Inside the Strategy Room

Vik Malhotra and Asheet Mehta, McKinsey senior partners, talk with James Gorman, chairman and CEO of Morgan Stanley about how he reshaped the global financial firm's strategy following the global financial crisis. James also discusses how being an expert poker player helps him think through resource allocation.     You can find more interviews with the world's top-performing leaders in the acclaimed bestseller, CEO Excellence: The six mindsets that distinguish the best leaders from the rest by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra.    Follow McKinsey's Strategy and Corporate and Finance practice on LinkedIn and Twitter.    Explore more Inside the Strategy Room podcast episode transcripts at McKinsey.com/itsr   Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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 blockchain and forming partnerships that can help bring products for this to market. Prady talks with McKinsey’s innovation leader Erik Roth about how he approaches his work bringing blockchain-based companies to market.     Subscribe to The Committed Innovator podcast series: https://link.chtbl.com/Temasek  A transcript of today’s episode: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-committed-innovator-a-conversation-with-temaseks-pradyumna-agrawal    Transcripts of our podcasts on innovation: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/inside-the-strategy-room-podcast/innovation  Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Spin-offs can give both companies more freedom and improve their performance if executives systematically consider the growth strategies, operations, talent, and cultural changes that each entity will require for a win–win scenario. Four experts join Sean Brown to explain how to best ensure spin-offs create value.  Andy West is a senior partner in our Boston office and co-leads our M&A work globally. He is joined by Jan Krause, a partner based in Cologne who leads our M&A transactions work in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Anthony Luu, an associate partner and expert in M&A strategy development based in our Dallas office, and Anna Mattsson, a partner based in our Zurich office who focuses on M&A strategy, integrations, and divestitures. Andy, Jan and Anthony are also co-authors of the article, “Achieving win-win spin-offs”.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 32:40) >  Bill Osborne, the president of New Zealand Rugby and celebrated All Black player, is one of the few sports stars who later succeeded at translating their skills to the field of business. He went on to serve in senior roles at New Zealand Post and Quotable Value New Zealand. He also served on corporate and not-for-profit boards, including the 2 Degrees telecommunications company, CoreLogic New Zealand, and the Maori Economic Development Commission. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, he tells expert associate partner Guy Mullarkey how his Maori culture and rugby career shaped his approach to business, leadership, and strategy.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 42:53) >  The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has a proposed a new rule that, if adopted, would require public companies to provide detailed reporting of their climate-related risks, emissions, and net-zero transition plans. In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, four McKinsey experts explain the ramifications of the proposal for CFOs and other senior leaders. Laura Corb leads the Sustainability Practice in North America while Kimberly Henderson is a core leader in the practice. They are joined by finance expert Tim Koller, co-author of the best-selling book Valuation, and Shally Venugopal, North American lead for McKinsey’s climate advisory firm Vivid Economics.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

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 challenges of our times: fostering economic growth for the good of all. Tracy Francis, a member of McKinsey’s global leadership team, leads the firm’s consumer packaged goods and retail work across Latin America. Anu Madgavkar is a member of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) and leads work on labor markets and human capital, technology’s economic impact, and inclusive growth. Sven Smit is co-chair of MGI and co-author of the bestselling book, Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Disruptive food start-ups have increasingly grabbed headlines and the attention of large consumer packaged goods companies. The plant-based keto snack company Keho is continuing this trend by offering its savory “real food” bites to a health-conscious market that includes athletes at one end of a spectrum, and people looking to resolve health problems with diet change on the other. Keho founder and McKinsey adviser Tekla Back has long been a food and keto enthusiast, and started the company after leaving her role at PepsiCo as senior vice president for corporate strategy, where she helped lead the company’s transition to healthier products. The Committed Innovator: https://link.chtbl.com/1Q3Kffno Read the transcript: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-committed-innovator-a-conversation-with-kehos-tekla-backSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The pandemic has been a stark reminder for many organizations that they are insufficiently prepared for crises that could not merely destabilize them but put them out of business. In this episode of our board perspective series, we look at the board’s role in ensuring readiness for such existential risks. Nora Aufreiter is an experienced director, and a McKinsey senior adviser. Celia Huber leads McKinsey’s board services work in North America, and Ophelia Usher works in McKinsey’s global Risk and Resilience practice and co-authored the article “The disaster you could have stopped: Preparing for extraordinary risk”.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Scott Keller and Carolyn Dewar, senior partners at McKinsey, co-lead the CEO Excellence practice alongside Vik Malhotra, a former chair in the Americas region. They dive into the essential role of cultural management, likening it to financial strategy, and discuss how top CEOs cultivate a unified cultural vision. The trio shares insights on evolving leadership mindsets post-pandemic, emphasizing resilience and 'stagility.' Personal anecdotes highlight the importance of humility, authenticity, and trust in effective leadership.

In the upcoming book, CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best CEOs from the Rest, three McKinsey senior partners offer leadership lessons from 67 CEOs of some of the world’s most successful companies. In this episode, the first of two, we will discuss some of the insights from their book, including some great stories from their interviews.  We also discuss how exceptional chief executives rally their teams around the vision and how they engage the board of directors. Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller, who co-lead McKinsey’s global CEO Excellence practice, are joined by Vik Malhotra, former chair of our firm’s Americas region.  Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information