The McKinsey Podcast
Business & Finance
About
The McKinsey Podcast, our new flagship podcast series, takes you inside our global firm, and features conversations with experts on issues that matter most in business and management. McKinsey & Company is a management-consulting firm that helps businesses, governments, and not-for-profit organizations realize their most important goals. Topics covered in this series include strategy, technology, leadership, marketing, operations, organization, and the role of business in society.
Episodes
- Rewiring for AI: From ambition to advantage
This episode explores how generative and agentic AI are changing work dynamics. It focuses on the importance of organizational capabilities to deliver real results with AI, moving beyond mere ambition.
- The rise of the human–AI workforce
This episode of The McKinsey Podcast explores the rise of the human-AI workforce. McKinsey Senior Partner Alexis Krivkovich and McKinsey Global Institute Partner Anu Madgavkar discuss new research on AI capabilities and how humans can work…
- What great leaders know about not knowing it all
David Novak, former CEO of Yum! Brands, shares his leadership journey and insights on "The McKinsey Podcast." He discusses how his experiences, including engaging with front-line franchisees and managing a product flop, shaped his approach…
- Follow the money: How FDI is redrawing the global economy
McKinsey Senior Partners Nick Leung and Olivia White join host Roberta Fusaro to discuss why foreign direct investment (FDI) has become a critical indicator for business competitive advantage. They explore how capital flows into sectors li…
- Can the US sustain its competitive edge?
In this episode, McKinsey experts Eric Kutcher and Olivia White discuss new MGI research on the US economy, exploring its historical competitive edge and the actions leaders must take to maintain it amidst current challenges and the rise o…
- AI is everywhere. The agentic organization isn’t—yet
McKinsey Senior Partner Alexis Krivkovich discusses the challenges of scaling AI in the enterprise and the shift toward building an agentic organization, including the impact on workflows, leadership roles, and company culture.
- Leadership lessons from private equity CEOs
McKinsey leaders Marla Capozzi and Sacha Ghai discuss their research into private equity-backed companies and the leadership tactics that drive their performance. They share findings on how these strategies can be applied across other type…
- Trust in the age of agents
McKinsey Partner Rich Isenberg and Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly discuss scaling AI agents and managing the organizational shifts required for enterprise-wide implementation. They explore accountability, risk mitigation, and buil…
- What does it take to achieve and sustain growth?
McKinsey Senior Partners Greg Kelly and Jill Zucker discuss the gap between growth ambitions and actual behaviors in organizations. They explain how leaders can achieve sustained performance by making deliberate bets and resource allocatio…
- A new way of thinking about metabolic health
Lars Hartenstein and Roberta Fusaro discuss McKinsey research on obesity and metabolic health, including potential interventions, economic impacts, and emerging technologies. They examine how to drive improvements in metabolic health outco…
- Special episode: 2026 Davos highlights
McKinsey Senior Partners Becca Coggins and Shelley Stewart III discuss key topics from the World Economic Forum in Davos with Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly. Discussion points include geopolitics, AI leadership, and the emergence…
- How the best CEOs are meeting the AI moment
McKinsey's Eric Kutcher and Lucia Rahilly discuss how CEOs can successfully navigate the complexities of AI, emphasizing that the transformation is primarily a business shift rather than a technological one.
- Special episode: McKinsey at CES 2026
McKinsey's Bill Wiseman, Bob Sternfels, Martin Kellner, and Steffen Fuchs report from the Consumer Electronics Show. They discuss key themes and tools, including breakthroughs in AI and advances in mobility.
- The future of work is agentic
McKinsey experts discuss the integration of AI agents into the workplace alongside human employees. They explore how these technologies are currently being used and how leaders can prepare for a future workforce.
- Don’t get stuck in a rut—update how you operate
In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, Senior Partner Arne Gast and Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro explore how executives can improve productivity and leadership by regularly reviewing their priorities, roles, time, and energy. They d…
- What's next for global banking?
