The role of chief transformation officer (CTO) is often linked with cost-cutting. In this episode, we discuss how this is a misleadingly narrow view and explain why and how CTOs should correct that misconception and redefine the role. Our guests are Kevin Carmody, a senior partner in our Chicago office, AD Bhatia, a partner in our New Jersey office, and Emily Rizzi, an associate partner based in our Pittsburgh office. 

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Meet the newest member of the consumer C-suite: The chief transformation officer
How companies can transform with workers’ insights


Join our LinkedIn community of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at @McKStrategy. 

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The role of chief transformation officer (CTO) is often linked with cost-cutting. In this episode, we discuss how this is a misleadingly narrow view and explain why and how CTOs should correct that misconception and redefine the role. Our guests are <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kevin-carmody">Kevin Carmody</a>, a senior partner in our Chicago office, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/rethink/2023/08/2023-08-02c.html">AD Bhatia</a>, a partner in our New Jersey office, and Emily Rizzi, an associate partner based in our Pittsburgh office. 
Related insights
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/meet-the-newest-member-of-the-consumer-csuite-the-chief-transformation-officer?cid=other-eml-mtg-mip-mck&amp;hlkid=7cc34f0f1b7d40c0a595b7e44b1e0d78&amp;hctky=1926&amp;hdpid=6343684f-ef15-4a20-b4db-7807ba7d90ef">Meet the newest member of the consumer C-suite: The chief transformation officer</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/email/rethink/2023/08/2023-08-02c.html">How companies can transform with workers’ insights</a> 
Join our <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&amp;-corporate-finance/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn community</a> of more than 90,000 members and follow us on X at <a href="https://twitter.com/McKStrategy">@McKStrategy</a>. 
Explore our collection of Inside the Strategy Room <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr">episode transcripts on McKinsey.com</a> 
</li>
</ul>

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The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few. &nbsp;But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
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176. Redefining the chief transformation officer's role

As AI models become increasingly sophisticated, organizations and their leaders need to maintain awareness of the opportunities and challenges each new model can present. Specifically, the newest Frontier Lab LLMs are able to chain together and exploit vulnerabilities in even the most sophisticated organizations. Charlie Lewis and Marie-Claude Nadeau join us to discuss the threats posed by these models and how organizations can stay ahead of rapidly emerging cybersecurity challenges while also realizing their benefits.


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As AI models become increasingly sophisticated, organizations and their leaders need to maintain awareness of the opportunities and challenges each new model can present. Specifically, the newest Frontier Lab LLMs are able to chain together and exploit vulnerabilities in even the most sophisticated organizations. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/charlie-lewis">Charlie Lewis</a> and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/marie-claude-nadeau">Marie-Claude Nadeau</a> join us to discuss the threats posed by these models and how organizations can stay ahead of rapidly emerging cybersecurity challenges while also realizing their benefits.
 Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/the-top-trends-in-tech">McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2026</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/tech-and-ai/our-insights/the-top-trends-in-tech#cybersecurity-and-trustworthy-systems">Cybersecurity and trustworthy systems</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/the-speed-problem-how-frontier-ai-exposes-weakness-in-enterprise-cybersecurity">The speed problem: How frontier AI exposes weakness in enterprise cybersecurity</a>
<a href="https://prod.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/quantum-is-almost-here-are-you-and-your-systems-ready">Quantum is almost here: Are you and your systems ready?</a>
<a href="https://prod.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/deploying-agentic-ai-with-safety-and-security-a-playbook-for-technology-leaders">Deploying agentic AI with safety and security: A playbook for technology leaders</a>

325. Addressing AI Frontier Lab model risks and opportunities

Episode description

Executives have more data, more frameworks, and more advice than ever, and yet their confidence in their strategies keeps falling. Andy West, Tim Koller, and Whitney Zimmerman, authors of our forthcoming book Strategy and Value: The Four Foundations That Drive Long-Term Performance, join us to discuss how winning companies leverage the four foundations that drive long-term performance and value creation

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How to maximize competitive advantage (podcast)

Ten Timeless Tests: Have you tested your strategy lately? 

