226. Helping India’s E-commerce Leapfrog Into The Future Inside The Strategy Room podcast

35:14

McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth speaks with Jelena Joffe Weil , the founder and worldwide leader of the Venture Innovation program at Amazon Web Services , Amazon’s cloud computing arm, about how AWS works to close the gap between innovation and go-to-market for start-ups and large enterprises. The global hyperscaler is known for helping businesses grow and scale rapidly, but it also helps start-ups and established enterprises find each other to engage in open, or collaborative, innovation. Related Insights The Committed Innovator podcast Filling the gap between innovation and go to market Driving innovation with generative AI Taking fear out of innovation How to take the measure of innovation Fielding high-performing innovation teams Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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243. A road map to successful transformation 45:18

9 days ago45:18

45:18

Business transformation has evolved markedly in recent years as technology and the pace of change reshape the landscape organizations face. Once a byword for cost-cutting, transformation now more readily incorporates bold, strategic goals. Today, we discuss the core elements of a successful transformation and how to confront some of the common challenges. We are joined by three deeply experienced leaders from our Transformation Practice to discuss how transformation has evolved over the years. Kevin Carmody is a senior partner based in our Chicago office and works with management teams, boards of directors, and other stakeholders on complex performance transformations, strategy, change management programs, and corporate finance. Louisa Greco is a partner in our Toronto office and focuses on driving broad-scale transformations, commercial improvement, growth and innovation, and organizational effectiveness. Rob Montgomery is a partner in our San Francisco office and has designed and led comprehensive transformations across industries. All our guests have served in senior executive and chief transformation officer roles. Related Insights Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation Ready, set, go, and keep going: Why speed is key to a successful transformation Breaking the mold: Five behaviors of leading growth transformers Meet the newest member of the consumer C-suite: The chief transformation officer Driving long-term business transformation 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…

Inside the Strategy Room

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242. Planning for the next wave of M&A 45:46

17 days ago45:46

45:46

This week we speak with the authors of our latest Annual M&A Report about trends in the deal landscape and what we might expect from 2025. Will the much-anticipated increase in transactions finally materialize? Or will players continue to hold onto their dry powder, waiting for the ongoing uncertainty that we’ve seen since the pandemic to settle down? McKinsey senior partners Mieke Van Oostende and Jake Henry co-lead our M&A practice, and in this episode, they share findings and observations from their latest report. Related insights: M&A Annual Report: Is the wave finally arriving? Gen AI: Opportunities in M&A How one approach to M&A is more likely to create value than all others How lots of small M&A deals add up to big value The seven habits of programmatic acquirers How AI is transforming strategy development 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…

Inside the Strategy Room

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241. The path forward for private equity 46:03

24 days ago46:03

46:03

Despite persistent uncertainty in global markets, 2024 was the year that private equity began to emerge from a multi-year fog, with a rebound in dealmaking and distributions. Our Global Private Markets Report for 2025 revealed an industry that is more resilient, more innovative, and perhaps stronger than before. To discuss the nuances of that report we are joined by two of the report’s authors, Alex Edlich and Christopher Croke . Alex is a senior partner in our New York office where he helps private equity and financial services clients achieve superior performance, by driving innovation with new technology. He is a senior leader in our Financial Services, Private Capital, and Digital Practices. Christopher Croke is a partner in our London office, where he is a leader in our Private Capital Practice. He advises private equity firms on their investments and strategy and helps the companies they own with their strategy and value creation. Related insights Global Private Markets Report 2025: Private equity emerging from the fog Insights on Private Capital Deal Volume Podcast CEO alpha: A new approach to generating private equity outperformance Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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240. Improving strategy with AI 40:32

