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>

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

The world is moving faster, and 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 interview the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

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.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world&rsquo;s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.&nbsp;

203. Managing the risks around generative AI

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, Celia Huber speaks with Christiana Smith-Shi. Christiana is the former President of Nike’s direct-to-consumer division and a seasoned board member with over 14 years of service, including on the boards of Williams Sonoma and Mondelēz International. She currently serves on the boards of Columbia Sportswear and UPS, and as Chair of Habitat for Humanity. In a wide-ranging conversation, Christiana opens the boardroom door to discuss topics including the differences between not-for-profit and corporate boards, the dynamics of CEO transitions, and what drives board effectiveness.

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Today&rsquo;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 &mdash; but what does the role really involve? In this episode, McKinsey senior partner emeritus and board director, Celia Huber speaks with Christiana Smith-Shi. Christiana is the former President of Nike&rsquo;s direct-to-consumer division and a seasoned board member with over 14 years of service, including on the boards of Williams Sonoma and Mondelēz International. She currently serves on the boards of Columbia Sportswear and UPS, and as Chair of Habitat for Humanity. In a wide-ranging conversation, Christiana opens the boardroom door to discuss topics including the differences between not-for-profit and corporate boards, the dynamics of CEO transitions, and what drives board effectiveness.
Related Insights&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/leadership/the-board-perspective-number-4">The Board Perspective </a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-boards-can-tackle-geopolitical-risk">How boards can tackle geopolitical risk</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-technology/overview/cybersecurity/the-boards-role-in-managing-emerging-ai-risks">The board&rsquo;s role in managing emerging AI risks</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-technology/our-insights/the-ai-reckoning-how-boards-can-evolve">The AI reckoning: How boards can evolve</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/locations/mckinsey-client-capabilities-network/our-work/strategic-and-change-communications/the-communications-exchange/ceo-insights-forging-stronger-ceo-board-partnerships">CEO Insights: Forging stronger CEO&ndash;board partnerships</a>

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

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-creating transition.

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How buyers can successfully navigate integrating a carve-out

The power of goodbye: How carve-outs can unleash value

Solving the carve-out conundrum

Buy-side carve-outs can create significant value for acquiring companies, but they can also present complex challenges. In this episode, we&rsquo;re joined by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kameronkordestani">Kameron Kordestani</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/anna-mattsson">Anna Mattson</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/rui-silva">Rui Silva</a> to discuss how leaders&mdash;particularly CFOs, integration managers, and CHROs&mdash;must balance financial structuring, operational planning, and people management to ensure a value-creating transition.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/how-buyers-can-successfully-navigate-integrating-a-carve-out">How buyers can successfully navigate integrating a carve-out</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-power-of-goodbye-how-carve-outs-can-unleash-value">The power of goodbye: How carve-outs can unleash value</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/solving-the-carve-out-conundrum">Solving the carve-out conundrum</a>

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

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 transforming value creation requires a more disciplined playbook: structured re-diligence, holistic transformation under a dedicated transformation leadership, stronger operating-team talent, and the use of AI as a portfolio-wide accelerator.

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2026 Global Private Markets Report 

How private equity is using M&A integrations to overcome headwinds

Beating the odds: How private equity firms can improve exit prospects

McKinsey Strategy and Corporate Finance on LinkedIn

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

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, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/ad-bhatia?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">AD Bhatia</a>, <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Frobinligon%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cc5be7b773c324384e6d408deb507a56b%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639147241691032195%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=jVqR%2BAHdnuymF2xfBFMV0AtVTmaz7vSvQ7AKo9vtCfE%3D&amp;reserved=0">Robin Ligon</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/jason-phillips?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Jason Phillips</a>&nbsp;are joined by CVC&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=&amp;ved=2ahUKEwij4IfJjMeUAxVanK8BHVTKNAsQFnoECCAQAQ&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjckelleher&amp;usg=AOvVaw3gHREE4pb31oR2LCk2J-EY&amp;opi=89978449">John Kelleher</a> to discuss the key shifts in today&rsquo;s PE environment and share five moves firms are making in response. The path to transforming value creation requires a more disciplined playbook: structured re-diligence, holistic transformation under a dedicated transformation leadership, stronger operating-team talent, and the use of AI as a portfolio-wide accelerator.
Related Insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report">2026 Global Private Markets Report&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-private-equity-is-using-m-and-a-integrations-to-overcome-headwinds">How private equity is using M&amp;A integrations to overcome headwinds</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/beating-the-odds-how-private-equity-firms-can-improve-exit-prospects">Beating the odds: How private equity firms can improve exit prospects</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-corporate-finance/">McKinsey Strategy and Corporate Finance on LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>

203. Managing the risks around generative AI

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