Inside the Strategy Room

Read more >    Listen to the podcast (duration: 37:07) >  Biases can lead executives to misjudge project potential, ignore potential pitfalls, and leave failures to fester. In this episode, McKinsey partner Tim Koller and University of Sydney professor of business strategy Dan Lovallo speak with McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown about how to bust common biases by avoiding snap judgements, eliciting strong arguments for and against proposals, carrying out project premortems, and using contingency plans to avoid the so-called sunk-cost fallacy.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: 22:12) >  As companies craft their responses to the COVID-19 crisis, CFOs are in the thick of the action. They need to make sure that their organizations weather the immediate business shocks while preparing them to emerge from the crisis in the best possible shape.In this episode of the Inside the Strategy Room podcast, Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown talks with three of McKinsey’s corporate finance experts about the top imperatives for CFOs today. Ishaan Seth is the leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance practice in the Americas and heads McKinsey’s Financial Services practice. Ankur Agrawal leads the CFO Finance service line in North America, working primarily in healthcare, and Kapil Chandra heads up our work in Europe on financial transformation in banking.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: 27:05) >  During the COVID-19 crisis, a core priority for many companies is preserving cash. In this episode, Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown talks with three of McKinsey’s corporate finance experts about the best ways to ensure liquidity now and manage cash and working capital as the business environment starts to stabilize. Kevin Carmody is one of the founders of McKinsey’s Transformation Practice. Tim Koller is a founder and leader of our Corporate Finance Practice, as well as the lead author of Valuation, the seventh edition of which will be published in May. Allie Owens is a consultant who focuses on growth strategy, working capital, and M&A.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: 18:30) >  In this episode we share excerpts from a webcast session on COVID-19’s implications for business resilience. It was recorded at the 2020 Global Business Leaders Forum, which had been scheduled to take place in New York in early April but was instead held online. In conversation with Strategy and Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, two McKinsey experts offer their perspectives on how businesses can develop business strategies for responding to the pandemic crisis and preparing for the “next normal.” Mihir Mysore is a leader of McKinsey’s work on crisis response and recently co-authored “Responding to coronavirus: The minimum viable nerve center.” Shubham Singhal is the global leader of the healthcare practice who co-wrote “Beyond coronavirus: The path to the next normal.”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: 23:11) >  In early April 2020 we hosted our annual Global Business Leaders Forum. We held the Forum online and focused the first day on the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on business. Martin Hirt, a senior partner in our Greater China Office and the global co-leader of the Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, recently co-authored two articles on the crisis titled “Safeguarding our lives and our livelihoods: The imperative of our time” and “Getting ahead of the next stage of the coronavirus crisis.”He opened the Forum with a discussion on COVID-19 and its implications for business and society. Here are the highlights from Martin’s session including his responses to questions he received from Forum attendees.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: 25:34) >  Environmental, social, and governance(ESG) issues are playing an increasing role in companies’ decisions around mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. But how do these factors link to corporate performance and deal potential? In this episode, two experts share their insights on navigating this fast-changing landscape. Sara Bernow, who leads McKinsey’s work in sustainable investing and co-leads the institutional investing practice in Europe, is a co-author of the recent article, “More than values: The values-based sustainability reporting that investors want. ”Robin Nuttall leads our regulatory and government affairs practice and recently co-authored “Five ways that ESG creates value.” They spoke with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown at the European 2020 M&A Conference in London.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: 21:39) >  With the cost of money low and the competition for deals high, revenue synergies are playing a bigger part in the rationale for acquisitions.In this episode, three McKinsey experts discuss the challenges around capturing revenue synergies in mergers.In their conversation with Strategy & Corporate Finance communications director Sean Brown, partners Alex Liu and Nikolaus Raberger along with associate partner John Chartier, share the key findings from their recent research, featured in their article, “Seven rules to crack the code on revenue synergies and M&A.”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: 33:05) >  McKinsey senior partners Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller discuss the six dimensions that separate exceptional CEOs from the rest of the pack.They also provide guidance on how current and future leaders can join that elite group.Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

The podcast discusses the challenges of successful execution and integration of mergers and acquisitions. It highlights the importance of a well-planned governance model, developing M&A muscle, achieving successful integration, managing cultural pitfalls, internal communication, and stakeholder engagement. It also explores the factors affecting complexity of M&A deals and emphasizes the importance of onboarding.

Beth Comstock, former vice chair of GE, and Erik Roth, McKinsey senior partner, discuss the importance of tolerance for risk, patience, and thinking small in driving innovation. They explore designing messiness in organizations, the drawbacks of incubators and accelerators, investing in clean tech mistakes, allocating budget wisely, and choosing the right leaders for better decision-making.