The So What from BCG

Private equity is under pressure to deliver returns in a tougher environment. Clark O’Niell, BCG’s global lead for AI infrastructure and cyber in the private investors & private equity practice, shares how the smartest investors are using AI to move beyond hype, drive impact at scale, and future-proof their portfolios. It’s about focus over fragmentation—and combining judgment with new tools.  Learn More: Clark O’Niell: https://on.bcg.com/46tTmep BCG’s Latest Thinking on Private Equity: https://on.bcg.com/4598Fa5 IT Spending Pulse: AI Agents and GenAI Reshape Priorities: https://on.bcg.com/4mmjVXG The So What from BCG on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMJgyXjV5gMI9JV-GcF_D1Y6zyf1Eab_0This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Rich Lesser, BCG’s global chair, and Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, reflect on the shocks and surprises that shaped the first half of the decade and what they reveal about the future. They explore the traits leaders need today: building trust, staying geopolitically aware, and adopting AI in a people-centered way.  Learn More: Rich Lesser: https://on.bcg.com/4lZrWla Martin Reeves: https://on.bcg.com/4lXaAVX Winning in the 20s: https://on.bcg.com/4lpe1oo Winning the ’20s: A Leadership Agenda for the Next Decade: https://on.bcg.com/40iscDs This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Europe is at a tipping point after years of slow growth. Sylvain Duranton, BCG X’s global leader, explains how countries and companies can work together to simplify regulation, scale innovation, and build a truly unified, competitive Europe.  Learn More: Sylvain Duranton:https://on.bcg.com/3T9QN9b Europe’s Business Leaders Are Ready for Action: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/global-trade-disruption-wake-up-call-europe-boston-consulting-group-lbnhe/ BCG’s Center for Geopolitics: https://on.bcg.com/4kJir8K This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Christine Barton, BCG’s CEO Advisory lead in North America, delves into what makes a fulfilling CEO role amid its inherent challenges. She discusses the importance of clarity of purpose, building an effective leadership team, and reducing time-wasting activities. The conversation touches on the evolving responsibilities of CEOs, the need for authenticity, and tackling executive burnout. Barton also emphasizes fostering team collaboration and external market awareness as keys to long-term success in leadership.

In this enlightening discussion, Justin Manly, BCG’s lead on growth and innovation, shares his expertise on crafting effective growth strategies. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a company’s starting point and offers insights from two decades of data on successful business growth. The conversation touches on case studies of Fujifilm and Kodak, revealing the risks of missteps. Justin also highlights the transformative role of AI in business strategies and the need for resilience amidst market disruptions.

Financial analysts were far more prepared than most CEOs for the US tariffs announced on April 2. Analysts, who serve as a proxy for the financial markets, anticipated tariffs would soon be an enormous issue, mentioning the topic 62% more often than did CEOs during Q1 earnings calls. That’s the conclusion of the second edition of the CEO Radar—a tool to help CEOs determine which issues truly deserve their time and attention. It unpacks the leading topics discussed on almost 4,900 earnings calls worldwide in Q1 2025, enabling chief executives to compare their agendas to those of their peers, and to the market’s expectations. On this episode of the CEO Radar Podcast, Edward Adams of Bloomberg Media Studios is joined by BCG Global Chair Rich Lesser and Michael Brigl, Head of BCG’s Central European practice, to discuss how tariffs are likely to have a long-term effect on corporate operations. Listen to CEO Radar: https://sponsored.bloomberg.com/immersive-story/the-ceo-radar-q2-2025 This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

Marc Gilbert, the global lead of BCG's Centre for Geopolitics, and Michael McAdoo, BHI Fellow and founding member of BCG’s Geopolitics and Trade Practice, dive into the unpredictable world of tariffs and trade. They discuss how companies can enhance supply chain flexibility and embrace scenario planning in the face of shifting geopolitical landscapes. The conversation highlights the importance of supplier diversity and strategic agility to navigate current trade dynamics, particularly in the context of U.S.-China relations.

Aparna Bharadwaj, leader of BCG’s Global Advantage practice, shares insights on the dynamic role of the Global South in reshaping global trade. She discusses how these nations are pivoting from low-cost production to innovation-driven growth. Key topics include the influence of China in the region, the pragmatic economic strategies of countries like Laos and India, and the importance of sustainable practices. Aparna emphasizes the potential for medium-sized economies to redefine trade partnerships and encourages leaders to embrace collaborative approaches for inclusive growth.

Nicolas de Bellefonds, BCG’s global AI leader, unpacks the myths, challenges, and real potential of AI agents. They can transform how work gets done if companies stop chasing shortcuts, rethink outdated processes, and prepare for the costs and complexity that come with real change. Learn More: Nicolas de Bellefonds: https://on.bcg.com/4lr0Dkh BCG’s Latest Thinking on AI: https://on.bcg.com/3Y1NHaq The CEO’s Workout for Peak AI Performance: https://on.bcg.com/44opFtV From Potential to Profit: Closing the AI Impact Gap: https://on.bcg.com/3XZBGSL Chapters:[0:25] Nico’s So What[1:16] What Are Agents?[3:57] What Problems Do Agents Solve?[5:56] How Do Agents Affect Processes?[7:50] What Should Leaders Focus On?[9:06] How Do You Start Improving Data and Infrastructure?[10:24] What Are the Biggest Challenges?[13:48] What Is Next?[14:49] How Close Are We to AGI?[15:43] What Are the Risks?[17:13] Now What?This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp

 By the year 2035, we will likely be able to utilize AI to crunch complex data sets and produce far more accurate predictions of the future, for everything from stock market fluctuations to consumer trends. Already, meteorologists are using AI to improve weather forecasting—for instance, by more accurately predicting when a hurricane will make landfall. But BCG’s Alan Iny says this does not mean that business leaders will be able to dispense with planning for multiple scenarios. Predictions will never be perfect—and everyone will have access to the same tools—so strategic planning will remain critical even as it evolves in new ways.  Learn More: Imagine This: https://lnk.to/imagine-this-general-show09Alan Iny: https://on.bcg.com/4fCNDo5 Are Leaders as Prepared for Strategic Risks as They Think They Are?: https://on.bcg.com/3AXqw8J BCG on Corporate Finance and Strategy: https://on.bcg.com/496c3Ek CEO Moments of Truth: https://on.bcg.com/ITMoT  This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp