268. Accounting for carbon: SAP’s Dominik Asam on the CFO’s role

Beyond reporting requirements and transparency imperatives, there’s a huge financial incentive to manage your company’s sustainability activities with data-driven business decision-making. To do so, efforts must be anchored in a data strategy that merges the financial and the ESG analysis. In this episode, Peter Spiller, a partner based in our Frankfurt office who co-leads our efforts in environmentally sustainable operations, speaks with Dominik Asam, Member of the Executive Board and CFO at enterprise planning software giant SAP. Dominik talks about his role in helping steer the company and their customers towards decarbonization, and how to balance the financial ledger with the sustainability ‘Green Ledger’ in a future-ready way that centers on driving real progress while protecting the bottom line. Related insightsManaging carbon: A new role for the CFO Toward the long term: CFO perspectives on the future of finance Reaching net zero–what will it take?   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

In today’s fast-evolving cybersecurity landscape, organizations face bigger and bolder threats that have wide-reaching implications − from financial and customer data breaches, to third-party infiltration and disruption far down the supply chain. Hacking has become an organized business, and AI and quantum technologies are as much a part of the threat as they are the solution. Charlie Lewis leads our North American and European cyber practices and is a partner in our Connecticut office. He supports clients on strategic cyber transformations. In this episode, Charlie speaks with Sean Brown about the critical role of CFOs in their organization’s cyber operations, the core foundations of cybersecurity, and the importance of organizations collaborating on improving security in a world of crime that has no borders. Related insights Resilience Pulse Check: Harnessing Collaboration to Navigate a Volatile WorldRepelling the cyberattackers (book excerpt) 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

Procurement can play a crucial role in driving a company's transformation, and leaders are now recognizing its potential to be a strategic enabler of change. In this episode of Inside the Strategy Room, we explore the key findings from our recent McKinsey.com article titled “Aim higher and move faster for successful procurement-led transformation”. Teresa George, a partner in our Chicago office, Raul Santos, a partner in our Madrid office, and Cole Wirpel, an associate partner in our Atlanta office, join Sean to share insights on how procurement can be a catalyst for company-wide transformation and the essential capabilities required to achieve this goal. Related insights Aim higher and move faster for successful procurement-led transformation How procurement leaders can bring metals and mining up to speed The digital spend control tower: Shift spending mindsets at scale Defining your ‘true north’: A road map to successful transformation McKinsey Insights on Transformation McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn 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

In 2022, Josh Harris founded 26North, an alternative asset management firm that has reached close to $30 billion in assets under management in its first 3 years. Josh also co-founded Apollo Global Management and Harris Blitzer Sports and Entertainment (HSBE) and is a prominent figure in the sports management arena. He has stakes in the Washington Commanders, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Devils, and Crystal Palace Football Club, amongst other teams. In this episode, Josh speaks with our North America Chair and senior partner Eric Kutcher, sharing insights that span his high school wrestling years, to starting anew at the age of 55 with 26North. His thoughts on leadership, culture, and resilience traverse both the worlds of investment and sports.Related insights  A CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of LeadershipCEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the RestThe Strategic CEO newsletterDoug Parker, former chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessonsJohn Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&TSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Divestiture is one of the least discussed aspects of M&A, and yet separations can be a highly effective way of creating value. In this week’s episode, Sean speaks with two McKinsey experts on separations and spin-offs about their latest research on the subject. Jamie Koenig coleads our separations and spin-off client work globally and is a partner in our New York office. He has more than a decade of experience helping clients navigate complex transactions, having worked on hundreds of deals, and has a particular passion for building new companies via spin-offs. Anna Mattsson is the global co-lead of our separations and spin-offs client service line. She is a partner in our Zurich office and has 20 years of experience helping clients deliver value through M&A, divestitures, and spin-offs. The two are co-authors of our recent article on separations.Related insights When separating businesses, people are the key to unleashing value The cost of (un)doing businessWhy speed matters in divestitures  What it takes to make separations a competitive difference-maker M&A Annual Report: Is the wave finally arriving? Active portfolio management: Five practical insights for value creation The equity story you need for the long-term investors you want McKinsey Insights on M&A 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

