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All Episodes

Inside the Strategy Room — 321 episodes

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Title
1

321. M&A integration: PE’s new value creation playbook

2

320. The digital twin: Reimagining non-financial risk management

3

319. Why strategy needs mobilization, especially in this moment

4

318. Inside the 2026 CFO Forum: How finance leaders are preparing for what's next (bonus episode)

5

317. Strategic re-underwriting in private equity

6

316. Your budget is killing your strategy: 4 imperatives for CFOs

7

315. The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity: Private market outlook

8

314. How to maximize competitive advantage

9

313. Driving value with an investor mindset

10

312. Improving private equity exit prospects

11

311. Proven growth strategies from market leaders

12

310. The CEO's role in transformation

13

309. Five key moves to create value in spinoffs

14

308. From the C-Suite to the boardroom: Christiana Smith Shi on what it takes

15

307. Making buy-side carve-outs work for everyone

16

306. Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies

17

305. Prudential’s Charles Lowrey on finishing strong as CEO

18

304. The coming wave of business transfers

19

303. How finance leaders are driving value with AI

20

302. What every CEO can learn from private equity

21

301. Using generative AI to conduct outside-in diligence

22

300. The CEO’s agenda for thriving in the agentic age

23

299. The new CEO’s guide to stakeholder impact

24

298. The CEO as a resilience leader

25

297. Boards in the age of AI

26

296. The power of rigor in transformation

27

295. AI, strategy, and the future of work: What business leaders need to know

28

294. Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon on adapting to economic and technological change

29

293. Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain

30

292. 2026 M&A Trends: Navigating a rapidly rebounding market

31

291. ‘Having a human bank is very important’: A conversation with Citi CEO Jane Fraser

32

290. Tim Koller reflects on three decades of Valuation at McKinsey

33

289. The CFO as growth leader: Levi’s Harmit Singh on transformation and the “Magic of the And.”

34

288. Securing agentic AI: A playbook

35

287. IBM Chairman, President, and CEO Arvind Krishna on setting bold ambition and driving growth through innovation

36

286. The Cigna Group’s Brian Evanko on improving affordability and prevention in healthcare

37

285. Keys to success for CFOs leading transformations

38

284. Inside the Chief of Staff role

39

283. The CEO as chief storyteller

40

282. Investing in innovation: A pathway to resilient growth

41

281. Pricing to create value across the private equity portfolio

42

280. Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta on culture, strategy, and reinvention

43

279. From the NFL to the C-Suite: Jason Wright on what it takes to transform organizations and build world-class teams

44

278. Frontier Communications CEO Nick Jeffery on purpose, strategy, and keeping it simple

45

277. The new boardroom dynamic: More conversations, transparency, and trust

46

276. From strategy to performance: Building a new operating model for a new world

47

275. M&A update: Dealmaking is higher, despite volatility

48

274. How Nestlé’s CFO sharpens focus across a global portfolio

49

273. Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian: Lessons from the captain’s seat

50

272. Clear signals in a world of noise: The strategic realities of a new era

51

271. Mastering the cycles of CEO leadership: Starting strong, and staying ahead

52

270. Mastering the cycles of CEO leadership: Stepping up and sending it forward

53

269. Strategy under geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty

54

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

55

267. Cybersecurity for CFOs: Defending against an accelerating threat

56

266. Transforming procurement to transform your business

57

265. The Josh Harris playbook: building cultures of excellence in business and sports

58

264. Creating value through separations

59

263. How Strategy Champions win

60

262. Workday’s CEO on driving growth and transformation in the age of AI

61

261. Retired US Navy Admiral Eric Olson: Leading effectively in uncertain times

62

260. Boosting growth through innovation

63

259. Risk, Resilience, and Innovation: Insights from AXIS Capital's Vincent Tizzio

64

258. Andy Mattes on the challenges of driving M&A as CEO

65

257. The new and timeless truths of valuation

66

256. Doug Parker, former Chairman and CEO of American Airlines, shares leadership lessons

67

255. Building transformation momentum through working capital optimization

68

254. John Stankey, AT&T’s CEO and Chairman of the Board, on embracing long-term vision

69

253. Private capital gets more alternative

70

252. Growth leader mindsets and behaviors

71

251. Driving transformational behavior change at scale

72

250. Building geopolitical resilience: A conversation with Michèle Flournoy

73

249. Becoming CEO, just in time for global crisis: David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO of Carrier Global Corporation

