This week, we’re joined by Scott Herren, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cisco Systems, and Eric Kutcher, Senior Partner and Chair of McKinsey & Company, North America. They discuss the rationale for Cisco's recent acquisition, the role of CFOs in driving change within a company, the impact of AI on finance, and the current geopolitical and economic climate. 

Related insights:

The Seasons of the CFO

Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate

Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFO

This week, we’re joined by <a href="https://newsroom.cisco.com/c/r/newsroom/en/us/executives/r-scott-herren.html#:~:text=R.,billion%20and%20approximately%2090%2C000%20employees.">Scott Herren</a>, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Cisco Systems, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/eric-kutcher">Eric Kutcher</a>, Senior Partner and Chair of McKinsey &amp; Company, North America. They discuss the rationale for Cisco's recent acquisition, the role of CFOs in driving change within a company, the impact of AI on finance, and the current geopolitical and economic climate. Related insights:
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-four-seasons-of-the-cfo">The Seasons of the CFO</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/palo-alto-networks-cfo-on-ai-cybersecurity-and-the-finance-leaders-mandate">Palo Alto Networks CFO on AI, cybersecurity, and the finance leader’s mandate</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/data-analytics-and-decisions-an-interview-with-teradatas-cfo">Data, analytics, and decisions: An interview with Teradata’s CFO</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;

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

In today’s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and increased pressure to return capital. Kai Vollhardt and Jelena Bauer are joined by Christian Habrich and Frederyk Schroeder as they unpack their latest article on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.

Related Insights

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

Global Private Markets Report 2026

Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain

Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation

Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies (podcast)

The coming wave of business transfers (podcast)

What every CEO can learn from private equity (podcast)

 

In today&rsquo;s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and&nbsp;increased pressure to return capital. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kai-vollhardt?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Kai Vollhardt</a> and <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjelena-bauer-10266ba0%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cf5ac2d1e73d84e1759e408ded85233ed%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639186044766911165%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=f4ATwjPDyvRsK08OxKIKRsYscAf3o55QsNelnJzNo5w%3D&amp;reserved=0">Jelena Bauer</a>&nbsp;are joined by <a href="https://de.linkedin.com/in/christian-habrich-4480a916b">Christian Habrich</a> and <a href="https://dk.linkedin.com/in/frederyk-schr%C3%B6der-6542a19a">Frederyk Schroeder</a> as they unpack their latest <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/beating-the-odds-how-private-equity-firms-can-improve-exit-prospects">article</a> on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use&nbsp;to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.
Related Insights
<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.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report">Global Private Markets Report 2026</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/293-private-equity-2026-outlook-clearer-view-tougher-terrain">Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/unlocking-full-potential-five-practices-reshaping-pe-value-creation">Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/306-transforming-value-creation-in-private-equity-portfolio-companies">Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies (podcast)</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/304-the-coming-wave-of-business-transfers">The coming wave of business transfers</a> (podcast)
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/302-what-every-ceo-can-learn-from-private-equity">What every CEO can learn from private equity</a> (podcast)
&nbsp;

312. Improving private equity exit prospects

Discover how market leaders—Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase—achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven points in profitability. In this episode, Simon Jones, David Schiff , and Kate Siegel discuss their new article on the three critical characteristics that drive sustained profitable business growth: committed investment strategies, diversified growth engines, and systematic technology integration.

Related Insights

Inspired for business growth: How five companies beat the market

The race takes off in the next big arenas of competition

The granularity of growth

Rewired 2.0: How leading companies are (still) winning with AI?

The ten rules of growth

How innovative companies leverage tech to outperform

Discover how market leaders&mdash;Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase&mdash;achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven points in profitability. In this episode, <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsimonmichaeljones%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cc6583fe677fe410ba85008dec7db170c%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639167940992681479%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jqg1NSCA%2Fi89soq1MO23jGepbxHZf6fjqD4HaKNqVkI%3D&amp;reserved=0">Simon Jones</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/david-schiff?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">David Schiff</a> , and <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkatersiegel%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cc6583fe677fe410ba85008dec7db170c%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639167940992712178%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2hY0H6HJC%2FVVbT4ReUwVn%2BdnFTLlzZQ6hrKFBwm7SiQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Kate Siegel</a>&nbsp;discuss their new <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/inspired-for-business-growth-how-five-companies-beat-the-market?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">article</a>&nbsp;on the three critical characteristics that drive sustained profitable business growth: committed investment strategies, diversified growth engines, and systematic technology integration.
Related Insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/inspired-for-business-growth-how-five-companies-beat-the-market?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Inspired for business growth: How five companies beat the market</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/the-race-takes-off-in-the-next-big-arenas-of-competition">The race takes off in the next big arenas of competition</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/the-granularity-of-growth">The granularity of growth</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/rewired-2-point-0-how-leading-companies-are-still-winning-with-ai">Rewired 2.0: How leading companies are (still) winning with AI</a>?
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-ten-rules-of-growth">The ten rules of growth</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-innovative-companies-leverage-tech-to-outperform">How innovative companies leverage tech to outperform</a>

311. Proven growth strategies from market leaders

Transformations often falter due to internal dynamics that divide organizations, such as misaligned incentives, siloed efforts, and risk aversion. CEOs are uniquely positioned to address these challenges by tackling the root causes of collective-action problems and uniting their organizations around bold aspirations. Join Meagan Hill, Mathew Lee, and Kurt Strovink as they explore the role of the CEO in driving enterprise-wide transformation and embedding lasting change into the fabric of their organizations.

Related Insights
Collective action, collective success: A CEO’s role in transformations

Courageous conversations: How to lead with heart

A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership 

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

Transformations often falter due to internal dynamics that divide organizations, such as misaligned incentives, siloed efforts, and risk aversion. CEOs are uniquely positioned to address these challenges by tackling the root causes of collective-action problems and uniting their organizations around bold aspirations. Join Meagan Hill, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/mathew-lee">Mathew Lee,</a> and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kurt-strovink">Kurt Strovink</a> as they explore the role of the CEO in driving enterprise-wide transformation and embedding lasting change into the fabric of their organizations.
Related Insights <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/collective-action-collective-success-a-ceos-role-in-transformations">Collective action, collective success: A CEO&rsquo;s role in transformations</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/courageous-conversations-how-to-lead-with-heart">Courageous conversations: How to lead with heart</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-for-all-seasons">A CEO for All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership </a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>

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

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