In this episode, Sean talks with four strategy experts who share the findings of their new research into the practices that separate companies that succeed at building and executing an excellent strategy from those that do not. You can read more about their research in the new McKinsey Quarterly article titled, How Strategy Champions win.  Alex D'Amico co-leads our strategy work globally and leads it in North America. He is a senior partner in our Connecticut office where he helps companies across industries shape enterprise strategy, undertake cultural transformations, rapidly boost performance, and redesign organizations to sustain results. Alejandro Krell co-leads our strategy work globally with Alex and leads our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice in Latin America. He is a senior partner in our Panama City office where he advises companies across the financial services, manufacturing, mining, retail, and telecom sectors on addressing strategic challenges and making lasting performance improvements. Semyon Yakovlev leads our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice across Asia and is a senior partner in our Seoul office. He serves clients on strategic and performance improvement programs, working with major banking groups, insurance companies, tech companies, and public sector institutions. Whitney Zimmerman is a core leader of our strategy work and an associate partner in our London office. He also leads our work on the role of the chief strategy officer, helping CSOs define and succeed in their roles, and he led our latest research on strategy capabilities and practices. Related insights Have you tested your strategy lately? How programmatic M&A fosters long-term resilience How AI is transforming strategy development Strategy to beat the odds The strategy leader’s evolving mandate Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick Rewired: The McKinsey guide to outcompeting in the age of digital and AI McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn  Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Carl Eschenbach joined Workday in December 2022 to serve as co-CEO alongside Co-Founder Aneel Bhusri before becoming sole CEO in February 2024. In this episode, our North America Chair and senior partner, Eric Kutcher, talks with Carl about taking a ‘co-existence’ view of the role of AI in the workforce as a source of productivity, building an endurable company with a growth mindset culture, and the responsibility of leaders to serve the success of others. Related Insights Becoming CEO—just in time for a global crisis: David Gitlin How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through uncertainty and technological evolution Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFO Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate The Strategic CEO newsletterSupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

In this episode, we speak with Eric Olson, a retired US Navy Admiral with a distinguished career in special operations, about the key principles of effective leadership, particularly in times of uncertainty. Eric shares insights from his experiences leading high-performing teams and organizations through complex challenges, offering valuable leadership lessons for executives in today's rapidly changing business landscape. Related insights: A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets that Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs learn to lead from the inside out Trusted advice for effective leadership The CEO as chief resilience officer The Strategic CEO newsletter McKinsey Insights on Strategy & Corporate Finance  McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn   Support the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Mergers and acquisitions are among the more complex processes new CEOs have to learn, whether they’re in the role for the first time or taking over at a new company. Andreas “Andy” W. Mattes has navigated this multiple times in his roles as CEO of Siemens Communications, Diebold, and later of Diebold Nixdorf, and now of the laser technology company Coherent. In this discussion with M&A practice leader Jake Henry, Andy talks about the roller-coaster ride that M&A can be, and the critical M&A skills he had to learn as a CEO, including how to best deal with competing bids and making time to commune with other CEOs. Jake is the global co-leader of McKinsey’s M&A Practice, which includes mergers, acquisitions, integrations, joint ventures, and divestitures. He previously led our Life Sciences Practice globally, where he guided pharmaceutical and medical-technology company executives on matters of corporate strategy, growth strategy, and operational excellence for more than twenty years. Related insights CEOs in M&A: Five actions only the chief executive can take Uncertainty in M&A: Postcards from the new normal M&A Annual Report: Is the wave finally arriving? What makes a successful CEO? The loneliest job? How top CEOs manage dilemmas and vulnerability CEO excellence: How do leaders assess their own performance? CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest The Journey of Leadership: How CEOs Learn to Lead From the Inside Out   McKinsey Strategy & Corporate Finance on LinkedIn McKinsey Insights on M&ASupport the show: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&-corporate-finance/See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information

Measuring value creation is critical, as company leaders grapple with geopolitical shifts, digital disruption, and other trends affecting their businesses. Two co-authors of the new edition of Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies join Sean today to discuss what they’ve learned over the course of writing and updating their book, which is now in its eighth edition, with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide Author Tim Koller is a core leader in our Corporate Finance Practice and a Partner in our Denver office. In more than 40 years of consulting, he’s served clients globally on corporate strategy, capital markets, acquisitions, divestitures, and resource allocation. Co-author Marc Goedhart is a senior expert in our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice based in Amsterdam. He’s also an endowed professor of corporate valuation at the Rotterdam School of Management at Erasmus University in the Netherlands. Related insights Valuation 8th edition Subscribe to The Valuation Practitioner newsletter on LinkedIn Author Talks: What’s new in Valuation? Bubbles pop, downturns stop Bias Busters: Getting both sides of the story Biases in decision-making: A guide for CFOs Is your ‘conglomerate discount’ a performance discount or a communication problem? Tying short-term decisions to long-term strategy What I learned from Daniel Kahneman 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