74

248. Taking a proactive approach to geopolitics

75

247. Transforming for growth

76

246. Alok Sama on corporate finance in the fast lane

77

245. The six habits  of successful risk leaders

78

244. Filling the gap between innovation and go-to-market, with AWS’s Jelena Joffe

79

243. A road map to successful transformation

80

242. Planning for the next wave of M&A

81

241. The path forward for private equity

82

240. Improving strategy with AI

83

239. CEO perspectives: Jim Fitterling, Chair and CEO of Dow Inc.

84

238. How leading CEOs excel at stakeholder engagement

85

237. How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through all manner of change

86

236. How corporate boards are responding to their changing role

87

235. Reimagining board communications

88

What an AI-powered finance function of the future looks like

89

233. Building the will to transform: The importance of communication in transformations

90

232. Best of 2024 - What’s new in strategy: A view from the frontlines

91

231. Best of 2024 - Why strategists should embrace imperfection

92

230. How boards can tackle geopolitical risk

93

229. How to sustain transformation success

94

228. How talent drives value in private capital

95

227. Retired CIA Director John Brennan: Why modernization is ‘never over’

96

226. Helping India’s e-commerce leapfrog into the future

97

225. Alex Gorsky, former chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson

98

224. Strategies to navigate geopolitical uncertainty

99

223. What’s new in strategy: A view from the frontlines

100

222. Investor perspective: A conversation with BlackRock’s Sandy Boss

101

221. Building a superpower: How to turn a capability into a competitive advantage

102

220. How gen AI can help accelerate M&A

103

219. How leadership is changing for a changing world

104

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

105

217. How CFOs raise their game in midtenure

106

216. Making your strategic plan compelling to investors

107

215. Air Canada CFO John Di Bert on managing uncertainty

108

214. The secrets to outperforming in family-owned businesses

109

213. Bonus: Starting a new CFO role

110

212. Do you have what it takes to be a CFO?

111

211. 10 questions boards should ask about cybersecurity

112

210. Transformation and new business building

113

209. Innovation in video gaming with Electronic Arts’ Chief Strategy Officer Mihir Vaidya

114

208. Preparing your organization for uncertainty

115

207. Bonus: Deal Volume - Perspectives on a slower era in private markets

116

206. Are you ready for a surge in M&A?

117

205. Helping boards manage geopolitical risk with Jon Huntsman Jr.

118

204. The transformation imperative for midcap companies

119

203. Managing the risks around generative AI

120

202. Charting your M&A course for 2024

121

201. Seven CEO insights from private equity

122

200. A genuine partnership with the board

123

199. Bringing innovation to a not-for-profit setting

124

198. Six strategies for growth outperformance

125

197. Growth, AI, and the future of finance: An interview with Workday’s CFO Zane Rowe

126

196. A guide for boards on generative AI: Four questions for management teams

127

195. Why strategists should embrace imperfection

128

194. Driving long-term business transformation

129

193. Eight keys to excelling as a chief of staff

130

192. Using M&A to launch a transformation

131

191. Best of 2023 - How to make a strong start as a CEO

132

190. Best of 2023 - Strategies to win in the new ecosystem economy

133

189. CEO perspectives: Scott Wine, CNH Industrial

134

188. Leading effectively with the board

135

187. Driving innovation with generative AI

136

186. Palo Alto Networks CFO, Dipak Golechha

137

185. How to succeed in China's changing economy

138

184. How to manage a successful CEO transition

139

183. How mid-tenure CEOs find a new gear

140

182. CEO alpha: How to cultivate great leaders for greater gains

141

181. Navigating geopolitics with Dr Richard Haass

142

180. Implementing transformations for the long-term

143

179. Hopper: Bringing fintech to travel booking

144

178. How Major League Baseball built an innovation machine

145

177. How ESG can enhance profitable growth

146

176. Redefining the chief transformation officer's role

147

175. What's next in private markets?

148

174. Maximizing the impact of your investor relations

149

173. Rewired: Lessons from 200 large-scale digital and AI transformations

150

172. Taking an investor's perspective on your business

151

171. The Committed Innovator: How Shopify approaches innovation

152

170. Building a world-class digital finance function

153

169. Three essentials of successful corporate venture capital

154

168. Geopolitical resilience: What it is, why companies need it, and how they can develop it

155

167. How to predict your competitor's next move

156

166. Juvencio Maeztu, Deputy CEO and CFO of Ingka Group (IKEA)

157

165. Four steps to becoming a high-potential CEO candidate

158

164. Mauro Porcini, PepsiCo's senior vice president and chief design office

159

163. The strategy leader's evolving mandate

160

162. Why today’s CFOs require ambidexterity

161

161. How programmatic M&A leads to long-term resilience

162

160. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck's Ken Frazier. Episode 2.

