is killing your strategy: 4 imperatives for CFOs

    · 55 min

    The traditional annual budget process is broken. It is rigid, backward-looking, and not operationally fit to keep up with today's fast-moving markets. Top-performing companies are outpacing peers by budgeting…

  13. 315. The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity: Private market outlook

    · 50 min

    Infrastructure is at a pivotal inflection point: its definition is expanding beyond traditional assets to digital and interconnected systems, demanding a fundamental mindset shift by governments, investors, and…

  14. 314. How to maximize competitive advantage

    · 48 min

    Competitive advantage is becoming much more fluid as market positions shift faster across industries, with advantages eroding and differentiation narrowing. Despite this increased volatility, companies often fail to…

  15. 313. Driving value with an investor mindset

    · 48 min

    Long-term value creation is foundational to building strong companies and economies, yet many leaders struggle to ensure that well-conceived, well-executed strategies receive full recognition from investors. Senior…

  16. 312. Improving private equity exit prospects

    · 48 min

    In today’s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and increased pressure to return capital. Kai Vollhardt and Jelena Bauer are joined by Christian Habrich and…

  17. 311. Proven growth strategies from market leaders

    · 1 h 00 min

    Discover how market leaders—Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase—achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven…

  18. 310. The CEO's role in transformation

    · 51 min

    Transformations often falter due to internal dynamics that divide organizations, such as misaligned incentives, siloed efforts, and risk aversion. CEOs are uniquely positioned to address these challenges by tackling…

  19. 309. Five key moves to create value in spinoffs

    · 54 min

    More than 55 percent of large spin-offs fail to deliver the expected value three years post-spin; this is true for both the parent and the new company. However, even in today’s complex macro environment, there is…

  20. 308. From the C-Suite to the boardroom: Christiana Smith Shi on what it takes

    · 50 min

    Today’s board members face growing demands on their time. A challenging macro environment and ever-evolving business risks are increasing meeting frequency and requiring faster decision-making. For executives…

  21. 307. Making buy-side carve-outs work for everyone

    · 55 min

    Buy-side carve-outs can create significant value for acquiring companies, but they can also present complex challenges. In this episode, we’re joined by Kameron Kordestani, Anna Mattson, and Rui Silva to discuss how…

  22. 306. Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies

    · 55 min

    Outperformance in private equity is no longer defined by leverage or multiple expansion; disciplined value creation will be the decisive factor in future investment success. In this episode, AD Bhatia, Robin Ligon, and…

  23. 305. Prudential’s Charles Lowrey on finishing strong as CEO

    · 39 min

    For CEOs, the first 100 days often get the most attention. But the final chapter of a CEO’s tenure can be just as consequential. In this episode, senior partner Carolyn Dewar speaks with Charles Lowrey, former…

  24. 304. The coming wave of business transfers

    · 54 min

    As millions of baby boomer business owners in the United States approach retirement, the country faces a major transition in business ownership. Over the next decade, millions of small and midsize businesses could be…

  25. 303. How finance leaders are driving value with AI

    · 51 min

    In this episode, we explore how finance leaders can harness AI to drive performance and create value for the organization. Our guests—Kevin Carmody, Davide Grande, and Andrea Tricoli—share insights from their research,…

  26. 302. What every CEO can learn from private equity

    · 53 min

    Private equity firms have long outperformed their peers—not just through financial engineering, but by building better businesses faster. In this episode, senior partner Sacha Ghai and partner Marla Capozzi discuss…

  27. 301. Using generative AI to conduct outside-in diligence

    · 49 min

    Generative AI is reshaping the way investors evaluate opportunities and replacing much of the manual work involved in completing an outside-in diligence. Firms that adapt the fastest during this transition have the…

  28. 300. The CEO’s agenda for thriving in the agentic age

    · 54 min

    Generative and agentic AI are moving rapidly from experimentation to enterprise-wide transformation—but many CEOs are still grappling with what this really means for their business. In this episode, McKinsey experts…

  29. 299. The new CEO’s guide to stakeholder impact

    · 54 min

    For new CEOs, engaging stakeholders is one of the most important—and most challenging—parts of the job. In this episode, Carolyn Dewar, Blair Epstein, and Eric Sherman discuss how CEOs can build a strong stakeholder…

  30. 298. The CEO as a resilience leader

    · 56 min

    Building resilience is a critical skill for organizations today, yet our research shows that many leaders and organizations don’t spend enough time building their resilience to navigate current and emerging risks. In…

  31. 297. Boards in the age of AI

    · 46 min

    As artificial intelligence transforms how companies compete, many boards are grappling with how to provide effective oversight in this new era. Senior partners Aamer Baig, Celia Huber, and senior advisor Rebecca…

  32. 296. The power of rigor in transformation

    · 48 min

    Companies that execute transformations with rigor are much more likely to achieve their goals, generate higher total shareholder returns, and enjoy better organizational health. In this episode, Preeya Mody and Dominic…