McKinsey Senior Partners Klaus Dallerup and Pradip Patiath discuss the latest global banking annual review with Lucia Rahilly. They examine the industry's recent profitability, potential future challenges, and strategies used by top-perfor…
- Quantum computing: Game on
Michael Bogobowicz discusses the advancements in quantum computing and its potential practical applications. Additionally, Michael Bucy explores the critical role of CEOs in the success of business transformations.
- The fashion industry faces a world in flux
McKinsey Senior Partner Gemma D’Auria and Global Editorial Director Lucia Rahilly discuss the 2025 state of the fashion industry. They explore how brands can navigate challenges caused by climate change, trade uncertainties, and shifting c…
- The industries reshaping our global economy
McKinsey Global Institute director Chris Bradley joins Lucia Rahilly to discuss a new report on high-growth industries that are reshaping the global economy. They explore how these emerging arenas of competition are transforming business p…
- Data centers: The race to power AI
Jesse Noffsinger and Pankaj Sachdeva join Lucia Rahilly to discuss the challenges of scaling data centers to meet the energy demands of artificial intelligence. They explore requirements for building larger facilities and addressing increa…
- Gen AI is here—but where are its users?
This episode of The McKinsey Podcast examines why employee adoption of generative AI remains slow despite rapid technological advancements. Guests discuss the technical, cultural, and organizational challenges companies face when integrati…
- Which tech trends are rising to the top of the business agenda?
McKinsey Senior Partners Lareina Yee, Roger Roberts, and Sven Smit discuss 13 frontier technology trends from McKinsey's annual outlook. They explore topics including AI, robotics, digital innovation, infrastructure, and trust in the conte…
- Building leaders from the ground up
McKinsey experts discuss the essential characteristics for modern business leaders to manage disruption and how organizations can foster team-oriented leadership. The episode also highlights three types of resiliencies that CEOs can cultiv…
- Rewinding 2025: A year of The McKinsey Podcast insights—in under 10 minutes
This episode of The McKinsey Podcast provides a review of insights from 2025, covering leadership, organizational change, and technological innovation. It summarizes expert discussions on navigating geopolitical and economic uncertainty, a…
- How agentic AI could transform travel
Jules Seeley and Lucia Rahilly discuss new McKinsey research on how agentic AI could reshape the travel industry. The conversation explores how AI agents may handle itinerary planning, flight disruptions, and personalized travel recommenda…
- Productivity first: AI and the COO agenda
McKinsey Senior Partner Daniel Swan and Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro discuss how chief operating officers can integrate technology and AI into company culture to improve efficiency and resilience. They examine the balance between addr…
- A more accurate way to measure consumer engagement
McKinsey Senior Partner Kabir Ahuja discusses the "attention equation," a framework for measuring consumer engagement. He explains why businesses should prioritize the quality of focus over the quantity of eyeballs when evaluating content…
- Remanufacturing: Turning old parts into new opportunities
Senior Partner Inga Maurer and Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro discuss how remanufacturing restores preowned parts to perform as new, reducing waste and creating value in industries like automotive and electronics.
- What sets the world’s best leaders apart
McKinsey Senior Partners Carolyn Dewar, Kurt Strovink, Scott Keller, and Vik Malhotra discuss their book, A CEO for All Seasons, and share insights on what distinguishes high-performing CEOs based on research and executive interviews.
- The promise and potential of rural America
In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, experts discuss the diverse archetypes of rural America and research to help leaders understand these communities. The segment also covers how rural K-12 education can prepare students for advanced…
- The changing role of the CMO—and what it means for growth
McKinsey senior partners Shelley Stewart III and Kelsey Robinson discuss new research on the shifting role of CMOs and the importance of C-suite alignment for organizational growth. This episode explores strategies to reintegrate marketing…
- A conversation about valuation
In this episode, McKinsey Partner Tim Koller and Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro discuss the evolution of business valuation over the past 35 years. The conversation also explores the unique investment approach of Warren Buffett as detai…
- What the latest trends in sporting goods mean for brands
McKinsey Partner Alexander Thiel joins Lucia Rahilly to discuss consumer trends in the sporting goods industry and strategies for leaders to address slowing growth. The conversation covers the rise of sports like pickleball and padel along…
- Tariffs and trade: Preparing for the unpredictable
McKinsey's Cindy Levy and Shubham Singhal join Lucia Rahilly to discuss navigating complex global trade dynamics and reconfiguring trade relationships amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions and tariff discussions.
