The chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global investment management firm traces his journey as a business leader, financial innovator, and philanthropist.

Stephen Schwarzman co-founded The Blackstone Group in 1985 and grew it into one of the largest investment firms in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management and businesses in private equity, real estate, and credit, among other areas. In this episode, Schwarzman talks with Vik Malhotra, former chairman of McKinsey’s Americas region, and senior partner David Schoeman about his approach to leadership and talent and how he assesses investment opportunities. 

You can listen to or read our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Morgan Stanley's James Gorman. 

Join our LinkedIn community of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at @McKStrategy. 

Explore more Inside the Strategy Room episode transcripts on McKinsey.com

The chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global investment management firm traces his journey as a business leader, financial innovator, and philanthropist.
<a href="https://www.blackstone.com/people/stephen-a-schwarzman-2/">Stephen Schwarzman</a> co-founded The Blackstone Group in 1985 and grew it into one of the largest investment firms in the world, with nearly $1 trillion in assets under management and businesses in private equity, real estate, and credit, among other areas. In this episode, Schwarzman talks with <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/vik-malhotra">Vik Malhotra</a>, former chairman of McKinsey’s Americas region, and senior partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-schoeman-55a569155">David Schoeman</a> about his approach to leadership and talent and how he assesses investment opportunities. 
You can <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/120-voices-of-ceo-excellence-james-gorman-morgan/id1422814215?i=1000564978712">listen to</a> or <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/voices-of-ceo-excellence-morgan-stanleys-james-gorman">read </a>our Voices of CEO Excellence interview with Morgan Stanley's James Gorman. 
Join our <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&amp;-corporate-finance/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn community</a> of more than 87,000 members and follow us on Twitter at <a href="https://twitter.com/McKStrategy">@McKStrategy</a>. 
Explore more Inside the Strategy Room <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr">episode transcripts on McKinsey.com</a>

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.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.

The chairman, CEO, and co-founder of the global investment management firm Blackstone traces his journey as a business leader, financial innovator, and philanthropist.

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

Generative AI poses both risks and opportunities. Ida Kristensen and Oliver Bevan join us to discuss how we can mitigate the former while moving to capture the latter from day one.

Ida Kristensen is a senior partner in our New York office. She coleads the Risk & Resilience Practice and advises leading financial institutions on cybersecurity, strategies for risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational improvement.

Oliver Bevan is a partner in our Chicago office and a leader in our Risk and Resilience and Technology Practices. He leads our client work at the intersection of technology and risk, focusing on generative AI, data privacy, third party management, and trust and safety.

Ida and Oliver’s article, Implementing generative AI with speed and safety is available on McKinsey.com

Related reading:

The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier

A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024

Generative AI poses both risks and opportunities. Ida Kristensen and Oliver Bevan join us to discuss how we can mitigate the former while moving to capture the latter from day one.
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/ida-kristensen">Ida Kristensen</a> is a senior partner in our New York office. She coleads the Risk &amp; Resilience Practice and advises leading financial institutions on cybersecurity, strategies for risk management, regulatory compliance, and operational improvement.
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-bevan-86102844/">Oliver Bevan</a> is a partner in our Chicago office and a leader in our Risk and Resilience and Technology Practices. He leads our client work at the intersection of technology and risk, focusing on generative AI, data privacy, third party management, and trust and safety.
Ida and Oliver’s article, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/implementing-generative-ai-with-speed-and-safety">Implementing generative AI with speed and safety</a> is available on McKinsey.com
<hr>
Related reading:
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-economic-potential-of-generative-ai-the-next-productivity-frontier">The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/a-generative-ai-reset-rewiring-to-turn-potential-into-value-in-2024">A generative AI reset: Rewiring to turn potential into value in 2024</a>

203. Managing the risks around generative AI

M&A dealmakers have been on a wild ride. From the pandemic-fueled rout in 2020 to 2021’s record-breaking recovery, followed by a steep decline in 2023, the global M&A market has offered something of a masterclass in volatility. In this episode, we are joined by senior partners Jake Henry, Mieke Van Oostende, and Andy West to discuss the trends in the global M&A environment in 2024 and what they mean for business leaders. Jake and Mieke recently published a report on McKinsey.com, Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals, which forms the basis for our discussion.

The report also includes a compendium of articles analyzing deal activity in the chemicals, tech media and telecom, life sciences, financial services, consumer goods, and transport and logistics industries in 2023. 

M&amp;A dealmakers have been on a wild ride. From the pandemic-fueled rout in 2020 to 2021’s record-breaking recovery, followed by a steep decline in 2023, the global M&amp;A market has offered something of a masterclass in volatility. In this episode, we are joined by senior partners <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/jake-henry">Jake Henry</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/mieke-van-oostende">Mieke Van Oostende</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-west">Andy West</a> to discuss the trends in the global M&amp;A environment in 2024 and what they mean for business leaders. Jake and Mieke recently published a report on McKinsey.com, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/top-m-and-a-trends-in-2024-blueprint-for-success-in-the-next-wave-of-deals">Top M&amp;A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals,</a> which forms the basis for our discussion.
The report also includes a compendium of articles analyzing deal activity in the <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/chemicals-success-through-timely-tailored-action">chemicals</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/thoughtful-m-and-a-strategies-are-key-to-growth-in-tech-media-and-telecom">tech media and telecom</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/life-sciences-m-and-a-shows-new-signs-of-life">life sciences</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/rebound-of-financial-services-m-and-a-focus-on-growth-and-capabilities">financial services</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/consumer-goods-a-changing-landscape-for-successful-m-and-a">consumer goods</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/the-shifting-sands-of-m-and-a-in-transportation-and-logistics">transport and logistics</a> industries in 2023.

202. Charting your M&A course for 2024

Private equity firms have a well-earned reputation for elevating the performance of the companies they invest in. A cornerstone of their strategy is a relentless pursuit of operational excellence to drive efficiency and productivity. In this episode, we analyze what public company CEOs can glean from the private equity playbook to enhance their own company's performance. Our guests are John Kelleher and Radhika Ray.   

John is a senior partner in our Private Equity Special Operations group and serves as an interim in-house executive helping companies execute large PE-style transformations. John has served in multiple executive roles in the private equity industry—including as CEO—and is co-founder of the PE-CEO Alpha Institute, a partnership between McKinsey and Harvard Business School to train private equity portfolio company CEOs. 

Radhika is a partner in our Private Equity group and has over 15 years of experience in the private equity sector. She helps our clients with large-scale transformations and oversees the service line, implementing rapid labor productivity improvements.

Private equity firms have a well-earned reputation for elevating the performance of the companies they invest in. A cornerstone of their strategy is a relentless pursuit of operational excellence to drive efficiency and productivity. In this episode, we analyze what public company CEOs can glean from the private equity playbook to enhance their own company's performance. Our guests are <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/john-kelleher#">John Kelleher</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhikaray/">Radhika Ray</a>.   
John is a senior partner in our Private Equity Special Operations group and serves as an interim in-house executive helping companies execute large PE-style transformations. John has served in multiple executive roles in the private equity industry—including as CEO—and is co-founder of the PE-CEO Alpha Institute, a partnership between McKinsey and Harvard Business School to train private equity portfolio company CEOs. 
Radhika is a partner in our Private Equity group and has over 15 years of experience in the private equity sector. She helps our clients with large-scale transformations and oversees the service line, implementing rapid labor productivity improvements.

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

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