  33. 295. AI, strategy, and the future of work: What business leaders need to know

    · 35 min

    While artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from experimentation to execution, many companies still struggle to capture real value from the technology. In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Jean-Paul Carvalho…

  34. 294. Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon on adapting to economic and technological change

    · 41 min

    What does today’s wave of AI and economic change really mean for markets, jobs, and leadership? In this episode, David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, joins our North America Chair and senior partner, Eric…

  35. 293. Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain

    · 54 min

    After a long period of uncertainty, the fog has lifted, and while private equity rebounded in 2025, the clearer visibility has also revealed a more complex and demanding landscape. In this episode, the authors of our…

  36. 292. 2026 M&A Trends: Navigating a rapidly rebounding market

    · 49 min

    Top dealmakers entered 2025 expecting to overcome continued challenges, but few anticipated how sharply trade and geopolitical pressures would intensify. In this episode, Jake Henry and Mieke Van Oostende, the global…

  37. 291. ‘Having a human bank is very important’: A conversation with Citi CEO Jane Fraser

    · 43 min

    Jane Fraser, Chair and CEO of Citi, talks with McKinsey Senior Partner and North America Managing Partner Eric Kutcher. After becoming CEO in March 2021, Jane launched a multi-year strategy to transform, simplify, and…

  38. 290. Tim Koller reflects on three decades of Valuation at McKinsey

    · 29 min

    From its origins as an internal three-ring binder to its status as a global reference text, Valuation has shaped how business leaders think about value creation for more than 30 years. In this episode, co-author Tim…

  39. 289. The CFO as growth leader: Levi’s Harmit Singh on transformation and the “Magic of the And.”

    · 37 min

    Levi Strauss & Co. Chief Finance and Growth Officer, Harmit Singh, joins us to share lessons from his 13-year journey transforming the iconic clothing company. Singh explains how Levi’s returned to growth, strengthened…

  40. 288. Securing agentic AI: A playbook

    · 54 min

    As organizations increasingly employ agentic AI, they face new risks that could disrupt operations, compromise sensitive data, or erode customer trust. Rich Isenberg and Charlie Lewis join us to discuss these emerging…

  41. 287. IBM Chairman, President, and CEO Arvind Krishna on setting bold ambition and driving growth through innovation

    · 43 min

    Arvind Krishna, the Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of IBM, stepped into the CEO role at IBM in 2020, following 30 years at the company. Prior to that, he held various senior positions, spanning VP of…

  42. 286. The Cigna Group’s Brian Evanko on improving affordability and prevention in healthcare

    · 35 min

    Health insurers are facing urgent challenges related to affordability, access, and how to safely and effectively leverage AI and emerging technologies. In this episode, McKinsey senior partner Celia Huber is joined by…

  43. 285. Keys to success for CFOs leading transformations

    · 52 min

    CFOs are increasingly helping lead transformations of their companies, which has a range of implications for how they manage their time and stay up to date with technology. Leading transformation has often been viewed…

  44. 284. Inside the Chief of Staff role

    · 47 min

    Leaders across both the public and private sectors are navigating an era of constant disruption. They're expected to deliver major transformations, manage complexity, and balance competing priorities, all while…

  45. 283. The CEO as chief storyteller

    · 51 min

    To ensure that their companies engage effectively with stakeholders, CEOs need to set communication standards, embody the organization’s culture and purpose, and speak up in moments that matter most. In today’s…

  46. 282. Investing in innovation: A pathway to resilient growth

    · 49 min

    In times of economic volatility, the temptation to focus on short-term profitability can become a trap that stalls longer-term projects designed to spur growth. Yet as our long-standing research shows, companies that…

  47. 281. Pricing to create value across the private equity portfolio

    · 53 min

    A small improvement in pricing can often drive greater value creation than larger cost or volume improvements. However, private equity (PE) funds face unique challenges in identifying and addressing pricing…

  48. 280. Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta on culture, strategy, and reinvention

    · 47 min

    Chris Nassetta has served as President and CEO of Hilton since 2007, leading the organization through some extraordinary challenges. Chris’s focus on a sustainable growth model and a brand-led, network-driven strategy…

  49. 279. From the NFL to the C-Suite: Jason Wright on what it takes to transform organizations and build world-class teams

    · 35 min

    What do winning teams in elite sports teach us about driving transformation in business? This week, Kevin Carmody, a senior partner and global coleader of our CFO and finance excellence practice, speaks with former…

  50. 278. Frontier Communications CEO Nick Jeffery on purpose, strategy, and keeping it simple

    · 33 min

    Nick Jeffery, President and CEO of Frontier Communications since 2021, has over three decades of strategic and operational leadership in the U.S. and global telecommunications industry. As a seasoned transformation…

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.