- Confronting the affordable-housing crisis
In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey Partner JP Julien discusses the causes and impacts of the US affordable-housing crisis. He and host Lucia Rahilly explore potential solutions for public- and private-sector leaders to impro…
- Time to revisit your M&A strategy
McKinsey partners discuss the 2025 M&A report, highlighting the role of active acquisition strategies and corporate culture during integration. The episode also features a segment on how CEOs can maintain connection with their teams.
- When the career ladder breaks for women—and how to succeed anyway
McKinsey experts Kweilin Ellingrud, Lareina Yee, and María del Mar Martínez discuss the career challenges faced by women and potential strategies for professional advancement, based on the book 'The Broken Rung.'
- McKinsey’s highlights from Mobile World Congress
McKinsey Partner Ferry Grijpink and Editorial Director Roberta Fusaro discuss key takeaways from the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, including the practical application of gen AI, 5G, satellite technology, and new phone designs.
- Special episode: Debriefing Davos 2025
McKinsey senior partners discuss the key themes from the 2025 World Economic Forum in Davos. The conversation covers AI transformation, geopolitics, EU competitiveness, the energy transition, and women's health.
- Navigating the new geopolitical uncertainty
McKinsey’s Cindy Levy and Shubham Singhal discuss geopolitical uncertainty with Lucia Rahilly. They explore how business leaders can move beyond risk mitigation to identify and capture new opportunities within the current landscape.
- Replaying a full year of The McKinsey Podcast—in just ten minutes
In this episode, The McKinsey Podcast reviews key discussions from the past year, highlighting themes like technology, talent, and decarbonization. Additionally, partners Kweilin Ellingrud, Sven Smit, and Yuval Atsmon share their 2024 book…
- What will it take for working women to rise?
In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, senior partners discuss a decade of research on the status of women in the workplace. They examine the progress made, areas of stagnation, and actionable steps to accelerate the advancement of women…
- Special episode: Climate adaptation is one key theme at COP 29
McKinsey partner Alexis Trittipo reports from the COP 29 climate change conference in Baku, discussing key themes including climate adaptation.
- CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç on reinventing Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç discusses his approach to corporate transformation and the company's recent growth in conversation with McKinsey senior partner Michael Birshan.
- How the top UK companies have set themselves up for success
McKinsey partners discuss the five conditions for high-performing UK companies and explore the role of the CEO during M&A transitions.
- Rewiring for the era of gen AI
In this episode, authors of the book Rewired discuss strategies for leaders to navigate the era of generative AI. Additionally, senior partner Wesley Walden shares a personal experience regarding open communication in business.
- A net zero reality check
In this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, experts discuss new research on the physical realities of the net-zero transition. Additionally, the episode features insights on improving the relationship between CEOs and their boards.
- Leading from the inside-out: Why CEOs must make time for self-reflection
McKinsey senior partners Ramesh Srinivasan and Hans-Werner Kaas discuss their book, The Journey of Leadership, and why CEOs should cultivate self-awareness, humility, and compassion to effectively lead and inspire their organizations.
- A look at the technology trends that matter most
McKinsey experts discuss findings from the Technology Trends Outlook 2024 report, highlighting areas of innovation and investment. Additionally, the episode covers strategies for CEOs regarding communication planning and crisis management.
- Will generative AI hurt middle managers—or help them?
McKinsey experts Bryan Hancock and Emily Field reflect on their book "Power to the Middle." They discuss the vital role of middle managers and how generative AI can be utilized to better support teams and improve managerial effectiveness.