218. Cisco Systems CFO on M&A, geopolitics, and the emerging AI opportunity

Senior partners Alex D’Amico, Michael Birshan, and Andy West join us for a conversation about the latest developments in the field of strategy. They discuss how generative AI will change strategy creation, the importance of developing distinctive insights as part of the strategy process, and how to avoid social dynamics from derailing your organization’s best-laid plans. Related insights: Strategic courage in an age of volatility Tying short-term decisions to long-term strategy Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick Eight shifts that will take your strategy into high gear The social side of strategy The board’s role in strategy Discover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, Sandy Boss, Senior Managing Director at global investment firm BlackRock and Chair of BlackRock UK, joins us on the podcast. In a conversation with Michael Birshan, a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice, Sandy shares her insights on geopolitics and the energy transition as well as her ‘five Cs’ for CFOs looking to take an investor’s perspective. We recorded their conversation at a recent gathering for CFOs in London.  Related Insights What your most important investors need to knowValuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th editionDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Companies have endless initiatives and plans, all with the promise to transform the organization and deliver attractive financial returns. However experience indicates companies should focus on building an institutional capability that has the power to separate them from the rest. To discuss how to build this superpower we’re joined by Brad Mendelson, a senior partner based in our Cleveland Ohio office, and Tova Katzir, a partner in our New York office. Related insightsBuilding a superpower: What can we learn from the Magnificent Seven? What’s your superpower? How companies can build an institutional capability to achieve competitive advantage  Discover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

We’re joined by three McKinsey M&A experts to discuss the ways that generative AI is being used to streamline and improve the M&A process, from target identification to deal execution. Ben Ellencweig leads our work in M&A, alliances, and partnerships globally for QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey. Rui Silva helps lead our work across a range of M&A topics, including how to execute large and complex integrations. Kyle Lefler helps clients with M&A strategy and execution across sectors including technology, digital intelligence, and consumer goods.   Related insights:  Gen AI: Opportunities in M&A  Rewired  The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontierDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we’re joined by senior partners Kurt Strovink and Ramesh Srinivasan, coauthors, along with Hans-Werner Kaas and Dana Maor, of a new McKinsey book, The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out. It is the first-ever look behind the curtain at McKinsey’s step-by-step approach to helping leaders transform both professionally and personally. It introduces a new, more human-centric approach that is helping some of the best leaders achieve results by cultivating humility, confidence, vulnerability, and resilience in themselves and others. Related insights: The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead from the Inside Out Author Talks: A transformational approach to leadershipDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we’re joined by Scott Herren, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cisco Systems, and Eric Kutcher, Senior Partner and Chair of McKinsey & Company, North America. They discuss the rationale for Cisco's recent acquisition, the role of CFOs in driving change within a company, the impact of AI on finance, and the current geopolitical and economic climate. Related insights: The Seasons of the CFO Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFODiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we return to the CFO journey and discuss how CFOs can drive outperformance in the middle years of their tenure. We’re joined by Ankur Agrawal, a partner in our New York office, a leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance and Healthcare practices, and the leader of our CFO and finance service line in the Americas. Christian Grube is a partner in our Munich office, leader in our Strategy and Corporate Finance practice, and the leader of our CFO and finance service line in Europe. Arun Nayar’s career in finance spans more than 40 years. He was the former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tyco International, the former CFO of global operations at PepsiCo, and he currently sits on the boards of GFL Environmental, Amcor, and Rite Aid. Related insights: Faster, smarter, bolder: How midtenure CFOs shift into a higher gear The seasons of the CFODiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we discuss how companies can create value in today’s complex business environment and communicate that value effectively to investors by demonstrating strategic clarity and consistency amid uncertainty. Our guests are Justin Sanders, a partner in New York and a leader in our Corporate Finance Practice, and Cassandre Danoux, a partner in London who leads our Joint Ventures and Alliances Practice.  Related insights What your most important investors need to know Maximizing the impact of your investor relations Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition Discover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we are joined by John Di Bert, CFO of Air Canada, and John Kelleher, a senior partner based in Toronto and the global co-leader of our Finance and Capital Markets service line. Recorded at our recent CFO forum in London, this discussion delves into how Air Canada is positioning itself for sustainable growth and stability, the key financial strategies that other CFOs can apply in similarly complex industries, the financial leadership required to navigate the inherent uncertainties of the airline industry, and the strategic vision necessary for long-term value creation. Related InsightsCorporate finance and the CFO roleThe Seasons of the CFO (including How to prepare for the CFO role) Discover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

This week, we delve into a McKinsey.com report on family-owned businesses (FOBs) that demonstrates how, by combining four critical mindsets with five strategic actions, FOBs have a chance to quadruple their value in the next decade while maintaining resilience. Our guests are Eduardo Asaf who is a partner in McKinsey’s Mexico City office, Acha Leke, who is a senior partner in our Johannesburg office, and Francesco Malatesta, who is a partner in our Dubai office. Related insights: The secrets of outperforming family-owned businesses: How they create value—and how you can become one Insights on Private CapitalDiscover our latest insights and join more than 92,000 influential professionals who are part of our LinkedIn community: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information