299. The new CEO’s guide to stakeholder impact

For new CEOs, engaging stakeholders is one of the most important—and most challenging—parts of the job. In this episode, Carolyn Dewar, Blair Epstein, and Eric Sherman discuss how CEOs can build a strong stakeholder strategy from day one. Drawing on research and their work with leaders across industries, they explore why stakeholder engagement matters so much, the unique challenges new CEOs face, and how leaders can best balance competing priorities across investors, employees, customers, regulators, and communities. They also discuss practical ways to create a clear narrative, strengthen communication, and build leverage through the top team. Related insights Nail your firsts: A new CEO’s guide to stakeholder impact How the best CEOs build lasting stakeholder relationships Your best day won’t define you as CEO—your worst one will A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders From the Rest The Strategic CEO newsletter on LinkedInSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Building resilience is a critical skill for organizations today, yet our research shows that many leaders and organizations don’t spend enough time building their resilience to navigate current and emerging risks. In this episode, two authors of a recent article on the topic discuss how organizations can better prepare for what they face today and in the future. Ida Kristensen is a senior partner in our New York office and the global co-leader of our Risk and Resilience Practice. She advises clients across sectors on risk, strategy, and operational topics spanning enterprise risk management, resilience, organization and talent, cybersecurity, regulatory compliance, and operational improvement. And Linda Liu is a partner in our New York office and a leader in our Risk and Resilience Practice and our crisis response initiative. She works with global organizations on strategy, risk, operations, and organizational transformation. Related insights The CEO as chief resilience officer Resilience pulse check: Harnessing collaboration to navigate a volatile world High-performing teams: A timeless leadership topic What resilience means to Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar McKinsey Risk & Resilience insights McKinsey Risk and Resilience on LinkedInSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

As artificial intelligence transforms how companies compete, many boards are grappling with how to provide effective oversight in this new era. Senior partners Aamer Baig, Celia Huber, and senior advisor Rebecca Schechter join host Sean Brown Inside the Strategy Room to discuss their recent article on how directors can rethink their guidance on AI adoption and readiness, while navigating risks that cut across strategy, talent, and governance. The AI reckoning: How boards can evolve Rewired: How leading companies win with technology and AI McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedInSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Companies that execute transformations with rigor are much more likely to achieve their goals, generate higher total shareholder returns, and enjoy better organizational health. In this episode, Preeya Mody and Dominic Skerritt join host Sean Brown to share insights from their latest research on the role of rigor in driving and sustaining successful transformations. They discuss what defines rigor in a transformation, explore the three elements that rigorous transformations consistently demonstrate, and share practical advice for sustaining momentum without burning out teams. Related insights Going all in: Why employee ‘will’ can make or break transformations The McKinsey Organizational Health Index Wave by McKinsey Seven principles for achieving transformational growth Beyond transformation: What we now know about driving bottom-line performance The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation McKinsey Insights on Transformation McKinsey Transformation on LinkedInSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

While artificial intelligence is moving rapidly from experimentation to execution, many companies still struggle to capture real value from the technology. In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Jean-Paul Carvalho and Robin Nuttall to explore how CEOs can more effectively scale AI and to discuss the technology's implications for the future of work and organizations.Jean-Paul is Professor of Political Economy at the University of Oxford’s Department of Economics and Director of Oxford Elevate. Robin Nuttall is an expert partner in our London office and a leader of our regulatory strategy and environmental, social, and governance work. Robin is also a Business Fellow at the University of Oxford’s Economics Department.Related insightsHow AI is transforming strategy developmentThe state of AI in 2025: Agents, innovation, and transformationBuilding next-horizon AI experiencesArtificial intelligence in strategySupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

What does today’s wave of AI and economic change really mean for markets, jobs, and leadership? In this episode, David Solomon, Chairman and CEO of Goldman Sachs, joins our North America Chair and senior partner, Eric Kutcher, to explain why he sees the current moment as more evolutionary than unprecedented. Solomon discusses what’s driving market resilience in 2026, including fiscal policy, AI infrastructure investment, and shifting trade dynamics. He also shares how Goldman is using AI to boost productivity, reengineer core processes, and invest for long-term growth—as well as candid lessons on leadership, resilience, and decision-making at the top. This episode was recorded in December 2025. Related insights The strategic realities of a new era ‘Saying “I don’t know” is one of the hardest things a leader can do’: A conversation with Delta CEO Ed Bastian Retired US Navy Admiral Eric Olson: Leading effectively in uncertain times Building geopolitical resilience: A conversation with Michèle FlournoySupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

After a long period of uncertainty, the fog has lifted, and while private equity rebounded in 2025, the clearer visibility has also revealed a more complex and demanding landscape. In this episode, the authors of our 2026 Global Private Markets Report unpack the structural shifts reshaping the industry—from elevated multiples and longer hold periods to the growing importance of scale, specialization, and alternative capital. They also explore how artificial intelligence is emerging as a core driver of competitive advantage, with early adopters embedding AI into pricing, productivity, and portfolio strategy to create structural alpha. As private equity continues to mature, dispersion between leaders and laggards is set to widen. The question for dealmakers, operators, fundraisers, and LPs alike: who is equipped to best navigate this new terrain? Related insights  Global Private Markets Report 2026 Private equity: Clearer view, tougher terrainSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Top dealmakers entered 2025 expecting to overcome continued challenges, but few anticipated how sharply trade and geopolitical pressures would intensify. In this episode, Jake Henry and Mieke Van Oostende, the global co-leaders of our M&A Practice, share key themes from our annual M&A report. They reflect on how dealmakers maintained focus, adjusted portfolios, and capitalized on shifting sector dynamics to drive substantial growth in 2025. They also share their perspectives on the five trends driving M&A in 2026. Related Insights Read the full report on McKinsey.com: 2026 M&A trends: Navigating a rapidly rebounding marketSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Jane Fraser, Chair and CEO of Citi, talks with McKinsey Senior Partner and North America Managing Partner Eric Kutcher. After becoming CEO in March 2021, Jane launched a multi-year strategy to transform, simplify, and modernize the bank for the digital age – leveraging Citi’s unique global context to reset where and how it competes. Jane speaks about what the last five years have looked like for Citi and the role AI and blockchain technologies are playing, as well as what she’s learned along the way about talent, intent, and resilience. She also shares the global trends she is seeing as one of the world’s most well-travelled CEOs. Related Insights ‘You’ve got to be willing to “do,” as opposed to getting disrupted by somebody else’: A conversation with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna ‘Saying “I don’t know” is one of the hardest things a leader can do’: A conversation with Delta CEO Ed BastianSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

From its origins as an internal three-ring binder to its status as a global reference text, Valuation has shaped how business leaders think about value creation for more than 30 years. In this episode, co-author Tim Koller joins the co-leaders of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice, Andy West and Dago Diedrich, to reflect on the evolution of Valuation, the principles that have remained timeless, and the lessons learned across market cycles, bubbles, and changing executive expectations. Tim also shares his perspective on long-term orientation, disciplined leadership, and the legacy he hopes the book leaves with the business community. Related Insights Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of CompaniesSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information