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Inside the Strategy Room

Inside the Strategy Room

McKinsey & Company 305 Episodes Aug 21, 2026

We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

Episodes

317. Strategic re-underwriting in private equity
317. Strategic re-underwriting in private equity Aug 21, 2026 3060 Private equity firms are under increasing pressure to create value in a tougher market, with longer hold times and evolving value creation theses. Leading funds are using re-underwriting as a repeatable discipline that supports better decisions across the hold period. Join AD Bhatia, Jason Phillips, Hassen Ahmed and Manuel Fernandez Angulo as they unpack the what, when and who of re-underwrit
316. Your budget is killing your strategy: 4 imperatives for CFOs
316. Your budget is killing your strategy: 4 imperatives for CFOs Aug 14, 2026 3304 The traditional annual budget process is broken. It is rigid, backward-looking, and not operationally fit to keep up with today's fast-moving markets. Top-performing companies are outpacing peers by budgeting differently. Matthew Maloney, Karen McLoughlin, and Michele Tam join us to discuss their recent article on how top-performing companies are transforming the budget from a control mechanism to
315. The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity: Private market outlook
315. The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity: Private market outlook Aug 7, 2026 3018 Infrastructure is at a pivotal inflection point: its definition is expanding beyond traditional assets to digital and interconnected systems, demanding a fundamental mindset shift by governments, investors, and operators to plan, fund, and maintain integrated infrastructure that supports future growth and resilience. Alastair Green and Adrian Kwok discuss the latest findings from our 2026 Glo
314. How to maximize competitive advantage
314. How to maximize competitive advantage Jul 30, 2026 2892 Competitive advantage is becoming much more fluid as market positions shift faster across industries, with advantages eroding and differentiation narrowing. Despite this increased volatility, companies often fail to actively monitor shifts in their competitive edge. Join Matt Banholzer and Laura LaBerge as they discuss their latest research on the erosion of competitive advantage an
313. Driving value with an investor mindset
313. Driving value with an investor mindset Jul 24, 2026 2851 Long-term value creation is foundational to building strong companies and economies, yet many leaders struggle to ensure that well-conceived, well-executed strategies receive full recognition from investors. Senior Partner Ryan Davies and Associate Partner Jacob Marcus join us to discuss how to anticipate investor reactions, assess opportunities to outperform expectations, and embed an i
312. Improving private equity exit prospects
312. Improving private equity exit prospects Jul 15, 2026 2879 In today’s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and increased pressure to return capital. Kai Vollhardt and Jelena Bauer are joined by Christian Habrich and Frederyk Schroeder as they unpack their latest article on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use to improve exit outc
311. Proven growth strategies from market leaders
311. Proven growth strategies from market leaders Jul 10, 2026 3627 Discover how market leaders—Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase—achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven points in profitability. In this episode, Simon Jones, David Schiff , and Kate Siegel discuss their new article on the three critical characteristics that driv
310. The CEO's role in transformation
310. The CEO's role in transformation Jul 2, 2026 3062 Transformations often falter due to internal dynamics that divide organizations, such as misaligned incentives, siloed efforts, and risk aversion. CEOs are uniquely positioned to address these challenges by tackling the root causes of collective-action problems and uniting their organizations around bold aspirations. Join Meagan Hill, Mathew Lee, and Kurt Strovink as they explore the role of the C
309. Five key moves to create value in spinoffs
309. Five key moves to create value in spinoffs Jun 25, 2026 3233 More than 55 percent of large spin-offs fail to deliver the expected value three years post-spin; this is true for both the parent and the new company. However, even in today’s complex macro environment, there is plenty of spin activity as companies look outside the portfolio in pursuit of more focused strategies, fit-for-purpose operating models, and optimized capital management. Join us as
308. From the C-Suite to the boardroom: Christiana Smith Shi on what it takes
308. From the C-Suite to the boardroom: Christiana Smith Shi on what it takes Jun 17, 2026 3022 Today’s board members face growing demands on their time. A challenging macro environment and ever-evolving business risks are increasing meeting frequency and requiring faster decision-making. For executives considering a board role, the developmental opportunity may be clear — but what does the role really involve?In this episode, McKinsey senior partner emeritus and board director,
307. Making buy-side carve-outs work for everyone
307. Making buy-side carve-outs work for everyone Jun 11, 2026 3320 Buy-side carve-outs can create significant value for acquiring companies, but they can also present complex challenges. In this episode, we’re joined by Kameron Kordestani, Anna Mattson, and Rui Silva to discuss how leaders—particularly CFOs, integration managers, and CHROs—must balance financial structuring, operational planning, and people management to ensure a value-crea
306. Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies
306. Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies Jun 3, 2026 3286 Outperformance in private equity is no longer defined by leverage or multiple expansion; disciplined value creation will be the decisive factor in future investment success. In this episode, AD Bhatia, Robin Ligon, and Jason Phillips are joined by CVC’s John Kelleher to discuss the key shifts in today’s PE environment and share five moves firms are making in response. The path to

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