Rewinding 2025: A year of The McKinsey Podcast insights—in under 10 minutes - The McKinsey Podcast Recap

Podcast: The McKinsey Podcast

Published: 2025-12-19

Duration: 7 minutes

Guests: Shubham Singhal, Shelley Stewart, Jake Henry, Pradeep Patiat, Lorena Yee, Jesse Novsinger, Daniel Pactode, Carolyn Dewar, Dan Swan

Summary

In 2025, business leaders grapple with rapid technological changes and geopolitical uncertainties. This episode highlights key strategies for adapting, including involving CMOs in strategic planning and leveraging AI as a digital co-worker.

What Happened

Senior partner Shubham Singhal emphasizes that despite the inertia seen in many companies, the age of strategy is back. He outlines that leaders are focusing on protecting, preparing, and propelling their businesses in an environment filled with uncertainty and shifting demand patterns.

Shelley Stewart, a senior partner, points out a startling statistic: only 50% of CMOs are involved in strategic planning with their CEOs, despite their crucial understanding of the customer journey. This lack of alignment can lead to significant issues in staying close to customer needs.

Jake Henry, another senior partner, insists that any robust strategy must include mergers and acquisitions. He argues that M&A activities can fill growth gaps, especially in times of geopolitical uncertainties that affect performance across various geographies.

Senior partner Pradeep Patiat stresses the importance of banks addressing geopolitical challenges. Ignoring the macro environment poses significant risks, but also presents great opportunities for those willing to engage directly.

Lorena Yee, a senior partner, discusses the emerging role of AI agents in the workforce. She views AI not just as software, but as digital co-workers that require onboarding, training, and feedback similar to human employees.

Jesse Novsinger highlights the need for data centers to adapt to increasing consumer demand for electricity, driven by AI technologies. He notes that the growth of data centers is a key driver of electricity consumption in regions like the U.S.

Leadership development is crucial, says Daniel Pactode, who advocates for field promotions that encourage growth into roles. Carolyn Dewar adds that successful leaders exhibit a learning mindset and openness to feedback, which are critical for continuous improvement.

Dan Swan emphasizes the importance of a curious mindset and continuous improvement, particularly for COOs who often set the tone for organizational culture. This mindset can unlock productivity and drive growth and innovation.

Key Insights

• Only 50% of Chief Marketing Officers are involved in strategic planning with their CEOs, which can lead to misalignment in understanding and meeting customer needs.
• Mergers and acquisitions are considered essential for filling growth gaps, particularly during geopolitical uncertainties that impact performance across different regions.
• AI agents are increasingly seen as digital co-workers that require onboarding, training, and feedback, similar to human employees.
• The growth of data centers, driven by AI technologies, is a significant factor in the rising electricity consumption in regions such as the United States.