How top economic performers lean into their competitive advantage to guide their strategy

Valuation: Measuring and managing the value of companies

 

Episode description
Executives have more data, more frameworks, and more advice than ever, and yet their confidence in their strategies keeps falling. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-west?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Andy West</a>, <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Ftimkoller%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7C7875f620e57d42762bfd08df1dbaa813%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639262359712776817%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=KYa1NIG0Oree44OSE0ImMepkyDz3gAdYOwRTmqBa%2FRs%3D&amp;reserved=0">Tim Koller</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/whitney-zimmerman">Whitney Zimmerman</a>, authors of our forthcoming book <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/strategy-and-value">Strategy and Value: The Four Foundations That Drive Long-Term Performance</a>, join us to discuss how winning companies leverage the four foundations that drive long-term performance and value creation
Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/strategy-and-value">Strategy and Value: The Four Foundations That Drive Long-Term Performance</a>
<a href="https://prod.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/strategys-biggest-blind-spot-erosion-of-competitive-advantage">Strategy&rsquo;s biggest blind spot: Erosion of competitive advantage</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmeGg9ruEhk&amp;list=PLFUo1mP7MU2M&amp;index=7">How to maximize competitive advantage</a> (podcast)
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/have-you-tested-your-strategy-lately">Ten Timeless Tests: Have you tested your strategy lately?&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://prod.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-top-economic-performers-lean-into-their-competitive-advantage-to-guide-their-strategy">How top economic performers lean into their competitive advantage to guide their strategy</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/valuation-measuring-and-managing-the-value-of-companies">Valuation: Measuring and managing the value of companies</a>
&nbsp;

324. How strategy creates value: The four foundations that drive long-term performance 

McKinsey research finds that companies executing transformations with rigor are much more likely to meet overall organizational transformation goals. Chris Hagedorn, Preeya Mody, and Michel Morenville join us to discuss what rigor really means in the context of transformation and how to embed it throughout the process, from setting the aspiration to mobilizing to delivering impact.

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Rigor: What it takes to turn ambition into impact

The power of rigor in transformation (podcast episode)

Wave by McKinsey

McKinsey Insights on Transformation

How to gain and sustain a competitive edge through transformation

Going all in: Why employee ‘will’ can make or break transformations

Seven principles for achieving transformational growth

Beyond transformation: What we now know about driving bottom-line performance

The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

McKinsey research finds that companies executing transformations with rigor are much more likely to meet overall organizational&nbsp;transformation goals. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/chris-hagedorn?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=CL4C">Chris Hagedorn</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/preeyamody">Preeya Mody</a>, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelmorenville/">Michel Morenville</a> join us to discuss what rigor really means in the context of transformation and how to embed it throughout the process, from setting the aspiration to mobilizing&nbsp;to delivering impact.
Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/rigor-what-it-takes-to-turn-ambition-into-impact">Rigor: What it takes to turn ambition into impact</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/296-the-power-of-rigor-in-transformation">The power of rigor in transformation</a> (podcast episode)
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/how-we-help-clients/wave/overview">Wave by McKinsey</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on Transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/how-to-gain-and-sustain-a-competitive-edge-through-transformation">How to gain and sustain a competitive edge through transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/going-all-in-why-employee-will-can-make-or-break-transformations">Going all in: Why employee &lsquo;will&rsquo; can make or break transformations</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/seven-principles-for-achieving-transformational-growth">Seven principles for achieving transformational growth</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/beyond-transformation-what-we-now-know-about-driving-bottom-line-performance">Beyond transformation: What we now know about driving bottom-line performance</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/the-powerful-role-financial-incentives-can-play-in-a-transformation">The powerful role financial incentives can play in a transformation</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>

176. Redefining the chief transformation officer's role

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