4 weeks ago40:32

40:32

A key challenge to developing corporate strategy is moving quickly enough with the right insights to gain and maintain a competitive edge. Generative AI can help with this, as our guests this week describe.In this episode, we talk with three strategy experts about their research into using gen AI to help develop corporate strategy and the successes and challenges they encountered. Bruce Delteil is the managing partner of our Vietnam office and leads our Strategy Practice in Asia. He serves clients on all aspects of strategy development, including scenario planning, visioning, war games, and the impact of gen AI. Antoine Montard is our Strategy Practice director of client capabilities based in Lisbon. He leads our Strategy, Research, and Insight Center and helps develop novel approaches for strategy, builds capabilities of teams and clients, and serves as a strategy expert on client projects. Andrea Tricoli is an associate partner in our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice based in London. He leads our initiative to apply generative AI to our Strategy Method. He serves organizations on how to use analytics and AI to drive better decision-making, especially across the finance and strategy functions. Related Insights How AI is transforming strategy development Gen AI: Opportunities in M&A Four critical strategies for sustainable gen AI adoption Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick Why strategists should embrace imperfection The art of 21st-century leadership: From succession planning to building a leadership factory Achieving growth: Putting leadership mindsets and behaviors into action Six strategies for growth outperformance 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…

Inside the Strategy Room

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239. CEO perspectives: Jim Fitterling, Chair and CEO of Dow Inc. 35:41

5 weeks ago35:41

35:41

Innovation and transformation become critical imperatives for many organizations, especially as they grow larger and mature. The complex merger and series of spin-offs that Dow Inc. underwent with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company between 2017 and 2018 is among the more dramatic of such reinventions. The move to create a materials science company (Dow), an agricultural business (Corteva), and an industrial company (Dupont), remains a much-studied growth strategy case. In this episode, Dow Inc. Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling talks with McKinsey Senior Partner and Global Energy and Materials Practice leader John Warner about why the “merge-spin” made sense then and now, and about leading a global company with compassion in a rapidly changing world. Related insights How Dow reinvented itself Getting fit for growth: The leadership mindsets and behaviors that matter The Committed Innovator: A conversation with Neal Gutterson of Corteva The making of a megadeal: Howard Ungerleider on the merger of Dow and DuPont Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals How one approach to M&A is more likely to create value than all others Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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238. How leading CEOs excel at stakeholder engagement 46:37

6 weeks ago46:37

46:37

The best leaders are masterful communicators. They advance the aspirations of their companies with compelling, singular narratives that inspire a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. In this episode, we’re joined by three CEO and stakeholder relations experts who share their research into how CEOs can foster deeper dialogues and more meaningful connections with their wide range of stakeholders. Blair Epstein is a partner in our Bay Area office and a leader in our CEO Excellence Practice. Julia McClatchy is a partner in our Philadelphia office and a leader in our Growth, Marketing, and Sales Practice, and Eric Sherman is an expert based in our New York office who co-leads our CEO communications work. Related Insights How the best CEOs build lasting stakeholder relationships The CEO’s essential checklist: Questions every chief executive should be able to answer CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinquish the Best Leaders from the Rest The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead From the Inside Out Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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237. How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through all manner of change 32:43

7 weeks ago32:43

32:43

Judy Marks is one of the few dozen women who lead Fortune 500 companies. She joined Connecticut-based Otis Elevator in 2017 as President, and was appointed CEO in 2019. After leading the company’s 2020 spinoff to become an independent publicly traded company, she was appointed Chair as well. Additionally, Judy serves on the board of Caterpillar. In this episode McKinsey Senior Partner and North America Chair Eric Kutcher talks with Judy about how she thinks about geopolitical shifts, technological change, and leading 71,000 employees in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe. Related insights The art of 21st-century leadership: From succession planning to building a leadership factory A business of its times: Haier’s self-evolving organization Author Talks: IBM’s Ginni Rometty on leading with ‘good power’ Getting fit for growth: The leadership mindsets and behaviors that matter Opening doors for women leaders: An interview with Caroline Feeney CEO Perspectives Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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236. How corporate boards are responding to their changing role 45:37

8 weeks ago45:37

45:37

Corporate boards face increasing complexity as factors such as technological and geopolitical change challenge the organizations they serve. At the same time, boards are expected to do more, including to serve as catalysts of value creation. In this episode we talk with three experts on board effectiveness about their research: Senior partners Frithjof Lund and Celia Huber lead McKinsey’s Board Services Practice, together with senior expert Nina Spielmann. Their recently published analysis, “ Better together: Three ways to boost board–CEO collaboration ,” looks at the ways boards can do more to help advance the corporations they steward. Related insights The rising complexity of board directorship Ready to board: Ascending new heights through CEO-board communication Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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235. Reimagining board communications 46:39