163

159. Voices of CEO Excellence: Merck’s Ken Frazier. Episode 1

164

158. Seven mindsets and practices for new CFOs

165

157. Two former Nike senior executives discuss retail growth strategies

166

156. M&A insights and outlook for 2023

167

155. Deciphering the economy’s mixed signals

168

154. The Committed Innovator: Working with start-ups

169

153. Strategies to win in the new ecosystem economy

170

152. How to make a strong start as a CEO

171

151. Voices of CEO excellence: Blackstone’s Stephen Schwarzman

172

150. Web3: Demystifying the next generation of the internet

173

149. Capturing value in digital transformations

174

148. Driving growth while decarbonizing: A conversation with E.ON’s Patrick Lammers

175

147. The CFO’s role in talent development

176

146. Leading with authenticity: A conversation with Bill George

177

145. Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian

178

144. The Committed Innovator: The future of Israel’s start-up ecosystem

179

143. The Committed Innovator: Israel’s start-up ecosystem

180

142. Taking fear out of innovation

181

141. Artificial intelligence in strategy

182

140. The ten rules of growth

183

139. How ambidextrous leaders manage through volatile times

184

138. The board's role in building resilience

185

137. Transformational performance management

186

136. Creating value with M&A: A conversation with XPO CEO Brad Jacobs

187

135. Choosing a blueprint for growth

188

134. Richard Rumelt on what separates good strategy from bad

189

133. How to embed ESG into resource allocation decisions

190

132. Digital ecosystems: Creating value in the new age of sectors without borders

191

131. Tim Koller reflects on 20 years of McKinsey on Finance

192

130. The timeless truths of corporate finance–and three challenges ahead

193

129. The CEO’s guide to managing inflation

194

128. The Committed Innovator: DBS Bank’s Han Kwee Juan

195

127. Four front foot strategies to help create value in the net-zero transition

196

126. Juergen Esser on creating value while advancing sustainability at Danone

197

125. Charles Lowrey on putting purpose at the heart of Prudential Financial’s transformation

198

124. IBM’s CFO and senior vice president Jim Kavanaugh on how to deliver sustainable, inclusive growth

199

123. How to make good ideas great and great ideas scale with John A. List

200

122. How companies can turn the ‘Great Resignation’ into the ‘Great Attraction’

201

121. MassMutual’s Roger Crandall on disrupting your own industry

202

120. Voices of CEO Excellence: James Gorman, Morgan Stanley. Part 2.

203

119. Voices of CEO Excellence: James Gorman, Morgan Stanley. Part 1.

204

118. The Committed Innovator: Temasek’s Pradyumna Agrawal

205

117. The four fundamental factors of win-win spin offs

206

116. New Zealand Rugby President Bill Osborne on strategy and leadership

207

115. Understanding the SEC’s proposed climate risk disclosure rule

208

114. The path to sustainable and inclusive growth

209

113. The Committed Innovator: Keho founder Tekla Back

210

112. The role of the board in preparing for extraordinary risk

211

111. Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs. Ep 2

212

110. Leadership lessons from the world’s best CEOs. Ep 1

213

109. Brendan Whitworth on Anheuser-Busch's next phase of growth

214

108. Programmatic M&A: Winning in the new normal

215

107. Emphasizing the ‘S’ in ESG

216

106. Putting stakeholder capitalism into practice

217

105. The role of ESG and purpose

218

104. The race to create a vaccine: A conversation with Pfizer’s Frank D’Amelio

219

103. Kevin Hostetler of Rotork on accelerating growth

220

102. Boards and the cloud

221

101. Improving strategic outcomes with advanced analytics

222

100. The Committed Innovator: Loonshots author Safi Bahcall

223

99. The corporation in the 21st century

224

98. Agile business portfolio management

225

97. Innovation—the launchpad out of the crisis

226

96. The making of a megadeal: Howard Ungerleider on the merger of Dow and DuPont

227

95. Boards, Talent, and Culture

228

94. The Committed Innovator: Amy Brooks of the NBA

229

93. Ron O’Hanley of State Street on corporate resilience and ESG

230

92. Michelle Gass of Kohl’s on shifting from survival to growth

231

91. The Committed Innovator: Tanya Baker of Goldman Sachs Accelerate

232

90. The 21st century corporation: A conversation with Brian Chesky of Airbnb

233

89. Untangling the often mysterious process of joining a corporate board

234

88. Kevin Sneader on the eight trends that will define 2021–and beyond

235