9 weeks ago46:39

46:39

We discuss the role of technology in improving board communications, the challenges boards face in managing information, and how AI and cloud-based platforms can help streamline board meetings and improve decision-making. Our guests are Niamh Corbett , the Head of Americas for Board Intelligence , McKinsey senior partner Celia Huber , who leads our North American Board Services Practice , and actor, filmmaker, and entrepreneur Edward Norton, who is also the co-founder and head of strategy at Zeck —a cloud-based software platform designed specifically for boards. Related insights Better together: Three ways to boost board–CEO collaboration The rising complexity of board directorship Ready to board: Ascending new heights through CEO-board communication Zeck is software that reimagines the board meeting process to improve decision-making for boards, investors, and management teams. Board Intelligence provides management reporting software and a board portal that unlocks your business’s performance and governance. Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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What an AI-powered finance function of the future looks like 28:19

10 weeks ago28:19

28:19

In this bonus episode of Inside the Strategy Room, we feature an interview with OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar from the At the Edge podcast. Sarah joined our senior partner, Lareina Yee , to discuss how to lead through this era of intense technological change and what it means for the future of the finance function and business leadership. Our At the Edge podcast features conversations with creative leaders and pioneers who demystify cutting-edge technologies and share strategies for companies to capture big opportunities. Related insights At the Edge podcast Keeping artificial intelligence real Cisco Systems CFO on M&A, geopolitics, and the emerging AI opportunity Managing the risks around generative AI Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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233. Building the will to transform: The importance of communication in transformations 41:54

11 weeks ago41:54

41:54

The way leaders talk about the goals and process of transformation has a profound influence on outcomes. The process of transformation can challenge any organization that undertakes it. In this episode, McKinsey transformation experts John Parsons, Dominic Skerritt, and Mary Lass Stewart talk about the role of communication to engaging and keeping team members on board and energized throughout the process. The trio recently co-authored an article on the subject, Going all in: Why employee ‘will’ can make or break transformations . Related insights How to communicate effectively in times of uncertainty To deliver a transformation’s full potential, put the front line first The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation How many people are really needed in a transformation? 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…

Inside the Strategy Room

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232. Best of 2024 - What’s new in strategy: A view from the frontlines 32:04

12 weeks ago32:04

32:04

Senior partners Alex D’Amico , Michael Birshan , and Andy West join us for a conversation about the latest developments in the field of strategy. They discuss how generative AI will change strategy creation, the importance of developing distinctive insights as part of the strategy process, and how to avoid social dynamics from derailing your organization’s best-laid plans. Related insights: Strategic courage in an age of volatility Tying short-term decisions to long-term strategy Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick Eight shifts that will take your strategy into high gear The social side of strategy The board’s role in strategy Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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231. Best of 2024 - Why strategists should embrace imperfection 37:08

13 weeks ago37:08

37:08

We're joined by Charles Conn and Rob McLean, AM, the co-authors of The Imperfectionists: Strategic Mindsets for Uncertain Times . Charles is an investor, environmentalist, and entrepreneur. He co-founded Monograph, a venture firm, and was previously CEO of the Rhodes Trust in Oxford. He is the Board Chair of Patagonia and sits on The Nature Conservancy European Council. He was the founding CEO of Ticketmaster-Citysearch and a partner at McKinsey & Company. Rob is a Director Emeritus of McKinsey & Company, a Trustee of The Nature Conservancy in Australia and Asia, and a Director of the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic foundation. He is the former Dean of the Australian Graduate School of Management. He was a Fulbright Scholar at the Columbia University Graduate School of Business. Rob and Charles' books can be found here: https://bulletproofproblemsolving.com/ You can also listen to their previous interview on Inside the Strategy Room or read the edited transcript on McKinsey.com. Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/ See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information…

Inside the Strategy Room

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230. How boards can tackle geopolitical risk 39:23

14 weeks ago39:23