87. Preparing for future growth: A conversation with Simon Pryce of Ultra Electronics

236

86. The impact of COVID-19 on capital markets

237

85. The Committed Innovator: Dometic’s Peter Kjellberg

238

84. Managing in extreme uncertainty

239

83. The role of boards in fostering resilience

240

82. The workforce of the future

241

81. Collaborations between corporates and start-ups

242

80. The CEO’s new technology agenda

243

79. Business priorities in the post-pandemic era

244

78. Moving from cash preservation to cash excellence

245

77. Boards and decision making

246

76. The Committed Innovator: Board director Ireena Vittal. Part 2

247

75. The Committed Innovator: Board director Ireena Vittal

248

74. The COVID-Exit

249

73. The Committed Innovator: Neal Gutterson of Corteva

250

72. The great acceleration

251

71. Boards and cybersecurity

252

70. Boards and sustainability

253

69. Boards, strategy and the new risk environment

254

68. The Committed Innovator: Anjali Sud, CEO of Vimeo

255

67. Ensuring the health of your business partnerships

256

66. The board’s role during crisis and beyond

257

65. Budget planning for 2021

258

64. Building a great digital business

259

63. Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of Reckitt Benckiser, on corporate purpose during a crisis

260

62. The Committed Innovator: Salesforce’s Simon Mulcahy

261

61. Purpose and the future for capitalism

262

60. The Committed Innovator: Kellogg’s Nigel Hughes

263

59. The CEO moment. Episode 2

264

58. The CEO moment. Episode 1

265

57. Why you need to keep changing your company’s business mix

266

56. Corporate purpose, during crisis and beyond

267

55. Growth through a downturn

268

54. Innovation in a crisis

269

53. Culture in M&A

270

52. The Committed Innovator: Investor Kevin O’Leary

271

51. Choosing the right path to unlock the economy

272

50. Transformation and resilience: An interview with Best Buy’s executive chairman Hubert Joly

273

49. Planning ahead of the crisis

274

48. Navigating unprecedented disruption

275

47. Making your business transformation stick

276

46. Protecting our lives and our livelihoods from coronavirus

277

45. The war on the coronavirus

278

44. Four ways to assess projects and keep them on track

279

43. CFO leadership in the COVID-19 crisis

280

42. Cash preservation in response to COVID-19

281

41. COVID-19: Implications for business

282

40. COVID-19: How business leaders should plan ahead for the next stage

283

39. Why ESG is here to stay

284

38. Getting a grip on revenue synergies

285

37. What sets the world’s best CEOs apart

286

36. Extracting value from M&A

287

35. The Committed Innovator: Beth Comstock

288

34. A winning formula for deal synergies

289

33. How new CEOs can manage for the future

290

32. Digital disruption and the role of M&A

291

31. Corporate diversity: if you don’t measure it, it won’t get done

292

30. Strategy at the speed of digital

293

29. Partners in profit: Creating successful business alliances

294

28. Stronger for longer: How top performers thrive through downturns

295

27. Jumpstart a better way to do strategy

296

26. How to make the bold strategy moves that matter

297

25. Measuring your strategy’s odds of success

298

24. Reinventing the CFO for the digital age

299

23. Framing reinvention: What disruptive change means for business, society, and you

300

22. How CFOs should drive digital transformations

301

21. Resilience and value: A CFO toolkit for withstanding shocks

302

20. The diversity opportunity for new CEOs

303

19. Want better strategies? Become a bulletproof problem solver

304

18. Creating high-performance innovation teams at scale

305

17. Active portfolio management: An interview with Andy West

306

16. The evolution of the CFO

307

15. The pros and cons of activist investors

308

14. How to move fast: Innovation at speed and scale

309

13. Bias busters: How to resist the allure of ‘glamour’ projects

310

12. Bias busters: How to avoid losses and prune projects proactively

311

11. Bias busters: How to be objective about budgets

312

10. Bias busters: How to make better decisions with the ‘outside view’

313

9. Why long-term value is a winning bet

314

8. Digital transformation: The CFO's role

315

7. Make working capital work harder for you

316

6. How leading CEOs manage their middle tenure

317

5. How to take the measure of innovation

318

4. Demystifying AI and machine learning for executives

319

3. Building gender diversity on boards

320

2. How to avoid digital strategy pitfalls

321

1. Inside the strategy room: One CEO’s approach